Trollhunters: welcome to the darklands

Chapter 5:seeing double

"Draal the Deadly prowled through Arcadia Oaks's dense woods, moving surprisingly silently for such a big Troll. He was careful to stick to the shadows, avoiding the sun—and any unwanted attention from the humans. They would likely scream at the sight of his spiked body. Draal's coppery mechanical arm parted the bushes in front of him, revealing Barbara just ahead.
Barbara wandered in a daze down the sidewalk that ran alongside the tree line. She was dressed in her usual doctor's uniform of green scrubs and sneakers. But Barbara seemed lost, even though she was in her own neighborhood, and her eyes appeared unfocused behind her glasses.
Draal's nostrils twitched as he sensed a subtle shift in the air around him. A split second later, a shadow opened beside him,"

"depositing Claire, Toby, and NotEnrique into the woods.
"I see you received my message concerning Ba-Bru-Ah," Draal whispered.
"That ain't how ya say her name, ya glork," NotEnrique hissed. "It's spelled Barbara. B-A-R-B—"
"Save the vocab lesson for later," Claire said as she hushed them. "Draal, we came as soon as we could. Good thing you make a solid emotional anchor for my Shadow Staff. Now, what happened?"
Draal whispered, "I hid in the shady tree outside of the ha-spoo-tahl—"
"That's hospital," NotEnrique corrected.
Draal sneered at the green imp and continued. "I kept my oath to guard the Trollhunter's mother. Only she seems to have healed from her spell earlier than expected. No doubt due to the interference of your ridiculous human medicines!"
"Oh no!" Claire exclaimed, pointing at Barbara. "She just turned onto her street!"
"Let's move!" said Toby as he bolted out of the woods and onto the sidewalk."

"Claire followed with NotEnrique in her arms and watched the Changeling transform into a beautiful blond baby. Now the spitting image of the real Enrique, he blew a raspberry at Draal and said, "Too bad you can't follow us into the sunlight, Draal the Dopey!"
"Impure scoundrel," Draal murmured as the others caught up with Barbara.
"Doctor Lake!" Claire called out.
Barbara turned around and saw Toby, Claire, and what appeared to be her baby brother running toward her.
"Toby! Claire!" Barbara said with a shaky voice. "Shouldn't you be in school with Jim?"
"Our school's, um, closed," Toby fibbed. "Due to an outbreak of, uh, head lice!"
"And it, er, spread to Enrique's day care too!" Claire added.
NotEnrique pretended to scratch an itch in his blond hair, completing the lie.
"Oh," said Barbara, swaying on her feet.
"You okay there, Doctor L?" Toby asked. "No offense, but you seem kinda wobbly."
"Just recovering from a concussion," Barbara said with a weak laugh. "Apparently, Jim"

"drove me to the hospital yesterday after I accidentally slipped and hit my head at home."
Barbara paused. Her brow creased, as if she was trying to recall something just at the edge of her memory.
"At least, I think that's what Jim told me," she added. "He couldn't stay long. Jim said he had to do something . . . something important. Where is Jim anyway? I couldn't find my car at the hospital, and he hasn't been answering any of my calls."
She continued down the sidewalk, and Claire and Toby exchanged a nervous look. They ran in front of her again, trying to block Barbara's path.
"Who, Jim? Jim Lake Junior? Your son?" Toby rambled, stalling for time. "He's, uh, back at school."
"But I thought you said school was closed?" Barbara asked.
"I mean he's at, ah, culinary school!" Toby said. "Didn't he tell you he's taking cooking lessons on the side? That scamp!"
"Really?" said Barbara, confused. "My son should be teaching cooking lessons."

"I know, right?" Claire took over, now standing directly in front of Barbara. "But you know Jim. So dedicated to his craft."
"I . . . guess . . . ," Barbara said as she side-stepped Claire and continued on her way.
"We gotta do something!" said Toby in an urgent whisper. "We're less than a block from casa del Jimbo!"
NotEnrique gave the A-OK sign and said, "Time to dust off me best material."
The baby in Claire's arms started to cry at the top of his lungs. Barbara paused at the corner of her street and looked back at "Enrique."
"What's the matter, little guy?" Barbara said in a soothing, motherly voice.
NotEnrique winked at Claire and Toby before wailing louder than ever.
"Let Doctor Lake have a look-see," said Barbara as she took the baby into her arms. "Oh, yes, Jim used to cry like this when he was hungry. How about we get you back to your home and find you a nice, warm bottle?"
Toby and Claire privately fist-bumped as Barbara started leading them away from her block. They managed to go a few feet before a""police car sped past them, its sirens blaring as it made a sharp turn down Barbara's street.
"What in the world . . . ," she wondered aloud. "Hang tight, guys. Someone might be hurt."
Barbara handed Enrique back to Claire and broke into a run after the police car. Toby and Claire turned to NotEnrique in surprise.
"Don't blame me," he said. "The ol' waterworks always kill with the lady types!"
The trio took off after Barbara and found her standing in front of her driveway. Only she wasn't alone. The front lawn was completely overrun with police activity. Several black-and-white squad cars sat parked outside, lights spinning. Uniformed cops strung yellow POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS tape around the yard. And beyond them, Barbara's house stood in shambles, its front door kicked open and tons of interior damage visible through the windows.
"Jim!" cried Barbara as she rushed up to the police. "My son—is he in there?"
Detective Scott of the Arcadia Oaks Police Department met Barbara at the edge of her"

"property, his hands held up in a calming gesture.
"Easy, Doctor Lake," said Detective Scott. "Nobody's hurt, thank goodness. Neighbors reported strange sounds coming from your place last night and then saw the mess this morning. Looks like your home was broken into while you were gone. Fortunately, nothing appears to be missing. Except your car, that is."
Barbara massaged the sides of her head, trying to stay calm and recall recent events.
"It isn't missing," Barbara finally replied. "Jim drove me to the hospital. He must still have it."
"Nah, your car's totaled," Toby blurted out, before immediately covering his big mouth with his hands. At least he left out the part about Barbara's car getting wrecked in an epic battle for Heartstone Trollmarket.
"He means totally, uh, clean!" Claire improvised unconvincingly. "Because Jim, um, took it to the car wash? While he's still in culinary school? Due to the aforementioned head-lice situation at our school?"

"Barbara and Detective Scott both stared at Claire and Toby in utter disbelief.
"Tobias Domzalski and Claire Nuñez, I'm starting to think neither of you are being completely honest with me," Barbara said sternly.
"No, we, uh," Toby blathered. "I mean, he—she—I—it's, it's—"
"It's okay!" came a familiar voice from behind them.
Everyone turned and discovered the last person they expected to see.
"I can explain everything," said Jim Lake Jr. from under the shade of a tall oak tree. "Rest assured, this situation is totally under control!"