Truly Yours

|4|

(I have decided to start writing in Toni's POV permanently)

Cheryl?

I walked further down this dark hallway.

Then there she was.

Laying there.

Dead.

I ran over to her and she was ice cold.

I cried and held her.

She was gone.

"Toni!" She was here. Oh.

"What?" I sat up and rubbed my eyes. She was standing in front of my bed, pacing. Holding the note. I threw my blanket to the side and stood up. She stopped pacing and looked at me with concern stretched across her beautiful face. I rested my hands on her shoulders.

"Its gonna be fine. I just have to go to Maple Caverns for a day and then see what he wants." My brows somehow furrow together. She sighs and shrugs my hands off her shoulders. She continues pacing around the room, thinking. I step towards her and she claps and looks at me, a light bulb went off.

"What if, we disguise your trip as a vacation getaway and bring some friends. That way you have back up just in case! Plus no one would be suspicious. It works." Cheryl looked so proud of herself for coming up with this genius plan. I smiled.

"What if he hurts our friends though?" I cross my arms and she frowns, thinking. She pulls her hair up into a ponytail and concentrates on a better plan. This is amusing.

"Okay, new plan. You drive up separately and I can take our friends to a hotel or cabin or whatever. We wait far away for you to ID that son of a bitch and then we can all relax in the mountains for a few more days." Its not a bad idea. I think that might work. I grin and she claps again.

Looks like we have a plan.

XXX XXX XXX XXX

"Okay Toni, just remember we won't be far away. You have my number and Jughead's for back up. If he tries to kill you, just please fight back." She finishes buttoning up my jacket like a mother to her child and pats the fabric. I smile and hug her.

"Be safe." I nod into her shoulder and pull away. She kisses me and then I go. I open the door to that hideous trailer and get on my bike. Riding off into the mountains.

XXX XXX XXX XXX

"That'll be $6.74, ma'am." The gas station clerk bags up my pretzels, root beer, Hi-Chews and gummi bears. Yum. I hand him $10 and he gives me my change. I swipe my bag and walk out, jogging back to my bike. Its almost 9:00 and I'm damn near close to those mountains.

I start up my bike and ride away. My bag of food is tucked securely into my bike's side pouch. I pull into a parking lot on the side of the mountain and unclip my pouch, snatching up the Hi-Chews. I feast on those as I hike the trails. It was very dark up here. I could barely see or breath. If it weren't for my flashlight I'd be at the bottom of a cliff right now.

I keep walking until I run into something big and heavy. It seems to be hanging too. I direct my flashlight up and see a black bag hanging from a rope, tied to a tree. I slice the rope with my knife, which was hidden in my shoe, and let the bag fall. It is pretty heavy.

I examine the bag, its in an odd shape. A human shape. Oh shit. I slowly reach for the bags opening and untangle it. Lifting up the cover, I see a lot of... Food? Suddenly a hiker yells at me to step away from the bag. He is holding a shotgun. Oh no. I still hold my knife so I probably look insane. Great.

"No, sir its a misunderstanding! I'm supposed to meet someone out here and he said he would leave me something. I thought this bag was my package. I'm sorry." I lie so damn well. Just break out the puppy eyes...

"What type 'a package?" He lowers his gun, barely, and steps towards me. Curiously. I step back and gulp. He looks scruffy. A thick beard, curved nose, bushy eyebrows, messy hair. I pin my knife back in my shoe and point to the trail. He looks over and back to me.

"Don't come messing around people's camps. This is my only bag for my food. You ever heard of a goddamn bear bag? Uh, just be careful 'round here." He starts tying his ''bear bag'' back up and I walk fast towards my destination. I am soon greeted with another note. It is resting on a tree stump and luckily my flashlight caught it.

"Gotcha!" I run towards it and unfold it. It reads:

Cute performance
Keep walking until you see a fire
I'm there

~B. H.

I gasp. He was watching me this whole time? Ew. I fold the note and stuff it in my back pocket. I continue my journey into the forest. Its still dark, if anything darker. My feet are sore and my flashlight is nearly dead. I slump a little as I walk until I see it. The fire.

I straighten up and walk faster towards the burning flames. I see a figure sitting in front of the flames on a log. He looks reasonably fit and kind of tall. I walk closer and he turns his head. I freeze. He sees me and urges me to come closer. I walk slowly and recognize who it is.

Its Hal Cooper.

I gasp and sit on a log opposite of him. He smiles and continues to watch the fire. I cross my arms around my stomach and wait for him to explain. Why he wants me here, why he is doing all of this. I need to understand.

"What do you want with me?" I speak up and he sighs.
"I want you to suffer. I want you to realize you are a sinner. To realize that murder can't go unnoticed." He laces his fingers together. I straighten myself once more and gulp.

"That boy didn't deserve to die. But you do." He smiles.

I'm so screwed...