-1Ch. 3 Behind the mask
It's been four days since Muriel's death, ever since the funeral Courage hasn't been himself, almost like a piece of him died along with her…he misses her.
It was late in the afternoon, courage stood alone in a desolate part of the town, a gated area with the words "Nowhere Cemetery" at the top of the gates, Courage stood at the headstone which read "Muriel N. Bagge, R.I.P, 1946-1998"
He continued to stare at the headstone with forming tears in his eyes.
"Why did it have to be this way…first my parents and now her, I failed them both…I…I lost everything."
His tears ran down cheeks, he got on his knees and closed his eyes, but then a voice broke his concentration.
"Hello there Courage."
Courage looked up to see the man in the brown trench coat, then out of nowhere he became angry, he clenched his paws and gritted his teeth and growled.
"You, Why are YOU here?"
"Hehehe…you should of bought the insurance, oh well, pity really."
He stared at the now enraged dog, how dare he say something like that, just who was he anyway.
"Who do you think you are?" Courage said angrily.
The man simply stared into the light blue sky.
"You'll know soon enough." then he strolled away.
"What does that mean?" Courage shouted.
He decided not to bother with it right then and decided to walk on home, but he couldn't help but wonder who he was, who the hell was he?
As he got home he saw Eustace grumble while sitting in his arm chair.
"Just great, not only am I stuck with that stupid dog, but now I'm going to have to order out for dinner."
When he herd this his disgust for him raised, some husband he turned out, Courage wanted to teach him a lesson more than ever but he remembered what Muriel told him, so he just held it in.
He headed up stairs to talk to a certain someone, that someone may help, even though Courage dislikes him a little bit.
He went to the attic and sat on the computer chair.
"You again, what is it now, you twit."
Courage typed in "Life Insurance"
"Whatever…searching."
Courage was sitting and waiting, he didn't like waiting.
"No search found, next time search for something that exist, you twit."
He was surprised, no life insurance here, this was a poor town, but that means that there was more to that man than meets the eye.
"Something's wrong here, and I have to find out what."
"Well take your time kid."
Courage starred at the computer, and punched the screen, cracking it, and then he left down stairs.
"Oh what a pleasant way to end a day." said the computer cynically.
Courage returned to the town, looking for a lead, a clue…heck, just about anything that would lead him the right way.
4 hours passed, he was just about to give up something caught his eye, it was that guy, he saw him sneaking around an old forsaken house just outside of town, courage followed him as he went inside.
He saw him go by a basement door and knocked, and then a familiar voice came out.
"Were you followed?"
"No."
"Alright, come in."
The man walked in and greeted three other people, Courage watched from a window which gave a view to the basement.
"Everything going according to plan?"
"Yea, that stupid dog will never know what hit him."
Courage was not surprised, but angry.
"I knew it was something against me!"
He continued to listen.
"I think the dogs getting suspicious."
"No way, if that dog tries anything funny, I"LL KILL HIM!"
Courage was shocked.
"ONLY if he tries to do something."
"I'm just glad that stupid wife is dead."
Courage growled at that remark.
"But I need that dog for my experiments."
"Oh shut up, your experiments don't even work."
"You're just jealous."
"Gentlemen please!"
The people who were arguing became silent.
"As you know, only kill him if he tries to stop us, but don't worry, he probably will."
"Sure he will…he always does."
Courage was still listening, the voices sounded so familiar, just who were these people.
"But I get to kill him." one said in a very loud tone.
"Fine…if you so insist."
"YES, finally."
"Now…I'll pay him one more visit, you guys take your positions and go from their, ya'll know what to do right?"
They all agreed, then the man rose up and turned on the light, revealing Eustace's Ma, Dr. Gerbil, and Mad Dog, Courage gasped in surprise.
"…Good…hehehehehe….HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Then he took off his hat, revealing…
"KATZ?" Courage screamed.
"That…son of a…BITCH!"
Courage gripped the ground beneath him, then something inside him snapped, all his fears, all his phobias, all gone, but a new powerful, more deadly emotion took its place…hatred.
