Murdoc struggled to his feet and I helped him get into the sub as we began to make our way again. The others had passed us up and so we were the stragglers, 2D was frantically driving, trying to catch up where there would be safety in numbers.
Murdoc was sitting in the corner, thinking hard and I walked over to him and bent down. "What're you thinking about Murdoc-chan?" she asked. He looked at me and I felt 2D's eyes on me, noticing that I had changed the way I addressed him.
Murdoc shook his head. "Nothin' luv, I'm not quite sure meself. Somethin' I saw on the Boogieman's ship…" I cocked my head at him.
"Wot'd yew see Muds?" 2D asked.
"M-me dad's old knife." He said, looking at the singer, eyes narrowed in concentration. "The Boogieman's got it, and I don' know why…"
"Well, let's not worry about it now, because we have some running away to do but when this is all over we can ponder this. It might be a clue as to what the Boogieman is and whether or not we can defeat him." I said, determined. 2D nodded with a slight smile on his face from the inspiring line of dialogue.
"We'll jus' keep on goin' because if we slow down they'll be able to catch up." The lanky singer piped up. I nodded, taking a seat next to Murdoc.
He was gripping his shoulder and panting slightly and I looked at him, alarmed slightly. "Are you okay?" I asked him. He looked up at nothing in particular, eyes glazed over and unfocused.
"My shoulder hurts like a son of a bitch." He grunted. I stood and went into the back room, frantically searching for something to relieve the pain. A couple of pill bottles were at the back of the cabinet and I grabbed them all and went back to him.
"Which ones?" I asked, he pointed to the one with the green capped pills. I looked at it and made out the words Embeda Oral on it.
"That one, give it to me." He said, gritting his teeth in pain, I wondered if this was the best choice but scooted this aside to pop two of them into his hand where he greedily swallowed them dry. With his demands met I examined the bottle more carefully.
"Murdoc this is a powerful pain reliever," I remarked, raising an eyebrow. "And it can kill you if you're not careful." He waved my concerns off.
"I need it luv, I just got shot in my bloody shoulder." He said patiently. I guess that was true and 2D looked over at the commotion being caused in the corner and his eyes widened at the mess of medication on the floor.
"Where'd yew get those?" the tall, pail man asked. "Those're my migraine pills." He said uneasily.
"Murdoc was having shoulder issues." I responded. He nodded slightly.
"Don' give 'im another one for six more hours. I don' wan' 'im gettin' addicted to me meds." Was all he had to offer before turning back to the wheel and ignoring Murdoc entirely.
"I'm not goin' to get addicted to yer stupid pain meds." Murdoc growled. 2D didn't look so sure as I got up and put them away in the cabinet again.
I was afraid of the Boogieman catching up to us and afraid for Murdoc. I sat next to him and the medicine was making him drowsy, his eyelids fluttered for a while before eventually closing and his body slumping against the hull of the submarine. I examined his face, seeing his face relaxed.
He had lost his innocence so long ago but a spark still clung in his sleeping form. The wrinkles stood out of his face too, the lines of age that Father Time had left on his features. Murdoc had gotten old. I traced a crease near his eye and sighed.
"So why didn' yew let me kiss you Noods?" 2D asked. "Do yew an' Murdoc 'ave a fing together now?" he asked bitterly. I shrugged.
"I do not know 2D-san." I murmured.
"'E's old luv." The singer said, adjusting his hat on his head. "'E's really old. Wot do yew see in 'im? 'E's nofing but an angry drunkard."
"That's not true!" I said, defensive. "Murdoc is very kind! A little rough around the edges but otherwise a great guy!"
"Great guys don' do wot Muds does, I'm concerned for yew, nex' fing yew know, he'll be hittin' yew wif a car. Murdoc is only gonna 'urt yew. Know that Noods. I won' ever 'urt yew, and I 'ave respect for people." He said quietly, looking at me with his big black eyes, a constant reminder of what Murdoc did to him.
I couldn't defend a man who had broken another person so bad. I fell silent and bowed my head in feeling shame in Murdoc's place.
"I'm sorry 2D-san."
"No need to apologize luv," he said. "I'm no' mad, I just fought yew should face the facts before yew wen' an' got yerself committed." I nodded, leaned into Murdoc and closing my eyes.
Murdoc is a monster, I said to myself. Will he just abuse me?