Reckless. [TMNT 2012]

14. The Monster Inside Her; Casey

Song: Hymn For The Missing - Red

Elizabetta lays unconscious on the ground, her zombant form still possessing her body. Her eyelids twitch and her nose wriggles involuntarily. Her chest rises and falls in a shallow manner, while her hands and feet tense up. It looks as if the serum has triggered some kind of reaction inside her.

    Time picks up speed again as a zombant forces its weight against me. I stumble backwards and only just regain my stature in time to stop it from coming forward. I dodge a set of sharp teeth by shifting my shoulder to the side, barely escaping unscathed.

    About that time, Michelangelo gets distracted by Elizabetta's condition. His grip on the zombant herd slackens as he looks back over his shoulder. His blue eyes are contaminated with eagerness as he awaits her return to her human form. Of course, the commotion only puts him in danger.

    "Mikey, watch it!" I shout as claws fly by his skull. Leonardo and I swipe our weapons at the same time and reflect the blow, but only just. The stray zombant disappears into its ranks once again and continues its push for freedom, which we are hardly preventing.

    "Idiot," Raphael snarls at Michelangelo from my other side, unable to take his emerald eyes off his sparring enemies.

    Michelangelo is immune to all of this. "Is it working?" he asks, his voice cracking worriedly. He can't seem to take his eyes off our motionless zombant friend.

    April and Lucy stand beside each other with equal concern in their gazes as they watch Elizabetta. The redhead crosses her arms with a dark expression, while Lucy's administering hand quivers fearfully. Neither of them look prepared for what happens next.

    Elizabetta slowly opens her eyes. Her form hasn't shifted and her eyes are still black pits of nothing. The weak way she holds her head up proves that her mind is still not her own.

    "No, Lizzy..." Leonardo mumbles softly, his eyes betraying the pain he feels in his heart.

    Donatello stares blankly as he realizes what is happening. He takes a step back and shakes his head as Elizabetta releases a low groan. A deep sigh overtakes him.

    Suddenly, the zombant hoard surges against my team and I. "Hey!" I snarl at the ugly creatures as I stumble back a few inches. I regain my hold on the enemies, but not quick enough to stop them from advancing. They almost have us closed in.

    April rushes over and jumps into the action with her tessen out. She reflects blow after blow; though even with her help, it is impossible to keep the herd back. We're exhausted, and they're only getting started.

    "We can't hold these freaks back much longer!" I yell above the disgusting growls and curdles.

    "We need to get outta here," Raphael agrees with a more aggressive tone as he smacks some claws away from his face.

    Leonardo has another plan, however. "Hold your ground," he commands as he shoves a katana into the mass. He expects it to help us, but it only makes matters worse by allowing the zombants to surge again.

    "Grr," I mutter as my hockey stick nearly bends from the pressure it's under. I have all my weight against the herd, yet it's still not good enough. We're going to get destroyed.

    Elizabetta lets out another menacing sound. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of her rising off the ground with a dangerous gleam in her gaze. Her long claws sparkle in the half-light as they move closer to Donatello.