Listening to the old man's grumblings, Courage was becoming more and more anxious.

"Darn thing," Eustace muttered into the hood of his truck. He straightened up and slammed the hood down with sudden alacrity, making Courage jump, and turned on his heel and stalked towards the house.

"Well?" Muriel called from Courage's side, hands on her hips. Courage edged nearer to her as the man passed. "Can you fix it, Eustace?"

"Needs a new fanbelt," he called over his shoulder. "Gotta call the store."

"Oh, dear," Muriel murmured. "I hope they can help. We'll be needin' that truck for groceries tomorrow."

Courage gave a low whine, feeling her uneasiness. When the followed Eustace back into the house, they found him slamming the phone down. "No answer," he declared, throwing himself in his chair and snatching up the paper.

"Is there no-one else?" Muriel ventured.

"No!" he snapped. "The others are miles away. I'm not payin' that high for delivery charges."

"Well, I'm sure they'll just be havin' a wee break," she said placatingly. "You try again in an hour."

Eustace grumbled to himself and flapped his paper, as if to block her out further, but didn't argue.

One hour later..

"Still no answer!" Eustace stamped his foot and slammed the phone down, before whirling around to face Courage. "You," he said. Muriel was in the kitchen making tea, unable to hear them, and Courage began to cower. "You go to the store and get me my fanbelt."

"W-what?" He looked out of the window at Nowhere, which had accommodated nothing but monsters in the past few years. He was sure his computer would know something about fanbelts and could come up with a better solution. "But, but- "

"Now, dog!" The old man began pushing him towards the door. "Just follow the road til you get to it. It's easy. If you get to the burger place, you've gone too far. Stupid dog," he added, as if Courage had already made an error. He pushed a few notes into Courage's collar, making sure the thick part of his fur hid them. "And I want the change!"

"Now, Eustace, what do you think you're doing?"

They both turned to face the stern voice, Courage's heart fluttering with relief. Eustace frowned. "Dog's gonna walk to the store and get me a fanbelt. I'm not goin' with me bad back, and don't tell me you are," he said sneeringly.

"Ooh, in this heat?" She looked at Courage worriedly. "Isn't it a bit far..?"

"No," he said impatiently. He pushed Courage out the door and slammed it in his face. He could hear them continue to argue behind it. Looking out at the track road before him, he gave a sigh and began to walk.

It was a long way. Having travelled mostly by car, Courage hadn't realised quite how isolated they really were. No wonder they were the targets of so many bad people. It was also extremely hot, and Courage was realising too late that he should have brought some water. He hoped the people at this store were nice. At least he was alone; nothing frightening lurked in the sands, and so he could assume that his owners were safe at home.

Eventually, he began to make out a building in the distance, and gave a little sigh of relief. He'd just had to pray that they had been taking a break when they didn't answer the phone, and were not closed. As he nearer the building, his feeling of relief wavered. Nearer still, the feeling faded completely as he read the sign.

Katz' Kars.

He stood in front of the building feeling as if someone had kicked him in the stomach. No. No no no. This couldn't be the place. For one thing, it looked like it sold cars only, not car parts, and two, he wasn't going in there, not on his life. He felt a little better. Then he looked up the rest of the track, heart sinking as he realised there were no other buildings in sight. Katz did tend to prefer his businesses to be as isolated as possible. It looked like Courage had another 2 hour walk ahead of him, and he was exhausted. He thumped to the ground and closed his eyes. He'd have a rest first; then decide what to do.

In the cool shade of the building, he found it easier to think. Alerting his enemy to the fact that his owners were all alone, without any quick means of an escape, would not be smart. But then again, from what Courage could see, the room was empty, had been since he arrived. He could just creep in and find a phone - he remembered the number from seeing it dialled so many times - maybe get it delivered, and then he'd just have to walk home. He could, at the very least, have a small glass of water. Maybe find a map and see how far away he actually was.

Drawn to the building by these ideas, Courage stood up and made his way to the glass doors. He paused once more, noting the No Dogs Allowedsign, but still couldn't see a soul. He pushed open the door and cautiously made his way in, looking around all the while. The place was pristine, as most of Katz' establishments were, and looked as if it definitely didn't sell car parts.

He approached the desk and began to fidget foolishly, wondering what to do. It was then that his old enemy slowly rose into sight. He must have been there all along, possibly watching Courage; he showed no surprise at seeing him. He looked down at the dog with disdain and narrowed his eyes. "No dogs allowed," he said dryly, with emphasis on the 'dogs', as if they were a vile disease.

"S-sorry," Courage said, backing up a step or two. "Um. Do you sell fanbelts?"

Katz' eyes narrowed further. "No I do not, stupid boy. This is a showroom, not a store." He sounded uncannily like Courage's computer.

"Sorry," he said again foolishly. Katz hadn't taken his eyes off him, or blinked, since the start of their conversation, and it was beginning to unnerve him. "May I use your telephone, please?"

Katz sighed impatiently. "Did you not hear what I said? No dogs allowed!"

"But, but- " he began, crestfallen. "Please!" he said pitifully.

Katz raised an eyebrow, as if considering him. "Where are your owners?"

"At home."

"And they've sent you on foot for a fanbelt? In this heat?"

He nodded.

Katz rolled his eyes at the dog, as if he were being the most unreasonable creature on Earth. "The store you need is further up this road. Simply keep going the way you were and you will find it."

Heart sinking, Courage nodded glumly. "Thank you." He just wanted to get out of there, and couldn't bring himself to ask for a glass of water, let alone a phone call.

"However," Katz called, and Courage turned back hopefully. Katz was consulting his watch. "It is now 4.30. You will not make it in time unless you run like the wind." He smiled viciously. "And I happen to know that after a quiet day, those gentlemen like to close at 4.45."

Courage stared at the cat helplessly. Every day in Nowhere was a quiet day.

The cat continued casually, examining his claws, "If only you hadn't stopped to call on me, you'd probably be there by now."

That wasn't fair. Courage opened his mouth to tell him so, but the urge died as quickly as it had brewed, defeated. It would do no good.

Katz was looking at him contemplatively. He sighed in exasperation again, and just as Courage thought he was about to kick him out, he said, "Sit down. I will get you some water and telephone your guardians."

Courage was so surprised that for a moment he didn't move. Katz meanwhile had dragged a chair from the gap in the desk and gestured at it impatiently. When Courage was seated, he opened a mini-fridge the dog hadn't noticed and produced a bottle of water and handed it to Courage, who glugged it gratefully.

Katz frowned at him from over the phone. "You shouldn't drink so fast; it's bad for you," he said in disapproval. The phone distracted him then. "Oh hello, may I speak to Mr or Mrs Bagge?"

It was only then that it occurred to Courage that he hadn't told Katz his telephone number. He sat up straighter.

"Yes, I'm calling on behalf of your pet. It seems the store he needed had closed before he got there. Yes, it is most unfortunate."

Courage could hear the old man cursing him in the background and cringed.

"Anyway," the cat continued smoothly. "I'm sure you do not wish the poor animal to walk home in the dark? Of course. You see, I am a local businessman, and I propose that the boy should stay with me tonight, and can collect his fanbelt in the morning."

Katz had been leaning across the counter and flicking his tail casually as he spoke, but now he saw the look of horror on Courage's face and smirked and winked at him.

"No, it's no trouble at all. What kind of a monster would I be if I left him here all alone. Nowhere's safe nowadays. I mean, nowhere is - never mind. Yes, he's right here now, safe and sound. Yes. Good evening." He hung up and looked at Courage. "Close your mouth before you catch a fly," he said idly.

He waited until 5 on the dot to close, carefully consulting his watch, before leading Courage to his own immaculate white car behind the showroom. Courage sat hunched in the passanger seat and hoped he wasn't visibly trembling; he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was about to be killed.

In Katz' home however, he was merely given another glass of water and left alone as Katz went to prepare a meal. Afraid of being poisoned, Courage hastily offered to help.

"Dear boy, I don't see how you can help with such unsteady hands," he tutted, observing Courage's shaky mannerisms. And so Courage didn't help, but the food was fine. He wanted to do the washing up afterwards to show his gratitude, but he was so exhausted he could barely keep his head up.

"Tired, dear boy?" Katz said. "By all means, you may go to bed. You have no obligation to stay up and entertain me." He led Courage to a room with a large double bed with sultry purple sheets. "This is my room," he declared. "I'm sure you understand; you are a stranger in my home and I wish to keep an eye on you."

Courage felt too tired to argue. Half asleep, he stumbled into Katz' bathroom before climbing onto the bed and curling up at its foot, as was his custom. Katz raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. He got into bed himself and read a book by lamplight. Courage was so tired he felt physically ill with it, and yet he couldn't sleep. It wasn't the lamplight keeping him up - it was very dim. Rather, he was still trembling from the inability to relax, because the room was quite chilly and because of the soft glow coming from the spiders' tank in the corner, that he had somehow neglected to notice when he first entered the room.

He didn't say a word, but after a while Katz threw his book aside and moved the tank to another room. "Happy?" he said to Courage sardonically.

"Thank you. Sorry," he said stupidly.

Katz got back into bed and turned out the lamp. Courage tried to settle down himself; he did feel better now that the spiders were gone, and was mostly convinced that Katz wasn't going to murder him. Mostly. But he never liked sleeping in new places, and it was still rather cold.

"Dog," a voice called from the darkness impatiently. "You are still shaking the bed. What is the matter with you?"

"Sorry," he blurted. "Um, I can sleep on the floor..?"

"Come here."

Courage sat up uncertainly. Katz was holding the sheets back for him.

"Come on."

Tentatively making his way across the bed, Courage slipped into the gap Katz had made for him. And it was warmer, he had to admit. He was just settling, but nearly leapt out of his skin when he felt Katz' fingers in his fur. He had good reason to be scared; the cat had only touched him to hurt him in the past.

"I wish you'd relax, dog," he said now, as if reading Courage's mind. "You're going to give yourself a heart attack. Surely you realise that if I was going to hurt you, I would have done it already?"

That sounded reasonable. Courage breathed a little more easily.

"Let me tell you," he continued smoothly, still stroking Courage. "The real appeal of tormenting you is the chase, the game. In this circumstance, you have more or less fallen into my lap. There is no fun in that for me, no..challenge. Do you understand?"

He did, sort of. Katz was telling him, in his shrewd way, that he wasn't going to hurt him. Or so he hoped.

"Remarkable," Katz murmured now, as if he thought Courage were asleep and was simply musing aloud. "How much you do, for so little in return."

That startled a response out of him. "What?"

"Oh, I know the woman dotes on you," he said placidly. "But what the man did, gathering us all to kill you - I do not regret my involvement, by the way, nor deny the pleasure I derived from it, as I feel both were justified - but still, my point is I believe that was cruel of him, none the less. I can't imagine what it must be like to live with him after that. Does it make you afraid?"

Courage lay stiffly, saying nothing. This was worse than being subject to Katz' physical torments.

"Though I suppose both have got to that age where neither can be held accountable for their actions. I can't help but notice that today is the fifth time I have conversed with them, and yet they have no recollection of me." He paused, as if giving Courage a chance to respond. Courage merely ignored him. Yes, this was far worse than a game of sport. As if reading his mind, the hand playing with his fur disappeared and his arm wound round Courage properly, pulling him closer, making a warm lap for him with his legs. "I don't mean to upset you," he murmured, breath warm against Courage's fur. "I'm just saying...I feel for you, and that may keep me from.." he tailed off. Then he said casually, "If I were to keep you for a month, maybe even less, do you think they would forget all about you?"

Courage sat up, finally pushed too far. "That's not true!" he spluttered. "They have all my things and they - she - she loves me!"

"OK, OK, calm down now. Hush," the cat murmured, drawing Courage back down next to him. "You mustn't take me so seriously, Courage."

It was the first time his enemy had used his name, and it made him feel quite strange. Katz' fur was incredibly soft, much more so than his own coarse hair, and the contact, despite whom it was with, was making him feel better than he had in days. If he had anything more to say, Courage didn't hear it; he was fast asleep.

He was filled with alarm when he woke up, having no idea where he was, but it came back to him before he could make a fuss. Breathing out with relief, he settled back into Katz' arms, who hadn't stirred, other than a mere flick of his tail, which he seemed to perform at regular intervals in his sleep. This is so weird, Courage thought, but he wasn't awake enough for the thought to really make ground. Despite his current position, he still trusted the cat less than ever. The curve of Katz' body and the warmth of him, the feel of his smooth, soft fur, was making Courage feel something he didn't quite understand. His heart beat harder than usual, but not from fear. He remembered the feel of Katz' fingers in his fur and blushed.

When Katz awoke, he merely released Courage and stood to go to the bathroom. Alone, Courage fingered his collar and was relieved to find each note still safely tucked away. Otherwise, he might as well stay as Eustace would actually murder him for losing his money. After a brief breakfast, Katz drove Courage to the store, waving off his thanks.

He stood looking at the car, feeling a little dazed. Katz smirked at him. "You know where I am, Courage," he said lightly, and drove away.

Courage watched the car disappear, blushing furiously under his coat and feeling angry, confused. What was that supposed to mean?

Fortunately, the store was open, and the men recognised Courage from their past work on the truck at the farm, and so knew just what he needed. They were kind and gave him a bottle of water and can of pop to walk home with.

On his way home, having to pass Katz' showroom once more, Courage noticed that there were still no customers in sight. And indeed, no Katz himself, though he was probably behind his desk again. Courage slowed as he passed the door, sign still glaring prominently and forbidding him entrance. Just like that the feeling was back, his heart beating hard along with it.

But he turned back to face the track and walked on, both disappointed and relieved when the feeling gradually went away.