Flatline ((Jughead Jones)) 3

10

The two young men had been walking for days. Looking at them, you might think they were brothers, and in a way they were. Brothers fearful that Hiram Lodge might catch up to them.

I had heard from Jughead occasionally. Suddenly he was gone 24 hours, and the 48, and then I was counting the time he had been gone in days, wondering where all that time had gone. Soon enough it would be school, and everyone would know that Jughead had ran off, that is if the flow of gossip in Riverdale hadn't already flooded the town with the news.

I spent my days at Tent City, talking with Serpents, young and old. I was visiting the older members of the gang, the ones that had retired that the Serpents now supported; helping Toni with making dinner for them all. They were all grateful, and all very complimentary of me and my cooking. I also got Toni to introduce me to the young Serpents, the ones that were looking up at their parents, their older siblings and waiting until they were old enough to join. Their energy alone reminded me of a bunch of snake hatchlings, and that's what I took to calling them all.

It was a day like any other. Everything seemed normal. Students went to class. The Vixens prepared for the annual pep rally. Couples had their stolen moments in quiet classrooms. But in Riverdale, there's no such thing as normal, as Cheryl Blossom was about to discover

On Monday, the Vixens were walking to practise when it happened. I was standing, dressed in full Serpent clothing, Fangs and Pea either side of me. Cheryl was leading them down the hall, and had started to walk over to me. I knew what she was about to say, wanting to know if I would help her choreograph the routines. Of course, I wanted to, but a Blossom likes to keep people guessing.

She was a foot away from me when the group of girls behind her collapsed to the floor, convulsing violently. Cheryl turned and screamed at the sight of her fallen ladies, and her unresponsive lover. My sister knelt behind Toni, keeping her head from hitting against the hard floor, while calling for help.

Betty. Ethyl. Josie. The Vixens.

The seizure epidemic was getting worse and seemingly contagious.

Students were quick to leave the hall when the teachers eventually arrived, and called the nurse and the paramedics. It seems that if you were female, having a sudden seizure was completely normal.

At Tent City, we had lit a fire, all sitting around. The Hatchlings were sat nearest the fire as Fangs and Pea showed them how to safely keep the fire going, letting them put sticks on the fire. The adults were all sat around in old armchairs, sofas, deck chairs and camping chairs, even logs. For once this year, I felt like the Serpents were a family.

By the time dusk had fallen, I sat with FP as some of the ex gang members descended and began to tell stories of the 'good old days'. Tales of riding motorcycles up and down the highway, seeing all sorts of sights. Tales of winning gang wars and the noble leaders who lead them through each battle. I was hearing each tale for the first time, and the young kids, the hatchlings were practically jumping in their seats as the stories got exciting.

"You know, I knew Jughead would pick you from the moment you first came round." FP said, looking into the fire, the light on his face fading from orange to red and back again. The never ending colour change brightened his face and lifted off all stresses of regarding his son.
"Pick me?" I asked him, raising my eyebrow at the Serpent. I saw the corners of his mouth twitched up at what I had said, as if remembering a thousand happy times at once.
"You practically hid behind Jug when you were younger, and I could see him stand straighter, hold his head higher when he was around you. I've always known he'd lead these people, and from the first little squeak of a voice I heard from behind my son, I knew you'd be at his side."

The confession from the father of my boyfriend was humbling. Our relationship hasn't always been the best, and as a child I had been terrified of him. It was true that the first time I entered the small house, when his mom and Jellybean were still there, I had hidden behind Jughead, just peeking from around his body. Jellybean was so small that I doubted she'd remember who I was. But now, the man in front of me was like another father figure. He looked after me, and he guided me within the Serpent gang. He had gone from the alcoholic, the dark figure that would awake at the slightest loud noise, to the mentor I relied on when it came to matters of the gang.

"Thanks, FP. That means a lot. I love everyone here, you're all my family. And J... I don't even know where to begin with him." I said, my cheeks blushing slightly and I heard FP laugh from beside me. He had been my age and could understand what I meant perfectly. Instead of replying to me, FP stood, whistling for the attention of everyone around the small campfire that we had made. He took my hand, guiding me to stand, before lifting my hand into the air.
"Let us give a Serpent thanks to the girl who made this all happen. Here's for Queenie!" He shouted, and the whole campfire erupted in loud cheers from all around; every little hatchling ran over to me, tackling me a hug from every side.

That night I had smiled. That night I was happy. That night I slept through the night.

The following night, I was interrupted from a movie with my dad by my phone. I had jumped up, thinking it was Jughead, only to find it was Cheryl.
'Veronica is summoning us to the Speakeasy. Big news coming our way. Pick you up in 10.' After apologising to Dad and grabbing my jacket, I was sat beside Cheryl on our way to the SpeakEasy to talk to Veronica. Neither of us had any idea about what was going on, or why she was summoning the both of us.

"Your text said you had news." Cheryl stated as we descended the stairs to see a pacing Veronica. That girl had everything going on, and never seemed to look relaxed.
"Betty called. She's at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy." I knew Cheryl had personal experience there, and had first hand witnessed and felt the torture they put upon their patients. She still seemed traumatized by what had happened to her, and that's completely understandable. From what she had told me, I wasn't sure whether I could have endured their teaching methods.
"That place is hellmouth of Riverdale. We have to break her out." Cheryl demanded.

Veronica then explained that Betty had given the three of us a mission. Her father was making fizzle rocks and using the patients at the treatment centre to test out the dosages. Moreover, our Uncle Claudius was spotted with Hiram, supposedly aiding in more illegal activities. After an agreed promise of talking to our mother, me and cheryl headed out in search of the red headed viper.

It had been half an hour, and four buckets of maple syrup later, and both Cheryl and I were getting tired of the lack of answers. It hadn't been hard for us to grab mother, hold her down and tie her to a chair when she finally entered Thistle House late into the night. And by the time she did, we weren't about to waste all the buckets of syrup we had made up.
"Let's try this again, mummy." I said, in a sickly sweet voice. You would have expected that all the syrup would have made myself and my sister hates sweet thing, but it was by far the opposite. "What is Hiram planning for Riverdale?"

Cheryl picked up another bucket, holding it at the ready, an innocent smile plastering her face to match mine. She had been the one who had taught me how to interrogate people, and for some reason, something about me being short, and more youthful looking had meant that I was the perfect mix of intimidating, but innocent enough to get away with anything.
"Fine," She gasped out, "He's finally going to turn this backwater into something worthwhile." She was practically spitting every word that came out of her mouth. "A place where we can all pursue our various enterprises unmolested."
"Drug Dealing and prostitution, really mother?" Cheryl looked unimpressed and probably because she had accepted she had a harlot for a mother. When mother dearest started to lick the syrup off her lips, Cheryl threw half of the bucket of the sticky substance onto her, causing her cough and gasp at the new cold temperature.

"We're looking for specifics. How exactly is he planning on turning Riverdale into his very own Gotham City?" I asked again, bending down so my face was at her level, smiling but my eyes were glaring.
"He's in bed with the mayor, he's practically running the show with one hand shoved up her back. And as for law enforcement, last time I checked, Riverdale didn't have much of a sheriff." She knew that what she was doing wasn't what we wanted to know. She was giving us tasters of the information we desired.

After a quick threat of being drowned in syrup and left for the ants to eat alive, she agreed to tell
Cheryl.

It seemed like all was going well in Riverdale.
'I'm coming home, Princess. X'
And it seemed that half of the iconic duo was returning.

So, how else does a Queen celebrate the return of her king, but to return to her thrown and wait to greet him? That's exactly what I did, I sat in the armchair, looking at the ash in front of me, waiting for my light and saviour to return.

Sirens wailing, that of an air raid snapped me from my peaceful wait, and I watched as every Serpent came out and looked around and up to the sky, trying to work out what was happening, and what was the cause of the supposed air raid. I looked down at my phone, gasping at the message.
'The town is under Quarantine. There will be no leaving or entering the town until it is deemed safe to do so.'

And just like that, in a few frantic moments, the town we'd known all our lives was once again changed, but this time irrevocably. It was time for us to brace for a terrible impact. And while Archie Andrews headed away from the doomed town of Riverdale, we raced towards it. For that night was the fruition of a game that had been planned for and played across the years.