Courage had just gotten comfortable on the rug when the deep, rumble of
distant thunder startled him. He got up and looked out the window to see
that the beautiful summer afternoon was now becoming dark and cloudy. The
sound of thunder rumbled again as the clouds quickly filled the sky.
Courage watched in amazement as the summer sky was completely filled with clouds within a few seconds. He had never seen a storm move this fast! The sky lit up with a brilliant flash and the sound of thunder was so loud this time that it shook the entire house. Courage quickly turned away from the window and went back to his spot on the rug by Muriel's feet.
"Oh my!" Exclaimed Muriel as the thunder startled her so badly that she nearly dropped her cup of tea.
Eustace lowered his paper as another rumble of thunder rattled the house. "Where did that storm come from?"
"I don't know Eustace!" Muriel was still visibly shaken from the loud thunder. "It was such a lovely afternoon." She recovered from the shock of the loud thunder and quickly remembered that she had left the kitchen window open. "I better get that window closed before it starts to rain!"
Courage followed her into the kitchen. The rain hadn't started yet but the wind was blowing so hard that sand was flying through the open window. Muriel quickly closed the window and looked through the glass to see the huge clouds of dust forming as the fierce wind blew over the barren landscape. Day had been turned to night by thick dark clouds which where being lit up by flashes of lightning.
"I've not seen anything like this in a long time." Muriel said as she continued to watch the storm through the kitchen window. Courage whined softly, disappointed that his beautiful summer day had been ruined by this storm.
"Oh well." Muriel's voice was cheerful despite the circumstances. "At least it's perfect weather for a good cup of hot cocoa."
"Uh-huh!" Courage perked up at the thought of a good cup of hot cocoa. He looked up at Muriel and smiled.
Muriel quickly began to prepare three mugs of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows and whipped cream. A few minutes later, she and Courage went back into the living room with the mugs. "I made some hot cocoa, Eustace." She placed one of the gently steaming mugs on the table beside Eustace before sitting down in her chair and moving her tea cup to the far side of her table to make room for her cocoa.
Courage sat down on the rug and began sipping from his cup as Muriel turned on the TV. The screen flashed as Muriel switched through the channels. Finally she found a movie and set the remote control down. Courage licked the whipped cream from his face and continued to sip his cocoa as he sat watching the screen.
Eustace reached out from behind his paper to take the mug. A few seconds later he returned the empty mug to the table as he continued to read.
Courage sighed contentedly as he finished his cocoa and settled down for a nap amidst the sound of the TV and the occasional rumble of thunder. Courage was almost asleep when the newscaster's voice broke in on the movie that Muriel was watching. The urgency in the newscaster's voice caught Courage's attention. He turned his head toward the TV screen to see images of the town of Nowhere. People were standing in the streets staring up as lightning flashed in the skies above them. The wind was blowing hard enough to send various things flying and the people were having to be careful not to get hit by anything.
"The freak storm has caused damage all across the town. The fire department has been battling two fires which were reportedly started by lightning. Stay tuned for more news of this devastating storm!" The special report ended and the movie returned to the screen.
"Oh my! Eustace, did ye hear that?!" Muriel exclaimed as she rose from her chair.
"Of course I heard it!" Eustace grumbled. "I'm sitting right here!" His attention quickly returned to his paper as Muriel picked up his empty cocoa mug on her way to the kitchen. Courage picked up his empty mug and followed Muriel.
"I've never seen anything like this." Muriel said as she stared out the kitchen window at the wild wind and lightning. Courage walked over to stand beside her. Muriel looked down at the pink dog and patted him on the head before turning her attention to the dirty mugs in the sink. Courage tugged gently on her dress and offered her his mug to be washed. "Thank ye Courage." Muriel gently took the mug from him and washed it.
Courage began to stare out the window while Muriel finished washing the mugs. The wind had blown the garbage all over the yard. The whole place was a mess. He whined softly as he thought about the cleanup job he would have when the storm was over.
"It's really nasty out there isn't it, Courage?" Muriel had finished washing the dishes and was standing beside him staring out the window.
Courage looked up at her and nodded. "Uh-huh!"
Muriel looked back down at him and patted him on the head. "Let's go back to watch the rest of that movie."
Courage turned away from the window and started to follow Muriel out of the kitchen when something in the window caught his eye. He walked back to the window as Muriel turned out the kitchen light. He stared out at the dark windy sky for a few more seconds when he saw it again - - a ghostly white shape floating in the sky just below the clouds! Courage gasped. His eyes grew to ten times their normal size for a second then returned to normal. He continued to stare out the window until the shape disappeared. Turning away from the window, Courage said aloud to himself, "Did I see what I just thought I saw?" A brilliant flash of light broke Courage's train of thought. A loud crack followed by a deep rumbling sound sent him running to the livingroom to hide behind Muriel's feet.
"Take it easy Courage, it's only thunder!" Muriel reached down to comfort poor Courage.
"Stupid dog!" Eustace's angry voice came from behind the newspaper. "Ain't nothin' that dog's not afraid of!"
Courage watched in amazement as the summer sky was completely filled with clouds within a few seconds. He had never seen a storm move this fast! The sky lit up with a brilliant flash and the sound of thunder was so loud this time that it shook the entire house. Courage quickly turned away from the window and went back to his spot on the rug by Muriel's feet.
"Oh my!" Exclaimed Muriel as the thunder startled her so badly that she nearly dropped her cup of tea.
Eustace lowered his paper as another rumble of thunder rattled the house. "Where did that storm come from?"
"I don't know Eustace!" Muriel was still visibly shaken from the loud thunder. "It was such a lovely afternoon." She recovered from the shock of the loud thunder and quickly remembered that she had left the kitchen window open. "I better get that window closed before it starts to rain!"
Courage followed her into the kitchen. The rain hadn't started yet but the wind was blowing so hard that sand was flying through the open window. Muriel quickly closed the window and looked through the glass to see the huge clouds of dust forming as the fierce wind blew over the barren landscape. Day had been turned to night by thick dark clouds which where being lit up by flashes of lightning.
"I've not seen anything like this in a long time." Muriel said as she continued to watch the storm through the kitchen window. Courage whined softly, disappointed that his beautiful summer day had been ruined by this storm.
"Oh well." Muriel's voice was cheerful despite the circumstances. "At least it's perfect weather for a good cup of hot cocoa."
"Uh-huh!" Courage perked up at the thought of a good cup of hot cocoa. He looked up at Muriel and smiled.
Muriel quickly began to prepare three mugs of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows and whipped cream. A few minutes later, she and Courage went back into the living room with the mugs. "I made some hot cocoa, Eustace." She placed one of the gently steaming mugs on the table beside Eustace before sitting down in her chair and moving her tea cup to the far side of her table to make room for her cocoa.
Courage sat down on the rug and began sipping from his cup as Muriel turned on the TV. The screen flashed as Muriel switched through the channels. Finally she found a movie and set the remote control down. Courage licked the whipped cream from his face and continued to sip his cocoa as he sat watching the screen.
Eustace reached out from behind his paper to take the mug. A few seconds later he returned the empty mug to the table as he continued to read.
Courage sighed contentedly as he finished his cocoa and settled down for a nap amidst the sound of the TV and the occasional rumble of thunder. Courage was almost asleep when the newscaster's voice broke in on the movie that Muriel was watching. The urgency in the newscaster's voice caught Courage's attention. He turned his head toward the TV screen to see images of the town of Nowhere. People were standing in the streets staring up as lightning flashed in the skies above them. The wind was blowing hard enough to send various things flying and the people were having to be careful not to get hit by anything.
"The freak storm has caused damage all across the town. The fire department has been battling two fires which were reportedly started by lightning. Stay tuned for more news of this devastating storm!" The special report ended and the movie returned to the screen.
"Oh my! Eustace, did ye hear that?!" Muriel exclaimed as she rose from her chair.
"Of course I heard it!" Eustace grumbled. "I'm sitting right here!" His attention quickly returned to his paper as Muriel picked up his empty cocoa mug on her way to the kitchen. Courage picked up his empty mug and followed Muriel.
"I've never seen anything like this." Muriel said as she stared out the kitchen window at the wild wind and lightning. Courage walked over to stand beside her. Muriel looked down at the pink dog and patted him on the head before turning her attention to the dirty mugs in the sink. Courage tugged gently on her dress and offered her his mug to be washed. "Thank ye Courage." Muriel gently took the mug from him and washed it.
Courage began to stare out the window while Muriel finished washing the mugs. The wind had blown the garbage all over the yard. The whole place was a mess. He whined softly as he thought about the cleanup job he would have when the storm was over.
"It's really nasty out there isn't it, Courage?" Muriel had finished washing the dishes and was standing beside him staring out the window.
Courage looked up at her and nodded. "Uh-huh!"
Muriel looked back down at him and patted him on the head. "Let's go back to watch the rest of that movie."
Courage turned away from the window and started to follow Muriel out of the kitchen when something in the window caught his eye. He walked back to the window as Muriel turned out the kitchen light. He stared out at the dark windy sky for a few more seconds when he saw it again - - a ghostly white shape floating in the sky just below the clouds! Courage gasped. His eyes grew to ten times their normal size for a second then returned to normal. He continued to stare out the window until the shape disappeared. Turning away from the window, Courage said aloud to himself, "Did I see what I just thought I saw?" A brilliant flash of light broke Courage's train of thought. A loud crack followed by a deep rumbling sound sent him running to the livingroom to hide behind Muriel's feet.
"Take it easy Courage, it's only thunder!" Muriel reached down to comfort poor Courage.
"Stupid dog!" Eustace's angry voice came from behind the newspaper. "Ain't nothin' that dog's not afraid of!"