Flatline ((Jughead Jones)) 3

12

At 8:47 on a Wednesday morning, Archie Andrews died. At least, the Archie we knew. What returned to Riverdale was something far different from the red headed boy next door. He was now a stranger, with dark hair and scars both inside and out.

Archie had arrived at our home the morning after the movie marathon. He had walked in, surprising his dad, and I awoke to Vegas, the family dog licking my face as I slept on the couch. It's a strange sensation to wake up to that. At first, I ignored it, then as it tickled more and I sat up, waking up and surveying the cause of my wet face, I saw Vegas wagging his tail.
"Archie?" I called out.

I heard the clattering of cutlery, and the pattering of footsteps. Looking into the dining room, I saw Archie rushing forward to embrace me, and dad leaning against the doorframe, watching his two children greet each other. Archie held me tightly, spinning me around as I laughed, in complete shock that my brother had returned completely out of the blue.

When he put me down, I looked at him, my face becoming serious.
"You're not running away again?" I questioned, watching as a grin pulled itself onto Archie's face as he looked at me.
"You don't survive a bear attack to just continue running." I raised my eyebrow at him, showing him that he would definitely be continuing that story later on.
"Come on you two, before Vegas eats all the breakfast." Dad said, us both returning to the dining table and eating the breakfast laid out. I could see both dad and Archie had already started, as dad handed me my plate.

That's how we spent that first morning. There was no more talks of the horrors Archie saw, no talks of how things had been at home; but a meal filled with Vegas doing tricks for small bits of food, laughs at jokes and reminiscing times that seemed to be a lifetime ago. In some way, those simpler times were so long ago I couldn't remember what living with the Blossom's felt like. I struggled to remember the exact sound of my Jason's laugh. Instead of being sad about the things I was forgetting, I smiled about every picture perfect memory I still cherished.

For once, we looked like a normal family.

For those few hours, we were like everyone else.

Archie went to greet Veronica, which I sensed would be one of the harder welcome home greetings that he would be receiving. I chose to study. SATs were coming up fast, only a few more days before I would be taking that exam, and I didn't want to miss a second of hopeless revision. When I got a message from Jug asking to meet the gang in Pop's, I chose to decline. Something about five people cramming into a booth made for four wasn't something that I wanted to experience. Besdes, I had my time to catch up with my brother, so it was only fair that Betty and Jughead get to spend time with their best friend.

The next day, when Jughead knocked on my door asking if his queen wished to accompany him on a mission to meet a rat, I of course accepted.
"How did Archie do on the practise test?" I asked as we exited my home, and from the silence and the slight grimace that painted his features, I knew instantly that the outcome wasn't good, and therefore we would be praying to God that Archie didn't have to repeat this school year.

We were in the bunker, candles and the dim overhead light setting more than an eerie setting. Fangsand Jughead sat on the small table, facing each other and leaning close, as if any distance would mean that an important piece of information would be lost. I was sat on the bed, knowing the echoing nature of this bunker meant even the quietest whisper was heard from all directions.
"I'm in." Fangs began, with Jughead demanding to know everything that happened.
"The Gargoyle King. The other guys told me that he's impressed by my Fizzle Rocks sales, so he wants to invite me into his inner circle. They're having a ceremony tomorrow night." He announced and for a moment, both myself and Jughead let that sink in. Fangs then confirmed that the Gargoyle King would be there.

"This is huge, Fangs," I announced, Jughead asking where it would be happening, no doubt planning on gatecrashing this ceremony.
"A clearing in Fox Forest. Not too far from here." It was decided that he would be going, and that he would have all the backup that he needed. Just the simple mischievous glint in the eyes of the King, clearly put Fangs' nerves to rest. It would be a moment that had been long awaited in the mind of Mr Jones, and he would not let anything stop his capture of the Gargoyle King.

In the evening, Jughead was seated on a chair in the Speakeasy as Betty brought Archie down the stairs to his party. I was seated in Jughead's lap, reading through a textbook when Archie came down the stairs. With a yell of surprise and instructions to sit by Veronica, we were then listening to Veronica sing in Spanish. Betty sat at the table with us, Kevin beside her as they all enjoyed the show.

I shut my textbook, earning a kiss on my exposed shoulder by Jughead, a reward for putting away revision. It was Archie that drew my attention though. His eyes were distant, and didn't hold the same happiness that would be expected. In fact, I knew the look all too well. He was remembering something, something that scared itself deep into his mind, and something that still hung over him like a shadow. Then the fidgeting started, and I was wondering how I was the only one noticing this.
"Archie?" I called out to him, hoping to snap him from his thoughts and bring him back to safety. His breathing started to increase, and when he finally jumped out of his seat, it didn't surprise me.

Before anyone else had fully registered his departure, I was up from Jughead's hold and following after my brother. He had stopped when he was out of Pop's and heading for the road home. I didn't speak, I just walked beside him, waiting for him to say anything.
"That's how you felt, isn't it? After it happened." It was more a statement from him than a question, because he already knew the answer himself. His pace had slowed slightly to a normal walk, less of a panicked one.
"Yes Archie, that's exactly how it feels." I told him, and he nodded, accepting my answer.

That had been all we said about his episode. The conversations that followed consisted of discussing how Jughead was treating me and how I was finding leading the Serpents, before moving to me quizzing him on his topics. We were like normal siblings.