Lifeline ((Jughead Jones)) 1

26

Jughead POV

"Cynthia!" I screamed. The others screamed as well. The minute I saw her drop, I pushed past everyone and ran out onto the ice. If it cracked and I fell in, at least I would be with her. I ran forward. I promised to protect her, and I couldn't do it.

We stumbled forward, pushing ourselves to reach the two girl who had gone under water. Tear were clouding my eyes, but I blinked them back, wanting, needing, to be able to see properly so I could save the girl I loved.

We Archie and I reached the hole, there was nothing but rushing water in sight. Both our bodies were covered in snow as we stared at the rapid movement of Sweetwater River.

"The current has them." I said, running around, sweeping snow off the ice to try and find them.

"Cheryl's here!" Archie shouted. I stood above, watching him punch through the ice. Cynthia was lighter than Cheryl. Veronica and Betty spread out around Archie as he punched the ice, his hands bleeding. I was calling to Cynthia, as if that would help me locate her. I was becoming frantic, digging through snow like I was a rescue dog. I had gone a few metres in front of Archie when I saw the glimpse of a white foot move out of the gap in the snow.

"Thia!" I called, jumping forward a few metres and throwing the snow around until I saw the ice. Tiny wisps of orange we just coming into view and I began to slam my fists onto the ice. I heard Betty call for help but it was no use. When I saw her face, I hit the ice harder. In a moment of pause, I saw her eyes close.

"No! Thia!" I called, hoping she could hear me under the ice. That my voice would make her fight for her life, make her want to stay. I stood up, kicking the ice under me. When water began to seep through the crack I had made, I went back to punching the ice, watching my blood mix with the water as it smacked into the ice. Her body passed where I was making the hole. If she passed where I had made the hole, I would have to start all over again and my knuckles were throbbing. Slamming both fists onto the ice like a crazed ape, it finally gave way, breaking a hole big enough for a body. I grabbed her foot, pulling her against the current and back to me. I ignored her dress rise in the water, dragging her body back so I could get her head above water.

Gently, I laid her body on the freezing snow, like Archie had done with Cheryl moment earlier. I put my ear to her mouth, looking down at her chest to see it if rose and fell, showing breathing. I felt nothing. I saw nothing. The first aid training that we had to do in school finally came in handy as I performed CPR on my girlfriend. Betty was crying. Veronica was crying. I had done it for longer than Archie had to.

"Come on, Thia. Stay with me." I begged, doing chest compressions for the Fifth time. The others thought it was pointless, that she was dead already, but none had the heart to stop me. I put my mouth over hers, pinching her nose and breathing air into her lungs. Just as I was about to breathe again, water came out of her mouth as she spluttered. I turned her on her side, watching her cough up the water on the lake. I lifted her up in my arms as she wrapped hers around my neck.

I carried Cynthia as Archie carried Cheryl.

I took Cynthia to the trailer, wanting to watch over her as Cheryl went with Veronica. Every blanket I owned was wrapped around her, apart from the new duvet on the bed. I had turned the heating up as high as it would go, and pulled her close to me. When we had gotten back, she got changed into my old skinny jeans, one of my shirts and my old hoodie.

"Why did you do it, Thia?" I asked, pulling her wet hair behind her ear as I caressed her face.

"I needed Jason." Tears stared to fall from her eyes, so I wiped them away. It would be my mission to fix this girl and I wouldn't stop until she was fixed.