Let me tell you a story, one that you may have heard before. The tale of a reluctant werewolf cursed only to drive in a race. Of course, that isn't all of it. Not even half of it. So, gather around and let me tell you a story of a race that changed not one person's life but two.
And it begins on a perfectly sunny day in Tyler County USA.
…...
The crowd's thunderous cheers were hard to hear over the roaring of the engines. Still, he waved and smiled but never lost focus on his goal. The finish-line, the trophy, the ecstatic blonde cheerleader waiting on the sidelines. What started as a lazy summer had become a nonstop dash from one race to the next. A hobby turned time-consuming sport just to please his mother. Shaggy wasn't upset by this, not in the least. If anyone was upset right now it was Scrappy Doo the oftentimes excitable but well-meaning little nephew of his best bud, Scooby-Doo. Where Scrappy had found a megaphone baffled Shaggy but he hardly had time to think about that let alone catch his breath as the car in front of him spewed garbage.
This race was special. Some referred to it as funny car racing. Every car before and behind him was. loaded with tricks, gizmos, and gadgets to help them win.
"Okay guys time to split," Shaggy grinned.
"Gotcha," Scrappy nodded, pulling the lever that split the car in half only reforming after they'd passed the much smaller driver and his much smaller car.
One car left.
The only one between him and certain victory but there was no way to get past. The car bigger, taller and more trouble than a monster truck would surely flatten him and his trusty pit crew. Shaggy, however, had a plan. He drilled right into and drove under the track popping back out on the other side of the finish line.
"You won! You won!" Googie cheered, tossing her pom-poms to the side, rushing to present him with the trophy.
Confetti of many colors rained down on them as Shaggy lifted his arms high in victory. Life was simple, good...
And about to be turned upside down.
…...
Fog so thick it could be mistaken for nightfall hung over the large Dracula estate. On the top of a purposely made cliff with a winding narrow path the castle perched, dark gray stone blending seamlessly into the landscape. Inside the castle, past many rooms that could've been designed by Tim Burton Lord Dracula was in the middle of a very distressing meeting.
"Can't you vait until after the race?" Dracula pleaded tiredly.
"I'm very sorry, Dracula but you know what Harriet would say,"
The vampire lord hung his head, "That's it then, there can't be a race this year,"
And she was so excited too.
"But we have to have a race!" the skeleton Mr. Bone Jangles argued.
"We've been looking forward to it!" Hazel added.
There was a chorus of agreement.
"There's nothing I can do!" Dracula replied. "It's too late to test new drivers, not enough time to run an ad anyway,"
"Have you consulted the book?" Gerda, the shorter of the witches asked.
"It might have an answer!" the swamp creature nodded.
Before Dracula could respond the Grimness Book of Records was brought to him and opened. The answer stared him down. A new werewolf was about to be created, one who thought himself human and if he was in public when the transformation struck it wouldn't be pretty. So why not 'rescue' him?
"HUNCH BUNCH!"
The two monsters appeared so suddenly the group clustered around the table jumped as the two saluted.
"Don't tell me you're sending them, Dracula," Vana piped from beside him, "They're sweet but they mess up everything!"
"You're right," Dracula admitted, "I won't send them alone,"
Excusing himself he quickly went to the second floor where the family's rooms were located and knocked on the middle door. The door opened slowly, Christina stepping out to see what wanted.
"Why am I the go-to babysitter?" she asked sweeping her braid over her shoulder.
"Because you're the oldest,"
"But-"
"I'll lock the library,"
"But-"
"And the kitchen, and the music room,"
Her shoulders slumped, "Fine, I'll go get your werewolf,"
…...
Meanwhile. Shaggy, Scooby and, Scrappy had returned to an empty house. A note left on the kitchen table explained that his parents had left on a two-week-long romantic getaway and since Sugie was at summer camp Shaggy officially had the house to himself. This meant he could watch all the terrible horror movies he wanted! Which is exactly what he did after a nice shower and a change of clothes. Sitting on the couch with Scooby a jumbo bowl of popcorn between them, he kept his eyes glued to the screen until Scooby accidentally bit his fingers!
"OW!" he cried, checking for blood.
"Sorry," Scooby apologized while Scrappy brought a washcloth.
"Like, it's okay, Scooby," Shaggy reassured his life-long pal.
Not even two minutes later the great dane was spooked by the monster onscreen and spilled the popcorn everywhere.
"How many times do I have to tell you, movie Monsters are not real!"
Scooby slunk to the kitchen for more popcorn while Shaggy began the tedious task of cleaning buttery popcorn. His mother would have a fit if she knew. He was almost done with this task when Scooby came barreling back into the room whimpering about monsters in the kitchen. Figuring Scooby was just tired, Shaggy turned off the movie, cleaned up the popcorn and declared they all hit the sack for the night.
…...
Scooby fared no better the night of his date with Googie which forced Shaggy to bring the two along. He didn't miss the flash of annoyance on Googie's face when he arrived to pick her up. Still, she slid into the passenger seat, planted a kiss on his cheek and turned her eyes to the road. The trip to the drive-in was heavy with silence the kind that made skin crawl. The kind that made Shaggy uncomfortable. He would explain everything to Googie later. Surely, she would understand.
Jumbo soda in hand, Shaggy relaxed, prepared for a nice evening as the movie started. Alas, Scooby was so on edge that it scared him. Thinking quickly, Shaggy shoved some money into their paws and sent the duo to the snack bar. As soon as they were gone, Googie snuggled in close, practically begging for something Shaggy wanted no part in. He ignored her, sucking down his soda, attention elsewhere. Anywhere but Googie and her thinly veiled demands.
Meanwhile, not so far away but hidden in shadows, Christina and the Hunch Bunch spied on the two, the former cringing while the latter awaited instructions.
"Just put the top down!" she whisper-yelled.
They did so hurriedly. Celebrating when the moon finally, FINALLY transformed Shaggy.
"How do we get him home?" Brunch questioned Christina.
She didn't hear him, too concerned with the mass panic that was rapidly unfolding. She reached for her wand prepared to stop the mob in its tracks only for Crunch to stop her, shaking his head. She relaxed briefly, only to tense at the screams to catch the werewolf.
Shaggy was running for his life, Scooby right behind him. Jumping into the car he slammed the gas and peeled out of there, a line of cars following behind him, Googie's screams hurting his ears.
"LET ME GO YOU HIDEOUS MONSTER!" she demanded, "What did you do with Shaggy?"
"I'm Shaggy," he swore, desperately.
"Oh, no!"
It did not escape his notice that she was more concerned with herself and his appearance. much to his horror, she jumped from the car, running to the mob that was chasing him. She'd dumped him. Without saying it, shaggy knew it to be true. Heartbroken, his world went dark when they finally lost the mob.
…..
"IT'S ABOUT TIME!" Christina cheered when the castle came into view.
They'd hooked the car, occupants and all to the Batcopter. Concerned that someone might fall Christina and raised a protective shield around the car. The constant concentration, combined with the simpering worry of the duo she was sandwiched between was giving her a migraine.
"There's the Master awaiting our landing, " Brunch nodded.
"And he's installed the new dome door," Christina noted with a grimace of pain.
Crunch grabbed the remote control and hit the button which sent Dracula flying as the drawbridge slammed shut. Cringing, the three prepared to land only for the car to get stuck in the door.
"Release the cable,"
She face-palmed when the car landed directly on top of her already peeved Uncle. Moving the car aside, she helped him to his feet.
"Bring them to the main room!" he ordered, turning on his heel, cape billowing behind him.
This can't end well.
...
Shaggy's head felt fuzzy, stuffed with cotton. Sounds were distant one moment, earth-shattering the next. Eyes burning, Shaggy opened them only to shut them moments later, his vision, wonky, sharp then fuzzy like his hearing in reverse. Smell hit him next, the smoke from the fireplace, old leather books.
Roses?
He had to be losing it if he smelt roses.
Forcing his eyes open again he found Scooby frozen with fear, Scrappy threatening to beat someone up and monsters, monsters all around. Witches, a mummy, a dragonfly monster, a skeleton and more. At the front of it, all stood who he presumed to be Dracula.
"I bid you velcome," he said, fangs glinting in the firelight.
"I'm dreaming," Shaggy decided, clutching his head, "I have to be,"
He tried once, twice to wake himself only to realize that this was real.
"I'm Lord Dracula and I've brought you Shaggy to drive the werewolf car in the monster road race,"
"A month and a half was plenty of time to run an ad," someone snarked.
"Christina, you're excused!"
"I'm not going to," Shaggy insisted when Dracula turned back to him, "I want to go home,"
"Yeah!" Scrappy agreed.
"You'll be hunted if you leave here,"
A chill shot down Shaggy's spine.
"Now, I know you're tired, HUNCH BUNCH! Take them to the guest room!"
That's where they were now in a room atop the tallest tower. Finery covered in dust, furniture that creaked, a fireplace unlit and old. He looked to the bed, Scrappy was pulling the covers tightly around his uncle. Aside from the bed which creaked with every movement, there was a spindly-legged table, a few bo-legged chairs, and a tattered rug. What was this nightmare? When would it end? Stomach growling, Shaggy crept toward the door to the room.
"Where are you going, Shaggy?" Scrappy whispered.
"To like, find us some dinner, stay with Scooby,"
It had been hours since they were dragged to the 'guest room' which Shaggy figured was more of an oversized storage closet. They'd been forgotten, at least that's what Shaggy chose to think. Slinking through the halls, carefully avoiding anyone or anything, trying to get his senses under control he searched for the kitchen but found an argument instead.
"I did it for you, Christina!"
Shaggy peered around the corner, Dracula stood in front of a dying fire speaking to a girl around Shaggy's age. If he didn't know better, she could've been a classmate. If the hoity-toity school his mother forced him to attend allowed monsters.
"Ha," Christina scoffed, "That's what you'd like to think but I know you were jumping to conclusions!" she clapped her hands together, flaking pink nail polish visible, "Is this your teach humankind a lesson for killing my brother plot again?"
"Well, uh,"
"No," she held up a hand to stop him, "I don't want to hear it. I'm going to bake then I'm going to put your guests in a real room, don't talk to me or I'll combust and all of the town will see it,"
Dracula cringed.
"Sit here and think about what you did,"
Shaggy pressed himself to the wall as Christina came storming out, brown eyes filled with fire. He followed at a distance, she'd lead him to the kitchen.
"I know you're following me, Shaggy"
He froze mid-step.
"It's okay, I don't bite," she turned to him, "C'mon I'll get you some dinner,"
And for some reason, he trusted her.
…..
Yes, I AM attempting a rewrite of one of my favorite movies. Will it be amazing? No. Will it be good? Not likely but Lord so help me I'm going to TRY.