It was early evening by the time they got home. The autumn sky had a mix of multi-colored clouds against the darkening crystal-blue background as a chilly breeze gently drifted over the landscape. Normally, Muriel would go into the house with the groceries while Eustace would take whatever he had bought at the hardware store into either the basement or the barn. Courage would either help Muriel with the groceries or lie down on the porch to enjoy the beautiful sunset. But this evening Muriel and Courage waited while Eustace took a couple of large boxes into the barn to put them away then everybody went into the house together. Even though it wasn't really dark yet, Eustace turned on the light in the living room as soon as they walked into the front door. Muriel went into the kitchen to cook dinner while Eustace turned on the televison to watch the news. Courage settled down in the living room close to the kitchen door which Muriel had left open.
A few minutes later, Muriel called Courage in to set the table. Eustace followed Courage into the kitchen and helped him set the table then sat down at the table while Muriel finished dinner. "What are you cooking tonight Muriel?"
Muriel was obviously surprised by Eustace's question. "I'm fixing pork chops with white vinegar gravy and Happy Plums for desert."
"Smells delicious!"
Muriel turned and gave Eustace a strange look for a moment then finally said, "Why thank-you Eustace. I certainly hope it tastes as good as it smells. I had to substitute a couple of ingredients because the store was out of a few things. You know, Eustace, that was something else that was really odd. The grocery store was out of so many things when I was there - things that they usually have."
Eustace shrugged. "Maybe the delivery truck hasn't gotten there yet. The hardware store didn't seem to be running out of anything. They had everything I was looking for this afternoon. I got the stuff I needed to fix the back wall of the barn and I also bought the parts to fix that furnace so we won't have to worry about that this winter."
Muriel managed a nervous smile. "It will be good to have that furnace fixed. I hear that it's supposed to be a very cold winter."
Muriel brought the plates to the table and everybody began to eat. After dinner, Eustace went into the living room turning on the tv as he sat down in his chair while Muriel filled three bowls with Happy Plums and spooned whipped cream over them. Muriel brought two bowls in setting one down on the table by Eustace as she made her way to her rocking chair with her bowl. Courage carried his bowl in from the kitchen and made himself comfortable on the rug at Muriel's feet. Everybody was silently eating their dessert as the the movie was interuupted by a special news report.
"Turn it up Eustace!" Muriel had set her bowl down as the reporter, who was standing in front of the Nowhere Electric Company began to speak. "I am here at the Nowhere Electric Company where utility workers are trying to sort out reports of several power outages. So far the cause of the power outages has not been found and several homes are still without electricity." The reporter went on to interview several people who worked for the Nowhere Electric Company who weren't really able to say much more than what the reporter had already said. Finally a commercial came on.
Eustace sneered at the tv. "Now aren't you glad we have that windmill Muriel? See, I told you it would save us a lot of trouble not to mention money."
Muriel nodded absently. "Yes I am Eustace. I just wonder... "
She was cut off by another special news report this time the reporter was standing in front of the police station. "Police are trying to solve a mystery tonight. Several people have called to report that somebody tried to break into their houses. One couple who called said that somebody was trying to get in their front door while they were on the phone to police. At another home somebody tried to break into a house while the family sat in the front room watching television. Others say that somebody tried to get the door open but left after a few seconds. Several people reported seeing a large shadowy figure on their front porches or out in their yards but all of them said it was too dark to get a good look at the person. The Nowhere Police department is advising the residents of Nowhere to lock all doors and windows and stay inside. They are also asking residents to call police if they see any suspicious people in their neighborhoods."
Courage whimpered softly as Muriel and Eustace just silently stared at the tv screen. Finally the movie came back on as everybody finished their Happy Plums. Muriel collected the dessert bowls and went into the kitchen leaving the door open. Eustace got up motioning to Courage to follow him. They went outside to the barn where Eustace picked through one of the boxes and took out two smaller boxes. Then he pointed to his toolbox. "Hey dog, would you get that for me?"
Courage pickedup the toolbox and follwed Eustace back into the house. The pink dog watched as Eustace opened one of the small boxes taking out something that looked like a small white radio. Muriel came into the room as Eustace was attaching the device to the front door.
"What are you doing Eustace?"
"I bought these at the hardware store. They're alarms that attach to the doors. I figured that they might come in handy."
Muriel nodded grateful for the extra security after that last news report. She sat back down in her rocking chair to watch the news.
Eustace finished putting the alarm on the front door, installed the batteries, then turned the device on and opened the door to test it. Instantly the house was filled with a loud wavy siren sound. Eustace quickly closed the door. "It works!" he said happily and went into the kitchen with the second box. "Hey dog! Come in here with me for a minute while I do this!"
Courage got up and went into the kitchen while Eustace put the second alarm on the back door then put the batteries in and tested it. Courage was helping Eustace clean up the boxes and tools when Muriel called from the living room.
"Eustace! Courage! Come in here. You won't believe this!"
Eustace and Courage raced into the living room in time to hear the last bit of a news story. The reporter was speaking excitedly. "Nobody was hurt but several of the people who witnessed the incident said they were leaving town until this mystery is solved. To repeat, the Main Street Theater was closed tonight after several people were frightened by a large shadowy figure in the theater as they watched the movie.
Police have no leads and are advising that everybody stay inside with all doors and windows locked."
"Good thing I got those alarms tonight although I doubt that whoever is causing all the trouble in town will come all the way out here!" Eustace turned and went back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up the mess.
Courage jumped into Muriel's lap and curled up to rest. Muriel softly petted Courage's back. "Courage, do ye think that whatever it is causing all that trouble in town will come out here?"
Courage looked up at her and shook his head then curled back up closing his eyes as if he were trying to sleep. But sleep was the last thing on Courage's mind. He was too busing thinking about what he had seen at the park wondering what had caused that strange shadow. That spooky feeling was coming back and he really wasn't looking forward to bedtime.
After cleaning up the rest of his tools, Eustace put the toolbox in the hall closet then went upstairs. He returned a few minutes later with two comfortable looking quilts. He handed one quilt to Muriel and settled down in his chair covering himself with the other. Nobody had mentioned it but none of them wanted to go upstairs to sleep tonight. It felt much safer down here with the lights and the tv on.
Muriel went to the linen closet and got a pillow then sat back down in her rocking chair covered by the quilt with her head resting on the pillow. Courage curled back up in her lap as Muriel picked up the tv remote to find a good movie to watch. Soon everybody was asleep.
It was just past midnight when they were all awakened by a loud noise on the front porch. Courage lept off of Muriel's lap and ran to look out the window but saw nothing. Eustace got up out of his chair and followed Courage to the window. Even with the porchlight on it seemed unusually dark outside. Muriel wrapped her quilt tightly around her as she watched Courage and Eustace from her rocking chair.
Suddenly there was a loud noise in the kitchen then the alarm that Eustace had put on the back door went off! Courage was so scared that he turned inside out for a second! Muriel shrieked and got up from her rocking chair while Eustace ran for the kitchen door. Courage followed close behind Eustace expecting to find the back door wide open with some dark, shadowy monster standing there but he was suprised to find the back door closed tight.
Eustace went over and reset the alarm then looked out the kitchen window. "It's so dark out there I can't see anything!"
Courage stood behind Eustace shivering in fear and was startled so badly when Muriel came into the kitchen that he split into several smaller versions of himself which ran around the kitchen until they all collided turning back into one normal sized pink dog!
Muriel waited for Courage to return to normal before speaking. "Did you see anybody out there Eustace?"
Eustace shook his head. "It's too dark out there. But I bet whoever it was got frightened away by the alarm. Come on, let's go back into the living room."
They all went back into the living room and sat down as Muriel changed the channel on the tv. The news was on and there were several reports of strange happenings in the town of Nowhere. Several people had called police to report somebody trying to break into their houses. Some said that they saw a large shadowy figure ouside on their porches or in their front yards. Workers for the Nowhere Electric Company reported seeing a large shadowy figure standing near a downed power line that they were sent to repair. Still the police had no leads and were continuing to advise the people to stay indoors and keep their doors and windows locked.
It seemed like forever when Courage finally managed to dose back off. He was sleeping peacefully when he was awakened by a strange noise. He looked around but everything was quiet and that awful creepy feeling was in the air. Muriel and Eustace were both asleep. Courage looked over at the televison to see that it was still on but there was no sound. All of his hair was standing on end as he carefully slid off of Muriel's lap and onto the floor making his way toward the television. Suddenly the sound came back on startling the poor dog so badly that he melted into a frightened puddle on the floor. The sound of the tv woke Muriel up. She reached for the remote and changed the channels until she found another movie.
Courage returned to his normal shape and went into the kitchen for a glass of water. When he came back into the living room, Muriel was asleep again. Courage didn't want to wake her so he curled up on the rug at her feet. He was almost asleep again when he heard a noise on the front porch. Shivering with fear, Courage went to the window and looked out half expecting to see nothing. At first he didn't see anything and was about to go back to his spot on the rug when something out in the yard caught his eye. A few feet from the porch stood a large shadowy figure that looked almost as if it had wings! Courage screamed in fear waking both Eustace and Muriel up.
Eustace ran to the window but the figure had disappeard. He looked down at Courage. "What did you see dog?"
Courage tried to explain but, of course, Eustace didn't understand him. Finally, Courage turned himself into an exact image of what he had seen. Eustace watched open-mouthed then turned to Muriel who just stared back at him. Eustace looked back out the window but it seemed that whatever it was that Courage had seen was gone.
"I guess whatever it was has gone now. Maybe it's on its way back to Nowhere."
Courage looked back up at Eustace not entirely convinced that he was right but Eustace had returned to his chair and had settled down to go back to sleep. Muriel had wrapped herself back up in the quilt and had closed her eyes. Courage slowly retreated from the window. The last thing he felt like doing was trying to go back to sleep! There was still several more hours until daylight and Courage didn't know how he was going to make it through the rest of this night. After pacing around the living room for several minutes he headed toward the staircase.