Chapter Fifty-Two

                                    

                                          
Hal fell to the ground, groaning in pain. His gun crashed to the floor. Betty had shot his hand. The only one he had left. Hal looked up at Betty, pure hatred in his eyes. Betty slammed the gun back on the table. "I will never be like you, dad," She spat.
                          
"Enough!" Penelope finally came into view. She was clearly unhappy with the proceedings. "Good god, Hal. You can't be trusted to do anything. You were a terrible serial killer then, and you still are today." Penelope reached down to pull the gun off the ground. "Useless." With no hesitation, she put gun to Hal's head and pulled the trigger. Caia jumped again. 
                          
Betty folded into herself, a loud scream escaping her throat. They all looked to Penelope before running towards Betty, enveloping her in an embrace on the ground. The tears began pouring down Betty's face. 
                          
Archie sprinted the last few steps to snatch the antidote from the tree branch. Penelope's head snapped towards his. "And what do you think you're doing?" Penelope demanded. 
                          
"Claiming our prize!" Jughead exclaimed. Penelope's head slowly swiveled to meet his gaze. "We won, didn't we?" Penelope was silent. "We survived the night. We proved that we're better than this town."
                          
Penelope rolled her head. "That may or may not be true," She replied. "But kill them," she commanded to the gargoyles behind her. "Kill them all!" 
                          
The Gargoyles all began war crying. "Come on," Jughead commanded, hauling Betty to her feet. "Archie!" Archie sprinted toward the teens and they all began running back through the woods. 
                          
The sun was just breaking over the horizon as the group reached the edge of the woods. Caia glanced back, to see the gargoyles still chasing them. As they ran, Archie stumbled over a tree root and went spiraling to the ground.  He got to his feet, just as multiple vehicles pulled up. 
                          
"Take cover!" Cheryl yelled, pulling her bow out as serpents and poisons alike rose out of the trucks. Caia joined hands with Betty and Veronica as they dove towards the trucks and huddled behind the back of one of them. 
                          
Jughead kept lookout through the window as the archers made quick work of the gargoyles. "Roni, here," Archie stated, handing the vile of antidote to Veronica. She took a swig, then passed it to Betty. Betty drank and then handed it to Caia, who took her share. 
                          
Caia felt herself fall back onto the ground as she clutched at her throbbing shoulder. She groaned in pain. From above her, she heard Cheryl giving out orders. "Poisons, charge!" A few seconds later, Cheryl turned back to the little group. "All clear."
                          
Caia sat up, and they all smiled at each other. Laughing as they rose to their feet to hold each other in one big group hug. Caia felt herself crying, no longer because she was scared, but purely out of relief. They had made it.
                          
They had made it.
                          
Betty broke away, running towards Cheryl. "Cheryl," She called. "Cheryl. Why aren't you at the Farm? Where's my mom?" Betty questioned, leaning up against the truck bed.
                          
The rest of the teens followed. Caia was still clutching her shoulder wound as she observed the interaction. Cheryl bent down to be at eye level with Betty. 
                          
"She sprung me from that Jonestown-like nightmare and told me to find you," Cheryl explained. "Edgar was planning to ascend tonight." 
                          
"Oh my god," Betty breathed. "We have to save her."
                          
Cheryl held out her hand. "Climb abord, cousin," she commanded. "Get in."
                          
Back at the Farm, the group rushed through the halls and to the main chamber. When Betty pushed open the door, a horrifying sight awaited everyone.