Breathe

Breathless Nights

Mikey walked into the lair to see what his bros were up to. He had his inhaler in hand just in case. Leo was standing there looking annoyed.

"Hey Leo, what's up?" Mikey asked casually, flashing a smile at his oldest brother. Leo glared at him.

"Go away, your useless to us!" Mikey whimpered and turned to Raph. Hoping his big brother would comfort him.

"Raphie, why is Leo being mean?" He whispered, tears pouring down his chubby cheeks. Raph glared at him.

"Are you really that stupid? No one wants you around, you'll just hold us back...get outta here!" Raph yelled.

He slapped Mikey on the head hard making the young turtle whimper in pain. "Ow, why are you guys being so...mean?"

Mikey was beyond confused and very upset. Why were his brothers suddenly saying mean things? Didn't they love him anymore?

Donnie then walked in, looking uncharacteristically angry. "D-Donnie, I don't understand what's going on....why are they being mean?"

Donnie growled. "Haven't you taken a hint? Because of you and your stupid defective lungs, you're holding us back!"

Mikey whimpered. "What do you mean?" He whispered. "We constantly have to wait for you because you're so slow! You're so useless!"

Mikey started crying as Donnie slapped him across the face, making the turtle's cheek sting. Mikey ran towards his father, sobbing.

"Papa...why are they being so mean to me? Why? I thought they loved me? Why is this happening to me?"

Splinter shoved Mikey away. "Get off of me, you useless son...I am so ashamed to have a ninja like you, you are no longer my son!"

Mikey started sobbing harder, gasping for air as his lungs constricted. He lay down on the ground, sobbing and gasping as they spewed hurtful words.

"Useless!"

"Defective!"

"Not my son!"

"You're holding us back!"

Mikey was gasping for air, struggling to find his inhaler which he had dropped. He then saw Donnie holding it.

Mikey reached out, slowly turning blue. Donnie smiled a sinister smile and threw the inhaler on the ground, smashing it with his foot.

Mikey fell in defeat. He couldn't breath. He was dying. His brothers were...killing him. They were right. He deserved to die....

With that last thought in his mind, Mikey took his last breath and his world faded to black....
_______________________________________

Mikey jolted awake, soaked in sweat and tears streaming down his cheeks. He was gasping for breath and sobbing so hard he was shaking.

Luckily, Raph had been walking by when he heard the strangled sounds of sobbing and hyperventilating. He immediately ran to Mikey's room.

Flipping on the light, he squinted at the brightness and hurried over to his sobbing brother, who was still not breathing properly.

"Mikey!" He gasped. He sat next to his little brother. "Shhhh, it's ok take your inhaler otouto, breath...it's ok."

Mikey didn't move from God spot, still hyperventilating. Raph noticed and grabbed the orange device. He put it in Mikey's mouth and squeezed the button. Immediately, Mikey got air.

Even though he could breath better, he was still heavily sobbing and shaking. Raph wrapped him in a hug, rubbing his and murmuring words of comfort.