Chapter One: Rear Window - Part 1

Picture Origin - Riverdale - The CW Network

984 words


Imagine a place in the world where lies are never uncovered; a safe haven that has indestructible barriers to stop truth from seeping in. I ask you to imagine because no place like that ever exists – at least not in Riverdale. Sometimes the truth can be buried so deep that it takes a lot of time and effort to uncover, but then there are times in which the truth can be seen as easy as peeking out of a window.

This story begins at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. Cue the glass breaking…

‘I am so sorry,’ apologised Betty to the waitress.

‘Oh, don’t worry. I’ve had customers break a lot more than a glass - even had one that broke my heart once.’

Betty let out an awkward smile as the waitress swept away the broken glass. She checked her phone to see if she had a message from her boyfriend Jughead – no messages. Archie and Veronica look happy as they walk into the diner holding hands. They join Betty at her table but the smiles on their faces fade into concern.

'Hi Betty, it's good to see you out and about,' kindly stated Archie.

‘How has Jughead been since urm...?' asked Veronica but almost instantly regretted doing so.

'You can say it - since he idiotically tried to sneak into my window, heard my mum coming and broke his leg falling into my garden? He has been a nightmare. He can’t keep still and endlessly looks for conspiracy theories in anything. I might break his other leg if he keeps this up.’

Before Betty’s friends could comfort her, a middle-aged couple walk into the diner arguing with each other. Although it wasn’t clear what the argument was about, everyone in the diner could hear them.

‘Do you think we will ever get like that babe?’ sarcastically asked Veronica to Archie.

‘I’m not sure about that, but I know my mum will be giving me an earful if I don’t get home and unpack.’

‘It’s so weird he doesn’t live opposite me anymore,’ explained Betty to Veronica after Archie made his exit.

Betty’s phone beeped.

‘Right I need to go pick up potato chips for Jughead. Surprised my mum allows him stay with us; that boy eats like a horse.’

People are fascinating. Isn’t it a remarkable thing that you can walk past a complete stranger in the street and you could have a thousand things in common with them – yet they will always remain a stranger?

I remember reading a story once about a man on a plane travelling home from a failed kidney operation overseas somewhere. He spent the entire journey distressing over the idea of euthanasia - whilst the gentleman behind him had been on his laptop researching how to donate his recently discovered third kidney.

Life can be pretty funny at times. Other times however, life can tie you down to a chair in a bedroom situated in a boring neighbourhood where nothing remotely interesting happens. Well at least that’s what I thought …

The rain hit the window followed by a flash of lightning and concluded with a roar of thunder. This sympathy of horrible weather had been on rotation in Riverdale for the last couple of hours. Jughead Jones had spent most of the morning sorting through a box of Betty's old things for her mum's next yard sale. Amongst the pile of things worth selling were an untouched Rubix Cube, a table lamp, a bag of marbles and a vintage pair of binoculars.

That evening, Jughead was awoken from his unplanned nap by a roaring screech produced by a moving van across the street. It was fortunate that he fell asleep in his wheel chair as it made it easier for him to roll up to the window and witness an argument between Betty’s new neighbours.

‘If you’ve damaged my china dolls with your terrible driving, you can enjoy the first night in our house on the sofa,’ screamed a woman at her husband.

The man ignored her as he unloaded boxes in an aggressive manner. Jughead’s focus was not disrupted by Betty walking into the room.

‘Hey sleepy head, how you feeling? I’m catching a late night movie with my mum tonight. You’re welcomed to join us. Although you seem more interested with what’s going on outside my window…’ said Betty.

Betty walked towards the window to have a look for herself.

‘I swear, I will make sure you’re sorry if you keep this up,’ threatened the husband.

The wife froze in fear. Betty looked carefully at her before closing the blinds.

‘What are you doing?’ asked Jughead.

‘I’m minding my own business which is something you should be doing. I saw them earlier at the diner; there is no conspiracy in a couple arguing Juggy.’

‘No thanks,’ replied Jughead.

‘What?’

‘I don’t feel like catching a late movie. I’ll probably just order a pizza and research conspiracy theories on people who like pineapple pizzas being aliens or something,’ responded Jughead with a smile on his face.

Betty kissed Jughead after being reassured that he will be okay on his own. The night started off how he had planned it by ordering a pizza, but it got interrupted not long after when Jughead heard loud smashing noises coming from next door. The vintage pair of binoculars found earlier that day proved useful when Jughead was able to peek into the bedroom window where Archie once spent his days. There wasn’t a young teenage boy visible in the window anymore, but rather an angry man breaking up china dolls. A slightly opened window provided a gateway for sound to be heard. The next words Jughead would hear turned Betty’s boring little neighbourhood into streets filled with secrets and murder.

‘Oh my god, what have I done … I’ve killed her.’ 
To Be Continued ...Original link