The Adventures of Cuphead and Mugman!

Episode 10B: Railroad Wrath

(Start on the third isle. CUPHEAD and MUGMAN are standing together gazing at the list. All of the names are checked off except for one.)

Cuphead-Look at it, Mugman. It's beautiful, isn't it?

Mugman-But there's one left.

Cuphead-That's what makes it so beautiful! There's only one left!

Mugman-Well, we should still focus on that one.

(He reads the unchecked name.)

Mugman-"The Phantom Express." Now, Cuphead, think. Where can we find an express? More particularly one with phantoms?

(They stand in thinking positions for several seconds. A clock is ticking in the background.)

Cuphead-Wait a minute. Express! That's another word for train, isn't it?

Mugman-More or less.

Cuphead-And where do you find trains? On train tracks!

Mugman-Does this mean...

Cuphead-That's right, Mugman. We're going on the wrong side of the tracks!

(He grabs MUGMAN by the hand and runs across the isle, practically dragging MUGMAN behind him, similar to the way he did in the first episode. They stop in front of two parallel train tracks. On the other side is a cave with an arrow-shaped sign that says "Devil's Casino This Way!")

Cuphead-"Devil's Casino This Way?" Would you look at that? We're right back where we started!

Mugman-Yep...we're almost done...so what are we doing just standing here?

Cuphead-I mean, we've made it to the tracks. All we gotta do is wait for the train to pull into the station.

(All of a sudden, they hear a gravely female voice behind them.)

Curly-(voice only) Then you'll be waiting for a long time, me hearties.

(CUPHEAD and MUGMAN turn around and see CURLY, a blue-haired girl in red pirate attire, standing behind them.)

Cuphead-Oh, you.

Mugman-You know her?

Curly-You mean you don't recognize ol' Curly?

Cuphead-She's the one who gave me the directions to Cala Maria's lair.

Mugman-If you say so.

Cuphead-So what do you want?

Curly-I just want to tell you a little tale: the tale of the Phantom Express!

(Dun dun dunnnnn!)

Mugman-Well, we're kind of on a busy schedule, so-

Cuphead-We'd love to hear it!

Curly-Now, gather 'round, mateys, for the tale of the Phantom Express!

(Dun dun dunnnnnnn!)

Curly-The Phantom Express has been spoken of in folk tales and campfire songs for years, yet none believe it actually exists. The thing is...it's real!

(She points at the tracks.)

Curly-And it drives on those very tracks! A train with no driver, ferrying the souls of the doomed on their way to the afterlife except it never truly stops, and those who board are bound to the train for eternity. The Devil sought out this mystical train and made an offer to the souls who rode the rails: the train would be enchanted further, and spiteful specters would be introduced to slay the islanders, thus adding souls to the Phantom Express's cars, but if the train were ever to stop, the Devil would claim every last soul on board. The train had never stopped before, and it never would, so foolishly the ghosts and ghouls agreed to the Devil's ludicrous terms. A skeletal conductor who towered over the train, an eyeless ghost to paralyze their victims with fright, and two tall-necked demons to drag the innocent to their doom. If this didn't make the Phantom Express something to be feared, then nothing would...