No Escape

Chapter 21

Leo lay floating, within the confines of a never ending black void. His mind pulling up the images and feelings that he had experienced, as he watched each member of his family brutally slaughtered before his eyes; only instead of him watching his family members die, he was the family member who died.

He was Mikey, watching with unspeakable terror, as the blade swung closer and closer. Until the blade fell, slicing through his soft flesh. Leo felt his body convulse for a heartbeat, sending unbearable pain bursting along every nerve ending in his body, before death finally claimed him.

He was Donnie, lying in a frozen chamber, hoping and praying, that Leo was going to save him, and instead, going slowly numb with cold, and finally, slipping away into the darkness.

He was his father, lying on the operation table, as a madman removed each organ with swift precision, and little care for the agonizing pain he inflicted, until his victim could take no more and died.

Then he was Raph, trapped within his hated enemy's armor, forced to follow the Shredder's sick orders, to kill his beloved brother, but managing through his stubborn, bull headiness to fight off the mind control enough, so that his brother was able to kill him instead. Dying by slow, agonizing inches and seconds, the blood finally filled his lungs; drowning in the substance that had once kept him alive.

Leo awoke from his nightmare with a sharp gasp, the pain radiating through his body was so intense, that he briefly slipped back into unconsciousness, before he managed to resurface again. A cold sweat ran down his body. Leo shivered against the chill slightly. He opened his eyes, but it made no difference, the darkness was impenetrable.

He felt tears wet his cheeks. He was trapped in complete, and utter darkness. He could feel that he was laying on a thick layer of straw, and under the straw, he could feel the icy coolness of concrete. He whimpered as he made a small movement. He slowly dragged himself painfully into a sitting position, agony blossoming along every inch of his body, causing him to nearly lose consciousness again.

The utter and complete cruelty of the Shredder's plan was not lost on Leo. The twisted brilliance of it was quite startling. The Shredder had broken him completely; mentally, physically, and even spiritually, before he dumped him in a deep, dark hole, where no one would ever find him. Not that there was anyone left to look for him, but by not killing him, the Shredder planned on Leo suffering a long, horribly, slow death, alone, without honor, and without revenge being fulfilled. Just him, alone in the darkness, with his demons to haunt him, and his own thoughts to torture him, until he died of dehydration, or his injuries.

Leo became aware of the heaviness of the canteen around his neck. It had somehow managed to survive the fall intact, which was more than could be said for him. He shifted slightly, and instantly regretted the action, as pain tore through him in a white, hot blaze of agony that stole his breath away, and forced him to let out a whimper of pain.

When the agony dulled to bearable proportions, he reached for the canteen. He wondered if he would be able to resist taking a sip of the water. 'Prolonging the inevitable seems ridiculous at this point, but would I be able to stop myself from trying to survive, even for just a few days longer?' He wondered to himself. He then decided that he would not give the Shredder the satisfaction of prolonging his life. He would not touch the water, instead, he would sit in his private Hell until he died. He may last a day, maybe two, he deserved that much.

As the hours passed slowly by, he slipped in and out of unconsciousness, his thirst steadily building and building, until it felt as if his whole being screamed, and begged for the life saving liquid.

Finally, Leo felt himself break, he couldn't take it any longer. He let out a choked sob, and with shaky fingers, he managed to turn the cap, slowly, and painfully, from the canteen. Leo raised the canteen to his lips. His arm shook so much with the effort, that he spilled much of it on himself before his lips touched edge, and took a huge gulp of the precious liquid.