May 24, 2018

The view from Lodge Lodge had always been incredible; Veronica, having grown up in New York City, always breathed a sigh of relief to see the stars again when she returned. However, if there was one positive of this seemingly national phenomenon, it may be this.

With none of the other cabins on the lake-side lit by anyone at all, true owners or not, and with all the cities around them more or less ghost-towns from what the St. Clairs had reported, and with the only light being the candles and flashlights that they lit each night, with the power having gone out a two days ago, the stars were the most brilliant thing Veronica had ever seen. It was breathtaking, and for a second, Veronica felt close to her ancestors and wondered if this is what they saw every night before the industrial revolution? And if so, why would any ever want to lose this?

The best place by far for star watching was on the roof.

If Jughead were here, she was sure that he could explain all the constellations in the sky. He seemed like the type that would know that.

With the arrival of four people that most of the previous inhabitants had never met, Veronica could sense a growing divide. There was the side of her parents and the St. Clairs, and then there was the side of Veronica and everyone else.

She knew that people like Joaquin thought that Nick and Elio were stuck-up preps. She knew that Nick thought Joaquin was white trash. She knew Elio was far kinder, but still too traumatized to rein in Nick's awful behavior.

She knew that Josie and Nick danced around each other like two sharks, waiting for the other to strike first. She knew that Malachai unsettled them (good) and she knew that they found Dilton to be annoying.

And she knew that Nick hated Archie, just like she knew the feeling was completely reciprocated.

Sure, she didn't think any life in this circumstance should be passed over or ignored, and she didn't think that sending the St. Clairs out in a world they clearly were not built to deal with was fair, however…

She was realizing there were no easy solutions to this.

"Got it!" Dilton whispered poking his head out the window, "Josie's getting blankets, and Archie's grabbing Joaquin."

Veronica made room on the roof for Dilton. She had never thought she'd feel such a kinship to Dilton Doiley, but once you got over his overeagerness and sometimes haughty intelligence, his intentions were good.

"What kind did my dad have?" Veronica asked.

"I tried to pick something I didn't think he'd immediately notice or miss-,"

"I'll deal with it and take money right out of my wallet if he throws a fuss," Veronica huffed, though she was thinking that paper money felt meaningless.

"It's…Vanilla Vodka."

Veronica took the bottle from him. Dusty and untouched; probably a well-meaning gift years ago that her father had smiled widely at receiving, but then promptly stashed away with the intention of throwing it away, but never getting around to it.

"Perfect," Veronica sighed.

Two seconds later, the other three came vaulting through the window. They all stepped quietly, giggling and hushing each other as they settled down.

"To the end of the world," Joaquin said, flicking the cap off and taking the first shot, "Yuck. Tastes like someone spiked a birthday cake."

"You think it's the end of the world?" Josie asked, frowning. Joaquin shrugged.

"What else would you call it?" He murmured, but Veronica could see the blush rising on his cheeks, realizing that maybe his fears were just his own.

"I agree with you," Veronica whispered, for his ears only to hear, and he sent her a grateful smile. She was also glad to know that someone else in the group wasn't still clinging to - in her opinion - the foolish hope that if they just held out a couple more days, things would go back to normal.

"Hand it here," Archie said, reaching for the bottle. He hardly made a face and passed it to Veronica. She took a smaller sip the first time, trying not to gag as the fiery aftertaste burned down her throat.

Yeah, this was a good pick. It was cheap stuff; nothing her father would ever buy for himself. She almost sent Dilton back to knick something that didn't make her sputter and her eyes water on the way down, but no one else seemed put-off by the taste.

"Do you think our friends are alive?" Archie asked suddenly, taking his second drink. They were big sips, "Or do you think we're what's left of Riverdale High?"

There was a collective silence and then, tentatively, Josie was the first to speak.

"I've rolled that question over and over in my own mind," She whispered hoarsely, "And I don't think Val or Melody would be lucky enough…I'm surprised I survived, and not trying to sound…" She struggled for the word, but gave up, sighing, "Well, you know. But I think I'm the strongest out of all of them."

"Ben's probably dead. He scares so easily," Dilton said, referring to his movie-theater buddy Ben Button, who Veronica only knew the name of in passing, "He couldn't even watch Harry Potter, and that's not even horror."

"Serpents are made of stronger stuff, and we like to save our own skin," Joaquin gave a humorless laugh, "I guess I'm just the exception, running into danger for Kevin. But out of all of them, you know who probably survived?"

"Who?" Josie asked.

"Penny Peabody. Fuck Penny," Joaquin muttered sourly, jerking the bottle away and throwing a finger up to the universe, "Sometimes we call people a snake and it's a compliment. It's not with her."

"Well, probably more Serpents made it out." Veronica had to guess. She didn't think the universe was so cruel to only leave two; Joaquin and Penny.

"Yeah, yeah. If Jughead was with his dad, he's still alive. FP would do anything to save him, and he's tough as shit." Archie swallowed, "But if they got separated…"

"I would gamble that a lot of the Serpents survived. Just to piss off those that really hated us," Joaquin's smile was wry, almost pleased, "Ones like Toni or Darkon or Sweet Pea…I'd be shocked if they were dead. But then there are others and I hope that their friends saved them."

"Like?"

"Fangs, honestly. I'm not sure how he made it in," Joaquin said, his lips twitching into a smile, "We love him, but he's not good at fighting and not very street smart. He's just…kind."

"Not a very good thing to be right now," Dilton sighed, "What about Betty?"

"Yes," Veronica said automatically, even though her heart betrayed her. She swallowed, "I don't know." She admitted, because what did she have to hide from these people anymore?

"She has some rind on her, she's no whimpering maiden," Joaquin pointed out.

"Betty Cooper has balls," Josie agreed.

"But this is different than one murderer. And I know my parents took all the weapons in the house, so she woke up there practically defenseless. She's smart though. So wickedly smart." That's what gave Veronica hope. That's how she prayed that Betty made it out, just by being her clever self, "As for her sister…"

"She has twins, right? Little babies?" Dilton recalled, scratching his chin. At Archie's pressed lips, Dilton shuddered, wincing hard. No one needed to say it, but twin babies were possibly the worst fate dealt to someone in these circumstances.

"I want to hope for the best," Veronica murmured, laying back completely, letting herself sink into the inky blackness of the night, "And I want to imagine so many of our friends are alive, but we're lucky. My parents had the means to bring us up here."

She looked around at the faces and suddenly felt very awkward. She hadn't considered or really stopped to remember, that their parents were not up here with them.

Joaquin laughed, "No parents to worry about surviving. It's cool. Lived with an Uncle. He's probably alive, but it wouldn't be a tragedy if we never met again."

"My dad's a wilderness guy, taught me all I know. He's probably hunkered down somewhere, riding it out. My mom's probably with him. I actually have reason to hope they made it." Dilton said with a smile.

It seems they'd set off this topic because everyone looked at Josie next.

"My dad was always traveling, so hell if I know. My mom? Well, she's resourceful. It could go either way with her."

"My dad could have escaped it," Archie went last, his voice raw, and Veronica saw him trying not to cry. She thought it was a travesty she hadn't insisted on going to try to save Fred Andrew, the single-most kind person on this earth, "But knowing him, he was saving everyone else. He probably gave his own life to get people out, maybe even people that didn't like him in High School." Archie chewed on the inside of his cheek, "My mom has lots of contacts in the military and stuff. And money. So, yeah, if she was quick enough, if the Cannibals didn't overrun Chicago without any warning…she might be alive."

There was a long silence between everyone. They passed around the bottle, and when it was nearing the halfway point, Josie gave a shrug.

"Life has a way of working itself out," She said with forced cheerfulness, "I'm sure that many others were smart enough to have plans and made it out just a-okay. We'll see our parents, or guardians, in no time."

Little did she know that only one of them, sans Veronica, would see their parents again.

The rest? They simply never found any answers.

XXX

May 25, 2018

Veronica woke with a groan and a headache. In her bed next to her, a flop of red hair shuffled and moved, muttering in his sleep. As her vision started to clear, panic and slight hope gripped her. Had she and Archie had sex last night? Reconciled?

But, as her surroundings came into view, particularly the empty bottle of vodka halfway pushed under her bed, the reality came crashing down.

They hadn't made up. He was in here to keep appearances up. They'd all finished the bottle, and everyone (except Joaquin) had gotten mad drunk off it. It was a miracle no one fell off the roof at a certain point.

"Daylight hurts," Josie said, flopping on her face to bury it in a pillow.

"I don't think I've ever been so drunk," Archie said, blinking fast, "I just remember laying down last night and the world spinning above me like a kaleidoscope. I'm really, really glad I didn't vomit on you."

"Ew!" Veronica said, and this was just the push she needed to get up and attempt to sober herself.

"I wouldn't have meant to," Archie said, "But I swear I was so nauseous last night. The bed felt like a boat and oh, it was rocking." At Josie's raised eyebrow he added, "For very non-sexy reasons. In fact, you were out as soon as you hit the pillow."

This was true. Veronica didn't think she was a lightweight, but she also knew that alcohol usually put her to sleep. By the time they all called it a night, she felt like she was already sleepwalking back to her room.

All Veronica wanted right now was to grab some water to sip slowly while she contemplated death and curl back up under her covers.

Luckily, it was just her mother and Smithers in the kitchen. Her mother's doing a crossword puzzle, something Veronica has never seen her do.

"Six words; having a stout body. Has an 'o' in it," Hermione said to Smithers, tapping her pen against her chin.

"Portly," Veronica said as she slipped by her mother for a glass of water.

Hermione smiled, setting down the crossword puzzle, "Darling, how was the Vanilla Vodka last night?"

Veronica has a moment of panic and then figured that her mother must have realized it missing. But, of course, Veronica just gave a confused tilt of her head, "Whatever do you mean?"

Hermione gave a half-laugh, as though she expected this answer, "I'm just pleased it's been put to good use. The Ringers gave it to us a few holiday parties ago; I think it was a passive-aggressive gift," She said.

"Most certainly, ma'am. Who gives a $20 bottle at a Holiday Soiree?" Smithers agreed with a shake of his head.

"God only knows why your father still had it. I was tempted to just throw it out. But it seems it was well enjoyed."

Veronica stuttered, "Aren't you…upset?"

"The rule book for what to punish your teenagers is pretty much moot point," Hermione said, returning to her crossword, "And it all seemed needed."

Veronica inhaled a long, long sigh before speaking quietly, as she grasped her water, "It was."

XXX

The sound of commotion wafted up through the floorboards, creaking and eeking into her ear. Veronica woke with a start, noticing that the light in the room was light, meaning she'd been asleep most of the morning and half of the afternoon. A small disappointment brewed in her stomach upset that someone didn't try to come and rouse her and convince her to do something. Even if she would have said no, she wished someone had tried.

But perhaps her mother had covered and let them all sleep, because Josie woke with a startled gasp on her bed too, showing that Veronica was not the only one who decided to nap away the hangover.

"What's the argument?" Josie yawned, rubbing her eyesocket and licking her lips, reaching down for her glass of water by her bed.

"I don't know. I just woke up," Veronica frowned. She slid into her slippers and came downstairs to where the sounds were coming from; the garage.

Already, Veronica had a very bad feeling about what may be happening.

"You meant to tell me you've had two corpses inches away from me, just…rotting away?" Simone would be grasping at her pearls, if she had any on, "I feel faint, Xander!" She called for her husband. Veronica was unsure if her swaying was real or dramatic.

"Two?" Josie echoed in confusion as the pair elbowed their way near the door.

"What is the meaning of this, Hiram?" Xander demanded.

"To understand," Hiram answered coldly, narrowing his eyes, "Are you not curious, Xander?"

Xander flustered, "We're businessmen! Investors! We aren't scientists, Lodge. What would compel you?"

"I'm not sure there are many scientists left," Dilton said, "And Stanford has had me on a watch-list for admission since freshman year, so I may very well be the most qualified."

Xander blinked at Dilton twice, very much a believer of 'spoken only when spoked to', so it was likely alarming to have a teenager talk to him with such authority.

Elio gave a wide grin, "Really? I was hoping for USC." It seemed he was trying to connect. He wasn't usually so out of touch, off his game, Veronica considered, but maybe all the other times she'd met him, he had time to prepare. Perhaps he was more of a normal teen than she would have thought.

"Either way, this is my house, and if you don't like it, you can pack up," Hiram said with a growled threat.

"You wouldn't," Simone narrowed her eyes, "Throw us out, pick those things over live humans!"

"What reason do you have to be in here anyway?" Hiram threw back, "It's hardly your business."

"Have you learned anything?" Nick asked, ignoring the scandalized gasps from his mother and his father's sharp 'hush!'. His face was focused and for once, he wasn't making lewd jokes or off-color comments.

"Some new insights today, if anyone is interested," Dilton said, motioning to the garage. Slowly, everyone except the adult St. Clairs migrated into the garage, where the first Cannibal was, in a state that made an awful stench. There was a far 'fresher' one on a second tarp.

"Dilton!" Josie hissed, "I thought Mr. Lodge said-,"

"I don't get hangovers, and I was bored," Dilton said, "And I wanted something…newly Cannibalized." He added.

"Fuck, I think you found it, man," Nick said, "It almost still looks…human." He added with a quiet gulp, fear flashing across his eyes, as though he expected it to leap up, snapping and snarling.

"Yes, I concur," Dilton pushed his glasses up, "Someone tried to flee from Greendale's direction. He seems to have succumbed less than 24 hours ago." Dilton walked around the body, rubbing his chin, "But that's not why I tried to get Mr. Lodge's attention. It's what I found all over his arm." He said, pointing to an arm that was partially obscured by a torn jacket. Dilton put on a pair of gloves and carefully listed the shredded fabric, pushing the arm on top of his chest for everyone to see.

"Is that…" Hermione took out her glasses, inching closer, "Bite marks?"

"Yes," Dilton said with a sober nod.

Everyone circled around it.

"Wolves?" Archie asked in a frayed voice.

Dilton gave a slow shake of his head, settling back to sit cross-legged.

"A bear?" Elio asked, and Veronica got the sense they were playing a game that Dilton already knew the answer to, and he was just waiting, but unable to say it himself.

"No, no," Josie said, inhaling hard, "It doesn't look like animal bites! It looks like-," She broke off, and Veronica knew that everyone was thinking it, but she wondered who would have the courage to say it.

"Humans."

The answer came from behind. Xander slowly inched his way in, a deep, unsettled frown forming on his face, "Human jaws. We saw them biting others. So this is…yes, one of those things must have bitten him when he himself was still human."

It was so clear on this Cannibal, the outlines so precise that it made Veronica's stomach turn.

"That's not the worst part." Dilton said, "I'm no coroner, so I guess I can't be sure, but we know that that guy-," He pointed to the rapidly decaying one, "Died, I mean, the first time, transition to Cannibal-,"

"We get it Dilton," Joaquin said, eyes wide as he waited, like everyone else, for the final shocker.

"Right. He died from blood loss. His Neck was torn open. Yuck," Dilton shuddered, "But him? If I hadn't stabbed his head, right here," He pointed to where there was a knife wound oozing blood that was more reddish than black still, "Other than these bites? You would think he was still alive. There are no other wounds."

The information sunk into everyone at their own pace, as Dilton left everyone this information to deal with this on their own time.

"So you're saying…if one of these things bites us…that can kill us?" Nick offered up his conclusion first. It had been what Veronica had been thinking. For once, she was not pleased that someone else had the same idea. Not just because it was Nick who spoke it first, but because this added a layer of difficulty.

"It could be something else," Dilton said, but his voice indicated he doubted it, "But I think that, like rabies or something, as soon as a Cannibal gets a hold of you," He made a clawing motion onto his arm, "You have a death clock ticking above you."

"So don't get bit is what you're saying?" Elio said with a dry laugh, "Noted. Darn it; I was going to run straight into one and dress my arm in BBQ sauce."

This alleviated a bit of the heavy pressure, and everyone gave a small laugh. Yes, it was probably common sense not to go after one and try to get it to bite you, but then again, there were plenty of stupid people out there. It was Hiram who raised his hands, a thoughtful look on his face.

"I think what Dilton says is…we have to be very careful. We kill them before they get to us."