Have you ever died? Just shriveled up and died?

I have.

Not in body. No. In body I am still very much alive. It's my soul that died. Died the moment my brother said those three words.

"I hate you."

Said with no feeling other then hatred. Those were the words that brought me here. On this building...about to jump.

If you had told me just a week ago that I'd kill myself over a fight, I would've thought you crazy. But not anymore.

Usually when siblings say those words to eachother, all is forgiven by nightfall the same day. But not in this family.

I had chosen to give up the remainder of my childhood for them, to devote my life to protecting them as an older brother should.

I'm only six, but I'm far wiser then my brothers in most subjects.

Not science, thats Dons', third born.

Angers Raphs', my immediate younger brother.

Comic relief is my youngest brother, Mikeys'.

But they no nothing of the real world. Of me.

Im not a suck up. I don't want to be stronger then my brothers. I have to be. The way they get distracted worries me. In a fight they wouldn't last.

Raph doesn't understand that. I tried telling him that I was just trying to protect them, but he wouldn't listen. I'm not sure he can.

And now my other brothers hate me to.

So the least I can do, is die and show them how far they still have to go. Show then that they have to learn to protect themselves.

I grip the railing and step over it, leaning out over the streets, one hand limply at my side, the other clutching the metal bar. All that was keeping me alive was the simple bar, and my hand.

How amusing it would be when the humans all woke up and found a mutant lying dead on the street. Surely I would be dissected,
studied. But for some reason I found myself not caring.

Something soft brushed my leg and I turn my eyes down. "Klunk," I whisper. Wait, Klunk never goes anywhere without-

"L-leo?"

Mikey. I don't even turn around. I feel my family behind me. My father, my brothers. I feel their scared and concerned eyes on my back and my hand loosenes slightly.

"Bro what are you doing?" That voice made me blink. Raph.

"What does it look like?" Speaking hurts my throat. I tilt my head so they can see the tear tracks on my face. The baggs under my eyes.

Then comes the rain. They just stared at me as I turned my head back to the streets below, rain soaking into my mask and making the metal of the railing even more hard to grasp.

My hand slips slightly and I smile sadly when they gasp. "Why don't you hate me now? You all said you did. Even Master said I was a mistake. A mistake because I couldn't keep my brothers together."

Splinter bowed his head in what I supposed was shame while my brothers took a step toward me.

"Move and I let go."

They froze, then Don croaked, "Why Leo?"

"Leo died for you. Leo's gone. You wont get him back."

"But your our brother! We know you better then anyone!" Raph yelled.

"Liar."

I let go.

Have you ever died? Just shriveled up and died?

I have. Both in body and spirit, I died. Died the moment my brother said those three words. The moment I let go.

"I hate you."

The moment I was born.

"Don't come back."