TMNT:Unknown Pasts(DISCONTINUED)

Chapter One: Unwanted Attention

~One year later~

15 year old Izzy Zannella's heart pounded harder than it ever did. Her sneakers gripped the tiled floor as she ran down the hallway as fast as her long legs would carry her. Faster, faster! she thought as her wavy, fiery red hair blew behind. Panting heavily she turned a corner and bursted through a door on her left. Tripping over her own feet, Izzy stumbled forward hitting the ground hard. Glass shattered around her. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

The entire class burst into laughter. "Would the esteemed Miss Zannella like to share with us of what could have possibly caused her tardiness to this class I worked so hard to prepare?" Were the words of Mr. Stimson, her science teacher. The only words that Izzy could generate was a quick "sorry, Sorry" as she began to collect up the shattered pieces of broken bleakers. "I asked you a question, Miss Zannella" Izzy looked up at her teachers aging face "I - uh, I slept in" she gathered up her books which had scattered the floor and walked to her seat. People still sniggered as she sat down. Burrowing her face in her arms to hid the red embarrassment, she painfully waited for class to end.

~

"What was that all about?"

At lunch Izzy still sat with her face buried. She groaned in response.

"Come on, Izzy" said another voice.

She looked up at her two friends. The one to the left, Sayuri Takahashi was a smallish Asian girl with black hair tightly wound in a bun. The one to the right of her was Mackenzie Wilt. she was a rough looking girl with short brown hair and large amber eyes.

"You always sleep in. What do you do at night, read?" Mackenzie asked as if izzy was insane.

Izzy stayed silent and took out her small lunch of a soggy ham sandwich, which she ate tiredly. Sayuri and Mackenzie exchanged worried glances.

For the rest of the day, Izzy never listened to what the teachers were teaching. She even blanked out everything her friends said. When finally the day ended she sat on the front steps of the school. Mackenzie and Sayuri sat down on either side of her. Sayuri spoke first. "Izzy, are you okay?" Still, Izzy remained unresponsive. The two gave up on trying to get through to their friend, so they sat there. Minutes ticked by as the grounds emptied of students.

Finally, Izzy spoke "it's been exactly one year" she said quietly, not making eye contact with her friends. At her words both Mackenzie and Sayuri knew what she was talking about. She had told them many times before. The story of the shadow; the ghost. But izzy had never told them of her occasional but horrifying nightmares, ones of her father repeating those words she felt too scared to even think about.

'You can't run...from the past.'

At that moment a rusty car rolled up infront of the school. Izzy stood up, leaving her friends behind, and sat in the front seat. Her mother beamed down at her. Her face was old and wrinkled yet had such energy and warmth to it. Her hair was fiery red, like izzy, but had a few gary hairs as well "how was your day, sweetie?" She asked but immediately changed her expression when she saw her daughters face. She sighed and asked "you had another nightmare, didn't you?" Izzy limply nodded as they headed home.

As they rolled by an apartment building, Izzy exited the car. She looked back at her mother who was on her phone. "Listen, sweetie." Said izzys mother "I need to get something's done at work. Can you please tidy up and vacuum the place? And make sure to do your room, too." Izzy gave a soft groan and started to walk to the entrance of the building. her mother called behind her "Hey, but maybe after we can go to the movies, huh? I'll be chalk free then and we can also come home to a clean house" Izzy looked back and shrugged before she entered the beaten down lobby. She glanced at the elevator doors, which had a piece of paper stating it was broken. Izzy groaned and then proceeded to the stairs, taking her time while walking up.