What Once was Broken

Chapter 32.... The Return of Truls

We walked into another obliterated hall, and saw a group of the Bully children loitering, and another strangling a girl Bully before giving up, and running off. "Goodness! The Teacher would have a FIT!" I said, looking around at the damage when my eyes landed on a group of Bullies playing Corde à sauter, Skip rope down one of the alcoves. Curious, I walked over, and asked kindly, "Do you mind if we play along?" The group looked at each other, before reluctantly shrugging their shoulders, and the one in the middle of the rope took five. Positioning myself in the center, the others began to swing the rope as they sang a very peculiar song. I leapt along with their eerie tune, enjoying our small amount of playtime as I tried to avoid being tripped by the rope. Leo, Six, Barney, and Jenna surrounded me, applauding as I kept up with the speed of the swinging rope. Jenna, laughing brightly, joined along side me, and before I knew it, I was actually playing for the first time in weeks! We enjoyed ourselves, taking turns with the rope, and humming along with the tune of the other dolls when dread washed over me. I was cheering on Leo and Jenna when a deep growl asked, "Have fun?" I gasped, and turned behind me, as well as the two Skip roping dolls stopping in their midst, causing the others in my party to face where my eyes were locked in fear. Standing about five feet from us was Truls, and behind him stood a Jennifor model, a Bully with a broken head, or a "Crackhead" as Barney had mentioned, and a Benny doll, all surrounding him. "What do you want Truls?" I asked, trying to sound brave. Truls and his group looked at one another, and turned their attention back to me as Truls began to approach, sending Barney into a protective frenzy. After pushing Barney to the floor, I called out to him, and tried to run to his side when Truls snagged me by the back of my cloak, and yanked me backwards. "Nah-ah-ah. Am talking!" "Claire!" Leo called, alarmed, but Jenna held him back by his shoulder, trying desperately to keep him out of the way. I staggered a bit from the strength of his yank, but I managed to catch my balance as I replied, "Yes, so I can hear. Now why are you here?" Truls continued to approach, and he raised his hand, causing me to flinch as I embraced for the worse. I was shocked when he began to press on the side of my face, observing my flesh bounce back from every touch. "Too soft..... What..... IS you?" He asked, muttering. My blood turned cold, and my heart pounded as beads of sweat dripped down my nervous face. He had figured me out.... I was now exposed.... I tried to keep my composure as I replied, "I already explained in class that I was one of YOU. Let us alone, and we'll be on our way back to class!" I pushed my way passed him, Six, Jenna, and Leo following behind me. Leo stopped to pick up Barney from the floor, and wrapped his arm over his shoulder as he said softly, "Up we go. Easy!" Truls and his gang turned to us as we left the alcove, which was short lived when Truls caught up, throwing himself right into the pathway as he claimed, "You no look like us!" He crawled up to me, and began to sniff the base of my neck before pulling away, and growling, "No SMELL like us either! What is you? Demand know NOW!" I began to tremble, not knowing what to do as the entire attention of the hallway stopped on our confrontation. "Truls, you are being rediculous!" I defended akwardly. "Yeah!" Jenna added, pushing between Leo and Six to join me. Truls' jaw dropped in shock by Jenna's action, and Barney came up beside her to hold her hand, signifying that he stood by her defensive act for me. Truls' look of shock melted into immediate anger as he stomped his way up to Barney, and shoved him away from Jenna. "She MINE! Buzz off!" He shouted, his gang giggling behind him. He reached out for Jenna's hand, but she quickly stepped back as she replied angrily, "Wrong!" Truls reeled back in confusion by her sudden reaction, and Jenna continued, "Me like nice. BARNEY nice! Cute, nice, loving! Me love BARNEY!" She shoved Truls back with strength I didn't know she harbored, and he staggered into the arms of the Crackhead to his left. "Besides," she continued again, standing tall and firm on her ground, "I is being, NOT PROPERTY!" I blinked a couple of times, hardly believing my eyes. I had left an impact on Jenna, and made her strong in the shadow of her looming oppressor, which made me smile. I took her hand, and replied, "You are EXACTLY right Jenna!" As she smiled smugly at Truls, who stood there dumbfounded. Barney grasped the hand of his true love again, and smiled triumphantly, causing Truls to whimper a bit. "You turn them. You Witch!" He cried, pointing at me accusingly. "I didn't "Turn" anybody, Truls. I enlightened her, AND him as well! You lose, Truls. Accept that!" I spat, and together, the three of us pushed through him, and his vile group, with Leo and Six keeping up with our pace, never once even thinking of lingering behind. We made our way to the end of a hall, where a hole in the corner of a door stood, and waved my friends safely across as Truls screamed, "This WAR LaBouvier! No seen last of me. I ALWAYS win!" I looked at him once more, and with a confident smirk, I laughed. As he continued to scream, I waved Barney on through before I myself, threw my cloak behind me, and set off through the hole in the door. I knew that this was just the beginning of our little chase and run game, but I felt in my heart for certain that I was ready.