TMNT: Brainwashed

Chapter 16

I remember calling my family. My mother's tired voice. The loud bickering of my siblings came as muffled whispers through the phone. I didn't think of the call, I don't even remember why I called.

I was called back to work.

Someone else called out sick and I was offered double if I decided to come in. I got off, and everything was perfect.

I had enough money.

She was much smarter than me, I of course set aside money for her. My little sister was going to go to college, I was happy. For the first time in a long time, I was happy.

I was happy.

I came back home, I was going to share the good news. But when I got to the house, there was no one to share it with.

I don't know when the police came, I'm surprised they came at all. I briefly remember yelling into the phone, my ears were ringing too loud and my heart slammed my ear drums.

Who would do such a thing?

It was months later when I was ready, I trained.

I trained a lot.

I was stronger, faster, I was ready. I was ready to avenge my family.

I knew just where to go in order to achieve this.

Hamato Solutions.

The job made me feel sick, sticky. The people made me want to workout more. The people caused drama, pushed workloads of paper on me, the stress. The small run down training center was my home, I spent any of my free time working out there.

Not like I needed the freetime.

Freetime gave me a chance to think, thinking was dangerous.

Remembering was dangerous.

I made friends, we were similar. They were outsiders, I forced myself on the outside. They wanted to do something together, but I told them, I don't do anything but workout. It was routine. They wanted to do something else, I said no. So we trained. I don't think they understood me. Not completely.

I don't even understand me completely.

They trained with me, and I think they started to notice. They knew, or at least knew why training was important. It didn't give me time to think.

I reminded myself of someone.

I remember, reading a book. A man who started to notice things, a man who questioned things, a man who risked everything to think for himself. But maybe society was right, what's the point of thinking if it led me to this point in my life.

I've never felt so alone before.

They know. Not by guessing. It's because I told them. They figured out who I was.

I let myself stop, during our workout, and the truth retched from my lips. I couldn't stop myself.

I think a part of me didn't want me to stop.

They understood. We became closer.

I asked about their lives.

But something was off.

I think they realized it too, not all of their memories lined up in a single story. As if they were missing key parts in it, as if they didn't even know themselves.

I guess they joined the club.

That's what everyone in the office called us, the 'Club'. We were diverse, strange, we were not like the others. They were fast food restaurants. They bickered online or behind their backs but silence, inanimate when it came to confrontation. We were loud, happy, we were unified and willing to fight for each other. They were the people I trusted the most. They hated fast food restaurants.