The Girl From Another World ( TMNT 2007 Universe )

Chapter 31 - Bloodstains

Raphael

The portal worked just as it had the first time. Activating it, the familiar blue hole appeared and we drove the Tortuga straight through the entrance and into the familiar town that we'd visited the first time. Except it was darker, nighttime there. And it'd been daylight on our Earth. But that wasn't the only thing that was strange.

There was absolutely no one in sight.

The houses that were standing along the sides of the dusty street we stood on showed no signs of activity. It was as if everyone had vanished.

"Where is everybody?" Donnie asked.

"I don't know." Jazmin looked all around us, her green eyes full of worry.

"Maybe they're further in town?" I suggested.

"No. It's the middle of the night." She took off walking. "I need to get to the diner."

I started after her. "Jaz! Wait!"

She broke into a run. "Just follow me!" She shouted.

My brothers, April, and Casey headed back to the bus but I sped up, eventually ending up right beside her. "What's wrong?" I asked between breaths. I hadn't been on a real patrol in years and being out of shape was kicking me in the ass right now.

"Everyone can't be gone!" She said as her feet hit the ground at a faster pace. "They can't be!"

I knew then what she feared. That Tesh had taken every living thing from this Earth. He couldn't do that could he?

"Kellerinn said that the portals are strong enough to transport Tesh's entire army! What if he did?!" She ran impossibly faster, passing me, all the way to the diner where we'd met.

The place was active, or had been not too long ago. All the lights were on and cars were parked in the parking lot. But what really gave the place away was a huge message written on the roof of the building. It looked like it had been burned on there by some sort of laser or fire based substance.

SETTLEMENT 31 IS MINE

Jazmin gasped and covered her mouth with her hands at the sight of the building. She immediately became upset. Everyone's in the entire Settlement was gone. Tesh had taken them all to get to Jazmin.

"No!" She said as she ran to the entrance of the diner. She went inside, myself following right behind, to see with her eyes what her mind was telling her was true.

Tables and chairs were turned over carelessly, plates and other dishes were smashed, ovens and refrigerators turned over on their sides, and bloodstains on the carpeted floor. It looked like a real life horror movie.

"This is all my fault." She sobbed. "It wouldn't of happened if I hadn't left. If I'd had just followed orders this wouldn't of happened. It's all my fault." She broke down, her whole body shaking.

The rest of our group filed into the diner as I took ahold of Jazmin, cradling her in my arms and whispering to her to calm down. It was a terrible sight and it moved me, even though I didn't know anyone here. There was no guessing where everybody had gone. Tesh had taken them back to his lair on Earth 6.

I had often wondered what a planet with no life on it would look like back when I was younger and my anger at my brothers and Sensei made me wish I was alone on a planet by myself. This wasn't at all what id pictured.

"Whoa..." Casey said. "Somebody has a bone to pick with somebody."

"The first 'somebody' is Tesh and the second 'somebody' is Jazmin numb nuts." Donnie said irritably. "Didn't you see the roof?"