LXVI. Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Our Story
Grief is a most peculiar thing; we're so helpless in face of it. It's like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold and we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time, and a little less: and one day we wonder what has become of it.
Just before summer a lot of things happened. I mean I got kidnapped, along with Jughead, Betty, Archie and Veronica by Penelope Blossom who was the ringleader for the entire gargoyle situation. Chic, was the gargoyle king and was working with her as well as Sister Woodhouse and Betty's Dad. They sent the five of us on a crazy gargoyle quest in which each of us had to complete task in order to stay alive.
Archie fought an individual that replicated the strengths of a bear, Jughead fought Chic, Betty shot her dad and watched him die in front of her and Veronica drank poison. What did I do? Well Joe Wills was there.
He explained how Ruth's husband Henry, was part of an organisation that killed his brother. he wanted revenge so he killed Ruth by changing the intake amount in her pills but he didn't think it was enough. he joined Penelope and helped stir the town into all this griffin and gargoyle craze. He admitted to killing Rose because she found out about his brother and his multiple charge cases. I was given a gun, he told me to shoot or he would shoot Archie first then my friends then myself. I didn't give in at first and they told me not to but as soon as he pointed the gun towards Archie I shot him.
We managed to escape with the help of the serpents and the pretty poisons, but then we remembered about the farms ascension. by the time we got there they were all gone except for Kevin who was sat in the middle of all their clothes rocking back and forth. He said they left him so he could tell everyone what happened. Now those who did escape from the Farm went through some therapy program to deal with the trauma that they got from all the farm's weird teachings and such.
Things didn't stop there though: Charles, Betty's half brother, is in-fact real and is an FBI agent who has been working with Alice Cooper on trying to take down the farm from the inside. Yeah I didn't believe it too.
I went to the performing arts school over the summer. It was sort of like a summer school program but also not really. It ran for two weeks as like some taster before the start of the semester. I enjoyed, I really, really did like the school, but I have yet to make the decision if I'll be returning there or staying at riverdale High for my senior year.
Pea says I should go, 'you deserve to have life changing things happen to you princess.' He doesn't care about the distance and doesn't want me to worry about how it will effect him. Sometimes I wonder what I did to get where I am, Hmm..
Dad wants me to go. When we went in the tour around the school together, though we fail to keep up with the rest of the tour group due to the two of us getting distracted by every single thing we see on the way, even the little things. He wants me to have the best chance and though he said he doesn't mind if I stay at riverdale I definitely think he wants me to go.
I just don't want it to turn out like the last time I moved away from Riverdale. I've matured obviously but the only reason I have friends is because I grew up with them, I could barely talk continuously to Oliver when I first met him. But it's a working process I guess.
And that's about it really. Now it's the beginning of July and the town is preparing for the Fourth of July parade that happens every year without a fail. I'm meant to be helping do the float with Betty, Jug, Archie and Veronica but I was running a thirty minutes late..then a hour..then two..then I just gave up. I'll repay then next time.
"Good morning, good morning! The sun is up, it's all nice a fresh, c'mon let's start this glorious, glorious day!" I pull my duvet off over my face to get a look at who just walked in and see it's Oliver opening up the blinds letting in the natural light before grabbing a few things from the floor and placing them in the correct, designated area. He then sighs happily, placing his hands on his hips and looking from side to side with a smile behold directly at me. I look at him in dreariness before pulling the covers back over by face.
I feel the bed sink a bit as I feel a presence closer by me. I look around the darkness under my sheets, remaining in the position I am in, debating on whether I should shove him off or not. I chose against it and adjust my position to have my back away from the presence. Once I get comfortable, not even a second later I feel him move closer. I brush it off up until he jumps ahead and digs his head right into my shoulder/neck bit. I groan in annoyance and push his head away and pull the covers off my face again in a frantic way. I don't even say anything and instead just look at him, huffing slightly as the front of my hairs blow up.
"Awe and she awakens, cute." He comments with a sickly sweet smile, tilting his head. I groan lightly as I angrily pull the covers off me and get up and off the bed. I stand up and grab a few things I'll need for the shower. I go to walk into the bathroom but stop and turn at him causing him to smile again and wave. I flip him off before turning and walking into the bathroom.
"Hurry up we were meant to be there two hours ago!" He chirps, probably in his normal toned voice but to me it sounds like he is screaming the words as he says them. I pull a confused look while brushing my teeth causing me to step out and look at him.
"Meant to be where? I don't have work or a session today. I sort of planned for nothing to happen today just so I could sleep in." I remark, with a mouth full of toothpaste, before placing my toothbrush back into my mouth.
"Uh I didn't- I didn't hear what you said at all but I'm going to assume you asked what we are doing, based on your clear facial expressions." He says wave his hands away from his body and in my general area. "It's for that float thing you promised you'd do but haven't done."
"Urg." I groan, while brushing my teeth as I turn and walk back into my bathroom to spit out my toothpaste and rinse my mouth. "You gotta stop me from volunteering for stuff you know I'll hate later."
"Y'know I did tell you, you'd hate this but you insisted. Stubborn as always."
"Yeah well next time be bit more stricter because I'm not doing this shit next year."
~
"No stop it, that's adorable. The core four team at it again." I tease as I approach the group outside pops, where they decided it would be best for them to do this.
"Would've been core five if you got up earlier."
"She's here now- you're here now." Oliver reassures them as if he were some paranoid mum and I'm his disorient kid. I walk around the float, looking at what they have got done and what is still left to do. Archie puts his hand out and helps me climb on top so I'm standing with them and get a better look at what's left to do.
"You guys have practically done it all, what could I possibly add to this?"
"Your creativity!" Oliver yells from the bottom as he sits on one of the pull out, beach chairs. I turn and look at him as do the others. "Sorry, I just spent quite the time getting her to just come here and I'm not letting her just leave. So y'know make her if use."
I slowly turn on my heels towards the group with my hands together and putting on a small, innocent-like, smile. "His words not mine." I comment as Jughead rolls his eyes and goes back to painting.
"We are out of red and white paint." He says indicating for me to volunteer to be the one who goes to buy some more.
"Great. Come on then Oliver." I say walking to the edge as he gets up quickly and comes up and puts his hand out for me to grab so I have some stability for when I jump down. "You guys need anything else?"
"Nope."
"Nah-"
"Fantastic."
~
"I'm gonna miss it." I say as I watch him work on fixing the motorcycle part. During the summer he decided to take on building his own bike, and though he tries his hardest to get me to learn a thing or too, I give in sometimes.
"Miss what?" He questions with a grunt as he twists the bolt.
"Summer, spending time with you and helping you, occasionally, build your stupid bike and hanging out with Ollie before he leaves for college and nothing crazy, stupid out of the world shit happening, which I know will start as soon as we go back to school." He turns and looks at me removing his hands from the parts as he stands and walks towards me, in a slow pace.
"If something crazy stupid out of the world type shit happens I'll give you twenty- nope thirty dollars."
"Really? I wouldn't take it."
"You would have to, but I know it won't happen so we don't have to worry about it. We are going to have the best year without all the crazy behind it, okay?" He says before going to place a hand on my cheek but I quickly move away.
"Nope Nope Nope, at least go wash your hands Pea."
"Alright fine.." he says turning as if he were going to but quickly turns back and kisses me. Placing both hands either side my face, creasing them gently. He pulls away at a small distance before kissing me again but quickly and multiple times.
"Great..now I need to go shower." I mutter as I kiss his cheek before beginning to walk in the direction of his bathroom.
"I could join you?"
"You wish." I say turning back at looking at him with a smirk as he wipes his hands on the bandana tipped to his trousers belt loop.
"Yeah I do." He says placing his hands on either side of my shoulder and swaying as if we are in a conga line. I laugh shaking my head as I sway with him on our way to the bathroom.
-
"I'm so tired..."I mutter as I lay on the couch facing upwards. My legs crossed but straight and my hands interlocked and on top of my stomach.
"Just tired or more?"
"I want to say just tired but I took a nap before I came here. I should be well rested, why aren't I?" I question trying my head and looking at him.
"You have a lot on your plate. You often do, I've noticed you take on quite a lot of tasks or responsibilities more than you should. It overworks you mentally effecting you physically." He explains as I sit up a sigh in a deep and groggy way.
"What three things are going to try to do? I say try because remember it's not the end of the world if you don't do them, you'll always have the next day."
"I guess help with the forth of July float thing..go to work and...-" As I go to say my third task my phone begins to ring which never really happens during my therapy times. "Sorry it's Archie..." I mutter answer the phone and placing it to my ear.
"Hey Arch, I can't talk right now can you call me in like twenty minutes- Oh Jughead, why are you calling me from Archie's phone?...he can't what?" I question glancing up at Dr. Ellman for a quick second.
Who knew that in those last thirty seconds, I was just about okay with everything and then in a spiky second I wasn't. It's like I was climbing and rock mountain and someone cut the rope, causing me to fall down into great catastrophe...
I was alone again. I know this time I have people around who care for me and love me but what do you do when you lose someone who was one of the two people who shaped who you are today?
-
Third Person PoV
"You- Uh..you want us to wait for Dels?" Sheriff Jones asks as he stands before the Andrews family - Archie and Mary - in their family living room.
"N-no she...just go ahead.."
"Ok, I talked to the Sheriff up in Cherry Creek-" Just as the Sheriff was about to speak Delia walks through the door being greeted by Vegas, who was sat right in front of the door.
"Hey boy.." she mutters bending over as she began to pet him and rub his side before standing up straight and looking to her left and seeing the trio in the living room. She sort of shuts her eyes for a few moments and opens them as she removes her backpack and sets it down by the stairs and walking in and taking a seat on the arm chair.
Archie and her mother watch her every move as she had made her way from the entrance way to her seat while she avoid all eye contact from everyone, and chooses to glance at the window by her left. She lifted her left leg up to her chest leaving a gap between them and began biting her nails watching as a few cars drove by.
"It- Uh it sounds like what happened, Fred was..driving home to Riverdale when he...He pulled over to help someone whose car what stalled on the side of the road and...another vechail...came up on them way too fast and- and- and he was struck by it." The sheriff explains, finding to have a hard time getting his words out as he explains the tragic events that occurred to get one of his good friends killed.
"No..no." Mary cries shaking her head as she places a hand over her mouth and looks down. Delia glances at her mother and stares for a bit growing emotional to at which she turned back and faced away.
"I'm sorry, Mary. I'm sorry, Archie. I'm sorry, Delia."
"Did the other car stop? The one that.." Archie questions causing Delia to shake her head ever so slightly as her right leg that was still on the ground continues to bounce up and down.
The Sheriff fails to figure out a way to word that the driver did not and by that Archie knew immediately that he did not stop. "So it was a hit-and-run. We have to find out who did it. We have to catch them."
"No, Red. You don't even think about that right now. And I'll work with the sheriff's office up in Cherry Creek and make sure all of this is taken care of. You understand?"
"So what happens now?"
-
"Have you decided on a burial or cremation?" Mrs Fisher asks as she sits in front of Archie and Veronica, then Mary Andrews to her left and then Sweet Pea by Veronica and Delia opposite her mother on the other head of the table.
"Burial. There's a plot, next to his father, Artie Andrews. Arthur Andrews." Mary answers quickly, while Sweet Pea glances over at his girlfriend constantly, who definitely wanted to be anywhere but there.
"Since we're transporting the body from upstate, there will be an additional cost of nine thousand dollars."
"Whatever needs to be done. However much it costs." Veronica informs the lady who nods at the girl before moving on.
"The driver that makes these trips for us, isn't available until July fifth because of the holiday. Then we'll have the interment on the sixth, if that's all right?"
"Yeah- yeah I guess that will be fine." Mary says nodding but looks down as does most people around the table.
"Are we done here?" Delia mutters causing Mrs Fishers' head to turn towards her as well as those around the table too.
"Sorry, I didn't hear you, what was that?" She questions leaning a bit closer to get better hearing. Delia looks up and looks around.
"Are we done here?" She questions being more specific and definitely more clear. No one answers and so she just gets up and leaves and immediately heads up to her room.
Sweet Pea goes to stand but Veronica puts a hand on his arm stopping him and the three of them give him looks in a way of saying, let her go. And so he sits back down, placing his interlocked hands on the table and looks down.
-
"What do you want to do here?" Dr. Ellman asks as he sits in front of his silent patient. The girl had not spoken a single thing since she got dropped off here, by force, and that was a bit over an hour ago.
And then at that moment he decided it was best for him not to say much more and allow for the silence to be words for her and allow her to open up when she felt ready to.
"Do you have any crayons?" She questions looking down at the very detailed carpet at a small distance from where the two are sat. Ellman stands, setting his pad down and walking over to his desk and pulls open the drawers revealing paper and crayons.
"Oh?" She mumbled in confusion as he hands her the items and takes a seat back in his chair.
"You asked for them did you not?"
"Yeah but I didn't know you would actually..have them..." she mutters as she gets on the ground and begins to draw on the paper placed on the coffee table, while Ellman watched her. The silence returning again.
The silence and drawing continued during the left time of the session. He left it as a task for her to complete as a way to express her emotions in a positive outlet way. She drew a lot, when she couldn't sleep, when she went with her friends and brother to retrieve her fathers body. And in someway, in a way she wouldn't admit, It sort of helped.
And lucky for her, she has people who want the best for her and were there for when she desperately wanted them not to be.
A/N and so it begins...