“Hey, guys! Come here!”
Mikey chirped by the edge of the forest, other hand raised in the air while other was by the side of his mouth. The sight made Raphael groan softly while rolling his eyes before looking at the oldest brother.
“What do ya think it’s this time? A snail?”
Leonardo huffed while sheathing his swords, stopping by Raphael’s side, hearing Donatello stop on the other side.
“I hope not. But we better go and check it out before he gets annoying – and I know none of us wants that.”
Donatello and Raphael nodded, starting to walk right after Leonardo took the first step. Youngest of the group was jumping up and down, way too eager which was worrying Leonardo instantly. Sure, Mikey was easily excited but this? What the youngest one had found?
“This way!”
Oldest brothers walked silently, following their sibling who kept skipping forward, suddenly stopping with spread arms. It instantly alarmed his brothers behind him, them taking their fight stances, eyeing and listening their surroundings.
It was… silent. Too silent. Forests always had sounds of some kind but here? Dead silent. Unsettling. Leonardo almost shivered when shivers ran down on his spine.
“I don’t like it here.” He whispered while walking by Mikey’s side, placing his hand on smaller brother’s shoulder. “Show us what you wanted to show and then let’s head out of here. We have never been in this area before so we shouldn’t stay here for too long.”
Michelangelo nodded, then gesturing forward with his hands. Three pair of eyes followed where their little brother was gesturing at. Raphael snorted out loud with a curse.
“The hell, Mikey!? Ya brought us ta a well!?”
“Old and creepy one, mind you.” Michelangelo grinned while rubbing his hands together. “I thought we could prank April here during Halloween.”
Leonardo remained silent, his eyes scanning the area, while Donatello stepped forward.
“I think you should have said “I” instead of “we”.” Olive green turtle was silent a moment as well, listening and observing. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, however. Nor even work. I’m sure she knows this well is here.”
Raphael crossed his arms over his chest, nodding in agreement.
“Ya have ta come up with something better than that, Mikey. Right, Leo?”
Raphael looked team leader over his shoulder, seeing Leonardo’s eyes. The look in them made him uncross his arms off from his chest, worry filling him.
“Leo? Ya okay, bro?”
Now even Donatello and Michelangelo were staring at the oldest. Those eyes were more or less narrow, sharp and almost glowing, so hard focus nailing them on the well.
Sure, it was old just like Michelangelo had said. Made of rock, which moss was covering, old chain rusted by the side on the ground. The area itself was tiny and open, woods awfully quiet all around them. But what really was eating Leonardo from the inside was the feeling which came from the well – and apparently he was the only one to feel it.
He had fought in many battles, had fought Shredder countless of times, stare fear and death in the eyes and yet… This well… Leonardo swallowed, small sweat drops forming on his body. He would not go near it, no matter what.
“We should leave. Now. It’s not safe here.”
“What?” Raphael snorted in annoyance now, even that he saw the state Leonardo was in. It was alarming but it also made the hot head curious. Turning to look at the well, Raphael asked:
“Is it the well? Ya been staring at it with bone chilling stare.”
“We go. Now.”
Leonardo commanded again, getting ready to spun around and walk away. However, he stopped when Raphael almost laughed.
“Ya scared of it? Ain’t ya suppose ta be fearless?”
“Making sure you are and will remain safe is not being scared or running, Raphael.” Taking a look of his brothers, Leonardo gave one last command. “We will stay away from that well. Got it?”
While two youngest ones nodded, Raphael snorted. Sure, he had seen the look in Leo’s eyes when he had stared that damn ancient well but still… There simply couldn’t be anything THAT bad which would make Leo feel so uneasy, ordering them to leave. Right?
Well, only one way to find out.
Spinning around, Raphael started to walk firmly towards the well, Leonardo gasping with Mikey and Don, youngest reaching his hand after the hot head.
“Raph, no! Come back! What if Leo’s right and something bad is in it? If it’s haunted or cursed?! I mean it looks like one!”
“Ya are the one who found it and brought us ta it, Mikey! Besides, I don’t believe in that stuff!”
“Not even after all we have gone through in our lives?” Donatello encountered.
“No.”
“Raphael, stop. This is an order. Do NOT approach the well.”
“Make me!”
Leonardo shivered while biting his teeth together, lifting his face towards the sky. For the Love of…!
When he lowered his gaze, preparing to go after his brother, he noticed Raphael being by the side of the well already. He swallowed.
Raphael now was feeling… something. It felt like… a growl vibrating in the air? And it felt like it was coming from the well. But how? It couldn’t be. It was all too weird. Being right next to the well, Raphael placed his palms against moss covered old rocks, very slowly and carefully starting to peek over the edge in the well.
It was dark, too dark. Hell, blackest thing Raphael had ever seen. How it could be? You should have been able to see at least a little bit inside the well since it was still late afternoon. Not sunny tho, but still. It slowly started to sneak in Raphael’s mind that perhaps Leonardo had been right about the well. It was better to leave it alone.
As Raphael started to straighten himself up, ready to step away from the well, invisible hold grabbed on his right wrist, suddenly yanking muscular turtle forward – hard.
Raphael cursed out loud, luckily having fast reflexes enough. He dug his heels deep in the ground, grabbing on the edge of the well with his left arm. Despite the fact he was strong, relying on his muscles and strength, he soon realized he was no match for… whatever was trying to pull him in the well.
“L-little help here, guys!”
“Not funny, Raph! Stop pretending!” Mikey yelled with higher voice. However, Leonardo knew Raphael was not pretending. He had sensed that something in the well. Not to mention Raphael’s voice and body language. It was all true and pure.
“What’s wrong?”
Leonardo rushed to Raphael’s side, taking quick look of the situation. Raphael was sweating, baring his teeth as he struggled to keep himself steady, his right hand reaching towards the darkness of the well, veins popped up, sweat running down on emerald green arm. His left hand was almost white from the force he was using to hold himself for not flipping over in the well.
“S-stop fooling around, Raph! You are scaring me!”
Mikey whimpered, Donatello holding him near. Between struggling breathing, Raphael huffed as he gave fast glare at Mikey over his shoulder, his bright eyes returning back on staring into the darkness.
“I ain’t fooling, ya dumbass! Something’s trying ta pull me in!”
There was another sudden yank, stronger this time. It made Leonardo react when Raphael yelled and cursed while bending more forward, obviously struggling now more to stay outside the well.
“Quick. What is going on?” Leonardo insisted, holding Raphael as well as he could.
“That fucker ain’t letting go, that’s what!!”
There started to be panic in Raphael’s voice. While holding Raphael, it became very clear to Leonardo how much Raphael was struggling, how much strength he was using – how much this invisible opponent was using it’s own strength. Raphael was trembling hard, pushing his body to the limit to keep himself outside.
“Hang in there, Raphael. I have an idea. Donnie, here, now!”
Donatello did not hesitate as he came to the scene, now seeing it all better. Raphael was in pain and struggling while something was pulling him by the wrist. Brown orbs rose to meet leader’s eyes when Leonardo called him.
“Don, focus. You have salt with you? That little bag I gave you earlier?”
“Yes, it’s right here.” Donatello dig out small brown bag, Leonardo accepting it.
“H-hurry…!” Raphael whimpered, clear pain in his voice, veins more and more visible on his temple and arms. “I-it’s gonna rip off my arm!”
Leonardo normally would have hesitate but he had no time now. Pulling one of his sword free on his shell, Leonardo spit in his hand before digging it in the salt.
“I’m sorry.” He whispered before running salt covered palm over his long shiny blade on each side. His blades were everything to him – but not as important as his brother’s life.
Leonardo stepped right beside Raphael, looking deep down in the well. Seeing Raphael’s wrist was all he needed. Raphael took a quick look from the corner of his eye, seeing Leonardo’s sword out.
“Y-Ya gonna cut off my arm!?”
“If that’s the only way for us to get you free, yes.”
“SON OF A --!”
“BUT!”
With one strong swung, Leonardo cut down – hard – in air by Raphael’s wrist, instant loud, painful hiss with growl and scream echoing in the well. In that exact same moment, hold on Raphael’s wrist was released and big turtle fell backwards with Donatello, who had been doing his best to hold and pull him from the well.
Leonardo remained by the side of the well, his blue eyes observing the darkness, still hearing the hiss echoing from the depth of it. Based on the sounds, he knew he actually had cut something but he hadn’t felt it. Normally he felt it whenever his blade cut into something but… not this time. That was odd.
Slowly the darkness faded some, like if it was going back in the depths of the well, but it never vanished completely. Whatever it was… had became weaker by the salt. Good thing Leonardo had been interested in folklore, ghosts and all that. He had learned a thing or two from them. That was one reason Leonardo always had some salt with him in small bag.
His eyes lowered on the sword which he still held, feeling weird vibration coming from it. Hm? Had part of that thing attached itself on the sword in the end? Despite the salt? Either this being was strong or Leonardo hadn’t used enough salt. Mainly since he hadn’t wanted to ruin the blade but...
With aching heart, Leonardo lifted his head up, eyes locked on well’s opening. He felt his brothers’ eyes on him as he tossed his precious blade in the well with one single movement. It was heart breaking since he loved his swords, but having possibly infected sword with him, taking it back to the farm house. Absolutely not. He could craft himself new sword – like he had done in the past.
Holding tiny salt bag in his other hand, Leonardo slowly circled the well, forming a circle around it with salt. Remains of the salt, with the bag, he tossed inside the well, hearing a hiss.
“Stay there. You have no permission to come out of that well or pull anyone in, ever.”
All three turtles were silent on the background, instantly noticing Leonardo using his icy cold and commanding leader voice with confidence and calmness. You did not disobey that voice and the commands it gave. With that, blue bandanna’s stripes swung in the wind as the leader turned to face his brothers, closing the distance between them. He knelt on one knee in front of Raphael, observing his brother.
Raphael was holding his arm close to his chest while rubbing his wrist. Raphael, or Donatello, had taken wrist band off, revealing clear and darker print around the wrist. It was obvious and clear, some kind of weird hand print, a bruise or even burn.
“Are you injured?”
“M-maybe. My shoulder hurts like shit… And my wrist burns.”
“I suspect there’s some kind of muscle damage in his shoulder. Nothing too mayor, hopefully, but I still want to exam it better when we get back to farm house. Of course our lair would be better but it would take too long to drive there.” Donatello stated calmly as he undid Raphael’s belt. “Wrist should be easier to check back at the farm house since it looks like a bruise but since Raphael says it burns, I will treat it as a burn.”
Instantly knowing what Donatello was going to do with the belt, Leonardo undid his own, giving it to Donatello who thanked him with a knowing smile.
Raphael sat still as two belts were tied behind his neck, his arm gently moved to rest in them. Hmh, poor turtle’s arm sling. But it was more than welcome since Raphael’s shoulder was actually much more in pain than he let to show outside – nor even admitting it.
Leonardo and Donatello helped heavy turtle up on his feet, holding him still.
“You are shivering. Are you sure you can walk?”
“I’m fine, D.”
“We go slow. We are not in a rush.”
Leonardo moved a bit closer to give more support, carefully letting Raph take the lead as they started to walk away.
“Come, Michelangelo. We are heading home.”
Leonardo commanded gently after discovering and sensing the youngest wasn’t following them. Michelangelo, indeed, was still standing on his place, hugging himself while his eyes were nailed on the well.
“Michelangelo!”
Leonardo commanded once more over his shoulder, his voice stern and icy. It did the trick. Youngest snapped his head towards the leader who gestured forward with his head.
“Let’s go.”
“U-uh, sure.”
Taking last look of the well, Mikey rushed after his brothers, swearing he could feel eyes on his shell while hearing hiss coming from the darkness of the well.
The End
