[1] 𝐁𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 [Trollhunters]

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE LETTERS

𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙 𝘚𝘌𝘝𝘌𝘕
❝𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐀.❞
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.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 dismissed these tales as mere legends, the recent disappearance of Jake Simmons was enough to reignite the fear that had long been suppressed.

One fateful evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, the eight-year-old was riding on his bicycle around the block near his house. He speedingly wheeled around, as he constantly beckoned his mother to look at a new trick he learned just a few days prior. He had worked really hard on this particular trick and had recently showed his friends, who were utterly awestruck.

"Mom! Look! Look at me!"

His mom peered from the front porch, then laughed and cheered him on, further encouraging her son. They lived extremely close to the woods and so their neighborhood was blanketed in trees and shrubs. After dinner, he played in the backyard and found himself wandering deeper into the woods than ever before. Ignoring his mother's warning not to go out and unaware of the lurking danger, he ventured farther away from the safety of his home.

As darkness enveloped the landscape, Jake's heart pounded with excitement and trepidation. The rustling leaves and creaking branches around him added an eerie soundtrack to the growing unease in his young heart. But he pressed on, drawn by an inexplicable force that beckoned him deeper into the unknown.

Suddenly, a faint rustle came from behind, sending shivers down his spine. He turned around, and there, in the dim light filtering through the trees stood a creature unlike anything he had ever seen before. Its eyes glowed with an eerie luminescence, and its elongated limbs seemed to reach out hungrily.

Fear gripped Jake's every fiber, panic set in, and with a sudden burst of adrenaline, he turned and ran, his heart pounding in his ears like the beating of war drums. The creature pursued, its limbs propelling it with unnatural speed, reaching out with bony fingers eager to snatch its prey.

Jake darted through the trees, his breaths ragged and uneven, his small legs carrying him as fast as they could. He stumbled over roots and rocks, but the fear-fueled determination kept him going. The creature's low growls and guttural sounds echoed behind him, an ever-present reminder that escape was a matter of life and death.

As the night grew darker, Jake's vision blurred with tears of desperation. He could feel the creature's bony fingers brush against the back of his shirt, almost within reach. But he pushed himself harder, fueled by the terror and the thought of never seeing his mother or family again.

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.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Throughout the first few weeks that she's been living in Arcadia, she's been writing back and forth nonstop to Amara. The two haven't seen each other in so long and Libby missed her dearly. She felt that Amara was the only one who could understand her. She didn't know how much Amara missed Libby also.

And here she was.. way past her bedtime, writing back to her. She'd been feeling a bit blue these past few days, the homesickness kicking in. She even swore that she cried a little as she was settling into bed. But when she couldn't sleep, she went to her desk and started writing.

"Hey, Amara. This is Libby here. Haven't seen each other in over a week now and I'm doing my best here in Arcadia..." the letter started but she paused midway. As she began to pen her thoughts, Libby couldn't help but reminisce about the countless memories they had shared. From their first day of school, where they instantly clicked, to their adventurous road trips and late-night conversations that seemed to last forever, their friendship had stood the test of time.

"I wonder how life's treating you back in Ethenia," she continued, her handwriting reflecting the care and tenderness she felt towards her dear friend.

Libby went on to write about the wonderful trip she had and the diner they went to eat at. She expresses how she's never tried Belgian Waffles as great as the ones in CA. Libby continued to share their old inside jokes, shared interests, and the genuine bond they had formed back in Ethenia. She wrote to her about the strange sightings in town that have left the people concerned. She claimed that they were only rumors and there was no way that these creatures would be roaming around town like that. It just didn't make sense.

Libby paused for a moment, reflecting on a recent tough period when Amara had been facing challenges of her own. She wanted to ensure Amara knew she was never alone.

"I miss you, Amara. We'll see each other soon, I hope. Good luck with our project!" She adds in a cheeky reference to the project they were supposed to work on together, but couldn't.

As she concluded the letter, Libby signed it with a flourish, sealing it in an envelope and placing a stamp on it. She knew that sending an actual letter in the digital age might seem old-fashioned, but she believed it would hold a charm that an email or text couldn't replicate.

With a contented sigh, Libby slipped the letter into her bag, ready to mail it the next day. She was eager for Amara to receive it and, in her heart, knew that their friendship would continue to flourish, no matter the distance.

"Hope it finds you well, A."

She looks back at all the previous letters she'd sent and those she received in return. She gathers up some little trinkets that she was sent from Ethenia, along with a couple of books, and some collages of Ethenia that Amara made herself.

Libby tried her best to adjust to her new surroundings, but every step she took in Arcadia felt like an echo of a distant memory, a faded reflection of the vibrant life she had once known. In the evenings, she would sit by her window, just gazing at the stars. She missed the mystical adventures, the enchanting melodies that filled the air during festivities, and the bond she shared with creatures of lore that seemed to thrive only in the realm she once called home.

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.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Back in the neighborhood, it wouldn't be until a few hours later that Jake's mother realized that something was seriously wrong. After departing from the home to get the week's groceries, she left a neighbor in charge, one of who was a close friend of the family. A huge concrete wall of trust had been formed after many years. She wouldn't be long, the mother thought. She'd be home quick. She did this many times and everything was okay.

Today would be different. The boy continued to play around, finishing up a chalk drawing he'd been working on for a couple of hours. Then in a blink of an eye, with single clean sweep, he was nowhere to be seen. And that would be the end of that. For now.

The mother would return home from the super market, heavy paper bags in tow, only to find her son gone.

Petrified screams filled the silence in the night at the discovery. "He's not here! He's GONE! SOMEONE HELP! HELP ME! HELP ANYONE! HELP! MY BOY IS GONE!"