Jellybean Jones

Chapter 66: Forsythia

Jellybean POV
I knew everything taking place around me hadn't stopped, but for some reason, I could hear no voices, I could see no movement. All I could see was the barrel of a loaded gun. My lungs strained for air, my breaths short and panicked. This was it. This was the end. This was the second time in my life somebody tried to kill me and I have to say, it's not something I got used to.

Blood continued to gush from my forehead, I had to blink to prevent it from getting in my eyes. I let the tears flow freely now. I'm just a kid and I had a gun pointed at my head, wasI supposed to just sit there? I was so scared, I mean, this situation is phantasmagorical. A big word used in a big moment.

I would've given anything in that moment to be safe. More specifically, to be in somebody's arms. Whether it be Dad's, Jughead's or Adelaide's, hell it could even be Archie's, I didn't care. I just wanted touch. I wanted someone to hold me and tell me I wasn't going to die. But maybe I would die. Maybe this would be the end of me, the end of my life.

I still couldn't quite get a read on the situation, would I be saved soon? I knew Dad was here, I had heard him shriek my name, my real name. My hands shook behind me, my arms sore from my weight being pressed against them for so long. No sobs came from my mouth, only silent tears from my eyes.

FP POV
"The only way you can have your precious little girl back is if you do the favour, Forsyth." Penny snapped, after my pleading for her to give me my daughter back. "Tell me what it is." I demanded. She sighed deeply. "You're on borrowed time, at the moment. You know, I can have my boy Malachai pull that trigger and put a bullet in her head. He will end her life without hesitation, so I suggest you grow a pair and do me a simple little favour." She said, a tone of menace lacing her sick voice.

A 'little favour' wouldn't seem to be much if anybody else had asked me, but Penny Peabody's 'little favour' could end up with me in prison. Again. I thought Penny's speech might have caused Forsythia to scream, or at least react, but she didn't. She must be zoned out, or too scared to think.

I didn't know what to do. I could not lose my daughter, I wouldn't let her die. However, if this favour ends with me in handcuffs, my kids lives would go to shit. I didn't know what to do. I actually, genuinely had no idea how to get out of this. Not a clue on how to save my daughter, not a clue on how to end this rivalry. "Make up your mind, it's a simple choice. You either do a simple little favour and get your daughter back, or you can refuse that favour and she gets a bullet to the forehead. Just like Jason Blossom." Penny interrupted my thoughts with this.

"And just like Jason Blossom, it's really her own Father that killed her." She continued. "Penny please, just give her to me. You don't understand." I begged, I was desperate, so, so desperate. "Time's up, Serpent King." She said, knowing that this would aggravate me. "Take the safety off, Malachai." She said calmly. There was a small click, the noise rang through my ears like a chorus of church bells.

Forsythia began whimpering. "No, please." She mumbled, her voice muffled by the gag. I was going to have to do it. No matter what the consequences were, I wasn't going to let my baby girl die. Not today. Not ever. "Do it-" Peabody began. "No! Stop! I'll do it. I'll do your favour." I yelled suddenly. "Dad no." Jellybean's small voice whispered. "Give her to me!" I demanded.

"Ha, that's cute. You really thought we were gonna just hand her to you. No, no you're going to do it, first." She cooed. It was then that I realized Jughead was gone. I shrugged it off, deciding not to draw attention to it. I didn't know why or where he had gone, but I figured he was only trying to help. "Give her to me, or I won't do it." I snapped. "Kill her." "Wait!"

Before either one of us could say or do anything else, the sound of several people running through the forest was made audible. Penny froze, Malachai's face turned white, contrasting with the dark night sky. A dark figure emerged from the trees. "Drop your weapon!" Tom Keller yelled.