"Guys you won't believe what just happened" Shaggy cried once he and Scooby had found their friends.
"Shush do you want those beasts to hear us?" Daphne asked in a harsh whisper.
"Like, sorry" Shaggy muttered all his excitement gone.
"It's alright guys you can tell us what happened but quietly" Fred said with a small smile.
"Well I'm not sure you'll believe this but we were saved" Shaggy said.
"Saved?" Velma questioned raising an eyebrow.
"We fell through some rotting floorboards or something like that but then someone pulled us up"
"Who?"
"This girl in a hood"
"Did you see her face?" Velma asked.
"No she wouldn't show us then she just took off"
"Did you see where she went?"
"No but she knew our names"
"Interesting"
"I guess Scooby and I were lucky"
"You were"
At home that night Shaggy was having trouble sleeping. When he did finally drift to sleep he had a dream that confused him even more. He was a kid chasing Scooby across a valley and there was someone else running behind him but whenever he tried to turn to see who it was a voice would call out and say
"Please don't look Shaggy I don't want you to see"
So Shaggy would keep running after Scooby. Every so often he try to see who was following him again only to be met with the same request. When Shaggy woke up the following day he sat up yawning unable to get the voice out of his head. It sounded like she was scared. What could she be scared of? Did this have to do with the girl from the mystery the day before? As these questions danced across his mind he went downstairs for breakfast with Scooby trailing behind him. The rest of the gang was already seated at the table. Fred was reading the newspaper, Daphne was drinking coffee and Velma was writing a report for the case the day before.
"Morning Shaggy" Daphne said noticing her friend.
"Morning Daphne" Shaggy said dragging himself to the kitchen for breakfast.
"You okay Shaggy?" Fred asked noticing his friend's condition.
"I just didn't sleep well last night Fred" Shaggy replied pouring Coco Pebbles into a bowl while Scooby got the milk from the fridge.
"You want to sit the mystery out today?" Fred offered.
"Even though I'm going to regret doing this no I'll just sleep in the van" Shaggy replied as he sat down at the table.
"You sure?"
"Yep"
Shaggy did fall asleep in the van using Scooby as a pillow. When Velma noticed that Shaggy had fallen asleep she tossed a spare blanket over him. As Shaggy slept he had yet another dream. This time he was sitting on a river bank with someone standing behind him.
"Why can't I see you?" Shaggy asked as he watched lily pads float downstream.
"I don't want you to see" was the response.
"Why not?"
"Please don't ask that" the girl responded laying a hand on his shoulder.
"Shaggy wake up we're here"
"Huh?" Shaggy yawned sitting up.
"Better?" Velma asked as Shaggy climbed out of the van.
"Yeah thanks"
So they went inside a rundown hotel the place of their current mystery. The monsters were a mix of vampires and ghosts. Once inside it was easy to see this place was once very grand but now it was covered in a fine layer of dust. The gang walked to the desk to gather some information. Shaggy stopped suddenly. Out of the corner of his eye he could've sworn he saw something but when he looked back nothing was there.
"Shaggy you okay?" Velma asked.
"Just thought I saw something" Shaggy replied with a shrug.
However in a room next to the stairs stood a hooded girl watching Shaggy with concern.