Safety Net- SP 2 ✔️

Chapter 17- The Town That Dreaded Sundown Pt1

Dad and I are sat at the kitchen table, I'm eating my cereal as dad is watching the video Archie put out on his phone last night. The door opens and in walks Archie
"So what did you think, that I wouldn't see it?"
"The Serpents aren't to happy Archie"
"Dad I was pissed off. We were all all pretty pissed off. We were trying to send a message. Scare the Black Hood" Archie almost yells
"More likely you'll antagonise this maniac and become a target yourself" dad replies, fairly calmly might I add
"Archie just take it down before someone gets hurt" I sigh standing up and putting my bowl in the sink
"Do it right now, while I can see" looks like dad is getting angry as he slams the phone down on the table
"I already did. The original post, but people keep sharing it"
"What did you expect to happen" I throw my hands up in the air
"Good grief Archie" dad sighs
"We're late for school anyway, come on Arch" I grab my bag and we both head out the door and silently walk to school together.
When we arrive everyone is starring at Archie as we walk down the corridor, he kinda looks proud, as if he lied to dad. Veronica gets in our way smiling with her arms crossed
"We need to talk" she says looking at Archie
"Good luck" I pat his back and make my way to my first class, history.

Over the next day or so everyone starts wearing shirts with a red circle on. Archie also has let all this Black Hood shit go to his head, he thinks he's invincible
"Here" Cheryl hands me a shirt
"I'll pass"
"So your not going to support your brother? I know if it were JJ I would be the first to wear a shirt"
"Well I don't think Jason would be dumb enough to basically threaten a serial killer. Who's idea was this anyway?" I ask
"Veronicas, she said it's a movement"
"Yeah ok. See you later Cher" I walk away getting my phone out of my pocket and texting Sweet Pea.

Later that day I'm at Jughead's trailer with Toni, Kev, Jug and Betty
"These symbols look so familiar to me" Betty says picking up a piece of paper. They are trying to decode something, I'm just here waiting to meet up with Sweet Pea and Fangs "it's like I've seen them before. It's driving me crazy I can't figure out where"
"Maybe if you loosened your ponytail" Toni remarks. Kev and Jug both look at each other shocked at what Toni just said, but I know Toni she's just trying to lighten up the mood... I think. Either that or somethings happened between Toni, Jug and Betty. Oh shit what if Jughead is cheating on Betty? Or Toni fancies Jug? Naaa they would have told me right?
"What? That was a joke guys" ahhh there we go, a joke and she seems serious
"Betty's ponytail is iconic and beyond reproach" Kevin comments
"It's a ponytail Kev" I roll my eyes
"It's fine. At this point I'm willing to try anything" Betty says taking out her ponytail
"Per Mrs Paroo's books, I've been looking for common letter associations like T-H A-N I-N-G" Jug says confusing me
"I'm looking for doubles. Double L, four letter words like kill"
"That's morbid" Kevin says
"We don't even know if this things in English. Could be an anagram"
"Like literally it's on the top of my brain"
"Right ok, I have no idea what any of you just said, why don't you go over the basics?" I suggest, trying to give input "what do you know so far about this guy?"
"He's a white male, in his 40s like almost every serial killer ever" Toni says looking defeated
"No Toni, I mean what's the pattern? what has everyone got in common"
"We know the Black Hood is obsessed with cleansing the town of sinners and hypocrites right? And he seems to be attacking anyone with ties to the Northside"
"Here we go again with the fake news" Toni cuts Betty off "you Northsiders and your privilege"
"Hey" I nudge Toni pretending I'm hurt
"Except for you Rory" she smiles at me but then turns back to look at Betty "all you do is demonise the Southside, so of course you think the Black Hood's from there"
"It's not demonising Toni. It's stating facts" Betty remarks
"Bets that's enough"
"No Rory, there's more drugs and gangs..."
"Drugs which are sold primarily to Northside crackheads? and what about the Northside neo-natzis, the red circle. No offence Rory"
"None taken" I have to admit we Northsiders can be rather stupid at times, my brother especially "I'm surprised you haven't said it yet, you think the Black Hood's a Serpent. We all know how much you hate us"
"Ok Toni that's not true" Jughead tries to keep the peace
"Ok I don't hate the Serpents"
"Oh yeah? then why is your boyfriend telling lies about sitting with us at lunch?" Toni says, I can tell she's super annoyed now
"I'm gonna go" Kevin now states
"Yeah I gotta meet Pea and Fangs" I stand up getting my bag followed by Toni also doing the same
"I'm outta here too. Rory I'll take you to Peas trailer"
"Ok I can walk you guys there" Kevin says as he stands up. Both of us look at each other then at Kevin. I raise my eyebrows
"Or you can walk me home" he says as we walk out of Jugs trailer.