Nightmare! a Velma Adventure by John Likeglass

With apologies to Warner Brothers, Hanna Barbara and anyone else who might hate this story (although I believe any true Scooby Doo fan will love it!). All borrowed characters have been safely returned intact and healthy. This is a Scrappy free story. It's a long one, so feel free to print it out and save it for later reading!

 

Part One

Diary of Velma Dinkley: 08/02/2001

I make these writings with a clouded mind. I believe I have not yet recovered from the strange goings on that have occurred this month. I am still questioning what is real, and what was only real to our minds for the time we were at the location. It all started in such a simple manner. Don’t they all! I wish for my own sanity that we would have not taken that call, but, this is a business and it is a business of solving mysteries. Still, a plea for help and an address was all we got. We usually try to get a name, but the girl’s voice sounded so frantic. "Help! My great uncle’s ghost is trying to kill me!" Always some ghost or goblin. Always some con man in a mask trying to pull something off. So we all piled in the van and headed for Pennsylvania.......

 

"Fred! I think we were suppose to take that last exit!", Daphne yelled. Shaggy turned to Velma and whispered, "Like, I think they seem farther apart then ever!" Velma whispered back, "I know! This engagement thing is not working out too well..." Freddy turned around. "What are you guys whispering about? Velma, you know this area, do we stay on this road, or should we have exited?" Velma leaned forward. "I haven’t been here for almost twelve years! Let me see... Two exits up from the turnpike, take your next right." Freddy shot a nasty look toward Daphne. "Thanks Velma, at least SOMEBODY knows where we’re going!" Velma whispered over to Shaggy, "I think I’m going to climb behind the seat and hide with Scooby, he has the right idea... lay low." Shaggy shook his head. "No way! Leave me here by myself? I’m coming with you!"

Freddy looked in the rear view mirror at the empty back seat. "What are you guys doing?" Scooby peeked his head up, "Rothing!" Lowering back down with Shaggy and Velma, he grunted under his breath, "Rand ray rall re ra rowered!" Velma gave Scooby a snack. "You deserve that one! Braving a conversation with the dueling....." Velma gets cut off as the Mystery Machine takes a sharp turn that pins her against the wall! Scooby and Shaggy end up on top of her. Velma pries herself loose from the heap. "This has got to stop! Freddy, take it easy!"


The Mystery Machine heads down the long driveway of the estate. It is almost dusk. "Wow, the house must be a mile back from the road!", exclaims Shaggy. Fred drives past an old fountain peering at one of the gargoyles. "This place really is creepy!" Daphne looks horrified as the mansion comes into view. "It’s huge! But it’s so run down!" As Freddy brings the van to a halt, the gang climbs out and sets eyes on the whole picture for the first time. "Huge is not the word for it", Freddy says, "This place is monstrous!" Scooby leaps into Shaggy’s hands. "Ronstor??" Velma chuckles, "Monstrous is just an expression!" Slowly the five work their way up to the door. Freddy knocks, but the huge door creaks open. "I guess we go in?" Velma followed him, Daphne, Scooby, and Shaggy brought up the rear. "Wow!", Velma gasped, "This place must have looked fantastic before it fell into ruin!" Daphne shuttered. "She has good vision, all I see is the ruin part." Freddy was looking around. "Does anyone, or should I say, can anyone live here?" A weak voice came out of the darkness.. "I do."

Her name was Misty. As they stood there, she related the story. "My great uncle Ed owned the place back in the 1920s’ and 30s’ When he died, my great aunt discovered that there was not enough money to keep the place going so she closed it down and moved away. My parents tried to reopen in, but it bankrupted them too. They died back in the 60s’ and left me as the soul air. With no help, the place is falling apart. The township would reclaim it except for some law that was in effect from uncle Ed’s time that says they can’t as long as family lives here. His family, that is." Velma was looking out one of the windows at the overgrown gardens. She turned around to face Misty. "Never heard of any law like that... So, how can we help you?" Misty continued her story. "Recently, I believe my uncle’s spirit has become restless and is trying to chase me from the house.." Daphne laughed, "I’m sorry, we here a lot of this! I’m sure it’s just some banker who could make a buck if you leave!" Freddy chuckled, then added, "Or some developer that wants to build houses.. It always turns out that way!" Scooby and Shaggy were huddled in a corner. "Or.. It could be a real ghost!" Now it was Velma’s turn to laugh. "Ha! This time I agree with Fred and Daphne! Just someone out to make a buck, but that’s why we’re here. To pull the mask off and end the mystery!" A low howell echoed down the upstairs hallway. Shaggy and Scooby shook. "D..d...d...does that sound like a banker??"


As the sun settled out of the sky, the mansion became very dark. "I can’t afford to buy electric, so they disconnected me awhile back. We just have to use candles." She pointed to a draw and they opened it up and found a stash of candles and matches. Freddy picked one up and lit it. All followed Misty as she led them upstairs to the bedrooms. "This place has one hundred and forty seven rooms! You can take whatever one you want!" Shaggy turned to Scooby, "Like I bet they all come with hot and cold running spooks!" Velma and Daphne peeked in the third door on the left of the hall. "This one looks good!", Velma said. Freddy walked across the hall to an opposing door. "Shaggy, Scooby, We’ll stay here!" Misty shook her head. "I wish I could wish you a good night’s sleep, but I know that won’t happen!" With that, she vanished into the darkness. Shaggy and Scooby had headed in the room, but Freddy was still in the doorway. Velma and Daphne were in the other doorway. All three stared at each other. Velma said it first. "Is she for real? Why doesn’t she just throw in the towel! This place is way too big for her." Freddy shook his head. "Those candles were stuck together. No one’s been in that draw for years! There is something she’s not telling us!"

Velma walked over to the bed. It was a queen sized bed and there were two in the room. Daphne had made her way over to the second one and patted it with her hand. She coughed as a huge dust cloud rose from the half rotted cover. "This is gross! Do you think it’s safe to sleep in these things?" Velma carefully lifted the blanket. "Move slowly and you won’t stir any dust, and hopefully nothing else will stir as well..." Daphne shot a glance over to Velma, "What’s that supposed to mean?" Velma chuckled as she put her glasses on the table next to the bed and blew out the candle. The room was now dark except for some moonlight shining through the broken window. "Daph.... What is going on with you and Fred anyway? You guys keep fighting. That never used to happen." Daphne sighed, "I don’t know... It’s like we were getting real close, the engagement you know.... Then he started pulling back, and now we argue like an old married couple!" Velma chuckled again. "Old married couple! That’s a good one!" Both girls laid quietly for a while, then Daphne spoke. "Velma, What about you? Ever since that last looser you met, you haven’t even talked about guys." Velma thought for a few seconds before she spoke. "Daphne, I don’t know where I am in life.... Everyone thinks of me as the smart one, and I’m kind of sick of it. I don’t want to be the smart one anymore!" Daphne sat up in the bed. "Huh? Would you rather like to be known as a danger-prone ditz like me? It’s easier for you to do a make-over then for me to change opinions about me! When people think of me, they think of the girl that falls down the hole and gets trapped!" Velma moaned. "And when they look at me, they think of a walking calculator!" ...... Daphne sat quietly for a few moments... "Goodnight Velma!" Velma rolled over in the bed. "Goodnight Daphne."


Velma woke with a start! Daphne was screaming for her. "Velma! You have to see this! It’s beautiful!" She leaped out of bed. Daphne was over by the window, looking out. Velma joined her. The view was fantastic! The two of them turned around and headed for the door. Velma barely noticed the room, but did make a mental note that the room no longer looked run down. They headed down the hall to the marble staircases. She could hear music in the distance and smelled food cooking! Almost on air, the two of them descended the staircase, through the foyer and out to the gardens! The bright sun was shining above! The gardens were in full bloom! Everything looked so fresh and alive! Daphne found herself running down a pathway along a stone wall, Velma ran after her as fast as she could. In what seemed to be only a few seconds, they were almost a half mile from the mansion. Both stopped at a huge fountain. Water was spraying high in the air, and she could feel the cool mist hitting her face! Daphne was shrieking with joy! "Isn’t this fantastic! This place is beautiful!" Velma was startled by just how right Daphne was! How could this be? The grounds were perfectly groomed and every tree was in blossom. Still, even Velma could not resist the beauty, and she felt her spirits being lifted by the very air!

There was music playing! The two of them headed back toward the mansion. They entered the great foyer. "Boy! Did this place look different in the day", Velma thought to herself. Daphne had worked her way into the grand ballroom. A string quartet was playing on a stage at the far end. Large silver dishes were set up with a breakfast buffet. "What is going on here?", Velma said. Daphne was dancing alone on the floor! "It doesn’t matter Velma! Isn’t this just wonderful!" Velma felt herself becoming more and more disturbed. "Didn’t this girl say she couldn’t even afford electric for this place?", Velma thought to herself. "This can’t be happening! I must be going mad! They say smart people sometimes go insane. This is what must be happening... I finally lost it!"

 

To be continued!  On to Part Two!