TROLL STORIES

Chapter 5

—Will he be okay, doctor? —Grandma Rosie asked the local town doctor.

—I do not find any damage to his body, his organs are fine and everything is intact but it is as if something drains his life force and keeps him so weak, he must be going through enormous stress or depression from overworking, keep him watched and happy —the doctor gave the diagnosis to Branch's worried grandma

—Okay doctor —Grandma Rosie nodded at the doctor's diagnosis.

—Stress, depression, what kind of diagnosis is that? I don't want to die and life doesn't suck, I may have worked a lot, but I'm happy! —Branch grumbled at the doctor's diagnosis who seemed to disregard her patient's claims and only responded with a smile.

—Come on Branch —grandma also ignored Branch's demands and started walking towards the exit, Branch had no choice but to swallow her annoyance and escort his grandma to the exit.

—Since I fell into that pit, everyone seems to ignore me —Branch continued with her affirmations as she pushed her grandmother's chair.

—Because your claims are meaningless and devoid of logic, you are not healthy or happy, constantly fainting is not healthy, you must have hit your head when you fell into that well, I will make sure that you do not overexert yourself and that you are really happy, so you will go out more often with your friends —Grandma was firm, Branch looked sadly at Grandma.

—Grandma, I'm serious when I tell you that I feel good and that I don't have time to go out or rest, I need to take care of you —Branch was unwilling to give in, and that deep-seated stubbornness made grandma angry.

—I DON'T WANT YOU TO WASTE YOUR YOUTH TAKING CARE OF ME! —Very few times the grandma raised her voice and got angry, for a while Branch felt like a child again, the strong voice of the grandmother made him back a few seconds, although he did not remain silent forever.

—WASTE!? YOU ARE EVERYTHING I LEFT IN THE WORLD, DAD, MOM, MY BROTHERS, MY UNCLE, EVERYONE DIED, EVERYONE EXCEPT YOU! DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK I COULD LOSE THE LAST THING I HAVE IN THE WORLD!? ALL MY YOUTH IS USELESS IF EVERYONE I HAVE LOVED IS UNDER EARTH! —It was not the harshness of Branch's voice that made Grandma burst into tears, it was more the bitterness of those words, there was nothing she could do to remove the enormous loneliness that her young grandson had.

—Branchie, my sweet grandson, you are also all that I have left in this world and it is not pleasant to see how you let all your youth spend just to take care of this invalid old woman, you have dedicated all your precious and little youth to take care of me, And then what are you supposed to do when I'm gone? Your friends will have made their lives and you will remain stagnant dying of loneliness and bitterness, for your sake I tell you not to take care of me so much, I already lived my life, it is time for you to live yours, it would seriously hurt me deeply for my memory to transform in a drag that does not allow you to move on, please let me go —Branch burst into tears without knowing how to respond to those words, he threw himself on his grandma's lap to sob— my Branchie, although you are already a handsome and strong man, you keep coming to my lap to cry like a child without caring if someone looks at you. "Grandmother took her grandson's face and dried it with her dress." I will not always be with you. side, I have no wealth to inherit, I will give you the only really valuable thing that you will need in this life, the courage and the light of my soul, be brave Branch, will you do it for me?

—I'll do it granny —Branch stood up and regained his composure—, then let's have some fun, do you want to go to the village tea room? You really liked the cupcakes there.

—It's a great idea, come on! —The grandmother was excited, together they had a wonderful afternoon.

Branch was never good at dealing with sudden changes and losses, it was a wound in his heart that was covered with excessive work and compulsive urges for order and cleanliness, but sooner or later life confronts you with your greatest fear, whether you like it or not. ; Branch spent the most wonderful afternoon with her grandmother, they chatted, ate cakes until nightfall and read stories until sleep invaded them.