Anarchist | Riverdale

The Man in Black

The two young men had been walking for days. Looking at them, you might think they were brothers. And in a way, they were. Brothers fearful that Hiram Lodge might catch up to them.

Ellie has never answered her phone as fast than when an unknown number called her that morning.
"Jug?" She answers.
"Hey, Ells." Her brother replied. He promised to call her on phone boxes when he could as they were keeping their phones off to avoid being tracked. It had been about four days since Ellie had heard anything and she was beginning to worry.
"How you doing, I miss you."
"I miss you too, we're doing good. Keeping moving, what about you?"
"I'm okay, just getting on with it I guess. The Serpents are good, dad's good."
"I'm glad. Hey, have you heard from Betty since I left?"
"No, I was about to ask you the same. Nobody's been able to get a hold of her or Alice. I've tried visiting but there was no answer, it doesn't seem as if anyone's been home in days. I'm starting to worry, I don't know what's happened."
"Oh, shit. I don't even think she knows I'm gone, I tried calling her before you and but nothing, it just rang out."
"Last I heard or saw of either of them was when the Gargoyle King was in their house, the same day you left. I'm really worried about them."
"Keep trying to find her, I'll call you when I can but we need to keep going. I love you."
"Love you too, bye." Ellie says, letting Jug end the call.

"Hey, baby." Ellie says wrapping her arms loosely around her boyfriend's neck from behind him as he sits at the table, flipping through some school work they both know he's never going to do.
"Nice nap?" Sweet Pea asks.
"Yeah, well needed." Ellie replies, leaning her chin on the top of his head.
"You know you wanna put a pizza in the oven? I'm starving."
"Ha, don't act like you're busy doing school work, you couldn't even tell me what that says you have to do." The redhead teases, grabbing the book from the table and examining the task he was given from English. 'Creative writing task'.
"Yeah, course, I read it."
"What do you have to do then?" Ellie asks.
"Okay, maybe I just skim read it, I can't tell you exactly what it says." He says quietly.
"You're an idiot." She chuckles, placing the book back down and kisses him on the cheek.
"You love me really."
"That is true." Ellie sighs. "So, I was thinking, since I love you so much. Why don't we have a little date at Pop's?"
"Well, we can't really afford it." Sweet Pea replies, feeling bad as he can no longer afford to take Ellie out for dates and such.
"I can. Dad gave me a little bit of money to help out with some stuff we need. And I think that we need and deserve a date, we haven't had one since all this mess started."
"If you're sure you can spare the cash." The tall boy smiles at his girlfriend.
"Sure, just don't go overboard and order the steak." Ellie tells him.
"Would I do that to you?" Sweet Pea teases, standing to face Ellie.
"You have in the past. You expensive thing." Ellie chuckles, placing her palms on his chest, then wrapping her hands around the collar of his jacket, pulling him down into a sweet kiss.
"Okay, let's go then." He smiles, leaning back up to his full height after kissing her forehead. "And no steak, that goes for you too."
"I know, I know. Let's just have something to eat, a milkshake and just try and forget about things for a bit." Ellie smiles, putting her shoes on.

"Haven't seen you two around here for a while. How are you?" Pop asks once he spots the couple in what used to be, their usual booth.
"Truth is, we've had a lot on our plate, some finical problems and not much time. We could be doing better but we're getting there." Ellie smiles at the older man.
"That's a shame. It's nice to see you back though. Hopefully a nice milkshake will cheer you up a ltittle. What can I get you?" He asks, friendly and happy as always.
"I think I have to have one of your mean, classic burgers, Pop." Sweet Pea says. "With a chocolate milkshake please."
"And I'll have the same please, Pop." Ellie smiles. "Oh, and a basket of onion rings, please."
"Coming right up." Pop smiles, before walking back to the counter to get started on the couple's meals.
"Onion rings, huh?" Sweet Pea teases. "Don't go overboard."
"Shut up, they're only a dollar fifty." Ellie giggles. "I'm treating us."
"Well, thank you, princess." Sweet Pea takes his fiance's hand from across the table and smiles sweetly."
"No problem, I love you, why wouldn't I?"
"I love you too."

After finishing up their meals, absolutely stuffed, Veronica comes over to their table.
"Hey guys." She smiles.
"Veronica. How are you?" Ellie asks, turning her body towards her friend.
"I'm good." She says, sighing. Ellie could tell there was something bothering her deep down but she figured they weren't close enough to talk about their personal problems together.
"Have you heard from Betty over the past few days?" Ellie asks her, starting to get very worried for her sister's welfare.
"I haven't now I come to think about it. I've been so busy with Le Bonne Nuit that I haven't had time to do much of anything. Why, is she okay?" Veronica replies, her brows furrowed.
"I don't know, to be truthful, but I have been trying to get in touch with her and I cannot get a hold of her or Alice. And something happened in their house the other night, and I'm starting to worry that he's got them." Ellie explains.
"Who's got them?"
"The Gargoyle King, he showed up at their house the other night, when the storm was happening. There was a gravestone on Betty's bed with all three of our names on it. I don't know who or what it was but it was scary. My dad took me home after that and I haven't heard from either of them since."
"Oh, my God. Have you spoken to the police?" Veronica asks, taking a seat next to the redhead.
"As if I'm going to talk to Sheriff Minetta about it. He won't do anything, look what he did to Archie." Ellie scoffs.
"Pop told me this morning that his body, well, what they think is his body, was found in the marsh last night. He's dead."
"Holy, shit." Sweet Pea says.
"What do you mean what they think it's his body?" Ellie asks.
"He was decapitated."
"That's sick." Ellie says in disgust. "Who would do that?"
Veronica lowers her voice and leans into the couple so they can hear her. "My guess, honestly, is my father. Minetta was working for him, put Archie in prison for him. It failed so my dad took matters into his own hands. Just seems like the most logical explanation."
"I was thinking that but didn't wanna say it. Veronica, he needs to be stopped. Archie and Jughead are gone for God only knows how long because of him. Jughead went and accused him of being the Gargoyle King the other day, and he's already tried to kill him once, and me. I'm scared for us all. This cannot go on any longer, Jug and Archie need to come home. But I think, as we know they are safe, don't worry, Jug calls me everyday when he gets to a phonebox, but right now, we need to find Betty and Alice, I'm worried sick about them and all I can think about is them locked up in some weird Ghoulie crack den or something. We need to find them but to be honest with you, I'm kind of at my breaking point here. I don't know how much longer I can do this for. But I will find my sister. Cross my heart, V." Ellie says seriously.

"You sure you can handle all this?" Sweet Pea asks making Ellie a hot coffee when they return home.
"I think so." Ellie sighs, slumping herself into the couch. "I'm not sure about handling it, but I'll do it. It's family. I'll have to do more and more things like this until this is over after that no more, after that we go away for a while, god knows we need it."
"Sounds perfect, I just want you to be safe." Sweet Pea joins her placing the mugs on the coffee table in front of them.
"I will be." Ellie smiles, grabbing her boyfriend's muscular bicep and resting her head there as Sweet Pea leans back.
"I can protect you when we're round the Serpents." Sweet Pea says which earned him a dirty look. "Okay, I meant, back you up if needed. I can feel the bad stuff coming our way, everyone will be on edge and everyone will come to you for help with Jug not being her. So be prepared and be smart."
"I can do this. All this will end. The game, the Ghoulies, the Gargoyle Gang, it'll all go. I'm sorry Pea, I know you love this game and I get it, it's an espace from reality from this shitty little campsite we live on and the gang lifestyle we lead but you're getting too deep, you all are and something needs to be done." Ellie replies, she looks over at Sweet Pea and his head is rested over the back of the couch, asleep. He had not listened to a word that Ellie had just said.

She sat at the dinner table for hours and hours reading and re-reading all of her and Jug's notes about G & G, still there were missing pieces. She came to realise that was was as invested in the game as the rest of them, just without the board and without the costumes. She was always thinking about it, always wondering how far it really does go.
But, unlike the players of Gryhpons and Gargoyles, she wanted get rid of this game, for good. She didn't want anyone else killing themselves because of some 50/50 coin flip to drink from a chalice possibly filled with poison.
She ended up drifting off on the table, her brain not being able to think any more.