TMNT: Raph and The Secret Door

The Rescue

(An hour later, Raph is still asleep with the photo, when a paw hits his face. Raph opens his eyes to find black shiny eyes staring at him. It's Ice Cream kitty and Shadow purring loudly)

Raph-Hey Shadow. How did you get in Wait... Ice Cream kitty, do you know where Mikey is? And, Leo and Donnie?

(Ice Cream kitty blinks. Then she heads out the living room)

(Raph and Shadow follow her upstairs to to the hallway and she points to the mirror)

Raph-... What?

(Icd Cream Kitty points to the mirror which is somehow glowing)

Raph-... Okay. (He looks in the mirror and sees Leo, Donnie, and Mikey, blue with cold as snow falls) GUYS!!

(They look up, each with desperate looks. Mikey breathes on the glass to fog it and writes 'HELP US'. Their image fades. Raph strikes the glass as hard as he can. Glass shatters and he drops to the ground, shaking. Shadow nuzzles him...)

Raph-How did this happen?!

(Ice Cream kitty goes into Leo's room, then Donnie's room, then Mikey's room, and comes back with three button-eyed dolls that look like them)

Raph-He's taken them... (enraged, he runs downstairs, and throws the dolls into the fireplace, destroying them) ...They're not coming back, are they? ­My brothers... Not on their own. (Shadow gestures over to the door) Only one thing to do.

(Series of quick shots of Raph getting ready to go. He pulls out a bag from the closet, grabs a candle and garden shears, puts them in the bag. He stands to go, taking heis cap off the chair. The odd piece of candy, the triangle green one with the hole, drops to the floor. He hesitates a moment, then sticks it in his bag. Raph unlocks the door, then leaves the key in the lock, like always, takes a breath and crawls forward. The candle he brought casts huge, flickering shadows along the wall. The cats, their voices returned, speak to him)

Ice Cream Kitty-You know, you're walking right into his trap.

Raph-I have to go back. They are my brothers.

Shadow-Challenge him then. He may not play fair but he won't refuse. He's got a thing for games.

(Raph thinks about it, remembering)

Raph-Hmmm, okay. (The door at the end of the tunnel clicks open, the candle blows out and the cats vanish into the dark)

(Raph tenses when a voice calls out)

Leo-Raph?

Raph-Leo?

(There, framed in the open door, back-lit in blue, are Raph's real brothers)

Donnie-Raph!

Mikey-You came back for us!

(He runs forward eagerly and out the Other Door, throwing his arms out to hug his real family)

Leo-Raph! (voice shifting) Why would you run away from me?

(Raph sees Leo's hand become sharp as it wraps around him. Alarmed, he pushes away and sees the decoy Leo turn into Other Brother. Mikey, and Donnie disappear. The room lights up with the glowing bug furniture and a fireplace fire. Raph tries his best to be brave)

Raph-Where are my brothers?

(The Other Brother's button eyes glimmer)

Other Brother-Gosh, I have no idea where your "old" brothers are. Perhaps they've grown bored of you and run away to New Jersey? (His teeth gleam)

Raph-They weren't bored of me. You stole them!

(Other April, a pale color, her hair darker and messy, comes up behind Raph.

Other Brother-Now, don't be difficult, Raph. Have a seat, won't you?

(Other April sits Raph down onto the walking bug chair. The Other Brother, standing by the little door, turns to it and claps his hands. A moment later, a huge rat skitters out of the tunnel pm filled again with spider webs and children's things, carrying the k y from the real world door. The Other Brother takes the key, locks the door, and while the armoire bug assumes guard position he hides the key in his shell).

Raph-Why don't you have your own key?

Other April-Only one key.

(The Other Brother pulls a vine growing from her hair, shutting her up)

Other Brother-Shhh! (Sunnier) The garden squash need tending, don't you think? (He turns her around, his hands under her arms and drags her out.

Other April-Sigh.

(After a beat, Raph hears the very faint sound of a finger on glass, just like when Mikey wrote HELP on the mirror. Raph jumps to his feet, looking around the room for a sign of his real family)

Raph-(loud whisper) Guys? Guys? Where'd he hide you?

Other Brother-(off-screen) Breakfast-time!

(Raph pauses in the doorway)

Rah-(to hinself) Be strong, Raph.

(He sits at the kitchen table in his regular place, his back to the sink. Other Brother, humming happily, prepares a mushroom omelet and bacon. Fragrant cinnamon buns bake in the oven. At the table's center, Raph sees the box with his button eyes with needle and thread. A bead of sweat rolls down his forehead. As casually as he can, he asks:)

Raph-(anxious, trying to be cool) Why don't we play ... a game? I know you like them.

(The Other Brother's button eyes flash)

Other Brother-Everybody likes games. What kind of game would it be?

Raph-An exploring game ... a finding things game.

(Other Brother tries to act disinterested, but his fingers drum with excitement)

Other Brother-And what is it you'd be finding, Raph?

(Raph hesitates)

Raph-My real brothers.

Other Brother-Too easy. (He folds the omelet over in the pan)

Raph-And, and the eyes of the ghost children.

(The Other Brother smiles: now it's getting interesting)

Other Brother-Huh. (The meal's ready, he turns from the stove and takes the food to Raph) What if you don't find them?

Raph-... If I lose, I'll stay here with you forever and let you take care of me. (indicates button box) And I'll let you sew buttons into my eyes.

Other Brother-Hmmm... And if you somehow win this game

Raph-Then you let me go. You let everyone go, Leo, Donnie, Mikey, the dead children, everyone you've trapped here.

(The Other Brother smiles a malicious "not in a million years smile")

Other Brother-Deal. (He holds out her hand. Raph doesn't reach)

Raph-Not till you give me a clue. (The Other Brother slowly circles Raph, and speaks as if talking to a very stupid child)

Other Brother-Oh, right... In each of three wonders I've made just for you, a ghost's eye is lost in plain sight.

Raph-And for my brothers?

(The Other Brother is just standing behind heim in front of the sink. He smiles wickedly and just starts tapping his button eye with his finger. Raph turns away from him)

Raph-(shrugs) Fine. Don't tell me... (Extending his hand, he starts to turn back) ...it's a deal-- (But the Other Brother has disappeared, and the tapping now is the faucet dripping in the sink. Raph exhales, walks to the sink, and stares at the dripping faucet) What does he mean "wonders?" (Out the kitchen window, the garden lights up answering his question) Too easy.