My Life with Raphael

Chapter Eight: Back in Chains and Past Records

We arrive at the lair to see the other three asleep. Mikey was sprawled out on the couch with a comic book on his face. Donnie sitting up in a chair with his high tech gear off his body. And Leo was perfectly still in a meditative position. "Some guards...." Raphael whispered to me. I giggle quietly at the sarcastic remark. He takes me back to the place where I had been chained up. I knew what he had to do. He put the chains back on me as I saw guilt in his eyes. "I'm sorry I have to do this," he said. "They just don't trust you....." His voice broke. He looked at me with a thin lay of tears in his eyes. "I trust you," he said. "Raph," I said. "I can understand why they don't trust me.... Heck, I'm the daughter of your enemy!" "I know you're good, Emma," he said. "You're NOT like Shredder! Wait...." he was deep in thought, pondering something. "How ARE YOU Shredder's daughter!?"

I turn my head as I felt myself on the verge of tears. He slid his hand on my face and directed my stare toward him. "Please tell me, I swear I won't judge you," he said. I take a deep breath. My breathing was shaky. My palms were sweaty. My gaze slowly drifted to the stone ground and then to the chains on my wrists. He then scooted close as I start to think of my mother and cry. He held me in his arms, not letting go of me. "It's okay, nothing's gonna hurt you," he soothed. I calmed down in a few minutes. I took another deep breath, and started the story.

"When I was three...." I started. "My mother, Ariel, was taking care of me. I used to have three sisters as well. But on a autumn night on my birthday while we were getting back from the party, something took my mother. I watched her get SLAUGHTERED right before my very eyes! My sisters Lea, Donna, and Michelle disappeared. Killed or not, I don't know. This man came to me and took me in saying he was my father. Oroku Saki, or the Shredder, had taken me in and neglected me. He gave me no respect and locked me in a DUNGEON with these type of chains. He did that earlier tonight around 11:00."

"Wait, if he chained you up TONIGHT, then how were you on the rooftops?" Raph asked. He was curious enough to make me uncomfortable. "Those chains were 100 years old and rusted. Heck, they were so old, a NEWBORN BABY could've TOUCHED them and they would've collapsed and turned to dust!" I say. We heard someone walking around. I started to look around as my heart raced. Then Splinter came out of the dark. "I know what really happened to your family," he said

"It was October 12, 2000" he said. "You and your family were walking home from your birthday party. Two men walked out of the shadows and grabbed your mother as three took your sisters." He voice started to fade. "Do you remember the sewer grate you were next to?" he asked. I do remember that. I saw the shade of red amber brown dots looking at me as I cried. "Wait, you guys were....." I trail off, I was about to cry again. Raphael looked down at the stone wall as if he knew something. "Raphael, tell her," Splinter said.

Raphael sighed. "Emma, look at me..." he said. I stared at him with confusion. "I have a question. Does Shredder have a mutant rhino and a mutant warthog for guards?" "Yeah, how did you know?......" I ask. He looked at me with sympathy, as if he was gonna say I have a severe illness. "Those two guards...." he started. My eyes widened. "No....." I say. "Yes. Those guards, killed your mother!"