hello there readers! got another two chapters of Windfall all ready for ya. Originally I was only goint to publish this chapter but it ends on a cliffhanger that is very upsetting so I cleaned up the chapter after this one as well so no one has to wait in agony to find out what happens. SO
WARNING: this chapter has an upsetting end.
Chrapter 30: Jungle Job
After a sixteen hour voyage, Courage and I (plus everyone else on the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.) got off the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. and stepped into the Jungle Outpost at Mt. Blackhead. It was certainly a differnet environment than what I'm used to.
There were pudgy toucans singing in the trees, a thick cloud of magic tree pollen in the air, and there was a jaguar prowling around the fence, it sunk its teeth into an operative standing nearby a break in said fence but he fought it off and survived, amazing!
Walking a little farther into the outpost we were spprached by Numbuh 4, he sorta came out of nowhere even though he was walking right in front of us and he scared Courage, who cowered at my feet. "G'Day, Wind! I see you made it to the Outpost safely, and you brought a friend!"
"G'Day to you too, Numbuh 4! and yes, this is Courage, his family lives in the area so I'm going to try and bring him home,"
"Aw, what a nice little doggy," said Numbuh 4, bending down to pet Courage, but Cuorage got real scared and voided his bladder all over himself, it soaked him up to his chest and quite a bit of it got on Numbuh 4 he had to change his hoodie.
"Ah... quite the nervous thing, isn't he..." he said holding back his fury, he knew how upset I was when Decter unleashed his wrath on Courage hm.
"Oh no I'm sorry Numbuh 4!" I said! "Here, let me take care of that for you-"
"No no, that's okay, I've got it," he said, lifting his arms there was dog urine up to his armpits gross. "Here, this is your cabin key," he said handing me a small brown key with a tag on it that said "#225." "It's to the empty cabin in the back. That will be your home while your stationed here."
"Oh, thanks Numbuh 4!" I said and dragged Courage away before he could piss off anyone else. "I'll go find it right now! See ya later!"
I found the cabin, it was facing the rear of the Magic Tree, I was grateful for this, because I was scared of the thought of seeing its face in my window in the middle of the night. I unlocked the cabin and we stepped inside. Immediately a huge blanket of dust bounced on every surface.
"Yuck! How long has this place been empty?!" I asked, looking around, there were also huge spiders that quickly scurried into mouseholes littered throughout the house, and once inside, they ate the mice.
I went into the bathroom there was a chili pepper plant growing out of the toilet. I felt this was a bad sign. After leaving the bathroom I went into the living room, Courage hopped up on the couch as I checked out the tv. "Should still work," I said, before turning the knob and the screen came on. It was one of those charity commercials and Mr. Krabs was there, it was a closeup of his face as he pled to the audience.
"So please, if you have a spare hiney hole, send it to me, Mr. Krabs - also known as Mr. Krabs, the crab who doesn't have one." he then burst into loud tears.
"Oh, shut up. Courage is doing just fine without one, and so is Dexter!" I said, then looked at the ground sadly. "At least, I hope he is..." Seeing the commercial was still on, and Mr. Krabs was still crying, I started turning the channel dial. "Ugh, is this the only focking channel we get?! If I'd known, I never would've come here!"
Courage whimpered from the couch at how upset I was. Embarrassed, I turned the TV off and set down next to him. The thick, cushy blanket of dust was soft and caressed my nether regions and was astoundingly supportive. I gave him a hug and petted him like all dogs like. Well at least most. "There there, Courage. It'll be okay. We'll find Dexter and get you back to your owner, and not necessarily in that order."
"I'm scared Wind" he said and started crying and howling.
"No Courage please don't cry!" I said, I started crying because he was crying, have you ever seen a dog cry?! It's the saddest thing ever. I held him close and rubbed his belly, he eventually fell asleep and so did I, but I didn't realize it until I opened my eyes, I was still petting and thought I was petting his belly but it turned out to be the dust on the couch.
"C... Courage?" I asked, but there was no answer?!
I got up, panicking. This place was no place for a dog he could die out here if not supervised. Where could he have gone?
Then I looked, there, on the ground, there were little dust piles that Courage shook off onto the preexisting dust on the floor (that was also springy underfoot like a nice soft mattress topper), much like a trail of breadcrumbs, only I wouldn't put dust on eggplant parmesan but what do I know maybe some people like that... "Aha! I can follow the dust to find Courage!" And I ran out of the house but had to tiptoe after that to avoid waking everyone in the Outpost up.
As I entered the Magic Tree's field of vision it said, "Good evening, Ms. Walter. You are up late."
"Ugh," I groaned, turning around, "I'm not interested, I've had my fill of tree sex, and I'm not going to blow you."
"Wh-What?!" he said genuinely startled and extremely offended by what I said but he hid the latter because he's nice. "I have no sexual interest in you, and even if I were into humans, I still wouldn't date you, I am gay!"
"Oh!" I said immediately ashamed. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Magic Tree... you see I was strung along by a tree in the past..."
"All is forgiven, Ms. Walter," he said, his voice calming and soothing despite being loud enough to rival a fog horn. "All I wanted was to share information with you on the whereabouts of Courage."
"You've seen him?!" I asked.
"Indeed," he explained, "he left through the front gate about 15 minutes ago. From his direction I believe he was headed for Leakey Lake."
"I know where that is! Thank you so much, Mr. Magic Tree!" I said, and hugged one of his roots, he smiled, then I ran off toward Leakey Lake
It was dark and muggy, and there were mosquitoes everywhere they kept biting my legs, why did I have to wear my Sophomore Skirt? Now my legs were covered in oozing hives but I just kept swatting the mosquitoes couldn't give up I say. I'd been through the mild suburbs and frozen wastelands (as Dr. Him likely did as well when he examined Ice King), I wasn't about to let the jungle break me.
Finally I reached Leakey Lake, it was even muggier and more humid here because of the water. It was like a dark, rank fart was hanging over the place and the smell definitely fit thanks to the rotting plants in the water. I gazed out into the distance... and saw a figure in the middle of the lake.
A small figure.
That was flailing.
Courage was drowning.