𝔸𝕕𝕖𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕕𝕖 | 𝐉𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 [Riverdale] ¹

[CHAPTER ONE]

././𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓻'𝓼 𝓔𝓭𝓰𝓮/./.

Our story is about a town. A small town. And the people who live in the town. From a distance, it presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world. Safe. Decent. Innocent. Get closer, though, and you start seeing the shadows underneath.

The name of our town is Riverdale.

And our story begins, I guess, with what the Blossom siblings did this summer. On the fourth of July, just after dawn, Jason, Cheryl and sweet Adelaide Blossom drove out to Sweetwater River for an early morning boat ride.

The cold air nipped at my milky skin, which was exposed due to the dip in my white dress. Although school hadn't even started yet, Riverdale had become quite chilly and I found myself regretting not bringing my fur coat. I let my hand fall from my strawberry-blonde locks and out of the car as Jason drove over to Sweetwater River.

My brother held his hand out and helped me out of the car.

"Are you scared, Jason?" Cheryl asked our brother.

Jason shook his head, revealing his charming smile everybody loved.

I put on a smile rubbing his shoulder, trying to ignore the sick feeling bubbling in my stomach. My big brother has never been scared for as long as I have known him. He wrapped his arm around me to pull me into a short hug.

We all clambered into the small boat. Jason grabbed the oars and began pushing the water back to move the boat. We sat in silence looking at the trees pass by, appreciating the beauty of Riverdale. Our home.

There was a crack of thunder. A strong breeze moved my hair in front of my face. Cheryl screamed for her glove. I turned to grab my brother. Everything went black.

The next thing we know happened for sure is that Dilton Doiley, who was leading Riverdale's Boy Scout Troop on a bird-watching expedition, came upon Cheryl by the river's edge hovering over Adelaide's body. Riverdale police dragged Sweetwater River for Jason body but never found him.

So, a week later, the Blossom family buried an empty casket and Jason's death was ruled an accident as the story that Cheryl told made the rounds. That Cheryl dropped a glove in the water and Jason reached down the get it. And accidentally tipped the boat. And panicked. And drowned. Adelaide was accidentally hit in the head with an oar and passed out unconscious.

As for us, we were still talking about the 4th of July tragedy on the last day of summer vacation, when a new mystery rolled into town.