Chapter 7~ Have You Ever Tried To Fix A Bullet Hole With A Bandaid?
The extreme and often irrational thought or fear of death leads to the phobia known as Thanatophobia. Sometimes you might feel like you are drowning in our thoughts but there's a differences between the fear of dying and the actual side effect of dying. Many call this just something or not a traumatic experience. Others may say that "oh I'm so sorry for this." But none of them really mean it. Family of the one that's going through the trauma, always feel like that this was their fault. Maybe they should of done more to prevent. In truth, there isn't really a way to prevent any sort of destruction, you never know when is coming or when it's going to attack. It could be at the worst possible time or it be when you weren't expecting it. Families go through the process of realization as they wait in the waiting rooms in disparity, hoping, pleading, begging for a better outcome. Nobody ones the outcome, it could take seconds, minutes, hours, days, months or even years for the reality to set in. Another type of fear, Agliophobia- is the persistent, unwarranted and often irrational fear of pain. There's many different types of pains. There's the type called physical pain, aches, pangs, throbbing unbearable pain. Then there's emotional pain, where you don't want to wake up into the reality. You rather keep on the dark then know exactly what's going on around them. The pain that loved ones go through as they wait for the un-timing answer to answered.
In lit up rumble, the fights between the northside and Southside joined forces against one another. Southside braised their knuckles for the long night fight for their life's, NorthSide joined in on the distribution, causing more ruckus. Jughead looked up to his father, he saw the shaken man try to keep his fear down, he knew his dad was barely able to handle this. The plan was suppose to get Fangs to safety, they failed, they didn't even get passed the angry crowd. Fp hated that he let down his gang, his son and most importantly the town. Now since it was war, the Southside and Northside were going to be in heated war with one another. This wasn't supposed to be the outcome.
"Dad, what are going to do?" His son pulled him out of his thoughts. Fp turned toward his son, then eying Fangs. He took a sharp breath, looking around, no help was coming. It was up to them.
"Nobody is coming, Jug. We got to do this ourselves." He informed, looking down at Fangs who still was barely holding on to life. He reached down, carefully picking him up in his arms. Jughead helped his father keep steady as they wobbled their way to closets phone and dialed 911 hoping that it would enough time.
Meanwhile nobody knew was going on across town. It wasn't like anybody could hear the sounds of screaming, screeching, glass shattering, doors locked. After she managed to break lose from the Black Hood, Cheryl took off in any direction she could possible think of. Why was this happening? Why her? What had she done to deserve this? Those were the questions racing through her mind as she slammed the door behind her locking it tight behind her, she tried to grab anything she could put her little hands on and push it against the door. From outside the door she heard something banging with full force against the locked door. She inched closer to the window. How would she escape? It's not like they had a secret hideaway. Or did they? She quickly climbed out the window, she was aware the jump was far. But what was more important? Her life or the height of the jump. With full impact she jumped bracing her feet for a hard landing. She ran fast for the shed where's she kept her bow and arrow. She had been practicing for months to aim just right. She aimed for one of the windows, she watched as the Black Hood jolted backward.
"I suggest you run whilst you still can. I only miss when I mean to." She threatened as she starts drawing back her bow, striking him the right shoulder. She smiled as he took off running.
Betty was searching high and low for her father. Where could he had gone? Cheryl had called her saying she was just attacked by The Black Hood. She was also thankful that Cheryl was a kickass archaist. Fp had called her telling her father had been hurt and was at the hospital. She quickly rushed to hospital, to only find out her father had gone on another wrathful killing spree. Then all a sudden the hospital phone next to the doctor rang, disturbing her from her thoughts.
"We keep missing each other." His voice wraths. She can feel her heart pulsing rapidly.
"You killed Dr Masters." Her voice quivered as she shook her head in denial. Her father can't be this sick.
"He asked too many questions." She wanted so badly to snap at him. Her father was responsible for the murders in her town, she felt sick to her stomach.
"So there's no method to the killing now? No grand design? Your just run on the mill psychopath." Her thought just felt the intensity of the discovery. She felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't believe she was being played by her own father, her own blood.
"Betty you need to come home. So we can talk and finish this." She couldn't even talk. Her voice was so drained from the haunting discovery.
"Fine." She whispers feeling as if she lost the battle. " You don't scare me." She tried to convince herself she wasn't scared. Truth be told she was terrified.
"Your mother is here." She felt her heart drop further into her stomach at the chilling words, shaking on the inside trying to remain calm.
"What? Mom's there?" She was now beyond scared. She had to get her mom out of there.
"If your not home in 10 minutes, if you you call the police. I will slit your mother's throat in the middle in the living room floor!" She hangs up so quickly, oxygen not getting to her lungs, she was petrified. She started running down the halls not caring where she was going. She had to get home and fast.
After she gets home, she tries to warn her mother but it was too late. They were forced to watch an old home movie. As she watches the video she realized her father was the Black Hood. She knew from the calls, but now this movie just proved her father's chilling motive. Alice watched the video in confusion. Why would Hal want her to watch this? He came over asking for his movie thing back and now they are watching it. All a sudden Hal crouches down next to Betty, his expression was haunting. She started feeling weirded out.
"Have your tape recorder, Alice. I need you to record this." His voice ran cold down her shoulders. The Conway's. They sounded so familiar to her.
"The Conway's that was the family that was murdered 40 years ago." She stated feeling the weird cold run through her spine. Betty was sitting next to her mother feeling the realization.
"Oh my god." She gasps. Her father started screaming.
"Take it out!" Hal screams loud and clear. Alice swiftly slides her hand into the bag feeling for her tape recorder and presses record, setting it on the coffee table in front of them.
"I want to tell my story. No our story really." Betty feels the chills. She still dumbfounded by why her father became the Black Hood. What would cause him to go this Dark? "First to be clear something up. Your great grandpappy Cooper wasn't murdered by his brother like some dog. He was the killer. He killed great grandpappy Blossom and then took on the Cooper name to create a new identity for himself for us." He explained, Betty and Alice still didn't get why he was telling them.
"What does that have to do with the Conway's?" Betty asked, her eyes began collecting tears behind her eyes not letting them fall.
"The Conway's knew our secret. Mr Conway blackmailed my father, your Grandpappy." Betty felt the betrayal of her father. She just couldn't put her mind around the fact her father was The Black Hood.
"So Grandpa killed them?" Alice felt the awareness run through her blood. She had to call Fp or the police.
"They were Sinners, Betty." Betty was angry by the words. Just because they were sinners didn't mean they had to die. Now it all made sense. Her stomach couldn't stomach the fact she came from a long line of sinners and murders.
"Even the Children?" Hal stayed put as he told the story. Alice started to feel sick to her stomach. She wanted to throw up.
"There was one survivor. The Conway's boy, Joseph." Hal says in the chilling tone that made people's air stand up on their arms.
"Mr Svenson, Who you convinced to accuse an innocent man?" Feeling the anger boil underneath her soul.
"Joesph was easy to manipulate as a boy as a man." Alice couldn't stand this. She was bemused by this point.
"What are you telling us? How bad that—" She was caught off by his voice.
"I have a darkness, Alice. The same darkness my father. The same darkness his father had and now it lives in Betty. Our daughter." He walks over to Betty, dropping low the floor and looks her in the eyes. "Who am I Betty? Say it. Say who I am!" He shouts, she flinches back feeling her heart rate go through the roof. She takes a deep shaky breath.
"Y-our t-he Black Hood." She whispers just loud enough for only her dad and mom to hear. Even though they were all. Her best friend was only one click away. She had to distract him somehow. But how?
"That's right. Now say what I did." He waited for to say it. Alice was panicking on the inside. She lived with a murder. Not just anyone. It was the Black Hood. She let him into her house without even knowing it.
"You shot Mr Andrews. You killed Miss Grundy, The Sugar Man, Midge and Doctor Masters. But the debate—"
"Not me, I can't take credit for that." His chilling voice rang through their spines.
"Dad, why did you become the Black Hood?" Betty asked shakily.
"Because this a town of sinners, Betty. And-" Betty knew the words before he even said them.
"And Sinners have to die." She said the chilling words. Alice fixed her eyes at the words. How could she possible have had married such a monster?
Jughead found out the Ghoulies were back. He was trying to convince Sweet Pea to back down. Sweet Pea couldn't believe that Jones wasn't doing a thing.
"Time we end the Ghoulies Scourge and that traitor Penny Peabody permanently!" Sweet Pea railed up. Jughead couldn't believe what was going on. He wanted to fight Penny and The Ghoulies. This wasn't going to end well.
"Sweet Pea, two hours ago your fight was with Reggie Mantle. Now you want us to go to war over territory that we don't even control anymore. This is Hiram Lodge's problem not ours!" He yells out. Toni wasn't happy. He was just handing over their home to the Ghoulies. How could he do that?
"So your going to hand over Sunnyside Trailer-Park! Our home to Penny and the Ghoulies!" She argued angrily.
"Toni, I don't want us to die. A rumble with the Ghoulies right now it's a suicide run." He defends his point, trying to make it clear this wasn't a smart move.
"It's better than a coward's death." Sweet Pea butted in going against his plan. The raging arguing was interrupted by a loud shout, causing everybody to turn toward the noise.
"I just got a call from the sheriff's office." Fp's voice started to drain down. "Fangs, Uh, he didn't make it. He's gone." Jughead felt the guilt. This was his fault. He promised Fangs he wouldn't die and he did. Fuck he wanted to scream, punch. Toni felt the punch to the stomach. He was one of her best friends. She was going to fight to the death for the loss she was caused."We will mourn him. Yeah we will. But first we will honor him. From what I just heard we need to put it to a vote. All those against going to war with The Ghoulies and all those for giving them hell on the battle field." He says as he holds up his fingers in their sign, while his son stands down.
Alice was now very not surprised by his confession. She always found him to be a mama's boy. She didn't feel threatened. She hoped that she could dial Fp's phone and have him rescue her. She always though he was twice the man Hal never was. The way he loves her like a man should and not tarnish, trick her into someone she wasn't.
"Well I can't say I'm surprised, I always knew you were a Mama's boy." She mocked in secretive. Betty felt her body wanting to squirm in fear. Did her mom just say that? She was aware he was dangerous. Why would she provoke him?
"What did you say?" Alice almost wanted to laugh at him.
"You heard me." She laughs at his face. She didn't believe for one second he was capable of this madness. "I knew it, I knew you couldn't do anything for yourself." Betty didn't think ravishingly aggravating him was going to help the situation.
"Mom, whatever your doing I wouldn't." She warned. Alice kept pressing. She didn't care. She loves Fp and there's nothing that sick freak can do to ruin that.
"All I'm doing. I'm pointing out your father I can't do anything right. Not even be a serial killer. Cleansing the town of sin. Really, Hal? You're the damn sinner." Alice mocked again.
"Mom." Betty carefully warned once again. It wasn't safe to toy with a killer. It only made them more anger.
"What are you going to do, Hal? Are you going to kill the entire town? Whoever's jaywalked? What did Fred Andrews to do to deserve to get shot?" Alice kept poking until she got him to answer.
"He was an adulterer." Alice was now getting more pissed. Really he was going to play that game.
"Oh why don't you kill yourself, you had a fling with Penelope Blossom or me for that matter. I stepped out on you with Fp, who in every way that you are not. He's a real man." She confessed while smirking at the thought.
Hal's face turns angry red, he pushes Alice to the wall, choking her tightly in his strong serial killer Black Hood alter ego strength. Alice feels as if she was losing the battle. She tries to to slap him with her hands, but his grip on her neck gets tighter and more wind crushing as she tries to escape. Betty takes a fireplace pitchfork and forcefully swung back with all her might and slams it over her father's head. Alice finally gets the last hit. She takes all the anger and resentment into one big blow and hears him grunt in pain. He made her leave Fp, lock her up in the Sisters Of Quiet Mercy and give her son up without her saying goodbye to him. And now this. He tried to kill her, and this town. She feels her eyes burning with tears. Betty wraps her arms her mother as she calls 911. It was all over. They could be free. Betty couldn't believe her father was so sick and trying to kill her mother was the last straw. She hated her father so much. The resentment was clear in her mind.
Fp and Jughead has another conflict between them. This time his son was against them, he couldn't blame his for being against their war with Penny and The Ghoulies. They could die. Most likely that would be the case. He didn't want to go war. But what choice do they have? Jughead was still trying to knock some sense into his dad. This battle will be deadly and he could lose his dad and his family. Over what? It was nothing but a death trap.
"This is a mistake. You can see there right we'd going in blind Dad." Jughead tries to convince his dad. Fp was trying to think of a plan. What was he going to do? "Can you listen to me for two seconds?! For all we know The Ghoulies outnumber us 100 to 1!" He shouts, Fp hated getting mad. But this wasn't the time for him to be yelled at. He was in a crisis.
"You think I don't know that?!" He yelled, slamming the table back. He takes a deep breath before continuing. "I've been doing this a lot longer than you have. We voted we're going down, we're going down fighting. As far as been outnumbered, I'll rally the reserves. They'll fight." He said as he slammed the door hard.
Jughead stared at the pictures and something clicked in his mind. It all was making sense. The Ghoulies coming back when they were failing. It all added up. It all started after he threw Penny out of the Serpents with Tall boy as well. He knew his life was on the line. He couldn't let his father or any of his members get killed. He wouldn't.
Alice and Betty watched as Hal was handcuffed and taking away. There was no words to describe how angry, hurt, disgusted he was the Black Hood. Archie heard sirens from outside, he opened the door, his dad walking behind him holding his shoulder protectively. After what happened in the house, the Black Hood attacked his son. He wasn't going to let his son out of his sight. Archie softly takes his father's hand off his shoulder and approaches Betty, who's state of mind was in a daze. She couldn't even wrap her mind around what happened in those horrible hours.
"I'm sorry, Arch, my dad was the Black Hood." She whispers into the night. Archie looked at her like she was a little crazy.
"How? Did you see me leave my house? He tried to shoot my dad again." Betty was now the one confused.
"When?" Archie takes a deep breath.
"An hour ago." Betty shook her head. That can't be. He was with them.
"No, no, no, that's impossible he was here with us." Then her phone rang. She quickly answers it.
"Jug?" She says as she looks up toward Archie who was still confused. She could hear his voice.
"I'm happy to hear your voice." Jughead said as he looked over at the sky. Betty felt this weirdness in the air. She couldn't explain it. It just was.
"Me too, Jug." She said happily into the phone. She couldn't wait to see him. She had to tell him about her horrific night.
"You have no idea. I just wanna let you know that I love you. I never stopped loving you." This caused a panic within her. What was going on? Archie saw her expression change and felt the same feeling as her.
"What are you saying, Jug? Where are you?" Archie now was panicked: what was going on? Where was he?
"Where is he?" Archie felt as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest.
"I will see you soon." He says as he hangs up. Her face was still staring in shock as she watched her father get taken away.
As Jughead showed up to the hide out. He knew that he was doing. He knew that he had to be done. He was going to keep his gang save. Even if that meant losing his life. He found out Hiram Lodge was their boss. It wouldn't be long until his world, his town was gone. But he was going to make their lives easier. He was aware that he will never get married, see his friend's kids go to school or be born. He will never get to tell Betty he loves her again. He will never see Jellybean or his mother again. And he also knew that his father would be shattered without him. When he saw that there was thirty against him. He knew that his life was over. When one of the Ghoulies walked up closer and said. "The only scary thing is what we're gonna do to your girlfriend when we find her." That comment engaged him. He threw the punch. He felt the stings as he was kicked in the stomach and trampled. He felt like his lungs were on fire, like he was in actually flames. Once he was fairly awake, he felt a knife skinning him. He knew exactly who was skinning him. He felt like knife scarred his arm, slicing his Tattoo right off. He could hear her evil cackle as she and The Ghoulies rode away leaving him bleeding to death. His final look was up at the sky. He never noticed how beautiful mother nature truly was. He never paid much attention to life. He now wished he had. As the pain became unbearable, he squinted his eyes. He could hear every word he was called every all at once. "The death would be on you!". "Stop with your vendetta against my father!" Those were just only a few. He could remember the last words he was told by his mother. "I'm sorry there's no room here, Jug. It's all your father's fault. I wouldn't be surprised if you turned out just like him." That was words his own mother said to him. "You think I don't know that?!" Was he's father right? Maybe the fight was worth it. He didn't feel like the hero. Was it worth the pain, suffering? If it meant that his father, friends and his home was safe. He would say this was worth it. "I love you, don't forget to b-e strong." He whispered as he lost the fight, his eyes shut and the darkness of a Riverdale night consumed him.
Fp was at the Wrym waiting for the fight. His phone starts ringing, he instinct answered the phone. Betty was shaking as she held the phone to her ear with Archie staying by her.
"Betty, Are you and your mom Okay?" His voice sounded so worried. But little did they know maybe they all should be worried.
"Mr Jones, is Jughead with you?" Fp instantly knows the answer. Jughead was at home. Him and Jug got into a huge fight about this war and he was really upset with him.
"No he's at the trailer. Why?" He asked walking around the Bar waiting for the clock to strike for the war. Betty was now very worried now. If he wasn't there then where was he?
"I'm just very worried about him. He called to say how much he loves me and it almost sounded like he was saying goodbye for good." Fp instantly knows something's not right.
He couldn't. No he wouldn't. He quickly turns to Toni. "Toni, where was Penny hiding out?". She tells him. He quickly faces the night, hopping on his bike. He feels the panic set in even more as he drives and drives to the hide out.
Once he arrives he feels more and more anxious as he hops off his bike. "Jug? He calls. He receives no answer. Why was his son? He looked all over even calling his name again. When Jughead doesn't answer. He look over in the fog and notices something. He quickly drops his helmet on the ground, racing into the darkness as the only thing lit was the fire in the far distance. He spots his son laying on the ground. His eyes were widened by the gruesome of his injuries. He couldn't keep his eyes from tearing up anymore. There was Jughead, laying scarred, bloody. It was literally a parent's worst nightmare. "Jug?" His voice shaked, his eyes burned with tears, he could no longer keep together. This was his fault. He should of know Jughead would of done anything to keep him and his family safe. His mind could only think of one person who was out to get him. As he looked down at his son, more tears cascaded down his cheeks. "Jug, buddy please wake up. Jug, I know I don't say it enough. But I love you so much son. Why did you do thi-s? I said I was go—ing to handle it."He sobbed. He was full out crying as he picked his son off the ground and slowly reappeared into the light. He couldn't believe he let this happen. His own son sacrificed his life for him. Was he a horrible father? In his mind he was. He did everything he could to keep this from happening. Clifford he thought that was the last enemy. How was he supposed control this?
Betty arrived at the sight just in time. Archie, Sweet Pea, Toni and Cheryl wait for Jughead. Betty instantly turns toward her best friend. "Where is he? Where's Jughead?" She asked. Archie hears something coming from the fog. Maybe it's Jug? Maybe he's fine. Fp starts slowly reappearing. It took everything in him to approach them. They all turn toward the fog and watch as Fp's revealed carrying his limp body. Gasps, anger and tears filled the group.
There's no worse pain then watching someone crumble, shattered, seeing red because of sacrifice. Nothing's worse than finding your son beating, scarred beyond imagination. A girlfriend watching his father carry him out of the pitch blackness of the Riverdale night, looking almost lifeless as his eyes were reddened from bloody scarring all over his face. His best friend felt as if his heart was going to drop out of his chest. He had so much on his mind, being attacked by the Black Hood and his father protecting him. Now this. He couldn't possible wrap his mind around it. His newly found friend shocked in disbelief. Jughead had came and rescued her from the Ghoulies with Cheryl's help. Now he's mangled, broken, scarred beyond from repair. And Sweet Pea his eyes were enraged as he saw Jughead Jones laying all limp in his father's arms, Fp Jones their Leader fell to his knees holding his son's body close to him. Cheryl's eyes were burned with unbelievable shock. She had never been close to him. He was the weirdo, nobody she really cared for. She felt bad for how she treated him and gave him her spider broach for a goodbye gift. Sometimes she wondered why they even cared about her. Her own mother didn't give a shit about her being roofied. So why would they? Betty felt every vein in her body bulging in anger as she watched Fp fall to the ground holding Jughead to him, kissing his forehead, eyes burned raw. Fp couldn't explain the emotions he was going through. Guilt, anger, pain, sadness, weak those were just some of them he could display within his heart. His heart felt like he was on fire. He wanted blood for what Penny and the Ghoulies did to his son, his own blood. Why did Jug go alone? He should of waited, called him, anything but this.
"Jug? He whispered feeling the weakness take over his ability to speak. No response. All he knew was that he had to get his son to the hospital immediately. Archie finally was able to move, slowly approached his best friend and Fp. He felt the pain in his chest get stronger as he got more a glimpse of his best friend's face. His eyes were threatening the tears burning back of his eyes. He lowered to the ground, placing a gentle shoulder on Fp's shoulder. Fp felt a gentle touch, lifted his head slight to see who it was.
"Fp, the ambulance is on their way. I'm willing to help you get your a-vengeance on the Ghoulies. What they did was un— be-lievable... they won't get away with this." Archie's voice ranged with unbelievable amount of rage. He had just found out that his childhood next-door neighbor's Dad was the guy who shot his father. He thought that his anger was almost done with. He couldn't believe Hal Cooper was the Black Hood, he was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact. Betty was still shaking uncontrollably. She just found out her father was the Black Hood and now her boyfriend's life is in serious danger.
"Fp?" She called, he slowly turned his head toward her. "Is he breathing?" She asked hoping that her nightmare was over.