Smokestacks - Jughead Jones [1] ✔

Chapter Seven

SMOKESTACKS

CHAPTER | SEVEN

Little did Savannah know that she would be waking up, much too early, to the sound of a loud ringing by her ear.

"Hello." Savannah mumbled, groggily into the phone. She rolled over onto her stomach, her half-open eyes attempting to adjust to the dark.

"They've found a body." The girl on the other end said. It was a voice that Savannah hadn't heard directed toward her before, but there was no mistaking who it was.

"Cheryl?" The brunette sat up on her bed suddenly, no longer feeling tired.

"Please," Cheryl sounded broken, almost afraid. "Come."

"Okay."

And so, Savannah sat outside the morgue, waiting for the terrifying news that would solidify the fact in her mind. That Jason was dead and he was never coming back.

The brunette heard Cheryl's cry in the other room and her heart plummeted into her stomach. She felt her breath catch in her throat, feeling like she couldn't breathe until she saw him herself.

Without another second, Savannah leapt up from the uncomfortable metal chair that had been digging into her back and burst through the door to see the most haunting thing she would ever see.

"Oh my god." Savannah choked out, ignoring the examiner that was insisting on her leaving the room.

Penelope and Clifford Blossom said nothing at the intrusion, the latter merely raised an eyebrow at her, not knowing who this girl was. Penelope had a handkerchief held to her face, covering her features as she grieved for her son, whilst Clifford appeared much like a statue.

Savannah moved around to the side where Cheryl was, slipping a cold hand into hers. Cheryl cast a thankful nod in the brunette's direction, before her eyes settled on her brother again.

His face was droopy, grey and would remain to be the most horrifying sight she would ever have to see. Her eyes would not stray from the bullet hole in the centre of his forehead, the mark that told her that someone had hurt him, murdered him.

All Savannah could think in that moment was that the girl she was holding onto, Cheryl Blossom, had lied.

Jason Blossom didn't drown.

*

Kyle hadn't been sure what to do when he'd opened the door at midnight, to find his sister standing in the dark. He'd frowned at her, before he stepped forward and embraced her tightly.

"It was Jason." She heaved, "Cheryl wanted me to go see the body with her."

"What?" Her brother spluttered, instantly releasing her. "Why would she want you there?"

Savannah let out a sigh as she sank down onto one of the chairs. "Honestly? I have no idea. Maybe she thinks we were more than we were."

"Sounds plausible." He said in agreement, "Are you hungry? Do you want me to order pizza?"

"No." Savannah shook her head, "Where's mom?"

Kyle scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "Where do you think?"

The brunette girl let out a sigh of disbelief and let her head fall to her chest, "Let me guess, anywhere with tequila."

"Pretty much." Kyle moved to sit next to his sister, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Piper's upstairs if you want to talk to her."

"Nah, it's okay. I'll see her in the morning." She said to him, standing up and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I'm tired and I want to go to bed."

"Okay, Savannah." Kyle nodded, following her actions and hugging her tightly to him. "I am sorry about Jason."

"Yeah, thanks." Savannah muttered solemnly, unable to keep herself from thinking of Polly Cooper. The girl she didn't know, yet stabbed in the back.

Although she tried, she really did try, Savannah found herself at Kyle's door late at night, her duvet wrapped around her shoulders like a cape. She had suddenly felt cold with the memories of Jason haunting her, reminding her of the times she spent in his bed.

So, it was at two in the morning that Kyle pulled all of the pillows, duvets and blankets down from all the bedrooms - the mattresses soon followed - to make a giant fort in the living room.

It felt like they were children again, and Kyle couldn't help but feel overjoyed at the look of glee on Savannah and Piper's faces as they crawled onto the large mattress on the floor, each side covered by another mattress or the back of a couch.

Across the top laid the blanket that their grandmother had bought them for Christmas before she died. It was of the night sky with hundreds of stars standing out against the black and a streak of light shooting across the cotton strands.

Kyle fell asleep first, but that was okay, Piper stayed awake with Savannah, stroking her hair until she fell into a dreamless sleep.