Syndicate (Jughead Jones, Riverdale)

CHAPTER 15: BOTTLE FULL OF PILLS

'I'm made of paper, that's true. But I'll draw you your future if you mess with me again'

I don't own any of Riverdale, only my characters

Marcus's P.O.V

My eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as I rummaged through the medicine cabinet. I pulled out prescription bottle after bottle, but not one had Anna's name on them. With an annoyed groan I made my way up to her room, maybe she keeps them in there. Slowly, I opened the door, I stuck my heading seeing that she was no longer in her bed. My eyes widened and I opened the door up the whole way, looking inside and seeing the entire room was empty.

"Anna!" I yelled, turning on the light quickly. It illuminated the room, and especially the bottles of pills atop her dresser. The orange bottles were missing their lids and within seconds, the bottles were in my hands, my eyes seeing that the two were empty. I licked my lips and shook my head "Anna!" I shouted.

Then I saw something drop past the window.

My throat went dry, the lick of sweat drenching my skin, the veins around my eyes beginning to twitch. My heart thumped hard against my chest, my fingers curling, my nails digging into my palms, the orange bottle now on the ground. I couldn't hear my breathing, but somehow I could feel the oxygen soothe my throat, and fill my lungs. The feeling stabbed at my stomach, it was overwhelming as I reached the window. My hands curled around the pane, my head poking out. I assumed to see Anna, lying on the ground, growing cold. But all I saw was the remains of a smashed phone.

With a heavy sigh of relief, I tilted my head so I looked up. Her feet were dangling over the gutter, and I could just see her face.

"Anna, what are you doing?" I asked, hiking my leg up on the pane, beginning to climb to the roof. She didn't move, or say anything, not even when I finally reached her and sat next to her on the roof.

It had been three days now, and finally, Anna moved.

From seeing her from the side, she looked tired and exhausted. Her eyes sunken and grey bags underneath them. Her cheeks looked hollow and colourless, her nose held no shade of pink, and her eyes didn't shine. Her hair, once a nice blonde looked dead, lifeless and frizzed. She wore her pyjama's, sweatpants and a large shirt that hung off her shoulders. Her face said it all, she wasn't angry, or annoyed. She was just tired.

"Hey..." I said, trailing off, not knowing what to say. She hadn't come out of her room for over two days, she hadn't touched any food we brought to her, and wouldn't react when someone would speak, or touch her. Even Jughead could rouse her from her state.

"Hey, Marcus" she replied, her voice soft and raspy, like she was struggling to speak. I swallowed thickly and asked "what did you do with all your pills?"

She didn't smile, and barely blinked. She drew in a large breath, her eyes open watching the morning sun rise. Her fingers curled and un-curled on her thighs, her breathing easing. Then I saw the cigarette in her hands. She brought it too her lips, inhaling for a long time before exhaling.

"They're gone" she said with a thick swallow. Her eyes were clouded, and her voice quiet. "Did you swallow them?" I asked with wide eyes.

It was then she met my eyes, the orange lighting of the rising sun illuminating over her face. Her face was drained of all colour, and all emotion. "No, I didn't take them" she whispered, bringing the cigarette back to her lips, inhaling deeply before exhaling. "I flushed them" she stated.