FRED: How far is it to your uncle’s place, Daphne?

DAPHNE: It should be the next turn off on highway 66. Are we on course, Shaggy?

SHAGGY: Like, we should be at the end of highway 66 any minute now. Keep an eye out for a signpost.

FRED: Look! Up ahead!

The sign reads Highway 99

VELMA: Shaggy! You’ve been reading the map upside-down again!

SHAGGY: Like, I was wondering why I couldn’t read any of the words.

SCOOBY laughs at SHAGGY.

FRED: Well, that’s ok. How do we get back on interstate 66, Shaggy?

Suddenly the Mystery machine coughs and splutters.

SHAGGY: We buy more feul, for a start.

FRED: Shaggy's right. Looks like we're out of gas.

SHAGGY: Great! Lost AND stranded. Like, this is as bad as it gets.

DAPHNE: Look up ahead, we can stop there!

DAPHNE is pointing to a spooky looking hotel in the distance.

SCOOBY: Rit's worse! Rit's worse!

SHAGGY: Zoinks! I think I’d rather get out and push!

FRED: I don’t like the look of it either, Shag, but we haven’t got any choice.

The Mystery Machine pulls into the grounds of the hotel.

SHAGGY: Just our luck, to break down outside Spooksville.

VELMA: Don’t be so negative, Shaggy. It’s just an abandoned house.

SHAGGY: That’s not just an abandoned house. Like, It’s a Scary Haunted abandoned house!

DAPHNE: Velma’s right, Shaggy. It’s only a house. Houses don’t bite.

A MAN emerges from somewhere in the fog.

MAN: Hands up, trespassers!

The gang puts their hands up. SCOOBY falls over.

FRED: We didn’t mean to trespass on your property, sir. We were just looking for a place to stay for the night.

MAN: Well, I suppose I can spare some rooms for the night. My name is Jim Taylor. I'm the owner of this miserable place.

VELMA: What's wrong with this... er... fine property, Mr. Taylor?

TAYLOR: Because I’m been haunted by the mist demon.

SHAGGY and SCOOBY: M(R)-m-m-m-m-ist demon? That’s it. Nice to meet you Mr. Taylor. We’ll be leaving right away. See you at the mechanics, Fred.

SHAGGY and SCOOBY are held back by VELMA and FRED.

FRED: Hold it, Shag. It looks like...

SHAGGY: ...we’ve got another mystery to solve.

FRED: That’s right. How did you know?

SHAGGY: Call it a lucky guess.

TAYLOR: I’d be grateful if you kids could solve the mystery, but you don’t have much time left anyway.

DAPHNE: Why’s that, Mr. Taylor?

TAYLOR: I’m going to have to sell the property soon. You see, I used to run a hotel here, until that mist demon arrived. Now the tourists are all too scared to come here, and the fog has take up almost permanent residency here. Even what little visitors I get these days report strange sights and sounds at night...

VELMA: What sorts of things, Mr. Taylor?

TAYLOR: Oh, you know. The usual stuff. levitating furniture, doors opening and locking by themselves, Ghosts flying down the hallways... total nonsense of course, but try telling that to them. You must be getting cold out here, come in...

SHAGGY: I-I-I-I-I’ve heard enough!

SCOOBY puts his hands over his head and moans.

TAYLOR: ...for some dinner.

SHAGGY: Dinner? In that case, we'll be staying a little longer, say, like, until after dinner? Huh, Scoob?

SCOOBY: Reah! (Scooby licks his lips and laughs)

CUT to the lobby.

TAYLOR: John!

An average-looking person appears out of the door.

TAYLOR: This is John Lakes. He’s the butler. If you need anything, just call him. Show the kids to their rooms, John.

JOHN silently moves to the stairs.

TAYLOR: John’s a quiet type. Doesn’t talk much, but he’s a great listener. Dinner’s at eight. Set the table, Lauren.

LAUREN: Yes, Mr. Taylor.

SHAGGY: Did you hear that, Scoob? They’re making dinner! Scoob? Scooby Doo! Where Are You?

CUT to the gang seated at a table, also present is MR and MRS REED, the only other guests, JOHN the butler, LAUREN the maid, PIERRE the Chef, and TAYLOR.

VELMA: (Whispering to SHAGGY) There are so many people here. Any of them could be the mist demon!

SHAGGY:How do you know the mist demon’s not real?

VELMA: Don’t tell me you belived that nonsense about the mist demon?

SHAGGY: Ok, I won't.

VELMA: (gives up and whispers to FRED) Why would anyone want to haunt a hotel?

FRED: I can think of several reasons, but I don’t have enough evidence to support any of them ...yet.

Suddenly, the centrepeice of the table erupts into steam. There is a snapping sound, and the DEMON appears, surrounded by a halo of steam. SCOOBY yelps and hides under the table.

ALL: The mist demon!

DEMON: Leave The House Within An Hour, Or Face The Wrath Of The Mist Demon!

TAYLOR: You can’t frighten me, Demon! (He hurls his knife at the DEMON, but it passes through him and clatters harmlessly against the wall)

The DEMON laughs pitingly, and the face vanishes, and the steam stops. The centerpeice has been blasted across the room, narrowly missing TAYLOR, by the force of the burst of steam.

MR REED: We’re leaving! And If you’ve got any sense, You would too.

MR and MRS REED leave hurridly into the fog.

FRED: We’re not leaving, Mr. Taylor.

SCOOBY: Re rarn’t?

FRED: No, Scooby. We’ve got a mystery to solve, and we're not leaving until we solve it, mist demon or not.

TAYLOR: That’s a relief, kids.

A well-dressed businessman enters.

TAYLOR: Neuman! You snake! What do you want now?

NEUMAN: You’ll have to sell out eventually, Taylor. I’m here to raise the price to seven hundred thousand.

TAYLOR: Never, Neuman! I’ll never sell out to you!

NEUMAN: (laughs) You'll have to eventually. What, with that mist demon hanging around.

TAYLOR: What? How did you find out about that?

NEUMAN: I have my sources. Goodnight, ladies and gentlemen.

NEUMAN leaves.

DAPHNE: Who was that?

TAYLOR: Neuman? He’s the local estate agent. He’s more corrupt than a politician. He wants me to sell my property. As much as I’m holding out, I can’t keep this place running much longer, and I’m afraid I’ll have to sell out to him in the end, if this mist demon mystery isn’t solved.

VELMA:(Whispering to FRED) The demon must be Neuman! He was the only person not present when he appeared.

FRED: We’ll see. Something doesn’t feel right. Let’s contact the sheriff first.

VELMA goes over to the phone.

VELMA: It’s (looks at SCOOBY) inconvenienty incapitated.

DAPHNE: What did she say?

TAYLOR: She said it’s dead.

SCOOBY: Read?

SCOOBY hides under the table.

DAPHNE: Please, Mr. Taylor! You’re upsetting Scooby!

TAYLOR: Sorry, Scooby. I’ll leave you kids to your work. Call John if you need anything.

FRED: Thanks, Mr. Taylor. We will.

TAYLOR leaves.

SHAGGY: Like, It looks we’re in for another night of fright.

SCOOBY moans.

FRED: Don’t be so gloomy, Shaggy. We’ve been solving mysteries for years, and we haven’t seen one real ghost...

SHAGGY: Like, there’s always a time for firsts.

DAPHNE looks out onto the estate. There is an evil laugh from outside the mansion.

DAPHNE: I think Shaggy may have a point.

VELMA: Oh, Daphne, surely not you too?

DAPHNE: Well, If we run into any ghosts...

FRED: All right, we’ll stay here for the night. We can look for clues tommorow.

SHAGGY: Like, What about what the demon said? He wanted everyone out of the house in an hour.

FRED: Hmmm... That gives me an idea.

SHAGGY: Like, for some reason, I don’t think I’m going to like it.

CUT to the trap rigged stairwell. One hour later. Several ghosts drift in.

FRED: Now!

SHAGGY and SCOOBY drops the net, catching all the ghosts. The ghosts float around forcefully for a while, but then collapse, one by one.

DAPHNE: We got them!

SCOOBY picks up the net, and examines the ghosts. It’s only a sheet covering a balloon.

SCOOBY: Rits rokay. (laughs)

FRED: Why would a mist demon need to trick people with a stunt like that?

VELMA: I don’t know yet, but we’re going to find out. Let’s go find out what’s happened to the telephone lines.

CUT to the telegraph poles. They have been cut down. There is an axe lying nearby. VELMA examines the wreckage.

VELMA: Hmmm... Very interesting.

SCOOBY Sniffs around, and a newspaper blows onto his nose.

SCOOBY: A rue! Rook! A rue!

DAPHNE: Hey! Scooby Doo found a clue!

DAPHNE takes the newspaper article.

DAPHNE: Jeepers! Some one broke into the local bank. Nothing was stolen except time lock. It was all done with metal cutting equipment.

VELMA: Jinkes! Now it’s all starting to make sense.

SHAGGY: Like, what now?

FRED kneels down to examine the telegraph pole.

FRED: I think I’m beginning to understand too. Let’s split up, gang. Shaggy and Scooby, you search the mansion. Me and the girls will look for clues on the estate. It looks like this mystery can't wait.

CUT to SHAGGY and SCOOBY creeping along a corridor.

SHAGGY: Like, what a creepy night, eh Scoob?

SCOOBY: Reah, Ra reepy right rof right. (laughs nervously)

A figure is bent over the table through the doorway.

SCOOBY: Relp! Re rist remon!

SCOOBY jumps into SHAGGY’s arms. SHAGGY drops SCOOBY

SHAGGY: Cool it, Scoob. It’s only the Cook.

PIERRE: Vat are yheou doing in here? Hmmmm... Zis is mah kitchen!

SCOOBY: Ritchen? Rmmmm...

SHAGGY: Like, We’re sorry, Mr. Pierre. We’ll be leaving now...

They back out of the kitchen.

SCOOBY: Rim hungry, Raggy.

SHAGGY: Like, I’m hungry too, Scoob, but we won’t get anything to eat while the chef is around. Unless...

SHAGGY weighs up food to integrity. Food wins, of course.

CUT to the kitchen. A badly disguied SHAGGY and SCOOBY appear as the DEMON.

DEMON: Graaaaaaar! Like, leave my kitchen!

PIERRE: Sacre Bleur! It is ze mist demon!

PIERRE runs from the kitchen.

SCOOBY removes the mist demon mask. He jumps off SHAGGY, who was supporting him on his shoulders.

SHAGGY: Like, my favourite place to be!

SCOOBY: Reah! Rine roo!

SHAGGY and SCOOBY begin to search the kitchen.

SHAGGY begins throwing food from the fridge onto the table, SCOOBY is eating everything SHAGGY is throwing.

SHAGGY: Hey! Where’s the food!? Scoob!

SCOOBY: Rherr.. Rherr.. Rook! Ra rue!

SCOOBY points at a heap of splinters on the table.

SHAGGY: Hey! Like, I’ll bet that was from cutting down the telegraph pole! C’mon, Scoob, we have to tell the others!

CUT to FRED, DAPHNE and VELMA somewhere on the estate. In a burst of steam, the mist demon appears.

DAPHNE: Jeepers! The mist demon!

DAPHNE steps backwards, triggering the switch to a secret cave.

VELMA: Danger-prone Daphne did it again.

FRED: I don’t think this is the time to start complaining. As Shaggy would say, “Every coward for himself!”

They dash into the cave, followed by the DEMON.

DEMON: You Cannot Escape Me!

The DEMON rushes past a series of stalagmites, missing the gang who are hiding behind them.

DAPHNE: That was close! (She feels her hair) Jeepers! I’ve lost my hairband!

VELMA: Hey! Look at this!

VELMA is examining the canisters of gases lying against the wall.

VELMA: Helium, Carbon, and Steam!

FRED: The helium must have been used for the balloons!

DAPHNE: And the steam must have been used to make the Demon appear!

VELMA looks around, and sees a freezer and a lever. She goes over, opens the door, and pulls the lever, the bottom swings open, leading down a chute.

VELMA: Hmmm... I think I understand now.

Suddenly, in a burst of steam, the DEMON appears.

DEMON: But You Will Wish You Hadn’t! The Game Is Over, Children, And You Will Regret Interefering With My Plans!

The DEMON pulls a stalagmite, and the gang falls down a trap door. There is a splash as they land in a waterlogged cavern.

VELMA: Where are we?

DEMON: A Good Question. Since It Will Be Your Last, I Will Tell You. You Are In My Underground Cavern Of Doom. Every Minute, The Walls Will Be One Meter Closer. Goodbye, Kids. You Have Five Minutes Left. Ahahahahahahahahahahaha!

The DEMON closes the trapdoor

VELMA: Jinkes! He’s sure not fooling.

DAPHNE: Maybe we could reach the trapdoor...

FRED: It's no good, Daphne. It's too high. Either we drown, or get crushed. Even if we could reach the trap door, we'd have to get it open.

VELMA: Crushed or drowned. Great choices.

DAPHNE: Hmmm... I think I'd rather be crushed. At least my hair would be intact.

VELMA: Gee, thanks Daphne. I feel much better now.

FRED: Don’t worry, Girls. We’ve still got Shaggy and Scooby.

VELMA: We’re doomed.

CUT to SHAGGY and SCOOBY running across the mist-soaked field.

SHAGGY: Come on, Scoob. We’ve got the mystery solved! Wait until Velma hears about this. Like, She’ll have a coronary!

SCOOBY: Reah.. Hehehehehehehe.. Roah!

SCOOBY slips on something and falls on the branch, activating the secret door.

SHAGGY: Hey! Like, This must be another clue!

SHAGGY picks up the mud soaked key. Nearby, SCOOBY is sniffing around.

SHAGGY: Like, I wonder what this doodad is for. Hey, Scoob, Will you hurry up?

SCOOBY: Raphne.

SHAGGY: Daphne?

SHAGGY picks up the hairband.

SHAGGY: Uh oh. Like, Daphne would never drop her hairband. They must be in trouble. We have to go in, Scoob.

SCOOBY looks into the dark cavern and looks apprehensive.

SHAGGY: Like, I don’t like it either, Scoob, but Fred and the girls need our help.

SCOOBY: You ro rirst, Raggy.

SHAGGY: Like, Uh-uh, Scoob. We’ll flip a coin.

SCOOBY: Rokay.

SHAGGY flips the coin. It lands, bounces, and rolls into the cave. SHAGGY gulps.

SHAGGY: That was my last quarter, Scoob. Tell you what, we’ll go in together.

SCOOBY and SHAGGY squeeze into the cavern. Turning around the corner to find the DEMON.

SHAGGY: Zoinks! It’s the Demon! Quick, Scoob, hide.

SCOOBY and SHAGGY hide behind the table.

The demon packs something away carefully into a metal briefcase, and leaves. There is a grinding sound as the stone gate closes.

SHAGGY: Like, we’re locked in, Scoob!

SHAGGY and SCOOBY bang on the stone door.

SHAGGY: Like, let me out!

CUT to FRED, DAPHNE, and VELMA, in the underground cavern, which is rapidly filling with water.

VELMA has props up a metal bar against the walls. It doesn't seem to be helping.

FRED: Did you hear that? Someone’s up there! Call for help, gang.

The gang begins to shout as loud as they can.

SHAGGY unknowingly opens the trap door. SCOOBY falls in. The door slides closed.

SHAGGY: What’s that noise, Scoob? Scoob? Scooby Doo! Where are you?

SCOOBY has fallen into the secret room.

SCOOBY: Rhere ram I?

DAPHNE: Scooby! Where did you come from? Is Shaggy with you?

SCOOBY points up.

FRED: Shag! Can you hear us?

The secret door slides open, and Shaggy looks down.

SHAGGY: Like, hi gang!

VELMA: Get us out of here, Shaggy!

SHAGGY: Hold on. Like, I’ll look for a rope.

SHAGGY looks around, all he can see is the canisters and cupboard.

The water is remaining statistic at about two meters below the trap door.

FRED: Hurry up, Shag! We can’t swim around forever!

VELMA: Jinkes! I’ve got it! Throw down the canisters, Shaggy!

SHAGGY: Like, if you say so.

SHAGGY dumps the canisters down the trapdoor, where the gang patches it into something resembling a raft. SHAGGY pulls everyone up. DAPHNE puts her hairband back on.

DAPHNE: My hair's ruined! That demon will pay for this.

SHAGGY: Like, what now?

VELMA: We’d better leave before the demon gets back.

SHAGGY: Like, how?

SCOOBY: Reah. Row?

VELMA moves over to the freezer and pulls the lever, revealing the trapdoor.

SHAGGY: Like, you can’t be serious! I’m not going down there!

DAPHNE throws a box of Scooby Snacks down the trapdoor.

SCOOBY: Rat a raste!

SHAGGY: Like, waste nothing, Scoob. Gangway!

SCOOBY: Rey! Rait ror re, Raggy.

SCOOBY and SHAGGY dive down the trapdoor, followed by the rest of the gang.

CUT to the moors. SCOOBY and SHAGGY seem relativley happy, munching on their Scooby Snacks. DAPHNE is busy restyling her hair. FRED is looking around for clues. VELMA is searching the contents of the briefcase.

VELMA: Jinkes! I’ve got it!

FRED: What is it? Do you know who the Demon is?

VELMA: Not yet, but I don't think it's not the chef.

SHAGGY: But, like, We found the woodchips in his kitchen!

VELMA: No, Shaggy. This is the last peice of the puzzle.

FRED examines the briefcase.

FRED: I’m beginning to understand now.

DAPHNE: So, what do we do next?

FRED: We need to capture the Demon. Who volunteers for the trap?

SCOOBY: Rot re!

SHAGGY: Like, me neither!

VELMA: I will

DAPHNE: Me too.

FRED: So will I. That leaves Shaggy and Scooby. You guys can be the bait instead.

SHAGGY: Hey! Like, wait a minute!

VELMA: Sorry, Shaggy, you had your chance.

CUT to the completed trap. SHAGGY and SCOOBY are walking towards the mansion, carrying the briefcase. Predictably, the DEMON appears.

DEMON: Drop That Briefcase!

SHAGGY: Like, come and get it!

SCOOBY: Reah! Thppppppppppppppppt!

DEMON: Fools! You Shall Pay!

SHAGGY: Zoinks! Like, we've really got him mad now, Scoob!

The DEMON chases SHAGGY and SCOOBY across the moors to the open cave. SHAGGY hurls the briefcase into the entrance and changes direction. The DEMON runs into the cave and retrives the briefcase.

SHAGGY: Now, Daphne!

DAPHNE closes the door of the cave.

DEMON: You Cannot Trap the mist demon!

The DEMON jumps down the chute to the waterfall, right into VELMA and FRED’s net.

CUT to the tied up DEMON on the now clear moors. TAYLOR and the SHERIFF are also here.

FRED: And now, to find out who the Mist Demon really is.

FRED unmasks the demon, revealing LAUREN.

GANG: The maid!

VELMA: Jinkes! I thought it was John the butler!

FRED: I thought it was Mr. Neuman!

DAPHNE: And I thought it was the Reeds!

TAYLOR: That’s all very well, but what I’d like to know is, how did she manage to make the fog stay?

VELMA: She used the Carbon stored in the cave to make dry ice in the freezer. When it was frozen, she would dump the ice into the waterfall with the trapdoor, where it would make the spooky fog.

SHERIFF: But how did she make the mist demon appear at the table when she was present, and make a knife pass through it?

DAPHNE: That was one of the clever acts. When she and John set the table, she put the a gas canister under the table. When we found the newspaper, we found the bank had been broken into but only the timer device stolen. To break into the bank, she used the skeleton key Shaggy found and the metal cutter in the briefcase to cut the time device from the vault door. She used the timer device to make the gas release simultaneous with the projection of the demon onto the steam from the hidden timed projector in the wall.

SHERIFF: How did you know it wasn’t the chef?

FRED: When we found the telegraph pole, we saw that it had been cleanly cut, despite the axe lying nearby. In actuality, Lauren used the metal cutter to cut down the pole, and planted the axe and woodchips herself.

TAYLOR: But why?

SHAGGY: Like, the answer’s been staring us in the face the whole time. Lauren wanted to tap the land for the hidden underground reserves of steam she found. She was trying to force Mr. Taylor to sell to Mr. Neuman, so she could buy it and make a profit from the natural steam available here.

LAUREN: And I would have gotten away with it, if it wasn’t for you meddling kids and you stupid dog.

TAYLOR: I can’t thank you enough, kids.

SHERIFF: Where she’s going, she’s going to have a long time to think about mist demons.

SCOOBY: Rupid? Huh!

SHAGGY: (Laughs) Scooby Dooby Doo!

END