Okay, this is EXTREMEMLY ANGSTY! You have been warned. Please review!
"Paula, please!" yelled 2D standing at his bedroom door watching Paula and Noodle who were lugging suitcases down the corridor to the lift.
"We can work this out!" he pleaded as Noodle pressed the button for the lift.
"Don't go!" 2D whimpered as he ran to her and grabbed at her arm.
"Get off me!" she said, sharply, and 2D drew away like a puppy that'd been kicked.
When the elevator came 2D went in it with them and kept pleading to Paula who stuck her nose in the air. Noodle watched in fascination, she had never seen either of them like this before. She wondered what must have happened to drive them apart. As the doors pinged open, 2D sank to the floor on his knees and clutched at Paula's leg. She shook him off and heaved the suitcase out of the lift and to the door. 2D sat in the lift and sobbed, his blue hair tousled and hiding his pale face. It stuck out in weird places and Noodle looked at him as the doors on the lift slowly closed and Paula caught the last glance of 2D she would ever get.
"Bastard." She muttered, "Come on Noodle, to my car. I'll miss you though, you know."
"I will …miss you also." Noodle stumbled over her English.
They continued the walk to Paula's pink Ferrari in silence. The amicable scrape of the suitcase wheels bouncing off the mountains of landfill junk was enough to satisfy both of them. Paula unlocked boot and flung in her suitcase, then took the other smaller suitcase from Noodle and shoved it in on top of the other.
"Noodle, I have two pieces of advice for you." Paula said as she closed the boot and knelt down to Noodle's height.
"One; never trust a man. And two, never blame the man." Noodle puzzled this as Paula hugged her and drove away into the sunset on the road out of Kong that would take her wherever Paula was needed next.
Noodle knew it had been a bad idea to let Paula go. She was the light of 2D's miserable life and as his best friend, she knew this all too well. She was friends with Paula and knew her well too, but she felt as if she had betrayed 2D. She climbed the steps back up to Kong and when she got to the living room, 2D was lying on the sofa, painkiller in hand, twirling it through his fingers. He looked daggers at her as she walked over to him.
"2D-san, I am sorry. But she wanted to be leaving." Noodle said, standing beside him.
"She was the only thing I had, Noodle! How could you take that away from me!" he said and stormed off to his room, slamming the door behind him. The 'only' stung.
"Am I not something?" she whispered.
Noodle sat on the sofa and drooped. She flicked through almost every channel until Russel and Murdoc came back from the dry-cleaners. Russel had insisted that if Murdoc wasn't going to wash himself, he would at least have to have his clothes washed instead.
The door opened and their voices floated in. Noodle couldn't even be bothered to try and translate what they were saying. She muttered unintelligible Japanese at them when they said hello, and they immediately knew what had happened.
"That bitch finally left then, has she? Heh. You must've helped her, then." Murdoc laughed, looking around for 2D to gloat.
"Noodle, is 2D angry with you?" asked Russel, kneeling down to look her in the eye.
"hai (yes)" She spat and turned off the TV.
"Why she leave? Why I help? What happened to them?" she then muttered, looking up at Russel who was standing over her. Murdoc went to go and talk to 2D, looking slightly guilty.
"Sweetie, relationships are… complicated at the best of times. Especially where Stu is concerned. He'll get over it, he won't be angry forever. Maybe he'll even thank you one day." Russel consoled her.
Then he left her to go and help 2D and Murdoc who were now yelling. Noodle went to her room and strummed on her guitar listening to the yells from 2D's room.
A few hours later, after the screaming had stopped she heard 2D sobbing outside her door. She heard him say, clearly, "I will never forgive you until you bring her back." Then he turned and went back to his room where he slammed the door so hard, Noodle felt Kong shake.
"What have I done!" she thought, "I've got to get Paula back. Or he'll never forgive me!"
At that moment Noodle felt her conscience split in two.
"Don't leave him so sad!" said one, "Go get her back, no matter what the cost!"
"Are you INSANE!" yelled the other, "You heard Russel, he's angry, he'll get over it! Putting your life at risk to find one person out of 7 billion is stupidity worthy of… of.. something really stupid!"
Noodle listened to her consciences battle it out for hours. All lights went out, she went to bed, Russel came and tucked her in instead of 2D and all the while she thought where Paula could be. Eventually, the battle was decided.
"You're making the right choice, Noodle," said one.
"Hmmph!" said the other, and they both faded into Noodle's mind.
Noodle looked at the clock, 10 past midnight. She sat up in bad and her eyes sparkled with the realisation of how IMPORTANT it was to get her back.
"I'm not losing my best friend!" she thought, fiercely and so she dressed and left Kong, a large kitchen knife in hand in case any zombies thought they could get the better of her.
She walked through the freezing car park and looked up at the stars. They were beautiful and the full moon illuminated Kong like a fairytale. Noodle knew exactly what she was doing, but had no idea where she was going. She walked down the long road that led out of Kong until she reached the end of the landfill. Keeping walking she found herself in a town a few hours later.
"Is this where she could be?"
Noodle looked around at the town. It was deserted apart from a cat that sat on a car watching her with its large orange eyes. Noodle walked until she got to a huge park. Finding a bench in the middle, she sat down and meditated, trying to clear her befuddled head.
Noodle eyes flashed. She had heard footsteps behind her.
"Paula? Is it being you?" Noodle questioned, turning around.
There was silence. So she turned around again. But again, footsteps, on grass, clearer. Nearer.
"If this is being a joke I no find it funny!" yelled Noodle to the dark.
"I have a knife, you know!" she yelled after more silence.
Suddenly a shadow came out of nowhere and caught Noodle round the head, knocking her out. The figure leant over her and took the knife from her belt. She pocketed it and whispered to Noodle's unconscious form, "I'm sorry. I can't let you take me back there. Why don't you believe that it's not meant to be? I can tell you why now, though. Because you can't hear. It's because of what he did to me, not 2D, the other 'he'. If I go back, I'll have to face my conscience. I can't do it, darling. I can't."
Paula lay Noodle on the bench and was puzzled to see a tear, falling slowly from Noodle's closed eyes. It was shining in the moonlight and Noodle was bleeding from the side of her head. The blood touched the tear and they mingled. Paula felt like a criminal, but nonetheless, she had to leave her.
Paula ran off into the dark as the town clock struck 4am and the streetlight illuminating Noodle's form on the bench, cut out.
Russel walked into Noodle's room at 7am, she must have been up for a while but gone back to her room after breakfast.
"Good morning, Noo… NOODLE!" he yelled, seeing the empty bed, open dresser and closed curtains.
"Guys! GUYS!" he yelled, running into the living room after having looked everywhere for her.
"What the fuck you yelling about?" yelled Murdoc, getting up.
"Yer, what's all the ruckuss for?" said 2D.
"Noodle's gone." Said Russel.
A long way away, lying on a bench in the middle of a park, the sunlight touched a purple haired head and the wind moved and tousled her form. Life was draining from Noodle and there was only a little time left. Paula looked out of her bedroom window onto the park.
"She's still there!" she whispered, pulling apart the curtains. Questions raced through her mind.
"Did I hit her too hard? What have I done?" Paula ran to get dressed. She sprinted down the stairs, her heels clacking as she went, echoing through the marble-walled corridor. There was only one thought in her mind now, "Get to her, get to her, get to her, get…"
"Are you sure?" said 2D, jumping up.
"I've looked all in her room and her fave places 'round Kong, even the places she hates, but she's nowhere! What do we do?" Russel panicked.
"Pull yerself tegetha!" yelled Murdoc, whacking Russel round the face.
"Sorry," he gabbled, stunned.
"Now then," Murdoc pondered, "Have any of yer said anything to her that mighta made her leave?" he was jumping to the immediate lost-soul conclusion and he knew he was right. Murdoc was smarter than he looked.
2D coughed. They looked at him.
"Urm. Last night." He began, quietly.
"Yes?" prompted Russel.
"I told her… that… that I wouldn't ever be forgive her, unless…"
"Unless WHAT?" yelled Murdoc.
"Unless, she brought Paula back."
There was silence.
"YOU DID WHAT." Said Murdoc. Ice in his tone.
"You heard," said 2D daring to look Murdoc in the face.
Murdoc hit him. Again and again, until Russel caught his arm and told him that making 2D bleed it wouldn't bring her back.
Paula ran to the bench and scooped up the 10 year old, tears were pouring down Paula's cheeks as she inspected the deep, bleeding gash she had made with the rifle butt last night.
"Oh god," she whispered, "Help me,"
She took her cell phone out her pocket and dialled 999. a few minutes later a siren came blaring out of the distance towards the park.
"Hiya, I'm Sara, I'm a paramedic, this is Dannie," Paula heard a woman shouting, she was dark and had tight ringlets scooped into a pony tail and Dannie had short black hair.
"You're her… sister? Mother?" Dannie asked as they sat Noodle up against the bench and Sara inspected the gash in her head.
"I'm her…" Paula faltered, they both had about the same colour purple hair so she continued, "Sister, I'm Pasta Smith, she's Noodle Smith." She gabbled making it up as she went along.
"Where are your parents?" asked Sara as they lifted Noodle onto a stretcher and ran it towards the ambulance.
"We… don't have any, is she all right? I just came to find her, she'd been up to get me a paper, and um… didn't come back."
"She's not stable, her BP is skyrocketing and her pulse is tachycardic, but if we're quick we could be able to stabilise her when we get to hospital." reassured Sara as they screeched off into the outskirts of town.
What have I done? Kept echoing in Paula's mind as she thought over the lies she had just told. She gripped Noodle's hand and thought she felt her squeeze back once, but didn't say anything. She looked so peaceful, but scared at the same time. Tears welled in Paula's eyes and they mingled with her blue eye shadow, falling like pieces of sky down her pale face.
Poor darling Thought Sara as she looked at Paula. No parents, weird names, attacks, paleness. Society is horrible she thought. Watching closely as they pulled up outside Casualty and wheeled Noodle to theatre.
"You'll have to wait here," said Dannie gently, "Ben will look after you and Mrs. Saffron is the best doctor we have, Noodle will be fine, Pasta." A tall guy with messy blonde hair and glasses looked at Paula and led her to the relatives room. He reminded her of 2D and she felt a sharp pain in her heart as she remembered that he was no longer a part of her life.
"Would you like a coffee?" Ben asked with a strong Irish accent. It swept away her images of 2D and she looked up at him.
"Nah, thanks." Replied Paula and she sat down on a sofa.
"Would you like to tell me what happened to your sister, Pastie?"
"Um.. It's Pasta and I.. don't know. It was early and I wanted a paper. I usually go with her but I had chores to finish around the house before work and sending her to school," Paula lied, "I waited ages for her to come back, it usually only takes 5 minutes, but she was gone more than 40. I thought she might be sitting in the park enjoying the sunrise or something, playing on the swings maybe so I went to look for her but then I found her like that and…" her voice trailed away and Ben patted her on the shoulder.
"It's all right." He said and left her to deal with another patient.
"Hello, Murray Hill General, how may I help?" asked a polite, female voice over the phone.
"Hey, I need to know if you've got a patient, a young girl called Noodle? Come in really recently, up to 2 hours ago?" asked 2D, shakily.
"I'm sorry, we've had no new young female arrivals for the last 5 hours."
"Oh. Okay, could you call us if she comes in?"
"Of course. Can I take some details of her and your contact phone number?"
"Yeah," said 2D and told her what Noodle looked like and the cell phone number she could contact them on if they found her.
"Anything?" asked Murdoc as 2D hung up.
"Nothing, no new young female arrivals for the last 5 hours."
"Dammit!" yelled Russel and slammed down another phone.
"What? Not there either?" Murdoc asked.
"No." said Russel, quietly.
"There's only one hospital left on this list, but it's the furthest one from Kong. Défon Upon Thames General," said 2D, picking up a list with lines through messily written hospital names.
"I'm calling this one," Murdoc snapped, snatching the phone away from 2D, "If she is there, I want them to know I called, not you." And he dialled the number.
They sat in silence as it rang and someone on the other end picked up.
"Défon Upon Thames General Hospital, Fiona speaking, how can I help?" answered a girl with a strong Scottish accent.
"Hey, I need to know if you've had a patient arrive called Noodle? Small girl, probably turned up a couple of hours ago?"
"Yes, we've had one Noodle Smith arrive with her sister Pasta, can I ask who's calling please?"
"I'm Murdoc. Noodle's last name isn't…" and 2D snatched the phone off him.
"We're her brothers," he gabbled and Murdoc hit him square in the nose and caught the phone as he dropped it.
"Her brothers? Yes, please come, her sister would be glad to see you but we'll have to ask for her consent as to you being the family, can I take the names?" Fiona asked.
"Stuart, Murdoc and Russel, but wait did you just say, her sister?" Murdoc replied, calmly aware that 2D's nose was bleeding heavily, but he sounded questioning as well.
"Yes her sister Pasta, I'll tell her you're coming."
"She doesn't have a…" but then Murdoc stopped. IT'S PAULA. He thought frantically. Did they hear? He looked round at Russel and 2D they didn't look confused but they were consulting the list. I'm not gonna tell 'em. If she's with her, it's all right. Besides, only Bitcha could've thought up such a fucky name.
"Can you give us any information on her condition?" Russel asked as Murdoc handed the phone to him, miming that he would know what they were on about more than him and the currently indisposed 2D.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not a doctor."
"It's all right, we'll be there as soon as we can," Said Russel and hung up.
"Hello, Pasta." Said a man wearing a white coat entering the Relatives Room.
"Hi." She croaked. She'd been crying for the past hour or so and was shattered, pale and felt sick.
"I'm Dr. Sanderson, Noodle's consultant. We've had some news from more relatives who were looking for Noodle, could you confirm the validity of Stuart, Murdoc and Russel being yours and Noodle's brothers?"
Paula's mind raced. Say yes, and they'll be allowed to come, you'll have to leave her, they'll know it was you. Say no, and you deny them the right to see their best friend and only guitarist.
"They…," she faltered. Her head dropped, she felt terrible.
"They're?" Dr. Sanderson pressed.
"They're not her brothers. They're just her friends. I don't approve of her knowing them, I don't want her to see them or vice versa. Don't tell her they called. Please. I don't want to worry her."
Dr. Sanderson raised his eyebrows.
"All right," he said after a pause, "As long as you're sure, you can go and see her if you want, though she's still unconscious. Ward 3, Bed 13," and he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
Paula looked through the window behind her. It was light and the blue sky had no clouds in sight. She looked at the clock, 10:30. This place was 3 hours away from Kong.
"They'd be here much before 12," she whispered, knowing that Murdoc would be driving and breaking any and every road safety law to get them to her.
Sure enough, Murdoc has his foot on the accelerator and his knuckles on the steering wheel were white. Russel looked pale and 2D was sitting in the back staring out the window.
"S'all your fault," said Murdoc, icily.
They had just had a phone call from the hospital saying that Pasta had denied them access to Noodle.
"Murdoc, please," said Russel, "Maybe it wasn't even out Noodle? I mean, what if it was a kid of some spooked fan that wanted to call their girl Noodle?"
"I know it was her!" he yelled, swerving past a roundabout onto the Motorway. 2D snorted.
"What?" he snapped, staring at 2D through the rear-view mirror in the jeep, "You were supposed to be her best mate! And whaddya done? You fucking well scared her off! Just cuz I know it's 'er, you should be agreeing wi' me, not laughing! This is all your fault!"
"IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" he yelled back.
"SHUT UP!" yelled Russel, "Pull over," he instructed.
There was silence as Murdoc pulled to the hard shoulder.
"Now, if you two bastards want to battle it out about whose fault it is that Noodle is gone, then fine. Get out now, I'll go to Défon and get her myself. Or are you going to put Noodle's best interests at heart and do your damndest get her back?"
Murdoc pulled out of the hard shoulder and they drove on in silence.
"Look, mate," said 2D, after a while, "I'm sorry, you're right it is my fault."
"S'allrigh'" grunted Murdoc. Apologies were not his strong point, "Probs my fault too ya know?"
Russel stifled a chuckle and a grin at the pathetic loss for words they suddenly fell to in the jeep. There was an awkward silence until,
"There!" yelled 2D pointing through the front 2 seats out the windscreen to a sign that said Défon Upon Thames General and a picture showing that the next left was the way to go.
Murdoc screeched round the bend and put on a dramatic burst of speed, the engine screamed as if joining in to increase the mounting tension in the jeep until they pulled up in a hospital car park in front of a large modern building.
Paula jumped. She had opened the window to get some fresh air and closed her eyes while standing by it but the sudden screeching of tyres. Oh my GOD. She knew the sound of those tyres, the same ones that she'd squealed with joy about when Murdoc broke the speed limit with her in the jeep for the 1st time, throwing her into 2D on the back seat. The memories stabbed at her stomach and her eyes snapped open.
"Please, NO!" she breathed as she saw Murdoc, 2D and Russel jump out and run towards the reception doors. She flumped down on the sofa, knowing she had only minutes to get out. What have I done? She thought again, as fresh storm of tears flooded over her eyelids and down her deathly white cheeks.
"It looks so clean," shuddered Murdoc as they shoved open the doors and jumped out. He was certainly right, the building oozed cleanliness and over-all health and hygiene, Murdoc's worst subject.
They ran into the building and Russel had a sudden thought.
"Wait!" he hissed and pulled them behind a pillar in the large, white reception.
"What?" asked 2D, pulling away from Russel's iron grip.
"Ssh!" he whispered and peered round the pillar, "We can't tell reception who we're here to see!"
"Duh! We weren't goin' to!" hissed Murdoc.
"Then how're we goin' to find her?" asked 2D, perplexed.
"You guys go wait in the jeep, I'm going to find her by myself. I know where she is but I can't tell you."
"What!" said 2D and Russel in unison, far too loud.
"SSH!" hissed Murdoc, "Just go back to the jeep, all righ'?"
"Fine, fine," agreed Russel, deciding not to argue, "come on 2D."
Murdoc waited until the squeak of their sneakers on the white marble floor had gone and he pulled an old hat out of his pocket, silently prayed no one would recognise him and walked (looking calm he hoped) over to the wall where there was a map of the hospitals' floors. His finger scanned every floor until the came to one labelled Relatives' Room near to the Theatre on the 3rd floor. He looked around for some stairs because they'd be quieter and sneaked over to them.
As soon as he was through the wooden double doors he took the stairs 5 at a time, nearly tripping twice until he appeared through another set of identical wooden doors with his hat pulled over his eyes again. Looking around he saw a door with a golden plaque on it saying Relatives' Room. He took a deep breath and walked over to the door.
"Bloody one-way glass!" he cursed under his breath, trying to see inconspicuously through the panel in the door.
Eventually, he took another deep breath and opened the door.
"'Ello?" he called to the seemingly empty room
There was a quiet sob from behind the sofa that was facing the window. He walked over to it slowly, taking careful, silent footsteps.
"Paula?" he called.
"Oh, I didn't think you'd ever be polite enough to call me that, you bastard!"
"Hey, I'm just here to find Noodle!" he yelled, suddenly standing over her.
She was called up in a small ball, she couldn't have left the hospital, but she couldn't have stayed either, she had stayed on the floor for the past three minutes, wetting her t-shirt in tears more and more. Murdoc felt a sudden surge of anger.
"Get up," he said, icily.
"No," she said but as soon as she'd said it she curled up even tighter, willing herself to disappear.
"Ok then. Tell me. WHAT DID YOU DO TO NOODLE?" he started quiet but yelled the end of it.
"Nothing! Nothing!" she wailed, taking her hands away from her face and daring to look him in the face.
"LIAR!" he screamed at her and he threw her bag, which was on the sofa against the wall.
"Tell me," he coaxed kneeling down beside her quivering form.
"Okay, ok," she said, breathing shakily.
"Good girl," he said softly and he touched her cheek with his rough finger. She pulled away sharply.
Why should you tell him? Her head yelled at her, After what he did to you! No Way! He doesn't deserve an explanation, he deserves a fucking death penalty! Don't tell him!
"Well..?" Murdoc pressed after a few seconds of silence.
"I.. i.. had to stop her. She came for me. She wanted me to come back. I couldn't with you there.."
"Aww, Bitcha, why not?" he cooed, menacingly.
He's calling me Bitcha again. She thought. He had called her it after what he did to her. Anger was rising in Paula, she had to let it out.
"You know damn well why I couldn't see you again! You hurt me! You ruined my life! You made it out like it was his fault and you made me play along! Why did you do it?" she looked into his red, swirling eyes and felt truly terrible and so alone.
"But what did you do when you saw her, then?"" he pressed, not angrily, but like he really wanted an answer.
"I hit her! All right!" Paula yelled.
There was deathly silence.
"What with?" asked Murdoc, quietly after a minute or two.
More silence, Paula buried her head in her hands again.
"BITCHA?" he yelled and he hit her round the head, Paula fell sideways to the floor, a drop of blood slipped from her lip.
"A rifle butt. On the head." She answered, so quietly Murdoc had to strain to hear her.
"Where is she now?" he asked after another painful bout of silence, "Have you been to see her?"
"They said she was in Ward 3 a while ago, still unconscious, I didn't go and see her, she must be wondering where you are, if she's awake yet. i…"
Murdoc pressed his finger against her lips and grinned, daring her to pull away.
"That's enough," he said, standing up, "Bitcha, I didn't think you'd tell me. Now, which bed in Ward 3? After you've told me that, you can go."
"I don't need your permission to live!" she spat.
Murdoc just looked at her.
"Okay!" she squeaked, finally wiping away the blood from her mouth, "Bed 13, Ward 3, this floor."
Murdoc walked to the door.
"They'll know who you are, though." She whispered. He heard.
"Then you'll have to come with me to see her," he whispered in her ear, suddenly beside her. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet, "Come on," he said menacingly.
"How long has he been in there!" stressed 2D.
"Don't worry, I trust him, he'll find her. But why he won't tell us, that's what puzzles me."
"Yeah." 2D shoved a small pastel coloured tablet into his mouth and grabbed a water bottle from the side door. He was just taking a large swig when Russel yelled, "Look!" and pointed to the front door of the hospital. Murdoc was walking out of the glass doors hand in hand with…
2D spat out the pill and the water all over the front seat, coughing he jumped out of the jeep.
"Paula?" he coughed.
As they were still just out of earshot, Murdoc whispered to Paula, "Smiles, Bitcha, smiles."
Paula smiled at 2D, "Hi." She said.
"Come on," said Murdoc, "There's nothing to be explained, let's go find Noodle. Shan't we, Pasta? Oh, I mean Paula."
Russel and 2D gave Paula a confused look and Paula looked at Murdoc. She was so pained to be standing with them again. Her heart couldn't take it. She started leading them to the door, pulling her hand away from Murdoc's and trying to forget everything that had ever happened to her.
They walked to the elevator in silence. 2D hadn't stopped looking at Paula, she seemed more beautiful to him than ever. He needed her so much. She looks so uncomfortable around Murdoc. He thought.
"Hey, Paula and I will take the stairs!" he suggested valiantly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the stairs. Paula let herself be dragged to the doors near the stairs.
"Please, Paula," said 2D, taking her hand once they were out of sight of the others.
"Come back," he whispered to her, his voice echoing through the stairwell.
"I can't." she replied, pulling away.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Walk with me," she instructed. And as they walked, she explained.
As Murdoc and Russel appeared on the 3rd floor, Paula and 2D were waiting for them. 2D looked daggers at Murdoc. Paula looked ill. 2D was furious, as soon as they got home, Murdoc was gonna get it. He now knew why she had to leave. He knew.
"Over here," Paula said, walking them over to another set of double doors.
As they entered, a male nurse looked round at them.
"That's Ben," she whispered as the nurse walked over to them.
"Pasta, hello," he said, "and who are you?" he asked the others.
"They're relatives, uncles, my father's brothers," she gabbled. I'm turning into a liar! She thought as Ben walked them over to Bed 13. Noodle was asleep, her purple hair swirling sleepily around her face as she breathed. 2D sat down on the bed next to her, she stirred.
"Noodle?" called Murdoc, echoing in her mind.
Noodle's emerald eyes opened slowly and then she smiled, looking around.
"2D!" she squealed and sat up suddenly, gripping him round the neck. She went suddenly stiff.
"Curtains! Close!" she squeaked, hiding her head under the covers, suddenly sweating.
Russel did as she asked.
"Good idea 'eh?" Make sure no-one knows who we are." Said Murdoc.
Noodle raised her head out from the covers. Smiling again.
"Paula!" she giggled, "I found you! 2D no hate me now!"
Paula smiled.
"I better go now, bye everyone, bye Noodle," she went over and gave Noodle a hug.
"no, no. You no leave, please no leave, my fault, promise you go to Kong?" she asked, squinting at Paula.
"I promise." And Paula slipped through the pastel curtain.
A doctor entered a few moments later, pulling the curtains away. Noodle started crying and shaking at the sight of the rest of the large, open ward and Russel pulled the curtains closed again.
"It's all right, sweetie, what is it, 'eh? What's on the other side of the curtain that's scaring you?" soothed 2D hugging Noodle.
"I'm Dr. Sanderson, is she all right?" He knelt down to bed-height and talked Noodle through what they had done while she was unconscious.
"We managed to give you some stitches in your head where you were hit, it'll take a while to heal but if you come back or go to your local in about 3 weeks, give it time to heal up. It looks like you were hit with a rifle but because you had a particular pattern imprinted on the surrounding skin belonging to a type of small handgun. Can you tell me why you don't like the curtain being open? Or would you like me to get someone more qualified to deal with that for you?" she asked looking round at 2D, Russel and Murdoc.
"It's scary, the person," whispered Noodle.
"Which person, poppet?" asked Dr. Sanderson, softly.
"the person who wanted to stop me," she said.
There was silence.
"Okay, it looks like she's got a fear of open spaces because of her attack, I'm going to get a psychologist he'll be able to help a bit more."
"All right." Said Russel, sitting on a chair next to Noodle's bed and Dr. Sanderson left
"What've we done to you 'eh?" asked 2D, tears in his eyes.
"Oh God, the concert!" said Russel suddenly.
"What?" asked Noodle, confused.
"We've got a concert in a few weeks, if you can't be in open spaces, you can't play!" Murdoc blurted out.
"Well done, Mr. Tact." hissed Russel as Noodle burst into a fresh wave of tears.
"Hey! You brought it up!" he hissed back.
After a few hours a nurse came to tell them that the visiting hours were over and the psychologist had been held up with a nasty epileptic fit brought on by claustrophobia.
"Don't go!" wailed Noodle.
"We do have a parents' policy which allows one guardian to stay in the hospital, unfortunately, since you were previously denied access, none of you can stay. Pasta agreed to you staying just before she left at reception. AND she told us who you were."
"Is there a B&B nearby?" asked Russel, hugging Noodle goodbye.
"Yes, just over the main road at the front of the hospital. It's really cheap as well." the nurse continued, replacing Noodle's drip. They gave Noodle a last hug and left.
Noodle didn't sleep well that night, she kept dreaming she was back in the park, figures and shadows surrounded her closing in on all sides. She woke more than once in a cold sweat. Over the road in the B&B only Russel was asleep. Murdoc and 2D were having a coffee in the restaurant.
"Why'd you do it?" whispered 2D after a while.
"What?" answered Murdoc.
"Paula. Why'd you do it?"
"'Eh?"
"Don't make me spell it out for you."
"I wanted to hurt you, didn't i?" Murdoc sniggered.
"Why?"
"Cuz you're a prik."
"I don't believe you, you know the only reason I'm still here is coz Noodle nearly got killed and I'm not leaving her. Nor am I leaving Paula. I know what you did to her, but I still want her. You're the prik if you think you can break us that easily."
Murdoc felt angry, lifting the coffee cup high above his head he brought it crashing down on 2D's head. If Murdoc thought someone could be broken, then he was right. He knew 2D was lying, he also knew there was nothing he could do to him because of what he did to Paula.
"Tomorrow Comes Today" 2D soothed from the radio in the bus Paula was riding in back to Kong. It was the most beautiful song she'd ever heard. She'd met 2D just after it'd been released. The tune made her cry, the haunting echoes at the beginning mingling with the drum beat.
"Tomorrow comes today," she sang, looking out the window at the night-lights of Défon. Tears streamed down her cheeks. As she sang, the one other person on the bus looked at her carefully. As the bus pulled to a stop the person stood up.
"Beautiful song, isn't it? Can you hear the pain?" he asked.
"I know their pain," she smiled.
The man walked off the bus, tipping his hat to her as he got off. He knew what she meant, he just didn't want to say.
"There goes a real gentleman," she thought. "Have I ever known one?"
The sun shone through the window just outside the curtains of Noodle's part of the ward. She was awake. She wanted to open the curtains but she couldn't. Her head hurt a lot, she tentatively touched at the stitches on the back of her head. Her purple hair was sticking to the dried blood in a horrible way. Noodle reached onto the table next to her bed and grabbed at the Learn-English-Quick book that had been in her jacket when she'd arrived at the hospital.
"I am, you are, he she it is, we are, you are, they are," she recited, looking at the page 55 labelled Revision Checkpoint.
"Pink is my favourite colour. Sandy goes to the shops. Dan is…" Noodle looked up, suddenly aware of a pair of eyes that were on her.
"I'm sorry to stop you, you're coming on very well. I'm Lotus, I'm a psychologist. I heard you had a nasty attack? Mind if I take a look at you?" Lotus asked. She had shoulder length blonde hair with a mass of pink and purple streaks coloured in. it had obviously been expertly dyed and she was wearing coloured contacts so her eyes matched the pink in her hair.
Noodle nodded and out the book down.
"Now then," said Lotus, sitting down on the bed, "Follow the finger?" She put her finger in front of Noodle face a way away and moved it up and down, left and right and in a slow, curving circle.
"Good," she said, scribbling some notes on her clipboard.
"Can you tell me what you're scared of?" she asked.
Noodle thought carefully.
"Take your time," she continued, smiling pleasantly.
"I don't know, not much," said Noodle after a while. She was right, zombies were no match for her, surely they were the worst?
"Let me rephrase the question. Right now, what scares you the most? Right now."
"Being out there," she pointed to the curtains, "Or out there," she pointed to the wall.
"Ok," Lotus took more notes, "Why does that scare you? If I was to open those curtains now, what would you imagine to be out there?"
"The person who hurt me, the one who hit me. They'd do it again. I'd die!" she whispered. Her bright green eyes sparkled as she looked at Lotus. She was breathing shakily and fast. The heart monitor beeped a little faster.
"Noodle, breathe for me, in and out, in and out," Lotus instructed, calmly, taking her hand.
Noodle breathed in and out for a few moments until the beeping was normal again.
"Good. Now I want you to squeeze my hand when you're scared. Squeeze it harder for when you're most scared and just hold it when you're not. I'll also ask you at certain moments how scared you are out of 10, ok?"
"Hai," Noodle said, "Gomen-nasai, I meant yes."
"It's all right, I took Japanese to A-level," Lotus replied in fluent Japanese.
Noodle smiled.
"We're going to go for a walk, okay?" Lotus said, sliding back into English.
Noodle started to squeeze her hand as she got out of bed. They stood in front of the curtain and Lotus looked at the girl. So pale. So scared. Has she ever even been to school? Is she an illegal immigrant? And this mystery about her family, I really shouldn't be treating this girl but handing her over to Social! Lotus thought.
"How scared?" she asked, brightly.
"9!" Noodle replied.
"Do you want me to open the curtain?"
Noodle squeezed Lotus' hand so tightly that after a while it gave her pins and needles but Lotus had used this test before and was quite used to it.
"I'll take that as a no, but we have to try." Lotus raised her free hand to the curtain and started to push it to one side. Noodle closed her eyes and squeezed Lotus' hand so tightly it was extremely painful for them both. Tears dripped from under her eyelids and Lotus could feel her heartbeat through her hand, she didn't need the machine.
"Stop!" Noodle instructed. She pulled away and ran to the corner shaking and crying. She had only caught a glimpse of the large white ward but it had spooked her so badly that she was hyperventilating. After a second or two, Noodle passed out but Lotus caught her and lay her on the bed. Lotus sighed, looking at the girl's slender body. She reminded her of her daughter. It was why she'd become a child psychologist, her daughter had died of anorexia.
"Noodle, that day I made a promise," she said to the sleeping girl, "that I would strive to make sure no other child was tormented by their mind, that I would fix it for them. You seem like a tough challenge, but I promised Samantha and that's a promise to you, my patient. Don't worry, you'll be fine."
In her sleep, Noodle smiled. Lotus smiled too. She had heard.
"Do you think they'll let us in yet?" asked 2D to Russel. Murdoc had gone to get a pint from the nearest bar.
"I dunno," admitted Russel, "Murdoc shoulda stayed to help out, you know?"
2D touched at his head, it stung. Pulling a piece of white, blood-coated china from his hair he winced. Russel saw.
"What did he do, 2D? It's never been this bad before, what's up with Paula? What did he do? Something's up. You wouldn't tell Boodle, you won't tell me, what's the big deal!" Russel enquired.
"Well, last night he hit me over the head with a scalding cup of decaf," 2D said, pretending not to know what Russel was on about.
"You know damn well what I mean, two-dent."
There was silence.
"2D!" Russel yelled.
"Ok! You wanna know? I'll tell you!
PLEASE REVIEW! I AM BEGGING YOU! This took us ages and I really want to know what people think of it, new chapter coming soon! xoxT&Hxox