Trollhunters: Tales of A Broken-Hearted Fool

13) A Loss I'm Not Willing To Make

3rd pov

Jim sat in the hospital bed, listening to the recording sent to his phone. Toby stood next to him, sharing the same worried look.

"Master Jim, you must listen to me very carefully. They've captured me and want you to come to the bridge... Alone." Blinky's voice says.

"Don't come! It's a trap!" The seemingly real him says.

"Give me that!" Strickler says. "It appears things have grown awkward, Mr. Lake. Meet me in the alley beside the theater if you ever want to see your friend or... Sister, alive again."

"That's right! You know better than to say my name!" Cosette's voice is heard, along with annoyed grumbling (that was Bular).

"Don't open the bridge! Under no circum- ..." Blinky says, but the line cuts off.

"I've listened to it a hundred times nod, and I still don't know what to do." Jim says disappointedly.

"You don't have to do this alone. You've got Aaarrrgghh, Draal, me." Toby says encouragingly.

"They said I had to be alone. If I'm not what do you think they'll do to Blinky? To Cosette?" Jim says, his tone quiet and worried.

"Well, it's your call. You're the Trollhunter. Here." Toby says as he reaches into his pocket.

He pulls out the amulet, handing it to Jim. It glows a soft blue when Jim touches it.

"I picked it up in the woods when they dragged you away. I figured we found it together, we'd always be in this together." Toby says in disappointment.

"Hello, Toby." Barbara says with a smile.

Jim quickly hides the amulet behind his back as she comes in.

"Hey, Dr. Lake. I was just leaving. He's all yours." Toby says as he walks around her. "Can you believe it? Coyotes."

Barbara closes the curtains as he leaves, turning to her son.

"Any sign of Cosette?" He asks worriedly, which he knows she hasn't seen her.

"No. I suppose she's still out with her friends. Speaking of friends, you have good ones. One even stayed by your side all night." She says as she comes to sit on the bed next to him.

"Heh, yeah. There's really no one like Tobes." Jim says.

"Actually, it was a girl. She said her name was Claire." She says.

"Huh..." Jim mutters.

"I want you to talk to me and I expect to hear the truth. What were you doing in the woods?" She demands.

"Well, Claire thought she heard her brother in the woods, so we went in, but it was this crazy pack of coyotes and-"

"The truth Jim. Those scratches weren't from coyotes." She says worriedly.

"I swear! You can ask Claire." He says.

Barbara gets up, walking towards the window and looking out of it.

"Stop lying to me! You come home covered in bruises, sneak out in the middle of the night, get arrested for a silly chubby tracker?" She says as she turns back to him.

"I know you're angry but-"

"Angry? I'm not angry and I'm beyond worried. I'm terrified! You're young and you think you're invincible, but one of these days, you're gonna- ...Find out you're not. We all do." She says as she sits on the bed again. "Please, tell me what is happening to my son... I found this in a cookbook."