Raph's Nightmares

Rooftops

"Waiting for sunrise, Jones? I didn't have you for such a romantic type".

"Meh, I'm not"  He shuffles a bit and stares at me. "A bit late for you, Raph. Thought you turtles slept at sunrise".

"We don't. Or at least I don't". He chuckles, and the effect it has on me is umprecedented. I usually lose my nerve when someone laughs at something I've said, but this guy is somehow different. For some reason his snickers make me release some pressure, and I suddenly realize I've been carrying an invisible weigh on my shoulders, a weigh that goes away when I smirk. He's taken his baseball bat out and points it at me.

"Are you looking for trouble, Jones?"

"Ts. What did you come all the way here for, dude?"I laugh and grab my sais, stay on a horse stance and scowl at him."Let's do this".

He's getting better and better. His feet move almost correctly and even though he can't predict all my moves, he does his best to avoid my attack. He dives forward and I take advantage of all his strength and the force of his blow to take him down. It was suprisingly easy, so when I lean on his back to reduce him I have to ask him.

"Did you let me win?"

"Well, you seem to be pretty down".

I feel fire burning inside my chest. I let a sore cry go out my throat and I kick him on the side. His shout is very high pitched but he manages to stand again. I go for him, sais pointing, and I notice he is retreating making a huge effort to divert my blows. I'm out of my mind, at the top of my fight. I don't care that my oponent is weaker than me, an untrained child who is getting more and more scared with every blow I deliver. I hear my name coming from his mouth, more desperate every time. I start to see clearly again. Casey seems beside himself with fear. It's the second time I lose my temper in less than twelve hours. I cool off little by little.

"I'm not down". Aplogizing is not in my code. I do it seldom, and everyone around me is aware of this. He approaches as you would do to an injured animal, slowly and with little confidence.

"Do you want to... talk about it?"

He knows the question makes me feel awkward because he feels awkward himself when he asks it. He wants my answer to be no, and that's exactly what I manage to utter.

"I'm fine, Jones. I just wanted... To think on my own".

"Do you want me to leave?"

"Do whatever you want".He stays. We are side by side, watching the skyline of the city. My mind is completely empty, I can't think of anything. It's like being in a meditation state but totally aware that you are wide awake, in the middle of a sleeping city and with a big issue to solve in your hands. I have no idea what my next move should be, if any. I just know I hate to be idle, and that's exactly how I feel standing there, while the big city starts to breathe again and comes to life. We don't speak a word while the sun rises step by step. When its rays find our faces, Casey stirs up and touches my shoulder.

"I'm afraid I have to go to school. See you later, dude".

"Later".