Fate can be Fatal

Part 44: Imposter

The gang make it inside the large house, like predators on the prowl for the weakest link. The weakest link this time being: Penelope Blossom.

They all break off and head in different directions. Pea, Toni and Jughead, along with Cheryl all crawl upstairs, scowering the bedrooms and bathrooms. As the others stay quiet, Pea accidentally stubs his toe against a railing of the stairs, yelling out "Fuck sake". As the others shush him, Cheryl hears a noise, but not in the house. 

Rookie mistake. 

The entirety of the group, including Veronica, didn't even think to check the small house at the bottom of the yard, neighbouring the lake, of which a boat claims residence. Cheryl taps Jughead on the shoulder, quietly gesturing to the house. A light flickers on and off again. 

Gathering at the bottom of the stairs, they run into Betty, Veronica, Kevin, Fangs and Josie. They tell them their belief that Penelope is hiding out down there, pointing at the house from over a couch. 

The gang make their way outside the back doors, Cheryl leads. Her fear turns into pure anger since she was finally going to get justice for absolutely everything. She grew up in an environment where she was hated, alienated, demonised, always thought of as less than. It was all about to come to a final end. 

Holding a bat over her shoulder, she confidently strides over to the small house, with infinite support from her friends. With smug filling her face, she knocks on the door. Lights go dark. Silence surrounds the area, tree leaves being only faint sounds in the distance. Cheryl knocks again, "Fucking show yourself" Pea yells, his husky voice echoing the landscape.

A window smashes around the back, a red haired woman leaps from its remains and the gang begin their deadly pursuit. Thankfully, a runner was on their side. Pea used to sprint for the state a few years ago; this came in handy. His feet lift off and he begins his attack. Without struggle, he tackles the woman from behind, making her fall painfully to the floor. He gets up without a second thought, drawing his knife from his back pocket and pointing it in the fallen villains direction.

Swiftly after, the rest of the gang catch up. The Northsiders stand there waiting whilst the infamous serpents also draw their weapons, including Cheryl.

"Mother?" she insightfully asks, "Mother?"

Anger rages inside Toni's blood, every drop was dynamite. It fuelled hate and pain, without thinking she yells, "show your fucking face" and the helpless women turns her head.

The face was not Penelope Blossom. It was mask-like. Fake. It was a mask. Slowly, the unknown woman takes off the 'Penelope mask' to reveal her true identity. At the reveal Toni shakes in rage, "Fucking hell!" and storms off to the house once again to calm down. Knowing what she's like, no one follows. Toni always needed alone time at moments like these. The poor woman begins to explain, "Maggie?" Veronica intervenes.

"Miss Lodge, I'm so sorry. I was cleaning and she---- she came in and told me to do what she said--- otherwise---" the scared lady begins.

"She'd what?" Archie pushes.

"She'd-- kill me. Miss Lodge and... friends, she had a gun. I didn't know---" Maggie continues.

"Maggie. It's no problem. Really. But we must know... where did she go?" Veronica gently asks, bending down to her level.

"I'm--- I'm not sure Miss. She asked me to stand here. She knew you would come, that you would eventually figure it out. She turned up at the house two nights ago, I've been here ever since but she most likely would've left by now, guessing your plans"  

The gang stop to think, Veronica helps up Maggie and Pea deeply apologises to the poor woman, still shaken from the inevitable incident.

"Miss Lodge, I don't know where she is, but she's dangerous... her gun... she wasn't afraid to u----" but her sentence is cut short.

A gun shot fires. Loudly. Just the one. But one too many for the gang to hear it and feel loss fly through their bloodstream. It came from inside the house. They all turn their heads in sync. Jaws drop. Cheryl then screams, "Toni".