Madferit: The Novel

Chapter 146

 

We had about a week off before the band left for the North American leg of the tour and Noel was relishing every minute of it. Not that I wasn't too. I was glad to be home although I was excited to finally get another chance to be back in Ohio with my family.

Like usual, Noel spent the majority of his time off in his music room piddling around with songs old and new. Sometimes I'd take food to him because I knew even that wouldn't be enough to coax him out.

Then one day, the house fell silent. No guitars, no drums, no lyrics filled the air with their harmonic sounds. Had it not been daylight, I might've been frightened for the eerie sounds the silence might bring.

'Wonder what he's up to?' I thought when I couldn't hear even the slightest peep. Not even him scratching or grunting around in the middle of his thought process.

Something had to be up.

I went straight to his music room and found it empty save for the equipment and furniture. His guitars were all set up on their respective stands. He had a few papers spread out on the coffee table along with a couple of pens. The scribbles on them looked like the beginnings of new songs and I figured he probably had the rest of them in his lyric notebook that he never left lying about.

I continued my search throughout the rest of the house. There were tons of places he could hide but he only had a select few he used.

When my search came up empty inside, the only place left to go was out. The football pitch was a ghostland and the chickens were the only ones to greet me when I entered the coop.

I saved the barn for last but it was empty too as everyone had gone outside to the pasture.

"How're you lot feelin', eh?" Noel asked Prince and Cinder while petting each of them with one of his hands. "Better than before? Youse've bounced back quicker than I reckon I would've done if I...eugh!" He shuddered. "She's onto me next! I know she is! I'm the only one left now who hasn't...I'm on you lot's side, y'know. I always have been. Ain't that right, Rupe?" He looked over at Rupert who was too busy grazing to pay him much attention. "See? Our Rupe knows." He turned back to the lambs. "Just like he knows we all gotta band together...eugh!" He shuddered again squeezing his legs together. "No pun intended!"

I snorted to myself as I walked over where they were.

"Oh! Look who it is!" Noel jibed when he finally noticed me. "Whose bollocks have yer come to chop off today, eh?"

"Yours if you don't behave yourself!" I shot back as I sat down on the grass.

He gasped crawling away. "You fuckin' stay the fuckin' fuck away from me!" He dug the toes of his shoes into the ground as he took off.

I giggled while I watched him hide behind Rupert.

All three lambs came right up to me demanding to be petted.

"Oi!" Noel shrieked at them. "Ya shouldn't be doin' with her! She's the bleedin' enemy!"

"Don't listen to him!" I told them while continuing to stroke them from head to tail.

Noel looked at Rupert. "Do summat, Rupe! Help us save 'em before it's too late!"

I snickered.

"Oi!" Noel furrowed his eyebrows at me. "The fuck're you laughin' at, eh? You're at the arse-end of this fuckin' joke!"

"Okay!" I agreed focusing back on the lambs.