It was fairly late in the afternoon when Alden's car drove up to the
farmhouse. As Courage got out of the car followed by a very tired Mr.
Worth, Alden asked for Courage's phone number and wrote it down as Mr.
Worth translated Courage's charade's. After deciding on the best time for
Alden to call, Courage and Mr. Worth disappeared into the house. Mr. Worth
silently drifted upstairs toward the attic and Courage watched the worried
children gather around him at the top of the stairs. He slowly turned away
from the stairway, hoping that Mr. Worth would be okay.
Courage was met at the kitchen door by Muriel. "Well, it's good to see you're back Courage. Eustace left about an hour ago. His paper still hasn't been delivered and he's going to their office to complain. I just hope he's okay in this storm. I still cannot believe that we haven't had any rain with all those clouds. Anyway, I saved some lunch. I thought ye might be hungry after such a long day."
Courage eagerly followed Muriel into the kitchen and sat down at the table where there was a plate of sandwiches waiting. Muriel brought him a glass of milk. "So were you able to help the nice man today, Courage?'
Courage nodded. "Uh-huh."
Muriel smiled warmly at him. "That's good. To tell the truth I'm glad ye got back when ye did. I was getting a little nervous being here alone. I know it's probably just the wind and all, but I keep hearing strange noises in the attic. After the sounds I heard last night, I could almost swear we had ghosts in this house."
Courage nearly choked on his glass of milk. Luckily, Muriel was distracted by the telephone and left the kitchen so she didn't notice that Courage was desperately trying to hold back a nervous giggle.
Muriel retured from the livingroom. "That was Eustace on the phone. Some trees fell down blocking the lot where his truck is parked. He's stuck there until the trees are removed. Well, at least he has his paper to read while he's waiting."
Courage finished his lunch and the cupcake Muriel gave him for dessert. He took his dishes to the sink to be washed then went into the livingroom where Muriel was watching TV. "Finished with your lunch Courage? Why don't you sit in here with me for a while."
Courage jumped up in Muriel's lap and settled down for a much needed nap.
Loud thunder interrupted Courage's dreams. He yawned and stretched before jumping down from Muriel's lap. It had been at least two hours since Eustace had called and Eustace still hadn't returned. This didn't bother Courage though - he was enjoying the peace.
He decided to go upstairs to see how Mr. Worth and the children were doing. He was met at the door to his attic room by several anxious children. "Mr. Worth is still resting," one of the boys said, "I've never seen him so tired."
Courage nodded and gave the boy an encouraging hug. The rest of the children saw this and gathered around Courage for more hugs. Courage was enjoying all this attention! Then one of the boys tossed a ball to one of the other boys. Soon, everybody was playing in the tiny attic room. They were having such a wonderful time that they weren't paying attention to the figure that materialized by the doorway.
"Good evening everybody." Mr. Worth's voice startled all of them so badly that they just froze in their tracks. Mr. Worth couldn't help but laugh.
"How are you feeling?" one girl asked.
"Much better," Mr. Worth replied, "But I still need to take it easy for a few more hours."
Courage wagged his tail happily. He had been very worried about the ghost.
Mr. Worth smiled back at him. "Courage, I think I know where we can find the last spell. Can I use your computer?"
Courage nodded although he was puzzled by the thought of somebody who died before computers were invented knowing how to use one.
Mr. Worth seemed to read Courage's mind. "Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I can't learn about these things. In fact, it actually gives me more time to learn about them. Do you realize that I've been able watch the computer age from its beginning? I probably know more about these machines than many of the people who have gone to school for years to learn about them."
Mr. Worth sat down in the chair in front of the computer as Courage turned the machine on. A few seconds later, the computer voice began to speak. "Not you agai----." The computer cut off mid sentence as it realized who was sitting in front of it. "AHHHH it's a g-g-g-host!!!" The startled voice screamed.
Courage busted out laughing at the frightened computer.
Mr. Worth looked at him with an amused smile on his face. "It really can be fun at times. But maybe you should take over at the keyboard. I doubt that this machine will want to work for me."
Courage sat down in the chair and Mr. Worth stood behind him. "I need to know the location of that third fire that was started by the storm yesterday."
Courage immediatly knew what Mr. Worth was thinking. The other two fires had been at the locations where the other two stone tablets were found. He quickly typed in a few words and the computer answered him. "The th-third f-fire was s-s-somewhere in th-the f-f-ields b-by th-the outskirts of th- the old n-n-owhere cemetary," the nervous voice stammered, "J-j-ust n-n- orth of t-town." A map showed up on the screen. Courage quickly had the computer print out the map and was about to shut the computer off when he remembered a question he wanted to ask Mr. Worth.
He typed in a few words and the computer voice spoke again. This time it sounded much more calm. "Why do you have to wait to be invited into a building when other ghosts just come right in?"
Mr. Worth considered this question carefully before answering. "The children and I don't have the same power as some spirits do. Also, we do not abuse the powers we do have. I could probably come into a home without being invited but that would be basically forcing my way into the home. Forcing my way into a home would not only be an abuse of power, but it would also require a lot of energy. This would leave me almost completely drained."
Courage nodded in understanding then typed in another question. "Are you ever afraid of the stronger spirits?" the computer voice asked.
"Yes, we are. That's why this necklace was made for us. Stronger spirits kept trying to attack the children who were very weak when they first died." Mr. Worth paused for a moment then continued in a soft voice. "That's why I'm still here. The children cannot stand up to the evil spirits that would love to bully them around. They also cannot fight the idiots like the one who carved those spells into those stone tablets."
Courage looked up at him with questioning eyes.
Mr. Worth answered Courage's unspoken question. "Yes, I could have left this world not long after we died. But I had made a promise to these children when we were up on that mountain freezing to death. I promised that I would protect them and that I would not leave them. I gave up my only chance to leave this place so I could keep my promise to stay with the children until all of us are finally able to finally go home."
Courage looked up at Mr. Worth with deep respect in his eyes.
Mr. Worth smiled warmly at Courage and patted his head. "We both know a lot about wanting to protect those that we care about, Courage."
The sound of the telephone ringing could be heard and Courage went down to see who it was. Muriel hung up the phone and turned around just as Courage was on the last two steps of the stairs. "That was Eustace. They're still trying to get the trees out of the way so he can get his truck out of the parking lot. He's going to get something to eat while he's waiting so I guess that leaves just the two of us for dinner."
Courage smiled at Muriel and wagged. He hadn't realized how late it was and he was getting very hungry. Dinner would be so much more peaceful with Eustace not home to pick on him.
Courage was met at the kitchen door by Muriel. "Well, it's good to see you're back Courage. Eustace left about an hour ago. His paper still hasn't been delivered and he's going to their office to complain. I just hope he's okay in this storm. I still cannot believe that we haven't had any rain with all those clouds. Anyway, I saved some lunch. I thought ye might be hungry after such a long day."
Courage eagerly followed Muriel into the kitchen and sat down at the table where there was a plate of sandwiches waiting. Muriel brought him a glass of milk. "So were you able to help the nice man today, Courage?'
Courage nodded. "Uh-huh."
Muriel smiled warmly at him. "That's good. To tell the truth I'm glad ye got back when ye did. I was getting a little nervous being here alone. I know it's probably just the wind and all, but I keep hearing strange noises in the attic. After the sounds I heard last night, I could almost swear we had ghosts in this house."
Courage nearly choked on his glass of milk. Luckily, Muriel was distracted by the telephone and left the kitchen so she didn't notice that Courage was desperately trying to hold back a nervous giggle.
Muriel retured from the livingroom. "That was Eustace on the phone. Some trees fell down blocking the lot where his truck is parked. He's stuck there until the trees are removed. Well, at least he has his paper to read while he's waiting."
Courage finished his lunch and the cupcake Muriel gave him for dessert. He took his dishes to the sink to be washed then went into the livingroom where Muriel was watching TV. "Finished with your lunch Courage? Why don't you sit in here with me for a while."
Courage jumped up in Muriel's lap and settled down for a much needed nap.
Loud thunder interrupted Courage's dreams. He yawned and stretched before jumping down from Muriel's lap. It had been at least two hours since Eustace had called and Eustace still hadn't returned. This didn't bother Courage though - he was enjoying the peace.
He decided to go upstairs to see how Mr. Worth and the children were doing. He was met at the door to his attic room by several anxious children. "Mr. Worth is still resting," one of the boys said, "I've never seen him so tired."
Courage nodded and gave the boy an encouraging hug. The rest of the children saw this and gathered around Courage for more hugs. Courage was enjoying all this attention! Then one of the boys tossed a ball to one of the other boys. Soon, everybody was playing in the tiny attic room. They were having such a wonderful time that they weren't paying attention to the figure that materialized by the doorway.
"Good evening everybody." Mr. Worth's voice startled all of them so badly that they just froze in their tracks. Mr. Worth couldn't help but laugh.
"How are you feeling?" one girl asked.
"Much better," Mr. Worth replied, "But I still need to take it easy for a few more hours."
Courage wagged his tail happily. He had been very worried about the ghost.
Mr. Worth smiled back at him. "Courage, I think I know where we can find the last spell. Can I use your computer?"
Courage nodded although he was puzzled by the thought of somebody who died before computers were invented knowing how to use one.
Mr. Worth seemed to read Courage's mind. "Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I can't learn about these things. In fact, it actually gives me more time to learn about them. Do you realize that I've been able watch the computer age from its beginning? I probably know more about these machines than many of the people who have gone to school for years to learn about them."
Mr. Worth sat down in the chair in front of the computer as Courage turned the machine on. A few seconds later, the computer voice began to speak. "Not you agai----." The computer cut off mid sentence as it realized who was sitting in front of it. "AHHHH it's a g-g-g-host!!!" The startled voice screamed.
Courage busted out laughing at the frightened computer.
Mr. Worth looked at him with an amused smile on his face. "It really can be fun at times. But maybe you should take over at the keyboard. I doubt that this machine will want to work for me."
Courage sat down in the chair and Mr. Worth stood behind him. "I need to know the location of that third fire that was started by the storm yesterday."
Courage immediatly knew what Mr. Worth was thinking. The other two fires had been at the locations where the other two stone tablets were found. He quickly typed in a few words and the computer answered him. "The th-third f-fire was s-s-somewhere in th-the f-f-ields b-by th-the outskirts of th- the old n-n-owhere cemetary," the nervous voice stammered, "J-j-ust n-n- orth of t-town." A map showed up on the screen. Courage quickly had the computer print out the map and was about to shut the computer off when he remembered a question he wanted to ask Mr. Worth.
He typed in a few words and the computer voice spoke again. This time it sounded much more calm. "Why do you have to wait to be invited into a building when other ghosts just come right in?"
Mr. Worth considered this question carefully before answering. "The children and I don't have the same power as some spirits do. Also, we do not abuse the powers we do have. I could probably come into a home without being invited but that would be basically forcing my way into the home. Forcing my way into a home would not only be an abuse of power, but it would also require a lot of energy. This would leave me almost completely drained."
Courage nodded in understanding then typed in another question. "Are you ever afraid of the stronger spirits?" the computer voice asked.
"Yes, we are. That's why this necklace was made for us. Stronger spirits kept trying to attack the children who were very weak when they first died." Mr. Worth paused for a moment then continued in a soft voice. "That's why I'm still here. The children cannot stand up to the evil spirits that would love to bully them around. They also cannot fight the idiots like the one who carved those spells into those stone tablets."
Courage looked up at him with questioning eyes.
Mr. Worth answered Courage's unspoken question. "Yes, I could have left this world not long after we died. But I had made a promise to these children when we were up on that mountain freezing to death. I promised that I would protect them and that I would not leave them. I gave up my only chance to leave this place so I could keep my promise to stay with the children until all of us are finally able to finally go home."
Courage looked up at Mr. Worth with deep respect in his eyes.
Mr. Worth smiled warmly at Courage and patted his head. "We both know a lot about wanting to protect those that we care about, Courage."
The sound of the telephone ringing could be heard and Courage went down to see who it was. Muriel hung up the phone and turned around just as Courage was on the last two steps of the stairs. "That was Eustace. They're still trying to get the trees out of the way so he can get his truck out of the parking lot. He's going to get something to eat while he's waiting so I guess that leaves just the two of us for dinner."
Courage smiled at Muriel and wagged. He hadn't realized how late it was and he was getting very hungry. Dinner would be so much more peaceful with Eustace not home to pick on him.