Chapter Eight: Jughead
It hurts to breath with the chain pressed so tightly against my pounding ribs, but somehow I've managed to slip in and out of a troubled sleep. I've held the tears back for a couple reasons. One being that I've been trying to move my beaten body as little as possible and shaking it would hurt too much. The second being that if I start, I don't know when I'll be able to stop.
Years of growing up in a shitty lifestyle have taught me how to hide my feelings. Mom knew how to handle her crying kids, but I could never go to Dad with my problems. Especially because most of them were his fault. The week before Mom up and left, they had gotten in a huge fighting match. I remember every angry word and insult that they screamed at each other, and I can't forget the image of my own father backhanding his wife so hard she fell to the ground.
I saw it all from where I had been cowering on the armchair in the corner. All because I had gotten beaten up at school and Dad was drunk and angry that I hadn't fought back. Not to mention the fact that Mr. Andrews had betrayed him and now we couldn't afford to pay the electricity bill. Mom tried to comfort me and say I did the right thing, but everything got out of hand so fast.
I stood up to him that night. I couldn't go to school the next day because we couldn't afford for anyone to figure out that the black eye wasn't from one of the jocks. Mom and Jellybean left a few days later, only leaving a short note on my pillow and an angry drunk for me to come home to.
I love you, Juggie. I'm sorry I couldn't take you with us. I promise I have my reasons. Keep writing and stay out of trouble.
– Love Mom
I ran away that night and started my life at the Drive-In. I was fourteen years old.
Damn it. I should never have let my mind bring up the painful memories, because now tears are rolling down my dirty cheeks. I curl further into a ball, trying to block out the world around me. Being homeless was better than my reality now. At least then I could dig through the trashcans behind Pop's and eat some cold burgers.
The thought makes my stomach growl. Pop had offered me a minimum wage job since I spent all of my time there, anyway. But the memory of sneaking the tips off tables at a particularly difficult time weighed too heavily on me to accept. I've made it a point to give him as much service as I can to make up for it.
I drag myself out of the dark thoughts and back to the tiny room. Loneliness is not new to me, but I had let myself believe that the sense of belonging from Betty, Archie, and even Veronica would last. My dad was going to clean up his act and I was going to be a normal teenager for once. Using the term normal very loosely, but still.
The door slams open, startling me enough that I instinctually scramble back against the wall. Venom storms in, face livid. Another man and women follow, dragging in a large bucket of water until it's right in front of me. Cruncher and a couple others come in last, closing and guarding the door.
I jump to my feet, hands shaking as I eye Venom nervously. Cruncher grabs the chair from the other side of the room and drags it over, setting a laptop on the seat so I can clearly see the screen. My heart drops into my stomach when Venom slides the black mask onto his face once more. Whatever is about to happen, it's not good.
"What, you all going to watch me take a bath?" I joke hollowly, watching as Cruncher starts setting the computer up for something. "Didn't know you were into that kind of –"
"Shut up," Venom spites, slapping me square in the face. I do as I'm told, but pull away when he grabs my wrist. Venom growls in frustration before kicking my knee and knocking me to the ground. I fall hard, unable to stop him this time as a zip tie secures my wrists in front of me, biting into my skin.
I hear the familiar chime of a Skype call, and glance up to see Betty's terrified face appear on the computer screen.
"Juggie!" She whispers, eyes racking over me with concern, taking in my condition.
"I want to speak with FP," Venom demands from behind the mask, turning to the screen. Betty nods uneasily, handing the phone over to my dad. His face is twisted in anger, all directed at Venom. Then dad sees me, and his eyes soften.
"How do you feel, Jughead? Did they hurt you?" Dad's voice is urgent, almost pleading. It's a side I'm not used to seeing from him.
"He's fine," Venom sneers, landing a quick punch to my stomach. I cry out, squeezing my eyes shut against the sharp pain. I'm no doctor, but I can tell that something is not right with my ribs after all the recent abuse. "Aren't you, Jughead?"
"You leave my boy alone, you piece of shit!" Dad growls.
"You know what your problem is, FP?" Venom chuckles, shaking his head knowingly. "You think you can scare me into doing what you say. But don't forget that you're the one behind bars and I'm the one holding your son's life in my hands."
I watch Dad bite back his next insult, eyes still livid. "What do you want?"
"Just some simple requests, really," Venom replies easily. "First of all, where's that sweet little detective?" My muscles tense, fists clenching. I don't like hearing Venom refer to Betty like that, but I also know there's very little I can do about it.
"She's here," Dad responds stiffly.
"Let her see. I want to talk to both of you." The screen shifts as Dad angles the phone so the camera catches Betty's anxious face past the bars of Dad's cell. "Good."
Betty's eyes meet mine, and I try to give her a comforting smile, but we both know it's fake. The three of us are scared out of our minds, awaiting Venom's every word. A tear trickles down Betty's cheek, and I have the desperate need to wipe it away, hands itching to hold hers.
Venom snatches a fistful of my hair, his other hand gripping my shoulder painfully. I try to jerk away, but he moves to my neck, giving it a harsh squeeze in warning. I choke, and the next thing I know my head is submerged in icy cold water.
It's a shock, the water rushing into my mouth as I fight against the weight holding me down.
Suddenly I'm up again, gasping for air. The air whooshes against my now soaked sweater, a pool around the bucket and myself. Venom has let go, and I pull away, shaking the water from my eyes as I catch my breath.
"You son of a bitch!" Dad is shouting at Venom, the phone shaking in his hand. "He didn't even do anything!"
"That was a taste of what I'll do if you don't give me what I want," Venom jeers.
"What do you want?" Betty asks, cutting Dad off before he can say something stupid.
"I want the mighty king of the Southside Serpents to confess to the murder of Jason Blossom."
"What?" I blurt, looking up at Venom in shock. "But he didn't do it!"
The man lunges for me again, shoving my head back into the water before I can fight back. I manage a huge lungful of air before I go down, praying it will last me long enough. Time slows, and my air begins to fade. Just as I'm about to panic, I'm yanked out again, lungs burning and eyes watering.
"Clifford Blossom murdered Jason, not Mr. Jones!" Betty protests, voice rising.
I'm back down before I can even really think about it. I try to wriggle out, but Venom has a tight, unrelenting hold of my hair. And then I'm brought back, the florescent lights of the closet attacking my tear-filled eyes.
"Stop it!" Dad demands loudly. "I'll do it, alright? I'll plead guilty and you let my son go unharmed!" Betty shoots a glance somewhere off camera at this, as if seeking advice.
"Who's there?" Venom snaps immediately, pulling harder on my scalp. Betty instantly locks her wide eyes back on the screen, but it's too late. "I told you Jughead would pay if you told anyone else about this!"
"No one's there!" Betty shakes her head adamantly, but I know her too well to be fooled by the lie.
There's no time for breath before my head is fully submerged. I try to keep my mouth closed, but water is seeping in and the panic comes fast. I thrash around, desperate to breathe, but Venom only pushes me down further, gripping the back of my neck until he's practically choking me. I can hear loud voices in the distance, like someone is shouting, but my mind is beyond coherent thought. All I know is that I need air, I need out, I can't breathe -
I'm thrown to the ground, hacking and blubbering. My ears are ringing, and even though I'm out of the water I can't seem to breathe right. I lay on the cold concrete, all energy gone. My eyes blearily look up to the computer screen, where I suddenly see Kevin's terrified face. My stomach drops.
"I told you not to tell anyone –" Venom barks, pointing a finger at Betty.
"I didn't mean to!" She begs, tears staining her cheeks. "He saw me watching the video and there was nothing I could do!"
"Stupid girl, you made a big mistake!"
Suddenly I know what I need to do, and I force my body up, fighting against the exhaustion and pain. I have to act fast.
"Please don't hurt Jughead, I didn't mean to go against you, I promise –"
In one swift movement, my fingers latch onto Venom's black hood, yanking it off his head.
There is a brief moment where nothing happens.
And then everything goes to hell.