Jughead clicked the send button on the email. Standing up, he walked over to his dresser. pulling open a drawer, he get out his hunting knife. Walking slowly to the bathroom. He opens the door with trembling hands.
Making sure the door was locked behind himself, Jughead walks over to the shower and turns it on low. Stepping, fully dressed, in to the cool shower, he sits on the tile floor. Crying softly to himself, he picks the knife up.
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"Goodnight guys!" Archie yells to his parents. Stepping over the piles of clothes in his room, Archie makes it over to his laptop. Opening up Firefox, Archie checks his email. Quickly looking through the inbox, Archie sees Jughead sent him an email. Opening it, Archie reads:
Archie, I thought since you are my best friend, I could tell you what my life is like. It is nothing like everyone thinks. Everyone else has a loving family that they can fall back on. Not me, in fact, I have no one. If you knew what has happened in my life, you would be shocked.
Ever since I was a child, my father has had a drinking problem. Now, that is not that big of a secret. I think everyone in town calls him the lovable town drunk. To his son, he is anything but lovable. He is cold, sadistic, cruel man. From a young age, he has beaten me. I have had more broken ribs then the entire NFL. And I bet I know more about concealer and undercover make- up then any girl at school. Some days I can barely open my jaw after Dad is done with me.
Now, you'd think that mom would step in and stop him. That is a mom's job, right? To protect her child... Well, not my mom. She is too stuck on how happy her life is. Mom and Jellybean has a good life. Dad shows them love and kindness by the truck load. So I figure it has to be something I have done to have this life.
I mean, it is pretty sad that a mom shows her son how to put on make up to cover the bruises. Now Archie, I know what you are thinking: "Why on Earth didn't you tell me this sooner Juggie?" One reason, Dad said he would kill me. And I know that isn't an empty threat.
Remember that summer that I was supposed to go to summer camp with you when we were kids? All year I was looking forward to camp. Dad said I could go. Stupid me, I believed him. Dad said I had to earn all the money I needed to go. I did. And the night before we was supposed to go, Dad said I wasn't going to go. He took the money and went to the strip club. When I started to tell him that wasn't fair, he beat me within an inch of my life. I could not get out of bed for a week. I think that scared him a little bit. He didn't touch me for a few months.
But it started up again when he got fired from his job. And this time it was worse then ever. And I found my only solace in food. I really don't eat at home anymore since dad made a lot of rules about eating. They are just an excuse so I don't eat. I eat at Pop's instead.
I have never wanted to be like that toward another human being. That is why I don't date. Besides, if I did have a girlfriend, I would have to lie about the bruises and stuff. I miss the days when we were kids. No troubles, no pain, no lies. Just innocence and fun. Where the only worry we had is if we would get the same teacher in school.
I can't live like this anymore Archie. No one should have to live like this. I would not wish this on an animal, much less, a human.
When you read this, I'll be gone. Out of Riverdale, out of this hell on Earth.
You were closer to me than a brother ever could be.
Your buddy, Juggie
Sitting in stunned silence for an instant, Archie starts yelling to his mom and dad. "Mom! Dad! Juggie is getting ready to hurt himself. I got to stop him." "Archie, let's go to Jugheads house. I am sure his parents-" Archie's mom said. "Mom you don't get it. His parents are the problem." Quickly Archie tells them what the email said. Taking action, Archie's dad and Archie gets in his car and Archie's mom called the police.
Pulling into the driveway of Jughead's house, Archie jumps out of the car and runs over to the house, breaks down the front door and runs to Juggies room. Archie hears the shower running. Breaking down that door as well, he sees a sight that will haunt him for the rest of his life.
Jughead, Archie's best friend, laying in the shower stall. Both arms cut from elbow to wrist. Almost as white as the shower tile. Archie rushes over to the shower and pulls him out. Checking for a pulse, Archie feels a faint, erratic pulse. Starting chest compressions, Archie hears the police sirens not a moment too soon.
Watching the police put Mr. Jones in the patrol car, Archie climbed into the car with his dad. Following the ambiance, They made it to Riverdale General Hospital in record time.
"Dad, why didn't he tell us sooner? He could've stayed with us. I should've seen the signs, I shoul-" Archie said as he broke down sobbing, unable to continue talking. Knowing that his son needed a shoulder to cry on, Archie's dad stayed quiet.
"Mr. Andrews?" Archie and his dad both stood up. "I'm Dr. Smathers. Please sit down, I have some news. Forsythe passed away on the operating table. I'm sorry. He lost too much blood." Archie felt numb, His best friend since they were five, was dead. No more eating contests. No more writing songs with him. No more nothing. Walking out to the car Archie and his dad were silent.
Watching the coffin lower into the cold ground, Archie could not stop the tears that were flowing. Betty and Veronica were standing on each side of him, holding him up. It seemed the entire town showed up to see their buddy off. 'If Jughead would have only knew how much we needed and loved him.' Archie thought. Stepping forward, he placed a stuffed hamburger on the grave. Everyone knew how much Jughead loved hamburgers. Archie knew he would never forget his best friend. Riverdale would never be the same.
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Song that inspired this fiction: With you in your dreams- Hanson
Please R/R