"This night ain't for the faint of heart
'Cause when the train wreck comes gonna leave them out."
______________________

WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO WITNESS IS THREE TWISTED TALES CONNECTED TO THE TRAGIC AND MACABRE EVENTS THAT BEFELL RIVERDALE. KNOWN AS THE 'BLACK HOOD MURDERS,' THEY WERE ALL THE MORE TRAGIC BECAUSE THOSE WHO BORE WITNESS TO THESE TERRIBLE THINGS WERE SO YOUNG. A SEEMINGLY RANDOM SHOOTING QUICKLY REVEALED ITSELF TO BE THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF GRUESOME ATTACKS PERPETRATED BY A HOODED ASSAILANT. THESE LATEST CHAPTERS BEGAN WITH THE DISCOVERY OF A LETTER FROM THE BLACK HOOD AFFIXED TO THE DOOR OF POP TATE'S CHOCK'LIT SHOPPE.

ATHENA, JOSIE & CHERYL

"This is rubbish, the black hood isn't Santa. He won't spy on all the of the children of Riverdale and instead of giving them coal when they're naughty, he slits their throats whilst he sleeps." Athena sighed as she sat on the counter in Archie's kitchen, tensing her jaw as the warning flowed through her head every few minutes. "I know it is" Archie shuffled to stand between her legs which caused her to smile widely. Athena bent her head and rested it onto his shoulder before turning to whisper in his ear.

"You know, Arch. Considering me staying over last night, I could be considered as sinful." Athena pulled back to look at his face and see the effect of her actions. Archie's face was lustful and as he bent forward to kiss her, she brought her tongue up the side of his face causing him to shriek in disgust. "You're so gross. We got to get to school." The two walked quickly to school before heading their separate ways. Athena headed to biology where she sat with Josie and Cheryl, listening to their usual daily gossip.

"You will not believe this. Chuck Clayton just asked me out on a date." Athena's nose crinkled in disgust as she poked out her tongue, her sister nodding along with her sister's strange actions of disapproval. "That's vile. Assuming you said no." Cheryl peered up at Josie as she wrote down notes in her perfect handwriting. "Josie, please tell us you said no!" Athena gasped as Josie paused for a split second.

"Chill, I am not insane. Of course, I said no." Josie pulled out her books, laying them on the table as they waited for the class to proceed. "Good. Because we have a date with the recording studio. Maybe after school today?" Athena noticed Josie sigh loudly, Cheryl ignoring it and carrying on with her sentence. "No way. I am heading straight to the girl's locker room for a eucalyptus steam. My throat's been acting--" Josie was cut off by a confused Cheryl. "We have to practice."

"Good lord, Cheryl. I don't know who's more controlling you or my mom." Athena's eyes widened causing her to silently whistle and look back down at her book. "Josie. What you did, saving me from that Nick St. Creature. It's a debt I'll never be able to repay. What I can do is offer my skills to make your career blossom. But I'm happy to take a step back if you're feeling overwhelmed." Athena was genuinely impressed at how considerate her sister was being and the soft tone in her voice.

"No, no. It's all good." Josie quickly gripped Cheryl's hand before the three of them turned to the teacher entering the room telling them to turn to page two hundred. Athena at the end of the class made her way to the offices of the Blue and Gold, searching for her girl friends as well as anyone she knew. Walking in she saw the two sitting face to face in chairs with one empty beside them.

As she sat down, Veronica quickly handed her a coffee which she thanked her for before listening to their conversation.

ATHENA, BETTY, AND VERONICA

"Guys, I have a theory about Sheriff Keller." Athena nodded as Veronica scoffed in agreement. "Oh, me, too. It's obvious." Athena waited for the two girls to share their theories, Athen not having one about the incompetent Sheriff. "He's the black hood," Betty said as Veronica said hers at the same time. "He's having an affair." The two girls share their theories at the same time causing Athena to choke on her coffee before coughing wildly.

"What? Is that a joke?" Judging by Betty's confused expression, Athena could guess that it most definitely wasn't. "I wish it were" The more Athena thought about it the more her delusional mind convinced her that it actually made sense. "Whatever crazy web you're spinning, B, let me break it down for you. Sheriff Keller's wife is away, he's failing at his job, he's looking for comfort, sneaking around. All signs point to cheating." Veronica's side was just as convincing but for some reason, Athena swayed more towards Betty's theory.

"I don't know, Ronnie. Betty might be onto something." Athena interjected causing Veronica to sigh loudly. "Seriously, Athena?" Veronica scoffed. "Well, I don't know. Maybe he's the black hood and having an affair." Athena shrugged before sipping her coffee and listening to the two friends swap theories. "You've known Kevin's dad how many years?"

"Think about it. The black hood killed Mr. Phillips in a cell at the sheriff's station. How do you explain that?" Athena's eyes widened with realization before she turned back to the conversation. "Kevin needs our friendship right now, not your groundless suspicions."

"Betty, Archie has been haunted by these green eyes that the black hood has and although Sheriff Keller does have green eyes, I think Archie would've reacted to them if he simply just saw them." Athena waved to the girls before walking out of the office and straight into Archie. "Hey, did you want to come over again tonight? I can protect you." Athena smirked before holding his hand and nuzzling her head into his chest.

"You truly are my knight in shining armor." Athena spent the rest of the day excited about the night ahead and when it arrived, the smile wouldn't leave from her face.

ATHENA, ARCHIE, AND JUGHEAD

Athena yawned loudly as she leaned next to Archie's locker whilst he looked for his English books. "I told you that you should've read it," Archie grunted before continuing to search and as Athena chuckled, her smile widened as she spotted Jughead walking towards them. "Jug!" Athena threw her arms over his shoulders causing Jughead to chuckle a little bit before turning to a smileless Archie. The two were still tense about the whole race situation that happened with the cops. Athena just wanted it over and done with. "Jug? What are you doing here?"

"Out of the way, Bert and Ernie." Cheryl shoved past causing Athena to quickly shout at her. "What does that make me?" She shouted jokingly. "Elmo," Cheryl shouted back causing Athena to shrug and play with the ends of her hair.

"Archie, I need your help. You owe me because of that little stunt you pulled with Keller and the Ghoulies." Athena listened intently, trying to understand what the hell was happening. "Whatever you want. Name the time and place and I'm there." Athena nodded along with him, not really understanding the gang war. "Me too." Athena glared at Jughead as he opened his mouth to protest but ended up sighing in defeat and turning back to Archie.

"Tonight, and we need to borrow your dad's truck. Archie, Athena, no questions asked, okay?" The two nodded and split before reuniting at a shipping crate. Athena watched from inside the car as the two boys carried the crate onto the truck and got in quickly, making their way to Greendale. "Jug, I will see this through, but where does it end?" Athena awkwardly sat in the middle of the two, looking between them at their reactions.

"115 Derby Street in Greendale." Jughead sarcastically replied causing Athena to turn towards him with impatience in her eyes. "He means, how does you being a serpent end? How long are you going to go down this path?" Jughead sighed out and looked away from them before turning back. "I don't know. I'm kind of just living minute-to-minute here, all right?" Athena nodded at his response before she turned back ahead, listening to cars driving past in the silence.

"You, know, I had this stupid idea. Heh, after graduation, instead of college, we both move to New York. You were this writer, and I'd be this musician, and we'd both live in the East Village, just do our thing." Athena smiled at Archie's sentiment, almost wanting to cry at how sweet it was. "Pretty sure the East Village doesn't exist anymore. Where are the girls in all this?" Jughead nudged Athena causing her to blush and smile up at Archie to glanced at her and held her hand.

"They're all roommates on Park Avenue." They all chuckle silently before turning back to look out the windows "No, but seriously, stay on this path, you're gonna end up in jail. Or maybe worse than jail. And that would--" Just as Jughead gave Archie a sarcastic look, a loud bang and their car skidding caused Archie to pull the over and examine the tires. "And of course, I don't have a frigging spare." Athena threw up her arms in despair before holding out her hand of hitchhiking as cars drove past. She ignored the bickering of the two boys behind her before kicking her leg backward as a truck blew its horn and pulled over.

"Having some car troubles?" The older man asked as he hopped out of his car. As the boys struggled behind her, Athena stepped up and quickly decided to talk to the man. "Hi there, if you're going through Greendale, do you mind taking us and that crate through there? Or if you by some chance have a spare that'd be great." The boys shut up behind her as they watched her talk to the man who eyed the crate with suspicious eyes.

"Well, no spare, but I am passing through Greendale. What's in the crate?" Jughead walked next to Athena as she fumbled to come up with a lie. "Pancake Mix." The man gave him a nod. "Well, I can take you, but it'll cost you. How much cash you got?" Athena attempted to go grab her purse from the car but Jughead shook his head at her causing the girl to freeze.

"Eighteen dollars." Athena's eyes averted from Jughead to the strange man, thinking he wouldn't accept a measly eighteen dollars from a teenage boy. "All right. But I only got room for one of you." Athena and Archie wanted to shake their head, but before they could, Jughead responded. "Me. And the crate." Athena's eyes widened as the man slowly walked back to his truck, glancing behind him at the teenagers every few seconds. "You're not seriously gonna go with this guy alone?"

"Jug, he is giving me serious wolf creek and Mick Taylor vibes." Athena warned, glancing around her warily, "We don't have any other choices--" Jughead defended before being interrupted by the man. "We doing this or not?" The man shouted from his car door causing all of them to nod.

"Yeah. Yes, we are. It's all right, stay with Athena and your dad's truck. Hey, you've come this far, we're all good, okay?" Athena smiled at the two before helping them carry it onto the man's truck whilst he watched. "Don't look under that tarp, girl." Athena nodded before backing away next to Archie and watching Jughead speed off on the road to Greendale.

"Well, we better call someone." Athena dialed the number of a tow truck place and the two waited in Fred's truck, patiently and silently. "Arch, how are we going to help Jug?" Athena sighed, placing her head on her boyfriend's shoulder, watching the empty road. "I'm not sure. But we have to keep trying. FP told me that he might try to push us away, but we just have to be stubborn and stay with him." Athena hummed in response and started to shut her eyes before hearing a car pull off in front of them.

"It's the guy with the tire." Archie got out of the car whilst Athena stayed sitting and watched as they both changed the tire and as the guy finished, she stepped out. "Thanks for the tire," Athena shouted as the tire guy walked back to his truck. "You got it." Athena smiled at him before he drove off, leaving the road and them silent once again. Athena gasped as she watched a deer go out onto the road, hesitantly. Both redheads watched it walk across the road before walking under a sign pointing to Riverdale and Greendale.

"Let's go find Jughead." Archie nodded before the two jumped back into the truck and sped off down the road. They knew the address of the place so they followed along that road until Athena saw the crate and the truck parked at a gas station. "Archie, over there." Archie quickly pulled over and the two ran into the station where they were told that the two had gone into the diner next to it.

As they walked towards it, Athena could hear shouting coming from three different people and she quickly opened the door. "Jughead, what's going on?" Archie asked as they walked through the door. "They're trying to dine-and-ditch." The waitress told the causing Athena to walk towards her whilst holding up her wallet. "I'll pay." Athena turned her back on the three men as she gave the woman some cash.

"Two boys and a girl on a country road, a crate of full god-knows-what. You're sinners, all of you. Careful, or you'll taste the Reaper's blade next." Athena smiled slightly at the lady when she gave her the change, but immediately walked out with the two boys trailing behind her. They loaded up the truck in silence and watched as the creepy guy sped away into the distance.

"Hey. Thanks. And thank you for coming back for me." Athena smiled and wrapped her arms around him causing Jughead to chuckle and wrap his arms around her waist. "I said I'd see this through, Jug." Athena split apart from Jughead before backing into Archie's chest causing him to wrap an arm around her. "It's 11:52" Jughead sighed as he looked at the watch on his wrist.

"Better get going, then." The three smiled before driving to the weird warehouse and Athena watched as they both carried the crate in. She leaned forward as they walked back, both of them looking shaken up. They explained the situation as they drove to Pop's, ordering some coffee. "Thank you both for helping me tonight. I know that that violates every strand of your DNA." Jughead quietly said to the two causing Athena to frown.

"We've all done bad things, ever since the black hood walked into this diner. It's like he's making us do them." Athena grasped onto Archie's hand as he sighed and looked down. "About that guy who stopped for us tonight, Mr. American Gothic, his story about the Riverdale Reaper. Maybe it's just a tale from the dark side, but what if it's an actual lead? Maybe tomorrow, us three, if you're free, we could go to the library--" It broke Athena's heart to see him be so quiet and hesitant to ask to hang out with his friends.

"Me and Reggie are taking Moose to physical therapy. Then my dad and I are having dinner with the Lodges. But maybe the day after?" Archie laid out his plans for the day after causing Athena and Jughead to sigh. "I know I will never replace the brotherly friendship you both have, but I'll be free tomorrow if you want?" Athena offered causing Jughead to let out a short laugh.

"Thanks, Athena." The three stayed silent before Archie leaned forward causing Athena to do the same. "Can't you get out of this somehow, Jug?" Archie asked causing Jughead to scoff. "What part, exactly? I can try. Hey, I'll try." Jughead said after looking at the sad looks on both of their faces. "Do you want a ride home? It's practically dawn."

"No, I-Visiting hours start at sunup. I'll go and visit my dad." Athena smiled and waved as he walked out the door, she listened to the ringing of Pop's phone. She quickly leaned her head on the table causing Archie to place his hand on her back and rub circles. "That was him on the phone. The black hood." This caused Athena and Archie to shoot up from their seats and start walking towards Pop Tate.

"He says that we've failed his test. That we're all sinners. That the reckoning is upon us."

SHIT, this is long. But not long enough for two chapters so here you are. I honestly was kind of liking the setup of the episode, it's just kind of out of nowhere. My poor baby Jug. Cheryl is now obsessed with Josie because she saved her which is gonna be interesting. I actually Kind of like Chuck, I'm gonna be honest. Also, this took me so long to write because usually in Australia, this comes out at 6 but for some reason, it came out at 7 so, I had to watch it and then bam it was 8. And I had to type all of the dialogue instead of copying and pasting it from the script because it wasn't released yet so yeah.

Thanks, Queenie.
(EDITED)