Chapter 5: Tire tracks on the roadway

Back inside the Mystery Machine, everyone on board continued to scream as the van fell towards the stormy ocean waters below.

During the fall, Shaggy and Scooby ended up in the front row of seats with the rest of the gang.

Just then, the Mystery Machine hit something and the falling stopped.

"Ruh?" Scooby asked as he opened an eye while they all stopped screaming.

Shaggy was next to follow suit, and as he opened his eyes, he couldn't believe their luck.

"Like, we're safe, guys!" He said. "We're still on solid ground!"

Fred and the girls all opened their eyes and looked. Sure enough, they were on a dirt road that branched out from that road, although they found that the Mystery Machine was barely inches away from the short cliff that leads straight down to the stormy waters below.

"Oh, what a relief!" Velma said as the sighed in relief.

"Talk about a break." Fred added before sticking his head out to examine the front of the van. "And the Mystery Machine's still alright."

"Great." Shaggy sighed in relief. "Norman sure wouldn't need to make a fuss about us smashing the Mystery Machine."

"Yeah." Daphne nodded. "We'd better return before that truck does."

"Shag, you drive." Fred said, having had felt a little shaken up by the scare and close call.

"Alright, man." Shaggy nodded as he, Scooby and Daphne took their seats at the front while Fred and Velma decided to sit at the back.

After buckling up, Shaggy shifted the van to reverse and skillfully backed it back onto the road, just as a familiar-sounding horn can be heard.

"Oh no." Velma remarked. "Not again!"

"Like, hang tight, gang!" Shaggy said as he adjusted the rearview mirror, shifted the van into drive and narrowed his eyes as he saw the truck fast approaching them. "We're in for a roller-coaster ride!"

"I don't like the sound of this." Fred remarked as Velma tries to comfort him. While Fred is usually the one that does the driving, during times where Shaggy does the driving, he ended up performing hang-onto-your-seat-type driving stunts. Stunts that at times can even frighten him.

Just as the truck was about to rear-end them yet again, Shaggy pressed his foot onto the gas pedal hard, causing the Mystery Machine to suddenly speed up while the surf-rock version of Misirlou can be heard playing in the background on the car radio.

As the music started playing in the background, the ghost truck started chasing the Mystery Machine down the road, with Shaggy making turns at sharp curves skillfully as if he had drag-raced before.

Everyone inside hung onto their seats as Shaggy drove on, zig-zagging through the mountain highway before reaching a tunnel.

Inside the tunnel, the Mystery Machine ended up doing a 360 spin as it drove onto the tube walls of the road tunnel while the ghost truck continued to give chase.

Noticing that the truck is catching up, Shaggy pressed down on the gas pedal further, allowing the van to speed up.

Eventually, they reached the exit, at which point Shaggy pressed the brakes while steering the steering wheel sharply, causing the Mystery Machine to end up off the highway after doing a 180 degree turn before coming to a stop.

At that moment, the ghost truck sped by and as everyone on the Mystery Machine looked on, it entered a foggy area before the flash of a lightning made it disappear.

Seeing the truck vanishing for good, the gang all sighed in relief.

Several moments later, the scene was filled with police cruisers as the gang gave the deputies and the sheriff a resume on what they had went through.

All attention was directed to Scooby, who was doing a rather humourous imitation of the ghost truck.

"Hmmm..." The sheriff remarked skeptically. "I highly doubt if that ghost truck actually exists, besides that's no excuse for speeding on the highway, kids!"

"But sheriff, we were chased by that large truck and it even almost pushed us into the ocean!" Shaggy retorted as he gestured towards the rocky coastline.

"Besides, sheriff, shouldn't you be concerned about having to replace all of those motorcycles that ended up in the ocean after your deputies got chased by that ghost truck?" Daphne added.

"Well, the department doesn't have the budget to do that." Stone replied. "Besides, those deputies should've known better when it comes to dealing with the towns tourist attractions. End of story."

With that last remark, the sheriff made his way back to the cruiser, followed by the deputies, one of whom was trying to reason with him.

"Sheriff, are you serious?" The deputy yelled. "What do you mean we should've known better when it comes to dealing with the town's tourist attraction?"

"Yeah!" The sergeant agreed. "That was no tourist attraction, sheriff. How will you explain the police department's fatalities related to this so-called 'tourist attraction'?"

As they watched the authorities leave, Velma remarked, "Here we go again about this 'tourist attraction' nonsense."

"No kidding." Shaggy agreed. "Like, I sure can't wait to turn 18 so I can vote that no-good sheriff out of office in the upcoming election."

Scooby and Daphne both nodded, but before they could say something, Fred noticed something on the roadway.

"Hey, guys." He said. "I feel something on the roadway."

"Like, what do you suppose it is, Fred?" Shaggy asked as they leaned over to him.

"You can't see it with visible light." Fred replied. "But with the ultra-violet light from Velma's phone, I should be able to see it clearer."

"Here you go, Freddie." Velma said as she passed Fred her phone, who proceeded to take a picture with it.

Once the photo was taken, he scrolled over to the saved pictures section of the phone and selected the captured photo, revealing tire tracks on the roadway.

"Jinkies, tire tracks!" Velma remarked as they saw the photo.

"And I thought ghost vehicles don't leave behind tire tracks." Daphne remarked.

"Right." Fred nodded. "These tire tracks are telling us that we're steering towards another mystery, gang."

"Like, and maybe this ghost truck should explain those missing doorknobs." Shaggy added.

"Right." Velma agreed.

It was then that Daphne's phone rang and she answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, Daphne." It was Rung on the other end. "It's me, Rung."

"Oh, hi Rung." Daphne replied and tried to smile and sound interested. "How are you?"

"I'm doing good." Rung replied. "I've just got out of work right now, and I was wondering if you'll be available tonight to meet in the Bloody Stake restaurant?"

"Why, yes I am." Daphne replied, although deep down, she wasn't quite sure. "I guess I'll meet you there then."

"Yeah." Rung nodded. "Talk to you later, my angel."

Daphne simply stared at the phone as Rung hung up on the other end before turning to her friends.

"Well, that was the date my parents set me up with, guys." She said. "He wants to meet at the Bloody Stake tonight."

"Like, the Bloody Stake?" Shaggy asked. "He sure picked a great place for your date, Daph, and from what I hear on the phone, he does sound like a nice, cool guy."

"You sure you don't mind, Shag?" Fred asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Like, why should I?" Shaggy asked. "If Daph wants to make her parents feel proud of her, leave her be. It's her choice."

"Are you and Scooby really sure you wouldn't mind, Shaggy?" Daphne asked him and Scooby.

"Like, you can find out after your date, Daph." Shaggy smiled reassuringly. "And besides, Scoob and I will always remain open to you, no matter what happens."

"Reah." Scooby agreed.

Daphne nodded understandingly and smiled.

"In the meantime, maybe we should do some research about this ghost truck that's been haunting this stretch of the highway." Velma suggested.

"Great idea, Velms." Fred agreed. Checking his watch, he added, "We should get going now, as the library is about to close in about half an hour."

And so, the gang got onto the Mystery Machine and made their way back to town.

Please read and review!