Serpents ✔️

Chapter 44

Jug and I walk the halls of Riverdale High noticing everyone has a Griffins and Gargoyle book in their hand
"I don't like this Jug. More people are playing and becoming addicted"
"I know"
"I need to find Sweet Pea. Can't have him getting addicted" I walk away as Jug goes up to Cheryl. I find Sweet Pea by his locker reading the G&G book
"No Pea" I whine
"Baby it's just a game"
"That caused 2 people to get killed"
"They commuted suicide. They took the game to literally. Look I promise I won't go to far"
"I swear Pea you better not. I need you"
"I know" Pea looks down to my bloated tummy. In the last 3 weeks I have definitely started to show more and I've started to feel the baby kick even more "just 13 more weeks to go now"
"I'm starting to get scared. What if I'm not a good mum"
"Your going to be the best mum and I promise I will be with you every single step of the way. This game is just a little bit of fun ok"
"Fine. Now come on I wanna go sit down" I drag Pea into the student lounge.

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Over the next few days the G&G books were taken by all the adults of riverdale, Mayor Lodges orders. I'm sat in class while Mrs Lodge is talking about the dangers of G&G
"2 students have taken their lives. A 3rd tried. The common thread linking these tragedies: all 3 victims were playing the game known as Griffins and Gargoyles"
"Wait so your admitting the game killed Dilton and Ben?"
"Yes Mr Jones"
"But where did G&G come from? Where did Ben and Dilton even get it?" I place my head down onto the desk feeling unwell
"We still don't have many answers but from the little we do know about it, the game seems targeted at impressionable developing minds. Mainly teens like yourselves"
"Challenge accepted" Reggie says I lift my head up and slap him
"Respect to the dead but some among of our flock are shepherds not sheep" Cheryl sneers
"The games quests and role playing scenarios are specifically designed to foster delusion paranoia and ultimately violence. As mayor I'm officially banning Griffins and Gargoyles" she carrys on talking but all I can think about it how sick I feel "as a parent I'm imploring you. Take care of yourselves and stay away from this game"
"Can I be excused" I sit up
"Miss Jones what seems to be the matter"
"I don't feel good miss" Jug turns around to face me
"Ella are you ok?"
"I feel light headed and sick"
"Miss it might be her preeclampsia"
"Mr Jones you may take your sister to the nurse" Jug helps me up and takes me to the nurse. I'm then sent home from school for the rest of the day to rest. I look at the clock and see that Pea isn't home and I have 3 missed calls off Betty. I ring her back
"Hey what's up?"
"I can't get hold of Jughead and my mum just told me the craziest story. Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah why?"
"I need to show you something"

A few minutes later Betty arrives at the trailer and we end up in the woods
"Where are we going Betty?"
"Just follow me" we arrive at a bunker
"Is this..."
"Yup now come on Jughead might be down here" we walk down the steps and I see Jug, Toni, Cheryl, Fangs and Sweet Pea playing G&G
"So" I start off and everyone looks at me while I just look at my fiancé "this is where you are. I'm fine by the way Sweet Pea don't worry I was only sent home because of my preeclampsia"
"Babe"
"Don't. You promised me you wouldn't get deep into this shit. This looks pretty deep to me"
"Look I'm sorry I lost track of time"
"All of this is making sense all of it is becoming clear" Jug says standing up
"Jug"Betty says
"The game the Gargoyle king. I'm on level 3. It's only a matter of time till I ascend and I get to meet him" Jug says scaring me
"Betty I don't like this"
"Neither do I"
"Sweet Pea I'm giving you an option right now. You either come home with me, your pregnant girlfriend or you stay here and I don't come home" I say with tears in my eyes
"Sorry guys. Ella comes first" I sigh in relief knowing that Pea isn't in as deep as I thought.

He takes my hand and we climb the ladder and I begin to tell him the story that Betty has told me on the way here about how all our parents played G&G
"You really scared me Pea"
"I know I'm sorry. I'm not going anywhere. I'm done ok I promise"
"You better not break that promise because if you do I'm gone ok?"
"Come here" Pea wraps me up in his arms and hugs me "I love you Ella Jones"
"I love you to Noah Miller"
"Again with the name"
"It's cute"
"Do I look like a Noah to you though?"
"No not really but when you know the real reason your nicknames Sweet Pea is because your a mammas boy makes you not suit that as well" I smile
"And people think the real reason your called Princess is because of your dad, not many know that it was me who started that name"
"You always had a thing for me huh?"
"Of course I did. I mean have you seen yourself"
"Ohhh now the truths coming out. It's all looks based" I tease Sweet Pea
"Shut up you know I fell for your personality as well" he chuckles as we get to his truck.