Beethoven VS Cujo

Chapter 3

Beethoven suddenly bursted awake, revealing to have had another nightmare. This time about Cujo turning rabid and almost killing Brett. 

Having no time to eat breakfast or greet his friends, the St. Bernard rushed out of the house and jumped into the first passing truck, determinded to get to his brother as quickly as possible. 

Once Beethoven arrived at the Camber house, the property was completely vacant. Beethoven tried sniffing for Cujo, but couldn't pick up his brother's scent anywhere. 

"Oh, Cujo... Where are you, brother?" Beethoven thought to himself, frowning. 

Just then, Beethoven heard the sound of a car approaching and turned around to see this yellow Ford Pinto pull up into the yard. The front door opened revealing Donna Trenton, along with Tad. Apparently they had come for more car repairs but were bewildered to discover that no one was home. 

"I can't get my seatbelt off" Tad said. 

"All right. I'm coming" Donna told her son, trying to help him out. "Damn belt is stuck again. Everything in this car is broken"

Beethoven approached them when Donna and Tad soon noticed the St. Bernard. 

"Hi, Beethoven!" Tad smiled. 

Beethoven wagged his tail, coming up to the mother and son. 

"Well, it sure is nice to see a friendly face" Donna smiled, petting Beethoven on the head before looking confused and asked. "But where's your brother?"

Suddenly, this huge St. Bernard covered in blood jumped at Tad's open window, barking and snarling as he tried to get in. It was Cujo! Only it wasn't.

Tad screamed while Donna quickly pulled her son away from the danger. She tried rolling up the window without getting bit by Cujo who kept snapping at her. Beethoven quickly ran around to the other side of the car to intervene. 

"CUJO!" Beethoven forcefully pushed his brother, knocking him to the ground which took Cujo by surprise. 

"Cujo! What has gotten into you?!" Beethoven yelled, being surprised and confused at his brother's sudden violent behavior. 

But Cujo didn't respond. Knocking his brother down like he wasn't even there and came around to the other side of the car, which Donna had now closed the driver's side door. Cujo attacked the car, trying to get in while Donna attempted to calm Tad down who was now crying. 

Beethoven came at Cujo again, this time biting him on his tail to get his attention. Cujo yelped, turning around to see the other St. Bernard. 

"Cujo! It's me, Beethoven!" Beethoven tried talking to his brother. "Why are you doing this?!" 

Cujo only growled, not recognizing his own sibling. Beethoven noticed the foam coming out of Cujo's mouth, then remembering his talk with Lucky the other night, realizing...

"Oh, my Dog, you're rabid!" Beethoven's eyes widened. 

Cujo suddenly leapt towards Beethoven, but he was quick to dodge. Cujo instead jumped up onto the hood of the car and began violently scratching at the windshield while Tad continued screaming. Donna honked the horn a couple times, trying to get Cujo to leave. 

Beethoven called out to his brother, in an attempt to get his attention. "Hey, Cujo! Hey! Over here! Cujo!"

Cujo turned around and looked to see Beethoven, growling. 

"That's right! I'm right here! Come and get me!" Beethoven taunted, before taking off into the fields. 

Cujo barked aggressively, jumping off the car and chased after Beethoven. 

Beethoven hoped that he could distract Cujo long enough in order for Donna and Tad to get away. But unfortunately, the car engine wouldn't start and the mother and son were gonna have to wait it out. 

Eventually, Beethoven lost sight of Cujo and came back to the house, surprised to find the Trentons still there. 

"Oh, what are they waiting for?" Beethoven thought to himself, growing anxious. 

About another minute after, Donna tried starting the car again, turning the keys in the ignition and amazingly the engine roared to life. Beethoven sighed in relief, watching from behind the tree in front of the house, thinking it'd be smooth sailing for the Trentons now. 

Cujo soon appeared, coming out of the barn barking as he watched the Trentons start to drive away. But alas, once Donna put the car in reverse to back out of the yard, the engine went completely dead. Donna hit the dashboard in frustration, knowing that there was no escape for her and her son now. 

"Oh, no..." Beethoven sighed, realizing he wasn't coming home for dinner tonight. 

Tad looked out the window, seeing Cujo when he asked his mom. "Can he get us in here?"

Donna took a moment to reply, as her mind was racing. "...No"

"Can he eat his way in here?" Tad then asked, still looking at Cujo. "Can he?"

Donna took another moment, turning to face Cujo before replying. "No..."

Cujo stared at the Trentons trapped in their car the entire time, all the way into the sunset. 

Beethoven thought on where he could stay close enough to keep an eye on the Trentons. But also needed to find a place safe enough where Cujo couldn't get him. 

That night, Beethoven was watching the Trentons from a safe distance, having found some old barbed wire fence line on the property and placed in all along underneath the porch, barricading himself. 

Beethoven could hear the Trentons whispering to each other while Cujo was stalking them, lying down just in front of the car. His ears perked up when Donna opened the front door a crack for Tad to go pee. 

"Don't even think about it" Beethoven eyed his brother, ready to pounce if Cujo tried to attack the Trentons. 

Luckily, the telephone rang which somehow triggered Cujo, leading his attention away from the Trentons for a minute. You'd think it'd be due to the loud ringing sound. 

Beethoven ducked back underneath the porch as Cujo ran up towards the house, trying to get inside. Within seconds he broke a window right when the phone stopped ringing. 

Beethoven didn't dare move a muscle as he felt the heavy footsteps of his brother right above him. Cujo looked out towards the car before lying down on the porch and eventually going to sleep. 

Experiencing all of this made Beethoven recall one night when he was woken by Emily's screams. She believed to have seen a monster in her closet, although George and Alice assured her this...

"There's no such thing as real monsters"

Hearing those words made Beethoven think. Was Cujo really doing all of this on his own, or was it the rabies possessing him?

Beethoven could hear the Trentons in the car, talking some more when Tad told his mother...

"I want to go home"

Beethoven frowned upon hearing that, understanding the feeling well. As the St. Bernard uneasily went to sleep that night, he hoped that when he'd wake up in the morning it'll have all been just a bad dream.