Hello everyone.
Been awhile! As you know, it's been a little over a year since I dropped the first chapter, and I still am floored with the response and love. I have people messaging me for chapter 2 even to this day, and I'm so sorry it took this long.
This started as a series rewrite following the first episode of the show. The coming chapters will now be going their own direction. So expect a unique Scooby-Doo story, I plan on following some original guidelines laid out in the show still.
Thank you to everyone who's reached out to me! My writing style has changed somewhat. I might re-write the first chapter at some point, but for now it remains what it was. I hope you enjoy Chapter two and many more to come.
-Eros Flintlock
Chapter 2: No brains for damesLike water, blood flowed in rivers down the stone. Filling in the gaps that had been whittled into the textured monolith. She couldn't make out the face of the person who was hanging off it like a cross. Their shouts of agony falling upon the deafening winds that howled in indignation. Velma stood motionless, petrified, as she watched the ruins before her eyes glow in green light as the crimson blood of the damned above filled the enigmatic lines.
"What does this mean?" She yelled out to the person that hung above her. Simply screaming, their face a blur against the blood-red skies above. Under Velma's feet was movement that sent a skyrocket of terror over her chest. Looking down and realizing.
I'm standing on headless corpses
Fred paced.
He paced back and forth in front of the police station with hands in his pockets and his eyes trained to the floor. His blinder was chafing today, but the discomfort was almost welcoming as it kept his mind busy from what he learned only minutes ago. Another body had been found, and now, Velma's family was starting to be looked at as subjects in this investigation.
Sending a few more messages to his new friend, hoping she'd wake up and see them. What if she didn't? It would be fine though, right? After all, it's not like Velma did anything. Fred nodded to himself, yeah. Velma would be fine! But what if she wouldn't be? Maybe it's not her that's hurting anyone but someone in her family? A close relative. A father. Her father! Did she have a father? He knew she didn't have a mother due to his snooping of her file earlier, but what if her father was some secret, dastardly killer? 'I need to protect her, that's what my dad would do! That's-'
"Dude, what's wrong with you?"
Fred paused in his manic pacing, glancing up at his brother, who had hopped down the steps. His police uniform looked neatly pressed, not a wrinkle in sight.
"What?" Fred said, "Nothing's wrong with me, David."
"You're pacing with a crazed look in your eyes," David pointed out, a sneer collected on the officer's face.
"Someone mad about your silly traps, Winifred?"
A shot of annoyance bathed over Fred, "I wasn't being crazy, just…" He stopped, Fred didn't recall acting in any weird manner but he always seemed to be estranged from his family. All except his mother, who doted on him whenever he needed.
"Just what?" David said this with a mocking tone to his voice, "Little Wini all worked up over going to school? Afraid her girlfriend is going to figure out she's dating a female?"
Fred stared at his brother with a blank look on his face, Fred hadn't been worried about that today. It was on his list of things to overthink later, but currently his mind remained on Velma and the dead body uncovered in her trash can.
"Are you going to take me to school or not?" Fred asked, knowing that correcting David wouldn't get him anywhere.
"Keep your hair on," David said with a scoff, pulling his keys out, the pair made for the police cruiser. As the two drove down the street, Fred couldn't keep the itch down, "Do they think Velma did it?" He blurted out.
David glanced at his brother through his dark sunglasses with a grimace, "That she killed the bitch? No way. Maybe her dad did it. Who knows."
"Well, I was thinking, how did someone get that body into the trash can? You were on watch that night, did you see anything?"
Davis let out a small chuckle at the other's question, "Been watching Sherlock Holmes again?" He asked, "We don't know. I didn't see anyone, myself. I was sitting there the whole night."
"You would have seen them then." Fred mused, racing his fingers through his hair in an act of self soothing.
"Don't go telling your friend about anything, alright?" David said, "You don't want to freak her out."
"What if it is her dad? He could kill her or-"
"Cool it, Watson. We don't know anything, so don't say anything, capeesh?"
Freddy opened his jaw to speak before shutting it again. David was right, if he ran to Velma with this theory, there was a possibility that it could scare her. Yet, Fred didn't think Velma was the cowardly type.
"Shaggy!"
Norville blinked in surprise as he stared into his messy locker, was someone talking to him? He closed the door with a clang, and there stood Fred. He seemed to be vibrating with excitement over something that Norville couldn't place.
"Hey, Shaggy, I got this perfect idea." Fred started, Norville looked at the other, completely stumped. He hardly knew Fred, yet the teen seemed to be talking to him like he was a long time friend.
"Like, is the good idea food related?" Norville asked with a grin, leaning against the metal.
"It can be," Fred mused, "I was thinking, my brother is one of the cops running this investigation-"
Norvilles heart dropped into his stomach, he didn't hear all of what Fred said after. Norville's brain started to grow fuzzy with cotton.
"Hey, wait, where's Velma?"
Blinking back into reality at the question, he placed a hand on his head as if to stop the aching headache that was forming behind his eye. The thought of those bodies still colored his every waking moment.
"Like, Fred man, I don't really want to help with whatever plan you have cooking in that noggin of yours. Velma's taking a sick day," He said with a dry chuckle, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small bag of gummies. His hands started to shake as he attempted to open the bag, cursing with how sweaty his palms had become in those few short heartbeats.
"Come on, Shaggy," Fred said, grabbing the bag from the other and ripping it open. "You can come over tonight and we can DoorDash some Greek? I'll pay! I'm getting my new binder, it's got a groovy style on the front!"
Norville perked up at the mention of Greek food, the idea of some hummus in these dark times brought a sense of comfort to him that even the weed didn't provide. Taking the bag back, he dropped one of the small candies into his mouth.
"Look, man, Shaggy is some super radical rapper. I'm just… Norville." Norie felt a sense of sadness flicker in his chest. "All I can do is eat and get in the way."
Frowning, Fred looked down, seeming thoughtful. "Well," Fred grinned back up at Norville. "I think you're pretty great." Stunned, Norville couldn't stop himself from saying, "Why?" Disbelief clouded his words. The bell rang. Fred gasped and turned to make his way down the hall. "We'll talk about it at lunch! See you later, Shaggy!"
Unable to make heads or tails of what happened, the teen went to class. He sent Velma a text about Fred but assumed she'd be ignoring everyone for the day. Not that he blamed her exactly, if his mom hadn't insisted Norville would have stayed home as well. The drugs in his system helped him relax, taking the headache away, and made things feel more comical. Fred? His friend? He hardly believed he deserved Velma's friendship. Why would a pretty boy jock want anything to do with him?
The first few periods pass by so quickly it gave him whiplash. Norville now found himself with an entire plate of food sitting alone in the lunchroom. Missing his only friend, Norville wondered if Fred was really going to show up? Raking his gaze over the room until they settled on a blonde only a few tables away. Settled with a group of the jocks. Norville attempted to swallow the small bit of hurt with a few bites of burger. He shouldn't have let himself get excited about such a stupid thing.
"Hey Shaggy!"
Norville looked up to see Fred walking towards him with a tray of food, waving a hand. Norville returned the gesture in slight disbelief, watching as Fred walked right past Daphne without even giving her a glance.
"H-Hey Freddy?" Norville said as the other took a seat across from him.
"So I was thinking, when you come over tonight, we should invite Velma. I was going to leave her out of it, but-"
"Hey guys," Daphne said, sitting down beside Fred, who squirmed in his seat.
"You're hanging out? Maybe I can join you," She was talking as though her voice was coated in honey, but in reality it sounded like she was trying to do an impress of am old mobsters' wife.
"Oh, I don't know," Fred said quickly, "S-Shaggy here said he didn't like hanging out with people he doesn't know."
Norville took a few seconds to gather what Fred was trying to say, "O-Oh well, yeah, I uh- there wouldn't be enough food." Norville said quickly.
"Oh come on, Shaggy loves hanging out with me," Daphne said. Norville wanted to point out that his name wasn't shaggy but part of him like it. The rapper was his biggest hero and silently, Norville wanted to be just like him.
"Plus, I just got an idea for a new trap! Like, Jeepers, everyone's going to love it!" Daphne added quickly.
The blonde looked torn, glancing between the pair. Norville wanted Daphne to come with them, despite his dislike for her, it would be a good buffer between him and Fred if Velma decided not to show up.
"Alright, you can come." Fred sighed, "But I get to show you guys my new trap." He hopped up and down in his seat, "I think Rube Goldberg would turn in his grave at this one."
"Isn't that a negative term?" Daphne asked, leaning on her elbows.
"What? No way, If someone rolled in their grave, that'd be groovy!"
The phone in Norville's hand buzzed, he glanced down at the message and felt a rush of horror burn into his guts.
'Dames don't use their brains, it's symbolic.' The opening line to the article said. He scrolled down to the text, petrified as he continued to read.
"Hey guys," He said, causing the pair to pause in their playful banter.
"Apparently What happening here, almost fifty years ago, today. Exactly today."
Just two more minutes.
Daphne stared at the clock with her green nails drumming against the wood below them. She had wormed her way into the group…study session? Who knows, Daphne sure didn't.
"Make sure to finish the science sheet before you come back on Monday," The teacher said, her smile dragged across the group of teens. Daphne nearly broke her pencil in half as she anxiously shoved the head against her homework. Chewing the inside of her cheek. Why was Fred avoiding her? Why was he hanging out with…. Shaggy? She knew Norville, but never remembered his name. The bell rang, sending a rush of joy in her guts as she gathered her stuff and raced out of the door. Daphne's long dress flapped with the wind as she pelted towards the parking lot. Dark clouds were starting to pull in from all directions.
She spotted her two friends right away, pelting towards Norville's van. Daphne fixed up her hair to the best of her ability despite the stormy weather, "Hey guys!" She called, tripping over her high heels on the walk over. Fred and Norville both waved her over. She felt her face burn as she steadied herself.
"Good timing, like, I'm starving, let's go get Velma and grab some chow." Norville said with a grin plastered on his face. Fred got into the driver's seat, Norville sat in the passenger. Daphne ducked her way into the back with a groan. Kicking the trash away from her feet.
"Velma? She's…coming?" It had taken Daphne a minute to digest what Norville had said. A rocket of fear wrapped around her, if she knew Velma was going to get invited, she'd have just stayed home.
"Well, yeah. I mean, we do have some sort of…plan?" Norville didn't sound very convinced that there even was a plan.
"I thought we were just talking about it? Maybe I should just go home," Daphne said with an anxious chuckle. What had she talked herself into?
"Well, if you really want to!" Fred said quickly. Annoyed, Daphne crossed her arms over her chest.
"Now wait a minute," She huffed, "Why do you not want me here?"
Fred looked uncomfortable, "W-Well, who said that? I didn't."
"It's your tone, Fred."
"What tone?"
"Are you purposefully being dense?"
"That's not fair, Daphne."
"What's not fair is that you obviously don't want to be around me. Why else do you want me gone?"
Fred and Shaggy shared a quick look, "Do I have a tone?" Fred whispered to the other.
"A little bit," Shaggy replied.
"Like, what's going on?" She demanded, "I'm not a stupid bimbo. I'm not only your girlfriend, but I'm also a human being!"
Fred flinched at the other's word, glancing down at the old steering wheel.
"You're right," He admitted, "I wasn't going to say anything, my brother told me not to, but they're investigating the possibility that Velma's dad might be the killer."
Daphne's jaw dropped at this news, "He's what?" she gawked. Norville didn't say a word about this, eyes down on the screen of his phone.
"He's not the killer," Shaggy said with a shrug, Fred and Daphne both turned attention to the other. The teen continued to glance through dog shelter pictures as he speaks, "I've known the man most of my life. He's a little out there but wouldn't hurt a fly."
"You might not really know him," Daphne pointed out.
"No, I know him." Shaggy continued, "Like, no offense to him or anything, but he's also rather chubby and makes milkshakes all day. Do you think he'd even be able to cut a girl's skull open?"
"So bigger people can't kill someone?" Daphne challenged.
Shaggy opened his jaw and closed it, ruffling his locs with a hand before chewing at the skin on his thumb.
"Let's get Velma, then we can figure this out more," Fred said, turning the key in the ignition. The old van let out a purr. Anxiety continued to rock among the three teens as the gang turned onto the road and down the street.
"You can't stay in here all day!" Sophie growled, pulling Velma by the arm. Velma had one hand on the door frame, holding on tight till her knuckles turned light.
"I can do whatever I want," Velma shouted back at her.
Sophie groaned, letting the other go with a dramatic sigh. Velma puffed out her chest, "Velm, I just want you to come down and eat something. For my sake? Please?"
"No, I-"
Her phone rang, the smooth sound of Mystery Skulls made both woman pause before dancing to the beat.
"I'm just worried about you," Sophie said as she moved her hips in rhythm, eyes still trapped on her stepdaughter. Velma did a small turn on beat, "I know," She rolled her eyes despite being touched at the words, "but I suck and want to waste away in front of my phone and video games."
The music stopped, Sophie crossed her arms over her chest. Shaking her head and turning towards the stairs, "Alright. But please eat something, if you need to order out use my credit card."
The music started back up again, both women returned to their dancing, pausing to laugh at one another, "Thanks Sophie, I'll consider it."
Sophie swayed her hips as she walked down the steps, putting both arms over her head. Singing to the music out of tune. Velma looked down at the phone and placed the cell to her ear.
"What is it, Norville? I'm busy."
"Like, look outside!"
Velma frowned, she made her way to the window and gasped in shock at the small group in the car. The two boys waved at her in excitement, but when her eyes met Daphne's a trickle of unease rippled down her spine. What was she doing here?
"I don't want to hang out," She replied flatly.
"We're not hanging out," Fred shouted through the speakers, "We're solving the mystery!"
"Mystery of what?" Velma asked, puzzled.
"Who's killing our classmates."
Velma fell silent. This went deeper than her classmates, she knew that. Having found some evidence of it having been going on for centuries even. How could she and a group of her peers do anything? She practically was ready to give up hope.
"We're going to order food," Norville said in a small, hopeful voice. For a heartbeat, Velma felt a tug at her skin. As though the universe herself was whispering, 'go.' Her mind went back to Daphne, but she couldn't shake it, she had to go. She couldn't give up.
"Be down in a minute," She hung up the phone and raced into her bedroom. Grabbing her mom's sweater and pulling it on, looking at herself in the mirror with a grin until her eyes fell to the wall of newspaper clippings. She had trashed it after everything that happened last night, all except for a single picture of her mother in the middle. Placing a hand on the photograph, "Maybe this is insane. Maybe I'm crazy." She whispered.
Grabbing her phone charger, maps, some newspaper clippings in her trash, and a bottle of rizatriptan for her migraine that had started to form. Shoving everything into her backpack and racing out of the room.
Velma hit the bottom step, tripped over a blue strip of fabric. Gasping loudly before righting herself, she looked down in confusion. A blue dog collar. It was huge. She studied it before stooping down to pick it up.
"Are you alright, honey?" Sophie called, glancing out from the kitchen.
"Yeah, fine. I'm going out with my friends, what's this for?"
Sophie beamed at her stepdaughter. Making her way to the other, and frowned at the dog collar before a look of understanding struck her.
"Oh, I found it the other day in the grass outside. I was going to use it to pressure your father into getting us a dog, but he didn't go for it. You can have it if you'd like."
"It was just in the yard?" Velma asked in surprise, shoving the collar into the backpack on her shoulder.
"Strange, right? Maybe the universe is trying to tell us something," Sophie laughed, going back to the kitchen.
"Have a good time with your friends, keep me updated," Sophie called over her shoulder.
"Will do, love you!" Velma shouted back, leaving the house behind and running towards her friends.
Perhaps I am demented. But they always say, crazy is who make history.
—-
A redesign for these characters will be posted on my twitter, give me a follow to stay posted.
Twitter: /KingSpadilleArt
Follow the gangs spotify accounts:
Velma Amena Dinkley- playlist/0VrNOjUReQ82QxRE72zIPy?si=7ef31af5faa84f8a
Fred Goldberg Jones- playlist/2Vcd6N6npLnXjxbXPJIgfl?si=dddf291ce531415f
Norville "Shaggy" Rogers- playlist/069NP43xgWdD6DZRC1Cvrh?si=8bd2ce95047c441c
Daphne Zhi Blake- playlist/4UHZen27WfTpp90sr0t3m8?si=58cf68c86dd04b2b