Ch. 2

Courage the chef

The kitchen turned very busy as Courage had two mouths to feed.

"I want soup, you stupid dog!"

"I want macaroni and cheese!"

It was quite difficult to gather all of the resources. Courage stepped outside while the two children made bratty demands.

"I want a truck!"

"I want a pony!"

"I want a really big truck!"

"I want a really small pony!"

"I want a really really really big TV!"

"I WANT A CARAMEL SQUARE!"

Courage looked around to find where all the cooking supplies went. He became discouraged as he thought of how far they must have been blown, how difficult and impossible it would be. It was certainly not like a benefit would just come, falling from the sky.

Yet, a benefit DID fall from the sky. Cooking equipment began to bump onto Courage's cranium. A wooden spoon, a whisk, a frying pan, a pot, a steel net, silverware, a cheese grater, a noodle crank machine, a bag of flour, a pail, a can of salt, a can of soup broth, and a cookbook. Courage simply cackled in laughter, as his head had taken enough damage. But there was one more thing. The refrigerator fell down and flattened him.

Pots boiled on the stove, noodles were being hastily produced, and poor Courage had all of the trouble on his shoulders. One pot boiled macaroni, the other boiled soup. He put in everything he could, and served the dishes.

Eustace tried his soup first, and rudely slurped.

"More salt!"

Muriel ate a spoonful.

"Less cheese!"

Courage obeyed and added more salt and lessened the cheese.

Eustace slurped. He was surprised and grabbed his neck tightly, as if something was burning inside.

"More soup!"

Muriel ate another spoonful.

"More macaroni!"

And so, Courage obeyed yet again. He put in more soup and put in more macaroni..

Eustace slurped. He gave a look of dissatisfaction.

"You know what? I hate soup!"

Muriel chewed. She gave a look of dissatisfaction.

"You know what? I hate macaroni and cheese!"

They both simultaneously threw their hot food at Courage. He was covered in macaroni soup.

Muriel suddenly yawned.

"I wanna go to bed!"

Courage took her to the bedroom. He tucked her in bed and covered her with the sheets.

"I can't go to sleep! I wanna bedtime story!"

Courage took out a book as thick as the mattress and began to read out loud. His voice came out in a series of grunts, "Err" , and "Ou". He stopped reading as Muriel fell asleep. He walks over to the door. Muriel woke up.

"Hey! I wanna bedtime story! FINISH BEDTIME STORY!!!"

Courage was quite weary, but obeyed her. He read on and on, but she was asleep again. He walked to the door to get out. But Muriel woke up again.

"I wanna bedtime story! FINISH THE BEDTIME STORY!!!"

Courage read again. This time, it was from the moon to the morning sun. His eyes became red and sleepy, and his nose and lips drooped. He was finally finished with the book, pronouncing with broken words, mumbling, and sheer sleepiness. Courage walks to the door. Muriel wakes up again.

"I wanna bedtime story! FINISH THE BEDTIME STORIIIIIIE!!!"

Courage shook his head, walked out, and slammed the door. Muriel cried with despair.

He suddenly had a great idea.