Chapter 16: The Definition of Courage
(Sorry for the delay, folks. I violated website rules with my 'Chat Room' story. Penalty: They deleted my story and I wasn't allowed to upload any more stories for one week. Thankfully, the week has passed, so here's the rest of the story!)
"KEVIN!!" shouted Carl and Diane.
"Mom! Dad!" answered Kevin, as if seeing them for the first time. Kevin ran to his family with Sandy and Courage right behind him. Kevin and Sandy fell into the arms of Carl, Diane, and Katie, while Courage leaped into Muriel's arms. (Don't forget Eustace is still unconscious off to the side.)
The ghost of Joseph Williams was undaunted by Kevin's threat. However, as he watched the two families rejoice over Kevin and the two dogs, a dim memory came to his mind. It was of himself hugging his family on the immigration boat. So long ago. Joseph quickly pushed the thought out of his mind. That was all history....history that could never be repeated.
Joseph Williams began to laugh. "Ha ha ha ha haaah...I've waited a long time for this little 'family reunion'." He smiled evilly.
"Go away!" shouted little Katie with fear.
"Awww, there's no need to be afraid, little one," said Joseph in a sarcastically sympathetic voice. "It's just your great-great grandfather." He reached out a ghostly hand towards her.
"You stay back!!!" yelled Diane, who held her daughter close to her.
Joseph laughed again. "Now all we need is one more, and the party shall begin." Only Kevin, Sandy, and Courage immediately knew who he was talking about.
"What happened to you?" whispered Kevin. "You and Reginald used to be such good friends. Why-?"
"You already know why, boy! All of you do!!" shouted Joseph, still heated with anger.
"Don't make him mad, son," said Carl, but Kevin was on a roll.
"It all came down to money, didn't it?" continued Kevin, who slowly got to his feet. "You were mayor before Reginald had all that money. You knew what it was like to have wealth and power. But when it was Reginald's turn, you couldn't handle it, could you? Your title was practically stripped away from you, and you thought the only way to make you feel better was to murder Reginald, your best friend! HE WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND!!!!"
"LIAR!!!" bellowed Joseph. He began to shimmer around the edges. The outline of his body began to radiate large sparks of electricity. Before anyone could react, Joseph unleashed a powerful shock wave from within himself. It looked like a combination of an atomic bomb blast and something from Dragonball Z. The wave sent everyone flying into the ground and up against the wall. The boom echoed throughout the room like thunder.
"He was no friend of mine after what he did...and what put me through afterwards! How would you like it if your friend received an elaborate funeral while you were left to rot in an unmarked grave?! Huh?!! The townspeople loved Reginald more than me when I was Mayor. They always said that the money never went to his head; that he was never greedy. Well, what do you call someone who gives money to everyone except his "best friend?" A greedy, no-good snob, that's what!"
"Oh, like you were when you were Mayor? I don't think so!" yelled Kevin. "You just don't want to admit that he was better at running the town and gaining people's trust than you! I'm sure he has a good reason why he never gave any money to you, so-..."
"HA!" shouted Joseph. He swooped his hand and a whirlwind was created out of nowhere. It expanded until every square foot of the room was filled with a rushing wind. Everyone kept their heads down as dust began swirling everywhere. "I'd sure like to hear his petty excuse. Besides, what can you all do about it? You can't change the past...and you're all just insignificant humans!" Even though he didn't say it, he was also referring to Sandy and Courage.
The whirlwind began to intensify as Joseph began laughing again. Carl grabbed his son, who fell to the floor, and protected him as best he could. Sandy escaped Diane's grasp to be with Kevin and Carl. Diane then decided to protect Katie and Mr. Furry (yes, her stuffed bear is still with her.) Muriel tried her hardest to protect Courage, but her grip was weakening. Eustace was still unconscious on the ground nearby.
Courage held onto Muriel in the midst of this nightmarish situation. The constant wind, combined with Joseph's eerie laughing, had frozen Courage with fear. Suddenly, a recent memory sprung to his mind. It was something Kevin had said earlier that night after telling Courage about his dog-talking ability: "You need to learn how to control that fear. Otherwise, your life will be miserable."
Courage looked at the Hendersons. Kevin and his family and Sandy. They were just innocent people who were unlucky enough to be related to this monster. Courage then looked at Joseph Williams. A familiar feeling began emerging inside Courage. He had felt this feeling just hours before (See chapter 10), but now it had doubled in intensity. A shadowed scowl arose on Courage's face and he left Muriel's grasp.
Courage walked slowly towards Joseph. Through the dust, Kevin and Sandy witnessed Courage walking up to the ghost. Both of them were astonished, to say the least.
When Courage was within 20 feet of the laughing ghost, he stopped. "HEY YOU!!!" shouted Courage at the top of his lungs.
Joseph stopped laughing. "Huh?" he uttered. The whirlwind ceased to exist. "What's this? A mangy dog is trying to stand up to me?" Joseph was on the verge of laughing again.
Courage stood up to his full height and growled. The look on his face made Joseph's smile disappear. "You're absolutely right," said Courage slowly and menacingly. (Of course, only Kevin and Sandy knew what he was saying.)
Joseph stared down on the little pink dog and smirked. "I've been watching you, Courage. When I sent my whirlwind to apprehend everyone, I could sense your fear. What I don't understand is why you have the gall to stand up to me now?"
Courage remembered sitting under the stars with Sandy, several hours ago. He recalled something Sandy had said to him during that conversation that seemed very appropriate for this situation: "It seems...that you are the most bravest when things are the most scariest."
Courage looked up at the ghost of Joseph Williams and said proudly, "I guess I'm just finally living up to my name." (Much applause from the audience.)
Behind him, Kevin and Sandy smiled at Courage's comeback. Sandy definitely wanted to thank Courage later for this.
Courage continued. "Can't you see what you're doing? You're destroying my family! And you're descendants too!" Courage pointed to the Hendersons. "You've already destroyed your past. You don't need to destroy our futures!" Then, Courage took a deep breath and said the one thing that Joseph never expected him to say: "What would your ancestors think of you now?"
Joseph's eyes widened. Painful memories flowed through his head at light speed. Happy memories flew by like a super-fast movie. His first toy, his mother, his abusive brother, his trip to America, EVERYTHING flew past his mind. The past. All gone.
"NO!!!" shrieked Joseph. In a flash, Joseph's arm swooped down, and his hand whacked into the side of Courage like a golf club to a golf ball. Courage flew head over heels in the air until he slammed his back into the stone wall, so hard that the impact created cracks in the rock. Courage abruptly fell to the ground. He didn't move.
"COURAGE!!" screamed Muriel, Kevin, and Sandy, all at the same time.
"Courage. What an ironic name," growled Joseph. He turned to the trembling/crying group of people and Sandy. "Now, you all are going to meet the same fate if..."
"YOU WILL DO NOTHING OF THE SORT, JOSEPH WILLIAMS!!!" boomed a deep voice.
Everyone turned to the direction of the voice, which was the tunnel. Everyone but Joseph was startled by the voice and their eyes remained transfixed on the tunnel.
"Now the party's getting started," smiled Joseph.
(THIS IS IT!!!! The thrilling climax has finally arrived! It's Chapter 17: A Reunion 150 Years in the Making!!)