Trolls and the Search for the Missing Mom (remake)

Chapter 28

     "Goodia Synathin," Pansy praised, petting Uueeka, as she put her head against his.

     She looked up at the sound of footsteps coming towards them. It was Branch, running towards the cave, with tears in his eyes.

     "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up a minute, Branch," Pansy said, stopping him, as he tried to run past her. "What's wrong?"
"Just leave me alone! This is your fault!" he cried, trying to run away, but she grabbed onto him, forcing him to stop.

     "What happened, Branch?" Pansy asked calmly, worried about the blue troll.
"You happened! Poppy wants me to go back to Trollstopia, so she can stay here with you!"

     Her eyes widened, as she looked at him in shock.

     "Branch... I...."
"Why can't you just come to Trollstopia!? Then she wouldn't have to leave me!"
"I wish I could, but I can't leave Uueeka."
"You care more about that dumb bird than you care about your own daughter!"

     Pansy backed up a little, offended by Branch's comment.

     "First... Uueeka is a Synathin, not a bird. Second... you're one to talk! Why is it that you don't want Poppy to stay here? Why you want her to go back to Trollstopia? It's so you can be with her. You're not thinking about her... you're thinking about you! You're thinking about yourself, Branch! I'm thinking about my family! Uueeka is my family too."
"And Poppy is my family!" Branch yelled, tears streaming from his eyes. "She's the only family I have left!"
"That's not my fault!" Pansy yelled.

They glared at each other, breathing heavily in anger, until Branch sighed, looking away, sadly.

"Do you know how many years I've lived alone for?" he said softly. "How many years I spent locked away in an underground bunker? Because I was afraid... I was afraid to get to close to someone... love someone... just to have them leave me and get my heart broken again... "

Pansy looked at him sadly, no longer angry.

"I can't be alone again... I just can't... I need her..."

"I'm sorry, Branch... but Uueeka needs me..."
"And so does Poppy..." He looked up at her again. "Poppy needs you... she needs her mother... but she doesn't need me... nobody... needs me..."

     Quickly, Branch pushed past Pansy, running into the cave, so he could leave the grotto.

"Branch!" Pansy called out after him. "Wait! Come back!"

But he didn't stop... he just kept running.

Pansy sighed, as Branch left her sight, turning to walk inside, her head low.

     Uueeka watched Branch leave, in sadness, wanting to, but not knowing how to help.