Daphne hadn't been able to go for a run since that day. And it wasn't like she could take Scooby Doo with her anymore. She stood at the edge of the woods, her hands balled into fists, digging her nails into her palm. She wanted to run. She wanted to go into the woods, but she couldn't make herself do it. All she could see was a body, swaying from a tree. That day, she had entered the woods and it was sunny and she remembered thinking to herself 'it's going to be a good day'. Jeepers.
Daphne started down her normal path, a slow jog. She was trying to get better at pacing herself. The coach thought she could run long-distance next season. The prospect was exciting enough to Daphne that she picked up her pace a little, sweat starting to glue her new work-out set to her skin. It was her favorite color.
She kept running along the path for a couple of minutes, relishing the fresh air and the beautiful midday sun, when she spotted something in the trees. She slowed her pace and got closer, careful to not step onto any poison ivy. Quickly, she realized it was a person, dead. Daphne took a deep breath to steady herself. It wasn't like she hadn't seen a dead body before, she rationalized. In this line of work you only avoided them if you were bad at your job. She reached into her pocket to take pictures and text Fred. She had learned to have documented evidence before going to police because sometimes your physical evidence disappeared before they could get there. She stepped closer and thought; "I rather like that dress" then she realized it was her favorite, missing, purple dress. It took her a split second to realize what it could mean. A threat, a stalker, a warning, a ghost, anything.
"Jeepers!" She screamed, the sound echoing throughout the forest. "Oh my god!" She scrambled away quickly, fumbling with her phone to call 9-1-1, but there was no service. Terrified that the person who had killed that woman would come to kill her, she took off down the path as fast as she could, forgetting why she had even entered in the first place. She didn't stop running until she was home, nearly in tears.
Daphne shuddered and tried to breathe, back in the present, facing the trail. A hand rested on her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin, twirling around.
"Hi," Velma said. "I thought I might find you here."
"Jeepers, V!" Daphne said. "You scared the shit out of me."
"Sorry, dear," Velma said.
Daphne tried to smile as she pulled Velma in for a hug.
"Well," Daphne said. "Still trying to go in." A cool wind blew through as Velma looked at her with sadly.
"Want me to come with you?" She asked with those pitying eyes. Daphne hesitated for a moment then shook her head with a sad smile.
"Thanks babe, but I think when I do it, I'll have to do it alone," she said. Velma bit her lip.
"Maybe we ease into it? I come with you, then you go in alone?" Velma suggested. Daphne leaned her head on her shoulder, her orange ponytail flying in the heavy wind.
"Maybe. But not right now. And I'm a rip off the bandaid type of girl anyway," she murmured.
Velma nodded. "Well, I'm here for you okay?"
Daphne nodded. "I know. Thanks." She looked at her girlfriend, wishing she could do more to help her. Wishing someone could do anything to help all of them. But of course there wasn't, so the two girls just hugged with the dying sun.
