Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia

13: Battle of the two bridges

"Maybe you should stay in bed, Arcadia," Arcadia's radio announcer could be heard over almost every radio. "Looks like this storm may stick with us for a while. If you're willing to stay dry, the local high school is performing Romeo and Juliet tonight."

"Master Jim," Blinky said over a message on Jim's phone. "You must listen to me very carefully. They've captured me and want you to come to the bridge...alone. Don't come, it's a trap!"

Now, Strickler could be heard, saying, "Give me that! It appears things have grown awkward, Mr. Lake. Meet me in the alley beside the theater if you ever want to see your friend again."

"Don't open the bridge! Under no circumstan-" Blinky said before the recording stopped.

"I've listened to it a hundred times now," Jim told Toby. They were in the hospital that Jim woke up in. "And I still don't know what to do."

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

"They said I had to be alone. If I'm not, what do you think they'll do to Blinky?"

"Blinky made it clear. 'Under no circumstances."

"Enough friends have gotten hurt because of me. No more."

"Well, it's your call. You're the Trollhunter." He handed him his amulet. "Here. I picked it up in the woods after they dragged you away. I thought since we found it together, we'd always be in this together."

Barbara walked into the room. "Hello, Toby," she said.

"Hey Dr. Lake," he said as Jim set the amulet behind his back. "I was just leaving. He's all yours." He walked out the door. "Can you believe it? Coyotes!"

Barbara shut the door and turned to Jim. "You have good friends," She said. "One even stayed by your side all night."

"Yeah, there's really no one like Toby."

"Actually," she sat down on the bed. "It was a girl. She said her name was Claire. I want you to talk to me and I expect to hear the truth. What were you doing in the woods?"

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

"The truth, Jim," she held up his arm, showing many scratches. "These scratches weren't from coyotes."

"I swear! You can ask Claire."

"Stop lying to me!" She stood up and walked toward the window. "You come home from school covered in bruises, sneak out in the middle of the night, get arrested for a silly Chubby Tracker?"

"I know you're angry, but—"

"Angry? I'm not angry and I'm long past 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. Please, tell me what is happening to my son."

When he didn't respond, she pulled out the letter he wrote from her jacket. "I found this in a cookbook."

"It's...still sealed."

"Whatever is happening," she said. "Whatever it is you're afraid to say, I want you to tell me, face to face. Believe it or not, there was a time when you used to share everything with me."

He didn't say anything, and she stood up. "Fine," She said.

"Mom..."

"If that's the way you feel, your doctor has discharged you, Mr. Lake. Good luck with the play."