"Just come here!" Sweet Pea yells. I look to Jughead who seems utterly confused.
"Yeah yeah okay," I tell him, "we'll be there in five." He hangs up and I usher Jughead inside the truck. Leaving the heartfelt moment behind to go to the demands of the serpents.
"What did he say?" Jug asks.
"He said to get there," I tell him as we get moving on the road, "nothing more than that but he seemed urgent. He was on edge."
"More than normal?" Jug laughs slightly I smile.
"No instead of anger it was more fear," I tell Jug, "Sweet Pea isn't scared easily either." Jug catches the seriousness in this. His mind set on solving the mystery as we drive there. Once parked we both jump out to see Sweet Pea and Fangs marching towards us. "What do we have?"
"Someone's sending us a message guys," Sweet Pea says
"What's the message?" Jug says. They exchange a look.
"- Come on," Fangs says then looks to me, "you might want to brace yourself." I'm taken back.
"I'm a big girl," I say to him, "I'll be fine." Jughead nods to them. They continue to lead us forward. Coming into sight on the thrown crown chair was a bright blue tarp draped over it.
They both back away allowing Jug and I to reach the tarp. The first thing I notice is a pungent smell.
"Gross," I say softly. Jug steps reaching for the tarp pulling it off. Once it is moved away I see a stiff Joaquin. "Oh god," I whimper softly. The symbol from before carved into his forehead. And his lips stained a soft blue. Jug sighs loudly.
"Joaquin," He says softly. He takes the end of the tarp and throws it back over the body. I'm taken back. Shock fills me to my core. Holy fuck Kevin is going to be destroyed over this.
"Who do you think did it?" Sweet Pea asks. Jug walks off sadly.
"Uh I don't know," Jug says, "The Gargoyle gang or Hiram Lo- Could be anyone."
"That symbol on his forehead-" Fangs says. I step towards Jug placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Sacrifice," He says, "I have to get to Archie. Come on Y/n." I hand him the keys.
"Start the truck," I say to him, "I'll be there in a second." As he rushes off I look to Fangs and Sweet Pea. Hugging them both one at a time.
"I'm sorry," I say to him, "I'm so so sorry." Fangs looks down softly. This was their friend. They've lost so much. "Shh." As I pull back I apologise to them. Stepping back and running towards Jughead. Once in the car I can see him seconds away from mentally crashing. He taps the dash nervously.
"We need to get to Archie," he says, "we need to get to Archie now."
"The symbol you don't think it could be real?" I ask him. He shrugs nervously.
"I honestly don't know," he says to me, "I didn't but Joaquin sitting there lifelessly. It was carved into his forehead Y/n-"
"Shh I know I know," I say as I place my hand on his leg. He picks it up and presses his lips to my knuckles.
"If there is even a chance it is real," He says, "then you and I have to do everything we can. Which I think right now is going to include some pretty crazy stuff. So I need to know right now are you in or are you out?" I smile at him. I lean into him and kiss his cheek.
"I'm in," I say to him. He nods. As I pull back and start the car he reaches in the bag for our bags of stuffed clothes.
"Everything you would need to stay somewhere is here right?" He asks me.
"Yeah- I mean there is some stuff at my house I'd need," I say to him and he nods.
"Let's stop there," He says to me, "I won't everything you and Archie would need. Will grab some of my clothes from your house. But I have everything else." I nod.
"You think we'll have to leave?" I ask him.
"I want to be prepared if we have to," He says turning up the loud Panic! song. I take a deep breath trying to relax. As the song ends we are at the house. Rushing around grabbing tooth brushes, deodorants, shower things, clothes, anything I think I would need. My bag definitely bigger than Jug or Archie's. I grab my stash of back up phones from under my bed. In foster care I was known for getting my phone taking away so I've developed a habit of collecting phones to use just in case I had one taken away. The phones each stocked with minutes.
"I think this should be it," He says to me, "remember nothing too valuable- except your camera?"
"Of course," I say to him. He takes my bag and hands me Archie's.
"It'll be easier for you to carry his than yours," he says and I chuckle slightly.
"Yeah," I say as I strap it to my back, "that is true." We step from the house and I lock the door behind us. Sharing a silent goodbye with the house for now. We load our stuff and rush off to find Archie. After some harassing we find him at a Shadow Lake hospital.
"Archie," I say running towards him. He hugs me back tightly. I pull back and he smiles at Jug.
"You two here to collect me?" He asks. I look to Jug.
"The symbol on your hip means sacrifice," Jug informs him, "the same one-" he stops getting heavy hearted.
"Kev, Archie, Well Joaquin is dead," I say softly. The two boys are taken back. Kevin looks like his world shattered. "The Same symbol carved on his head." Kev runs his hand through his hair. "I'm so sorry Kev." I see tears collect in his eyes. I step towards him wrapping my arms around him. He hugs tightly resting his head in the crook of my neck as he whimpers softly.
"My god," Archie says softly in disbelief. I Pat Kevin's back.
"I think we need to get you out of Riverdale," Jug says.
"I was planning on leaving," he says, "I can't go back. Hiram will just trap us in this circle." As Kev pulls back and wipes his eyes I look to Archie.
"We have bags packed," I tell him, "just say the word and we are good to go."
"I think it's best," he says to us. He looks to Kev. "If I write something to leave for my dad will you give it to him?"
"Of course," Kev says softly. Archie moves to prepare his note and Jug follows. I hug Kev again.
"I'm sorry," I say to him. I pull back and he wipes his eyes again. "Call me while I'm gone literally any time okay? I'll be there for you."
"I know," he says. I pull out my sketchbook and pen from my purse and scribble down a note to Betty. Telling her what's going on and I'm sorry for the short notice and that if she needs me to just call.
"Give this to Betty," I say to him as I fold it. He smirks.
"What?" I ask him. He shoves the note in his pocket.
"You hate her you love her," he says, "you discover lesbian feeling for her-"
"That last one didn't happen," I chuckle. He shrugs.
"Only a matter of time," he says. I roll my eyes at him.
"Just give her the letter okay?" I say to him, "I frankly don't trust Alice right now."
"Valid," he smiles slightly. The pain still ever present. I smile at him. Reaching into my sketch book I tear one out of him. I hand it to him and he smiles.
"I drew it in class the other day," i tell him, "keep it. You look hot there." He smirks slightly.
"To hot for you," He jokes. I nod as Archie and Jug rejoin us. Archie hands over the note as I shove the sketch book back into my purse. Then grab my keys.
"I'm putting them under the toolbox in my truck. Come pick it up. We aren't taking it with us," I tell him. He nods. "Bye Kev."
"Bye Y/n," he says, "bye Archie, Jug."
"Bye Kev."
"Bye."
As the short goodbyes end the three of us leave Kev. Walking out to my truck and grabbing our bags. I shove my wallet in my jacket before locking my purse in my car and hiding my keys.
"I think we are set," I say to them.
"Good," Jug says taking my hand, "the train station first."
We walk all the way to the old train station. Once there we see an old phone booth.
"I'm gonna try and call Ronnie," he says. We nod. As he goes towards the phone we sit beside the wall. I dial Betty's number into my phone. She doesn't anwser.
"Archie?" We hear Veronica ask on the other line. Jug and I sit a couple feet away leaning against the wall of the station. The two of us tangled together as I lay my shoulder against his. The call to Betty going to voicemail again.
"Veronica," He says.
"I'm so glad you called, Archie," She says, "We did it! Attorney McCoy worked it out with the judge. You're a free man.."
"I shouldn't be surprised," he says, "You're amazing."
"I promised you'd be free by homecoming," She says, "Veronica Lodge always keeps her word."
"Thank you, Veronica. For everything you've ever done for me."
"No need to thank me, lover. Just tell me where to pick you up."
"Ronnie, I I can't come home."
"Didn't you hear me? There's nothing to be afraid of. Sheriff Minetta's going to prison for a long, long time."
"But your dad is still out there. And I can't escape him.As long as we're together, he'll be hunting me down, and everyone close to me is his target, - and that includes you."
"- Where are you? I'm not letting you go off God-knows-where and alone."
"I'm not alone," he says looking to Jug and I. I look to Jug tracing his jaw softly.
"Ronnie, when I first met you you were it for me. Everything I could have ever wanted. I saw our whole future."
"Because we're endgame, Archie. I hope you know how much I love you."
"If you loved me, you would come home."
"Come on, Ronnie, you know in your heart I'm right about this. It just hurts to admit it."
"Don't you make me say goodbye to you, Archie Andrews. Because I don't wanna hear it back. I can't. I can't, I-" Veronica sobs on the other line as tears stream down Archie's face.
"Goodbye, Veronica," Archie says as he hangs up the phone. He wipes his eyes and looks to us. Jug and I stand tossing a bag to him.
"Some money, a change of clothes Granola bars, juice boxes," Jug says listing off the items in the bags.
"Toothbrushes, deodorant, hair dye if we must," I say to him. He smiles at us.
"Thank for coming with me Guys," He says to us.
"Sure you wanna do this, man?" Jug asks. Archie nods.
"Leaving is my best option, Jug. It's my only option."
"I don't disagree," Jug says. He sighs, "I mean
Joaquin is dead. That symbol that you got branded on your hip, he had one on his forehead. It means 'sacrifice.'"
"Who the hell is doing this, Jug?" Archie asks.
"I don't know," Jug says.
"Neither of us know," I tell him, "we are lost."
"We a feeling Hiram Lodge is a part of it," Jug says.
"He always is," Archie sighs.
"Don't worry, I'm not letting you out of my sight," Jug says, "You ever hop a train before?"
"No," Archie says.
"You'll figure it out," Jug says.
"It's easy," I tell him, "hide your wallets tho. There isn't much money but it's enough for them to want it."
"Okay okay," He says. We walk towards the train ready to go towards freedom from Riverdale and Hiram. But is that even obtainable?