Chapter 11- Run
Natalie
A couple of days passed and after a visitors day Archie informed me of the plan that Veronica and Reggie had shared with him for getting him out which would include me but I was unconvinced it would work. There were too many guards with guns and bats. Archie had tried to escape once and failed, how did he expect to do it again without dragging attention to that he was doing it. Archies had a fight that was to happen the Friday. Currently we knew it was Monday. We had the whole week to inform the others about the plan and have hope that Veronica and Reggie were making a good plan in getting us out.
While Archie slept, I kept in mind the possibilities of the worst thing to happen if the two of us were caught. I was quite sure that Warden had the power to kill us both, make it look like an accident, on the behalf's of the Man In Black.
"Jones" Spoke a guard at the door.
I looked up at him, standing up and walking to the door as it unlocked and opened. I stepped out, facing the guard and before either of us could speak I felt the sharp end of a needle in my arm. The guard pulled the injection away and my mind started to go blank as my eyes faded in and out of focus, and I fell to my knees. Passing out before the man.
I awoke to the sound of voices, the sound of a car made me more confused and as I opened my eyes, adjusting them to the area I was in, I noticed the outline shape of a van.
"Rise and shine" Spoke the guard as he hit my back with his bat.
"The hell..." I was finally able to speak. I felt the van come to a halt and I tried to fight back as the guard grabbed me by my throat, pushing me out the back of the van and onto the cold, wet grass beneath me. The guard kicked me to the floor, my bruised and cut hands gripped the grass like I had never felt it before.
"You have ten seconds to run..." I heard Warden speak. He appeared from his car, walking over to me.
"Why...what!?" I snapped.
"We were ordered to let you go. But let you go weak...an injured animal can't survive alone in the wild" Warden sighed.
I groaned as I stood up. I clutched my side, whimpering at the fresh blood that poured from the wound.
"Now"
A gunshot blew off and without hesitation I took off into the darkness of the woods.
Running faster then I ever knew I could run. Through the woods I hoped were near home. I jumped over rocks, logs and through puddles and round trees. I didn't look back. Not even a glance.
I took a turn, running towards the source of light I could see in the distance. I could feel my legs slowly giving up on me but I refused to stop running. The pain stabbing me wasn't stopping me.
When my breathing was heavier, my chest hurting along with my whole body, I collapsed against a tree, holding onto it like I had no other choice. I gasped, breathing heavily, my eyes looking around hoping for any sign of life. I was alone and I didn't know how far I was from home. The darkness around me was scaring me more. I didn't know what was out in the darkness. For it could be as stupid as a serial killer.
I wasn't going to give up. I refused to rest. I stood back up, whimpering as I done so but I kept moving, walking slowly through the dark. I paused every time I heard a sound that didn't sound appealing. My fingers trembled as I held my side, making me slower and weaker. I paused as I reached an odd looking bush. It was covering something up, I could see the old metal handle of some door.
I knelt down, pushing the bush aside and I found a round metal door. A door to a bunker. I twisted the handle, using the little strength in me and I pulled it up, swinging my legs over and I grabbed the ladder. I lowered down, pulling the door shut above me. I jumped down, meeting the solid floor. My eyes caught sight of the lit candles, the sound of voices.
"Natalie!?"
I turned around, my eyes meeting Jughead's and I slowly smiled.
"Jug..." I whispered.
And with that, I fell into his arms.
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The fresh smell of Pop's lingered around my nose as I laid on the small bed of the hidden bunker. I turned my head and groaned as I moved only slightly. I could see the five figures around me and I could only pull a little smile at them.
"Nat?" Spoke Fangs soft voice as he knelt beside me. His fingers brushed my hair out of my face and I lifted my hand to his.
"Hi...Fangs..." I whispered out.
"Oh my gosh" Toni gasped as she held her hand over her mouth.
"You alright?" Fangs questioned. His tone of voice was soft. It made me feel calm and safe as I looked at him.
I nodded my head slowly, looking up at Jughead and Sweet Pea who looked at me with a mix of emotions in their eyes.
"Where have you been, Natalie? Everyone's been worried sick" Toni asked as she stepped closer to me.
"Juvenile Detention..." I muttered as I felt anger by even mentioning the place.
"Wait what!?" Jughead questioned.
"With Archie?" Cheryl spoke up. She looked completely confused, but so was I.
"Mhm..." I nodded.
"They kidnapped you?" Fangs asked. I nodded and Fangs glanced at Sweet Pea.
"Who stabbed you?" Jughead asked in a serious tone.
"A guard..." I answered.
"And the other injuries?" Sweet Pea asked. His voice was broken as he spoke.
"Guards again" I replied.
"They kidnapped you and tortured you" Sweet Pea scoffed.
"Pretty much" I sighed.
"What about the branding on your hip?" Jughead whispered.
"That was a punishment" I mumbled.
"Your safe now though..." Jughead mumbled as he knelt down beside me. Placing his hand on my cheek, caressing his thumb over my cheek and sighing as he was more then relieved. "I'll phone dad...tell him your here"
"Wait no!" I shouted as I sat up. I whimpered but I stayed up as I stopped Jughead from reaching for his phone.
"Nat?" Jughead questioned as he stared bewildered at his me.
"You can't do that...he can't know...not yet" I whispered. "There's so much you need to know"
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With everyone sat around me, I was prepared to start speaking. I had thought hard about everything, every detail I had been told. The only detail I was going to leave out was the plan on getting Archie out.
"I'm the Silver Snake" I said, facing the five Serpents. "A piece of the game, G&G. By orders from the Man In Black, I was to be kept prisoner at the Juvenile Detention Centre. For what reason I wasn't aware of, but they let me free. The Red Paladin is also Archie. Archie and I were apart of a fight club that happens and it must be some way of G&G working as people bet if we win or not"
"So the Silver Snake and Red Paladin are you and Archie" Toni looked confused but I nodded.
"I made sure to stick with Archie" I added. "He would protect me"
"Clearly he didn't" He was referring to the injuries that scattered my body.
"He couldn't do much...they'd hurt him" I sighed.
"Who?" Fangs questioned.
"The guards" I answered.
"Guys, this place is a prison we're talking about. Of course there's going to be strict rules and punishments. There's killers in there" Cheryl mumbled. She was right. But not all of them were killers. Some where just messed up teenagers who didn't have a chance to love their life how they should of. And some were innocent.
"Not those punishments" I muttered.
"Did they touch you?" Sweet Pea asked in an angry tone. His eyes were already filled with rage. Jughead looked at him with a surprised look that he'd even ask that but when I gave no response straight away, I could see the anger growing in his own eyes.
"No. No...no they didn't" I tried to sound convincing as they didn't seem to want to believe me. "I swear..."
"If they even tried to lay a finger on you...I will kill them" Sweet Pea muttered as he placed his hands together, his leg bouncing as he stared at me.
"Im surprised you even still care" I scoffed.
"Of course I still fucking care...I'm still in love with you!" Sweet Pea exclaimed loudly. "I've always been in love with you"
Silence filled the bunker and only Cheryl made the silence disappear.
"So are we keeping quiet about Natalie?" She asked looking around.
"For now. It's probably safer" Jughead nodded as he stood up.
"Sweet Pea, you staying here?" Fangs asked as he looked over at him. Sweet Pea nodded and looked over at me and I could only stare back.
"Alright. Sweet Pea first...then I'll come by later" Jughead said as he kissed me on the head.
"Alright" I replied to my brother as I watched the four leave.
Me and Sweet Pea were left together. Neither of us was sure what to say to each other so we stayed in silence. But I couldn't deny that I had missed Sweet Pea. I just didn't know how much he'd missed me.