"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!" Shaggy and Scooby were having great fun as the Mystery Machine cruised down the highway during their summer vacation. The two playing a roller coaster sim and moving side to side with the virtual car much to the annoyance of Melissa who snatched the game away.
"Hey!"
"Shaggy," the Gotham-raised teen pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation, "You know you're like a big brother right?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, you're tap dancing on my LAST NERVE, I am trying to scrapbook for Mom and I can't do that with you thrashing!"
"Sorry, Melissa," Shaggy chuckled sheepishly, easing the Switch out of Melissa's hands, "Our bad"
"Hey, if it weren't for that game, Shaggy couldn't have won us all tickets to Thrill Rides," Fred reminded from the van's front seat.
"I remember, we both entered the contest," Melissa replied with a half-smile, "And I'm very proud of Shag for winning"
"And the best part is I get to meet Chris and Terry!" Shaggy bounced excitedly in his seat.
"Who?" Velma looked up from her book.
"Chris and Terry they designed the whole park those guys are like, my heros!"
"And, here I thought your hero was Bobby Flay," Melissa finished with her scrapbook tucking it safely away while putting new film in her Polaroid.
"Him too"
"Chris and Terry know how to make a scary ride," Fred remarked.
"Joy," Daphne responded bluntly, "Later we can all get measles shots"
"Cheer up, Daphne, this is going to be fun, you'll see," Melissa encouraged.
"Hey, there it is!" Velma pointed over her book to the quickly approaching destination.
...
After jockeying for a good parking spot the gang spilled out of the van, hurrying to the park entrance where two women waited. One dressed in a pink polo and slacks, her shoulder-length hair immaculate with not a strand out of place. The other was dressed in a colorful tee shirt, and worn jeans, her shorter hair was streaked neon green.
"Welcome to Thrill Rides, you're Shaggy right? and these must be your friends," the first woman shook Shaggy's hand with a smile.
"Congratulations on winning the design your own roller costar contest," the second droned.
"We're actually building your design right here in the park, wanna see?"
"Like, sure but when do I get to meet Chris and Terry?" Shaggy asked eagerly, "Those guys are my heroes"
"I'm Kris, the chipper one is my sister, Terri"
"But, you design rollar costers!" Fred remarked in shock.
"That's cool" Daphne declared.
"These passes will get you into every ride in the park and also the food court," Terri handed out the brightly colored passes.
"Free food?" Shaggy smiled.
"Oh no..." Melissa snickered.
"Sure," Terri nodded, "Help yourselves, let's go see your ride, it's almost finished"
"Melissa do you wanna... like, where did she go?"
"Melissa is to rollar costers as you are to food," Velma laughed, "She ran for the biggest, fastest most extreme coster she could find"
"Well, we'll catch up with you guys later," Shaggy waved following the two sisters into the food court.
...
Fifteen minutes later the group exited heading to the nearly completed bright green ride with its brighter yellow queue.
"So where did you come up with a combination costar and all you can eat buffet?" Terri asked.
"Like, it just came to me," Shaggy replied from behind his precariously stacked food.
"Well, All You Can Hurl is going to be a great ride, this is as cool as anything my sisters' designed," Terri exclaimed to which Kris sniffed, walking away, "Kris really comes up with all the designs, I just figure out how to build them, make them safe and publicize them," she went on explaining, pointing out key features in the ride unaware of the silent argument behind her, Shaggy and Scooby fighting for an extra cheesy pizza. Scooby won when Shaggy toppled to the ground smothered in snacks.
"Like, it's okay," came his muffled voice, "I like, saved the sandwich," he lifted the rescued treat which Scooby quickly gobbled, "HEY"
...
Meanwhile, Melissa was having great fun, having ridden all three of the state-of-the-art virtual costars she disembarked from the last ride, grabbing her mini backpack from the locker area in the queue she snapped a picture and then another of a mildly interesting cloud before tucking her things in the safety of the haunted mansion themed bag (she didn't own a Hex Girls one yet).
"Melissa? Melissa! Hey!"
"Megan, it's nice to see you!" Melissa fist-bumped her boyfriend's teammate, "What are you doing here?"
"Vaction, Wonder Woman insists we needed one, you?"
"Same"
"You're not here for the monster?"
"Monster?"
"Yeah, haven't you noticed how empty it is?"
"Now that you mention it...yeah, it's because of a monster?"
"Maybe? I don't know what it's called or looks like one of the ride attendants was talking about it in the food court earlier, might just be a joke"
"Maybe, I'll keep an eye out...oh, there are my friends," Melissa spotted Fred, Daphne, and Velma.
"Have fun"
"Bye Megan!"
...
"At least we don't have to wait in long lines," Fred was saying as they headed for the sky diving ride.
"Hey," Melissa fell into step beside them.
"Hey, wanna ride with us?" Fred nodded toward the ride.
"I think I'll sit this one out, I'm not over that last loop quite yet and I don't want my breakfast to make a reappearence"
"Get some picutres for us," Daphne suggested.
"Will do"
Fred and the girls changed into the purple and green ride uniforms, the bored attendant letting them into the cylinder that was the ride.
"So what happens now?" Daphne asked, a bit perplexed.
"You'll see" Fred smiled giving the attendant a thumbs up.
Outside the ride, Melissa used her phone to snap quick photos that she could print later. Capturing the trio's ascent into the air. Laughing joyously as they clasped hands and spun in circles. Scarily, a monster leaped from nowhere, frightening the surrounding crowd and ride attendant, slashing through the ride's control board as Melissa dove for cover, still snapping photos, the yellow-eyed green-furred monkey-ish creature disappearing as quickly as he appeared. Much to Melissa's horror, inside the ride, the floor began to open, the fan slowing down dangerously. Thinking quickly, she shoved her phone into her pocket, grabbing for the batarangs she'd taken from the cave. Opening the small matnence door at the bottom of the ride she launched the batarang, jamming the fan.
"AHH" Fred and the girls freaked, only to land in a net that hadn't been there.
"Are you guys okay?" Melissa helped them out, collecting the net and Batarang.
"Yeah, thanks, Melissa"
"Nice work, Young Lady"
The group spun around to see an older gentleman dressed in a beige polo and slacks with work boots. The man pushed his thick-framed glasses up his nose posting a sign declaring the ride closed.
"I can't believe this happened again"
"Again?" Velma questioned.
"Sir?"
"My apologies, call me Sam, I'm the safety enijeer when the rides aren't up to snuff I shut em down"
"And that's been happening a lot lately?"
"Ever since that gremlin of a ghost showed up"
"The roller ghoster," Melissa nodded.
"Yes, I've never seen it myself" Sam replied as they followed him back to the control panel.
"Whatever did this wasn't a ghost," Velma declared clue in hand.
"I never cared for these newfangled rides anyway," Sam continued oblivious to Velma's discovery, "Sky diving and bungie jumping now what fun is that?"
"Because, sky diving rocks!" Daphne declared before hesitantly adding, "Until the fan breaks"
"That's the problem, they're too dangerous, too high-tech, the old classic rides were better," Sam removed his glasses, cleaning them with a wistful smile, "I used to love seeing the kids on Mister Snail's Brisk Walk"
"Let's split up," Fred decided, "Velma, you go talk to the sisters about this roller ghoster-, Melissa, you...huh?"
"I don't think Melissa's going to be much help"
"She's just excited. Probaly ran off to find the boys," Daphne argued lightly, sticking up for her friend, "She can keep an eye out for the monster on her own," Grabbing Fred's arm she continued, "Let's investigate some more rides"
"Something strange is happening here, if you're not careful your next ride could be your last," Sam warned.
...
And, the end of the chapter has arrived. Funnily enough, this is the only episode my sister can remember and that's why I described the monster as monkey-like. She mentioned it and now I can't unsee it. Review and predict.