The Hotel of Horrors

by Kate Howard

  Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Copyright

  “Are we driving to, like, the middle ages?” Shaggy moaned. He was wrestling with Scooby-Doo in the back of the Mystery Machine. “You didn’t tell us it would take four hundred years to get to Castle Rock.”

  “Reah,” Scooby-Doo whimpered. He peeked out from under a knight’s helmet.

  “You’re the wise guys who decided to wear armor,” Velma reminded them. “It must be uncomfortable sitting in a pile of metal for over an hour.”

  Scooby and Shaggy had been excited when Daphne told them they were going to visit her uncle in a town called Castle Rock. The gang was even going to sleep overnight in an old castle.

  To get in the right mood, Shaggy had found two sets of knight’s armor for him and Scooby to wear. But the armor was uncomfortable, and he and Scooby had been clanking and crashing against each other all the way to Castle Rock.

  Suddenly, Daphne pointed. “Look! There it is!” The van crested a big hill. There was a beautiful old town nestled in the valley below them. “I can’t wait to see Uncle Brad. It’s groovy that he’s letting me interview him for the school paper.”

  “I’m really looking forward to a tour of the police station,” Fred said, steering the van carefully down the hill.

  “I sure hope we’ll get some new tips for solving mysteries,” Velma added. “Do you think they have a crime lab at the police station?”

  Daphne’s uncle was the police chief in Castle Rock. He had agreed to give the gang a tour of the police station. He was also going to talk to them about some of his recent cases.

  Shaggy’s stomach rumbled noisily through his armor. “Like, I just hope they have a cafeteria.”

  “Ror ronuts!” Scooby added, licking his lips.

  “Donuts! Hey, Fred, let’s make this horse go a little faster!” Shaggy cried.

  A few minutes later, Fred eased the Mystery Machine into a parking spot between two squad cars. There were television news vans and reporters standing outside the police station.

  “I wonder what’s going on,” said Daphne, frowning.

  “Daphne!” A short, burly-looking man shouted over the news reporters. He waved them over. “Come on inside the station.”

  The gang pressed past the reporters and into the busy police headquarters. Scooby and Shaggy were still wearing armor. Everyone stared at them as they scraped and clanked through the station.

  “Gang, this is my uncle Brad Bestler,” Daphne said.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chief,” Fred said, shaking his hand. “Thanks for inviting us here to Castle Rock.”

  “Things are a little nutty in town at the moment,” Uncle Brad said. “I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to show you around today.”

  “No problem,” Shaggy said. “You can just point us in the direction of the donuts.”

  “Do you have a big case to solve?” Velma asked. “Anything we can do to help?”

  Uncle Brad frowned. “We have a case I just can’t seem to crack,” he said sadly. “Someone has stolen valuable jewels from the art museum, a gallery, and several homes in Castle Rock. It’s the strangest thing …” He trailed off, shaking his head.

  “What’s strange?” Velma pressed.

  “Well, I just don’t know what to make of it,” Uncle Brad said. “All the jewels have been taken from different places on different nights. But we don’t have any real clues. The thing is —” He lowered his voice to a whisper. Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby all leaned in close to hear him. “The thing is, some people say they’ve seen a cloaked figure with glowing, white skin. It’s our only clue, but it just sounds crazy. I’m sure it’s just a silly rumor made up by people with overactive imaginations. Even still, a few people are wondering if there’s a … vampire in town.”

  “Rampire?” Scooby said, shaking inside his armor. “Rikes.”

  Uncle Brad laughed. “See? It sounds so strange. But I don’t have anything else to go on. I just don’t know how to solve this mystery.”

  “Uncle Brad, you know mysteries are our specialty,” Daphne said.

  “Yeah,” Fred chimed in. “We’d be happy to help out.”

  Uncle Brad scratched his head. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. I could use some fresh ideas. Maybe this case would be a good way for me to show you how things work here at the police station.”

  The police chief looked outside. The sun had already sunk beneath the rocky cliffs. The orange glow of sunset stretched across the sky. “We can get started in the morning. Why don’t you get settled in at the Castle Hotel for the night? I’ll see you back here first thing tomorrow.”

  “Like, this old castle better have room service,” Shaggy groaned.

  Fred had just parked the Mystery Machine in the lot outside the Castle Hotel. The old hotel was perched on a craggy cliff overlooking the town. There were no other cars in the lot, and the big, stone building looked dark and spooky. Luckily, the moon was full and shone down on them like a giant flashlight.

  “It looks like we’re the only guests,” Fred said as they walked up to the hotel’s big front door.

  “Uncle Brad said they don’t get a lot of visitors in Castle Rock. This is the only hotel in town.” Daphne touched the cracked stone of the castle walls. “Anyway, I think it looks groovy.”

  “Like, don’t they believe in lights at this hotel?” Shaggy wondered aloud.

  Velma reached out to open the huge wooden door. But before she touched the handle, the door swung open on its own. “Well, that’s interesting,” she observed, stepping in.

  “More like creepy,” Shaggy muttered. “After you, Scoob.”

  Scooby put his nose to the ground and sniffed his way into the castle. The others followed. When they had all stepped inside, the door creaked closed behind them.

  Scooby continued to sniff. A moment later, he bumped into a small, pale man hunched over behind the door. The others didn’t notice him until Scooby let out a frightened whimper.

  The hunched man stood still and unmoving. He looked tiny next to the huge suits of armor that stood along the edge of the round stone room. His body was wrapped in a long, cape-like cloak. He stared at the gang silently.

  “Hello,” Fred said in a friendly voice.

  The small, hunched man remained in his place behind the door. He looked at them without a trace of a smile.

  “Like, is that guy alive?” Shaggy asked, backing away from the door. He bumped into a suit of armor that toppled over with a clang.

  “Yes, yes!” a big, booming voice called from the top of a curving staircase. “He’s quite alive. Ivan is our hotel butler. Please, don’t mind him. He’s very shy. Welcome, welcome! I’m Dr. Franklin, the owner of the Castle Hotel. I’d like to invite you into our majestic home!”

  Dr. Franklin swept down the stairs. He was very thin and extremely tall. He had a long, pointed nose and huge ears that stuck out like an elf’s. He was wearing a long black cloak that made his skin look ghostly white in the dim entranceway.

  “Hello, Dr. Franklin,” Fred said. “We would like to stay here tonight. Police Chief Bestler told us you would probably have rooms available?”

  “Police Chief Bestler sent you?” The hotel owner looked at them strangely. “Yes, yes, of course. I’m delighted to have you!” When Dr. Franklin smiled, his mouth stretched all the way from one side of his thin face to the other. But suddenly, his smile faded and Dr. Franklin began to sneeze. In less than a minute, he sneezed at l
east twenty times.

  “Are you okay?” Velma asked.

  Dr. Franklin continued to sneeze. He held up his hand and said, “Yes, yes, I’m fine. It’s just that I’m allergic to animals. All animals, I’m afraid.” He glanced at Scooby, who tried to hide behind a suit of armor.

  “Rorry,” Scooby said. He hung his head, embarrassed.

  “It’s no worry. No worry at all,” Dr. Franklin said, waving a hand in the air. “It’s only a bit of a sneeze. And it’s worth it to have guests who want to join Ivan and myself at our fine hotel!”

  Dr. Franklin looked around the hotel lobby sadly. The castlelike mansion looked like it had once been grand. But now it was worn down. The suits of armor all had a fine layer of dust. Giant paintings were faded and cracking. A chandelier that hung from the ceiling was missing crystals.

  “People used to come from all over the world to stay at our beautiful Castle Hotel. But business has been very slow lately. We just can’t compete with water parks and miniature golf.” The hotel owner shook his head. “Things have been especially difficult since some of our guests told the newspaper they saw and heard strange things while they were staying here.” He chuckled.

  “Like, that’s not funny,” Shaggy whispered to Scooby. “What kind of strange things?”

  Dr. Franklin sighed. “It’s just an old mansion, full of creaks and squeaks and bumps in the night. Nothing to worry about.” He looked at Ivan, and they both smiled. Or Ivan tried to smile, but his mouth couldn’t seem to turn in the right direction.

  Scooby and Shaggy exchanged a worried look. Fred, Daphne, and Velma laughed nervously.

  “If Ivan and I don’t find a way to make some money soon,” Dr. Franklin continued, “we’re going to have to close up the hotel for good. We will just have to leave it to the bats.”

  “Rats?” Scooby squeaked.

  Dr. Franklin began to sneeze again. When he’d finally stopped, he said, “Ivan will show you to your rooms. He will also be happy to get you anything else you need. Won’t you, Ivan?”

  Ivan didn’t say anything. He just shuffled out from behind the door.

  As the gang followed the butler through the grand lobby and up the curving stairs, Scooby and Shaggy lagged behind.

  “That Ivan guy doesn’t seem like he’d be happy to do anything. He’s not very friendly,” Shaggy said.

  Ivan was rushing up the stairs. It almost seemed like he was trying to get away from the gang. They practically had to run to keep up with him.

  The butler led them down long hallways and through dark rooms. He was taking them deeper and deeper inside the old hotel. As they walked farther from the front door, the hallways grew dimmer. Shadows stretched out behind them. The air seemed to get colder with every step.

  “Like, I hope this place has a map,” Shaggy muttered, looking over his shoulder.

  Suddenly, Ivan stopped. A woman was standing in the middle of the hall in front of him. She had her arms stretched out to the sides, making it impossible for them to pass. Like Dr. Franklin and Ivan, she was wearing a heavy cloak.

  “It must always be cold in here,” Shaggy whispered to Scooby. “Everyone’s wearing cloaks. All we have is armor, Scoob. Like, I guess we didn’t pack right for this castle after all.”

  The woman was very beautiful, but her voice was cold and angry. “I see we have guests, Ivan?” she asked, fixing the gang with a hard stare.

  “Yes, we’re staying at the hotel for a few nights,” Fred answered.

  “We’re visiting Police Chief Bestler,” Daphne explained.

  “Police Chief Bestler?” the woman snapped. “What business do you have with him?”

  “He’s Daphne’s uncle,” Fred explained. “We’re going to be helping him out at the police station for a few days.”

  The woman’s eyes grew wide, but then she smiled. “Well, isn’t that just grand?”

  “Are you also a guest at the hotel?” Velma wondered.

  The tall woman laughed. “Ha! A guest! Why, this is my home.”

  Ivan snorted. It was the first time he’d made a sound, and it almost seemed like he was laughing at the woman.

  “I am Madame Magnificent,” the woman declared proudly. “I’m sure you’ve heard of me. I was once a famous movie star.”

  “Nope. I’ve never heard of you,” Shaggy said. Velma gave him a stern look.

  “You live here, in the Castle Hotel?” Fred asked.

  “Why, yes,” Madame Magnificent said. “But you shall soon see that this is not a regular hotel. I have lived here for the past ten years. Someday soon, I will have the means to buy this glorious mansion. I will make it grand again!”

  With one final laugh, Madame Magnificent disappeared as quickly as she’d appeared.

  “Like, where did she go?” Shaggy asked. “She didn’t even tell us where the hotel restaurant is. Or, like, how to order room service! A nice, warm pie sounds good right about now.”

  But there was no time to chase after the mysterious woman. Ivan had begun to move again. He led the gang through more dark and narrow passageways. Shaggy and Scooby had to hustle to keep up.

  After many twists and turns down the hotel’s dark hallways, Ivan brought them to their rooms. He left without saying a word.

  “This is the strangest hotel I’ve ever been in,” Velma observed. “Don’t you think it’s a little strange that we’re the only people here?”

  Scooby nodded. “Rexrept Radame Ragrifirent.”

  “Madame Magnificent and Ivan,” Shaggy reminded them. “I’ve gotta say, this hotel and these people really give me the creeps.” He yawned. “Like, I’m ordering room service and calling it a night.”

  “This old phone doesn’t work,” Shaggy said after he and Scooby-Doo had settled into their room. Shaggy put the phone to his ear again. “Definitely broken. Looks like we’re going to have to find that Ivan guy and ask him for help finding some food in this place.”

  Scooby gulped. “Rot Rivan.”

  “We don’t have much choice, Scoob. Dr. Franklin said Ivan would be happy to help us if we needed anything. What we need is food. Ivan is the only thing standing between you and me and a feast.”

  “Rokay,” Scooby agreed. He put his knight’s helmet back on. “Rust rin rase!”

  “Like, that’s a good idea,” Shaggy said. “I’ll wear my armor, too. We can pretend we live in the castle, like Madame Magnificent. I just wish we had capes. This really does seem like more of a ‘cape castle.’” He shivered. “Brrr! It’s cold in here.”

  Shaggy and Scooby crept out into the dark hallway. “Scooby, old pal, am I dreaming? I think I smell pie!” Shaggy exclaimed, poking his nose into the air. “It’s coming from over there.” He and Scooby hurried down a long hallway, following the smell of apple pie.

  After a few minutes, Scooby stopped next to a small door in the wall. He pulled off his helmet and sniffed excitedly. “Rie!”

  Shaggy opened the miniature door and poked his head inside. “Look! It’s an old dumbwaiter,” he said. “This is a special elevator that brings food from the kitchen up to other rooms. There’s a little platform inside the wall that can be used as a snack car.”

  “Rack rar?” Scooby asked, licking his lips. “Ran re ride rit?”

  “Like, that’s not a bad idea, Scoob!” Shaggy said. “If we can fit in the dumbwaiter, we can just ride it right down to the kitchen. Then we’ll be one step closer to that delicious pie!”

  Shaggy pulled at the rope inside the wall. It didn’t budge. In fact, it almost felt like someone else was pulling the rope from the other side. Scooby grabbed on to Shaggy’s arms to help pull.

  They grunted and tugged, trying to get the dumbwaiter to move. Instead, the two friends fell back into a heap on the floor.

  “Ris rit ruck?” Scooby asked. He brushed at his armor. He was covered in dust from the floor.

  “Like, I don’t think this thing works, Scoob. We’re going to have to find the kitchen the old-fashioned way.” Shaggy g
rinned. “With our noses!”

  Shaggy had just closed the door to the dumbwaiter when there was a loud crash inside the wall. Moments later a horrible, screeching whistle rang through the castle.

  “Rhat ras rat?” Scooby asked, shaking.

  “I don’t think I want to know,” Shaggy said. “But that’s what my stomach is gonna sound like if I don’t eat soon. Like, let’s get out of here!”

  They ran through the shadowy halls of the hotel, searching for the kitchen. The first turn led them into a room full of stuffed bats.

  “Reepy!” Scooby cried as they backed out. They raced off in the other direction.

  Another crashing sound shook the floors as they ran through the hotel. “I think I know why people said they heard strange sounds when they were staying here. All I can say is, this pie better be worth it!” Shaggy cried.

  They turned a corner and ran into Dr. Franklin. In the dark hallway, the hotel owner looked much less friendly than he had just an hour before. Shaggy backed away nervously.

  “Why are you out of your room?” Dr. Franklin asked. “Is something wrong?”

  “Like, we were hungry?” Shaggy said hopefully.

  Dr. Franklin shook his head, frowning. Then he began to sneeze. “I must go,” he said, backing away. “The kitchen is that way.” He pointed. “Ivan is there. He will be happy to help you!”

  The hotel owner backed around a corner, still sneezing.

  Shaggy said, “Like, that was weird. He was in an awfully big hurry to get away from us. But at least now we know where the kitchen is.” He rubbed his hands together. “Let’s get some munchies and get back to our room before we bump into that creepy Dr. Franklin again!”

  The hotel kitchen was small and cramped, but it was much brighter than the rest of the hotel. Scooby and Shaggy looked everywhere, but they couldn’t find any pie.

  “Like, I was sure I smelled pie,” Shaggy complained.