The Adventures of Azalea and Twig (book 6)

Chapter 16

     Barb, Poppy, Branch, Molly, and Shelby sneakily peeked around the corner, watching Molly's mom making a sandwich, her pocketbook on the table behind her.

     "Ok, Branch," Molly said in a whisper. "Just go into the pocketbook, and bring me the money from inside."

     "Wait... me? Why me?" Branch questioned, looking up at her.
"Cuz. You're small. You can sneak past my mom without being seen," Molly explained.
"Poppy and Barb are the same size as me!" he objected.

     "Yeah... but I can't make Barb go, cuz I'm scared she might kill me, if I do," Molly stated. "You got that right..." Barb said, as she glared up at Molly, crossing her arms.
"And I can't make Poppy go, cuz then you will kill me."
"Yeah..." Branch admitted. "I probably would..."

     He looked back at the pocketbook, terrified, his ears drooping in fear.

     "You can do it, Branchie," Poppy encouraged, kissing him on the cheek.

"Ok..." he said, softly, taking a deep, calming breath. "And... uh... what is it you want me to do, again?"
"Just climb into the pocketbook, and grab the money," Molly instructed.

"Right. Right. And... uh... what is money?"

Molly looked at him, shocked by the question.

"What!? You guys don't have money where you're from!?"

The three trolls looked at each other, and then back at Molly, shaking their heads.

"How do you buy stuff?" Molly questioned.
"Buy? Everything is free," Branch said.
"Well... except hugfest," Poppy said. "That costs hugs."
"So many hugs..." Branch shivered at the thought of it.

     Molly blinked, confused, and then shook her head.

     "Whatever. Just grab the green paper, ok?"

     Branch looked back at the pocketbook, taking another deep breath, as he took a cautious step forewords.

     "Oh! And Branch..." Molly suddenly said.

     He turned, looking back at her.

     "Whatever you do... don't let my mom see you."

     "W... why?" Branch asked, nervously. "What happens if she sees me?"

     Suddenly, a massive spider crawled up the wall in front of Molly's mom. She saw it, her eyes widening in terror.

     "AHHHHH!" she screamed, swatting at it with a shoe. "Die! Die! Die!"

     The spider fell to the ground, dead...

     All the trolls watched wide eyed, terrified expressions on their faces.

     "That..." Molly said, pointing at the dead spider.

     "Yep... I'm not doing this," Branch said, as he turned, running to hide behind Poppy."

     "Well you have to," Molly said. "Or you will never find your daughter."

     Branch looked back at Molly's mom, who was now making her sandwich again, and then at the pocketbook.

     "For Azalea..." he whispered to himself.

     Slowly, he took a step, trembling in fear, as he headed for the pocketbook.