II. Too Many Forget-Me-Nots
Angel waited in a chair in the corner of the studio Murdoc and the tall man had taken her to, clutching her suitcase tightly. She was waiting for them to be done with a recording that they suddenly busied themselves with. She learned to ignore Murdoc shouting curses, criticism, and all else at the tall man whom she also learned was named 2D. For the fifth time, Murdoc was getting on 2D about the lyrics to the song he was supposed to be recording.
" For the love of– Rrrrghhh!! 2D! Git out 'ere!!" Before he was even halfway out of the room, Murdoc starting yelling. " You stupid muppet! Can't you get this right?!"
" Sorry, Murdoc! 'M sorry!" he yelled back in a cracking voice, looking like he was about to cry.
Angel sat quietly as Murdoc flew off on another red-faced rant. She began a low hum that could hardly be heard through the screaming. But as Murdoc paused to take a deep breath, he stopped and listened to the quiet singing. He looked from 2D to the speakers, trying to identify the source of the sound. When he turned, the man saw Angel staring up at the colorful posters on the wall, moving her lips in the smallest twitch, which gave her away.
" 'Ey, love." Angel turned, recognizing her new title. " What're ya doin'?"
She gave him a surprised look and shrugged in response.
" What're ya sing'n?" he clarified in a fake sweet voice that made Angel feel slightly uncomfortable.
"... Song..." she answered slowly.
" And the lyrics?" he prodded, getting a little irritated by her evasive behavior.
She wasn't sure why it was such a big deal, and would have refused to repeat herself had it been anyone else. But seeing that he was letting her stay for the night, she decided it would be best to oblige. But what convinced her more than that was the look in his glassy, mismatched eyes that frightened her into talking.
" It's just a song I made up on the plane ride here, nothing big–"
" Sing it again." he demanded curtly.
She hesitated for a second, then cleared her throat.
" The feeling in, guts to the brain. It means you got it coming and you ain't got a chain. Their only attire is a typical vice. But if it gets you well, well you ain't being nice. So follow the lives 'till they cut up your eyes–"
As she sung the shaky tune, she glanced from Murdoc to 2D and back. She saw, as she sang, that Murdoc got a sly smirk on his face which grew as she went. 2D simply smiled a grin of broken and chipped teeth the whole way through. She stopped abruptly in mid-lyric and Murdoc's dark grin faded into a scowl.
" Well...?" he urged.
" That's it... there's no more." she answered, shrugging again.
Murdoc grumbled and looked around, muttering to himself. He scrambled to the studio desk and grabbed the first stubby pencil and scrap of paper he laid his eyes on. Thrusting them into her hands, the man pointed a finger at her and simply said, " Finish it."
She looked shocked, but sat down on the floor to do as she was told. But as she tried to write upon the carpet, the pencil stabbed through the paper.
" I need something to write on."
He threw a magazine on the floor. She looked at it before placing the paper on top of it and grimaced when she realized it was a Playboy.
She wrote in silence, occasionally tapping the eraser of the pencil to her chin while she thought to herself. 2D watched her eagerly, perched up on a high stool beside the studio desk. He smiled when she scratched something down, and looked disheartened when she stopped or erased something. Murdoc watched from a distance, pacing along the far wall to give her some space. Every so often, he would pass along beside her and glance over the girl's shoulder, which earned him an annoyed glare every time. She took a good long time to finish up, and when she did, Murdoc snatched it from her before she said a word. His pink and black eyes ran across the scrap of paper as 2D and Angel watched expectantly. A tense feeling hung in the air until he gave one small hint of a smirk and whirled around to face Angel.
" Sing it again, love."
The girl took the paper back from him and began from where she'd left off.
" So follow the lives 'till they cut up your eyes. You won't be even seeing if you ain't growing lies. They bought all the shit that should never be sold. They put a gun above it and a narrow behold. We are the happy landfill. We are the happy landfill."
2D swung around in the stool and bent down to turn a piece of equipment on, looking oddly ecstatic. Murdoc closed his eyes and thought deeply to himself, rolling the lyrics and music around in his head. His eyes snapped open as he mumbled the words to himself, tapping his foot to the beat. He turned on his heel to look at 2D and gave him an evil, but excited look.
" Git Noodle! Git 'er down 'ere, now!" he bellowed.
2D was out of the room before he finished speaking. Murdoc hurried around the room, franticly turning things on. Angel stood awkwardly in his whirlwind dash around the studio, hopelessly confused. The man turned to face her and she stood to attention. He threw her a wireless headset and jerked his head in the direction of the recording booth.
" Get in."
She hesitated and shook her head.
" Why–"
" Just do it!" he snapped.
She expected him to look angry, but a smirk played across his lips when he spoke. Angel silently slipped into the booth and stood alone in the soundproof room. The headphones hung around her neck, through which she could hear Murdoc fiddling with equipment. She watched him, interested and curious as to what was happening. The studio door opened noiselessly and 2D came inside, a larger man following behind him.
" Where's Noodle?!" Murdoc yelled.
2D's muffled voice came through the headset and Angel listened closely.
" I couldn't find 'er, but I got Russel!" he announced proudly.
" That isn't helpful if lard boy 'ere can't play guitar!!" he seethed through clenched teeth.
Angel listened to what Murdoc had said and walked towards the glass, putting her headset on.
" Hey, I can–"
The man 2D referred to as Russel began shouting at Murdoc and a screaming match emerged. Angel tried to get Murdoc's attention by yelling into the headset, but his was lying on the desk, too far away for her to be heard. She looked to 2D, who stood meekly next to the booth window. The girl banged on the glass with her fist and managed to grab his attention. She waved her headphones at him and put them on, and when he got the idea, he put on Murdoc's headset.
" I can play!" she yelled so he could hear her. " I can play guitar!"
The blue-haired man looked over at Murdoc and called his name quietly, but he couldn't be heard. He repeated himself louder and louder until he yelled at the top of his lungs, " MURDOC!"
" What is it, you tosser?!"
" The girl says she can play guitar."
He fell silent, feeling stupid.
" Oh... well... get 'er Noodle's guitar. Go on, bugger off!"
2D ran to the instrument room next door, almost forgetting to take the headset off. Russel followed at his own pace. The dark-haired man put on the headphones and sat at the studio desk, glaring up at Angel. She glared back.
" You could've told me earlier." he grumbled.
" You never asked." she replied, sticking out her tongue childishly.
He mimicked her with his own long, pointed tongue. Angel grimaced.
2D returned quickly, carrying a cherry-red electric guitar awkwardly. Behind him, Russel was bringing in a drum kit, which bashed against the door when he came in. 2D opened the door to the booth and handed-off the guitar carefully. The girl slipped the leather strap over her shoulder and looked around for an amp to plug it into. As she bent down to connect the wire to the speaker, the booth door flew open and Murdoc stormed inside. Angel jumped when she turned and saw him coming towards her. Why is he always so angry? she thought to herself.
He tweaked a string on the cherry guitar and grabbed the neck of the bass guitar he was holding.
" Play what I do."
He strummed a few repeating chords and Angel quickly picked it up.
" Keep playing it." he commanded, leaving the room.
She kept going, watching him talk to 2D and Russel. When he got back onto his headset, Russel began bringing the drum kit into the booth. Angel stopped and looked at Murdoc.
" Hey, what's–"
" Did I say stop?!" he yelled.
She jumped in surprise and continued to play. 2D and Russel kept bringing in instruments and equipment as she watched, trying to continue the chords. Every time she stopped, Murdoc noticed and snapped at her. After awhile, 2D came in and stood in front of a keyboard, smiling a crooked, broken smile. Russel sat behind the drum set and pounded on the snare a few times. It wasn't long until Murdoc himself came inside and handed off the lyrics to 2D.
" Sing it, Tusspot."
The dark-haired man picked up a black bass guitar and started the same chords Angel was playing. Russel began the beat to the song when 2D started to sing.
" The feeling in, guts to the brain. It means you got it coming and you ain't got a chain. Their only attire is a typical vice. But if it gets you well, well you ain't being nice. No, no. So follow the lives 'till they cut up your eyes. You won't be even seeing if you ain't growing lies. They bought all the shit that should never be sold. They put a gun above it and a narrow behold. We are the happy landfill. We are the happy landfill. All right!"
It took a moment for Angel to realize that they were recording and looked out the studio window in confusion; what was going on?! She looked to 2D, wanting to say something, but she knew better. If she messed up the recording, Murdoc would have her head. Angel stared out the studio window, seeing the red lights on the equipment that meant they were recording. She thought to herself quietly and her eyes fell to the floor in front of her. The last time she was in a booth like this was the day her sister–
She stopped playing and bit her lip, remembering that day. Murdoc's head snapped up from the strings on his bass to Angel and he stomped his foot.
" Stop, stop, stoooop!" He threw down his bass and went up to the girl with a wild look in his eyes. " What is your problem? Music not good enough, too fast, what?!"
She looked up at him with glassy eyes and glared, mustering up the most evil look she could.
" Oh, don't give me that look, love. You're wasting my time."
2D, who still hadn't stopped playing, looked over at Angel and frowned.
" M-Murdoc... maybe we should stop and pick up... tomorrow?"
He seemed timid and afraid to speak up to him. Murdoc turned on the boy, but he said nothing at first.
" Fine." He glanced at Angel. " But you're finishing tomorrow. No nervous break downs, ya hear me?"
She nodded, but kept glaring. The dark-haired man sighed and removed a cigarette from his pocket, snatching a lighter from the studio desk on his way out. Angel took off the guitar and set it up carefully against the wall and followed him out, remembering something important that she meant to ask him.
" Where am I supposed to sleep?" Angel asked loudly when she saw him walking down the hall.
He stopped and flicked the burning cigarette onto the cement floor, stomping it out.
" Follow me, love. Ol' Muds will take care of ya."
She paused, but followed after he rounded the corner and disappeared.
He walked nonchalantly down the dark stairway which led into a smokey-lighted carpark. By the stairway, an old, rickety Winniebago was nestled in the corner, the front-end right up against the wall. Angel watched him walk to the trailer from the top step in dismay. He waved for her to come to him and, reluctantly, she did. He stepped inside and stood before her.
" This is my love shack on wheels; you can sleep 'ere, dearie. There's a couch just over there..." he said, pointing inside. " And a bed if you'd prefer. However, it'll be occupied..."
He winked suggestively. Angel gave him a sickened look and shook her head slowly. He looked disappointed and scowled, muttering something about "those bloody virgins".
" Well come in an' sleep on the couch then, love." he mumbled, walking into the back.
" I'm not really that tired!" she called after him.
" Then go skulk the halls for a bit!"
She placed the suitcase in the doorway and slipped away, back up the dark stairs.
