Trolls and the Enchanted Forest (rewrite)

Chapter 32

     Poppy sat with her face buried into Branch's chest, as she sobbed uncontrollably, hugging him tight, and refusing to let go. She was completely and utterly heartbroken. She just couldn't believe he was actually gone...

     Everyone stood around them silently, their heads low, as they mourned their friend's untimely death.

     "Branch..." Poppy whispered between her sobs of pain and sorrow, her face still buried into Branch's chest, listening for a heart beat, but it was completely silent. "I..." She sat up, looking at him, her vision blurred by her tears. "I should have believed you..." she cried. "When you said something was wrong. I am so sorry..."

     She looked down at him, as he lay lifeless on the bed, and then slowly grabbed his hand in hers.

     "Branch..." she said softly, trying to force away her tears. "I will always love you."

     Slowly, she stroked his cheek gently with her fingers. She shuddered at how cold his skin was, but didn't pull away.

     "You cut out a piece of me, and now I bleed internally. Left here without you... without you. And it hurts for me to think about what life could possibly be like, without you... without you," Poppy sang softly, looking down at Branch's grey face.

     "I can't believe that I wouldn't believe you. Forget all of your reasons. I lost my mind, you know I didn't mean it. Now I see it, you run and repeat it. And I can't take it back, so in the past is where we'll leave it, uh."

     She lowered her head, trying to fight back her tears, but she couldn't. They just kept pouring down uncontrollably, as she continued to sing to Branch, knowing he could no longer hear her...

     "So there you go, oh. Can't make a husband out of you, oh. I'll never find the words to say I'm sorry. But I'm scared to be alone," she sang through her tears. "You cut out a piece of me, and now I bleed internally. Left here without you... without you. And it hurts for me to think about what life could possibly be like, without you... without you..."

     Poppy lowered her head, crying harder than ever before, as she leaned over, burying her face into Branch's chest once again.

Thunder boomed outside, as rain began pouring down, pounding rhythmically on the glass windows.

"Branch..." the queen of pop muttered softly. "Please... come back..."

     Suddenly, Branch took a deep breath of air, gasping loudly, as his colors came flooding back instantly, returning him to his true blue self.

     "RUN!" he shouted out loudly, springing up in the bed, as he looked around, panting heavily in fear.

     Everyone jumped at the sudden outburst, looking at him in shock, their eyes wide, and mouths ajar. He was alive! But... how was this possible?

     "BRANCH!" Poppy screamed out in pure joy, wrapping her arms around him, and giving him the biggest hug ever, as she cried with joy. It didn't matter how he was back... all that mattered was that he was alive. He was ok...

But Branch quickly pulled away from the hug, jumping up to his feet, as he grabbed onto Poppy's wrist, trying to drag her away.

     "We have to get out of here," he said, his voice trembling in fear.
"What? Branch? What are you talking about?" Poppy asked confused. "Lay back down. You need to rest."

     She tried to gently push him back into the bed, but he pulled away, turning back to face her.

     "No!" he screamed loudly. "We need to leave! We're all in danger!"

     Everyone looked at him in shock and confusion, not moving an inch.

     "RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!" he yelled, as he turned back to the group of trolls, tears beginning to form in his still grey eyes.

     "Aaaaaaaaaa!" he suddenly heard over the roar of the rain. The sound had stopped for this entire time, not once sounding since he became sick, but now it was back and louder than ever.

     He covered his ears at the sound of the voice, breathing heavily in fear, as he shut his eyes tight.

     "Branch... you need to calm down," Poppy said softly, trying to get him back into bed. "You're sick. Please... lay back down."
"No, Poppy!" he yelled angrily, pulling away from her again. "Just listen to me! For once in your life... just actually listen to me!"

     She took a step back, blinking at him in shock, as he stood there, staring at her, beginning to cry, as he put his hands on his head, gripping his dark blue hair tightly in his fists, as he fell to his knees.

     "Listen to me..." he whispered through his tears. "Please... just listen to me..."

Everyone looked at him, beginning to murmur softly to each other, confused about what was going on.

"Please..." Branch whispered, still sitting on his knees, crying softly.

Poppy looked at him for a moment, her eyes wide with concern, before finally taking a deep calming breath, slowly heading over to him, and placing her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

     "Ok..." she said softly, nodding her head slightly. "I'm listening. What do you want us to do?"

     He looked up at her, his grey eyes sparkling with tears.

     "Run... you all need to run..." he said, his voice trembling.

     Carefully, Poppy helped him up to his feet, and he immediately turned to the group of trolls, looking at them in fear.

     "Everyone get to the bunker!" he ordered. "It's the only place we'll be safe!" But they all just stared at him in shock, not moving an inch.

     "Well... you heard him!" Poppy yelled to the group, stepping forewords. "Go!"

     Before the trolls could even react to the strange request, the ground began to tremble rapidly.

     "Whoa..." everyone said, wobbling back and forth, struggling to keep their balance.

     "Oh no..." Branch whispered, looking around in fear, seeming to know what was about to happen.

     Suddenly, the lights began to flicker, everyone looking around in fear, murmuring loudly to each other, until they finally shut off all together, the room becoming dark.

     "RUN!" Branch shouted. "Go! Now!"

     Everyone instantly turned, listening to Branch, and running away.

     Quickly, he grabbed onto Poppy's wrist again, dragging her out of the hospital, and towards the safety of his bunker.