Resilience | Sweet Pea.

41 - Imposter

The funeral of Midge Klump was a cold and heartbreaking experience. Tears are shed, songs are sung, promises are made, and mourning continues. The service is sad, but everyone can feel the eerie chill to the air provided not by the snowy weather but by the haunting reality of yet another murder in Riverdale, the town with pep.

After the service, I stand silently with Jughead, Betty and Archie as a crying Mrs Klump is escorted towards a car by Cheryl, who has taken Midge's death to heart. Sweet pea is back at his place with Fangs, having felt it be inappropriate to attend the funeral of someone he had no connection to. I watch as Sheriff Keller approaches Mrs Klump.

"Mrs Klump? I just wanted you to know the department is working-"

Mrs Klump cuts off Sheriff Keller by slapping him across the face, rising shock out of the small group around me.

"You were supposed to be protecting our children! You should be ashamed of yourself." Mrs Klump sobs, storming away from him. I watch as Cheryl then gives Sheriff Keller a warning that I can't quite hear before she takes off towards Mrs Klump in true, dramatic, Cheryl Blossom fashion.

"Ouch." Jughead mutters.

"Riverdale has too many mysteries for one man. Poor guy." I sigh.

*

Later, the 5 of us take to Pops to get hot drinks and warm up a bit. We'd gotten onto the topic of all the things going wrong in life, in particular the 'return' of the black hood.

"I have a theory." Jughead begins.

"And what would that be?" I ask, taking a sip of my coffee.

"It's a copy cat killer. And who coincidentally showed up in Riverdale right after Mr. Svenson was killed?" Jughead asks. "And has been giving us creepy vibes ever since?"

"Wait... Do you mean Chic?" I ask.

"Right. He has a temper, too." Jughead says.

"You can say that again." I mutter under my breath.

"Chic is here because Nova and I went to the hostel to get him. Yes, he's weird, but he didn't know Midge... So, moving on." Betty defends her creepy brother.

"What if Svenson wasn't the black hood?" Archie asks.

"Archie, we were there when he died." Betty says.

"I know. But just because he was wearing a black hood that night, doesn't necessarily mean he's the same guy who shot my dad and now killed Midge." Archie rants.

"Svenson forced me to bury you alive. He cut off his own finger and sent it to me!" Betty argues.

"Maybe the real black hood was working with Svenson." Archie suggests.

"And Svenson would've let himself be mutilated?" Veronica asks.

"Look, all I'm trying to say is that the real black hood could still be alive." Archie says.

"As far fetched as it sounds, guys. I'm kinda with Archie on this one. Something doesn't feel right about what happened with Svenson." I admit.

"I looked into the black hood's eyes. They weren't Mr Svenson's eyes." Archie admits.

"God. This is chilling... Can we please talk about something else?" I ask, burying my head in my hands.

"Okay, what about what happened with you?" Jughead asks.

"Never mind, let's keep talking about the Black Hood." I say.

"Nova..." Jughead sighs.

"I just... Don't really wanna talk about that, honestly..." I admit.