Race. [TMNT 2012]

053. Shock; Lucy

Song: Watch You Crawl - Red

Is she really gone?

I stare at the door, the groaning from the mutants drowned out by my thoughts. One minute, Elizabetta was safe. She was holding the door closed like the rest of us as we tried to prevent the beasts from getting inside. Then in the blink of an eye, the mindless mutants had dragged her right out into the depths of the mob.

The more I think about it, the more disbelief that grows in my mind. I haven't known her too long, but it still wrenches my heart to see her suffer such a terrible death. She was obviously a valuable and strong person; she didn't deserve to go out that way.

"Lizzy, no!" Mrs. Jersey cries as she starts to dive into the crowd of mutants. Casey and my mother jump forward to stop her at once.

"You can't go out there," my mother reminds her sympathetically as we tug her backwards. "We need you in here."

"But Lizzy, she-" Mrs. Jersey starts to shout with tears rolling down her face, but she is interrupted by a sudden movement at the door.

A human hand grabs the wall inside the restaurant. A body comes with it, shaking off the mindless clinging to it. It's Elizabetta, and she's all torn up. She quickly slams the door shut and sinks to the ground, blood dripping out of various claw marks on her arms and chest.

Her mother is at her side in an instant. "Lizzy! Oh, Lizzy!" she gasps as she helps Elizabetta back onto her feet. "Oh, you're alright! I can't believe it!"

"Believe it," Elizabetta responds hoarsely. Her green eyes are full with pain as she half-limps over to a seat and sits down. She clutches her stomach and groans, her forehead creased with her discomfort.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Jersey asks her daughter anxiously, tucking some loose strands of hair behind Elizabetta's ear. She quickly checks over Elizabetta's scratches, but they're too minor to be concerned about. She returns to worriedly pacing around her daughter instead.

"Nothing," Elizabetta replies. She raises her dagger and tries to get back to her feet, but she can't even hold her own weight. She crashes back down into the seat with a loud thump, rubbing her abdomen.

"You need to rest, Lizzy," her mother says, her breath coming in scared gasps. "Just sit there for a little while until you feel better."

Elizabetta's eyes are locked on the wooden door between us and the mutants. "No, I've... I've got to... Stop them," she mutters determinedly. Then, without warning, she falls out of the chair and collapses onto the floor.

Her mother and I both dive for her at the same time.  Somehow, we save her from hitting her head just in time.  Carefully, Mrs. Jersey and I both lift her up and place her back into the chair.  Elizabetta's unconscious body immediately starts to slide to the floor again, so her mother has to hold her in place by her shoulders.

   Glancing behind me, I see that Casey and my mother fail to keep the mindless mutants out. The creature mercilessly burst the door down and flood into the restaurant. With wide eyes, I watch well over thirty mutant creatures shoving their way inside. Their beady eyes glare as they wobble towards Casey and my mother, lashing their claws through the air as usual.

   My mother rushes to Elizabetta's side and pulls her to her feet, despite the teenager being unconscious. "We've got to get into the kitchen. We can barricade ourselves in there," she announces above the obnoxious noises sounding from the mutants.

    Mrs. Jersey, with concerned tears in he eyes, helps my mom half-drag and half-carry Elizabetta into the kitchen. I follow them, but I stop when I see Casey getting closed in. He's so lost in hitting the creatures' heads that he doesn't even notice us.

   "Casey!" I yell, waving my hands frantically to get his attention.

   Casey snaps his head towards my direction.  When he realizes what's happening, he starts backing up, using his wooden weapon to bat the mutants away.  Slowly but surely, he gets close enough to the kitchen door.  Then, quick as a whip, we both dive through the door and slam it shut, our eyes wide with terror.

   However, we don't have time to secure the door properly.  The mindless creatures come crashing through it as if it's merely a lacey curtain, their heads practically spinning in circles with excitement.

   "In the supply closet!" I hear my mother order.  Without hesisitation, the four of us escape the kitchen and charge down the hallway.  Elizabetta's mother is hindered by her blacked out daughter in her arms, causing us to push her on faster.

   The whole time I feel the mutants hot on my tail, making my stomach queasy. As we leap into the supply closet, my legs go so weak with relief that I nearly collapse.  I am so distracted that Casey has to push me out of the way so that he can block the doorway.

   Through my blurry vision, I watch Casey shove a huge shelf in front of the door.  It seems to work at first, until I see the door shivering from the impact of our enemies.  They don't lose a hint of their rage as they continue to throw their nasty claws against the door.  The only thing that holds the door in place is Casey's weight on it.

   As I look around, I realize I am in the same room Casey and I were in earlier.  Only this time, it's darker than ever.  Still, through the dim light I can make out the eyes of my companions.  My mom paces back and forth, her gray eyes full of frustration.  On the floor is Mrs. Jersey and her daughter; the latter of the two still hasn't woken up.

   Worried, I bend down beside Elizabetta's mother.  "How is she?" I ask, knowing it will benefit Mrs. Jersey to talk about her fears.  Though I know admitting the truth of what is happening to her will only make things worse.

   "I don't know," the fragile-looking woman admits.  "She's stopped bleeding, but she still won't wake up."

   Suddenly, the shelf barricading the doorway starts to wobble dangerously.  The door behind it has long cracks running down it.  It won't be long before it's nothing more than a pile of splinters.

   My mother is already onto the case.  Frankly, I'm surprised at how well she is handling this.  "We need to get out," she says. She opens the other door to the outside world, but quickly shuts it again.  Her startled gaze tells me that she witnessed something awful.

   "What happened?" I ask, my heart pounding with adrenaline.  I'm not prepared for more bad news.

   "There are more of those creatures outside this door," she speaks after a sharp inhale.

   "Did they see you?!" Casey questions through gritted teeth as he forces his back against the shelf some more.  I race to his side and help, but I'm not sure that it does much good.  I'm just too small.

   "I don't think-" my mother starts to replying, but banging on the other door proves her wrong.   She quickly throws herself against the structure to stop the mindless mutants from bursting in, her face glowing red with the effort.

   Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mrs. Jersey tugging Elizabetta tightly into her arms.  I hear her whispering promises that she'll be alright, which just makes my heart shatter.  It also makes me realize just how deadly our situation is.

   Shaking with violent fear, I look up desperately at Casey.  "What do we do?!" I demand, my breath coming out in panicked gasps.

   Casey seems ready for that question.  He whips his cell phone out of his pocket and starts to dial a number, his tongue poking out of his mouth. 

    "I know who can help."