Time: 1152. Location: Mulberry, KS.
Shaggy and Velma wake to the warmth of sunshine on their cheeks. "Where are we," Shaggy asks groggily.
"I'm not sure, Shag." Velma rubs her eyes and searches for her glasses.
"Here ya go. They were on the nightstand."
"Nightstand?"
Hearing his people Scooby shakes himself awake. He spreads his jaws in a deep yawn and stretches his back. "Hey, Scoob." Shaggy reaches for the dog and pats his back. "What's going on, Velma? Last thing I remember we walked into that church…"
"Yeah. After that… That's all I've got, Shaggy."
The door to the room opens. A woman enters carrying a tray of food. "Father Flagg thought you might be hungry. I brought you eggs and bacon, toast, and orange juice all freshly made." She sets the tray down, her smile never diminishing.
"Thanks." Velma's reply belies her suspicion.
"You're very welcome. After you've eaten, Father has invited you to morning service." She does not await a reply, she simply leaves the room, quickly closing the door behind her. The aroma of the fresh food fills the room. Shaggy's stomach audibly grumbles followed quickly by the sound of Scooby's. "S-s-so you think it's safe to eat?" He looks at Velma questioningly. She looks over the food carefully. Eggs. Bacon. Toast. Orange juice. Three carefully laid out plates. 2 glasses. And a bowl of water. She looks at the food uncertain of whether to eat it or not. Her stomach follows Shaggy and Scooby in the symphony of rumbling.
"Well, I don't remember the last time we had fresh eggs and bacon." She turns towards Shaggy, "I don't know about the food but I know I'm as hungry as you are so, I say we eat it."
"You don't have to tell me twice." Shaggy immediately grabs two plates placing one on the ground. "Go for it Scoob. It's all yours." The dog sniffs the food once then attacks the meal as if it was his last. "Looks like Scoob thinks it's okay." Shaggy takes a bite of the eggs savoring the taste. Then quickly follows up with a piece of bacon. The three eat the only sounds being those of clinking silverware and satisfied appetites.
"That was delicious."
"Sure was, Shaggy."
The two sit across from one another, Shaggy in a stiff-backed chair, and Velma on the bed. Scooby lies between them his stomach satisfied and content.
"So, like what now?"
"Well, Shag, since we still don't know anything I guess we go to the church."
They gather their things to leave when they open the door the woman who brought their breakfast stands before them. Only her smile has been replaced with a look of dreadful worry. Her presence startles Shaggy, "Woah there. Don't do that."
"I'm very sorry, sir. I didn't mean to." She looks from side to side nervousness plain upon her face. "You... You need to leave. Get in your van and go. Don't look back. Don't speak of this place. Just go."
Velma steps up and looks at the woman with concern, "What's wrong?"
"You need to go."
"We came to help."
"No one can help us. We are a town of the lost. How you found us…"
"We can help." Velma looks at the woman and then back at Shaggy. He simply shrugs. "Come in and talk to us."
"I can't, he will know." The look of fear grows each second she stands in the hallway.
Velma opens the door more and places her hand on the woman's elbow, "Please, let us help." She looks into Velma's eyes, shakes her head, then steps in. Velma closes the door, "Shaggy, sit in front of the door."
"You got it V." He pulls a chair over to the door and sits. Scooby at his side. Both have their eyes fixed on the woman. She looks around the room. At each of the occupants. Then the floodgates open.
"You don't remember do you?"
"Sure we do. We went to the church. After… well to be honest that's a bit blurry."
"Yes, you went into the church. Did anything stand out to you?"
Velma looks at Shaggy who shrugs again. "No. Not really. Everyone seemed pretty nice."
"Do you remember the windows? Or what hung over the dais?"
"Well, stained glass just like every other church."
"It's too late. He has you."
"Wh-wh-who?" Shaggy asks from his chair.
"The Great Old One. Your minds are clouded by him. You don't remember because he doesn't want you to."
Velma reaches out placing her hand over the scared woman's, "I don't understand. We came here to help the woman with the baby. The one we saw yesterday…"
"That was many days ago."
"Like, w-w-what do you mean 'many days ago'?"
The woman turns towards Shaggy, "What I mean is you have all been here many days."
"Impossible. We just got here yesterday."
Turning back to Velma, "Suit yourself."
"Look, all we want to know is where the woman from last night? Where is her baby?"
With a heavy sigh, the woman replies, "I do not know. Women and children… They… One day they are here. The next… I don't know where they go. I know that all the children… They are no longer here." The woman shakes her head, "You don't understand. You shouldn't be here. This place can't be found. We have lived on this land for centuries. We are born here and die here."
"No one has ever left?"
"No one."
"Why not? Why don't you just walk out of here?"
The fear in the woman's eyes is replaced by pity, "No one leaves. We are here to pay tribute to the Great Old One. All who come here must pay tribute."
"Tribute? How?"
"I do not know"
Velma sits back up, "You're not making any sense."
"Let me start from the beginning." The tale spans time itself. She speaks of gods and devils, "These are not the gods of the ancients.These are the GODS of the gods." She says, trying to reinforce the importance of the statement before moving on. She goes into detail about hymns and services, missing time, and memories. She tells of the missing children. About the Priest, Father Flagg, who arrived one day saying he had been instructed to lead the flock towards redemption in the eye of their GOD. The woman speaks of the fear of the people who wake up each morning feet bloodied. She talks of nightmares. "They are real. We all face them. Many do not come back from them." The yarn she weaves leaves her in tears, "I have said too much. I must go." Without another word, she walks to the door. Shaggy stands in her way.
"Shaggy, let her go." He moves the chair, and she quickly opens the door and then passes into the hall. Shag closes it behind her locking it.
"What do you make of it all, Velm?"
"I don't know, Shag. Talk of missing time, trying to convince us we've been here almost a week. Gods and demons. Sounds more like fantasy and delusions."
"Yeah, but what if it's real? You know what they say, legends are born from some truth."
"I just don't know Shaggy. But we need to find out. And I think the church is as good a place as any to start."