Chapter 10 - The Last Living Souls
With each step up the rusty stairs, 2D grew more and more anxious.
Had he said too much to Madeline?
Had he finally pushed Murdoc to his limit?
Was it even safe to go in his own home?
His mind flitted back and forth between all these problems, these worries, and to the early hours of that morning. What happened?
2D sincerely wanted to believe that he could trust Madeline. That she could be the one person outside his world that he could open up to.
But he worried that he was falling into a false sense of security around her. Her charming personality somehow made all his walls fall down, and that left him feeling exposed and a bit scared.
He reached the top of the stairs, and put the key in the lock.
But did he have a real reason to keep those walls standing? Or, in his vulnerability, were his walls torn down against his will? Was he so overcome with emotion towards Murdoc that he would sacrifice his identity, and the identity of the band?
He turned the knob, opened the door and stepped inside.
Yes, even Rus and Noodle would suffer for his foolish mistakes. They were in their creative prime, working on their new album, and he couldn't jeopardize their personal lives, just because he met some girl.
He shut the door behind him.
He needed to keep distance.
But, at the same time, his heart was fighting his head.
He took a few slow steps into the room.
In his heart, he wanted to be with her more than anything else. Not so much because he was attracted to her (and he was), but because to him, she was an escape.
He didn't have to be confined to those walls. In fact, those walls weren't even needed. His walls were built to hide 2D, the showman. But those same walls didn't have to hold Stuart. Stuart never really had the chance to be himself. His life, for as long as he could remember, was ruled by the stage. No, not just the stage - but by Murdoc, who loved the stage not for its expression, but for its exploit.
He was Murdoc's slave, but now he finally found the one who could break the bonds.
He slowly sank into the couch.
But what if Murdoc found out?
What if Murdoc learned of his one safe place? Of his refuge? Of the one person who could make everything better?
What would he do?
He held his head in his hands.
He would make her life miserable. Murdoc wouldn't have it that 2D was seeing someone. Spending time with someone other than the band, somewhere other than the studio. It would make him sick to see 2D happy for once, out of his controlling grasp for once. And Madeline would have to pay for taking Murdoc's puppet away from him. The things he would do if he found out... Murdoc can never know about Madeline.
He ran his hands through his shaggy blue hair.
The only way to keep her safe from Murdoc was to ...
Let her go. 2D had to let her go.