Chapter 9: In the chemistry lab
The whole party fell into an eerie silence as everyone stared at the blank space in surprise, then Shelly broke the silence as she remarked, "Well, how about that?"
"Someone must have taken the plaque in the dark." Fred remarked.
"Certainly looks that way." Principal Spears nodded before frowning. "What I can definitely tell you is that this was certainly not part of the party at all."
"A prank?" Mr. McDabble asked.
"Looks that way for sure." Spears nodded again. "We are definitely going to have to get to the bottom of this ghost football player business."
"But before we do, Principal Spears, could you tell us why would someone steal the 1944 plaque specifically?" Taffy asked.
"Like, perhaps something happened during that school year?" Shaggy offered.
"Unfortunately, yes." Spears nodded. "Mind you, I was a student here back then, part of the graduating class of 1945, and there was a scandal that engulfed the school football team."
"What was the nature of the scandal, Principal Spears?" Daphne prompted.
"Match-fixing in the football games." Principal Spears explained. "That was a big one back then, and I sure remember a lot of the players involved were expelled following the investigation, on top of the coaching staff having some heads rolled. Among the heads that had rolled in the scandal were Head Coach Miles O'Leary, which was a shame."
"How was that?" Augie asked.
"Because it was under his tenure as the head coach that the Coolsville Central Cougars won its first state championship for the first time in 20 years." Spears explained.
The group turned back towards the wall housing the plaques and sure enough, the school was on a winning streak in the first three years following its founding in 1921.
"That certainly makes sense, though what became of O'Leary after he got fired from the school coaching staff for his role in the match-fixing?" Clam asked.
"Not sure." Principal Spears shrugged. "The only thing I've heard about him in the immediate aftermath of his termination was him was moving back to his hometown down in Mississippi, though not before he warned that the school will regret dismissing him."
"Even though the school went on to win 10 more state champion cups after his dismissal, the most recent being two years ago?" Tinker pointed out.
"Well, it also just so happens that today is the 25th anniversary of 'Black Tuesday'." Spears said.
"Ah, the anniversary angle as usual." Debbie quipped.
Before the anyone else could add in on the matter, Shaggy saw Scooby sniffing around the area where the plaque was hung at and below where the zombie football player was floating in the air.
"Like, hang on." Shaggy says as he put up his hand just as Scooby discovered something on the floor. "I think Scoob's found something."
"Reah, reah!" Scooby nodded as he motioned to the floor.
Fred, Shaggy and Daphne walked over and leaned in to look. It appeared to be of some powder.
"Why, it's just some powder." Fred said.
"Powder, yes." Shaggy nodded after a close examination of the substance. "But I think the real effect comes when the lights are out."
Tom was standing near the light switch, and when he saw Shaggy's hand signal, he nodded and switched off the light.
There was a gasp from the crowd as the powder on the floor started glowing in the dark.
"Holy moly! You're right, Shag!" Fred nodded.
"I think Scooby and you may be onto something, Shag." Daphne agreed before squinting and then added, "And I think there is something else on the floor, guys."
"There is? What do you suppose it is?" Shaggy arched his eyebrows.
"Can't say for sure." Daphne said, which is when Dee-Dee walked over with a flashlight in hand.
"Here, this will help you see clearer." Dee-Dee said as she offered the flashlight.
Turning to look at her, the quartet all arched their eyebrows as Scooby said, "Rit's a flashlight."
"An ultra violet flashlight, to be precise." Dee-Dee said.
"Think that's what I needed." Daphne said as she took the flashlight from Dee-Dee before turning it on.
Shining the UV flashlight onto the area, the redhead declared, "There's some residual with the powder here, guys."
"Zoinks, what do you suppose it could be?" Shaggy asked as the redhead turned off the flashlight and Tom proceeded to turn the lights back on.
"Perhaps this would be an excellent opportunity to apply what you've learned in chemistry class, Mr. Rogers." Mr. McDabble spoke.
Shaggy, Scooby, Fred, and Daphne exchanged looks before they nodded.
"Right." Shaggy nodded. "Perhaps we should go over to the chem lab and examine the powder and residual found on the floor, Fred." Shaggy suggested.
"Great idea, Shag." Fred agreed. "Perhaps you and Scooby can go over to one of the chemistry labs to examine that powder while the rest of us search around here for more clues."
Moments later, Shaggy and Scooby were in one of the chemistry labs. Both have since discarded their costumes with Shaggy now donning his lab coat, complete with a wig of crazy hair, while Scooby has his back hunched.
Settling at a desk, Shaggy walked over to the cabinets to get the glassware.
As he looked through the cabinets, he noticed one of them was empty.
Raising an eyebrow, he remembered that it was supposed to store some chemicals.
Shrugging, he got the equipment they needed for the test and settled their collected samples on the desk.
"Like, alright Scoob." Shaggy says to Scooby as they stood by the tables with the lab equipment. "Before we start, let's check to see if we have all we need to conduct the testing safely."
"Rokay, Raggy." Scooby saluted before producing two pairs of goggles and said, "Roggles."
"Goggles." Shaggy repeated as they both donned on the goggles.
Eying the box of disposable rubber gloves, the duo reached to grab a pair each.
"Gloves." Shaggy said as he snapped on his pair of gloves.
"Gloves." Scooby repeated. "Rand we're both wearing rab coats."
"Great." Shaggy nodded as he briefly dusted his lab coat before turning back towards the desk and said, "Now let's take a look and see what this powder and residual really are."
"Rokay, Raggy." Scooby nodded as they got down to work.
As the duo run some tests in the lab, neither of them were aware that a dark-looking figure was watching them from the doorway.
Moments later, the duo finished the testing and Shaggy was finished jotting down his notes.
"Like, I think we got this in the bag, Scoob." Shaggy said as they both took off their goggles. "Better let the others know."
"Reah, reah!" Scooby nodded, but their conversation was interrupted by some growling.
"Um, I hope you had enough to eat, Scoob, because I can hear your stomach growling." Shaggy said.
"Romach?" Scooby asked. "Rhat wasn't me!"
"Eh, can't be me either." Shaggy said before a sudden realization dawned on him and he gulped. "If it wasn't either of us, then who could it be?"
Slowly turning around towards the lab door, the duo got their answer when the zombie football player growled at them menacingly and lifted his arms.
Momentarily frightened, Shaggy blinked as he noticed a flask with two chemicals already mixed together and he swiftly handed it over to the zombie football player.
"Like, take this." Shaggy said to the zombie as he shoved it into its hand, prompting it to stare at it in confusion.
"Huh?" The zombie growled as it held the now-violently shaking flask, its distraction allowed Shaggy and Scooby to quickly slip away.
As fast as foxes, the duo rushed out of the lab and slammed the door shut before covering their ears.
A split-second later, an explosion rocked the lab behind the door and the duo waited for a few seconds before opening the door cautiously.
Inside the lab, the zombie football player was covered in blue powder and it was still holding the now-broken flask.
Shaking their heads in mock pity, Shaggy quipped, "You sure look blue, Mr. Zombie."
"Reah! Blue rindeed!" Scooby agreed and laughed, but that laughter was cut short when the zombie growled at them as it walks towards them.
Seeing the fuming zombie, Shaggy laughed nervously. "Um, cheer up soon, eh?"
The zombie responded by growling furiously at them.
"Like, I don't think he's happy, Scoob." Shaggy said. "Gangway!"
Immediately, the duo took off before the zombie could grab them. The zombie then took off, returning only to shake the blue powder off itself and doing a quick cleanup inside the chemistry lab before giving chase to Shaggy and Scooby.
(Note: The idea of an explosion leading to someone getting covered by blue powder is inspired by Back to School, Mr. Bean, in which Bean created an unstable chemical reaction that led to an explosion inside the chemistry lab and covering a student with blue powder.)
With the zombie in close pursuit, the duo raced down the hallway and eventually reached a stretch of the hallway with five doors on both sides.
Immediately, the duo took the first door to the left, followed immediately by the zombie.
Then, they exited the second door and raced across the hallway to the second door on the right, while the zombie exits the fourth door on the left and enters the fourth door on the right.
Then, Shaggy and Scooby separated as they each exited a door on the right and entered the door across the hallway, while the zombie ends up exiting the fifth door on the right and enters the door across the hallway.
The whole sequence eventually becomes mixed up as the trio simultaneously exits a door and raced across the hallway and enters the door across it.
Eventually, Shaggy and Scooby entered a door on the left and slammed it shut. The zombie then reaches the door and tries to open it, only to find it sealed shut.
Pulling with all its might, the zombie finally pulled the door open, but when it peek into the room, a baby can be heard crying.
Inside, Shaggy, who's now dressed as a nurse, comforts Scooby, who's dressed as a baby and is crying.
Seeing the zombie on the doorway, Shaggy glared at it and placed a finger by his mouth as he said, "Shhh!"
The zombie quickly backed away and closed the classroom door gently as if it was saying, "Sorry for the disturbance."
A minute went by before it dawned on the zombie that the nurse and baby looked familiar, and it quickly pulled the door open, only to find the room empty.
Scratching its head in confusion and wondering where Shaggy and Scooby had went, the zombie did not see the duo making their getaway down the hallway.
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