now tell me, how did all my dreams turn to nightmares?

Chapter 2

What kind of hell is this?

The redhead went the her closet, looking for some sense of herself but found none. There were a variety of shirts and jackets in her size, but at first glance Cheryl couldn't see a single piece of clothing she'd ever be caught wearing. Everything was cheaply made, and no where in the array of clothes was an ounce of red.

There is no way this is mine. This is someone else's stuff. Someone else's life.

She noticed a safe on the flood beneath the hanging garments. Cheryl knelt down and attempted to open it with no luck. The redhead turned the dial using her birthday as the combination, but it was no use. Out of habit she then tried Toni's; she froze on the second number.

Toni.

Cheryl recalled the words Jughead had spoken.

"Like you'd ever date the Northside Princess."

Cheryl looked around the room, hoping to find a smartphone or something she could use to access the internet. Her eyes landed on an old tower PC sitting a the desk wedged between the foot of the full size bed and far wall. Immediately, she ran to the computer and sat in the metal folding chair in front of it. She placed her hand on the mouse, moving it around to wake the computer from sleep. To her dismay, a login screen appeared.

"Damn it."

She leaned back in the seat, hoping the necessary password would magically come to her. Her eyes traveled upwards, looking for inspiration, when a book laying flat on top of the desk caught her eye. Along its side the were words "Riverdale High Yearbook 2018-2019."

Cheryl stood from the uncomfortable chair and reached up to snatched the book from its ledge. She then grabbed a shirt from the floor to use as a makeshift rag and wiped the dust off the cover before throwing it back to which it came. The redhead walked over to the bed, sat down on the edge, and stared at what was in her hands. Nervously, she opened it and began flipping through the pages to find her class.

Cheryl didn't bother looking at anyone else's pictures, all she cared about was finding the T's. Her eyes scanned through the series of small, black and white photos and let out a shaky breath as her eyes located the photo she had been seeking. A tear fell from one eye, which she quickly wiped away. She gently caressed the page with her fingertips as if she was actually reaching through the page magically to touch the girl in the photo. Her girl.

Cheryl sighed, closed the book, and tossed it aside, not wanting to see anymore. More tears threatened to fall. The redhead sniffled clamped her eyes tight.

Don't cry. Don't cry.

Her self talk did not prevent the floodgates from opening. She fell back onto the bed and cried. Cheryl wanted to get home to the Toni that loves her, not the one in the yearbook who may not even know she exists.

Cheryl's muscles began to ache as the sobs shook her body. The redhead had no idea how long has passed since she started crying. The sun had set, and the room was now being illuminated by a neon sign outside, causing the room to glow a light pink.

A growing ache in her stomach soon became undeniable. She could not remember how long it had been since she had eaten last, and even if she could, the last time she ate was back in the real world. Cheryl could only imagine the last time this body had been blessed with a decent meal.

After forcing herself to get up from the bed, Cheryl ventured out into the living room. She noticed an adjoining kitchen passed the couch and prayed the refrigerator was stocked. The redhead made her way through the trailer, allowing her eyes to wonder for the first time.