- ONE WEEK EARLIER -
"Wow, Velma, your dad has a really cool place," Fred said as the gang trudged through the thickening snow. They were headed to the center of the reserve, which was only a few yards from the Mystery Machine's landing place.
Many cabins went down the rolling hillsides, scattered among the forest of pines. Daphne spun around with delight.
"It's so beautiful!" Daphne cried.
"Dad's really proud of this place," Velma said, her breath pluming with the chilly air. She pointed ahead of them to an elegant white building. Among its lavish landscaping was a large sign reading: MUSEUM OF THE BATTLE OF CRESCENT HILL.
"Like, is this a museum about wars and stuff?" Shaggy said, pulling his coat tighter around him.
"Precisely," Velma replied, adjusting her glasses to her nose. "Specifically the Battle of Crescent Hill during the Civil War era."
They started towards the building.
"I've never heard of it," Daphne said as Scooby whined.
"It's an unknown war to most. It wasn't even part of the Civil War, just a local conflict. A fight for land."
Velma led the gang up the steps to the entrance of the museum. She grinned as a short, plump bespectacled man emerged from the double doors. He wore a crisp brown suit adorned with a brooch. He came towards them with open arms.
"Dad!" Velma cried, hugging him.
"Velma! So glad you and your friends could make it!"
"Thank you for having us." Fred said, stepping forward and offered his hand for a shake. "Sorry we're late . . . we kind of had a bit of trouble on our way here."
"That is quite all right!" Mr. Dinkley laughed. "I'm just glad you all made it here safely!"
"Are we starting off with a tour?" Velma asked eagerly.
"Of course! I'll give you a full tour of this building! Even a sneak peek at our newly uncovered artifacts!"
"Amazing!" Velma cried.
"Like, will this tour involve lunch?" Shaggy interjected, his stomach growling.
"Reah! Reah!" Scooby nodded.
Mr. Dinkley chuckled. "I'm afraid not, but if you would like to go to the food court building, it's right over –
But Shaggy and Scooby were already bounding towards the food court, leaving Mr. Dinkley utterly bemused.
"Like, go on without us!" Shaggy called over his shoulder. "We'll meet you back here in an hour!"
Fred, Velma, and Daphne laughed as they followed Mr. Dinkley into the museum.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
- PRESENT TIME -
"Okay . . . okay. Somebody's in the house."
Velma was pacing. There was complete darkness in the bedroom - They'd turned off the lights and locked the door. They couldn't see each other, but their shadows danced on the walls from Daphne's emergency nightlight.
Shaggy and Daphne were standing against the wall, petrified with fear.
"Daphne and I can check downstairs. Shaggy, you can –
"Like, no. No way," Shaggy hissed. "We are not splitting up. Not this time."
"But, Shag –
"No, Velma. We need call the cops and wait right here."
Velma hesitated. Then sighed. "Fine. Do you have a cell?"
Shaggy desperately checked his pockets but came up empty handed. "Zoinks! I left it in the van!"
"Oh, no! I left mine in the bathroom!" Daphne gasped.
Velma ran her hands through her hair, groaning in frustration. "Mine's in the kitchen from when I called you . . ."
"Well, what are we supposed to do now?" Shaggy said, his voice rising in a panic.
Suddenly, there was a rapid faint rattling of the doorknob. They all froze. Somebody was trying to get in.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
"What do we do?" Daphne whispered, shaking as the rattling continued.
"Just don't make a sound . . ." Velma was now pressed up against the wall next to Shaggy. She felt his vice-like grip on her arm. She shot him an annoyed look, though in the darkness, she doubted he noticed.
The rattling continued for a few more seconds before it stopped, leaving only the sound of Daphne's clock on the wall, ticking in a strict rhythm.
"Do you think they're gone?" Daphne said, her voice a shaky whisper.
Velma shook her head. "I don't know . . ."
Then they heard heavy footsteps behind the door. The intruder sounded like they were wearing boots. But the footsteps seemed to be fading away.
The three of them sighed in a silent relief. The intruder seemed to be leaving.
But then they smelled something. Something off.
"Like, is that –
Daphne's eyes widened. "No – they wouldn't –
It was gasoline.
Shaggy's first instinct was to get out of the way of the door. He grabbed the girls' hands, pulling them up and over the bed and across the room towards the only window in the room.
A loud WHOOSH came from the other side of the door, followed by the sound of roaring flames. Black smoke started to seep from under the door.
"WE'RE TRAPPED!" Daphne screamed, trying to see through the flames.
"He – he's gone!" Velma cried. Half of the door was now gone, completely engulfed. There was nobody on the other side of it.
Shaggy turned to look out the window. There were no cars other than the van. There was nobody running away. Nothing.
"We've got to get out of here!" Velma cried.
"HOW?" Shaggy coughed as the flames reached the ceiling. Smoke started to saturate the air.
"The window!" Daphne cried as she broke from Shaggy and Velma to pull it open. She cursed. "It won't open! Daddy must've painted it shut!"
Shaggy nudged Daphne aside. He pulled and pulled at the window to no avail.
"How are we going to get out!" Velma cried.
The flames were now seeping farther and farther into the room. They devoured each wall, finally reaching the piles of clothing. The flames grew taller and taller, licking at the ceiling. The heat was becoming unbearable.
"VELMA!" Shaggy gasped as he continued to tug at the window frame.
Velma grabbed a stool from Daphne's vanity. "Here! Smash it!"
And he threw it at the window with all his strength. A loud CRACK echoed through the room, but the window was still intact.
"NO! The photo! Freddy's ascot!" Daphne was now searching wildly around the room. Velma grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Daphne, we can't do this right now! I'm sorry!" Velma screamed among the sounds of Shaggy wheezing as he continued bashing the chair against the window. Shards of glass flew in all directions.
"NO! I NEED TO FIND THEM!"
Then there was a large BANG and the window was broken.
"Like, come on!" Shaggy screamed through the flames. He threw his suit coat over the base of the window so they could crawl through.
Velma saw his face was splintered with cuts from the glass. She pushed Daphne ahead of her.
Daphne sobbed as Shaggy helped her through the window and onto the roof. Velma followed, steadying Daphne as they both peered over the edge. They were three stories high. Velma felt her dress catch on her feet. She gripped Daphne's arm and prayed to God she would not fall.
Daphne turned to see flames bursting out of the other windows of the estate. The intruder set her whole home on fire.
"Like, I sure hope your parents have a terrible gardener," Shaggy said, looking down at the leafless landscaping below. "But we – we gotta jump."
By now, Daphne's room was completely covered in flames. There was nothing to be saved. Soon, the whole mansion would be burned to the ground.
Now, it was just the three of them. Hand in hand, they looked down at the leafless foliage covered in snow.
Velma looked at Shaggy and Daphne. She felt herself shaking. Shaggy knew Velma hated heights.
"Like, it'll be fine, Velms," Shaggy said, squeezing her hand. Though he wasn't sure he believed it himself.
Velma tried to return a smile. But as she did, she felt a violent shove from behind her. And, from the cries of the others, they must have felt it too. The flames burst through the window, pushing them all up and over the edge.
Shaggy tried to grab the edge of the roof, but it was useless.
The last thing Velma knew was the gut-wrenching feeling of falling.
The rest was darkness.