Trolls and the Search for the Missing Mom

Chapter 3

Branch woke up in the morning to someone banging on his door. He looked up, tears in his eyes. He had cried himself to sleep last night, after what had happened with Poppy.

He didn't want to answer the door, but the banging only got louder.

"Ugh..." he groaned, standing up. He quickly got into his normal cloths, and then road the elevator up to the door.

Slowly, he opened the door, seeing King Peppy standing there, looking nervous.

"King Peppy? What are you doing here?"
"Is Poppy with you?"
"Ugh... no..." he said, looking away sadly. "She's not."
"Well... did she say where she was going after your date last night?"

Branch looked at him, confused.

"How did you know about that?"
"She told me. She was very excited, when she left her pod. She was wearing her mother's dress. The one she had worn on our first date."

"Wait..." Branch said, his eyes widening. "You mean... she didn't forget about the date?"
"Heavens no. It was all she could talk about all day. I went to her pod this morning to see how it had gone, but she wasn't there. It looked like she hadn't been there all night."

Branch looked away, thinking. She hadn't stood him up after all. But if that was true... where was she now? And why had she not shown up for the date?

     His eyes widened, as he looked back at Peppy. What if she was in danger!? He had to find her...

     "Poppy!" Branch yelled, as he ran through the village. "Poppy! Where are you!?"

     Suddenly, he heard something. His ear twitched, as he listened. "Poppy?"

     He looked off in the direction the sound was coming from. He knew what that sound was. It was Poppy, crying. "Poppy!"

     Quickly, he ran towards the sound, bursting through some bushes, to see Poppy sitting up against a tree, her face buried in her hands. Her dress was torn, and dirty.

     "Poppy!" he yelled, running over to her. She looked up at him tears in her eyes. He sat next to her, giving her a big hug.

     "Oh my god, Poppy. What happened? Are you hurt?"
"No..." she said quietly, through her tears. "I'm not hurt..."
"Than what happened? I was so worried about you."
"I'm sorry I never showed up for our date last night," she said, looking away from him.
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that your ok."
"But... I don't think I am ok..."

     Branch looked at her terrified. "I'll find a doctor!"

     He started to get up, but Poppy stopped him.

     "No, Branch. It's not a physical pain... it's emotional." Branch looked at her, confused, and sad.

     "I was on my way to the restaurant last night, when I tripped, and fell. I was fine, but my dress got ripped. I knew I had to get to the restaurant, but I thought that I would have enough time to fix the dress. It was my mom's, and I just couldn't bear the thought that I had ruined it. I went back to my pod, but I was all out of thread. I would've gone to Satin and Chenille, but they were hanging out with Riply, so they weren't home."

     Branch listened closely to her story, not saying a single word.

     "Well... I thought... maybe my dad would have some thread that I could use, so I went there, but he wasn't home. I figured he wouldn't mind if I just let myself in, so I went in, and started looking for some thread."

     He didn't really understand what Poppy's story had to do with anything, but he didn't interrupt, and let her continue.

     "While I was looking for some thread, I found an old box. It was a box of stuff my mother left behind when she..." she paused, looking away, as she began to cry harder. Branch put his hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. She looked at him, and then continued.

     "I got curious, so I looked in the box, and I found this note." She pulled a piece of paper out of her hair, handing it to Branch, as she looked away again.

     Branch took the note, reading it out loud.

     "Dear, Peppy. I am sorry to tell you this in a letter, but I have to leave. I have to get out of Bergen town to try and find a way to save you, and our beautiful daughter. By the time you read this, I will already be gone. Just know that I'm ok, and I will be back someday. I love you. Pansy."

     "My dad told me she was eaten by a Bergen... but with this note... I don't know if that's true." She looked at Branch, her eyes red with tears.

     "Branch..." she said softly. "I think my mom is alive."