The night air was crisp as Fred and Daphne stealthily trailed behind Thorn. Their footsteps were almost soundless, muffled by the thick layer of fallen leaves underfoot. The stars above twinkled innocently, contrasting with the tension that hung in the cool night air.
"This feels like something out of a classic mystery novel," Daphne whispered, her voice barely audible.
Fred nodded, his eyes fixed on Thorn's retreating figure. "Yeah, but this isn't a novel. We need to be careful not to get caught."
They watched as Thorn approached a quaint, modest house nestled on the edge of town. The glow of streetlights cast elongated shadows as Thorn slipped inside, and Fred and Daphne ducked behind a nearby tree.
Through a crack in the window blinds, they saw Thorn in the garage, preparing something that looked like a cauldron. The garage light illuminated her face with an eerie glow. Thorn's hands moved with a practiced grace over a bubbling, dark liquid. She added a few herbs and muttered incantations that sent shivers down Daphne's spine.
"Looks like we weren't wrong about her," Daphne murmured, her eyes wide with both intrigue and fear. "If I didn't know better, I'd say she's performing a spell."
Fred's gaze was fixed on the scene before them, his face a mask of concentration. "We need to figure out what she's up to and if it's connected to the ghost."
Meanwhile, Ben was helping Velma into the abandoned barn, their teamwork surprisingly effective despite the circumstances. Velma balanced precariously on Ben's shoulders, her foot accidentally finding its way onto his head.
"Just a little higher," Velma urged, her voice a mix of determination and strained patience.
"I can't," Ben grunted, struggling to keep his balance.
"Perfect," Velma declared, finally reaching a high enough vantage point to open a window.
As Velma tumbled inside, a loud crash echoed from within the barn, followed by a clatter of metal. Ben's concern was immediate. "Velma, are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" she called back, her voice slightly muffled as she navigated the dark interior. "Come on in."
Ben climbed through the window and joined Velma inside. She shone a flashlight around, revealing an old tractor truck that was still warm to the touch.
"It's still warm," Velma noted, her brow furrowing in thought. "But who would be driving it at this time of night?"
"That's the mystery," Ben replied with a grin, his eyes reflecting the light of Velma's flashlight.
Outside, Shaggy and Scooby were tailing the mayor. They crouched behind bushes, their eyes peeking out with a mix of curiosity and nervousness.
"This mayor's one busy guy," Shaggy observed, trying to keep his voice low.
"Reah," Scooby-Doo agreed, his eyes darting around.
When Mayor Corey appeared to give a package to a woman, Shaggy and Scooby scrambled to hide, accidentally leaning in for a kiss in a desperate attempt to blend in. To their relief, the mayor simply smiled and continued on his way.
"Ah, young love," Mayor Corey mused, not noticing Shaggy and Scooby's odd display.
As Mayor Corey entered a warehouse, Shaggy and Scooby followed, slipping through the door just before it closed. Inside, the warehouse was vast and filled with shadowy corners. Shaggy opened the barn door, and the pair stepped inside, only to find the place eerily empty.
Suddenly, the sound of fluttering wings echoed through the space. Looking up, they saw the witch's ghost glaring down at them, her eyes glowing with malevolent energy.
"How dare you disturb my resting place!" the ghost roared.
"Like, send them a bill! But leave us alone!" Shaggy shouted in terror, grabbing Scooby and running in the opposite direction. They crashed through a wall, colliding with Velma and Ben, who had just stumbled into the scene.
"I can't see a thing without my glasses!" Ben exclaimed, disoriented.
"Me either," Velma added, reaching out in the dark. Their hands touched, and they fumbled to switch their glasses back. Their fingers brushed, and for a brief moment, there was a shared look of apology and unspoken connection.
Fred and Daphne arrived just in time to see the chaos. Daphne quickly helped Velma and Ben find their glasses while Fred offered a steadying hand.
"Hey, what's going on?" Daphne asked, her concern evident.
"Ask Scooby and Shaggy," Ben said, still adjusting his glasses.
"Well, where are they?" Fred asked, looking around.
"That's no mystery," Velma said, spotting the shaking mailbox where Shaggy and Scooby were hiding.
Daphne approached them, her expression a mix of worry and confusion. "So, what happened, guys?"
"Like, we followed the mayor to a warehouse and got attacked by that ghost!" Shaggy explained, his voice trembling.
"He did? There goes my cherry-picker theory," Velma said, disappointment lacing her tone.
Fred looked to Daphne, a serious expression on his face. "Wait till we tell you what we saw at Thorn's place."
Shaggy, ever the one to reclaim the spotlight, continued, "The mayor was one busy guy—picking things up and dropping things off."
"Like what?" Velma asked, her curiosity piqued.
Before anyone could elaborate, Mayor Corey arrived on the scene, looking flustered. "What is going on here?! What's the big idea running over me?"
The group followed him back to the warehouse, where the mayor showed them the damage.
"There's nothing here," Mayor Corey said, pointing to the holes in the wall. "Except for the damaged wall."
Velma's gaze was intense as she spoke to the mayor. "Sorry about that, Mayor. Scooby and Shaggy just lose it when they get scared. In fact, I'm worried that staying in Oakhaven might be too frightening for them. I think we should leave."
Ben looked intrigued. "Really?"
Scooby, sensing the tension, gave Velma a sympathetic lick on the face.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," Mayor Corey said, disappointment in his voice. "I'll do anything I can to help."
After the mayor had left, Daphne turned to Velma, her eyes narrowing with concern. "What was that all about?"
Ben asked, "You've got a plan, right?"
Velma nodded, her expression resolute.
Shaggy muttered, "Like I should have known leaving wasn't really an option
"Here's what we're going to do." Velma leaned in and whispered her plan, her voice a mixture of excitement and determination as the gang gathered around, ready to tackle the next phase of their investigation.