turtle tot stories | tmnt 2012

Sick Day

Sorry for the delay in stories. Thank you all for being patient with me, and Happy New Year! Enjoy!
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Splinter opened the door to his sons' bedroom, peering inside. Little Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo stood next to him, peeking into the room worriedly. It was a normal morning in the sewers...

....well, not completely normal.

Because someone was missing.

Donatello.

The second-youngest turtle hadn't been seen all morning since his brothers had woken up and gotten out of bed. He'd never come out to play or read like he normally did every day. Splinter had become suspicious and had decided to check on his son. His other sons had come with him, being the sweet brothers they were.

"Donatello?" Splinter called into the room. "Are you in here?"

There was no worded reply. Instead, a loud sneeze sounded as an answer, then a sniff. Then little Donatello rolled over in bed with a moan, rubbing his eyes.

"Donatello?" Splinter walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Why did you not get out of bed this morning? Is everything all right?"

"I...I don't feel very good," little Donnie croaked.

His voice sounded weak and strained, croaky and pained.

Splinter reached over, his heart pricking with concern, and gently laid a hand on his son's little forehead. It was hot, to his surprise, very hot. His son was burning up!

"Oh, my," he said. "Donatello, I am afraid you have a fever."

His brothers, still huddled in the doorway, gasped in horror (except for Raph, who still looked shocked).

"A fever? Oh, no!" Leo wailed. "Uh...what's a fever?"

Despite the situation, Splinter couldn't help but chuckle.

"A fever is a type of sickness, Leonardo," Splinter explained to his son. "Sometimes you get it when you are very cold."

He felt his son again. Little Donatello must've gotten a fever from being in the snow so long yesterday. He shook his head sadly.

"Is Donnie gonna be okay?" asked Leo.

"Is he..." Mikey sniffed, tears beginning to well up in his sad blue eyes. "Is Donnie gonna die?"

"Of course not, stupid," Raph grumbled. "A fever can't kill you."

Splinter gave his son a warning look, then looked back to Mikey.

"No, Michelangelo," Splinter reassured his son. "Donatello will remain very much alive. He just needs some rest. Some sleep will make him feel better."

Donnie suddenly sneezed again, a loud, violent sneeze that made even Splinter jump.

"AAA-CHOOOOOOOO!"

Then he sniffed and wiped his stuffy nose with his little green hand.

"Lay down, my son," Splinter said. "I will go make you some soup. That will help you get better faster."

"Can we help?" Leo asked immediately, his blue eyes sparkling with hope.

"Yeah," said Raph. "We're bored. Especially me. I have no one to pick on 'cause Donnie's sick. And Leo won't let me get to Mikey."

Splinter mentally rolled his eyes at his second-oldest son. Poor Raphael had no one to bother because his brother was sick.

"Very well," he said. "You three may help me prepare Donatello's soup."