As the sun dipped below the horizon, the gang found themselves at the bustling Oakhaven Restaurant. The enticing aroma of hearty New England dishes wafted through the air, drawing Shaggy and Scooby inside like bees to honey. Mayor Corey greeted them warmly at the entrance.
"Jack's gonna take care of you, boys. You're gonna love his cooking," the mayor said with a grin.
Shaggy, already envisioning a feast, nodded enthusiastically. "We sure will, your honor."
"Enjoy your stay in Oakhaven," the mayor added as he walked off.
"Thanks, your dudeness," Shaggy replied, eagerly pulling Scooby toward the kitchen.
Inside, the rustic charm of the restaurant provided a cozy backdrop as the two food lovers were led to a special table by Jack himself, the head chef.
"Well, boys, are you hungry?" Jack asked, already knowing the answer.
"Man, are we ever," Shaggy responded with a wide grin.
"Come over here to the back, I've always got a table for V.I.P.s," Jack said, ushering them to a quiet corner.
"Groovy. Come on, Scoob," Shaggy said, tugging his best friend along.
Jack handed them menus with a flourish. "You're Mr. Ravencroft's guests, so order up anything on the menu, fellas. I've got a nice juicy ham bone for your dog. What do you think?"
Scooby wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Rone?! Yuck!"
"Uh, Scooby's allergic to bones," Shaggy quickly interjected, not wanting to risk any delays in the food's arrival. "We'll have whatever that great smell is."
Jack chuckled. "Well, that's our Yankee pot roast, New England clam chowder, maple baked ham and beans, roast turkey with chestnut stuffing, and apple cinnamon pie."
Shaggy's eyes grew wide with delight. "Sounds great! Like, give us two orders of everything."
Jack laughed, thoroughly amused. "Oh, I love people who love to eat."
While Shaggy and Scooby were being treated like royalty, the rest of the gang had followed Ben to his family home. The house was a blend of old-world charm and modern comforts, with a large stone fireplace dominating the cozy living room.
"Wow, so this is where it all started," Velma marveled, her eyes scanning the room filled with books and artifacts.
"Yes," Ben replied with a touch of pride. "I wrote all my early novels here. Now I spend most of my time in Europe, but I come back once a year to recharge my batteries. Go ahead, Velma, sit down."
"Jinkies, this is a dream come true," Velma said, taking a seat in an armchair that looked like it belonged in a 19th-century study.
Daphne wandered over to a small table where a few trinkets were on display. "You have some cool things here, Ben."
"I'll say," Fred added, his eyes catching a painting on the wall.
Daphne's gaze followed Fred's, landing on the portrait of a stern-looking woman. "Who's that woman in the picture?"
Ben's expression softened as he looked at the portrait. "This is Sarah Ravencroft. I believe it was painted by a grateful patient."
Curiosity piqued, Fred asked, "Say what?"
Velma leaned forward, eyes wide. "I've read about these people. Wiccans were people who were in tune with the forces of nature and used them for healing purposes."
"Exactly," Ben confirmed, his tone reverent. "She believed in using herbs and other natural elements to draw from the Earth's power to heal the sick. Sarah helped many people who couldn't afford medical treatment. She treated her patients under a large oak tree, which she believed had healing powers."
"Hey, I saw a huge oak tree like that in the town square," Velma said, her excitement growing.
Ben nodded. "I've already searched the area around that tree, but never found anything. But that book can finally prove that Sarah was innocent—that she was a Wiccan, not an evil witch."
"Wiccans have been misunderstood and accused of sorcery. In fact, the word 'witch' comes from 'Wicca,'" Velma added, admiration for Ben clear in her voice.
"I'm impressed, Velma. You know, doing research on Sarah and the Wiccans led me to read almost everything about the world of superstition. That's how I started writing stories to frighten people," Ben explained. "I'm sure the ghost of my ancestor can't really be haunting the town."
As the conversation deepened, the atmosphere in Ben's home grew warmer and more intimate. Fred and Daphne continued to explore the space. Velma, meanwhile, was captivated by Ben's knowledge and passion for his ancestor's legacy.
As the evening wore on, the gang decided it was time to regroup with Shaggy and Scooby at the restaurant. When they arrived, they found their two friends making quick work of the feast laid out before them. Jack returned to their table, laughing nervously as he observed the mountains of food being consumed at an alarming rate.
"I've never seen anything like this. Are you at least tasting my food?" he asked.
Shaggy and Scooby both nodded, their mouths too full to speak.
"It's the best food we ever had," Shaggy finally managed to say.
"Delicious," Scooby agreed, slurping down a bowl of tomato soup.
A few tables away, a woman gasped in horror, watching the duo devour everything in sight. Eventually, the man seated near them could take no more and fled the restaurant in disgust just as the rest of the gang arrived.
"So, how's the food?" Daphne asked, trying to suppress a smile at the sight of her friends stuffing themselves.
"Pretty darn good," Shaggy replied with a satisfied grin.
"Yeah, relicious!" Scooby added, licking his chops.
Fred chuckled before turning serious. "You two might want to pace yourselves. We're planning to check out that oak tree in the town square tonight—see if we can catch a glimpse of Sarah Ravencroft's ghost."
Shaggy and Scooby froze, their eyes widening in alarm. "G-Ghost?" Shaggy stammered.
Daphne nodded, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Yeah, we thought we'd take a look around, see if there's any truth to these sightings."
"Ruh-uh," Scooby whimpered, shaking his head vigorously.
Shaggy gulped and tried to muster some courage. "Well, like, that sounds…um…really interesting, guys. But we, uh, were thinking about, you know, sticking around here for a while longer."
"Yeah! Ror dessert!" Scooby added quickly, glancing around for an escape.
Velma raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You're going to miss a chance to solve a mystery for dessert?"
"Uh-huh," Shaggy replied, nodding furiously. "Like, we'll catch up with you guys later. Maybe after, uh, seconds…"
Fred and Daphne exchanged a knowing look before Daphne patted Shaggy on the shoulder. "Alright, you two. We'll meet you at the puritan village soon."
As the gang headed out, Shaggy and Scooby sighed in relief, glad to have avoided a potential ghostly encounter.