Courage was a very unique dog. He was shaped like a brown pea except coated in pink fur with the distinct shape of a paw print on the back, black long thin ears, black nose, and thin legs. The dog was a mix breed between a chihuahua and a unknown breed of dog with a unknown mutation. Chihuahua half explained away his tendency to be terrified at the mundane things. Muriel was certain that he wasn't a monster at all since they had seen this breed out and about when they did their monster hunting in their youth. Courage was capable of shapeshifting, making random things materialize, instantly regenerate himself (a quality about the dog that Eustace envied, now a double amputee elderly man relying on his prosthetics), and being a stupid dog. A very stupid dog that drew danger to their nice retirement farm house. The dog didn't need to be able to talk as his tendency to shapeshifting into what he saw and barking alarmingly easily conveyed what he wanted to say.
Somedays were better than others when it came to the dog. Eustace had the foldable green mask tucked into his back pocket. His brown hat covering the bald spot on his head. His feet on the foot rest following a familiar rhythm that was easily followed and enjoyable. The simple life of living as farmers was calmer and more content then living in the now. At least for the Bagges it seemed that way. The only remainders of technology they had were pipes, a television set, a old fashioned phone that had party lines, a heater, laundry, only the bare necessities, and a computer that had to be replaced every few years. Eustace was happily humming to himself when he heard the dog run into the barn. Eustace sighed, then looked over his shoulder to see the dog was shapeshifting into a strange creature with three horns, green skin, light green mane, and walked on two feet in a strange outfit with six legs.
"That can't be right," Eustace said.
He cleaned his glasses then put it on his face to get a better look.
"Come here," Eustace gestured the dog closer.
Courage approached the elderly man wobbling from side to side with a tremble.
"A WHAT?"
Courage howled, returning to his original form and placed his paws on the side of his face tilting his head up.
"You can't be serious!"
Courage lower his head placing his paws on the ground giving a glare.
"I'll see for myself,"
Eustace got up form the stool then stormed out. There was nothing there. The creature that Courage had emulated was a two legged humanoid with horns decorating the chest, covered in black intricate tattoos on the shoulders, and had one eye, and had a lengthy antlers peeking from the bald head. A classic but dangerous monster that drew terror into ones home. How and why the monsters had found the Bagges were beyond anyone. Why bother them? Why try to kill or kidnap their dog on a daily basis? Eustace only recalled seeing Courage's breed in public on leashes with people holding on to them. He squinted his eyes at the dog turning away from the entrance then placed his hands on to his hips.
"There was nothing there," he walked back toward the cow. "Just the mailbox!"
Eustace shook his head.
"Stupid dog," Eustace grumbled to himself.
When his wife had came over one day to the truck, years younger, holding to the little pup with a diaper on, Eustace had taken a double take. A dog with a diaper on? That was quite odd. But the stench coming from the diaper was disgusting. They took him to their house, cleaned him up, and proceeded to train him to poop. Eustace wanted to throttle the previous owner for the neglect and audacity to abandon the pup. And still did. Despite how paranoid the dog was - despite waking them up in the middle of the night from a nightmare or from hearing the thunder - Muriel still loved the dog and Eustace cared about him to a certain degree. The dog was stupid on one account: walking right where Eustace and Muriel didn't want him to be. Danger. Or walking in the middle of them in the process of killing a monster. Courage was more like a alien than a dog. But he was a dog - a bit very strange one- to the Bagges.
Muriel was humming to herself when Eustace and Courage came into the kitchen.
"Good morning, Muriel!" Eustace said. "I got the milk ready."
"Good morning, Eustace," Muriel said. "Anything new show up?"
"Stupid dog mistook the mail box for a monster," Eustace then added. "Again." A hearty chuckle came from Muriel.
Eustace had the bucket of milk in one hand and the dog placed against his side in another.
Courage was flailing his arms terrified barking alarmingly toward Muriel. Muriel looked like a glass vase with a puff of smoke from the distance that seemed to glow from Eustace's perspective. When he got closer to her, he could see the woman's rounded face, her rosy cheeks, her brown eyes, and the white curls set on her head that once had been red. He set the dog down and took the bottle handed to him by the woman. He dipped the milk carefully into the large carton on the table. Muriel was cooking breakfast. Eustace moved the carton into the fridge then moved toward her with a smile much to Courage's terror, Eustace wrapped his hands around her waist and lowered himself to a level that his head rested on her shoulder.
"Ah, Eustace, I am cooking,"
"I like my teddy bear," Eustace said, then planted a kiss onto her cheek earning a giggle from the woman.
Muriel turned around toward the man-
"Muriel!" Eustace shouted, in alarm. "What is that in your hair?"
Muriel patted on her hair.
"Oh this?" Muriel asked, patting on the green moving figures. "They're just hair movers."
"Hair movers?" Eustace asked.
"They make more hair," Muriel replied. "and my headache from this morning is gone."
"Honey, your hair is perfect just the way it is," Eustace clasped her small hands.
"Ah Eustace," she patted on his cheek. "I am doing them a favor."
"A. . . favor," Eustace said.
"Yes," Muriel said. "A favor."
"What kind of favor?" Eustace asked.
"Just to drink," Muriel repeated, cheerfully, turning toward the pan.
"Drink what?" Eustace asked, concerned coming to her side.
"'Refreshments," Muriel said.
"In exchange that they don't try to kill us?" Eustace asked.
"They are staying for a few days," Muriel said.
"A few days and you might be dead," Eustace said. "We're getting those worms out of your hair right this instant," he pointed toward the moving clumps. "I love you the most when you're alive."
"Don't be insulting," Muriel said. "They are not going to kill me."
"And so did that prosthetic foot fungus monster," Eustace said. "Wasn't going to kill either but it absorbed me."
"Eustace, Eustace," Muriel said, patting on the side of his cheek. "I am fine. No harm. No foul. Now sit down." she guided him over to the chair in a way like he was the lightest thing in her hands. "breakfast is almost ready."
Muriel reassuringly squeezed his shoulder that comforted her husband taking off the concern and worry about her. She walked off like a sugar plumb to the stove. The table was trembling underneath Eustace's hands. He looked down toward the dog then gave him a glare. The dog was already giving him anxiety with a whimper chewing on its claws so Eustace smacked the dog on the side of the face drawing him off the fingernails.
"Stupid dog," Eustace said.
Dogs were not supposed to be chewing on their claws! It was too human. And the last time he chewed up his claws, it was a experience best not repeating as the dog howled from biting his paw by accident when going to chew his fingernails from being so nervous. The noise that Courage made was a sound that he didn't want to hear, again, much to his own dislike it was necessary to slap him when he did it. It was a way of training him that biting his fingernails was bad.
It had been successful but as it now dawned on Eustace, the dog was clearly pretending. He had learned a new trick and hadn't stopped biting his claws after all. Stupid dog. Muriel returned with their plates then filled Courage's food bowl with chicken dumplings that was set on top of a map. Muriel sat down across from Eustace and began to eat. Before Eustace could get a bite out of the bacon, Courage loudly howled in a way that made the house tremble out of fear. Eustace placed a hand on his face then heaved a sigh putting on the mask and turned toward Courage.
"BOOGA OOGA OOGA!"
Courage screamed and bolted out of the kitchen taking his food bowl with him into the living room.
Muriel hit Eustace with a rolling pen.
"What did I do?" Eustace asked, rubbing his head to the glare of Muriel.
Muriel placed the rolling pen back into her apron.
"If you don't want him to be trembling out of fear then maybe you should have asked him to relax," Muriel said.
"Muriel," Eustace started. "The last time I asked him to do that, he only made us tremble."
"Because he was under the table," Muriel said. "I am concerned about him as you are."
They looked toward the door then back toward each other.
"He doesn't accept that this-" he pointed toward the green things moving in her hair. "Could not be a threat to you."
"They are a threat to something," Muriel said. "Or else they wouldn't have come to our farm."
"How did you find them, anyway?" Eustace asked, picking up his bacon.
"In the shower," Muriel said.
Seeing the moving things in her hair made Eustace feel queasy.
"Hmm," Eustace said, then took a bite out of his bacon.
Muriel was dusting the inside of the house happily singing to herself. Eustace was out taking care of the barn before checking the corn to make sure if it were ready to be harvested or not. The truck rested outback ready to be driven into town with one of the Bagges. Courage was pawing at the door to the computer room when Eustace came up the stairs. They didn't have a dog that could boss around the other animals but they had a animal that could scream loud enough to make them move as ordered by Eustace. How Courage saw the animals was a amusing thought that Eustace toyed with on some occasions. Sending the two foxes running out of the chicken coop, making sure that geese didn't try to come into their house, making sure bunnies didn't get inside the house, and a host of other activities. Eustace stopped then opened the door.
Courage bolted toward the gray computer that had recently been dusted off. Eustace followed the dog then sat down into the chair. He looked both ways, closed the curtain, then turned on the computer.
"Welcome, twit," came the computer's voice once Eustace logged in.
"Hmm hmm," Eustace pressed on the monster hunter search engine and began his search.
Courage danced biting on his fingernails that drew a head turn from Eustace. He grabbed the rubber bat then smacked Courage on the head.
"Stupid dog," Eustace said, shaking the bat toward Courage.
Telling him that he was being a bad boy was quite useless. Every time he said in hopes of encouraging the dog to stop it, it only made him do the negative actions more frequently. Nothing was working with the dog about chewing his fingernails. Something had to give. It broke his heart into pieces at the thought of hearing that noise from Courage. Eustace laid down the rubber bat placing his mind on to the most pressing issue. He typed on the search engine. There were no results that popped up much to his shock. He turned around then scratched the side of his face contemplating the implication. Most times the computer had information regarding the monster that popped up on their land. This was a entirely new creature. He grabbed his camera then bolted out of the room leaving the dancing dog beside the chair.
Eustace slowly made his way down the stairs then came to a stop seeing the once thin things in her hair had grown thicker and larger. His jaw dropped grasping onto the rail dropping the camera to the floor. Courage stopped by the farmer then looked over. His eyes shot out of the sockets then out of the eyes came the pupils that screamed and from his tongue came out a cowboy on a horse shooting bullets into the air that turned around then went back inside.
"Uh, Muriel," Eustace said.
Courage was growling with raised hair at the creatures.
"Yes, Eustace?" Muriel said.
Muriel turned toward him and she was covered in strange spots.
"Are you alright?" Eustace asked, concerned clenching onto his hat.
A kind, aged smile grew on her face.
"I feel quite alright," Muriel said. "And very light."
Eustace picked up the camera as he trembled.
"Yes, you do," Eustace replied. "I have to take some photographs."
"I love to!" Muriel said, placing the feather duster on the counter beside her.
Muriel gave a sweet smile.
It was then that he saw. He saw. He saw.
Her gums had turned green. Her teeth ready to fall out.
Eustace gave a short shriek making the camera leap then steadied himself. He waved her concern off with a reassuring smile of his own then approached her closely taking photos up close giving a complete view of the things attached to her skull sticking out. They each had two pairs of eyes sticking out on thread like structures. He stepped back feeling sick. He gave a wave then ran fast he could up the stairs taking Courage with him grabbing him by the neck. Eustace closed the door behind him, dropped the dog, then scanned the photographs that had fallen out of the camera. It was a old fashioned kind of device still used by monster hunters. The images were scanned into the computer one by one under unique files. Felt like his heart was ready to fall out as he started a new file.
Type: Hair worms
Color: Green. Bright green.
Finder: Muriel Bagge
Age: 80
Found: June 7th, 2018
Documenter: Eustace Bagge.
Discovered in: Shower.
Likely way of entering the apartment: It crawled through a hole.
Question: Has anyone faced this and hadn't the time to document it?
Additional notes: Require advice to preserve, let it be, or kill it.
His long bony finger clicked on the mouse as Courage howled in Eustace's lap staring at the bright screen. Eustace laid the dog down to the floor then attached the images to the image. With that done, he deleted the images from his computer and made sure the pictures stayed on the screen. He wasn't going to lose Muriel to a bunch of worms. Maybe it would go away in a few hours and she would return to normal. Her gums a familiar color. Her teeth set in the right place steady and sturdy. It was only when Muriel screamed did he realize the dog wasn't beside him and the door was wide open.
Courage pounced from the book shelf landing on to her hair growling and clawing at her hair. Muriel screamed in a high pitch tone stumbling back from the bookshelf as the dog grasped onto her head and yanked the creatures back. Eustace bolted down the stairs and came to a stop once he saw the horror unfolding before his eyes. Muriel was reaching her hands out for the dog trying to remove his paws from her head.
"Courage!" Eustace shouted, coming toward the commotion."Get off me wife!"
Courage had a strong hold on to a clump then pulled and Eustace pulled on the dog. Muriel grasped hold on to the counter with a shriek carried out through the window into the cornfield and scared off several crows. Finally, Eustace tugged the dog off the woman which made him land to the floor with the dog in his grasp. Courage leaped out of his grasp then bolted out of the kitchen. Eustace got up to his feet moving toward the elderly woman placing a hand on her bleeding head. The clumps that were moving in her hair were gone leaving behind wounds in her scalp.
"My head," Muriel said, softly.
This time, Courage was a very smart dog.
"Are you alright, Muriel?" Eustace asked.
"Those poor, starving things," Muriel said.
Eustace and Muriel observed Courage running out the door then down the road.
"He knows how to get back home," Eustace said, reassuringly.
Eustace scoured the house for any of the creatures from head to toe, used the monster scanner in the barn, then in the chicken coop, and everywhere else that their property covered with Courage left with Muriel's lap. Eustace came through the door, dropping the monster scanning equipment to the floor, grumbling moving his way toward his beloved chair. He sat down then picked up the newspaper set on the arm rest with a fine long section of bite mark and fashionably had dried. He unfolded the newspaper then held it up to see it was blurry. He placed the newspaper on to his lap then cleaned his glasses and returned to reading while his wife was rocking back and fort in her light brown rocking chair gently petting the dog.
Once Eustace used to have legs until some monster goose showed up while they were repairing the chicken coop. At least, he thought it was a goose. A goose that sent a mean glare and turned his legs into ash by biting on his ankle. It wasn't until he turned into a goose himself after Muriel retrieved eggs from the creature did two and two get put together. Eustace can still remember Muriel storm out taking his mallet after the monster goose that was terrorizing her poor dog. She beat up the creature with her rolling pen, frying pan, and her fists once it had thrown away the mallet while goose Eustace was tied to his chair struggling to move. Unfortunately, the new organic legs couldn't be kept in return for his human form. One would think that he got regenerated legs. His prosthetic legs were one of a kind off the market for monster hunters. So human, so organic, felt so real, and hooked up into his nerves with technology that threatened to make him boggle. He was content with his prosthetic legs.
"Did you find any of our visitors, Eustace?" Muriel asked.
"Nope," Eustace said, "Don't know where they came from or where they went."
"Hm, how disappointing," Muriel said.
"But," Eustace said. "I haven't checked the computer."
"You shared the story about the creatures?" Muriel asked.
"It was worth a shot," Eustace said, with a shrug.
Muriel stood up then placed Courage on to the couch.
"Let's go check the response," Muriel said, happily.
Muriel went up the stairs humming to herself and Eustace followed not too far behind. The stair steps creaked underneath their feet. They came into the computer room then Muriel logged into their shared account greeted by "Twit". The page came up with clicks here and there until the page came up with hundreds of responses regarding their story. The familiar bright purple and black page decorated in monsters being chased by humans greeted the two. The gif of a brown woman and her poodle chasing after a monster that resembled a rat flew by on the upper half of the screen. Story by story passed with specific dates added. Eustace placed a hand on the back rest leaning forward squinting his eye at the text as Muriel scrolled down.
Some of the stories were horrible. Most of them had layers of disgust. The creepy level to the stories were very high. The fact was agreed upon that these were the signals of more dangerous arrivals by more descriptive posts. Rare ones to come by in the monster hunting business. It was also agreed upon that the creatures be killed in the worst ways possible. The first post read, without much detail, KILL IT! KILL IT! KILL IT WITH FIRE! It was bold and in large print. Muriel placed a hand on to her mouth with a small "oh". Eustace let go of a gust of air feeling himself become a decompressed balloon. Muriel was silent staring at the screen which described in great detail how the threat could be handled. They faced each other feeling very unsettled.
"We gotta find those worms before it's too late," Eustace said.
Courage screamed from down stairs.
The thought echoed in their minds: it could very well be too late.
Muriel took out her rolling pen and fled out the door with Eustace not far behind her grabbing on to bat that was tucked away safely around the house. The computer was slammed shut before they left the room with a hard smack from Muriel. They came to the living room to find the door was left ajar, no one was in the living room, and it felt like a ghost town. Eustace quickly kept himself together rather than visibly trembling before his wife. Someone had to be brave when nothing was certain in the living room. There was not a sound. They came down the stairs side by side looking around the room. Muriel walked off toward the living room in a concerned manner.
"Courage?" Muriel called, looking from left to right. "Courage!"
"Probably got scared of the lightning," Eustace suggested.
"It is not storming out," Muriel said.
Muriel lowered her rolling pen so did Eustace who looked out the door.
"He planted the worms in a hole and covered it up," Eustace said. "Didn't he?"
"We don't know if he did for certain," Muriel said.
"He is a stupid dog," Eustace said. "They dig, chase, and get scared."
"He might have thrown it into a ditch," Muriel offered.
"I like to believe that," Eustace said, then pointed toward the wet paw prints on the rug. "But this is a dog."
They looked around the house searching for the dog to find that he wasn't there. Eustace felt a shiver coming up his spine as he looked toward the barn that was slowly being unoccupied by the farm animals that were fleeing from it. Courage's scream came from the barn now renewed. Muriel and Eustace shared a glance with each other then nodded in resolve. They took their hunting gear out then made their way toward the barn. They wore protective armor coating their limbs, chests, and torsos. They took slow and deliberate steps toward the barn stepping out of the way of the remaining animals. They were all in a rush compared to the elder couple who were slowly moving. Their usual theme of orange and yellow clashing together no matter stood out, it was being in pitch black voids where their faces stood out holding on to their chosen weapons.
It was Muriel who slid open the rolling pen first so that it became a long weight bar and Eustace held his mallet laid against his chest like it were weightless. The bat had been returned back inside the house. Muriel slid open the door to reveal the interior of the barn was glowing black with a green light coming from below Courage. Courage was tied with chains that were all connected to several circular hoops. Eustace's mouth fell at the large cauldron that had several floating objects among the green liquid. Why did everyone want to eat their dog? What kind of recipe was out there available in the world of monsters? There was three large dark green worms with red eyes that peeked out of the dark. They were coated in red curly locks of hair. Hair movers, the words echoed in Eustace's mind, hair movers.
"Uh huh," Eustace said. "You're just going to be a bit tougher to beat."
Muriel slipped off one of the ends to the transformed pen turning it into a sword.
"Come on, Eustace!" Muriel said.
Eustace looked like a walking horse compared to his wife who seemed to be dressed in what could be defined as armor. Eustace leaped landing on to the top of several hay then swung the mallet like it were a baseball bat. The giant green slug flung its tail toward Eustace so he leaped up then slammed the mallet on to the tail with a hard smack. Courage was whimpering as the chains were lowering him down toward the boiling water. He howled wiggling from side to side feeling sweat traveling down his skin beneath his fur. Muriel was smacked by the creature landing inside the horses quarters. She got herself up and watched as the door ahead of her was smacked into pieces by a tail.
"Oh, thank you," Muriel said. "Don't mind if I do!"
Muriel traveled up the moving tail and carefully set herself on a half of the slug. With one stroke into the skin of the beast, she made a long deep cut inside earning a screech. She performed another cut that was even deeper. The tail struggled to move as the slug lifted itself half way up to face the elderly woman. Light glinted off her glasses. She diligently chopped the slug into pieces then jumped onto the next while her partner was smashing the head of the creature. The slug shook her off causing her to land on the floor. The armor softened the landing allowing Muriel to get back on her feet.
Eustace heard Courage's scream of pain. He looked over to see the dog's legs being sunk into the cauldron trashing himself in a desperate struggle to escape. It was then that Eustace was frozen. Merely recoiled in horror, startled, caught off guard to see the dog being handled this way. It wasn't normal to find him screaming out of pain in all the monsters that crossed on their property. Screaming out of fear, yes, it was natural. But this wasn't something natural for him. Pieces of his heart were smashes into pieces threatening to never come back together again as the dog's reflection glinted off the goggles that was replaced by the oncoming, large rounded figure coming his way.
Eustace was smacked off the middle by the head of the slug making him land outside the barn through a window.
"Don't worry, Courage, mommy is coming!"
She climbed up the ladder in a world of silence.
She jumped off the upper level of the barn's interior grasping onto the dog yanking the chain from where it was held. The chain gave way from the sudden, unexpected weight allowing the two to crash into a pig pit. The sole remaining slug turned toward the two then opened its mouth with rows of teeth. Courage barked in her arms with raised hair and a fierce but very loud growl that made up for his size.
"Get away from me family, you stupid worm!" Eustace's mallet struck the side of the slug's face.
The slug landed to its side.
"Eustace!" Muriel cried.
The slug slammed Eustace against a row of farming tools then sent him falling in a strange position
"Muriel!" Eustace called back, as the slug towered over him then grabbed him by its still attached tail. The tail squeezed against his figure pressing the armor against his rib cage. "Help!"
"Courage," Muriel said. "I like that bat with thorns. Could you do that?"
Courage nodded then closed his eyes.
Courage's body inflated and small spikes slid out of his skin until they were long and pointy. Muriel's grip was on the handle. She charged toward the creature with a scream as Courage's eyes could be seen opening a smidge to see where they were heading but closed quickly. Muriel slid out a orange vial from the suit, closed the vial, then slid the helmet over her face with a smile. She grew big and tall enough that she easily stood toe to toe with the creature. With a smile, Muriel held the magic bat up then struck the serpent repeatedly only pausing in between to see how dead it was. After the 30th strike, the slug let go of Eustace dropping him to the ground groaning in pain while huddled. She slammed viciously into the creature until there was only a pool of green that filled the barn from head to toe. She placed Courage to the floor.
"Thank you, Courage," Muriel said, softly patting on the head of the bat. "You were a very good boy. Like your favorite PBJ?"
Courage turned into his dog form then gave a nod.
"Owww," Eustace whined.
Muriel tapped on her chin.
"On second thought, we ought to get the clean up crew on this," Muriel said. "I'll start the cleaning."
Muriel picked up the pot then knelt down crawling out of the barn.
She dropped the contents of the pot into the grass watching it change from bright green to light brown within moments. She kept the large pot in place. Where did that slug get the cauldron? She rubbed her head then turned around heading toward the barn visibly shrinking. Muriel came to the entrance of the barn now back to a short, sweet and kind elderly woman heading toward the large hay stack. She took out the black phone then dialed a number on the buttons and placed it against her exposed ear. She slid the helmet up waiting for a response.
There was grumbling coming from the large stack of hay from beside Muriel who slid aside the large quantity to find her partner's grumbling head beside a sleeping sheep. Correction, he was sleeping between two sheep. She looked over to find Courage was acting like nothing was wrong looking around the room.
"This is Muriel Bagge," Muriel said. "We have just slain a monster slug in our barn. Yes, we like it all jiffy again," Muriel grabbed Eustace's hand then yanked him out of the hay stack right beside. "Windows included. Thank you, bye."
She put the phone on to the receiver turning toward her partner glaring toward the dog.
"I said help me out not help me in," Eustace said.
"He is a dog, Eustace," Muriel said, wiping off a smudge of dirt from his googles.
"Our stupid dog," Eustace corrected, rubbing the Courage's head in a fond way.
The small family walked out of the barn to be greeted by a strange giant monster with one eye. The being was coated in fur, covered in wounds that had long healed, and seemed to be in torn pants that now ended at the knee. Between the giant's toes were remains of skeletons from past battles with smaller creatures that had become embedded into the giant' scream. There were ravens flying around the giant making their typical sound. The Bagges looked on unphased toward the creature viewing him as a tower made of skeletons rather than a living being.
"Uh, hello," the creature boomed. "I am looking for my hair. Have you seen it?"
"WHAT'S YOUR OFFER?" Eustace asked, using Courage as a shapeshifted megaphone.
"A golden goose," came the giant voice.
Giant, it clicked in their heads.
"We got forty minutes to spare," Muriel said, returning with her sword and Eustace took out his mallet.
"I like the sound of that," Eustace said, then lowered Courage down. "Stay."
Courage whined as the giant knelt down to their level as Muriel surveyed the area behind him then gave the thumps up.
"We'll take care of you very quickly," Muriel said, gesturing the jumping dog away.
"Oh, nice dog," the giant said. "I never had one."
"He is not for sale," Muriel said. "You can find your own dog."
Eustace slammed his mallet into the giant's hand as it reached out toward courage.
"Get your freaky hands away from me stupid dog!" Eustace said.
The giant reached back toward the two then they charged side by side toward the giant with the trembling dog behind them.
The End.