Helpline ((Jughead Jones)) 2

25

Eviction. That isn't a letter anyone wants to receive, or a label any sane person wants to be branded with. When Jughead brought in the letter that was stapled to the door of the trailer that had become my home, his eyes were more than just filled with sadness. They were swirling with rage, confusion, heartache, misery. Sunnyside Trailer park wasn't just where the Serpents were based, it was where Jughead had grown up, where he had memories of his mom, his sister; memories of a time where there was no black hood threatening his girlfriend and friends; where he loathed the Serpents as much as all Northsiders. But with one sheet of paper, the countdown began to when we would all have to leave.

That meant only one thing for me, I'd have to go home. FP could barely afford this place, and I couldn't be another burden upon the man that already held up so much. With the threat of the Black Hood, accompanied by my reluctance to tell Jug any threat he made, I couldn't go back to the Northside.

He came into the trailer and slammed his beanie to the floor. I moved away from where I was cooking dinner for him and his dad, turning off the stove, and wrapping my arms around him. It wasn't long before we, Jughead, the Serpents and I, were all in the Wrym, gathered around FP as he made his rallying speech. But, my eyes weren't focused on him, in fact, I didn't even get a chance to stay for the speech at all.

My phone began to ring just as we entered the Wrym, so I let go of Jughead's hand, gesturing for him to go on, and taking the call. All the Serpents were inside, so I was alone with only the cold nights air for company, and the chilling screen of my phone pressed against my ear.

"Hello?" I asked. The number wasn't recognised by my phone. Any normal person would have ignored the call, but I had good reason not to. I had deleted the numbers of Cheryl, my mother, and any staff that worked at Thornhill, knowing they would no longer have a job at my old home. So, instead of ignoring it, I chose to answer, purely to make sure it wasn't my family.

"Cynthia." A dark, crackly voice spoke, clearly being spoken over voice changing software, "This is the Black Hood."

"Yeah, nice try Reggie. Very funny, asshole." I spat, then ended the call immediately.

Just as I made my way to the door, the number called back and I heard a twig snap just behind the tree line. I shouldn't have been frightened by that. But, the noise and the ringtone were enough to make me stop and answer again.

"Reggie I swear to God-" But the same voice cut me off.

"God won't be able to save you. I told you to leave and that you would face the consequences of your own disobedience. This is the first half of that punishment." That confirmed to me that I wasn't the victim of a high school prank. Only Jughead knew that he had contacted me, so I had to be speaking the the murderer himself.

I could have screamed. I should have ran inside and got Jughead. I needed to call Sheriff Keller. Non of those I did, of course.

"What do you want." I asked him, dreading the reply that I would receive.

"I have vowed to rid this town of sin, Cynthia. You, are the product of a secret, meaning your whole existence is a sin. Your mother, Penelope Blossom, had affair with a supposed righteous man of the town, but instead of admitting that, she told Clifford that she was raped by a man, who was then imprisoned. This man has served nearly 18 years."

"You're lying! How could she lie about my age for so long? I've seen my birth certificate." I had seen all of my documents. In first grade, we had to bring in documents to prove our identity because we were having a trip to a police station. They were pretending to treat us like criminals, and showing us what they have to check. Mine was checked and it was all fine.