TCB: Chapter 3: No Ordinary Dog
[Nowhere Ruins]
(Mad Dog's Control = 1 Point) - (Katz's Control = 2 Points)
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"Courage?"
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"Courage..."
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"Leave that stupid dog alone, Muriel!"
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"Eustace, i'm so worried he won't wake up."
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"The dog's been sleeping whole day long, i don't see what's the problem! I'm hungry!"
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"Oh Courage please, answer me!"
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"Muriel..." the dog called out her owner in his mind.
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"Please Courage, stay with me!" Muriel cried.
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"HUNGRY!" Eustace yelled.
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"Stay strong, my poor Courage!"
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"MURIEL!" Courage screamed.
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The owners's voices faded away, following by the sound of heartbeat that was ridiculously louder and beating very fast as if the heart was about to give out due to extreme emotions. It stopped the beat eventually.
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The pink hound finally opened his eyes slowly, rubbing his eyes to fully awake. Turns out that he heard his owner's voices in his sleep, or perhaps he was dreaming, but it felt so real like Muriel was whispering right into the dog's ears. He turned his gaze at his friend Scarecrow sitting next to him who was already awake inside the van's cabin and still driving. Courage was sleeping on the passenger seat where Muriel usually sat down.
The early morning air was polluted as ever just like the previous post-apocalyptic days. Fortunately it wasn't that very bad unlike early days since the meteor strike. It was breathable. Courage slowly sat up rubbing his eyes again and his head. His left eye scarred wasn't hurting at all when its closed but it sure left an unpleasant feel as if he still had eye-bag while sleeping, until Computer greeted the 'sleeping beauty'.
"Oh, 'morning dog. Still having nightmares?" Dashboard Computer brought the attention to Scarecrow about Courage. He was focused on the road until he turned his head and spoke:
"Hey Courage, how do you feel?" he smiled a little.
"Not good..." the dog spoke. "And nightmares will always get the best of me..." Courage was rubbing his belly with concern as if he felt a pain ongoing in his stomach. "Didn't you sleep at all?"
"I never slept before, nor i can't. It's my own nature." Scarecrow told. Hence his name, he's always on the lookout for enemies 24/7. That left Courage a bit worried, until Computer recalled about nightmares:
"As if we aren't living already in a reality full of nightmares much worse than before. Everywhere we go now is a death trap." Computer told.
"I... I am.. sorry for... snapping back there at you..." Courage apologizing for unleashing rage at Computer that day.
"Don't worry, i heard your excuses while being shut down. Everyone knows your condition after all and... you don't seem to look good." The machine noticed the dog was feeling dizzy.
"How... how did.. you know there was.. a sniper about to kill me.. back there?" Courage asked while rubbing his forehead too while his stomach growled in unsettled way.
"Your old friend with a camel back can see almost everything ahead of me far away from my front point of view with that telescope of his. I could have seen even more better if i didn't had a broken headlight on my left side, twit. And those wardogs from behind were sensed by that big monster giving me a reason to react. I couldn't drive just straight into a trap so evasive maneuvers were required." Computer explained.
"Are you sick?" Scarecrow asked as he turned his head around looking at the dog feeling his head not in it's place no more.
"Ooooooohh... pull over.." Courage has turned himself green and about to throw up.
"Twit, we can't stop. There may be wardogs still watching us and-" then Computer got interrupted by Courage's mad and sick accent.
"PULL OVER!" The dog yelled until his eyes got widen and his cheeks were now inflated. Paws were blocking his mouth.
Scarecrow slammed the van's brakes quickly to a stop at the side of the road for Courage to immediately get out and vomited everything he had in his stomach behind a rock. Leaving Scarecrow concerned, Computer sighed and said:
"It would've been wise, if the dog wasn't eating very fast all that food, after a long time of no food at all." he recalled about critical indigestion.
"How do you know that?" Scarecrow asked.
"I know a savage dog eating sound when i hear one. Thankfully i didn't get to see it too." Computer chuckled.
"Well that's a waste." Scarecrow noted the wasted food, while looking at Courage coming back, and gained his pink color back too. The dog barely even walked properly after that.
The other occupants of the van didn't seem to bother the unexpected stop since Hunchback was always on the lookout too. Although his fear of letting anymore nearby enemies approach has given him a reason to stay awake last night. Bigfoot was still sleeping and Shirley was meditating. The brigade still had a few remaining cans of food and water but those will last only for another day or two. And only two gas cans were left. They had to look out again for resources as every battle they might come across will always have a price to cost.
The van started to run again, once Courage hopped in, he still felt unpleasant and Scarecrow returned his attention back on the road. Computer asking the dog, "Relieved now, twit?"
"Don't ask..." Courage was half sick now and half frustrated.
"Please, don't eat that very fast next time." Scarecrow added and Courage nodded solemnly.
Without further jokes, Computer returned to idle mode with map updating on the screen. The machine knew if he was about to argue more with the dog, he would soon trigger his fury state again, and that's the last thing Courage or his friends would need in hard times like these. Fight for survival, no love from his owners, and self-control.
Courage was also very afraid, what if he may become a vicious dog looking for blood, a state unlikely to be controlled once it fully takes over. The pink hound truly wouldn't want that to attack his only friends left, if he had to deal with hostiles all by himself or helping the brigade. But his attitude remains neutral. Deep inside his chest, the dog's heart was already on stake as the meter arc was in between cowardly happiness and raging insanity.
The vehicle was now approaching, without any surprises to come across yet, to a small abandoned building resembling a diner. Only the 'skeleton' structures seems to be left intact while its walls were still crumbling into dust, and no roof at all. It was all but a huge mess filled with sand as well as if a plane just crashed through the diner's roof.
Scarecrow took notice of it and decided to pull over again at this location. Obviously there couldn't be any random survivor living in a place that has no roof at least, so he decided to scavenge the area. And seeing that it wasn't 'restored' at least, it could mean that no enemies ever bothered to occupy it.
"I'll go and see if there's something useful here." Scarecrow's accent remained mysteriously overprotective due to its personality, but in under certain circumstances, it was better off with somebody else beside him. Going out all alone doesn't seem very wise in these wasteland parts.
"Can i go with you too?" Courage asked.
"No, you stay here." Scarecrow told.
"But i'm feeling much better now, trust me!" The dog truly wasn't better at all in his soul, but as much as he's trying to be himself unchanged regardless of the apocalypse disaster, he still tries to make a good impression that he's not the type of dog to give up by a stupid fury rage plague. Scarecrow nodded, giving the dog a chance.
"Well alright. Hey, you uhh... machine. Keep an eye out on the others." Scarecrow was addressing to Computer.
"Right. Right. Take your time. We'll be buried soon by this sand wind long before anyone else notices us." he joked again.
Scarecrow and Courage were now gone searching the diner ruins, before the dog could ever step 'inside' with his friend, he noticed a huge advertising billboard buried in sand almost not readable at all due to moss and rust. "B...R...S ...EAL... CH...P..."
Courage gaining back his thoughts, he immediately recognized where they were, he sighed looking back up around the area and quote:
"Looks like we won't be ordering cheap burgers this time... or ever again." His ears drooped in sadness and whined with thoughts of what ever happened here, or how Jean Bon would've reacted too during the apocalypse. Sadly there was no sign at all of the pig owner around, only mess in every corner around.
Inside the van, Shirley still with her eyes closed and meditating asked "Where are we now?"
Hunchback turned himself around away from his telescope saying "We stopped... To a small...ruined shack... the dog and Scarecrow... left to find loot, miss medium..."
"No surprises?" She added.
"No..." The old man shook his head while grabbing his bell-cane for stability.
"You should sleep, you need it old man." The medium knew Hunchback didn't slept at all since their last event, but the old man felt way too optimistic about it.
"I may be old... but i'll be resting... when i feel like it... don't worry, i'm used to it." Being used to live like a hobo away from social life due to everyone were judging him by his appearance gave him enough reason to stand up without being intimidated. Shirley didn't argue with that.
Bigfoot yawned and was now awaken from his good long sleep. Slowly sat up and stretching his back, looking at his friends he waved his arm in a form of 'hi' then he went out of the van for some air, at least he wasn't very hungry yet again after how much he ate that day. But as soon as the big guy left out of the van a mere few steps away, he felt a strange sense while sniffing deeply, as if he might been here before, or someone who has encountered Bigfoot could be around.
"Something doesn't feel right. It's way too quiet." The gypsy told.
Shirley was trying to sense anything unusual in her meditation state. She initiated it to regain her power back of contacting the dead at least, but seeing how they didn't encountered a single wardog since their last adventure, was downright strange. Nothing is silent around the occupied wasteland with hostiles.
Courage was looking for anything useful around, yet nothing seems to be out of ordinary besides large amount of spider webs, shattered windows, broken chairs, small bones and no doors. Scarecrow was beginning to give up on his search until he accidentally hit with his boot, a floor trapdoor handle right next to the kitchen entrance. The pink dog noticed the clang noise and went to check on his friend.
"You found something?" Courage asked.
"A trapdoor leading to the basement i suppose?" Scarecrow replied.
"Huh..? I don't remember this being here at all." Courage was trying to remember the diner layout, and he certainly knew that the only door leading down in the cellar was on their left side, not on the floor. The cellar door frame was blocked by a huge boulder so that's out of the picture.
Someone must have created another new entrance leading underground, if not on the surface. Without any questions, Scarecrow tried to pry open it but it was shut tight. Courage tried to help him but both of them became exhausted after too much pulling effort. They both panted, then Courage picked up a stick to shove it under the hatch door, but it breaks after lifting it.
Scarecrow went ahead to find something more durable like a crowbar yet much to his surprise he found one under the counter. All rusty looking but it'll do.
"I think i'll keep this thing." Scarecrow added. "Stand back, Courage." The dog gets out of the way as Scarecrow was now determined to break through the hatch. Eventually after more pulling effort, he pried opened it, destroying the trapdoor in the process.
They both look down and seen a ladder leading to nothing but pitch black darkness. Courage hesitated to climb down the ladder. "I- I- I'm not g-going d-down there." The dog shivered in fear.
"Hmm, we need a light source. A torch or something." Scarecrow suggested. Then an idea formed up inside Courage's mind. He went to pick up the two wooden sticks he just snapped while trying to open the hatch, some nearby rocks and made a small firepit.
The dog started to rub the sticks each other harder on the rocks until smoke was coming out. Scarecrow immediately took out a few of his hays from his right arm to help the fire grow. Placing the hays on the firepit it did helped and they had themselves some good warming light. Luckily for them, there wasn't any sign of sandstorm yet affecting the fire.
Now Scarecrow had a torch and climbed down the ladder. Courage was following him too now that there was light after he puts out the fire. Once they both reached the bottom of the pit, they have found a long underground tunnel.
'The things i do for love..' thought Courage, feeling claustrophobic through corridor was enough to make his heart pounding very fast. Finally the corridor begun to widen to a much larger area. Somebody truly was living here. They stopped and found some food and another water collector. Along with some mattresses and blankets on the floor scattered around the.. bunker? The area was already lit up by a few candles hanging on the walls.
"Yay!" The pink hound cheered believing their search came to an end after seeing all this and didn't waited any second to rush into the bunker.
"Wait Courage, stop! It could be a-" Scarecrow tried to warn the dog but it was too late.
As soon as Courage reached for the can of food sitting on a mattress, he immediately threw it away after he has seen the horror in it, dead rats. Suddenly a gate was piercing through the ceiling and sealed the tunnel they came through. Both were stunned by the gate closing sound. Now Courage was stuck in the bunker, leaving Scarecrow on the other side of the tunnel with the gate closed.
"...A TRAP!" Scarecrow shouted. He puts the torch down and tried to lift the gate back up with his bare hands but he was interrupted by Courage's loud scream.
"Courage." Shirley quote after she recognized that scream. The medium snapped her eyes open from meditation.
Courage witnessed one huge spider coming after him from the opposite way through another tunnel. This whole area was one of Katz's warcat bunkers all along.
Back on the surface outside, Bigfoot heard the scream as well as his sniffing senses confirmed that he has been here before. Katz's territory. The big monster ran fast reaching for the scream source. Shirley and Hunchback got out of the van until Computer stopped them saying:
"Oh-hoo! Wait a minute! Who's gonna look out after me?"
The medium clenched her teeth in annoyance, and told her friend to guard the van. "You, stay. And look after the stupid machine." She ran immediately after Bigfoot as she said that.
"I'm not stupid." Computer replied. Hunchback shook his head in disbelief.
Courage was preparing to engage the spider which it was twice as big than an ordinary one due to shock-wave mutation. The spider jumped towards him but the dog dodged avoiding his attack. Scarecrow was slamming the gate with his punches but it was no use, seeing Courage in danger he was determined to save the dog. He tried the crowbar and still won't budge.
Katz may have ordered his warcats not do any harm to Courage yet, but his insects beg to differ. On the other side of the tunnel from where the huge spider came, two warcats came to the scene to watch the underground brawl. They both were shocked to see Courage facing their beloved 'weapon pet' trapped as well in the bunker like in an arena. Warcats cannot do anything about it, otherwise they'll be chewed to pieces by the spider.
The insect unleashed his cobweb to trap Courage in a cocoon. This time the dog failed to dodge it, one of his limb was stuck on the web as the dog was struggling to free himself. Courage was quickly covered in a cocoon by the spider's sewing speed, then his meal was ready. This was it... Courage's screaming in terror faded away, as the cocoon was quickly covering the dog mouth very tight.
Shirley and Bigfoot finally came to Scarecrow still struggling to open the gate, while the warcats were hiding in the shadows shuddering and watching their pet about to devour the dog. Even though that would cost their very own lives by Katz. The brigade screamed their fellow friend's name "COURAGE!"
Courage while being trapped in the cocoon, after so many attempts to free himself, was about to boil his blood to a very hot temperature. The screams of fear were replaced with growls of a real dog in rage, heard from within the white cocoon as it was shaking uncontrollably.
Then it happened... Insanity took over Courage.
A pink paw with very sharp claws ripped through out the cocoon, clawing the spider's face and fangs. That knocked the spider slightly few inches away shrieking in pain. Courage's friends gasped with their eyes widen. Another paw ripped out the cocoon, and eventually Courage was now free in a very terrifying pose. Barking like a little pink killing weredog. His eyes were all red without pupils, his fur was ruffled and his teeth were very large and sharp, as the dog was on his all 4 limbs with deadly claws ready to kill everyone on sight.
"No...!" Shirley remained horrified by this transformation. Bigfoot wasted no time and helps out Scarecrow to lift up the gate with full force he ever had. The gate was starting to rise up and Bigfoot lifted all the way back up. Scarecrow entered the bunker but stops both Shirley and Bigfoot from getting closer to Courage. Bigfoot has to keep the gate risen up, cause it'll shut down back if he lets it go.
"Hold on! We might get hurt too." Scarecrow told, while Bigfoot was talking gibberish again meaning that he wants to help Courage.
The pink beast in full rage mode was biting off the spider's legs leaving the insect temporarily immobilized. Still growling in fury he jumped on the spider's head and clawed its face over and over again. Shirley took her heart out and jumps into action in the middle of the fight.
"Miss Medium!" Scarecrow called her out. Bigfoot had his jaws dropped.
"Courage!" Shirley screamed interrupting the fight.
Courage's ears perked up as he was almost finished with his opponent. He turned his head around gazing the little green medium. He jumped off the knocked out spider and was slowly approaching to Shirley, still growling and barked once.
"Eek! Easy there, boy.." The gypsy was moving back slowly. "We are your friends, remember?" She clearly was in a very delicate situation, as she was quickly thinking of something that might snap Courage out of this state. Without her magic she was an easy prey.
Both warcats along with Scarecrow and Bigfoot were watching the intense moment of what possibly could happen next. The spider was slowly waking up from all that beating and bites.
Shirley immediately thought of Courage's owners and was about to give it a try:
"Your Muriel would not want this! Neither do we! This isn't you at all, listen good!" she was pointing at herself and their friends. Courage was still approaching slowly towards Shirley in fury almost about to attack her.
Scarecrow felt the urge of saving Shirley away from ravaging Courage's sight, but in by doing so, he will be attacked first then, then he would've had no choice but to hurt his friend in the process. So he stood still on his ground. Bigfoot was keeping the gate open for their escape.
Finally Shirley couldn't believe herself she was now begging with her life showing emotions in front of the pink beast.
"Please Courage.. stay with us!... with me! The medium begged with her ears drooped.
Suddenly...
"Please stay with me Courage!" Muriel's crying voice came straight into Courage's mind after what Shirley said. Just like in his dream.
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Courage gasped and stopped his tracks, no longer growling.
Suddenly he closed his raging eyes and his paws were on top of his head again as if his brain was burning. Now he was sitting on his legs instead of all 4 limbs. His mind went out of control and begun to howl like a werewolf very loud.
On the surface, the van Computer heard that howl. "Wasn't that... Courage?" Computer recognized that voice. Hunchback was looking around in fear and quote "I- I believe so?"
Did that worked? Everyone didn't said a word after the dog's howl, since they plugged their ears from that loud howl noise. Suddenly Courage collapsed himself entirely on the floor falling face flat. Panting very fast, he returns back to his own normal self. A few seconds of silence was in the bunker, until Scarecrow quickly rushed to pick up Courage away out of here.
"I'll take Courage! Miss medium, get those water supplies! Now!" He ordered. Shirley after seeing the dog's condition, didn't spoke a word and nodded. She quickly ran to the water collector and grabbed every single bottle of water stored.
The spider now fully awake but still twitching in pain ran quickly to attack them as they went back through the tunnel they came. As soon as the spider came close enough to Bigfoot, the big monster let the gate loose on top of the spider, squishing the insect finally. Bigfoot was now following his friends back to the surface after being disgusted by his kill.
The warcats ran away too to their respective vehicles. They weren't going to let them escape.
The underground tunnel wasn't very long to get lost in the darkness and the brigade reached for the ladder. They climbed the hell out of there quickly and reached the van back on the surface. Bigfoot climbed up last and before he was entering the van, he went and picked up the huge boulder blocking the basement door and threw it down into the hatch, making it unaccessible.
The sound of ravaging vehicle engines can be heard from underground meaning the warcats were about to drive off. The entire brigade returned back to the van, with Scarecrow on the wheel. Courage was brought inside the van still unconscious with Shirley and Hunchback looking after him. Bigfoot was guarding the rear growling with frustration. Computer asked:
"Just what in the world happened down there?" He didn't get a proper answer after all, as his friends were trying now to escape with their precious lives.
"Drive! DRIVE!" Scarecrow demanded, as he hit harder the accelerate pedal and drove away from the diner.
Out of the underground sand nearby the diner, popped out two spiky and rusty vehicles armed with razor-sharp spinning blade-like rims attached to its wheels rushing towards the van in high speed driven by warcats. Another road chase begun between the courageous brigade and Katz's gang. Both vehicles tried to 'sandwich' the van by cutting off each side of the van with its rim blades. One of the warcats shouted, "Stop that van! We won't hurt that mutt!" He didn't sound very convincing.
Scarecrow of course refused, he slammed the brakes quickly for them to go ahead and let the warcats cutting themselves instead, but both vehicles avoided each other from getting their tires cut off. Now the warcats were in front of the van. One warcat car was about to be hit head-on by an incoming scrapulance driven by a wardog.
It looked like a pick-up truck with lots of scrap and resources scavenged for Mad Dog. But driving in Katz's territory? It seems that they always proclaimed themselves superiors than cats therefor they were invading areas wherever they pleased, despite the consequences.
"This is going to hurt me more than you, pal." Computer addressing to the front vehicle.
Seeing this moment, Scarecrow rammed the rear of the warcat car forcing it to get on the opposite lane, the wardog truck couldn't evade and eventually...
CRASH!
The warcat car and the wardog truck made a head-on collision, spreading all the scrap and resources gathered, all over the road. Their drivers were knocked out cold. One warcat car was driving in front of the van blocking its way. Computer quote again, "I'd say now this driving sensation is quite painful now. I know i've seen many accidents all over the internet pages before but getting to feel it for real is too much."
"Get used to it." Scarecrow told while focusing on the enemy.
Suddenly the warcat car in front of the van made a quick U-Turn and heading the opposite way past the van. Both Computer and Scarecrow remained confused by this move. Did that feline gave up the chase? As soon as the enemy car was left all the way behind out of the sight, Computer suddenly stopped the van without Scarecrow's will, screeching its tires in the process.
"I'm sorry but this is as far as i can go." The machine added.
"Why? Why did you stopped!?" Scarecrow yelled.
"First i don't like damaging myself more than i am already, and second I detect strange metallic objects underneath us, very unlikely to be just rocks. Your friend also called out the stop."
"What? Who?" Scarecrow was now confused.
Out of the rear van came out Shirley and went towards the front of the vehicle. She said, "The machine is right." when she reached to Scarecrow. The medium gently dusted off the object in front of the vehicle, it felt very metallic. Scarecrow got out of the van looking around to see if nobody comes after them, then he asks Shirley prompting, "What is that?"
The medium finished off cleaning the metal object carefully and much to their shock, it was an explosive landmine.
"We are in a minefield now..." Shirley told after looking at their death just waiting to be triggered. "I sensed the grim reaper's presence as i was looking after Courage. I told the stupid machine to stop immediately when you crashed into that vehicle with cats."
"But i didn't even heard your call." Scarecrow told while scratching his hair, confused.
"You were too focused on your target to notice me." Shirley rolled her eyes.
"That explains why that vehicle we were chasing turned around and ran away. He was dragging us into another trap." Computer told. "And again, i'm not stupid!"
"Stay put and don't move or else we all die, that includes you." Shirley told Computer, as she went back inside the van to Courage.
"Oh for the love of... Who puts a mine field in the middle of the road like this? It doesn't make sense. And how did that wardog truck even passed that minefield when we came in without blowing himself up?" Computer asked.
The only theory would be is when you get to know your enemy, you have to know their land as well. But Shirley didn't bother to explain more to the machine since she was more concerned about Courage. Bigfoot and Hunchback came to Scarecrow as he was thinking of a solution. "We have to disarm this thing."
"How?" Hunchback asked.
Scarecrow looks around the landmine and notices two colored wires connected. Red one and blue one. "It looks like it some has strange colored wires on the side of it. Maybe a bolt cutter will do, but where?"
Bigfoot turned his head back after listening to his friend, and started to talk in gibberish again pointing at the wrecked scrapulance in the distance.
"Perhaps that truck full of scrap left behind in the incident may have something useful, just like the big monster is trying to say." Computer translated for Bigfoot, the monster nodded.
"We can go... and search." Hunchback suggested.
"No, you've done far too much and you haven't even slept. Go back inside and rest. I'll go with Bigfoot." Scarecrow ordered.
"Please make it quick and get rid of this little bugger away from the road. We're feeling way too exposed out here, and don't forget to fill me up with gas when you come back. I'm almost shutting down again." Computer told. "That rusty old car better not come back here again."
They didn't replied. As soon as Bigfoot and Scarecrow were gone by foot back to the wreckage, Hunchback honestly felt a bit tired for his age, despite that he wanted to stay awake due to his fear of any possible danger incoming. But if he wanted to help his friends more, he needed all the energy he could get. So Hunchback listened to Scarecrow, he went back inside and went to sleep.
Meanwhile, Shirley's paws were laid on Courage's head. His temperature was quite warm, not very hot anymore. With her eyes closed, she tried to sense anything that could be within Courage's subconscious mind. "Love... Fear... Tragedy... Pain... Darkness... " She whispered. All of these were inside the dog's head so far. Normally Shirley doesn't read anybody else's minds, but if she wanted to locate exactly the source of Courage's rage, Shirley had to rely on her medium instincts she had recovered (if not entirely) to track down the... "Demon!" She spoke and gasped.
Shirley opened her eyes up, rising her paws off Courage's head instantly as if she has seen a nightmare. Courage was still breathing regularly. But unknown if he was able to wake up after that raging state. "This is bad." She quote silently without waking up Hunchback, while looking at Courage. "Really... bad."
In the meantime, Scarecrow and Bigfoot reached the wreckage to scavenge for loot. Much to their delight they have found extra gas cans and dog food still intact after accident. A few pieces of metal scrap to repair their damaged van, a kettle, some wooden cups and luckily... a bolt cutter, found by Bigfoot.
"Good boy." Scarecrow patted Bigfoot. The monster was now helping his friend carrying the goods back to their vehicle. The enemy drivers were still being left knocked out in the middle of the road.
Finally Courage was able to wake up hardly as he was laid down on a mattress covered in blanket. He tries to sit up but Shirley sets him back down.
"You are not going anywhere, dog." The gypsy told with her paw touching Courage's chest.
"Sh- Shirley? Ow..." Courage had yet again a headache, followed by a coughing.
"Here. Drink!" she immediately gave the dog a full bottle of water. Courage wiped his mouth of saliva, sits back up slightly then took a few water gulps.
"It is okay now. You are safe. Don't wake up Hunchback." she whispered.
Courage moved his head gazing the sight of his old man friend asleep already, then went ahead to lay back down asking, "What... happened?" Shirley of course didn't want to scare the dog again telling what she had found out earlier, the medium tries to come up with an excuse that could not stress out Courage more.
She was looking away for a moment, making Courage even more concerned. The pink dog felt really tired again after his rage mood, then he called her out from her thoughts again. "Shirley... What is it?" he spoke in a very sad pose.
"Oh, uuuh..." The medium turns around facing Courage. "You... had... a certain accident. You got knocked over by that big spider, then we rescued you." She lies only half way.
"I remember.. that insect." Courage puts a paw on his forehead. "Did someone else.. got hurt?"
"No. None of that case fortunately." Shirley told. Then she tells to herself in mind 'But a rage feasting demon stuck inside you forever is certainly unfortunate...' She closed her eyes in pain.
Scarecrow and Bigfoot returned, the big guy looked inside the van seeing Shirley talking with Courage and Hunchback sleeping. He quietly puts all the loot inside and sneaks in tip toes. Sitting next to Hunchback he tries to fall asleep again. Apparently he stays more awake when he's hungry, however he wasn't feeling like eating anything at the moment so he goes back to sleep.
Computer told Scarecrow "About time, i was about to lose my patience. Got anything to get rid of this mine?"
"Right here." He shows up the bolt cutter.
"As far as i remember landmines needs to be treated with absolutely extreme care, one wrong move and it's the end of the road for us." The machine spoke.
"Hmm, which wire... red or blue?" Scarecrow remained very nervous about to cut one of the wires. He may seemed a great mechanic but was never an expert at explosions.
"I don't know i'm not a bomb or landmine expert. Figure it out yourself, kid. And fast."
Scarecrow was starting to lose his patience already, without hesitating many times, he has chosen to cut the blue wire. Yet he did it after he closed his button eyes behind his sunglasses bracing the explosion if he failed. Luckily nothing was blown to smithereens.
"Did i... disabled it?" Scarecrow asked still nervously.
"Only one way to find out." Computer told as the machine started up the engine. It was moving quite slowly forward towards the landmine, as soon as Scarecrow got out of the way. The van tire touched the landmine and runs it over with ease. Scarecrow smiled, he lifted many weights of worries of his chest by this success.
"Well that did the trick." Computer directed the van past the disabled landmine. "And without a doubt there are more of these around."
"Maybe we can ask the medium to track them down all the way through the field." Scarecrow suggested.
"I heard that." Shirley went out of the rear van and hopped inside the cabin on the passenger seat. She stretched her arms in front with her eyes closed and called out Scarecrow to drive. "Get in."
Scarecrow hopped in as well on the wheel and started to drive again, with Shirley attempting to locate the mines in her trance.
"Ahem, fuel please." Computer reminded Scarecrow of gas.
"Oh right." Scarecrow nodded as he got out and went to pick up another gas can from the rear loot to refill.
Shirley sighed. Computer asked now the medium about Courage's condition. "Can you inform me about the dog's situation? What was that inexplicably howl about back there?"
"You do not want to know..." she told. "And what more can you do if i tell you?"
"Well, then i'd be sure not to spoil anything if it's something more important than what i already know from Courage. Either the dog howled in fear, or pain by some sort of trap. But you don't seem to trust me in a bit, as far as i recall."
"Okay. But if you tell just one thing about it in front of Courage that may upset him even more, i will not hesitate to curse you when i get my sax back." Shirley growled.
"I'm a machine, i cannot be cursed. And i know your methods from what Courage spoke to me before." Computer told.
"Will this method seems to appeal you?" The medium pulled out her mallet threatening Computer.
"You can destroy me now and you all will be left in the middle of the desert. Breaking Courage's heart even more than he is. I don't get it what's so secretive about this."
"Because..." Shirley's expression turned to sadness with her ears drooped, lowering her mallet. She knew Computer was Courage's only family member left. It was only genuine to explain the machine even though she didn't seem to trust it given his sarcastic behavior voice and attitude. She sighed and finally quote. "...Courage is the demon..."
"I beg your pardon?" dashboard Computer remained confused.
"That is all you need to know for now. I hope you keep your word on." Shirley replied with annoyance and went back to her detecting objects trance closing her eyes again.
"I really don't like the sound of that..." Computer said, making the gypsy growl in frustration reminding him to keep his mouth shut.
"Okay, okay. I won't tell him. But will the others should know?" The machine asked.
"Only when that time comes. We had enough trouble for today. We are doing this for Courage's sake and the safety of others remaining." Shirley told, as the Computer went back to idle mode.
With the van now filled with gas, it was time to go now. Every time they stopped and found more mines located by the medium, they disabled it to make the road more clear. And this will more likely drop down a control point of Katz's territory within the range of Nowhere Ruins. However Katz was more likely living somewhere far away attempting to get his paws on Mad Dog himself.
Neither Katz or Mad Dog knew their territories were about to be taken over for now. Katz's spy from that other day reporting about Big Grivus's death was knocked out in the accident while the other one who ran away, left Nowhere Ruins already.
Courage was now laid down still on the mattress inside the van as they drove, still wondering for real what happened since Shirley didn't seem to explain more in details. He whimpered in sadness again until he closed his eyes to sleep as well beside his two other allies. The wrecked diner was now sealed and the mine field was almost clear for 'public traffic'. Very soon they will reach out of Nowhere Ruins to their next location.
And the courageous brigade was about to face off an incoming sandstorm after a long time of no storms at all since the meteor strike. Thunders and lightnings were lit up in the dark sky, while huge sand clouds covered up the horizon where the van was heading now. The team didn't seem to bother it as they got used to it with this sudden weather changes, except for Courage of course.
The pink dog was now hiding completely under the blanket in fear as the van ran through the sandstorm shaking the vehicle a little bit. Random objects were thrown in the air up in the sky by the storm blowing speed. The storm lasted about few hours and the allies moved once again to their next adventure. Then again.. a demon inside Courage. Could it be a supernatural evil encounter or is it something that grew up within Courage's inner self through whole life describing the insanity of losing the ones you mostly love repeatedly? ... One way or another, truth will be revealed.
SPIDERS REALLY CHEAP BUNKER SEALED - MINEFIELD CLEARED OUT.
Katz's warcats no longer patrols this region.
[Nowhere Ruins]
1 Bunker + The minefield = 2 Points Lowered Out of 2.
(Mad Dog's Control = 1 Point - Katz's Control = 0)
...
Panting sound was been heard in the middle of the wasteland as we see an orange fox running and sweating, without stopping followed by Mad Dog's wardog gang.
"Hey, hey wait a minute guys! I don't recall someone mentioning about fox hunting season!" Cajun Fox ran faster from the incoming wardog bikers somewhere far away out of Nowhere Ruins towards a different location, but the fox didn't seem to evade the chains thrown at his legs by wardogs.
The fox tripped as he was now tied up in chains, the wardogs were now surrounding him. Cajun looking at the wild pack, he was all terrified, and waited if someone was about to make a fox stew out of him.
"P-p-please, c-c-can't we w-w-work this out?" Cajun barely tried to speak. The wardogs lifts him back up from the ground.
"Mad Dog is coming!" One of wardogs shouted.
That perked Cajun's ears up not liking the sound of that.
Suddenly the huge twisted vehicle with tank tracks driven by the wardog lord parked nearby its prey captured by his loyalists. Mad Dog looked down at Cajun as he jumps off his vehicle. Approaching slowly while breathing hot air into his metallic muzzle nose. He shouted to his barking wardogs:
"You've hunted well, boys." The wardogs were bowing down before their leader. "And here's the fox who thought he'd plunder from me." Mad Dog's eerie voice gave enough chill through the fox's spine. He smacked down Cajun's face twice with his powerful punches knocking the fox on the ground.
"We move out now!" He returns to his vehicle as the wardogs brought the unconscious Cajun back with them. Mad Dog sniffed a few times asking to himself, "Where can you be... Bunny?"
The wardogs with Mad Dog leading them left the scene towards an abandoned artillery base rebuilt afterwards. The base was located somewhere nearby M.D.'s citadel acting as a buffer zone, meaning that no one can enter the area without permission. Otherwise they'll be shot down on sight by the artillery cannon.
Cajun Fox was thrown in a butcher like room by wardogs, where Charlie The Mouse was waiting already. The fox slowly wakes up seeing the giant rat looking at him, and faints. Charlie shook his head and quote, "You've gotta be kidding me. I hate cooking foxes." He drags Cajun to a closet and locks him up for now. "Don't worry buddy. Lucky for you i prefer cheese, you'll be out of here in no time." He blinked while Cajun was groaning in pain attempting to speak: "You don't say..."
THE END of Chapter 3.
Author's Note: Merry Christmas fellow readers and writers! :) (25-Dec-2019)