Serpents ✔️

Chapter 36

Pea and I decide to play a round of pool with Jagger and another Serpent to try and calm us down. I've tried ringing Toni but she won't answer, we've sent out some Serpents to look for her
"Your so going down" I say while Pea hugs me from behind
"You sure about that Princess" Jagger leans over the table
"100%" I say as I lean over
"Fine you break"
"Happy to" I say standing up taking the pool cue out of Sweet Peas hand. I line it up and manage to pot a ball straight away. After a few minutes I watch as Jughead leaves I frown confused too what he's doing
"Hey Hog Eye did my brother tell you where he was going?"
"No just got up and left"
"Probably gone to check on his Northside buddies" Pea scoffs
"Yeah maybe" or maybe that was Toni, please let that be Toni. We continue to game of pool.

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"Toni" I shout as I see her walk through the doors. I run over to her and wrap my arms around her
"El"
"Are you hurt?"
"Just my wrists are a little sore but I'm fine"
"Thank god. Thank you Cheryl what happened?" I pull Toni to a seat
"I went out looking for you guys but Malachai caught me and took me"
"Penny rang me and I rang Cheryl" Jug says
"I'm just glad your all ok"
"Malachai has some serious obsession with you El" Toni says
"They want a fight. Take over the Southside and they want Ella"
"Like hell we will let that happen Jughead" Pea says pacing back and forth
"Of course they won't take El"
"Ella what are you thinking" Cheryl asks me. I stand up
"Honestly I don't see much choice here. We've lost one of our snake charmers, one of the best so we either hand over the Southside or fight" I shrug
"You really think that's best?" Toni asks standing next to me
"No I don't think either option is good. Handing over the Southside means loosing our homes. Fighting means loosing men. Either way we're gonna loose"
"It's time we end the Ghoulies scourge and that traitor Penny Peabody once and for all permanently" Pea says shouting
"Sweet Pea 2 hours ago your fight was with Reggie Mantle. Now you want us to go to war over territory we don't even control anymore. This is Hiram Lodges problem not ours" Jug says crossing his arms
"So your just going to hand over Sunnyside trailer park our home to Penny and the Ghoulies?" Toni says walking over to Jug
"Toni I don't want us to die"
"El you've always been a good leader what do you think?" Jagger asks me. Everyone now turns to face me
"Look I get it the Southside is our home but I don't want to loose more men. Your my family and if we have to say goodbye to the trailer park so be it"
"What?" Everyone starts to shout amongst themselves
"Then what? You think they will stop at that? They will be after you next" Toni says
"I'll hand myself over. If it means stopping war then I'll do it"
"No" Pea shouts
"What do you think Malachai will do when he finds out your pregnant with a Serpents baby?" Toni argues
"Then I'll make him think it's his. Ill give birth away from the Ghoulies and get the baby to Pea somehow"
"No that's not happening Princess I won't allow it"
"We might not have a choice Pea" I yell facing him
"A rumble with the Ghoulies right now is a suicide run" Jug now yells
"It's better than a cowards death" Pea says
"Don't call me a coward. We will deal with the Malachai and El situation later but for now we hand over the trailer park"
"We have to defend ourselves. El your sister is in danger. Your niece or nephew could be killed" Pea walks over to Jughead. I sigh and rub my hands over my face
"That's enough" I hear my dad yell as he walks towards us we all turn to look at him "I just got a call from the sheriff's office. Fangs uh. He didn't make it. He's gone"
"What?" I whisper "no this is some cruel prank. Dad no he can't... he can't be dead" my eyes start to water
"Ella" Toni start
"No he's strong he isn't, he can't be, he, he's a fighter" Toni and Cheryl hug each other as I go straight to Pea who's eyes are watering
"Fangs is dead?" Jug asks
"We will mourn him hell yeah we will but first we will hour him. Ella what would he want to do right now" I wipe my nose as I sniffle
"Err. He would want to fight. Like I said he's a fighter"
"Now from what I just heard we need to put it to a vote. All those against going to war with the Ghoulies?" No one puts their hands up "all those for giving them hell on the battle field tomorrow?" Everyone raises their hands into a snake symbol except me and Jug "Ella?" Dad asks "we need your vote. They need your permission" I take a moment then raise my hand
"For Fangs"
"Pea take Ella back to your trailer tonight I don't think she will want to be home" Jughead says angrily
"Cheryl. Toni. Can you stay" I ask
"Of course come on" Toni takes my hand and Pea take the other one as we make our way out of the Wyrm. We quickly as we can make it back to Peas trailer
"I can't loose you Pea" I say as we sit on the couch
"And you won't. Cheryl tomorrow can you keep Ella safe in the Northside?"
"Of course Sweet Pea"
"You have to promise me something. Both of you"
"What is it?" Toni asks
"You both text me as soon as the fight is over"
"Of course we will" I sigh and snuggle into Pea "get some sleep Princess. It's been a long night"

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"Ella... Ella you need to wake up" I wake up by Toni shaking me
"What's going on?"
"It's Jug"
"What's happened" I sit up from the couch, Pea pacing back and forth "you're dad he called. Something about Jug saying goodbye to Betty" Cheryl says
"I'm confused. He's leaving?"
"No more like he's handed himself over to the Ghoulies. We're meeting your dad at the Wyrm let's go" Toni says pulling me up.
We run as fast as we can back to the Whyte Wyrm we see the other Serpents getting bags ready with weapons
"Toni where was Penny hiding out?"
"Sweetwater river" dad immediately leaves
"Damn it we gotta follow him"
"No your staying here"
"Pea if my dad and Jug are in danger and I stay here I will never forgive myself"
"And I will never forgive myself if something happens to you or the baby"
"Nothing will. I got her ok. If things turn bad I'll run with her. I have my arrows" Cheryl says and Pea finally agrees with me going with them. We run to the garage where all the spare bikes are. I get on the back of Peas, Cheryl on the back of Toni's.

Once we arrive I see a fire burnt out
"Dad. Jughead" I yell
"I'll go look around" Pea says
"I've called more Serpents as back up" Toni says
"Be carful" I kiss Pea and he goes to look. Toni, Cheryl and I hug to keep warm. After a few minutes Pea comes back and a truck pulls up behind us
"Where is he? Where's Jug?" Betty asks just as more Serpents arrive
"I'm sorry I dunno"
"Jughead, Dad" I yell again
"Guys" Archie says as he points. I turn around and see dad carrying something
"No" I breath out " no no no" I start to walk towards dad. Pea holds me back "it can't be Jughead. Dad?" He moves into the light a little more then I see it is Jughead "get off me. Nooo. Get the hell off me" I start screaming and thrashing about
"Baby calm down"
"Don't tell me to calm down get the fuck off me" I manage to break out of his hold just as dad falls to his knees. I run over and hold Jugs face in my hands "no please Jughead. I need my brother" I cry even more than I already was I place two fingers on his neck and manage to find a faint plus "he's alive. Barley. We need go go to the hospital now" I yell getting up.