I'll Keep You Safe | Bughead

21.)

TW: kidnapping

I've been trapped in this same boring room for one whole month now. I've been getting used to the regimen that my "dad" set up for me. On Sunday mornings, he'll come in with a bag of fresh groceries; water, eggs, milk, cheese, meat, fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. Every morning he brings me pills that I can only hope are actual prenatal and not more vitamins.

I spend most of my mornings trying to fall back asleep, and when that doesn't work, I hide under the covers and let my mind run wild. Every Saturday, I'm granted a request for something to get on the next morning. I was hesitant to ask for anything because taking advantage of "Dad's generosity" would give him an excuse to buy me.

But after a month of no human interaction besides that of my captor, I was desperate for a glimpse into the real world. "I know this may sound crazy--" "Nothing is off the table, remember that. Well, nothing minus leaving this room, but you already know that," he interrupted. 

"Right," I replied quietly, looking away. "I was gonna ask for a TV. Nothing too big, but maybe just an old, working one?" I requested. "Dad" smiled and replied, "I'll see what I can do," before he walked out, closing the door behind him and isolating me again.

I waited anxiously throughout the night to see if my wish would come true. I wanted to watch the news and see what's going on. I wanted to catch up on reality outside these doors. Maybe if this doesn't work, I started to think, I could always ask for weekly newspapers and relive my days of writing for the Blue & Gold.

I wondered what my Mom was doing. How was her work coming along? Has she finally been able to catch a break? I longed to know how Jughead was. How was his day? Did anything new happen at school? What about Veronica? How was she dealing with the breakup? Is Cheryl making any progress with that Toni girl? Archie. How's his dad? Has he woken up? Did he pass?

I bunched the covers up beside me and held them as if it was a person. I don't wanna be alone. "Dad" is such horrible company and even when I catch the slightest of glimpses into the mirror, I get so excited that I'm not alone anymore. But then I turn around and only see my reflection. My poor, beaten down, tired, lonely reflection. And I pity the girl staring back at me.

---

Then the morning came and I woke up to the sound of that big metal door opening and the shuffling of brown paper grocery bags. I hear something being dragged against the floor and open my eyes fully, sitting up. "Dad" was moving a TV stand in front of my bed and I saw a vintage 1980s-esque TV standing by the doorway. 

"I hope this was good enough for you, dear," he said, making sure the stand wasn't askew. "It's...great. Does it work?" I asked as "Dad" went to lift up the small television. "Fully functional. The screen quality might glitch every now and then, though."

"Thank you," I said. After the TV was centered on its stand, he turned around and smiled. "Of course, Betty. Anything for our mother-to-be," he replied, coming over and handing me the remote. "Dad" set the grocery bags on my "kitchen counter" and left. As soon as he shut the door, I switched on the TV and went to the news station, tearing up at what I heard and saw.

 "Police are still investigating the missing case of Elizabeth Cooper, the sixteen-year-old girl who went missing last month when walking home from a friend's house. Reporters on the case have been conducting multiple interviews with Elizabeth's friends and family to try to piece together an accurate timeline. 

"Please, Betty, if you're seeing this, somehow in some way, just know that I love you and I miss you. I'm not gonna stop fighting until you're back to safety in our house. Please, Betty. Come home," I  saw my mom sob on the TV. I started crying, hiding my face in my pillow until I heard another voice.

"Betts, if you can hear this, if you can hear me, I want you to know that I love you. I always have, I always will, but please, please come home. I won't ever let this happen to you ever again. Nobody will ever hurt you ever again So please, Betty, fight back and come home. Our story isn't over, baby, it's just beginning. So you come back to me, okay?"

I paused the TV and started sobbing even more. I wanted to go home. I wanted to be out f here and back to the real world. At Pop's with Archie, Veronica, Cheryl, and Jug, or at school. I wanted to be home in bed with my boyfriend. I wanted my freedom back. I wanna go home.