The night was cold and dark. This didn't scare Shaggy any longer. He was always cold. All thanks to a mystery gone wrong. That was five years ago. Five years since the night that changed him forever.
"Shaggy vampires aren't real" Velma had said.
She'd been wrong. So very wrong. Now Shaggy sat alone on the roof of an abandoned building looking out at the city when something caught his eye. There was a girl walking down an alleyway. She was probably on her way home but she wasn't aware of the rough looking man following her. Shaggy swung himself from the roof and landed with ease on his feet. He fell into step behind the man who didn't know he was there. A few minutes later the man sped up and roughly grabbed the girl by her shoulders. Throwing her into a wall he demanded her money.
"I don't have any" the girl whispered scared.
"Liar" the man replied slapping the girl across the face.
"Leave her alone" came a voice from across the alley.
Shaggy jumped into hiding when he saw who it was.
Googie.
"What are you going to do about it?" the man replied.
"This" Googie said before launching herself into the air and kicking the man in the face as she landed.
Shaggy was surprised.
The man pushed himself at Googie who wasn't prepared. Shaggy jumped into action. He grabbed the man by his shirt and stared directly into his eyes.
"Now listen and listen good. You're going to leave here and turn yourself into the police now go"
The man left quickly.
"Shaggy?" Googie asked from behind him.
"Hello again Googie," he said turning to face her.
"What happened to you?"
"I was bitten let's just leave it at that"
"What did you do to that man?"
"Mind control"
"How long have you been like this?"
"Five years"
"Where's Scooby?"
"I don't know"
"Oh"
Googie turned from Shaggy to the girl and said.
"What were you thinking Addie?"
"I'm seventeen Googie I can handle being on my own"
"Clearly you're wrong"
"You're not my mother"
"No, but I'm your best friend"
"I know"
"Ahem," Shaggy said.
"This is Addison" Googie said turning back to Shaggy.
"Hello," Addison said.
"Why were you out here by yourself?" Shaggy asked.
"I was walking home from a friends house"
"Come on Addison Crystal's about ready to pull her hair out," Googie said.
"Great" Addison sighed.
"Do you mind if I walk with you?" Shaggy asked.
"Why?" Googie asked.
"I'm bored why do you think?"
"Fine" Googie huffed.
...
Several minutes later the group turned onto the street. They stopped in front of a four-story brick house. The door was thrown open by a very concerned girl who Shaggy recognized.
"Oh, my gosh are you girls okay?" Crystal asked rushing out with Amber following her.
"Yeah we're fine" Googie replied.
"Crystal?" Shaggy asked.
"Shaggy?"
"You two know each other?" Googie asked.
"Yeah we met a long time ago," Shaggy said.
"What happened to you?" Crystal asked.
"Long story"
"Where's everyone else?"
"I don't know"
"You're on your own?"
"Yes"
"Do you live around here?"
"I don't live anywhere"
"Well then I insist you stay with us"
"Crystal" Googie cried.
"What?"
"He's a vampire do you know what vampires do?"
"Actually I'm vegetarian" Shaggy quipped.
"Besides we have the room Googie" Crystal added.
"Fine" Googie sighed.
So they went inside. Addison went to her room leaving Googie, Crystal, and Shaggy to talk.
"It's certainly been a long time" Crystal started.
"Yes, it has" Shaggy agreed.
"You've certainly changed" Googie said.
Shaggy did look remarkably different from when she'd last seen him. His skin was cold and pale. His eyes were a deep red. His fangs were ever present. Shaggy wore dark colors so he wouldn't be seen easily at night.
"So how long have you been like this?" Crystal asked.
"Five years"
"What's it like?' Crystal asked.
"Different from what you'd expect"
"Does sunlight really burn you?"
"No"
"What about garlic"
"It just smells really bad"
"Do you ever sleep?"
"I can but I don't need to"
"Oh"
"So how come you've returned to earth?" Shaggy asked Crystal.
"I'm retired" she replied with a shrug.
"Oh"
"More like you were fired" Googie said.
Crystal just rolled her her eyes.
"Well it's late let's go to bed," Googie said.
"Come with me," Crystal said leading Shaggy upstairs.
"This will be your room," Crystal said opening the door to an empty room on the second floor.
The room was simple. There was a bed with plan blue covers in the center. A brown nightstand was pushed beside the bed. There was a small window on the wall opposite to the door.
"Thanks, Crystal"
"I'll see you in the morning I guess," Crystal said before closing the door behind her.