"Raphael." My Senseis direct voice says.
"Yes Master." I say, we've just finished training, awaiting dismissal.
"The rest of you are dismissed, Raphael you stay here."
"Hai Sensei."
My brothers don't question, leaving.
Master Splinter walks around so he's standing behind me.
I stay still, cross between confused and uncertain. I stay still, until his staff comes swinging straight for my head!
"Woah!" A gasp escapes my mouth as I duck and spin around facing him.
For a moment I just stare at my dad. Expressionless. He is expressionless.
"Sensei wha-" I'm cut off by a smash to my plastron, sending me flying across the room, winded and gasping as I land, hard. My eyes widened in shock, alive in fear. Fear is alive here, fear is alive here!
I'm afraid. I freeze up. I don't know what to do, what do I do?!?
My dad approaches, a dark hollowness fills me, something I should never feel with my father... Never.
He raises his staff. For a sheer moment, simply staring me in the eye, but it's not my dad... It isn't his eyes... I don't see his soul. I see a monster.
Emotionless...
Expressionless...
Afraid, I'm afraid!
And then the pain spreads. As his staff breaks through the air and connects with its target, me. Again and again and again and again I'm hit, beaten senseless until I can't breath and he can't breath from beating me so much.
Stunned... Nothing registers. This isn't happening, this can't be happening! It's not real! It's not possible! It's just some horrible, despicable nightmare and any moment now I'll wake up and my Sensei and I will laugh about this...
That's what I keep telling myself. It's the only thing that makes any rational sense. Sensei, my dad wouldn't do this... He loves me, he'd never hurt me.
But he has...
He is.
It's not my father... This is a different man...
Tears sting my eyes but not even they know what to do, even my tears are confused!
If this is a nightmare then why does it hurt so much?!? Why can't I wake up?!? Wake up! Wake up!!! If this is a nightmare why does it feel so... So real?
I guess this is just proof that I don't need to be asleep to be living a nightmare... I don't need to be asleep to be living a nightmare! I'm living a nightmare! Somebody help me... Please. Before it's too late. Please... Please.