La Enfermedad Mortal

Chapter 2: The Departing.

-------

I'm watching the original omen now. I love the omen. So satanic, so demonic… When I have a son, I'm going to call him Damien. The other two girls are Rachel and Emily. …This is pathetic, why am I naming my future non-existent and possibly never-to-be children? The heat's gotten to me… stupid Global Warming.

-------

I don't own Gorillaz and unfortunately, I don't own a pet gorilla either. Hmm. Good call. … OH NO! DAMIEN! DAMIEN, WHERE ART THOU? Wait… wrong movie.

-------

The Japanese teen carried the last of her boxes out of her room. She was finally leaving after all this time. She picked up the lone box, memorizing the room where she had slept in. Her bright pink wall had somewhat dulled in colour and now looked slightly violet. She smiled at Shaun's large head in the vocal booth peacefully sleeping. She was really going to miss him. She would miss everything. She shut the door to the patron and studied her darkened room where she noticed pits of parchment flaking away on the corners of her wall. Noodle mentally shrugged it off and walked out of her room and shut the door.

Noodle slowly walked down the hallway clutching her belongings in the box. Out the window bared the same dark clouds and gloomy weather as had covered Kong from ever since she had lived there. She paused outside the kitchen as she saw 2D at the end of the corridor watching her sadly. He moved towards her swiftly and took the box from her hands and opened up the door to the kitchen. He walked in breaking eye contact and Noodle followed. They walked out onto the balcony and Noodle took in sights with her eyes as she passed the kitchen's state where she used to eat her delicious meals. Russel and Murdoc were already outside waiting to wish her luck. 2D jumped onto the floating island tied up to the balcony and he set her things down in the doorway of the red and white windmill. The symbol for freedom that was destined to fall to its doom. Noodle looked it up and down as tears welled in her eyes behind her violet hair.

"… You ready, baby girl?" Russel asked contently. Noodle snapped her head to him and smiled as she walked out into the cool breeze of morning.

"Yes. I'm ready for El Manana."

Russel smiled back at her and Murdoc turned away arrogantly to stare into space while taking deep drags of his lucky lung cigarette. 2D came back to the balcony and continued staring at Noodle intently. She looked away from his gaze nervously and got a clearer view of the windmill while a cold silence started.

"… Jimmy's inside, yes?"

"Yeah, he's hiding in there," Russel answered for Murdoc even though Noodle's question was directed at the bassist. She glared at Murdoc for a few seconds while he ignored her before she sighed and began walking onto the small island.

"Ok. Later, then," she said quickly before she turned around to jump onto the island.

"Hey!" Russel yelled annoyingly and grabbed her arm pulling an anxious looking teen back towards him. "You seriously didn't think you'd escape without saying goodbye, did ya girl?"

Russel grinned and pulled Noodle into a massive bear hug nearly cutting off her circulation around her body. The Axe Princess whined a bit looking reluctant but soon realized she had to show respect for the band mates that literally raised her. Noodle wrapped her arms around his large belly, returning the hug to her loving non-related father she looked up to who had always been there to protect her from demons to nightmares. She didn't know what she was going to do without him plus she was actually starting to feel remorse against running out on her family. Russel held her tightly.

"You'll make this spectacular, won't you Noods?"

"Of course, Russel. I'll make an incredible video that will be top of the charts," she bragged slightly trying to get Murdoc's attention but he just kept his back turned from all of them with his smoke. The drummer patted her, a little bit too roughly, on the back.

"Have fun in the Maldives, baby girl and don't forget to contact us daily."

"No, I won't."

"And I know you can do this shoot."

"I can tolerate it."

"That's my little girl," Russel teased and let her out of his large arms to ruffle her hair playfully. Noodle grinned cherubically and the African/American stepped back away from the Windmill with a sentimental face. There was a chilling silence once again as she waited for her next embrace and farewell. She looked at 2D timidly who still held the same vacant stare.

"… We'll miss ya, ya know," he whispered dryly. Noodle nodded slowly at him.

"Yeah… I'll miss you too, Stuart."

The lanky singer walked over and hugged her as well but using less force than Russel. Noodle stroked his smooth sky blue spikes and inhaled his sweet butterscotch scent for the final time. She would defiantly miss him. Who would protect him from Murdoc's wrath when he accidentally lets slip an insulting comment that is better kept to the mind? She would miss being absent to demonstrate a very nice karate kick to the bassist's groin. Those were the good old day memories she is trading her life for. 2D broke off the hug and bent down to her level.

"Take care, Noodle. If anything goes wrong or something then we'll be there to help. You'll be alright. I know you will be," he comforted her.

"I know, 2D. I just hope you can survive without me."

2D cocked an eyebrow at her and Noodle did likewise not realizing and interpreting what she had said.

"… I'm sure I can last a few weeks… you're coming back, right?" he asked her curiously. Noodle mentally hesitated about her lies but knew there was no other way. She was so close to her exit.

"… Right. I'm coming back for sure…" 2D looked deep into her emerald green eyes searching for the truth. But the thick mist of betrayal and mistrust blocked him out completely. She smiled innocently and 2D sighed, getting up to his full towering height again.

"Just checking. Good luck. I'll see you when you get back then."

"Of course."

"And hey," Noodle widened her eyes listening intently, "don't forget to send us pictures."

"I'll take as many pictures as I can for you, 2D."

"No excuses if you don't, I got you that camera last Christmas!" 2D cried thinking of the tropical climate, humid weather and just simply amazing sights that he would miss out on. Russel shook his head disappointingly and Noodle laughed.

"I could never forget to capture such wondrous sights to share with my friends."

"Thanks, Noods. Goodbye."

"Bye," Noodle whispered breathlessly to her older brother. She glanced at Murdoc on his lonesome, back still turned in the corner as did Russel and 2D frowned at his rudeness. Noodle thought optimistically that he would too say a warm loving speech to wish her well but the high-pitched silence seemed louder than ever. Finally, Noodle just thought he was saving her the pain as she walked onto the floating island and fumbled around with the rope connected to the balcony.

"Goodbye Murdoc," she said with a slight sour tone in her Japanese accent voice. She saw Murdoc's form sigh deeply and lower his head a little in shame. Noodle untied the rope and pulled it onto the island as Russel and 2D walked forward to push her off into the sky.

"We'll be right behind you," 2D inquired.

"… NO! WAIT, NOODLE! WAIT!" Murdoc shrieked and ran towards the edge of the balcony past his shocked band mates in despair. He reached out an arm to Noodle and she came running back surprised and skidded down on her knees in the dirt. She frantically tied the rope back to the railing before the island started to drift away. Murdoc jumped onto the island next to her on the grass and they kept out of earshot.

"What is it?"

"Noodle…" Murdoc started, "I'm sorry… I just want you to know that I'm so, so sorry that I couldn't save you. I would've done, no matter how much-"

"You did what you could, Murdoc. But there was no way I could've escaped when death came knocking."

"Why'd he have to come knocking on your door?" he asked miserably. Noodle smiled lightly at him.

"There's no reasonable explanation for it. It's just… my time."

"Please Noodle, don't leave us like this, this is beyond torture."

"But I'm already on my way. We made a deal, you said as soon as the El Manana shoot was finished I could escape from reality and leave the band." Murdoc shook his head sadly and Noodle responded with a positive nod. "… I've only got just under 6 months. I think the least you can do for me is let me get my way."

"I don't want to let you go."

"But you must, Murdoc, it's for you and the band's own good. It will hurt way more if I stay and die right before your eyes."

The satanic bassist stared at her depressingly, grieving in his mind. It was unbelievable. It felt as though he had lost everything. When Noodle would go, a chunk of his soul would disappear also. No one could ever replace the Gorillaz guitarist. No one could ever be better diva on it nor could they handle the true pressure, patience and talent that went into the band. No one but Noodle and only Noodle. It would never be Gorillaz without her. But he had to let her go. As much as it tore him up menacingly inside, he knew she was right. He just didn't think he could handle sharing the news to his band mates the day she stopped replying to their emails. He looked into her sparkling eyes and couldn't resist her pleas any longer.

"… Alright, love… Only if it will make you happy."

"It defiantly will. Thank you so much, Murdoc," Tears started to fall from Noodle's eyes and she leaned forward to hug Murdoc. He let her embrace him and then only slightly comforted her back, still taking notice of prying band mates. He rubbed her back soothingly and felt the specially-designed parachute under her striped t-shirt made with no faults at all that would cause any risk to her safety. Soon he broke off the hug and smiled at her.

"You had better give me something of a masterpiece, Noodle, or I might just not let you go on your 'little' holiday to the Maldives," Murdoc patronized. Noodle looked taken aback.

"No! I'll do my best, I promise! But if something goes wrong I'm still leaving."

"Just don't screw it up. Or I will be very… very… pissed. Clear?"

"Oh, what's that line… as an unmuddied lake, sir. As clear as an azure sky of deepest summer," Noodle quoted gleefully from A Clockwork Orange. Murdoc frowned and got up onto his Cuban heeled boots.

"I know you'll do great work, love, it's the way you function. After all, you are in my band," he cocked and Noodle sniggered.

"Yes, the only difference is I have high expectations."

Murdoc growled and narrowed his eyes at her coldly. Noodle jumped to her feet not intimidated by him at all and looked at 2D and Russel talking quietly amongst themselves. Her cheeky smile faded back into a dark depression. Murdoc felt sympathetic for her.

"… You'd better get out there. You're keeping everyone waiting and Hewlett would wet himself," he mumbled. Noodle nodded and looked to him appreciating his help.

"Thanks, Murdoc… for everything. I've had an awesome time and I've learned so much. I hope you find a better guitarist than I ever was."

"None better than you, love."

"You never know."

Murdoc sighed and jumped off the island breaking 2D and Russel's small conversation. He waved a hand to her as she untied the rope once again and pushed herself away from the balcony. She smiled and saluted to her family as the windmill slowly drifted away into the clouds. Her hair gently blew in her pale Asian face as tears fell into the fresh cool air. Her green eyes shinning in the sunshine as she viewed her band for the last time. She studied Kong Studios well, her home. Even the windmill. Everything around her she was going to lose. It was unbearable. All she could do now was just enjoy it now before it would be gone forever and lost in time and space much distant and different to her own. Life was so cruel to such an innocent young girl with a cheerful lifestyle and big ambitions for her future… she had a mission… and that was only to find out why. And till then… she'd hold on for El Manana.

-------

Aw, well ain't that cute? It's a shame really… I totally ignored the picture of Noodle loading the boxes onto the island with a pulley. Even though that picture is my desktop background… opps. You can tell it's probably going to be crap. I started writing this when The Omen started and now Alias is nearly finished. Hmm. And I wonder why I can never think straight and have a clear idea of what I want to write. If you're wondering why I'm all like trying to be intelligent and actually have a clue what I'm doing, then it's because I'm sober. That seems the only logical explanation at this point in time even though I've only had a sip of wine and accidentally drank my mum's gin thinking it was slightly off tasting sprite. Ah well, 00:44, time for me to hit the sack. 'Night people.

-------