The Colors of Love

Chapter Eight

Poppy opened her eyes slowly. She moved around and noticed her arms and legs were tied up to weights. She tried to speak, but she felt cloth in her mouth. Poppy looked around and saw she was floating on a raft down a river.
Straight towards a waterfall.

“Poppy?" Smidge called out. “Poppy!"
“Poppy, where are you?!" Biggie cried. “Oh, where could Creek have taken her?"
“Guys, look!" Cooper alerted. The rest of the Snack Pack joined him.
“Creek's comb!" DJ Suki said.
“The murder weapon..." Cooper whispered dramatically. DJ just ignored him and followed a trail of footprints.
“They went this way! Follow me!"
The eight Trolls made it to the waterfall and saw Poppy squirming in her raft as she drifted towards them.
“Here's the plan," DJ instructed. “Biggie, I need you to hold on to one of the twins and throw the other to Poppy so she can grab her, and she'll pull her back in. Got it?"
They all nodded.
Once Poppy was close enough, the Trolls began to act.
“Let's do it!" Chenille shouted. Biggie held on to her and threw Satin into the river. Satin grabbed onto the edge of the raft and pulled Poppy off of it, only for the both of them to be pulled into the water by the weight of the rocks.
“I can't pull them up!" Chenille exclaimed. I think they're stuck on something!"
“Then let's all pull together!" DJ suggested. The entire gang tried as hard as they could to pull up their friends, but it was just no use.

Meanwhile, Branch was picking blackberries when he suddenly heard voices. They sounded distressed, so he decided to find them.
When he got there​, he saw a group of unusual looking Trolls trying to fish something out of the river. He didn't know what it was, but he decided to help them nonetheless.
In the water, Satin untied Poppy's ropes and pulled the cloth out of her mouth. She felt herself get yanked by her hair and pulled it back in before she and the princess could drown.
The Trolls fell over, but got up to see Poppy and Satin coughing up water they inhaled.
“Are you okay?!" Chenille asked her sister.
“I'm fine," Satin coughed. Chenille gave her a towel and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Poppy!" DJ Suki cried, and hugged her friend. “You're alive! We thought you were dead, but... Thank goodness you're alright."
“I'm doing great," Poppy said, giving a fake smile. “I almost got myself killed again, thanks for asking."
The Trolls were in disbelief.
“Poppy," Biggie asked. “Are you being... sarcastic?"
“YES!"
They all gasped in shock.
“Oh my gah," Smidge said.
“I'm sorry," Poppy muttered. “I don't know why Creek wanted to marry me. I thought he loved me, but he abandoned me to save himself. Why did I have to get attacked by a lizard to see that? I'm such an idiot."
Poppy fell to her knees.
“Poppy, you didn't know Creek would do that," DJ Suki consoled her. “Now that you know he's a selfish jerk, you're better off without him. Now, come on. Let's go home."
“I'm staying here," Poppy argued. “I can't lead the Trolls if I can't make the right choices. How can I save them when I can't even save myself? They're better off without me."
The Trolls watched in horror as Poppy's pink, happy coloring was drained from her body.
“Poppy," Biggie gasped. Cooper's eyes welled up with tears.
Branch felt the urge to cry as he watched the princess become a lifeless gray, just like him. He looked up and saw Poppy's friends. Biggie lowered his head and turned gray, too. And he was followed by DJ Suki, Cooper, Smidge, Satin and Chenille, Fuzzbert, Guy Diamond, and Mr. Dinkles.

🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻🔺🔻

In Troll Village, the Trolls had arrived to Poppy's funeral. Creek wore a black cloak over his shirtless body.
“Creek, I know you must be devastated," King Peppy said to the seemingly heartbroken Troll. “But I'm not going to be around forever myself, so I need to ask you..."
“Anything, King Peppy," Creek replied.
“Will you take the crown for me?" he asked. “With Poppy gone, I have no one left to take my place. And she trusted you. Can we trust you?"
Creek thought about this and said, “I promise I'll do my best."

You guys need to see the demo reel for the Troll 2 Troll shorts. Especially when Poppy told Branch he looked beautiful. It was cute and hilarious!

Until next time.