A furious flight of graphite and pencil shavings darted across and through pencils, sketch papers, and previous projects. Some were completed, while others were reference models. My desk was my get away spot when everything else around me seemed to be in utter chaos. There, creatures of fantasy and dreams came to life on paper. Sometimes I wished that they were real. The real world always seemed too...too unreal in itself that the fantasy realm seemed as close as reality.

My latest project was a sketch of Michaelangelo with a black leather jacket standing with, appropriately, his Kawasaki Ninja XR-9X, lime green, and his full face black helmet with a custom orange bandana air brushed around it. There were other drawings of the Turtles on battle scenes, various poses, and even one of me meditating with Splinter in the dojo. This was my escape...

It was the start of the weekend, and I didn’t have any plans. I called up Jamie to see what she was up to. She was in the same situation as I was; nothing to do and nothing on TV. We decided to go out and catch a movie at the theater. We picked the new action movie that just arrived. After that was done we decided to go get some coffee.

"So, you still haven’t found a guy to go out on a date with? What about that guy in your biology lecture? The one with the dark, curly hair and the to-die-for eyes?"

"Jamie, I told you, I’m just not interested in getting romantic right now. After Ben...I just don’t want to get into it again...not yet."

"OK, but if you need someone to..."

"Jamie, I'm alright. I'm fine."

"OK, but remember, I offered my help."

"Thanks, Jamie."

The night air was great. It was just cool enough that I could wear my new, black leather jacket that I had been wanting for ages. The breeze felt great, and there were no clouds to block the full moon that night. Everything was lit up, even without the usual streetlights and window security lights. I got back to my place without any trouble. As I went to unlock the door, I had this strange feeling someone was watching me. I turned around to look down the alley across the street, only to catch a glimpse of what looked like a trench coat and hat. Then there was nothing. That's when I started getting a little worried. Having a stalker in my neighborhood was the last thing I needed. For all I knew, it could have been one of Ben's buddies trying to pull a prank on me. I unlocked the door, walked inside, and decided to forget about it for the evening. I needed some sleep.

The next day I woke up and started my daily routine. After a shower and some breakfast, I headed for my drawing table. But something didn't seem right. The papers were in a different order that I had left then last night. There was also something else. A small orange rose bud rested on the incomplete drawing of Michaelangelo with the jacket and helmet...

"OK! Who's in here? Show yourself!" I picked up my X-Acto knife, preparing for someone to jump me. There was only silence.

My breathing slowed, and I put the knife down. I came back to the rose, and the more I looked at it the more excited I became. Like a child seeing Santa and believing so much that he was the real Santa, I kept hoping it was true. I kept hoping that someone - a hero from my heart - had actually visited me in the still of the night, and left me a sign that almost said, "Yes, I'm real, and I know you."

I picked up the rose and sat at my desk. There were pencils in my hands moments later. There was a fire burning in my fingers, but I didn’t stop. I had to put this to paper before it left me. When I finally let my muscles relax, I slumped back in my chair and gazed at my creation. A single, delicate, orange rose bud being held by a gentle, strong, three-fingered green hand. A smile came to my face, and I signed it.

I left it there for my visitor just in case he happened to stop by for a second nightly visit. I thought that it would be inappropriate for me to sleep on the couch to wait for him. It would be more dramatic for me to "sleep" in my bedroom and keep watch until he showed up. It seemed that I lived my life as if I were in a movie, and there was always a camera on me. It’s quite an interesting idea.