Behind Revenge's Door

Gigabytes and Gore

I woke up to twenty seven text messages. Twenty-seven. All from the same person. The only time that that has ever happened, was when I had drunk sex with my ex boyfriends brother during my sophomore year. This, however, was much worse.
Archie had posted that violent and evil video online with his little legion of football players. I knew my father had saw it, because he asked me to come over that morning.
Dad didn't say anything to me when I walked inside, but he set a cup of coffee in front of me.
"You think we weren't gonna see it?" Dad asked Archie as he walked inside from football practice, and grabbed a banana before turning to us.
"I was pissed off, and we were trying to scare the Black Hood. To send a message," he spoke.
Innocent intentions commonly were overtaken by those who wanted to watch everything fall apart.
"You've created a game, Archie. You have made us targets, yourself a target, and every single boy in this video a target. You have endangered more than you could know, Archie." I spoke calmly. "Psychopaths respond to challenges like this in excitement, not fear. You just put a new prize out for him, and it's you,"
"Madison you don't-"
"I don't what, Archie? You gonna act like I don't know how hard this is?" I started with him. "I have six locks on my front door, and I have two alarm systems. I can risk anything, Archie. I'm the reason you're alive, but you can't act like I asked you to do this."
Solemnly, Dad and Archie looked at each other, before Dad looked at me. "You see what you've done, Dad. I told you this was a horrible idea. Now you have to help him fix it."

I rang Alice immediately. I don't know why the fuck she didn't call me sooner.
"Hello, Madison," Alice smiled into the phone.
"Alice, you've got thirty seconds to explain why I didn't know about the cipher," I spoke to her, growing through my teeth.
"You were already attacked, Madison, I think it's a one bullet per chest rule," Alice spoke crassly and I fought the urge to suffocate her through the other side of the phone.
"What the fuck is going through your head, Alice? Is this a game? Do you want a Pulitzer?" I started. "I have friends in Chicago who can get you a Pulitzer."
"Help everyone figure out the cipher, Madison. We need the help,"
Alice dropped the call, and anger boiled in my blood. I couldn't have been more livid with the woman. I threw my phone across the room and it landed on my bed. I wholeheartedly was at a loss. I knew what I needed to do was see FP, tell him I love him for real, and figure it out. But really, I had no idea what I was doing. Realistically, though, none of us did.

I was over with Jughead, Betty, Kevin and Tony trying to solve the code of the cipher. None of us had any idea, but Betty had an inkling that's beating her brain in. I was proud of her for doing her best.
Coming back from the bathroom, I heard the two teenage girls arguing.
"You guys demonize the south side so much!" Toni rolled her eyes.
"It's not demonizing, Toni, it's stating facts," Betty spoke. "There's so much more fangs and drugs-"
"That's sold mostly to the Nortside crackheads? And what about the Northside Neo-Nazis? The Red Circle? More like the Red Pshychos?"
I cleared my throat from behind the group of four. "What's the issue, children?" I spoke, crossing my arms. Jughead gave me a look, knowing what would happen if the conversation didn't go well.
"I'm surprised you haven't gone out and said it yet, you lot," Toni said to me.
"Said what?" I asked her, stepping into the living room.
"You think the Black Hood's a serpent,"
Fire filled my eyes and the three Northside teenagers gave each other scared looks as I stepped into the living room.
"You listen here, little girl," I spoke. I grabbed the side of my tee shirt, pulling it up past my bra to show the bullet wound. "You ever been shot before?" I asked her. "Have you ever died and then come back to life? You want to talk about speaking out of your ass? That's all you have done. FP and I are in a relationship, and I was the victim of the shooting at Pop's."
Realization and regret struck her eyes like fire catching a match. "You watch what you say in front of me before I take the words and shove them back down your throat."
Kevin left quickly. And before I could say another word to the girl, she was up and gone as well. I turned to look at Jughead and Betty. "Jughead, have you seen your father recently?" I asked him. Slowly, he shook his head.
I crouched down to their heights on the floor and couch, kissing their cheeks. "Stay safe, kids. I'll be back later."

Sheriff Keller sat in his office late every night, especially since this Black Hood mess began. He extended the invitation for me to see FP since I was off bed rest last week, but I waited until now. Because, until now, I had no idea what to say.
"You here for FP?" Tom asked me and I nodded, before he extended his hand towards the door. "You know the way, Madison."
Slowly, I took a deep breath. The click-clack of my heels clamored loudly down the hallway towards the cells. I found myself running by the end, so restless to see him.
Because he was was I needed. Him.
He was asleep, with a book over his head. It was a bad joke that crossed my mind, but I could swear FP was almost entirely illiterate. It was one of my favorite books too, Medea. It's a Greek tragedy, not for the faint of heart.
"FP," I spoke lowly, my hand on the bar. "Wake up."
There was no movement. After a moment, I reached into my bag and grabbed my metal cigarette lighter, before throwing it at his head. The man shot up after the cold metal hit his head, and his head spun until his eyes settled on me.
"Madison?" He spoke, quickly coming to the bars. "You're alright, thank god,"
"Yeah, I'm alright," I set my hand on his. "I promise. Jughead is doing just fine, too."
"I'm so glad you came to see me. I heard you got shot, and you almost died," he trailed, tears welling in his eyes. What did I do to deserve a man who truly felt love in his whole being? I've never been loved, not like this.
"I can't stay long, FP, I need to finish some business. I wanted to show you I'm safe and healthy, and show you Jughead is. We love you, and we miss you."
"We?" FP asked, sticking his hand through the bar to my cheek. Nodding as a small tear escaped my eyes, I set my hand over his on my cheek.
"We," I confirmed before kissing his hand. "I will be back soon, I promise you."

I didn't expect the phone call from Veronica. She was crying, telling me about a gun that Archie had hidden in the school's toilet. She told me she threw it into Sweetwater river. I stood, sipping a whiskey. I sat Veronica down next to Archie on the couch and looked at them.
"This is out of hand," I spoke. "It's ridiculously unsafe, not to mention stupid-"
There was a knock on the door. Slowly approaching it, I saw Reggie, one of Archie's friends.
I opened the door, and his entire bullshit legion was standing there. "Ah, Madison, looking foxy as always, can we come in?"
Apparently, the pizza the boys carried was an apology present for abandoning Archie. I never understood boys. I think I'm missing the Y chromosome for that.
Throwing back my whiskey and setting the glass on the counter, I sat and watched the boys as they devoured pizzas.
Not a few minutes after the boys arrived, I heard more noise from outside. Archie and the group rushed to the door.
"You really think you can wave a gun in my face in front of my boys and not expect payback?"
That voice. I know that voice.
"Sweet pea!" My voice boomed as I pushed to the front. "What the hell is going on?" I spoke lowly, and the group of Serpent boys bent their heads to me in respect.
I had a title among the serpents. I was untouchable, and protected. I made FP my Bitch, so by law, his bitches are no mine. That's how it worked in the dark ages, and it's how it works now.
"What the hell?" He asked. "You know these assholes?"
"Unfortunately the ginger is my brother," I spoke. "What are you doing here? He threatened you with his gun?"
"If you wanna fight, we will fight," Archie spoke.
"What about the gun?"
"Your knife?" Archie retorted. 
"If you troglodytes are going to do this, no weapons. Or Madison will fall Sheriff Keller. You know she will," Veronica cut in and I nodded.
"No weapons. Clean fighting, all of you," I boomed. "If I get involved, it's over for everyone."

I stood in the pouring rain with the masses of fighters on either side of me. My body felt as though it was made of jelly as the night continued.
Sweet pea and Archie stood in the middle, and I watched it unfold. I couldn't stop my brother from nailing Sweetpea, and I couldn't stop the Serpents from hurting Archie.
I was the leader of two different worlds, and I couldn't let it get in my way. I had to do what was right. But fuck, that was difficult.
I saw Veronica appear as she shot a single bullet in the air. Quickly, I ripped the gun from her hands and stuck it in my waist band. She had no knowledge as to how to handle a gun, at least not to my knowledge.
One of the Northside kids had a knife in his leg, meaning someone cheated.
Death and blood is a part of life. Cheating, however, was something that was never going to be excused.
I wouldn't tell Dad about what happened. Some battles Archie needs to face on his own.
Veronica told me she would dispose of the gun properly, and I entrusted her with that.
As I walked into my house, the wooden kitchen floors quickly became laden with water.
I stripped off my pants and my tee shirt, leaving my only in a pair of grey underwear, and barefoot. I walked up the stairs to my bedroom, before collapsing into the bed. I learned little tonight about the future of Riverdale, but I knew it meant a war of the north and south. That was enough to terrify me.
As I drifted off that night, I couldn't help but hope I would wake up from this awful dream.