Everything seemed different.
Duller.
Sadder.
The fires lost their brightness without Raph nearby, where you could send him secret smiles.
The water didn't shimmer and shine, knowing that Leo wasn't watching you in the shrub, discreetly making small patterns in the water for you.
You didn't enjoy gardening with your mother as much when you remembered playing in the woods with Donnie, receiving countless flowers from him, all shining with their own brilliance.
When the wind made your hair fly around, you felt like crying, knowing Mikey wasn't behind it, fluffing your hair with his air- hands, or pulling it back in a ponytail for you with his leaf- fingers.
When your birthdays drew near, you felt you could burst with excitement, that happy swelling feeling in your heart urged you to check the barn more often. When they didn't show, you sank to your knees and cried for a moment, before standing and leaving another tally mark on the side of the old wood.
365
Another year past.
730
Another year worth of tally marks.
1095
Your heart broke with each year, each birthday.
1461
Soon you began to wonder.
1826
Are they ok?
2191
Will they even come back?
2556
Were they even real?
~~~~
"Happy 15th birthday Sweetie! I love you, my baby girl." You hear your mother congratulate over the phone, talking a little too loud, and you pull the receiver away from your ear to prevent future hearing loss.
"Thanks mom, where are you?"
You had awoken to an empty house, with a warm plate of pancakes on the table, and a short list of chores. Your dad had died two years ago in a car crash, so it was just you and your mom. Over the years, the memory of The Elements faded, and you figured they were imaginary, something a lonely four-year old thought up.
"Pulling up to the mailbox. Boy oh boy you have a lot of birthday letters!" Your mom giggled, and you smiled to yourself.
"Ok, I need to check on Charlie." You hung up quickly and grabbed your coat, running to the barn. A steady patter of rain began to fall, and you ran faster before it got really heavy. Slipping in, you shook yourself of the rain drops and turned the gas lamp on. Walking over to Charlie, you stroked his muzzle, and gave him a carrot to munch on.
"Good horsie." You sighed, turning your gaze to the back wall. Thousands of tally marks littered the old wood, creeping to the right wall when you ran out of space. You pulled out your pocket knife and made another one.
"You're imaginary," you whispered when you finished, "I shouldn't be upset. Why can't I just.. forget!" You shout, slamming your fist on the wall, your other hand dropping the dull knife to the earthy ground. You sank to your knees, listening to the rain pound like drums on the tin roof, the fire whisper, and the wind sing softly to you. You felt the earth under you, and you cried.
"Why didn't you come back?" You sob, turning to rest your back on the wall, and hide your face in your knees. The wind blew harder, and a old piece of paper fluttered to your feet. You looked up, and took it carefully, opening it to read. It was the note. The one they left when they.. left. You knew you were just kidding yourself. That you wrote that note as a final attempt to hold on to your friends, to keep your back to reality. But it didn't work. In the end, it was all pretend.
But then again, how could a eight year old write such neat cursive?
"Y/n?" A solemn voice called from the doorway, and you looked through your h/c hair to see your best friend, Marvel.
(Haha sorry not sorry!)
"H-hey Marvel." You greeted shakily. She doesn't answer. Instead she marches over and sits next to you, wrapping her strong arms around you.
"How'd you meet?" She questioned, and you groaned.
"Please don't make me do this. They're not real. They were imaginary! Mar-"
She gave you a stern look, unlike her usual smile, and you gave a defeated sigh, beginning to tell the tale of how you met The Elements, again.
Marvel started this custom on her own, when you told her about them on your 12th birthday, when you first met. Instead of thinking you were crazy, like you expected once the story had left your lips, she was fascinated, and you became inseparable. After the party, she had stuck around, and found you crying in the barn. The rest is history.
"They said they'd come back. But they haven't. And I'm still heartbroken, after seven stupid years, it still hurts.." you sobbed in her shoulder, and she rubbed your shoulder.
"Describe them." She directed, and you did as told.
"Leo has the water element. All he is is water. His eyes look like shallow holes in his face..." You sniffed as you trailed off, and she nudged you.
"Marvel, I admire your consistency, but, one thing I know for sure: they aren't real. And even if there's a remote chance they are, they're most certainly not here." You stated firmly, and Marvel sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"There's still time." She mutters, breathing in deeply and standing with you, then throwing an arm around your shoulders. "C'mon, your mom bought a cake. F/f (favourite flavor)."
You smile and leave with Marvel, not noticing the rain slowed to a light patter when you left the shelter of the barn. The wind swirled around, picking up the few leaves on the ground, all orange.
Specks of fire floated to the straw covered ground. And f/c flowers began to grow from the barns earth floor.
From a far off distance, if you were listening closely, you might've heard someone whispering your name.
YOU ARE READING
Element Turtles
Fanfiction[[Completed June 24th, 2017]] Y/n M/n L/n meets the element turtles when she is four years old. Over time, they become the best of friends. Years later, they disappear, and Y/n begins to doubt if they were even real. What will happen when she must m...
