The Mystery of the Maze Monster

by John Sazaklis

  “This way,” Ms. Daedalus shouts over the storm. The group follows the architect in search of protection from the elements. “There’s a gazebo nearby!”

  Standing under the wooden structure, the members of Mystery Inc. stare out at the garden maze while the rain pours down.

  “Well, this certainly puts a damper on our investigation,” Fred says.

  THE END

  To follow another path, press here.

  For now, the gang decides to stay in the mausoleum.

  “It might be safer here in the tomb,” Fred says.

  “Like, I’d rather take my chances with the spiders than the Minotaur,” Shaggy says.

  “Re, too!” barks Scooby-Doo.

  Daphne shines her flashlight around. The light reflects off of spiderwebs, casting abstract shadows on the surrounding walls. In the center is a crypt, and some marble columns stand around it.

  “Wow,” she says. “It’s really pretty, in a creepy sort of way.”

  WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

  A howling sound whistles through the mausoleum, and the friends huddle together. Scooby-Doo grabs on tightly.

  “Rhat ras rat?” asks the frightened hound, shaking like a wet dog.

  Shaggy’s teeth chatter, and his knees knock together with fright. “Like, did we wake up the ghost?” he asks. “Turn off your flashlight, Daph. It’s trying to sleep!”

  “It’s not a ghost, Shaggy,” Velma says. “It’s just the wind blowing through the cracks.” She shines her flashlight on the dusty walls of the mausoleum. The cobwebs hanging in the corners are fluttering from a light draft.

  “Rokay,” Scooby-Doo says. The curious hound walks over to Daphne and trips over something. “Roops!”

  Scooby-Doo bumps into Daphne, who bumps into Fred, who falls onto the crypt. The slab slides over a few inches.

  “AHHH!” the kids yelp.

  “Jinkies!” Velma cries. “There’s something looped around Scooby’s paw.”

  “What is it?” Fred asks.

  “It’s a leather strap, and it leads right into the crypt,” Velma says.

  Together the friends slide the slab a little more to see where the strap leads. It is part of a satchel.

  Lifting it out of the crypt, Fred dusts it off and calls out to Daphne. “Shine your flashlight here, please,” he says.

  The beam of light reveals the satchel’s contents: the Incan idol, Grecian urn, bronze scimitar, crouching tiger statue, and crystal skull. All the items stolen from Mr. King’s collection of priceless artifacts!

  “We found the goods!” Fred exclaims. “This must have been the Minotaur’s hiding spot. Too bad we didn’t catch him, though.”

  “Well, if he’s still out there, I’m staying in here,” Shaggy says.

  “I have an idea, gang,” Velma exclaims. “I’ll use my laptop to send a signal to the Minos Manor security system. I’ll let Mr. King know we’re here with the goods, and he can come pick us up.”

  “Good idea,” Daphne says.

  “In the meantime, let’s have some Scooby Snacks to celebrate,” says Shaggy.

  Scooby-Doo agrees. “Scooby-Dooby-Doo!”

  THE END

  To follow another path, press here.

  Mr. King leads the gang toward a bookcase on the far wall of the dining room.

  “Watch this,” the crafty tycoon says.

  He pulls on a thick leather-bound book. Gears shift and whir within the wall. The bookcase slides sideways on a track to reveal a hidden exit leading out to the garden maze.

  “Run for safety,” Mr. King demands. “I’ll handle this overgrown fur ball!”

  The youngsters dash forward into the maze. As the Minotaur charges toward the group, the billionaire sticks out his cane under the monster’s feet. Tumbling horns over hooves, the Minotaur lands headfirst in the mud.

  The gang cheers at Mr. King’s heroic move, but the victory is short-lived.

  “ROOAR!” The Minotaur is back on his feet and bounding for the members of Mystery Inc.

  The gang heads into the maze, and Fred pulls them behind a tall hedge. He looks up at a low-hanging tree branch, and his face lights up.

  “I’ve got an idea,” he says. “We’re going to make a trap to catch the Minotaur.” Then he looks at Shaggy and Scooby-Doo and says, “And you’re going to be the bait.”

  “Ro way!” barks Scooby-Doo.

  “Like, what he said?” Shaggy adds.

  “Would you do it for some Scooby Snacks?” Velma asks.

  The Great Dane hesitates and says, “Rokay.”

  “Here’s the plan,” Fred says. He picks up a long, thick vine and ties a lasso at the end of it. “We’re going to loop this over that tree branch so it lands on the other side of the hedge. Daphne and Velma will cover up the lassoed end with leaves and then join me back here.”

  “Jinkies!” Velma exclaims. “I get it! So when the Minotaur runs onto the disguised lasso, we’ll pull the vine tight, trap his hoof, and hoist him up into the air.”

  “Exactly!” Fred says, smiling proudly. “Isn’t it groovy?”

  ROAR!

  The gang hears the Minotaur approaching and springs into action.

  “You’re on, boys,” Daphne says to Shaggy and Scooby-Doo.

  “Take these Scooby Snacks and run,” Velma tells the duo. “Don’t forget to leave a crumb trail to find your way back to us!”

  “Like, it’s now or never, Scoobs,” Shaggy says.

  “Ret’s go!”

  The hapless heroes run out from hiding, right into the path of the Minotaur! The menacing monster gives chase. Shaggy and Scooby-Doo hightail it, all the while munching on Scooby Snacks.

  From behind the hedge, Fred, Daphne, and Velma can only imagine what is happening. They hear whimpering, growling, and rustling through the foliage.

  Suddenly the vine pulls taut in Fred’s hands. The trap has been activated.

  “We got something!” Daphne cries.

  The three friends pull with all their might, yanking their prey high into the air. Fred loops the vine around the tree trunk and ties it with a triple knot.

  “Great job, gang,” he says. “That criminal is high and dry!”

  If the friends go see whom they’ve captured, press here.

  If they wait for Shaggy & Scooby to return and go together, press here.

  Fred and Daphne follow the muddy footprints up into the attic.

  They duck their heads below the low-hanging ceiling. All around they see old furniture and boxes.

  A trail of dirt and broken glass leads to a partially hidden trunk.

  Fred finds an oil lamp and some matches. He lights it, casting a warm glow over the room and illuminating the trunk. The flickering flames cause shadows to creep and dance on the walls like ghosts.

  “Look, Fred,” Daphne says. “More clues!” She points to the clump of fur caught on the hinge of the trunk.

  Fred crouches near the trunk. He says, “Open the trunk. I bet you whatever is inside will be a break in this case!”

  Daphne unhooks the latch and slowly opens the trunk. The lid lifts back to reveal . . . the Minotaur’s head!

  Daphne lets out an ear-piercing scream. “AHHHHHH!”

  Fred almost drops the lantern from fright. He brings the light closer to the head.

  “Jeepers, Daphne,” Fred says. “It’s a rubber mask. The Minotaur is a fake!”

  Fred hands the lamp to Daphne and pulls out the mask. There are mechanics inside that make the eyes glow and the nostrils blow steam. Folded beneath it is the rest of the Minotaur costume.

  “Well, looks like we solved one mystery,” Daphne says. “But we still don’t know who’s the real menace behind the mask.”

  “And where the stolen valuables are hidden,” Fred adds.

  “Let
’s go find the others and get to the bottom of this,” says Daphne.

  Fred agrees and blows out the lantern. The two friends bundle up the costume and take it with them.

  Then they head downstairs to the basement. The work of Mystery Inc. is never finished!

  THE END

  To follow another path, press here.

  Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo take the stairs down to the basement.

  CLANG!

  CLANG!

  CLANG!

  The clanging sound gets louder as they approach. Velma finds a light switch and flips it. A single uncovered bulb shines light on the dingy, musty basement.

  In the far corner of the room, near the boiler, someone is sitting on a chair. As the friends walk closer, they discover that it’s a person who has been gagged and tied.

  Velma adjusts her glasses and squints into the dim light ahead. “Jinkies!” she exclaims. “It’s Martin Clark!”

  The intrepid archaeologist has managed to free his feet and kick against the iron pipes with his heavy boots. The sound has been traveling all the way up the side of the house, alerting the members of Mystery Inc.

  Velma quickly pulls the gag off of Martin’s mouth. “Could you give me a hand, Scoob?” she asks her four-legged friend.

  “Row ’bout ra rooth?” replies Scooby, grinning widely with his shiny, white teeth.

  CHOMP! CHOMP!

  He chomps down onto the ropes and chews through them with ease.

  Once the ropes fall to the ground, Shaggy helps the professor to his feet.

  “Like, what happened, big guy?” Shaggy asks.

  “My head’s still a little hazy,” answers Martin, “but I remember leaving the dining room to answer my phone. Then I was ambushed from behind and woke up here!”

  “Rouch!” Scooby-Doo replies.

  “I thought I was still dreaming,” Martin continued, “but I could have sworn I saw a creature that was half man and half bull shutting down the power from that fuse box over there.”

  “That must have been the Minotaur,” Velma explains. “He’s been the cause of all the trouble here at Minos Manor.”

  “Like, let’s get out of here before he shows up again,” Shaggy says nervously.

  Suddenly a ferocious growl echoes off the basement walls.

  “ROOARRRR!”

  “ZOINKS!” Shaggy cries in alarm. “We’re too late!”

  Red eyes glow in the darkness, and the Minotaur charges into the light. The beast lunges for Scooby-Doo with all his might.

  “Not on my watch,” cries Martin. “Heads up!”

  He picks up a wrench and hurls it at the Minotaur. The monster ducks, and the wrench scrapes a pipe, ripping the metal.

  Hot steam blasts out of the pipe, right into the Minotaur’s face. Disoriented, the monster lumbers forward and trips over Scooby-Doo.

  WHAM!

  The creature lands headfirst into the wall, where his horns get stuck in the bricks.

  “Like, that’s using your head, Scoob!” Shaggy says.

  “He’s trapped!” Velma cries.

  Together the friends pull the Minotaur off the wall, but his head stays stuck. It’s really a mask!

  “This monster is a fake,” Shaggy says.

  “And it’s none other than Wadsworth!” Velma announces.

  “Great Caesar’s ghost,” Martin exclaims. “The butler did it!”

  Before Wadsworth can escape, the archaeologist uses the same ropes to tie him up. “Sit tight,” he says to the crook.

  At that moment, Fred and Daphne arrive with Mr. King and the other guests.

  “Wadsworth?!” Mr. King gasps. “I’m shocked. What is the meaning of this?”

  “Bah!” shouts the butler with disgust. “I was going to sell those precious artifacts on the black market and use the money to retire on a warm, tropical island.”

  “You mean, these precious artifacts?” Fred asks.

  He holds up a leather satchel containing the stolen items.

  “They were hidden in a trunk in the attic,” Daphne says. “Your muddy footprints led us right to them!”

  “And, like, the only place you’ll be retiring is to prison,” Shaggy adds.

  The gang smiles.

  Wadsworth snarls and says, “It was a perfect plan. And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for you meddling kids!”

  Mr. King sighs and says, “Good help is so hard to find these days. Luckily the members of Mystery Inc. are great at what they do. I’m glad I decided to call on you.”

  “Especially Scooby-Doo,” Shaggy says. “He’s the one who stopped the menace of the Minotaur.”

  Scooby-Doo smiles and says, “Scooby-Dooby-Doo!”

  THE END

  To follow another path, press here.

  Fred, Daphne, and Velma remain hidden behind the tree. Their plan worked. They caught the Minotaur!

  Huffing and puffing, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo come scrambling around the hedge.

  “Like, did we catch him or what?” Shaggy asks.

  “Let’s go see,” Fred says.

  The five friends sneak around the tall maze wall and come to the entrance of the path. Right in the middle is a figure hanging upside down from the branch.

  Creeping closer, the members of Mystery Inc. discover that the person in the trap is . . .

  “Mr. King!” cries Fred.

  “Jeepers!” Daphne exclaims. “How could you be the Minotaur?”

  “I’m not the Minotaur, child!” the tycoon shouts. “Cut me down from here before all the money falls out of my pockets!”

  After the friends release Mr. King from their trap, he tells them how he followed the sound of the commotion into the clearing.

  “I saw that terrible monster chase you down this path, and so I came along to help,” Mr. King stated. “Then, before I knew it, the world turned upside down!”

  “Sorry about that,” Fred says.

  “Like, if you’re not the Minotaur, that means he’s still out there,” Shaggy says nervously.

  “Ruh-roh,” Scooby-Doo adds. “Rhere he is!”

  The friends turn to see the Minotaur standing behind them. His eyes glow red and steam puffs out his nose. He is blocking the only way out of the maze.

  “Zoinks!” Shaggy cries. “Like, we’re doomed!”

  THE END

  To follow another path, press here.

  Fred, Daphne, and Velma sneak slowly around the hedge. They see a mysterious shape dangling in the air, lassoed by the vine. Numerous appendages flail at its side while the creature howls.

  “AROOO!”

  Upon closer inspection, the friends discover what the creature really is . . .

  “Jeepers!” gasps Daphne. “We caught Scooby and Shaggy!”

  The two friends are tangled together and hanging upside down from the branch. Candy, treats, and snacks tumble out of Shaggy’s pockets.

  “Like, your trap certainly works, Fred,” Shaggy says, twirling around above him. “I feel like a piñata!”

  “Drat. I thought we got the drop on the Minotaur,” Fred said, letting out a sigh. “I guess he got away!”

  Suddenly a dark shadow falls over the gang.

  “Ruess again!” Scooby-Doo shouts. Still hanging in the tree, he hugs Shaggy tightly and closes his eyes.

  The others turn around to see . . .

  The Minotaur!

  His red eyes glow. Steam puffs out of his nostrils like two exhaust pipes. The beast scrapes his hooves against the ground, readying himself to charge at any moment.

  “ROAARR!” The monster lets out a terrible roar that echoes through the night.

  “Jinkies!” Velma cries. “I’ve got an idea. Run for it!”

  Fred, Daphne, and Velma race down the path back to
the tree. The Minotaur gives chase, stampeding after them with powerful, lightning-quick speed.

  “This time, Fred and I are going to be the bait,” Velma says to Daphne. Then she leans over and whispers the rest of the plan into her friend’s ear.

  THUMP

  THUMP

  THUMP

  The Minotaur clears the hedge and pounds down the path. Daphne hides behind the tree, disappearing from view.

  “Hey, fur ball!” Fred shouts. “Catch us if you can!”

  He and Velma sprint down the path. The Minotaur roars, spins on its heels, and takes off after them.

  In the meantime, Daphne pulls out a nail file from her purse. She begins to slice away at the vine tied around the tree. It slowly unravels.

  Fred and Velma run back around to where they left Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. The Minotaur is hot on their heels.

  Approaching their friends, they both shout, “NOW!” They dive for cover.

  Daphne cuts through the vine.

  In a flash, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo fall from the branch. They come crashing down right on top of the monster!

  WHAM!

  The monster is pinned to the ground beneath Shaggy and Scooby. The beast kicks and bucks, but he cannot move beneath the weight of the two friends. Luckily they both had a hefty breakfast this morning.

  “Zoinks!” Shaggy cries. “Looks like we got the drop on the Minotaur after all.”

  “GRRRRR!” he snarls.

  At that moment, Mr. King arrives with the other guests. They had followed the sound of the commotion.

  “The Minotaur!” Ms. Daedalus says in alarm. “He’s real!”

  “He’s a real fake!” Fred says, ripping off the Minotaur’s mask.

  Mr. King gasps when he sees the monster’s true identity. “Martin Clark! But why?”

  The professor struggles to free himself, but the combined weight of Shaggy and Scooby-Doo is too heavy to move.