- 1:00 PM: 6 DAYS EARLIER -

Shaggy felt Daphne stir beside him; another hour had passed. He gently shook her awake.

"Daph?"

Daphne mumbled something incoherent as she began to sit up. "Huh?"

Shaggy sighed, his voice thick with exhaustion. "Scoob's still not out yet."

Daphne blinked against the harsh fluorescent lights above them. "Scooby?"

"Yeah."

Then, everything came rushing back. A jolt of adrenaline shot through her. "Wait – he's still not out?"

Shaggy shook his head. His eyes were bloodshot, and Daphne realized he'd been crying. Her chest tightened.

"Shaggy –

"It's okay," he muttered, staring down at his feet.

Before she could say more, the swinging doors opened, and a veterinarian in a white lab coat stepped into the room. She was holding a clipboard.

"Norville Rogers?"

Shaggy practically leapt from his chair. "Is he gonna be okay?"

The vet offered a small, reassuring smile. "Yes. He did well."

Shaggy collapsed back into his seat, his head falling into his hands.

Daphne let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Oh, my God! That's great news!"

The vet nodded. "Yes. However, he sustained many wounds, and it took us some time to patch them all up."

Daphne swallowed hard. "How –

"He was biting himself," the vet said gently. "From extreme anxiety."

Shaggy slowly looked up. "He – he was hurting himself?"

The vet grimaced. "Has he been in a stressful environment lately? Something that could've triggered this?"

Shaggy's mind raced. "I – I mean we were at the Crescent Hill Forest and Historic Preserve for a getaway . . ."

The vet glanced at her clipboard. "That may have done it. Perhaps there was a large animal that might have scared him. I recommend keeping him from anything that may stress him out. He will need a quiet and calm environment when he comes home after a few days."

Shaggy's heart dropped. "We – We can't take him home yet?"

"We're just going to monitor him to make sure his wounds are healing. But I promise he is in good hands."

Shaggy's knees bounced restlessly. "Can I see him?"

The vet shook her head. "I'm afraid not. He's sleeping right now and still coming off the anesthesia."

Daphne exhaled. "Thank you, Dr. –

"Dr. Rose," she said with a sympathetic smile. "Just know Scooby is going to be okay."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

- 1:30 PM: 6 DAYS EARLIER -

Daphne drove them back to the preserve – Shaggy was too exhausted to drive. As she steered, she dialed Fred's number and put it on speaker.

The phone rang two times before Fred picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Freddy, it's me."

"Any update?"

"Yes! Scooby's going to be okay. We're on our way back now – should be just another half hour."

Daphne heard a heavy sigh of relief from the other end of the phone. "Thank God."

"I know. It took forever to patch him up, but the vet said he's stable."

"Is Scooby with you?"

"No. He's being monitored for the next few days . . ."

"What was wrong with him?"

"Well, it's not rabies like Velma suggested . . . It was anxiety."

"How –

Daphne felt a lump form in her throat. "He – He was biting himself, Fred."

Silence.

"What? Daph –

"It was a stress response. Freddy, I think something really affected him last night. What if it really was Celia's spirit? Maybe he sensed it, and –

"Listen," Fred cut in. "Velma and I talked with Barny. He said a manic raccoon attacked him last night and it ran into the woods. Then, we found a dead robin, which –

"Fred, slow down. I don't get what you're saying!"

"What I'm saying is – we need to investigate that forest tonight! Velma and I tried the library to find more information, but we found nothing. We really need to pick up the pace to find out what's going on with all of this."

Daphne glanced in the rearview mirror. Shaggy was curled up in the backseat, asleep. "I'm up for it, but I don't know if Shaggy –

"No, that's okay. You're exhausted, I can hear it in your voice. If you both can't come, then Velma and I –

"No. I'll go with you guys."

"Alright. Velma and I will be in Cabin 13. Meet us there."

"Got it."

Daphne ended the call, her mind reeling from the events of the past 24 hours. And there was no telling what awaited them.