I woke up with a headache and blurry vision. I groaned as I rotated my shoulder, wincing.
Noodle wasn't back yet, the Winniebago was absent of her presence. I stood up and put a shirt on, crouching to get a beer from the cooler, and opening it with my teeth. "I'm too old for this shit." I murmured to the bottle, frowning at it.
"You're too right Muds." Came a voice behind me. I whipped around to see me, an exact copy.
"You!" I spat, backing against the wall. The Boogieman smiled at me, revealing several rows of pointed teeth.
"Miss me?" he said, and before I knew it, I was lying on the floor, my face pressed against the linoleum, beer oozing out of its broken container onto my face. I sputtered to keep from breathing it in. "Satan needs you down below Mudsey." He said, crushing the glass of the beer bottle underneath his Cuban heeled boot.
"Leave me alone!" I snarled. The Boogieman picked me up and changed into the shape of 2D.
"Sorry mate, no-can-do. I'm stronger than ever with my body feeding off of Stuart's form. Pretty soon I'll have enough strength to retain my permanent structure and not have to bloody shape shift all of the time." It said, coughing slightly and changing into the body of Noodle. I recoiled away from the Boogieman, seeing Noodle's face twisted into such an evil look was too much.
I kept fighting, nailing the Boogieman in the face. It staggered a few feet and looked at me, Noodle's face stretched into a look of horror. "Murdoc!" she cried. "Why are you hurting me? I thought you loved me? P-please!" she covered her head with her hands and I couldn't help but come near her.
I lay a hand on her shoulder and quick as a flash the Boogieman changed into Russel and put his hand around my neck. "Gotcha." It whispered triumphantly. My eyes widened and I twisted my body desperately. "Y'know how convenient it is that you have a gateway to hell in your basement? A bit of ill-planned strategy on your part but what can I say?" he murmured, Russel's milky white eyes narrowed in a malicious manner.
He picked me up by my hair and began walking out of the Winniebago, towards the lift. I closed my eyes, I was far too weak to fight back, and I could feel several cuts from the stray glass that was embedded in my side from the broken beer glass. My shoulder was bleeding again, blood was dribbling down my back.
The Boogieman might've been weak but he was definitely stronger than me in Russel's form. I tried digging my unkempt fingernails into his arm but I knew it was over when I saw the gateway with the bloody words Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head over it.
"Better hope your friends decide to come get you because Satan's got a score to settle with you." The Boogieman whispered over the roar of the demons and the cries of the damned as we plunged into a place I vowed never to go again.
The heat singed my hair and I yelped in pain as I landed roughly. The Boogieman's form shimmered and he turned to me a cloaked figure, wheezing slightly through his gas-mask. I scampered up and tried to run when big black cords circled around me like smoke, solidifying into ropes and causing me to fall. The Boogieman appeared to be unable to talk; his breathing was heavier as he hauled me up to my feet.
"No escaping." He choked out, readjusting the mask that covered his face. I spat at him as he kicked me hard in the ribs.
The air was muggy and fires were burning in the distance, the fields of punishment were easily identified by the terrorized shrieks. A sprawling mansion in front of us rose from the cracked earth, Satan's dwelling. I swallowed a lump in my throat. I was going to die, I would be killed to compensate for my breaking of the contract. I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to cry and surprisingly calm in the face of my demise. I didn't hesitate when he pulled me in the direction.
Bellzeebub was going to receive his revenge at last, I reopened one eye to see the house one more time and sighed, at least Murdoc Niccals would go out with a bang.