Chapter 7

They ran for their lives through the dust-clogged town and desert heat. Velma fought to keep up, managing to stay on Daphne's heels. She didn't know where they were going only that turning back wasn't an option.

Then someone shrieked. It sounded like Shaggy.

She rammed right into Daphne.

"Ow!"

"Watch it!"

The gang had stopped. Up ahead, Velma could see several large beings advancing on them.

"DETOUR!" Shaggy shouted as he and Scooby flew past them, heading in a new direction.

"Right behind you!" Fred called.

The girls didn't hesitate to follow.

At once, vicious growls pursued. Velma spared one glance back and immediately regretted it.

Hideous beings with giant mouths ran after them. Veiny and muscled, they were like oversized men with skin of melted, green rubber. Fangs gleamed behind their lips with yellow fish-eyes goggling at them.

Somehow, her legs found a way to move quicker.

The five of them darted down a narrow street. Death covered every stretch of sidewalk. Skeletons and rotting monsters littered her view. She had to jump over a bulky creature's corpse that swarmed with maggots. The heat worsened the stench so much she thought she'd choke.

Already, she began to feel the weight of heat slow her pace. Not even her adrenaline could combat the temperature.

To her horror, a handful of these lean, fish-eyed mutants appeared in the distance. They cut off their exit.

The gang slowed.

Daphne whipped around, finding the other monsters still gaining on them.

"This way!" Fred shouted.

Immediately, the gang followed him through a doorway inside an old warehouse. The guys slammed it shut as soon as the girls were through. Scooby barked wildly, panting harder than ever.

Daphne found an old desk and slid it against the door.

Outside, the mutants pounded on the door, the walls, and the boarded-up windows. Their roars tore at their ears while their claws slashed against the building.

The gang stood there, bent over and drenched in sweat. Velma dropped to the cool ground desperate for water.

"W-what now?" Shaggy asked. He tugged his soaking shirt, trying to get some air. His arms glistened.

Fred slid out of his scarf and goggles. "The van," he said between breaths. "We gotta get back to it."

Velma looked around at the giant facility. There was an old forklift, a few wooden boxes and plenty of dust. On the back wall, an iron ladder climbed up to who-knows-where with the rest of the doors and windows nailed shut.

Then she pulled out her GPS, slick from her sweaty hands.

"It's eleven blocks south of here," she said.

"Zoinks," said Shaggy. "Can we call an Uber?"

The door jostled as the monsters pounded on it, ravenous.

"This is all my fault," said Daphne. "If I hadn't insisted we try to help survivors we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"We took a vote, Daph," Fred said. "It's no one's fault. You were trying to do a good thing."

Velma refrained from commenting.

Scooby turned away from the gang, suddenly entranced by some distant smell. His nose bobbed up and down.

"Scoob?" said Shaggy.

He didn't respond.

"Let's think of a plan," Fred decided, drawing back their attention. "We're eleven blocks north of our ride. We don't know where the monsters are coming from only that they know we're here now."

"Because they called us," Velma couldn't help but mumble.

Daphne glared at her. "Right, because your big brain has been so helpful thus far!" she said, almost seething.

"Focus!" shouted Fred.

A mutant broke his hand through the door.

"Like, let's focus somewhere else!"

"Rover rere!" called Scooby. He'd bounded across the warehouse to the ladder. Already he began climbing.

The gang followed and found themselves in a loft-like spot overlooking the main floor. There was a door to the roof but they weren't ready to leave the coolness of the ceiling's shade. The mutants hadn't broken completely through the barricade yet, but it wouldn't hold them for long.

Shaggy slid out of his backpack and pulled out a jug of water. They passed it around and drained it in minutes.

"I only got a bottle left. We'll have to spare it."

"You think we should wait until night to run?" asked Velma, "So we escape the heat?"

"There will be more monsters then. They always multiply at dark," Fred said.

"Plus, I don't think we'll have that kind of time," said Shaggy.

A crash sounded and the metal desk flew across the floor. Instantly, furious mutants poured inside in search of their prey.

Daphne readied her rifle. "Get your weapons," she said.

Quickly, Velma tapped through the GPS. "I found the quickest way to the van."

As one of the mutants started up the ladder, fish-eyes locked onto them, Daphne picked him off with a single shot. The sound alerted the rest of them and they swarmed towards it.

"To the roof!" said Fred.

They darted outside, momentarily blinded by the sun. The air was clear from this height and the sun burned hotter than ever. Far below, the roads were nearly invisible.

"Quick! The fire escape!" Fred said.

"Then where?" asked Shaggy.

Daphne took the rear, walking backwards and keeping her rifle pointed at the door.

Scooby stopped again, suddenly distracted by another smell.

"Go straight for two blocks, then make a right at Cactus Avenue," said Velma.

"You ready, Scooby?" asked Shaggy, approaching the metal fire escape. It was hot to the touch.

"Ruh?"

"Scoob? You ok?"

The dog seemed lost.

"Hurry!" Daphne urged. The door rattled against pounding fists.

As if woken, Scooby leapt ahead. He and Shaggy took the lead with Fred close behind. His forearm accidentally brushed the railing.

"Youch!" Fred said. He turned back with new welt forming on his skin. "Whatever you do, don't touch the railing!"

Velma nodded, then descended.

The iron stair trembled under their footsteps. Velma's balance wavered between her uncoordinated feet and the shaking stairway. She wanted to catch the railing for support, but thought better of it.

"Move!" Daphne urged.

Finally reaching the lowest step, she realized it was still several feet above the sidewalk. The guys had already jumped down, one at a time. But Velma paused. Even as the mutants roared overhead, she suddenly remembered she was scared of heights.

"Uh…" she uttered, trying to find away to ease her way down.

"Come on, Velm!" Shaggy called from below.

Fred had his goggles on and rifle poised. They heard movement but saw nothing through the clouds of dust. Scooby remained alert.

Shaggy held out his arms. "Just jump, I got you!" His tone was urgent.

Still panicked, Velma hesitated.

Then Daphne shoved her. Velma flew off and crash-landed onto Shaggy. He staggered back but managed to catch her. However, the GPS flew out of her hands and smashed onto the concrete.

"Jinkies!" she cried.

Careful, Shaggy put her down, lowering her at the waist.

"Like, are you ok?" he asked.

She hardly paid him any attention as she scrambled for the fallen device. "It's broken!" she said, looking into its shattered screen.

Landing firmly on the ground, Daphne looked as apologetic as a bully with the new kid's lunch money. "Well it was either you or the machine and I chose you. You're welcome," she said earning several scowls. "What? I'm just being pragmatic."

Velma dropped the pieces. "It's just lucky for all of you I have a photographic memory."

"And if we get thrown off course? What then?" asked Shaggy.

"Well," said Daphne, looking up at the suddenly crowded rooftop. "We shoot some monsters."

"Ok, gang! So far so clear, let's move!" Fred said, motioning them forward.

Scooby started toward a different direction, his ears peeled back.

"C'mon, Scoob!" called Shaggy.

The dog didn't move at first. But as the gang started up the block, he eventually followed.

They didn't get so far as halfway to Cactus Avenue before shrieking, fish-eyed cretins emerged from hiding.

Shaggy froze, but Daphne wasn't stopping. She jumped out ahead.

"FIRE!" she shouted. Then she whipped out a grenade, bit off the plug and flung it into the street. The gang ducked as the explosion ripped up the road and several mutants.

"Forward!" Fred shouted, using the monsters' brief distraction to their advantage.

Velma barely had a chance to regain her balance before they bolted through the burning rubble. Her ears rang and her chest throbbed. But she couldn't lag behind. With her hands freed, she pulled out her pistol. The moment she heard so much as a grunt, she looked back and fired. Her last shot merely grazed a beast.

They raced down the block, Daphne and Fred leading the charge. Velma tried to pick off the followers, but she was only so coordinated.

Scooby's tongue flapped between his razor teeth as he ran. All around, the creatures closed inward, filling up the street, emerging from empty places and gaining on them.

Shaggy was fast, but he was useless with a weapon. His rifle strap flapped around his shoulder while he held the thing with its nose straight up. If he was hunting birds, Velma figured that'd be fine.

But the mutants were getting closer.

"Shaggy! On your left!" Velma warned.

A hideous thing launched after him, claws bared and mouth open.

Shaggy dodged it. Velma jumped over it. They kept running.

"You need to shoot!" Velma said, as the creature scrambled to its feet, angrier than ever.

Shaggy barely glanced back. "But they were people!"

Velma didn't want to waste her breath arguing over the ethics of shooting mutants again. She wasn't athletic enough for a debate mid-run.

Suddenly, Fred stopped.

The gang looked around wildly for the holdup.

Daphne shot off a handful of followers, including the one Shaggy avoided. It gave them a chance to catch their breath.

"What's up?" asked Shaggy, panting.

Scooby's head and tail drooped.

Fred, exhausted, pointed up at a sign. "Cactus Avenue."

Velma wanted to collapse. Her chest constricted so tightly she thought she'd suffocate. Bent over, she grabbed her trembling knees. The sweat trickling down her back felt like burning ants marching to battle.

"Sharp right," Velma said, "Left on Beetle Street."

Fred nodded. "All right, gang. Nine more blocks. We can do this."

Velma thought she'd pass out right there. But she wasn't alone in her misery. Daphne's face burned redder than her hair and she blinked back the sweat falling around her eyes. Only Shaggy seemed too distracted by his fear to notice the blistering heat. He was ready to run.

With the others in mind, she stood up and swallowed back her nausea.

Nine more blocks and then you can throw up.

Shaggy's hair nearly shot out of his head. "They're here!"

"Go! Go! Go!" Fred said.

He didn't run, but set a fast pace. Velma was beyond grateful for not sprinting, even if it left Shaggy more unsettled. He could probably bolt as far as the next county with all his frightened energy. Sorely, Velma envied him.

Beetle Street was only half a block away and they reached it quickly.

"Three blocks south!" Velma called, breathing heavily.

Without pause, they dashed across the street to the uncharted territory of a dusty alleyway crawling with the sounds of hungry creatures. The odor of rotting flesh filled this passage too.

Suddenly, Velma couldn't hold it in.

She doubled over and vomited into a storm drain. The creatures slithering inside it scattered. It came out hot and forced, leaving her breathless. Stars glittered across her sight.

Daphne and Fred's guns fired in rapid succession. Bone snapped and cretins screamed in agony. She heard the blood splatter. Smelled the stench of an overheated firearm.

Everything stank of overcooked metal.

Then, she felt water pouring over her face.

"Drink this," said Shaggy, bringing a water bottle to her lips. But the moment it got down her throat, it chucked back up. The bile scraped her throat like lava. Black spots blotted out parts of Shaggy's face.

Scooby barked more ferociously than she'd ever heard. His mouth chomped, his body shook.

The growling grew nearer.

"They're getting too close!" Daphne shouted.

A heavy body clattered to the pavement hardly a foot away. It moaned a monstrous, gargled sound.

"Come on, Velms," said Shaggy, in a reassuring tone. "We're almost there."

Her head shook. "We're not."

"Eight and a half more blocks," Fred counted.

"Just my point."

She felt Shaggy's hands try to pull her up. "We gotta move."

Her legs trembled. Weak. "Just leave me."

"Out of the question." Then he swung her over his shoulder. The sudden jolt made her vomit again.

"RUN!" cried Daphne.

Velma jostled in Shaggy's grip. It didn't help her nausea in the slightest, slapped against his sweaty body. She wanted to roll onto the ground and die.

Could death really be worse?

Head spinning, her consciousness slipping, she watched the world pass by as through a shaking camera. Slightly larger creatures with red snake-like eyes joined the hunt. Their slimy tails waved behind them, excited by the chase.

Staring into the blood red eyes of one particular beast, she picked up her pistol.

You can have me, she thought. But not them.

She fired.

Its face exploded in a mess of blood and fell back against another mutant behind it.

They eventually made it to the three-block mark. Crossroads Boulevard.

Daphne dropped against a building and quickly reloaded. Fred covered her, eyes wild.

"Slight right," Velma said in a gritty voice. She cleared her throat. "Road merges onto Red Stone Walk."

"Like thanks, SIRI," said Shaggy.

Daphne rolled her eyes.

Velma could feel Shaggy's laboring breath and the wild heat steaming off his body. He smelled terrible.

"Put me down," she said.

"Six," he said, stopping to breathe. "More."

She hooked her arm around his neck, the other one hanging off to the side with a smoking pistol in her grip.

"You're crazy," she said.

He didn't respond.

Scooby whined, starting toward the new street. Anxious to run.

And then there were hundreds of them. Screeches filled the town as hordes of mutants filled their view.

They didn't wait for Fred's command to move. The gang bounded toward Red Stone Walk as hard as they could.

Velma held Shaggy tight, shooting off her gun until it emptied out. Daphne halted for a moment, let Shaggy and Scooby run past, and then chucked another grenade behind her. The explosion shook the ground while debris scattered over them.

Fred shot down a giant gorilla-like beast that lunged into view. His bullets tore holes through its chest as it crumpled onto the dusty road.

Velma stared at its corpse as they raced by. She realized the monsters were getting bigger.

After tearing down the next five blocks, leaving behind a trail of carnage, they came across Main Street's eighty-car pile-up. She stared aghast. She didn't remember them being piled up like this. And yet the smashed vehicles acted as a barricade of sharp glass and burning hot steel.

Just beyond the wall waited the Mystery Machine.

Fred studied the road ahead, then looked back at the gang. "We can't get through. We have to go around."

Velma was slipping, and the grip that was once firm lacked. Shaggy could barely breathe. Trying to untangle herself, he all of the sudden dropped. Coughing violently, his skin burning red, he was on his knees dangerously overheated.

Scooby rushed to his side, licking up the side of his face.

Velma, even with her vision fading in and out, scrambled for the water in his pack. The nausea rolled around, but she had nothing left to puke. Pushing through, all she found in the bag were salted nuts and those damned Tasty Cakes. The water was gone.

"Twinkies?" she said, almost accusingly.

He shrugged.

For a second, Velma thought she saw a flying disc glittering in the sky. She wondered how much longer she had until she passed out now that she was hallucinating.

Then, Daphne's rifle drooped. Her green eyes scanned the horizon behind them.

"They've stopped," she said.

The gang looked and watched as hundreds of mutants ranging in size and color stood back in a wide arch around them.

"Jinkies."

"What's goin' on?" asked Fred.

Suddenly, the ground shook. A deep growl like thunder reverberated overhead. Massive stomps boomed nearer and nearer until a shadowy form appeared in the mist.

Then it stepped into view with a foot the size of a small car.

Their jaws dropped.

"Well," said Shaggy. "I guess I've seen it all."

Then the massive beast let out a deafening roar.

"GANG! MOVE!" shouted Fred.

Shaggy tried to scramble to his feet. Velma got so far as her knees before her head spun around. Then Daphne yanked her up by the arms. She grunted from the effort, but didn't slow down.

"On my back!" she hollered.

Velma obeyed, and slumped weakly against her backside.

Fred hurried to Shaggy's side.

"Quick, give me your - !" and then the massive creature swung one foot forward and kicked Fred clear across the street.

Shaggy froze.

"FRED!" Daphne screamed. Before running to him, she glared up at the monster. She slid a machete free from her side and hurried around behind the monster's feet.

"Daph?" said Velma. "What are you…?"
"Take this, Ogre!" shouted Daphne in a rage. She then swiped the blade clean through its Achilles' heel. With one slice, hot brown blood spilled out like oil. The beast didn't register the pain at first.

She ran to the other foot and sliced that one too. Then, with Velma still on her back, gored machete in one hand and rifle in the other, she found Shaggy on his feet. He and Scooby followed her until they stumbled upon an unconscious Fred lying in a heap against a smashed car.

Daphne dropped beside him and started slapping his cheeks.

"Fred? Freddy? Can you hear me?"

He was breathing. But a fresh gash on the side of his head wasn't reassuring.

The monster grumbled behind them. It would be feeling the burning pain by now. Velma cringed just thinking about it.

It tried to walk… and then began slipping on its own blood.

"Oh boy…" said Shaggy.

The beast shot out its arms to balance itself. And then gravity took over. It tipped forward, its shadow darkening around them.

"Like, timber!"

He and Daphne grabbed Fred's arms and they dragged him as fast as they could. Scooby tugged at his shirt, growling as he pulled.

Velma watched in horror as if everything now moved in slow motion.

The hideous fanged mouth, the enormous pig snout, it all rushed toward them like a chunk of broken sky. She clung to Daphne, nearly strangling her.

Daphne and Shaggy strained themselves, yanking Fred out of range.

But it came down too quickly.

"JINKIES!"

She shut her eyes.

And then it landed a hair shy of Fred's feet.

The ground rocked, dust pillared to the sky and the gang flew off in all directions. Velma shot off Daphne's back. She smacked the pavement with a clap and rolled into a car. It winded her.

It took a while, but she woke to the sound of coughing. Shaggy laid several feet away choking on dust. Scooby staid close and shook the dirt from his coat.

Resilient, Daphne crawled back to Fred. She shook his shoulder, called his name. Ripping off her goggles, she pressed her ear to his chest. Pinching his nose, she dove in to give mouth-to-mouth. After the first two breaths, he still didn't stir.

The claws of guilt snagged Velma's core. She picked up her head staring at the two hoping he wasn't dead. Then she realized it wasn't just guilt that willed him to live, but terror.

Without him, who could reign in Daphne's wrath?

Please live.

Daphne dove in a third time.

Suddenly, Fred's arms came to life. They swung around her and pulled her down. He kissed her passionately.

At first, Daphne seemed to kiss him back. But then she wriggled herself out his grasp and smacked him across the face.

"Fred Jones!" she said, face red with anger rather than heat.

He laughed, "Sorry Daph I just…"

She wiped her eyes. "You're an idiot. I thought you were dead!" Then she smacked his chest. "Get up."

He was trying to apologize, but he couldn't stop laughing. "I really am sorry. I merely thought that you wanted me to."

She was on her feet and looking murderous.

But she wasn't the only one.

The mutants closed in around them, though hesitant.

"Their leader is dead," said Velma, pushing herself up. Shaggy pulled her to her feet. With his help, she could remain on her own two feet.

Fred swallowed. "Does that mean Daphne's queen or…?"

"Like, I think it's vengeance they want," said Shaggy.

Then Scooby barked. He pointed to a narrow, winding path through the pile of cars. It was dangerous, full of razor edges and shattered glass. But it was an escape.

For the first time, Velma thought she'd witnessed a real miracle.

"Lead the way," said Fred.

The gang backed away from the emerging mutants. And then they darted into the pathway.

Shaggy helped Velma through, letting her lean on his arm. He had to walk sideways for the narrowest bits.

As they ventured deeper, what Velma first thought as a miracle slowly turned into a nightmare. She realized the unbalanced vehicles stacked up around them with their rusting parts and shattered windows could collapse at any second. They'd be crushed, stabbed and burned. Shards of blazing steel stuck out like fiery blades. One clumsy move and she'd scorch an irreparable gash on her skin.

Fred, being the largest, struggled the most just to fit through. Gritting his teeth, the shards nicked his arms and tore his shirt.

Daphne kept to the back, her final rounds ready to shoot down any followers.

But Velma was less concerned of individual followers squeezing through and more about hundreds of beasts shaking the ground… and thus upsetting the fragile balance of their pathway.

Scooby maneuvered at a steady pace, untroubled by the walls. Instead, he seemed morbidly fixated on something else.

And then she felt it. The trembling of the earth beneath. Angry roars filled the air. Daphne's gun went off.

Overhead, the highest cars rattled.

She held her breath.

In the distance, she heard the dreaded crash of glass and steel smashing into more steel. Shaggy, also registering their danger, moved quicker.

The walls wavered.

Suddenly, after one sharp turn, the exit appeared. Scooby darted out into the open and Shaggy nearly dragged Velma along. A bent car hood scraped her arm, and though it burned, she didn't care. Trembling, she too jumped out into the open.

There ahead of them sat the Mystery Machine in its shimmering glory. She marveled at its stupid, orange paint job just in awe. She wanted to cry.

Then, the shattering of hundreds of cars echoed behind them, followed by the screams of countless mutants.

Fred and Daphne jumped out just in time. A trailing, blue-scaled creature tried to follow, but all too soon the car wall crumpled from within. They crushed the mutant there, its clawed arms reaching out, desperate. Half free. And there it lingered, moaning in its slow, suffocating death.

Shaggy, only seeing the Mystery Machine, almost laughed.

"We're here! We're…!"

And in a matter of seconds, all that hope and excitement ripped away.

Suddenly, a furry creature launched out of the dust and pounced on Scooby. Scooby yelped and the two tumbled violently down the street. The gang froze in horror as this small but ferocious thing tore into Scooby's flesh with flashing, jagged teeth.

Shaggy jumped into action, hands outstretched.

"Shaggy, no!" Velma shouted too late.

The creature whipped back its head and crushed Shaggy's left wrist in its jaws. He shrieked as blood squirted from his arm.

Daphne ran in, Fred with her. She swung her rifle at the creature, but missed. The creature in turn bit her leg. Fred kicked it off, carrying her away.

It was like a dog, but worse than a dog.

Velma's face whitened with horror when its flickering headgear and familiar from struck her with recognition.

It was a Smart Dog.

Scooby squealed, barely able to fight. He was on his back and drenched in blood. His movements slowed.

Proud and gleaming, the violent Smart Dog went for his throat.

But Shaggy, enraged, grabbed its scruff. He wrenched it off of Scooby. Then he hurled him against the wall of broken cars.

The dog shrieked and fell still.

Panting, pressing his wrist against his chest, Shaggy knelt beside Scooby, cupping his head in his palm.

"Scoob, ol' pal! Scooby, talk to me, man!"

But Scooby could only whimper. His big eyes wandered up toward Shaggy's face, lost in pain. "Raggy?"

Shaking there, Velma watched helpless when a greenish mist floated over them. It didn't smell like anything, but it came in thick and blinding.

Through the obscured clouds, Velma noticed the two, short and round sniggering creatures from earlier that day. They stood watching, holding some kind of gas-blowing machine.

She could hear them laughing.

And then the fumes ripped what remained of her fight and she dropped unconscious. The last thing she remembered was another sighting of that flying disc. Only this time, it was enormous and hovering right above them.

It poured out a brilliant light and for a second she felt weightless. Then everything went black.

!