Concert in Hell - Scooby-Doo 1/2

The stage is pitch black; the crowd holds its breath. Suddenly seemingly coming from everywhere, a single guitar chord breaks the night. A follow spot turns on. A pale hand on a weird electric guitar. A powerful riff, subtle drumming, a couple of notes from a keyboard.

“And now ladies and gentlemen, the band you’ve all been waiting for, the dreadful Hex Girls!”

The music invades the stadium as the light bathes the stage revealing the group of three young rock stars and the frenzied crowd starts cheering.

In the middle of the crowd, singing with the others, dancing with the others, is the nerdy looking Velma Dinkley. She has traded her traditional orange heavy sweater and red skirt for a black T-shirt with a large white skull on it, a leather mini skirt and a pair of fishnet stockings. Despite her complete makeover she hasn’t managed to completely get rid of her intellectual vibe. Maybe it’s the huge pair of glasses that still hang on the tip of her nose.

But Velma is not here tonight to look good; Velma is here to enjoy her favorite band’s first concert of their new tour: “Hex Revamped”. In Velma’s pocket, the ticket, the letter and the VIP pass she received in the mail just a week ago. She is to meet her friends after the concert backstage. She hasn’t seen Thorn, Dusk or Luna since that Witch’s ghost affair. She heard they went through a rough creative dispute but apparently the European tour last winter brought them all back together.

As the concert moves on, Velma cannot shake the weird feeling of arousal the music is giving her. She can’t wait to meet the girls and tell them how much she loves their tunes, but for now the music is all that counts, the entrancing beats, the seductive rhythms… Velma is positively in love with the new Hex girls.

And the music continues. Slowly, so slowly the public seems to gather in the large strip of free space in front of the stage. Velma, who normally doesn’t like to be surrounded by so many people doesn’t seem to mind all that she cares about is the music and the overwhelming feeling of sexual freedom that has overtaken her guts. Her white panties are now drenched she can feel it. A man involuntarily rubs his elbow against her breasts. Velma moans.

Suddenly the music quiets down; Dusk leaves her keyboard and approaches the edge of the stage. For the first time this evening Velma can fully admire the new makeup, the revamping of the girls. Deep ruby eyes, pale skin and demon like foreheads. Velma is an expert in recognizing monster disguises but this one is just amazing, it looks so real.

Thorn extends a hand and grabs a young man in the crowd. She helps him climb on stage. There’s something odd in Sally’s look, something Velma has never seen before, fierceness, savagery. She has a hard time pinpointing what it is. The man has been stripped of his shirt; Thorn is lasciviously petting his abs. A kiss on a shoulder, a hand over the leather pants.

Once again the crowd holds its breath. The sensual tension is tremendous. Finally, baring saliva drenched fangs, Thorn strikes at the man’s jugular. A large spray of blood covers the first rows and Velma along with the crowd explodes in a howl that climbs into the night sky.

For a long time the Hex girl keeps her mouth locked to the man’s shoulder. The music goes on. Finally she releases him; her face is covered in blood. He drops face down. Thorn walks back to her guitar and starts playing a long solo.

Velma is fascinated. Part of her mind tells her to run but the music is so entrancing. The drums stop, the keyboard stops. All that remains is the guitar. All she can look at are the pale fingers flying magically over the strings. Thorn is alone on the stage.

A hand reaches for Velma’s ass. She doesn’t mind. Another hand grabs her tit. She loves it. Something warm falls on her face. She turns around and spots Dusk’s piggy tails just a few yards away. The blonde’s mouth is on another woman’s throat. Blood is squirting from the edges of the drummer’s lips. The woman’s eyes are filled with tears. Tears of joy.

All around them submerged in the strangest trance the whole crowd starts undressing. Velma looks back at the stage. Thorn is not playing anymore but the music goes on in Velma’s head. The lead singer of the band walks to the edge of the stage and jumps into the crowd welcomed by unsuspecting arms.

Everything that follows is a blur.

When Velma comes back to her senses the concert is over, the lights are back on and the public has started to empty the stadium. The last tune still playing in her head, Velma is puzzled. The concert was absolutely fantastic but that last part…

She pushes back her glasses off the tip of her nose and stumbles towards the side of the stage where the bouncer is filtering the VIP passes. She has to see her friends, she needs an explanation.

Five tedious minutes later she is introduced in the bands trailer. It’s nothing like the Mystery machine, a luxurious rock star trailer. Luna opens the door, she hasn’t taken off her makeup, there are still some black stains all over her clothes. Velma is dragged into the van and thrown on a couch. The Hex girls still in stage disguise look at her.

“We love your new look Velma.” Dusk’s hand is playing with her hair.

“Very sexy…” Luna rubs a hand against her chin.

“We love sexy…” Thorn kneels in front of her.

The first bite goes to her thigh. The pain is tremendous.

The second covers her neck. Dusk’s hair tickles her nose.

The last one pierces her wrist. Velma sneezes.

Her glasses fall on the thick carpet of the caravan.

As the monsters feed on her, Velma wonders why there was no chase.

The blurry world around her turns black, pitch black.

"Jinkies!" Velma whispers.

Just before dying she has an epiphany. If she didn’t get a chance to run away is because, this time, the monsters did intend to catch her.

No mystery to solve this time, pure horror.