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Running So It Can All End

Bridget watched anxiously as everyone surrounded the troll tree, and waited for King Gristle Sr and Prince Gristle. Chef was waiting near the gate entrance wearing an eye patch. How did she get that?

Anyway, she was off to the side waiting for her cue to bring a pot that traps the trolls, so she can bring it to the castle for the final feast. She hopes Floyd doesn't get caught.

She reached up towards her hair to touch the yarn flower Floyd made for her. She made it into a hair clip. She hopes Floyd doesn't mind.

“Look, the king is coming!” Said a random Bergen excitedly. Oh no, she really hopes Floyd and his little brother would be ok.

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Everyone around him starts to panic, and he's inclined to join them. But three little trollings clinging to him, stop him. He quickly tucks the photo in his bag, and starts trying to calm them down. While everyone else starts demanding questions from the poor troll that looks scared.

“ENOUGH!”

Everyone turned towards the king, who had a nervous but determined look. “If the Bergens are starting Trollstice early, that means we have to go now.”

Everyone seemed hesitant, but followed their king's orders. The king hopped in and everyone started following suit. He hopes nothing bad will happen, but the look on Branch's face tells him otherwise.

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Chef watched as the remaining Bergens gathered around, and the Royals came front and center. They don't normally celebrate Trollstice this early, but those trolls that tried  to escape infuriated her so much. She decided this was a special case, and the king agreed. Tonight is going to be an all out buffey. But first a little prince must taste their first troll.

She began the speech giving a grand spectacle, and then addressed the prince. Pointing her scepter at him, he started to ponce up and down excited. “Prince Gristle, your time has come.” The king placed him on her scepter and said a few words of encouragement. Then she took him up to the glass cage. 

“It is my sacred duty to initiate you in the true ways of happiness.” She said, smiling at the prince. She always enjoyed this part of the job. Even though she doesn't like the prince, seeing those wide eyes of young Bergens excited to eat their first troll, makes her melt. Mostly because she gets to watch trolls suffer.

She opened up the gate and guided the little prince into the troll tree. “I have chosen an extra special troll, just for you.”

She tapped the little pod and grabbed the troll inside. “The happiest, most positive, sweetest troll of all!” she started to hand the little princess to him. “And because a prince deserves a princess, I give you the one they call Princess Poppy!”

The young prince grabbed hold of the troll and whispered something and ate her. She waited in anticipation as the prince chewed, “How do you feel?” she asked, but unexpectedly he split out the troll and exclaimed, “That one's rotten!”

Confused, she got a closer look and only saw a wooden statue of a troll, “It's fake?” She said, confused.

“FAKE?!” Everyone else said, sacred and confused. 

“Fake!” The king said. She quickly kicked the tree and saw more fake trolls fall. How did they escape?!

The King started to demand where they are and she quickly deployed the other chiefs. They put their ears to the ground, and the prince said he heard something. They're underground! Oh those slimy trolls were trying to escape before Trollstice weren't they. Well it's a good thing they started early then.

“Start digging!” She demanded, and everyone started to grab a shovel and dig. She'll get revenge on these trolls, just you wait and see!

______

Floyd clutched Viva and Branch's hands as they ran forward in the tunnels. He was very scared right now and wasn't sure what to do. He was so confused on why they started Trollstice early, but that doesn't matter at the moment.

Because at this moment he started to hear digging noises, and he's pretty sure the Bergens figured out where they were. He isn't sure how but they did.

Out of nowhere a shovel came down behind them and they fell forward. He landed roughly, and blanked out for a moment, but he quickly gathered his bearings, and checked on the others.

Poppy was still safe inside his hair which was a relief, he looked around but he couldn't find Viva or Branch anywhere. 

“Branch! Viva!” He called out. There was no response. He quickly got up and went towards the area where the shovel dug, and found Branch passed out. “Branch!”

He ran up towards his brother and found that his leg was stuck under a rock. He tried moving it but it wouldn't budge. But he kept pushing even if it was futile. 

He did not notice the screams around him as the tunnels were clasping. He did not notice a hand reaching for him, until he heard a shout. “No troll left behind!”

King Peppy came out of nowhere and used his hair to wipe the hand away. Doing it over and over until it went away. He then went up to him and helped push the rock out of the way and picked up Branch. He then turned to him and asked with a concerned voice, “Where's Viva?”

Floyd just looked around and started to cry, “I don't know! The shovel came down..and…I saw Branch and…”

Peppy stopped him and picked him up, “No it's fine, I placed the responsibility of watching my daughters on to you without asking. You were also still healing and I'm sorry.”

He just looked at him with wide eyes as he started running. Poppy popped out and shouted, “Da da!” And tried to reach out for her father, but Peppy just gave her a smile and said in a gentle voice, “Not now sweetie.”

She looked disappointed and went back into her hair. The king continued to pick up injured and slow trolls as he ran. As Floyd watched more of the tunnels collapse, tears spilling from his eyes. What about Viva?

Then he saw a group of trolls coming from behind Viva leading them. He perked up and was about to call out, but a pick ax came crashing down. Making the tunnels collapse and cave in. He heard screams from the other trolls as he watched Viva give him a scared look and call out.

“FLOYD!”

“VIVA!” He said reaching out as the tunnels caved in. Watching as Viva and the other trolls behind her disappear in the wall of dirt.