Flatline ((Jughead Jones)) 3

31

Beaten. Bruised. Bloody. I was still standing though. That's what I had to focus on as we made our way through the woods once more. Veronica was becoming weaker, clinging onto Archie more and more, clearly more susceptible to the poison. Archie was holding her steady, my hand lying limply on his shoulder so I could use him to steady myself if needed. Betty was holding onto Jughead's arm to keep her stable. She kept looking at me, actually all of them did so I must look as bad as I felt.

"Wait, I still don't get it. Chic had red hair because Penelope is pretending that he's Jason Blossom?" Archie asked, looking at the group.
"Can we explore the craziness that is Oedipus Riverdale after we get the antidote and out of these damn woods?" Veronica asked. She was clearly becoming more and more exhausted as our adventure continued. I felt like I could blink and fall asleep because my eyes didn't want to open again, but I kept pushing through. I think medical experts would call it an adrenaline rush, that was why I hadn't collapsed. I thought it was because I was in denial, refusing to die and refusing to pass out and refusing to admit I couldn't quite feel my face, it was all just numb.

"Maybe figuring out how all this is connected is exactly what we should be doing." Jughead offered, watching me closely. I was almost certain that he was only talking about this now to keep me and the girls awake. "Hal. Penelope. Chic. They created this unholy trinity with direct links to everything bad that has happened in the last three years." I picked my head up from where I had been counting sticks on the floor to try and keep me awake after debating at what stage does a twig become a stick. Anything to keep me awake.
"It's like my brother's death begat the Black Hood which begat the Gargoyle King."
"But the Gargoyle King existed before Jason was killed." Ronnie added. Why did everything bad in Riverdale have to involve me and my group of friends? We needed to get a break. It seemed that the only way to catch a break was to get out of town. Then again, Archie left town and then got attacked by a bear.
"Well, then it's a case of the Serpent eating its own tail. It's a vicious cycle of neverending madness that turns back on itself over and over again, until someone breaks the chain." Jughead's comment left everyone in silence. And we were back to silently walking through the woods as I let my mind wander to pointless topics in an effort to keep me awake enough to see the final task.

Eventually, we came to a rock surrounded again with flame torches. On the rock were candles in red holders surrounding a black present wrapped in red ribbon. I never thought candles could look so menacing until I watched Betty Cooper walk over to them, fearing what her scroll read.

While Betty walked over, I took a seat, hoping that sitting down would help me a little, would take away the pressure that had built up behind my eyes and the feeling of all the blood pouring from my body rather than feeding it with energy. At this point, even as the Black Hood approached Betty, I didn't even have the strength to be scared as he glared at me and Jughead who had moved to stand at my side.

Betty removed the gun from the box and faced her father who ripped off the mask.
"You know how this has to end." Hal stated. "You have to choose, Betty. Kill the Angel and reunite her with death, or kill me." I felt Jughead's presence behind me and I knew he would never let anything happen to me. I also knew that Betty would never have the strength to kill her father. Hal even had the nerve to say it was her destiny.

Then Hal pulled out a gun of his own, pointing it in my direction as Betty raised hers at her father. Jughead stood in front of me, knowing that Hal would have no problem at all shooting it. We were all stood, breathless, speechless, waiting to find out what Betty would do.
"Don't make me do this, please."
"Either kill me and get the antidote," Hal nodded to one large vial hanging from a tree branch, holding enough inside to cure all three of us, "or I will kill you and all your friends. Starting with the Blossom bitch." We all moved closer to each other, as if standing together would be any better than standing further apart. We were all just seeking a brief moment of comfort. Hal told his daughter that she would get to the count of three.