Hey everyone!
I'm so excited writing this story I wanted to post chapter four. I know it's only been a few hours since I posted chapter three but oh well lol.
I only have two night shifts to work before I have two weeks off so I'm hoping to get plenty of this story wrote then.
Anyway I'll stop talking, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think!
Happy reading!
Once Britta threw the sweater onto the mirror Cheryl knew that the connection had been lost.
She was worried and scared for Toni, she had to do something.
Toni had come to the redhead in what she worked out as being a dream, maybe she could try and get her to do that again.
No she didn't have the time.
And even if she did Toni obviously didn't remember it or believe it was real.
No, she needed someone to help her.
Someone who could talk Abigail down.
Thomasina.
This was a bad idea and she knew it.
It could go terribly wrong but what choice did she have?
If she didn't do anything Toni would be taken from her own body just like she was.
At least this way she had a chance.
She rushed to her nana's room, there had to be a spell for this somewhere.
Magic wasn't something Cheryl believed in until recently but she managed to cast the curse without even really trying.
So maybe she could cast the spell she had in mind.
After searching for what seemed like forever she found what she was looking for- Abigail's spell book.
Now all she had to do was find Thomasina's grave, she'd never seen it but she knew it was supposed to be in the Blossom's graveyard.
Wherever she was was an exact replica of Riverdale and although she'd already wandered the empty streets of where she was she hadn't explored the graveyard.
Cheryl was used to the feel of the mansion here now, Thornhill was creepy enough but with the added sense of nothingness that surrounded her this Thornhill was worse.
She didn't have time to think about it right now though she needed to save Toni.
As she made her way through numerous headstones, she searched each and every one she finally came across Abigail's and next to it Thomasina's.
With a shaky breath she began setting up the candles and following the instructions in the spell book.
She gave herself another moment before sitting down on the damp grass, she began reading the incantation making sure to get every pronunciation correct.
When she stopped reading she sat quietly waiting for something to happen.
The candles flickered lightly but it was silent around her.
Cheryl let out a breath, this was the only chance she had at saving Toni and it didn't work.
She tried not to cry but how could she not?
After all this was her fault, she read out the curse in the first place.
The hood of her archery jacket was blocking her peripheral vision but it didn't matter.
As she stood up she heard a branch snap behind her, she froze in her spot.
'Who are you and why did you summon me here?' The voice said, it sounded so familiar, it sounded like Toni.
'Thomasina,' Cheryl breathed as she turned around.
'Abigail?' Thomasina gasped.
'No...' Cheryl said quickly, 'I'm Cheryl. Cheryl Blossom, Abigail is an ancestor of mine. I summoned you because I need your help'.
Cheryl looked at Thomasina, she was the spitting image of Toni or rather Toni was the spitting image of Thomasina.
'The resemblance is uncanny,' Thomasina said stepping forward and placing her hand on the redheads cheek, 'you are the exact copy of Abigail'.
Cheryl allowed it, she knew it wasn't Toni even though she wanted it to be.
'I need your help saving your ancestor,' Cheryl said.
'My ancestor?' Thomasina repeated.
'Yes, maybe we should head back into Thornhill,' Cheryl said looking behind the woman and towards the house.
Thomasina gave Cheryl a polite nod before the redhead led the way back into the mansion.
'What year is it?' Thomasina asked when they stepped into Thornhill.
'Where I'm from it's 2022 but here I'm unsure, nothing seems to change it just stays the same. The sun doesn't even rise or set, the sky always looks as it does now'.
'I see. We are in limbo,' Thomasina confirmed, 'why are you here?'
'That's why I summoned you, maybe we should sit down first,' Cheryl said motioning to a chair.
Thomasina sat down, Cheryl looked over the clothes she was wearing, it was odd to see someone who looked like Toni wearing clothes from over a hundred years ago.
'Before I start Thomasina I want you to know that I am fully trusting you to do the right thing,' Cheryl said looking Thomasina in her eyes.
'Which is?'
'First I need to tell you about Toni. Antoinette Topaz. I need help saving her from Abigail,' Cheryl said hoping that Thomasina would take her seriously.
'Abigail wouldn't hurt a fly,' Thomasina scoffed, 'she is bright and brilliant and everything that's good in the world'.
'I'm sure she was but after you were murdered she changed and soon after she was burnt at the stake,' Cheryl said carefully, 'do you remember... getting murdered?'
Thomasina shuffled uncomfortably in her seat, 'I remember what happened before but I don't remember the end. One moment I was on earth and the next I was somewhere else, somewhere bright and beautiful. I waited for Abigail but she never came'.
'I think her anger kept her here, in this limbo,' Cheryl motioned around the room, 'she wanted revenge for what happened to you and to her'.
'My poor Abigail,' Thomasina said, sadness lacing her voice.
'She's about to get that revenge but first she wants you'.
'Me?'
'Yes, she's planning on switching your soul with your ancestors Toni like she switched hers with mine. Toni is the sweetest person and she doesn't deserve to have her life cut short'.
'You know this Toni? My ancestor?' Thomasina asked.
'Yes, we went to school together,' Cheryl said avoiding Thomasina's gaze.
'There's something else, your aura changes when you talk about her. You love her?'
'I did,' Cheryl said keeping her eyes down.
'You no longer do?'
'I... we're not together anymore and we haven't been for years but all of this is irrelevant. I needed to get to you before Abigail did. I know you can help her, she trusts you. Could you convince her to go with you to the afterlife? To let go of the hate she has for the world and the descendants of the people who wronged her'.
'How?'
'We'll talk about that later, I just need to know that I can trust you'.
'You can trust me Cheryl. If it is true what you are saying and I can have my beloved Abigail by my side in the afterlife my soul would be complete. I'd finally be completely happy'.
Cheryl gave Thomasina a smile, she knew how it felt to long for someone.
Thomasina and Toni were so much alike, Cheryl wondered if she and Abigail were alike too.
Not just in looks but their values, their personality and all the things in between.
'So you seemed to summon me in a state of panic, are you going to tell me what you have in mind?' Thomasina asked, 'a spirit board perhaps?'
'I need to switch yours and Toni's souls,' Cheryl said quickly.
'Excuse me?' Thomasina was shocked, this wasn't what she was expecting, 'I thought you didn't want Toni's soul being switched with mine?'
'I don't but this is the only way I can save her, if I cast the spell I can reverse it if something goes wrong and warn Toni to leave when she returns to her body. Please Thomasina I don't know what else to do. You're my only hope at saving Toni's soul from being stuck here for eternity'.
'Can you not simply switch your soul with Abigail's?'
'Unfortunately not,' Cheryl said shaking her head, 'Abigail has put a... let's say shield around my body, she has to let me back in willingly. I know what I'm asking you to do is a lot but it's for the good of Abigail and for Toni'.
Thomasina eyed Cheryl, it would have been much easier to refuse if she didn't look just like Abigail.
How was she supposed to say no to the huge brown eyes pleading her to help save the woman she loves whether she admits it or not.
And her beloved Abigail needed her, her paramour was fixed on rage and destruction.
That wasn't the woman she knew, Abigail was soft and kind.
Thomasina had to remind her who she really is.
'Is there anything I need to know about Toni's life? This may take more time than either of us would like and I need to get a lay of the land'.
'Thank you so much!' Cheryl said letting out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.
'Let's save the thanks for later. The spell is extremely complicated and may not work. Now tell me what I need to know'.
The redhead nodded but she was grateful, she felt something inside of her chest- hope.
Cheryl thought about what Thomasina would need to know before lifting her eyes to look at her.
'Toni is a school guidance councillor, she's owner of a bar called the Whyte Wyrm and she's just had a baby. Anthony, he's an angel,' Cheryl smiled thinking about him.
'A baby?' Thomasina said with a frown, 'is she married?'
'No,' Cheryl shook her head, 'she had baby with Fangs who she lives in an apartment with, it's not romantic'.
Little did Cheryl know.
'Fangs? What sort of godawful name is that?' Thomasina said scrunching up her nose.
'I can't disagree. Fangs Fogarty is a strange name, even for Riverdale'.
'Did you say Fogarty?' Thomasina said as she stood up.
'Yes, why?' Cheryl said watching the other woman pace the room.
'Fogarty was the surname of the man that murdered me, this could be worse than we expected'.
'Wait, what?' Cheryl was in shock, she knew Thomasina was murdered but she didn't know by whom.
'If Abigail finds that out would she... hurt him?' Cheryl asked when Thomasina didn't speak.
'We must cast this spell now,' Thomasina said snapping her head towards Cheryl.
The redhead just nodded.
'What do we need to do?'
—————
Earlier that day.
Toni had been trying to build up the courage all day to go and speak to Cheryl, she'd done laps around her apartment as she tried to think of what she could say.
That's when her phone rang.
'Hi Britta, is everything okay?' Toni asked as soon as she brought the phone to her ear.
'Ms Topaz I need to talk to you... in person, are you available?'
'I'm at my apartment, I was actually planning on visiting Thornhill if that's more convenient?'
'No,' Britta said quickly, 'I can come to you now'.
'Okay, are you sure everything is all right?'
'I can't say right now, I'll be at your apartment soon,' Britta said before hanging up the phone.
Toni frowned, did this have something to do with Cheryl?
Toni was waiting around twenty minutes before she heard her doorbell ring.
Luckily Fangs was at the Wyrm, they still weren't really speaking after their argument over Cheryl.
The brunette opened the door to find Britta stood there, a worried expression covered her face.
'Britta what's wrong?' Toni said ushering the girl inside.
'I think you're in danger Ms Topaz, you need to leave town,' Britta said quickly.
'Britta what are you talking about?'
'It's Abigail, she wanted me to come here to invite you to Thornhill, she wanted me to babysit Anthony so you guys could talk but I'm afraid she has something sinister planned'.
Toni looked at Britta, whatever this fairytale was that Cheryl had conjured up in her mind obviously really affected the young redhead.
'Abigail?' Toni repeated.
'The woman in Mistress Cheryl's body,' Britta said seriously.
'Britta please, all of this is in Cheryls head, she's ill,' Toni tried.
'No you don't understand,' Britta said.
'I'm going to Thornhill,' Toni said standing up, 'would you watch Anthony for me?'
'Ms Topaz no, she'll hurt you'.
'I don't believe that. Cheryl would never hurt me, I know that,' Toni said as she let out a breath.
'But Ms Topaz I've told you Cheryl isn't Cheryl,' Britta rushed out.
'Cheryl needs help,' Toni said pulling on her jacket, 'Fangs phone number is on the refrigerator. Anthony's down for a nap, I'll be back as soon as I can'.
Britta didn't even have time to say anything, Toni was already out of the door.
This wasn't going to end well and Britta knew it.