The Rose Effect

Chapter 24 The mysterious stranger

Cuphead ran out of the school with tears still falling down his face. He ran not caring at how many people had stared at him, he ran out running as fast as he could go, not knowing that his brother was chasing after him. The rain poured hard as Cuphead didn't stop running not caring how soaked he was as he ran. The small boy hardly noticed that he ran into the forest, but he didn't care he was far too devoured into sorrow to realize it.

The rain cold rain soaked him beyond belief blending with the tears that didn't cease. His kind was screaming dark thoughts at the small toon making him feel meaningless in the world. He hadn't stopped running until he was out of breath and stopped near a tree. Cuphead took out his razor blade and didn't hesitate to start cutting his wrists. Cuphead hissed in pain as his thoughts and feelings were gone. Yet the toon didn't stop there as he shoved two fingers into his throat and vomited. He hadn't realized that it was getting dark.

"Cuphead!" Mugman called out through the rain and howling wind.

"Cuphead! Where are you!" Mugman called getting scared for the safety of his brother.

"I saw him go into the forest." Lucy said.

Mugman turned to see where she pointed. Was the forest always there? Or had Mugman just seemingly always passed by it.

"Alright, let's go then." He said.

"I'm coming too!" Cala Maria called.

Mugman whipped his head to face the mermaid.

"I got your text!" She cried.

Mugman along with Cala and Lucy began looking for the small cup with flashlights. It was getting dark and Mugman knew that his brother was deathly afraid of the dark so they needed to find fast that and Mugman was getting worried sick for his brother.

Cuphead wiped his face clean from his tears and stood up. Oh great, looks like he's gonna need to walk home since he might have missed the bus. The small cup stood up and shivered due to the cold, luckily the rain had simmered down just a bit. It was still raining but not as hard as it once was when he was crying. Question was where exactly was he? No please, he couldn't be lost not here. Not in the forest.

Cuphead breathed in and out before grabbing his phone and and turning on the light. He couldn't be too lost. The small toon began walking, hoping that he could find his way home before it gets too dark.

Mugman and Cala Maria as well as Lucy began looking for the young cup brother. Thank goodness that the rain had calmed down but that didn't stop Mugman from feeling dread and anxious about his younger brother. Both girls knew especially Cala Maria . Mugman had explained to her that he was very protective of his brother. He even told her about a time where they were kids and he was worried that Cuphead might drown in the bathtub so he went with him and declared themselves as bath buddies.

That was when they were younger but it was an adorable story and showed that Mugman deeply cared about his brother. So who knows how he's feeling right now. Cala Maria looked back at him, catching a glimpse of him. He looked scared but determined to find Cuphead. Cala turned away and called out Cuphead's name for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Cuphead please!" Mugman's desperate voice rang out.

"Where are you?!" Mugman cried.

It must be painful now for the older brother thought the mermaid. The three co tinted to search hoping that they would find the young cup brother.

Cuphead stopped to rest against a tree again. He felt like he ran a marathon, where was he? It was getting dark but luckily is phone was keeping his mind sane. A branch snapping caught his attention and Cuphead turned his head, fear beginning to rise. It was just a deer. It must be looking for food. When the animal caught a glimpse of the toon it hurried away. Cuphead shivered he never saw a deer up close before. But now was not the time. He needed to get home, he shouldn't be too far.

Cuphead began walking a bit longer until he saw someone.

"M-Mugman?" Cuphead said walking towards the stranger thinking it was his brother.

Oh how horribly wrong he truly was.

As the young toon came closer to the stranger it was clear that it was not Mugman. It was rather an old man that appeared to be a goat. The old man wore a green trench coat and was standing in the middle of the forest back faced to the young boy. Cuphead stood still staring at him . If it weren't for the rain and now growing darkness he would have looked like a goat that was enjoying an average day in the forest.

Sadly the goat man's appearance looked creepy and a little unnerving. What was this man even doing in the forest in the first place.

"Staring is rude." Came the voice from the goat.

Cuphead jolted freaked out on how the goat knew he was there, then again his brother always sensed his presence but that was his brother and this was a complete stranger which was why it freaked him out.

"I know you're still there." The goat said.

Cuphead didn't reply.

The goat slowly turned around stared at the boy with his yellow eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. The goat seemed to tower over Cuphead covered in black fur with horns Cuphead stared at the creature and seemed to feel an uneasy presence. His body shivered and the urge to run and hide was needed. But he felt his body was unable to move.

Something was wrong.

"What's the matter child? You look like you've never seen an old man before." The goat said coming just a bit closer.

Cuphead took a step back.

"You must leave now."

"Hurry! Hurry!"

"Stay away from this man!"

So many things were screaming into his mind so much that his head was beginning to hurt.

" Is something wrong?" The toast asked tilting his head.

Cuphead tried to think clearly but he couldn't move but he needed to move and now.

"N-no." Cuphead sputtered.

The old goat man smiled.

Cuphead tried to smile back but it came off nervous and the toon back away just a bit and feared that the old goat would harm him.

"It looks like your a bit lost boy," The old man said.

Cuphead was quiet but nodded.

The goat smiled, a chill went down Cuphead's spine.

"I can show you the way out if you like." The old goat said.

Cuphead as much as anyone lost would have gladly said yes but there was something wrong, as if.....no. Cuphead couldn't trust him, this man was a complete stranger.

This man wasn't to be trusted.

"I-I'm okay....I'll j-just call m-my brother." Cuphead stuttered.

The goat simply stared at him.

"Ya don't trust me eh?" The goat said.

There was no response from the young cup.

"Then again, that's what I expect from someone like you." The old goat man said.

Cuphead was confused, what did he mean by that?