Chapter 10: A search at the team locker room
Meanwhile at the gym, Fred and Daphne were searching around for clues after further questioning Principal Spears.
"Found anything useful, Daph?" Fred asked as they looked around.
"Not really...Wait a minute." Daphne replied.
"What is it?" Fred asked.
"Look over here, right near where Scoob found the powder." Daphne says as she pointed to the floor area.
Looking down, Fred can see footprints facing the wall, as well as a few more footprints heading out.
"They're footprints!" He said. "And look where they lead to!"
"To the door connecting the gym with outside." Daphne said. "Maybe we should follow them!"
Just then, they heard running.
"Listen, do you hear running?" Fred asked as they paused.
"Yeah. They're coming from the main hallway." Daphne said. "It might be Shag and Scooby."
Sure enough, the duo soon burst through the gym doors and reached Fred and Daphne.
"What happened?" Fred asked. "What were you guys running from?"
"You two looked like you've just seen a ghost." Daphne added as Shaggy and Scooby catch their breath.
"Like, we sure did." Shaggy said. "Scoob and I had a run-in with the ghost at the chemistry lab, but we managed to lost him."
"Reah." Scooby nodded.
"Jeepers." Daphne remarked. "It sure was a good thing you guys didn't get caught."
"Yeah." Shaggy nodded. "Speaking of the chemistry lab, want to find out our test results of the powder Scoob found?"
"Oh, yes. Of course, Shag." Fred nodded. "What is the powder made of?"
"Like, it's some luminous paint that Mr. McDabble taught us to make during chemistry class." Shaggy replied.
"Jeepers!" Daphne said. "So maybe he's involved in this, or someone in our class is responsible for this."
"Right, and during our trip to the chemistry lab, I noticed that one of the cabinets used for storing the chemicals was empty." Shaggy added.
"So maybe someone took the chemicals to make the paint." Daphne suggested.
"Right." Fred nodded before pointing to the footprints he and Daphne discovered. "And while you guys were gone, Daph and I discovered footprints that led to outside from where the plaque was."
"Like, I wonder where it leads to." Shaggy remarked as he and Scooby looks at the footprints.
"Well, there's only one way to find out." Fred replied. "Let's follow them."
"Right." Shaggy, Daphne and Scooby all nodded before proceeding to follow Fred and the trail of footprints.
The trail of footprints leads the four sleuths outside the gym and into the parking lot.
"Well, the footprints end here." Fred says after seeing no more footprints ahead.
Turning to Scooby, Shaggy says, "Like, Scoob, you've got a great canine sense of smell. Use you nose and see if you can pick up the trail."
"Rokay." Scooby nodded before sniffing the area where the footprints ended. Then, he picked up a scent before carrying on.
"I think Scoob's got something." Shaggy said as he, Daphne and Fred followed the Great Dane.
The trio followed Scooby back into the school building as he continued to sniff the ground.
He then started speeding up, prompting the trio to run after him.
Before long, the gang found themselves in the school cafeteria, where Scooby was aiming for the kitchen.
Seeing that Scooby was heading for the kitchen, Shaggy quickly stepped in.
"Like, cut it out, Scooby!" He said as he pulled Scooby back. "You were supposed to be looking for the ghost's trail and traces of luminous paint."
"Rorry." Scooby grinned before laughing.
"Well, in the meantime, I was thinking about something." Daphne said.
"What is it, Daph?" Fred asked as he turned to Daphne.
"Maybe we should check out where Paul Wilkins was last seen." Daphne suggested. "That's usually the place where a ghost haunts in legends."
"Like, maybe there's some groovy clue lying around there in the school's football team dugout." Shaggy agreed.
"Reah, reah!" Scooby nodded excitedly.
"Then, what are we waiting for?" Fred asked. "Let's go."
Soon, the four arrived at the school's football stadium, where they made their way to the team dugout with Fred leading the way.
"Keep quiet and don't make a noise." Fred said to the others. "We don't want to attract the attention of the ghost."
Shaggy, Daphne and Scooby all nodded in reply before continuing on following Fred into the dugout.
Unbeknownst to any of the four, the Ghost of Paul Wilkins was hiding behind a nearby wall they had walked past.
Laughing evilly, the ghost then proceeded to follow the sleuths into the team dugout.
Inside the hallway to the team rooms, the four tipped toe their way, only to hear the footsteps made from the ghost that was following them.
Pausing, the four looked around.
Hearing no footsteps, the four carried on, and so did the ghost.
Once again, the four paused and looked around, with Shaggy and Scooby now having a feeling that they may be being followed.
Whispering to Daphne and Fred, Shaggy outlined his plan to catch the offending party.
Both of them nodded before they all carried on.
Lifting their right foots, the four then acted like they're going to step down.
The ghost followed their moves and ended up stepping his foot down, making the sound and leading the four sleuths to turn and see him.
"Haha." Shaggy laughed nervously. "We sure fooled you!"
The ghost responded by raising his arms in a menacing fashion as he growled angrily at the four.
"Let's get out of here!" Fred said, and immediately, the four took off running down the hallway as the ghost gives chase, while a section of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue starts playing in the background.
(Note: Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is the background music in an old Cartoon Network bumper that featured all of the characters racing across hotel rooms in a manner similar to a typical Scooby-Doo chase sequence. In fact, while reading the part with the chasing, picture the music playing as a character appears)
Soon, the parties involved in the chase reached a section of the hallway where there are five doors on both sides.
Immediately, the four took the first door on the left, followed by the ghost.
Then, the four raced out of the third door and raced across the hallway, while the ghost raced out of the fifth.
Then, the four sleuths split up, with Shaggy and Daphne racing out of the second door, while Fred and Scooby raced out of the first door, with the ghost racing out of the fourth.
After that, the whole scene becomes mixed up as the parties simultaneously exits a door and races across the hallway.
Eventually, the four sleuths collided with each other while running in the opposite directions.
As they regrouped, the ghost reappeared and roared at them, leading them to take off and run.
Soon, the sleuths managed to lost the ghost as they entered a large room and hid behind the wall near the door while the ghost raced by the door.
Seeing the ghost passing by the door, the group sighed in relief.
"Like, we've lost him." Shaggy said.
"That's good." Daphne nodded before looking around and added, "Where are we?"
Turning on his flashlight, Fred looked around before replying, "We're in the teams locker room, which is where Wilkins was last seen."
Nodding, Daphne turned on her flashlight and looked around before her light shined onto a sheet of paper.
"Say, what is this?" She wondered as she walked over and picked it up.
Looking at the paper, Fred remarked, "This looks like someone's science notes."
"Like, and take a look at that, gang." Shaggy added as he pointed to a certain direction.
Everyone looked towards where Shaggy was pointing at, towards a locker.
"Say, that locker door is glowing like the ghost." Fred remarked as they walked over to the locker.
"Like, I'll bet that someone must be using it as a store room to store the materials needed for the ghost costume, as well as the chemicals needed." Shaggy said.
"Well, there's only one way to find out, gang." Fred said as he tries to pick the lock open.
As they watched Fred trying to open the lock, Daphne decided to step in. "Here, let me try, Freddie."
"Like, Daph has the necessary tools and skills needed to get something done, Fred, so we can save some time." Shaggy added.
"Sure." Fred nodded before letting the redhead try. In no time was she able to pick the lock open and open the locker door.
"That's using your good old noodle, Daph." Shaggy complimented as Daphne opened the locker door.
Daphne smiled at the compliment as they looked inside.
What will the gang discover in the locker? Stay tuned, and please read and review!