Always and Forever

Chapter 37: Fortune and Men's Eyes

What happened to Dilton and Ben has kept me up all night. Barely getting any sleep, the next day was the first day of school. Last year I was rushing to school to meet Josh and Reggie at the flagpole. This year I was working an early shift at Pops with Veronica. We were pouring coffee and getting food for my dad, Fred, and Mr. Keller. 

"I just got off the phone with the warden at juvenile hall," Fred informed as he sat down. "He says that Archie's been processed. He's okay." 

Thank God," I sighed as I poured coffee. 

"Yeah. I got a line on those three thugs who gave false testimony against him," Fred added. 

"I'm friends with the sheriff over at Shadow Country," Mr. Keller informed. "They found the remains of a campfire in the deep woods." 

"Archie's in jail and these cretins are basically camping," I said. 

"Not for long," Dad assured me. "We'll make damn sure of that." 

"Meanwhile, I'll keep the home fires burning at Riverdale High, so everyone knows my Archiekins we will be back in time for homecoming," Veronica prompted. "And everything will be just as he left it." After the shift, I went to school, when I got there I saw Reggie and Carson at my locker. 

"Good morning, boys," I greeted as I walked over to them. 

"Early morning?" Carson asked. 

"Early shift at Pops," I answered. 

"Before school?" Reggie asked. 

"It helps keep some things off my mind," I answered as I opened my locker. "Especially from the last couple of days. Mostly last night." 

"What happened last night?" Reggie asked as I saw trash they both left in my locker from their breakfast. "We couldn't find a trash can."

"Really," I sassed them. "You're both lucky I have no energy right now to chase you or something." 

"So what happened?" Carson asked. I looked around and carefully whispered told them. 

"Doiley is dead?" Reggie gasped. I hit him on the head and looked around. Thankfully nobody was around us. 

"Dude," Carson said as he held the bridge of his nose.

"Keep your voice low," I warned. "And yes. Ben from the drive-in, he's barely hanging on. Doctors don't know when or if he's gonna wake up. Sheriff Minetta has asked me and Jug to keep the whole thing hush-hush for the family's sake. But what we saw was..." 

"What was it, Dan?" Reggie asked as I closed my locker. 

"It was like a ritual site," I answered. 

"Like the steps for becoming a serpent?" Carson asked. 

"Not exactly," I answered. "It was darker." 

"What do you mean?" Carson questioned. 

"Their lips were blue. There were these chalices that were filled with poison or something. Animal bones in a circle. The tree had markings on it," I explained. "There was a winged totem with a skull and branches." 

"Was it a murder?" Reggie asked. 

"I have no idea, they had those carvings on their backs, some I think I saw when we went to Sweetwater Swimming Hole," I answered. 

"So you're gonna investigate?" Reggie questioned. 

"No, I'm gonna be an SP and say that you're not investigating," Carson stated. "Do you not remember what happened last time with you almost getting killed by the Black Hood?"