Don't Play With Your Food

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Driving through downtown Draxton can be so pretty, with all of its towering buildings, strikingly vibrant billboards selling you its latest products, and luscious green spaces featuring city parks and arboretums. However, in comparison, the hustle and bustle of city traffic is quite the opposite. I sit and tap my fingers on the leather steering wheel at another glaring red light as I waited to turn on the highway leading back to my house.

After so much time spent waiting, I was abruptly shaken out of my distracted state by the shrill sound of the car horn behind me, not so politely indicating that it is my turn to move forth. I hit the gas and changed the radio station to something more upbeat after I noticed they started playing the oldies at 6pm. Driving down the highway seems so mundane, but when I noticed the beautiful sunset around me with the different shades or orange, yellow, and red, harmoniously blending together, it made the drive more tolerable.

My turnoff slowly but surely approached and I veered off the congested highway onto the ramp to the more quaint country road surrounded by a dense forest lining with trees and various green shrubbery. One satisfactory bonus of living at my parents' estate is that it's secluded within a vast wooded area, as the house was strategically placed to bar off the paparazzi per my mother's request. As a kid, I would pretend I was a princess in an enchanted castle and Wilkinson was my royal advisor. Once, I even made a royal proclamation that he had to serve me only ice cream for the rest of my life, my wish kind of came true as he was nice enough to let me have ice cream for dinner that night because my parents were out of the country for a security systems convention in Japan, in which my dad was the headlined speaker. Now a days I ditched the whole princess thing, and I just appreciate the view and how if I'm quiet enough I can hear the soft trickling of water echoing from the stream in the backyard.

I passed some familiar sights on my drive home such as the Coolsville dry cleaners, famous for its flickering fluorescent lights displayed on the bright yellow neon sign, the only McDonald's in town which I immediately recognized from the irresistible aroma of their burgers as I took a whiff, and who could forget the local dog park that Hank adores?

The sun was finally going down, taking the palette of lively colors with it; however, my attention was drawn to something of similar color taking over the sky in the distance. Peering forwards to focus, I noticed billowing smoke filling up the sky indicating that there is a nearby fire just on the adjacent road. I know it's not out of the most cautious interest to drive towards a fire, especially in this surrounding highly wooded terrain, but I was too curious to see what was happening. It's not everyday in Coolsville Ohio that something exciting happens.

I decided to take a sharp right at the approaching traffic light and made my way closer and closer to the flames. As the scene drew closer, I could see a large vehicle being consumed by fire and a few people scattered around on their phones, probably calling 911, and watching the commotion from a safe distance. As I parked my car a little ways down the street at the grocery store, you know for safety reasons, I heard the sound of sirens in the distance presumably fire trucks and police cars nearing the blazing scene. To no surprise, a sudden gush of air rushed past me as I walked down the road, suddenly trailing behind the brightly colored flashing emergency vehicles.

I quickened my pace, almost jogging, to see what's the deal before more people and the news flocked that way. As I got close, the heat emitting from the fire warmed my exposed skin and I start to see some familiar faces among the people clustered together watching the firemen do their job and use their hose to dampen the flames. I took a better look around after the fire had been pretty much contained and discover that it was a food truck that had caught on fire. It was hard to distinguish from the charred state, I could barely make out the name of the food truck.

I stopped in my tracks after I finished reading the side of the truck and I immediately looked around to see if I could find them. Letting out a breath of relief, I managed to find Shaggy and Scooby in the front of the crowd talking, wait... more like freaking out, to the police. I felt so bad that this had happened to them, but I'm way more thankful that they made it out unharmed. When they finished giving their report to the cops, I politely pushed through the dense crowd and confronted them.

"Like, Carter, what're you doing here?" Shaggy articulated upon seeing me.

Seeing Scooby looking so sullen about the whole ordeal standing close to Shaggy, I gave him a scratch on the head trying to cheer him up. He smiled, thoroughly enjoying my attention, and looked up as I began to answer Shaggy.

"I had no idea this was your food truck! I just saw this huge fire driving home and decided to check it out" I exclaimed talking rather loudly as the crowd and the sirens were still in full effect.

He was about to respond back, but I think he noticed that the food truck was completely extinguished because he abruptly left me and sprinted inside the truck.

Feeling awkwardly alone all of the sudden, I swiftly walked over to the food truck following Shaggy and Scooby to see what they were so interested in.

I heard a loud bang of various pots and pans and other supplies from inside the truck, then I heard Shaggy blurt out "Like, yes Scoob, our secret stash is safe!" I tilted my head a bit questioning what they meant by their 'secret stash' until they barged back through the indistinguishable door with a brightly colored box in Shaggy's clutch.

As he shook the box victoriously; I managed to read the label of the box which spelled out 'Scooby Snacks'. He then reaches inside the box and tosses Scooby a treat and then proceeds to give one to himself too. Originally, I assumed they were dog treats, but after seeing Shaggy chow down as he poured the some more of the box into his mouth, I didn't know what to think anymore.

I slyly scooted away trying not to get any of flying crumbs in my hair as Shaggy and Scooby continued to go crazy on the snacks until the box was completely empty. Saddened upon seeing the treats to be no more, the guys made their way back to the crime scene tape that the police were just starting to put up.

I payed no attention to this, as I started making my way around the truck, checking everything to see what could have caused the fire. I figured this would be good crime scene investigation practice and I could tell V about my findings later. As I circled around, the only thing striking me as a sound reason behind the fire was the two twin propane tanks located at the back of the truck. Maybe they malfunctioned and caused the explosion? That, and the grill inside, were really the only logical reasons behind this horrible tragedy.

The police noticed that I was still inside the taped off area and lead me to step outside the perimeter. The crowd had thinned out a bit since the excitement died down. I head back towards the guys until I am stopped in my tracks by seeing an even more familiar face...my mother. I try to not make direct eye contact and slip away, but she seeks me out of the dissipating crowd and calls my name.

"Carter!?" She yells from the across the way.

Shaggy and Scooby drew closer to me, intrigued by my name being yelled out as my mother makes her ways towards me, her heels piercing the dirt road with every step.

Nearing us, she stopped for a second and looked quite perplexed. Shaggy and Scooby stepped out from behind me and towards my mother.

"Daphne?" Shaggy questioned. "Like, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you forever" opening up his arms.

At this instant I was even more shaken up and confused. Does everyone I meet know my parents in some strange obsolete way?

Shaggy continued to ramble on with even more questions for my mom: "Like, how are you doing Daph? I see you on TV all the time, must be super cool to do that, like, everyday."

My mom just stood there stiffly in awe of the situation. I then decided to make my way in between them and I pose my question "Wait a second here, hold the phone, how do you guys know each other again?"

Each of them blinked in bewilderment and my mother spoke up. "Carter, wait you know Shaggy and Scooby?"

"Ya, I actually met them not too long ago at the dog park when I took Hank out there to play. Why do you ask? And stop dodging my question. How do you guys know each other?"

Shaggy then stepped forward to answer me, "Like, don't you know?"

I puzzledly shook my head in declination, but just as Shaggy was going to add more to the conversation, my mom chimed in halting his speech.

"Now is not the time for backstories Carter. We have more important things to discuss, such as, how did this happen?" She says gesturing towards the scene.

"Mom, I'm just as clueless as everyone else. The only thing I can think of happening to cause this is a mishap with the propane tanks or the grill acting up" I point out stating the obvious elements in a food truck that could emit fire.

"Like wait, did you just call her mom?" Shaggy said, scratching the hairs on his chin.

I step next to my mom now facing Shaggy and Scooby. "Uh ya. I know the whole appearance thing may throw people off but I'm her daughter."

"So like, that must mean Freddie is your dad too! Wow, who knew Scoob, did you catch that at first?" Shaggy asked.

"I Rnew Rothing Raggy" Scooby chimed in shaking his head.

What the heck is with everyone calling my dad Freddie? I've only heard my mom call him that like once in a blue moon. This revelation brings me back to Trap-Co when V called him Freddie at the crime scene. A lightbulb goes off in my head as I immediately connect what happened here to that incident.

"Hey guys, I don't think this fire was started by accident." I say to Shaggy and Scooby.

They pondered this thought and asked "But who would do this on purpose. Surely not one of us. Maybe an unsatisfied customer? But that would be absurd our food is great. Right Scoob?"

"Right Raggy" Scooby nods in agreement.

"I'm not sure yet, but I've seen something like this before. It might be the same guy. Or girl. It could be anyone."

I look at my mom who is even more confused than the guys. "How do you know of another fire like this one? Did something happen at school? I wasn't notified. Is everything okay?"

I tried to think my way around telling her about V and my run in with dad. "Err yeah, that's a long story. I'm sure dad will catch you up when we get home. Don't worry, nothing bad happened at school." I say in a reassuring manner.

She didn't seem that reassured, if anything she became more distressed after I spoke out. "Speaking of your father, Carter, I'm sure he'd love to hear about this. It's getting late. I say we head home" she stated, basically pulling me away as she linked her arm into mine.

I quickly turned around and waved goodbye to Shaggy and Scooby and mouthed 'I'll catch you guys later' before we walked out of sight.

They waved back and gave a thumbs up and that was the last thing I saw before my mom released me from her grip.

"Carter what do you think you were doing here? What were you thinking pulling up to a blazing fire just for fun to 'check it out'"

I shuffled my feet underneath me. "Um, that's kind of exactly what I did" I said looking at the pavement below.

"Carter, I can't believe this. Don't you know how dangerous this could have been? Your father and I are going to have a talking with you young lady once we get back." She declared.

I know better than to talk back to her when she is in this kind of state, so I just complied to her simple request and walk with her to my car.

I get in and rolled the passenger window up which framed my mother's sullen face. "Carter, I'm really sorry about making this a whole ordeal, but I'm just trying to look out for you sweetie."

I nodded slowly back to her and let her back up from my car and make her way to her SUV. I hate being treated like such a kid. Why can't my parents understand anything about me?

Once I saw her pull out of the grocery store lot, I went ahead and trailed behind her as we both made our way back home to my father. What waited ahead for me at home just may be more explosive than these mysterious recurring fires, once my parents both discover the events that had unfolded today. 

(A/N I hope you guys liked this new chapter! Shout out to @EmilyHess8 for editing and helping me improve my writing. Please comment and vote it really motivates me to write more. I'm excited to start on the next chapter because Carter will finally find out about her parents' mystery solving past, so be on the lookout for that!)

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