DISCLAIMER: I do not own Scooby Doo. I do own two wiener dogs; however their names are not Scooby Doo, they're Gizmo and Shadow. And while millions of children love Scooby Doo, only two children love these Dachshunds.
BLOATMAN PRESENTS:
ALL STAR SCOOBY DOO
Chapter 5 – Monday
:::::The Shagster:::::
Friday night had come and gone, and true to his word Shaggy did not join in with the group that broke in and vandalized Coolsville High that night. Shaggy knew that it was only a matter of time before Mark Dixon and his cronies caught up with him. He knew that they'd jump him and it would be bad but he was determined to stand his ground. He was no longer going to be a flunky, bowing to Mark Dixon's every whim and command. From this day forward Shaggy was his own man.
That was Sunday but now it was Monday morning, time to go to school and Shaggy was nowhere near as confident. He knew they'd be waiting for him. More than likely it would be after school. He'd have to be real careful. Shaggy decided that it would best to plan an alternate root home, even Mark Dixon and crew wasn't dumb enough to jump him at school and before school was too early for them to get up. No, it would definitely be after school.
When Shaggy made it to lunch and he had seen neither hide nor hair from Mark Dixon and crew, he thought that maybe they chickened out of coming to school but he was wrong. As he was leaving the lunch room, there waiting by his locker was Mark, Tommy and Doogie; Mark was leaning on Shaggy's locker denying him access.
"Excuse me." Shaggy said.
"Boys did you hear something?" Mark asked looking all around.
"I didn't hear anything." Doogie said.
"Me neither." Tommy chimed in.
"I heard something. It sounded like the wind" Mark said, turning to look Shaggy in the eyes, "a very cowardly wind."
"Look man, I told you . . . " Shaggy began but Mark cut him off.
"No Shaggy, I told YOU!" Mark said jabbing a finger into Shaggy's chest. "I told you that there was no backing out Friday night but hard-headed Norville Rogers doesn't know what's good for him. He thinks and can just skin out on his friends. Maybe that's because he's taken one too many of his old-man's right hooks to the head or maybe it's just because he's chicken."
"Yea you coward!" Tommy added.
Shaggy knew that he was going to be taking a beaten so he figured he had nothing to lose. "What do you want me to say man? I'm not sorry I didn't show. Well I'm not sorry. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing."
"Shaggy don't be stupid." Doogie warned.
"I don't know when you grew a back bone, but it's going to get you in a lot of trouble." Mark said, punching his fist into his palm.
"Oh man did you screw up." Tommy said, smiling from ear to ear.
"Whatever, just move so I can my stuff out of my locker." Shaggy said trying to squeeze past him.
"No." Mark said. "You can go to class without it."
"What?" Shaggy asked in disbelief.
"You heard him chump. Take a walk." Tommy said.
"Fine, whatever." Shaggy said turning to walk away. Tommy kicked him hard in the seat of his pants.
"Later, Shaggy." Mark said with a smile watching Shaggy walk away ashamed.
:::::FREDDY'S FLYERS:::::
Freddy was sure this new batch of flyers would bring in a larger crowd. He'd spent the weekend talking to Velma on and off over the phone. She had completely redone the flyers and Freddy had to admit, hers were way better. He couldn't believe how well he and Velma got along. She was smart; really, really smart. And she was really funny too once you got her to open up. He decided that she'd be his second in charge, once the Coolsville High Paranormal Club took off.
With their second meeting Tuesday after school, Velma had reluctantly agreed to help Freddy pass out flyers Monday after school. Freddy knew this was taken Velma way out of her comfort zone but he hoped that getting her to open up would get her to feel more comfortable in her own skin and allow her to overcome her shyness.
School dismissed for the day at 2:20. Freddy and Velma had made their way directly to the main exit of the building. Line up on opposing doors, they perched themselves to pass out the new and improved flyers. Freddy kept a close eye on Velma. At first she was very quiet and reserved, more just kind of standing there waiting for someone to ask for a flyer but as time went on she began feeling more comfortable. Following Freddy's lead, she began calling out to the students that were leaving for the day, "Come join Coolsville High's newest club, the Paranormal Mystery Club." And "if you believe in ghosts, this is the place for you and if you don't believe in ghosts this is the place for you too!" Freddy just smiled on as he watched her.
By 2:30 most of the students were gone, but Velma had made the commitment to stay until 3:00 to catch anyone staying after for one the other clubs or extracurricular activities and sports. At 2:45 the Fashionista Club dismissed. Led by Lisa Penali, the group exiting was made up of the cliché catty-cliquey-ditsy teen girls that Velma always tried to avoid; among them was Daphne Blake.
From down the hall Daphne could see Velma and Fred Jones. They appeared to passing out some little pamphlet of paper. Well look at you Velma! Daphne thought. Maybe there some small chance for Velma "Jones". Daphne mused, remembering back to when they were children and friends, and Velma would spend hours gushing about Fred Jones and how she'd one day be Mrs. Fred Jones.
Then Daphne realized that Lisa was making a beeline straight for Velma and knew that this meant trouble. Daphne tried to distract her, "Hey Lisa look there's Fred Jones." She said pointing in Freddy's direction but Lisa paid her no attention. Her focus was solely locked on Velma.
"Well what do we have here Dinky?" Lisa asked very obnoxiously, looking back to her troop of girls, all of who giggled except for Daphne as she snatched one of the flyers out of Velma's hand.
Don't back down Velma. Freddy thought to himself as he watched from across the hall.
"It's Dinkley, as you know. It's a flyer for the Coolsville new Paranormal Mystery Club." Velma replied. That-a-girl! Freddy thought.
"Dinkey, Dinkley either way it's still a horrible last name." Lisa said rolling her eyes.
"Lisa!" Daphne said through gritted teeth but Lisa paid her no never mind.
"Our next meeting is tomorrow. You should come." Fred said trying to distract her attention away from Velma. "Heck you're all welcome to come. It starts at 2:25, right after school." A few of the other girls walked over to Fred and started taking flyers.
"Maybe I will." Lisa said to Freddy. Then she turned to Velma and mouthed the words "As if." Velma just stared back at her, waiting for her to leave.
"Can we go?" Daphne asked, nudging Lisa to leave.
"Sure." Lisa said staring back at Velma with a contemptuous look on her face. She placed the flyer that she had snatched from Velma back on top of the thick pile that Velma was still holding. Then very quickly Lisa pushed down hard, knocking all the flyers from Velma's grip, scattering them across the floor. "Let's go girls" Lisa announced as pushed the door open to the outside. The sudden rush of wind blew the flyers halfway down the hallway.
Velma stood frozen with anger, embarrassment and fear. Daphne yelled. " Lisa! Pick those up!" Coming to Velma's defense.
"Yea okay." Lisa's words laced with sarcasm as pulled her RayBan sunglasses from her Gucci bag and slid them on.
"I'm serious." Daphne said, pointing to the floor and the papers scattered about.
"Look Daphne, if you want to go slumming, that's fine by me. You can stay here help the dork. But I ain't." Lisa asserted. "Daphne when you get done menstruating or whatever causing you to side with her instead of me, then give me a call. Or don't. I really don't care." Velma still remained silent.
"Come on girls, let's go!" She ordered and quickly all the other Fashionistas except Daphne filled out the door, some in silence, some with a giggle or two and a dirty look as they went. Daphne knelt and began picking up the scattered flyers and Fred joined her.
"Velma, you really got to stand up for yourself." Daphne said, still very frustrated with Lisa.
"No Velma you did fine. Lisa is evil. Everyone knows it." Fred said in Velma's defense. Finally Velma snapped out of it and joined them in collecting the flyers.
"Thanks Freddy." Velma added.
"He's right Velma. You did fine." Daphne said changing her tune. "I'm really sorry that Lisa treated you like that."
"Why are you friends with her?" Velma asked.
"I . . . I don't know really." Daphne answered. "I guess it's what my mother would have wanted." Fred just listened to their conversation and remained silent. He could tell that there was a story here that he knew nothing about.
Velma wasn't sure if it was because she was already feeling so vulnerable after her altercation with or if it was something that she had wanted to say for a long time and just didn't have the courage, but she blurted out, "I've missed you."
Daphne relaxed back onto her knee's, looking into Velma's eyes. "Oh Velma, I've missed you too!" Then Daphne sat down her paper stack and crawled across the floor to Velma on her knees and gave her a long hug that Velma returned intensely. Even Freddy could feel his eyes tearing up as he watched the two.
When they finally released from their embrace, in unison they both said, "I'm sorry." Daphne giggled and Velma snorted pushing her glasses back up onto her nose.
"How about we just forget anything that we may be sorry about and pick up right where we left off?" Daphne proposed.
"I'd like that." Velma said.
After a brief moment, they both realized that Freddy had collected almost all the papers. They both apologized and began scrambling to help him.
"So I guess this means that you'll be coming to our meeting tomorrow?" Fred threw out there.
"Um sure, if Velma wants me to." Daphne said.
"I'd love it" answered Velma.
"Cool. Well it sounds like y'all have some catching up to do, so you can go ahead and take off. I think I can handle all these people." Fred said point around the deserted hallway.
"No. I told you that I'd stay until three o'clock and I always keep my word." Velma said.
"Okay but you don't have to." Fred said.
"I could stay too if that's okay with you." Daphne said to Velma.
"I'd love it." Velma answered again.
:::::2:57 PM:::::
At 2:57 Shaggy was the last student coming to exit the building. He'd been hiding in the second floor boys bathroom since school let out, hoping to throw Mark and crew off his trail. Shaggy had decided that as soon as he left school, he'd walk in the opposite direction and then circle back. His daily walk home was already a really long one, about two miles. The loop that he'd plotted today would at minimum double that.
As Shaggy approached the school's exit he saw three students hovering around the front door. He recognized them for seeing them around school but knew none of their names. One, the blonde haired guy, Shaggy had just spoke to briefly a few weeks back in Principle Skimmers office.
All three were watching him as he approached; Shaggy could tell that they wanted to talk to him so he broke the silence first, "Hey snazzy ascot guy, what happened to that groovy neck accessory you were wearing?" Shaggy asked, referencing back to their prior conversation.
Freddy smiled, "Yea, I rarely wear that." He could feel his cheeks turn pink slightly. "You're Norville Rogers right?" Freddy asked him.
"Technically yes, but no one calls me that. Everyone calls me Shaggy."
"I like the name Shaggy. It sounds fun." Velma added.
"Well Shaggy, I'm Fred…um Freddy Jones; this is Velma Dinkley and Daphne Blake. We're starting the Coolsville High Paranormal Mystery Club and we'd like for you to join." Fred said handing Shaggy a flyer.
"Paranormal Mystery Club? I dunno know man. It sounds like you guys are going to be into some pretty spooky stuff. I'm not sure that's my bag." Shaggy said trying to hand the flyer bag to Freddy, who didn't take it.
"I promise it's going to be a good time. Our next meeting is tomorrow right after school. Why don't you come check it out before passing judgment on it?" Freddy asked.
"Like I'm not sure. . . Is there going to be snacks and refreshments?" Shaggy asked. He was always down for food.
"Um sure there can be." Freddy said.
"Yea, we can bring something." Velma added.
"I still dunno. I'll think it over and maybe I'll come out tomorrow." Shaggy said folding up the flyer and stuffing it in his pocket.
"Cool. Well we hope to see you there." Freddy said, clearing the way to let Shaggy pass.
"Later." Shaggy said as he exited the building.
Shaggy hadn't made it two steps when he heard a familiar voice to his right. "Yo, Shaggy, where you going?" It was Doogie. He'd been standing to the right of the entrance just out of sight.
Shaggy's heart sank. He'd barely made it out the door and already been caught. "Like man, leave me alone." He told Doogie.
"Oh but we can't do that" came the voice of Mark Dixon, from Shaggy's left. "There are consequences and repercussions for ones actions."
Shaggy turned to run but saw Tommy coming straight at him. He'd been hiding between the parked school buses. Shaggy was trapped and he knew it. "So y'all just going to jump me right here, on school grounds?"
"Nope, we're going to take a walk." Mark said as Doogie grabbed by the arm and began leading towards the street. I think the church parking lot across the street will do just fine."
"You should've listened Shaggy but I'm so glad that you didn't." Tommy told him.
:::::3:00 HIGH:::::
Well it's three o'clock and I'm pretty sure that everyone is gone except for us." Freddy said, stuffing the undistributed flyers into his back pack.
"Yea, I hope that we get a decent turn out tomorrow." Velma said.
"I'll call you tonight to go over the last minute details." Freddy said to Velma.
You go Velma! Daphne thought but she kept it to herself.
"Cool and I'll bake some cookies for tomorrow." Velma added.
"Awesome." Freddy said.
As they opened the doors to leave the school, Freddy yelled "HEY STOP THAT!" and took off running. It took Velma a second to see what was going on. Across the street from the school, there were three boys, beating up that guy Shaggy, who they'd just met. The two biggest guys were holding him still while the littlest guy was punching him in the face over and over.
"LET HIM GO!" Velma yelled as she began to run after Freddy. Daphne followed her, screaming for them to stop also.
When Freddy got across the street he dropped his back to the ground, stopping just feet away from Shaggy's attackers. "Let him go now!" Freddy commanded.
"What'cha gonna do jock, tell your Daddy?" The littlest one asked, taking a small break from punching Shaggy.
"Yea man, this ain't none of your business. Just go on home." Mark said to Freddy, still holding Shaggy's arm. Doogie remained silent.
"I'm making it my business" Freddy said as the girls caught up to him. "Let him go, now. I won't say it again." Freddy demanded, never taking his eyes off of Mark. He'd seen these three around and knew they were nothing but trouble but that didn't scare Freddy. Even at three on one Freddy was confident that he could handle all three.
"Screw you" said Tommy.
Lightning quick, Freddy lashed out, punching Doogie the biggest of the three (the only one bigger than himself) square in the face. Doogie never had time to react. There was a sickening crunching sound as Freddy's fist mashed Doogie's nose. Doogie fell like a tree falling in the forest, landing flat-backed on the concrete behind. A massive amount of blood gushed from his nose, instantly covering his mouth and drenching the collar of his shirt.
Tommy leaped at Freddy, throwing a right hook, which Freddy easily evaded as he grabbed Tommy, scooping him up in a fireman's carry and slammed him on the ground like he's was no more than a bag of flower. Daphne and Velma watched on in disbelief.
Freddy then stepped over Tommy, who was gasping for air, looked at Mark and said. "I told you that I wouldn't ask again!" Mark was frozen for a second. Then he took off running in the opposite direction, letting go of Shaggy who crumpled to the ground face first. Freddy dropped to his knees catching Shaggy's face before it collided with the pavement. Slowly he turned him over and gently laid him on the ground. Mark's cronies collected their defeated selves enough to take off running in the same direction that Mark had gone. The girls quickly joined Freddy on the ground kneeling around Shaggy.
"He needs medical attention. I'll get an ambulance." Daphne said.
"No don't." Shaggy said.
"You're hurt really bad man." Fred said.
"I've been worse." Shaggy with a bloody grin. "We have no insurance and no money to pay for an ER trip. Just give me a moment and I'll walk home. I promise I'll be okay." He explained.
"I'll walk you home." Velma said reaching for his hand.
"We all will." Freddy told him.
"Thank you guys but I'll be okay . . ." Shaggy started but Daphne cut him off.
"No we insist."
As Shaggy laid there waiting for the stars to disappear from his vision, he wasn't sure what was worse, the beating he just took or knowing that now these three rich kids were going to see the dilapidated shack of a trailer where he lived. He just hoped that his Dad wasn't tanked or home when they got there.
BLOATMAN'S CORNER: Thank you guys and gals sooooooo much for reading and leaving all the wonderful reviews for this story. I really like the way it is turning out. I've had a lot going on at work which is why there was a delay in update. Sorry about that. I'll try to get the next post up quicker!