Slash's Revenge

Chapter 35 - I'm Here

*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

*Author's Notes: I'm back with a new chapter of 'Slash's Revenge.' This one is a bit of a tearjerker. Well, at least it is for me. I cried every time I edited it.

Tremendous thanks go out to my immensely talented friend, DonnysGirl87 (aka donniesgirl87), for creating the incredible artwork for this chapter. She did such an amazing job capturing the emotions in the chapter. I just love it and her. Thank you so much, my dear friend. You are a true blessing.

Okay, let's get on with the chapter, shall we?

Thank you all very, very much for reading!

CJ

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Chapter 35 – I'm Here

Hamato Michelangelo woke up in a cold sweat, immediately trying to get his rapid breathing back to normal. He had been having that same messed up dream again. The one where he was a super rad human being chased by a horde of brain-eating zombie teenagers on skateboards. Those zombie punks were just about to nab him when his eyes shot wide open to set sights on his pillowcase.

He was in his room.

No walking dead to be seen. Well, unless you counted his life-size Chris Bradford cardboard cutout. That dude was a total deadbeat, not to mention a major jerk.

Mikey rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before pushing himself up into a crooked sitting position. Still tuckered out from a prolonged lack of rest, he let loose a big yawn and stretched his arms towards the ceiling. He was sure he could snooze another ten hours or more, but his parched throat said otherwise. He was in desperate need of a glass of cold water and maybe a little midnight snack or two. As if to agree, his stomach grumbled super loud. Not loud enough to wake his family, of course, but plenty loud enough to voice its strong opinion to Mikey.

Giving his noisy belly a soothing pat, Mikey sprung to his feet and headed for his bedroom door. Once out in the hallway, he forgot all about being thirsty when he heard the distinct sound of someone whimpering.

It was a voice he'd recognize anywhere.

"Donnie?" Quietly poking his head inside his smartest brother's room so as not to spook him, Mikey saw Donatello tossing and turning in his restless sleep. The wounded turtle was gasping for air while trying to beg for mercy from an attacker Mikey couldn't see, but he knew all too well who it was.

That horrible monster was still tormenting Mikey's big brother, even in his dreams.

"N – No. P – Please. D – Don't. P – Please."

Mikey approached Donatello's bed on silent feet, afraid of startling his already distraught brother. When he made it to the genius turtle's side, he reached out and ever so gently touched Donatello's less injured shoulder. "Donnie. It's okay, bro. It's me. Mikey."

Screwing his eyelids shut, Donatello thrashed his head from side to side, still trapped in his dream state.

"It h – hurts. S – Stop. S – Stop!"

Mikey cupped a hand over Donnie's shoulder and gave it a little shake, trying to rouse him. "Wake up, D. It's just a nightmare."

Donatello whined at this and began to thrash harder in Mikey's loose hold on him.

"N – No, S – Slash. N – No!"

Panic starting to rise, Mikey tightened his grip around Donatello's shoulder and gave it a firm shake.