- 5 PM: 5 DAYS EARLIER -

In Cabin 13, all the trap equipment was packed and accounted for. Velma diligently checked the final items off her handwritten list, making sure nothing would be left behind.

Fred brushed his hands together confidently as he looked at his backpack where the net, ropes, hammer, and nails were stowed. As the strongest, it was his job to carry the ladder. "Alright, gang. Ready?"

Daphne, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach, nodded curtly. "Yeah."

"Good. I think we've got everything," Velma said, adjusting her glasses. "So, we set up the net, give the box to Fred, and see how this all plays out?"

"Exactly," Fred said. "You got the coordinates?"

Velma pulled out her phone and checked the location of St. Augustus she had pinged on the map earlier. "Yeah. It'll take about an hour to get to the church. Everyone got water?"

There was a round of nods.

"Flashlights?"

Another round of nods.

"Don't forget food!" Shaggy chimed in, taking a large bite out of his granola bar.

Velma sighed, rolling her eyes. "And food."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

- 6 PM: 5 DAYS EARLIER -

Their trek through the woods was shorter than Fred and Velma's the previous night – likely because they had the directions to the chapel rather than wandering aimlessly about.

As the clearing came into view, Velma's grip tightened on her backpack. The sun was setting rapidly, and flashlights would be needed soon.

Daphne and Shaggy followed behind Fred and Velma, their eyes scanning the unfamiliar area.

"Like, are you sure this is safe, Freddy?" Shaggy asked shakily as they approached the forest's edge.

Fred pulled out his flashlight. "As safe as it's going to be . . . We'd better turn these on."

A series of clicks echoed through the trees as they turned on the flashlights, cutting through the eerie silence.

They cautiously moved through the rest of the trees and into the clearing.

Daphne gasped as the chapel came into view. "Oh, my –

Shaggy let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Like, whoa –

Their beams of light moved towards the building, its crumbling details exaggerated with the artificial light.

Instinctively, they moved closer together. There was a sense of reluctance, but there was no turning back now.

Velma, having remembered the deer, turned her flashlight towards the tree where it had lain.

But it wasn't there.

Without a word, she slipped from the group towards the tree. She knelt under it, observing the bark. The deer's blood was still present on it.

Velma thought that another animal may have gotten to it. But the type of animal? Velma had no clue. Her flashlight flickered downward.

Drag marks.

She traced them with the flashlight on her right. The marks led out to a point in the darkness beyond her light's reach.

She bit her lip.

Before she could call out, Fred's voice rang out.

"Velma, come on! We need to set up this trap!"

She quickly snapped a picture of the tracks with her phone and stood.

"COMING!"

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Inside the chapel, it was very dark.

Beyond the four beams of light, there was nothing that could be seen.

Shaggy squinted as he aimed his light up to the high ceiling. "Like, this goes on forever."

"Shag, I don't think that matters right now," Fred grunted as he pulled the large net from his bag. "Do you mind helping me with this?"

Shaggy lowered his flashlight. "Sure."

Velma looked over to Daphne, who was hugging herself and shaking.

"What do you want us to do?" Velma turned to Fred.

"Move those pews, would you?" Fred gestured to the several rotting benches scattered in the main area of the space.

The room was rather small, but it had just enough space for the trap to work.

Velma moved to the nearest pew and pushed, wincing as it groaned against the crumbling wooden floor. Daphne still wasn't moving, her eyes distant.

Velma stopped what she was doing. "What?"

Daphne snapped back to the present, blinking rapidly. "It's nothing. Sorry."

Velma frowned. "It's okay if –

"I'm fine," Daphne interrupted, moving to a pew and shoving it against the opposite wall.

Shaggy, having heard their conversation, leaned towards Fred. "What's up with Daphne?"

Fred huffed in response as he moved to a far end of the room, securing a rope around the net's corner so that it could be pulled upward once their target was caught. "She told me she had a bad feeling."

Shaggy crossed his arms. "Did she tell you why?"

Fred stood. "She's just worried about the trap. But I know my traps, and this one is foolproof."

Shaggy raised his voice over the loud screeching of the pews dragging across the floor. "Listen, when I have a bad feeling, it's normal. But when Daphne –

"I know! I know, okay?" Fred snapped, making Shaggy jump. With a breath, he softened. "She's just nervous. This is different than anything we've dealt with before. But trust me when I say that we'll get this done fast, catch the guy, and go back to normal. Like always. Okay?"

Shaggy tried to swallow a knot forming in his throat. "Like, yeah. Sure."

Fred clapped his hands together, forcing some cheer into his voice. "Alright, then! You guys done with the pews?

The screeching stopped.

"Great! Now let's get the rest of this net set up."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

After another half hour, the trap was finally set with Fred having hung the long ropes on as many low rafters as he could.

Velma and Daphne stood on opposite corners at the far end of the room, holding a rope attached to their part of the net. Shaggy was at the center of the net on the other side of the room.

Fred glanced around. "Velma, you got the box?"

Velma nodded as she reached into her backpack. "Here."

Fred went over and took it. He gave each of them a smile. "This'll work. I promise."

Shaggy shifted uneasily. "And we'll tell you if anything goes wrong. I'll go find you if a shadow shows up or something."

Fred grinned again and turned.

But before he could move any further, Daphne ran forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Startled, Fred hesitantly returned the hug, giving her an awkward pat on the back. "Daph, are you –

This was it. This was her chance. If something was going to happen tonight, she had to say it now.

Still holding onto him, she whispered, "Fred, I – I –

But the words wouldn't come. She still couldn't bring herself to do it.

Then she remembered Velma and Shaggy were there. This wasn't the time nor the place.

She pulled back quickly, avoiding his eyes. "Good luck, Fred."

He tightened his grip on the box, an odd look flickering across his face. "Er . . . Thanks, Daph."

He cleared his throat, turning back to the plan at hand. "I'll be out in the clearing. Once I hear any movement I run in here. Shaggy, when I run past you, that's your cue. Yell, and everyone pulls their rope. But don't do that until I reach Daphne and Velma's end. He'll get trapped in the net, and I'll call the police."

There was a heavy silence weighing down on them. They had no idea who this guy was behind the mask.

But they'd done this before. They all knew the plan.

Fred exhaled, giving them one last nod. "Alright. See you when this is all over."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Now in their places, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy felt as though someone was watching them.

Velma told herself it was paranoia, just tricks on the brain. But she, like Daphne, was beginning to have a terrible feeling that she couldn't shake.

They could hear Fred yelling outside, trying to get the figure's attention.

"Do you think they'll even fall for it?" Daphne whispered, her voice echoing in the open space.

"They have to," Velma said. "That thing chased us for a long while last night."

Shaggy gulped. "But what if they know? Like, what if they can read our minds?" Shaggy's voice was high with anxiety. "What if they –

"Shut up!" Velma hissed.

Fred had stopped yelling. There was complete silence.

Shaggy peered through the slightly ajar entrance door. "Like, I don't see –

And there was a blur of movement.

Fred was now sprinting towards them. Before Shaggy knew it, Fred ran past him along with another tall figure in black.

"NOW!" Shaggy screamed, yanking the rope with all his might. Daphne and Velma followed suit.

They felt the resistance of the net going in the air.

They had done it.

Scrambling for their flashlights, Daphne and Velma made a realization.

Fred wasn't with them.

"Shaggy? SHAGGY!" Velma shrieked as she turned on her flashlight, though it was faint and strobing. "Oh, shit! I – I think the batteries are running low!"

Above them, muffled grunts and curses rang from the net. A fight was breaking out.

"FRED! FRED!" Daphne was now screaming. "GUYS, HE'S UP THERE WITH HIM!"

And Shaggy was now at Velma's side, whacking his flashlight against his hand, trying to get it to turn back on. "DAPHNE, GET OVER HERE!"

Daphne tried to move towards them, but it was now pitch-dark. All the flashlights faded. Her breaths began coming in short, frantic gasps.

No one knew what was going on.

"GUYS! I'm up here!" Fred managed to cry out from the net. "Just cut the ropes! But we've got him!"

"Hold on, Fred! I'm trying to get the spare flashlight!" Velma was moving haphazardly with her hands out in front of her, trying to feel for her bag.

Relief flooded her as she grabbed it. She reached for Shaggy to steady herself. Just as she flipped the switch –

A sickening THUMP cracked through the church.

Velma let out a scream of shock as the flashlight dropped from her hand.

Fred and the figure had fallen.

"Velma! VELMA!" Shaggy grabbed at her, but she was already on her knees, trying to feel for the lost flashlight.

She heard more sounds of struggling from behind her. Fred and the figure were still fighting.

Finally, Velma felt a flood of weakening relief come over her as the cold metal of the flashlight brushed the skin of her hand.

She flipped it on.

The beam landed on Fred and the figure, who were in the center of the room.

The thin, faceless figure stood over Fred. He was lying there, bloodied and bruised from the fight.

Fred tried to raise his head, but the figure landed a kick to his face.

Velma's stomach twisted.

Daphne was still standing in the corner of the room, screaming in horror at what was happening in front of her.

Shaggy was frozen in place next to Velma, his fists clenched. He looked as though he wanted to intervene, but he didn't know what to do.

And then Velma saw something appear in the figure's hand.

Something shiny.

He moved to point it at Daphne.

And Fred, having seen this movement, jumped up faster than Velma had ever seen him and threw himself in front of Daphne.

The next thing Velma knew, her ears were ringing, and she felt herself being thrown to the ground by a heavy force.

She clutched her ears, hoping to God the horrible sound would go away. She smelled something burning and the smoke began to burn her eyes. She squeezed them shut.

Then she realized her glasses had been lost in her fall. She tried to reach for them, but before she could continue, another terrible sound flooded her ears, worse than the last.

"Velma, are – are you okay?"

It was Shaggy, and she realized he'd been the one who had pushed her to the ground.

"Sh – Shaggy, what –

And the terrible sound continued.

Shaggy carefully pulled himself off her and helped her to her feet.

Trying to blink away her awful eyesight, Velma saw Shaggy move over to what she thought was Daphne, lying over something crumpled on the floor.

And she now knew those terrible sounds were coming from Daphne, who was hysterically screaming. But these screams were something Velma never heard before and hoped to never hear again.

Frantically bending down and feeling for her glasses, she finally found them and rammed them onto her nose.

The left lens was cracked.

But she saw.

And, for the first time in her life, she wished she hadn't put on those glasses.