Learning to Care

Chapter 11

*last chapter my dears! One tiny sort-of spoiler for part 2*

Vendel guessed that Blinky would return to normal by morning if his timing was correct. When the tiny troll got tired, they put him down for a nap in Vendel's quarters. Jim texted his mom just in case she woke up to say he would be sleeping over at Toby's, then the humans went with Aargh and slept in the library.

Blinky woke up and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He then looked around and sat back in shock. Why was he in Vendel's rooms? The last thing he remembered was trying to warn Toby about the Gritnanka. Who had been hit? Blinky got up and left in search of his friends, but not before noticing the drawings plastering Vendel's walls. He found everyone asleep in the library, with Vendel calmly reading one of Blinky's books. He looked up as Blinky and grinned, standing quickly and exclaiming, "Welcome back Blinkous! We were starting to miss you." The three teens stirred and woke; when they saw Blinky, they all grinned excitedly. Jim and Claire rushed to Blinky and hugged him, Toby and Aargh joining them a second later once Toby had woken up his large wingman.

Blinky gave a small, nervous laugh, squished by all of his friends. "Is everyone alright? I can't remember anything after the Gritnanka was activated. Tobias, it was in your hands, are you quite alright?" He looked over Toby, and although the boy was fine, he was surprised to see shame in Toby's eyes.

"I'm sorry, it was all my fault. I set it off, I'm so sorry. You were a baby for two weeks, you don't remember anything?" Toby looked startled, but then started to smile a little when Blinky burst out laughing. "So that's what it does! Very exciting." Toby gaped at Blinky and squaked, "Exciting?! Blinky, we had no idea what to do! You almost died, and it would have been all my fault." Blinky shook his head, retorting, "It worked out fine, didn't it? I'm back now and no harm done. I want you to know that I am not angry with you Tobias." Toby looked relieved, and the situation resolved itself.

The next day, the humans had gone home. Aargh was somewhere in troll market, and Vendel was taking care of his duties as leader, leaving Blinky to himself in the library. In his hands were the drawings that he had apparently made. He thought they were cute, but it was strange to know that he had drawn these. Turning one over, he noticed a message scrawled in messy trollish.

This is for you Dictatious, my favorite brother. Well you're my only one but still. I hope you come home soon. I know you don't like me to bother you but maybe we could play after you read this. It's been such a long time since we played.

Love, Blinky

Blinky set it down, remembering his brother, truly thinking about him for the first time in quite awhile. It had taken him a long time to realise that his brother had never really loved him. It had taken punches, kicks, biting words... and yet he had still mourned Dictatious when he had died. Blinky set down the drawing, remembering that it was better to live in current happiness then to dwell in old sadness. Blinky left the library to find his friends, and in doing so, left his brother behind once and for all.

Vendel never said a word, but he had really liked having a young troll around. The old troll kept Blinky's drawings in his rooms until the day he died, drawing comfort from their colorful innocence.