Held in Captivity

Chapter Six: Out of Body Experience

Raph's eyes opened. He looked around to see Leo on the floor of the lab screaming his name.

"Leo?" he whispered.

"Raphie!" Mikey's shrill and broken voice came from the living room.

"Mikey?" Raph said, jumping off the table. He ran into the living room to see Mikey and Donnie sobbing.

"Guys! What's wrong?" Raph asked, kneeling down in front of the orange banded turtle.

"Mikey!" he shirked.

"They can't hear you." A voice said. Raph stood up and turned around. He saw a skinny woman in all white making her pale complexion look even paler.

"Who are you? What's going on?" Raph asked.

"My name is Ruth, and you're dead." The woman explained.

"What!?" Raph yelled.

"Dead, you died. You don't remember?" Ruth said.

"No. The last thing I remember was a sharp pain on my abs and then everything went black." Raph responded.

"Raphael, you were murdered by the Shredder. You died about an hour ago." Ruth sighed.

"So how am I here?" Raph asked.

"You're in the veil, between life and death. You're heart stopped but you still have time." Ruth smiled.

"So I can go back?" Raph asked.

"Yes." she responded.

"Put me back!" Raph snapped.

"Why?"

"Cause they need me." Raph growled.

"You're doing this out of obligation. Not want." Ruth sighed, walking over to Raph, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"No! My family needs me!" Raph barked.

"Raphael, you are a very noble creature. And you only have twenty three hours until a Reaper comes to get you." Ruth explained.

"A Reaper? Like in Supernatural?" Raph asked.

"Exactly, except they don't wait. They take what they want." Ruth responded.

"Well then put me back!" Raph screamed.

"No."

"This isn't out of obligation or whatever! I don't want to die." Raph cried.

"I know. No one does." Ruth sighed.

"Take this time to make an educated decision." Ruth pleaded. Raph sighed.

"Fine." he whispered.

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April and Casey came sprinting into the Lair.

"Is he okay? He didn't show?" Casey asked. Leo didn't turn around. He stared at the dummy that Raphael had mercilessly pummeled since he was ten. Mikey turned around with tear stained eyes, wrapped up in Raph's tiger blanket sitting in his bean bag chair. Donnie had his head in his hands, shuttering in pain. Master Splinter led April and Casey into the dojo to explain what happened.

"Go see." Ruth offered. "It's not like they can see you." she joked. Raph didn't find her joke funny. He walked into the dojo. He watched Sensei talk to April. She too fell to her knees and sobbed. Casey held back tears as he held the frail red head close.

"Why? Just put me back! I can't watch them like this!" Raph pleaded.

"Raphael, if you want my personal opinion, I don't think you should go back." Ruth said.