Liz: A TMNT Story

Chapter 12

"I brought you some clothes."

I stared blankly at the pile of garments at the foot of the cot, my dismal gaze traveling up to the redhead who had just spoken. Her curious blue eyes looked me up and down, making me shift uncomfortably. She brushed her fiery red locks back under her yellow headband and smiled a little.

"Liz?" She continued, her voice blaring in my over sensitive ears, "Mikey told me they found you. I was so worried - I thought you were done for, after the inv - uh, all that happened..."

My eyes never left her face, though my own stayed emotionless, while my paranoia made me inch away from her rather than accept the friendly greeting. April seemed dejected as her smile faded, biting her lip.

"I know you've gone through a lot," She finally commented, "But it's me, April. I'm your friend, remember? We used to be in half our classes together."

Of course I remembered. We'd had biology, formal geometry, P.E., and English together. April had lived down the hall from my apartment since the day my mother and I had moved in. Seeing her amongst those mutant turtles in that photograph had been the only thing that convinced me to stay here (not counting Leonardo). But I remained silent.

"Liz, I'm not gonna hurt you," She assured, "And neither will the Turtles. You don't have anything to fear. You're safe."

I almost laughed, though if I had, the sound surely would've sounded bitter. Safe? How could I ever have the feeling of safety again? I had no home, I'd been mutated into a hideous freak, the Kraang were probably still out there...

"Hey, are you okay?" April's worried tone pulled me out of my internal grief, "You look kinda... angry..."

"M'fine," I croaked, my hand unwillingly grabbing at my throat as I used my ragged vocal chords for the first time in days.

"...If you insist," She finally said, looking toward the slightly opened lab door, "Look, the guys want me to try and convince you to come out. Your ankle should be a bit better, but you have to use it, or it'll heal even slower."

Her words sounded rehearsed, as if she'd practiced them in front of a mirror before she walked in to see me. Still, her smile seemed genuine enough. I nodded, more to myself than to her, slowly - agonizingly slowly - swinging my legs to the edge of the cot. April seemed proud of herself for having managed to convince me, and moved to help me, too quickly. My fight-or-flight instinct kicked in, and I held up my uninjured arm in defense, my eyes blazing with a sort of crazy desperation. Her own eyes widened, and she stepped back slowly, allowing me to finally stand on one foot, my body aching in protest.

"You should probably change before anything," April thought aloud, "Donnie tried to salvage as much of your clothing as he could, but you would do well to get a shower and some new clothes."

I glanced down at the rags I'd lived in for months, detesting the blood stains that dotted the fabric and the burned holes that reminded me of Kraang bullets. I wanted to rip the ruined cotton off me right then and there, but for once, my common sense made me limp toward the bathroom on the other side of the lab, April trailing behind dutifully. It wasn't until I'd entered the bathroom and closed the door that I'd realized she'd also followed me in there. I raised a brow, beginning to open the door again, but she shook her head slowly.

"I'm supposed to keep an eye on you," She explained sheepishly, "Which unfortunately means I have to follow you everywhere for a while. They don't want you accidentally hurting yourself anymore than you already are."

I sighed in exasperation, finally shrugging and closing the door again. April was kind enough to turn on the shower for me before looking away respectfully as I disrobed. I stepped in the shower carefully, bracing myself against the wall, and hissed in pain as the water cascaded over my wounds.

"You alright?" April said over her shoulder, her eyes shut and her arms crossed over her chest.

I nodded, before remembering she couldn't see me and muttering, "Yeah..."

I had to bite my tongue as I stepped the rest of the way into the shower, my taut muscles beginning to release as I let the water wash the grime out of my hair and off my body, ignoring the occasional sting of pain. I closed my eyes, trying to remember the last time I'd had a shower.

Over 3 months ago.

Before the invasion.

Before I went through that hell of living in a sewer alone, without anyone to comfort me.

The lump in my throat made it hard for me to breathe as I recalled that fateful day, where everything had changed. I remembered my mom, the hope we both harbored as we waited for that Greyhound bus, the feeling of her squeezing my hand reassuringly. I remembered her face as that very same bus carried her away from me, the panic and heartbreak as she shouted my name, the total loss I felt when I could no longer hear her voice.

And I realized something.

I was a mutant. I'd never be able to show my face to the outside world. I'd be forever doomed to live below a city I could never truly be a part of. And even if she'd survived the Kranng attacks, even if she'd managed to reach the city limits safely...

I'd never be able to see my mother again.

I looked down at the scales that were now my skin, the tail that was now a part of the new me.

And I hated myself.

I despised my new body.

And thanks to the Kraang, I'd never be able to escape this gruesome Halloween costume that I was trapped in.

I let out a sob, sinking to my knees, welcoming the pain that came with moving my achy joints. I pounded my fist against the porcelain of the shower floor, crying out angrily, the water rinsing away my hot, angry tears. I tore at my hair in fury, gritting my teeth as I scratched my nails over my scales. I was thankful for the shower. It washed away the little pinpricks of blood that were beginning to appear over my skin.

But then the water was shut off, and I looked up through my haze of tears to see April, her jaw slackened with shock. I didn't stop, Just looked back down at myself and continued to scrape my nails along my body, to pull at my hair, to try and escape this nightmare.

I felt a towel drape over my bare self, and April pulled me out of the shower, pleading for me to stop.

I didn't listen.

Only when she wrapped her arms around me, holding me fast as she hugged me and cooed reassuring words into my ear, did I finally give up. She kept repeating to me that it was okay, that I didn't have to worry.

I didn't listen.

I just sobbed into her shoulder, letting out my pent up agony and drowning out her caring words with my own wails.

Because deep down, I believed I would never have a family, despite those who tried to help me, no matter who might show me compassion in this new secret world I'd become immersed in.

I was alone.