2D's Second Attempt at Murder, Part 1
Disclaimer: Gorillaz ain't mine.
"I heard that Muds drowned in sewage last week," Russel commented as he folded his arms behind his head. A flimsy, fold-out beach chair creaked pitifully under his weight as he shifted under the glowing sun.
2D gazed at the blue ocean waves as they crashed upon the shore. He was sitting beside the drummer, cross-legged on a sandy white beach blanket with the phrase "Save Us From Him" printed in bold, black letters. He wore a pair of magenta, flower-patterned swim trunks, while Russel was wearing deep green trunks and a Hawaiian shirt. A pleasant breeze ruffled the singer's cerulean locks of hair. A few meters away, Ace (wearing a tank top and trunks) eyed some distant volleyball players, twirling a pocketknife in his hand.
The band (Minus Noodle, who was trekking through the mountains, and Murdoc, who was in jail) had recently finished the European leg of their summer tour and had decided to take a small vacation at Blackpool Sands before leaving for America. It was a pleasant day, cloudless and warm with a playful breeze. The beach itself was neither crowded nor deserted. There were enough beachgoers to fill the air with the pleasant sounds of chatter and laughter, but not so much that the band were denied a fair amount of privacy.
2D brushed some stray hairs out of his face before responding to Russel. "I think I heard some fans talking about that. It sounded like they helped him get drowned, but they didn't seem very happy about it. He must be all right, though, since the fans said they would be speaking with him again soon. Or maybe they'll have to speak with his ghost… Hey, Russ, do you think Murdoc would haunt me?"
"Nah, he'd rather haunt women. Besides, it's probably just a silly rumor. The prison hasn't confirmed anything."
2D nodded slowly, not sure whether to feel consoled or concerned. After a few moments of intense thought, 2D decided that he didn't have to feel consoled or concerned. Heck, he could feel however he wanted!
Since Murdoc's disappearance, 2D had gained a lot of emotional confidence. Admittedly, he was a bit cocky nowadays, as scatterbrained as ever, and frequently annoying to his bandmates, but overall, he seemed to be doing very well. 2D smiled, unfolding his legs and leaning back onto his beach towel. He didn't want to think about Murdoc right now, and he wouldn't. He was going to relax.
Spotting Ace still standing stiffly nearby, 2D called, "Hey, Ace! Do you think you could grab me a soda from the drink stand?"
Ace grunted then walked away. 2D watched him stroll past the drink stand and approach the volleyball court, knife in hand. Oh well, 2D thought. He must not have heard me. 2D then turned to Russel.
"Hey, Russ-"
"No."
2D pouted for a moment, then shrugged to himself. Still better company than Murdoc, he thought, a grin returning to his face. Stretching his limbs, the singer rolled to his feet. 2D slipped on a pair of flip-flops and began to stroll towards the drink stand.
Halfway there, 2D realized that he had forgotten to grab change. Spotting a young woman holding two grape sodas about to walk past him, 2D called out to her, "Hey! Can I have one of those?"
"Oh, one of these is for my frien-" The woman turned to face him, then stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening. "You- you're 2D, from Gorillaz!"
"Yep," 2D responded, smiling for the woman.
"Of course! Here," She exclaimed, handing him a soda. 2D accepted the drink gratefully, popped the can open, and took a long drink, savoring the fruity fizz as it washed over his tongue. Licking his lips with pleasure, 2D returned his gaze to the woman. "So, you're a fan?"
"Yes!" She replied ecstatically. "I was at the Demon Days festival in London! You were great!"
"Thanks," 2D said, beaming.
"Do you think you'll release another album next year?" The woman asked, her face lit with curiosity. "I know you've already done more than you usually do before taking a really long break, but I would really love it if you could keep putting out more music!"
2D sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Wish I could tell you. Thing is, I don't know if Murdoc's coming back, and if he does come back, he won't let me do what I want anymore."
The woman nodded sympathetically. "Aw, that's too bad. Do you think you could convince him to share control of the band with you? You could ask Russel and Noodle to support you! They could help make your case!"
2D tilted his head to the side, confused. "I don't need them to make me a case. I already have a really good suitcase, it's blue with black and white flowers painted all over it-"
"No, I mean… Couldn't you guys stand up to him?"
"When I stand up, it makes it easier for him to pull my pants down."
The woman paused, thinking deeply about the clearest possible way to say what she had in mind. "Do you think, if you told Murdoc that you should lead the band, and Russel and Noodle also told Murdoc you should lead the band, and you had really good reasons for you to be leader, that Murdoc might also decide that you should at least help lead the band?"
2D pondered this sentence. It was a long one, but he thought he had the basic idea. "Well, Murdoc doesn't really change his mind, especially when people tell him to change his mind. Besides, it would be weird to lead Murdoc. That's never how we've worked. It's always been Murdoc who takes charge of things. When he's around, anyway."
"That was the past, though!" The woman insisted, gazing intensely at 2D. "You're so much happier now. And isn't that a part of what the Now Now is about, what's happening now?" The woman took a breath, steadying her voice. "My mother always told me that when you know that what you have is good, you need to bury your past. Bury your past and never go back. That's the only way to move forward."
2D stared down at the woman, impressed by her advice. It sounded very wise, even if he didn't quite understand it. How do you even bury a past? Is there a special way to put the past in a deep hole and cover it up? Is there a graveyard for pasts?
"Hey, Anna!" a voice called from the shore. "Where's my Soda?"
The woman's eyes widened. Turning, she called back to her waving friend, "I'm coming! Be there in a sec!" She turned back to 2D. "Sorry, I gotta go buy another soda for my friend. But it was nice talking to you! Remember what I said! I wrote my number on your arm while you were thinking earlier! Call me! Bye!" And then, she was gone.
2D checked his arm. Sure enough, it was covered in fresh ink. Shrugging to himself and smiling, 2D took a sip of his soda and began walking back towards his friend.
2D found Russel talking towards his phone, apparently FaceTiming someone. As he stood over Russel's shoulder, the singer saw a familiar face on the screen, framed by a thick, fuzzy winter coat hood. Snow was falling in the background of the shot.
2D smiled. "Oh, hi Noodle!"
Noodle glanced towards him, her face dipping into a scowl. She said nothing.
"Sorry, man," Russel told 2D. "She doesn't want to talk to you yet."
2D frowned. "Is this still about that vase I broke before she left?"
Russel rolled his eyes. "What do you think? Do you have any idea how valuable that thing was?"
"But I told you I'd buy you a new vase!" 2D cried, turning back to Noodle. "Wouldn't you like something newer? You said yourself that the vase was super old!"
"Old?" Noodle shouted through the phone. "It was Ancient! It was Ming!"
"Oh, you named it Ming?" 2D said, his eyes widening with a flash of understanding. "I think I get it now. You must have been really attached to it, to give it a name. Did I tell you that I used to have a sea cucumber named Peter? Murdoc said he was trash, but I still loved him. I'm sorry for insulting Ming and killing him. Or is Ming a her?"
Noodle glared at 2D then turned back to Russel. "As I was saying before we were interrupted, I did get lost for a while, but I'm doing fine now. My new friends told me that if I follow the signs, the tall wooden ones, they'll lead me to a town where I can pick up more supplies before continuing my journey."
"Ok, babygirl," Russel said. "I'm glad your doing well. Stay safe." The two exchanged goodbyes and the call ended.
2D sighed sadly. He really did feel bad for breaking Ming. Also, he had wanted to ask Noodle what she thought about the advice his fan had given to him. Noodle was good at understanding things; she would have known what the cryptic message meant.
2D turned to Russel. "Hey, Russ, do you think I should bury my past?"
Russel leaned back in his chair, his eyes closing. "Sure, 'D."
"Thing is," 2D continued, "I'm not really sure what that means. You know, to bury your past."
"Mmhmm," Russel replied.
"Is the past… like… a thing? Do I have to figure out what it is, then stick it in a hole and bury it?"
"hmm."
"But what kind of thing is it?"
There was no response.
2D turned to look at Russel. The drummer was asleep.
"Oh well," 2D sighed to himself. "I guess I can go ask Ace for advice."
2D turned towards the volleyball players he had seen Ace approaching earlier. They had formed a ring around the bassist, and a very large, muscular man was angrily brandishing a deflated volleyball in Ace's face.
Hmm… Maybe I should leave them alone.
2D bowed his head sadly. Being alone was nice when he was having fun, but now, he could really use some help. 2D sat on his beach towel, wrapped his hands around his knees, and stared at the ground.
A sharp cry roused the singer from his brooding thoughts. Looking up quickly, 2D observed a child, shrieking with joy, running to meet a man who appeared to be his father. "Daddy! The hole is ready! Come bury me in the sand!"
The man grinned at his child. "Sure thing, Junior. Show me where your hole is."
2D watched the pair as they walked across the sand. The man wore jean shorts and a blue tank top. His child was wearing swim trunks decorated with comic strip prints. Squinting, 2D focused on the shorts, hoping to get a good look at one of the comics. He had no sooner read the title "X-Men" than the kid jumped into a hole.
"Wow, that's a deep one, Junior! I'm impressed!" The father said, smiling down at his child, who was up to his neck in sand.
"Bury me! Then we can take a picture to show Grandma!"
"Sure thing, kiddo."
The man began to scoop sand into the hole. As 2D stared, his eyes glazed over; he was drifting through confused thoughts. He felt like he had witnessed something important, but he couldn't quite figure out what.
2D rubbed the side of his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Think, brain, think! What am I missing? Voices drifted through his mind along with flashes of memory. There was the fan, standing in front of him, trying to give him advice… Bury your past, 2D; You have to bury you past…
I don't know how to bury my past! 2D thought, a grimace crossing his face as he ran his fingers through his hair. He felt a headache coming on.
Then there was another memory, one of Noodle on Russel's phone screen, looking very wise as she stood on a mountaintop with snow falling around her. They told me to follow the signs… Follow the signs…
Follow…
2D remembered the father following his child to the hole he had dug. Through his heavy shroud of thoughts and inner voices, 2D could still distantly hear the child's joyful cries as his father buried him in the sand. Is this a sign? 2D wondered, banging his forehead softly against his knees. What does it mean?
The child had been wearing X-Men swim trunks. For some reason, that detail stood out to him. Is that important? Do I need to read an old comic book or something?
The voices in his head clamored for attention, yet none of them gave him answers. 2D groaned in frustration as his thoughts continued to whirl in confusion. I don't know what this means! I don't know what any of this means!"
The voices in his head were getting louder, assaulting him with a barrage of quotes that 2D willed himself to understand.
Bury your past! Bury your past!
Follow the signs!
X-Men! X-Men!
Shut up, shut up! 2D cried inwardly at the voices. They only got louder.
WE'RE NOT SHUTTING UP UNTIL YOU LISTEN!
Bury your past!
X-Men!
Bury it! Bury!
X! X-Men! X!
Bury your…
X-Men…
Bury… X…
Bury your X…
Bury your ex…
Something clicked in the singer's head. His eyes opened wide.
BURY YOUR EX!
. . .
Stay tuned for Part 2!
Much thanks to everyone who's reviewed! I received a lovely bit of advice from Distroyer about taking requests, so if anyone has ideas of ways they want to see 2D try to kill Paula, feel free to leave them in a review or PM!
