Riverdale: The Ghoulies Return

6~ The Redhead that survived~ Veronica

The Ghoulies took Betty. I sat there at La Bonne Nuit with Pop Tate hiding out until Jughead and Archie had come back. I was scared of the Ghoulies, I think everyone was, especially now that they had taken Betty. They had tricked all of us and had managed to get around the Serpents. The Ghoulies knew they were there and Jughead figured it was because of the scouts he sent out since only a few returned. We think that they captured the majority of his scouts and now Betty too. The three of us were sitting in Archie's kitchen now, trying to think up a plan for what we were going to do next. "They're probably hiding in Fox Forest again, just not in the same spot," Jughead stated saying about the first thing he has actually said since we got here. Jughead seemed pretty shocked that Betty was taken but we kept assuring him that it wasn't his fault. It was more my fault and Betty's. When she got the call from her mom maybe she should have left. Maybe I should have told her to go. After she hung up on her mom and she was kidnapped, Alice came to Pops and asked us where she was. It was hard to explain and neither Jughead nor I could. Archie told her and she left. I think that she went to the police, but we knew that they wouldn't get even remotely close to any gangs. "We have to comb through the whole town. They couldn't have gotten far with her. We should send out search parties. We know a lot of people who will help, but that's just the easy part. Finding her might be harder. For all we know she could be in the next town over," Archie said.
Jughead winced at that but remained silent. He stared at the table and didn't look up even after we stopped talking. He was very hurt and looked even worse since he didn't have his beanie. When Betty was kidnapped, she was holding it for him until he got back. "I have to find her.", Jughead finally spoke cutting off my thoughts.
He looked very determined and I knew he was about to do something stupid. He was probably going to try to find her on his own. "Jughead!" Archie yelled as he got up and ran out the door.
He kept going and didn't look back. As he got on his motorcycle, we ran outside to stop him, but he was already driving away when we made it to the street.
Archie and I decided to go look for him. Jughead was headed in the direction of Sweet Water River so we headed there first. We got there but didn't see anyone. "Archie, I don't think that he's here. We should try checking Fox Forest and any other inner parts of the town," I told him.
As soon as I said that then a group of people walked out in front of us. Archie and I stopped and looked at them. Someone started pushing through the small group from behind and then stood out in front of the others. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here. I assume that you are missing your precious friend Betty Cooper?" Malachai asked. I looked at him, frustrated. Frustrated that there was nothing that I could do. Frustrated that we were outnumbered. Frustrated that Jughead and his gang weren't here helping us. Heck, we wouldn't even be here if Jughead hadn't run. I glanced over at Archie. His face was almost as red as his hair. "Archie," I said as I went to take his hand.
I was too late. He pulled back and punched Malachai right in the face. He stumbled back a little, but not enough for any effect but a bloody nose. He looked at Archie and a devilish grin grew upon his face. This was about to get so much worse. Archie moved back a bit as Malachai put his hands up. "Did the great Archie Andrews just punch me? Where's Jughead? Too scared to come and save his friends or his girlfriend?" he laughed.
Just then I heard a motorcycle engine behind the small group of Ghoulies. Jughead ran through the crowd and threw his hand at Malachai's face. He missed and stumbled forward in front of Archie. Malachai pulled out a knife and threw it at Jughead, who jumped out of the way, but it still hit someone. It was as if he fell in slow motion.
"Archie!" I yelled. I ran over to him and sat down. There was already blood seeping through his clothes. It hit dangerously close to his heart. I slowly pulled out the knife and it flew across the ground littered with leaves. "Archiekins", I whispered as I held him close.
Jughead ran back over to us. The Ghoulies were nowhere in sight. "I got them away for now. Arch," said Jughead realizing what had happened.
He bent down and put his hand against Archie's wound close to the middle of his chest, applying pressure. "Let's get him out of here," Jughead told me as he put him in a sitting position. "I'm sorry, Archie, I should have been more careful."