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The First Step!

A day had passed since the troll, Floyd, had woken up. Bridget talked to Floyd a lot during that time, getting to know him, and also changing his bandages. The wound on his arm is looking better so far, the bleeding has stopped, and seemed less painful for him to use. Though she thinks it will scar when it eventually heals. His eye on the other hand…..it's not looking so good.

It looked terrible when she changed the bandage. There was a scar starting from his forehead to his eye. The eye itself is gone, just an empty socket. She isn't sure how to tell him, but she did say it was bad when he asked.

“So favorite color?” Floyd asked.

Right now they are just asking each other questions while she cleans, looking for the darn key.

“Pink!” She said enthusiastically. “Yours?”

“Oh um, it's pink as well.” Floyd said happily.

“No way! Twins!” She said looking back at him on the makeshift bed, waving her fingers. Floyd smiled and laughed a little. “Yeah…twins.” He said softly.

They continued with the questions, and had tons of fun getting to know each other. They even styled each other's hair, but it was a bit difficult. Floyd had a hard time doing it with an injured arm, and she had a hard time because he was so tiny, but they managed to. 

Though they had to stop when they heard the Chef yelling from the kitchen.

“Castle MAID!” Chef said angrily.

“Yes!” She yelled back.

“Did you find the Troll Key yet!”

She looked at Floyd nervously and then yelled back “No!”

“Well hurry up! Trollstice is in two weeks!”

What is she going to do! If she doesn't find that key soon, Chef will get so mad!

“Bridget?”

She'll be kicked out of the castle!

“Bridget!”

She'll be kicked of Bergen town or worse Chef would-

She felt something shake her hand. Confused, she looked down and saw Floyd looking up at her, concerned. 

“You ok?” He asked with worry in his voice. She shook her head and said. “I need to find the key or else Chef will….”

Floyd looked like he was thinking for a moment, then looked up at her and said. “I could help!”

She looked at him with surprise. “Really!”

“Yeah!” He said enthusiastically. “You helped me so far, so I wanna help you!”

He then looked down sheepishly. “Besides it was my fault the key fell down here.”

Huh, she figured it fell down here somehow, but she didn't know Floyd dropped it. The two began to look through the pile of dishes, trying to figure out where the key fell. 

After a while a thought came to Bridget's head. Why did Floyd have the key? Was he trying to get back to the troll tree? She thought any troll would run away given the chance. Should she ask?

“Floyd?” She asked nervously, turning towards him. She saw him putting his hand away from his hair.

Floyd paused on what he was and turned towards her and said, “Yeah?”

“Why did you steal the key?” She asked. Floyd froze when she said that. Maybe she shouldn't have asked, she's going to lose her only friend and-

“I was trying to get back to my brother.” He said sadly. His brother? He was trying to get back to his brother? He must be very important to him. 

“Why?” She decided to ask. Floyd walked up to her and jumped to her shoulder, landing a bit awkwardly, she had to catch him a bit. Once he was able to balance himself, he sat down and began talking again.

“My little brother Branch is the most important troll in the world to me. And he is the most fun, and lovable trolling you'll ever meet!”

“Trolling?” She asked, is that what trolls call their kids?

“Oh you know, a young troll. He's seven.” He explained. Oh she was right, “And he's all alone.” Floyd added sadly.

“Don't you have parents?”

“No….they were eaten.” Floyd said sadly, looking ready to cry.

Oh, she felt bad, she shouldn't have asked, “Sorry.” She said solemnly.

“No it's ok, it's not your fault.” He hurriedly said. “It was a long time ago.”

Bridget thought for a moment, she likes having Floyd around. He was her first friend she ever had, and wants him to stay but….He seems so sad. Him turning a darker color startled her. She didn't know trolls could do that! Now that she thinks about it, maybe this is why they are happy all the time. So they don't lose their color, and she doesn't want her new friend to lose his colors.

“I want to help you!” She said determined.

“What?!” Floyd said, startled.

“I want to help you get back home!”

Floyd looked at her with surprise then shook his head, “I don't want you to get in trouble.”

“No, it's fine! You are the first friend I ever had, and I want to help you!”

Floyd just started at her for a moment, as if trying to see something, then smiled. “Thank you.” He said softly, and then hugged her cheek. She hugged back smiling, she felt happy.

They stayed like this for what felt like hours until Floyd pulled away and said, “Oh yeah I almost forgot!” He reached his non-injured hand into his hair and pulled out-

“The key!”

“Yeah! I was about to call out to you when I found it, but you beat me to it!”

She is so happy! She isn't going to be thrown out of Bergen Town!

She hugged Floyd again and spun around, laughing at the top of her lungs. Floyd laughed along with her.

After a minute they broke apart and Bridget then said, “All right what's the plan!”