What Am I?

Chapter 8: you know Who helped me??

After a few minutes of searching, Poppy found movement behind a building. The figure was the size of a troll. She moved closer to it. "Branch?" As she moved closer, she saw him. His sight brought a big smile on her face, but when she saw closely, her smile faded and her heart dropped. "BRANCH,YOU'RE-"

He freaked out. He wanted to run, but he was cornered. His fear came true. Now Poppy knows too. Why do these things always happen to me?  He didn't know what to do. All he can do now is confess, but he stood as still as a statue.

Poppy couldn't believe her eyes. It happened again. She didn't want it to, but here they were. "Branch, you're...gray!!" She wanted to cry. He only stayed happy for a couple of months. She feared that he would stay gray for another set of long years, but she refused to let negative thoughts fill her mind. She tried to calm down and reason with it with a positive attitude.

Branch shook. He was able to speak now. "Poppy, I can explain." Poppy crossed her aems amd waited. Branch took a deep breath and explained. "Poppy, I turned gray because of everything that has happened. It all happened so quickly and unexpectedly. Now that I found out that I'm gonna be prince and soon king, I fear that I'm going to fail. I might be a terrible ruler."

Branch spotted his dad, Tree, looking for him. He tried to hide in the shadows, but his glowing eyes gave it away. Tree spotted him in almost a second.

Tree's heart dropped when he saw his gray son. "Branch, what happened. What are you gray?"

Branch gulped and said to his dad the same thing he said to Poppy. After he finished, tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He dropped down with his back against the wall, put his head on his knees, and cried. "I'm sorry, Dad. I really am."

Poppy and Tree looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Then Tree stepped up. He kneeled down next to Branch. "I know all of this is overwhelming, but every little thing is gonna be alright."

"HOW!?" Branch screamed with tears in his eyes. He looked up at his dad. He immediately regretted screaming.

Tree, however, remained calm. He knew Branch didn't mean to scream at him. "Let me tell you a story." Poppy sat next to them and listened to the story. "When your grandfather, King Leaf, appointed me king, I was just as scared as you were. Well, maybe a little less. But the point is I was afraid too. I feared the same fears you fear. I was overwhelmed and scared. I wanted to run out of the castle."

Branch wiped his tears. "So how'd you deal with it?"

"Well, I had a lot of help. When I turned to the right path and figured out the solution, a weight had lifted up my shoulders. It felt so light; lighter than it was before I figured out I was gonna be king. This solution will help you and even Poppy."

"What's the solution?"

"It's not really a what. It's more like a Who." Branch was confused.

"I don't get it. Someone helped you?" Tree nodded. "I'm guessing he's still living today?" Tree nodded again.

Branch was no longer crying. A spark of hope filled inside, and the tips of his hair formed color. Poppy and Tree smiled since his color was coming back. Hallelujah that hid grayness that he didn't have to stay gray for another large set of years.

Branch waited for the answer. "Who helped you?"

Tree looked at him like he knew the answer. "YOU KNOW WHO HELPED ME??"