Mrs. Bartlebee's Garden

Frostbitten

     "It was foolish of you to think that you could get her back. She was bitten, there was nothing you could have done." Frostbite mocked as the woman disintegrated to nothing. The boy watched in horror, tears instantly rolled down his cold cheeks. "I don't blame you though, you're young, optimistic, hopeful. You know, the longer you stay, the closer you get to getting bit too." The monster warned with a cackle, inhaling deeply, a glow beginning to emanate off him.
    "I don't care if I get bit, I-I just want her back!" The human shouted as his knees fell weak while he cried more. He sniffled and sobbed, wiping tears with the palms of his hands. "I'll do anything! P-Please!!" Rocket begged as he got onto his knees, staring up at the thorned creature.
    "Anything?" Frostbite asked with a smirk, his empty eyes peering into the boy's. He grinned widely, revealing all his teeth. "Then you need to find a selfless mother. Their souls are the best to eat." The creature instructed, staring down at the human, who finally realized what the troll had meant. The boy's heart broke, staring at his own hands before slowly nodding, finding himself broken, giving up. "Your mother is in this candle, I will wait to eat her but only for one week. If you can get me a replacement, something worth equal or more value, and I'll give her back to you!" Frostbite explained as he pulled out a long black candle with a dimly lit flame.
    "Just tell me who and where I can get her,, a-and I'll do it!" Rocket whimpered as he cried more, feeling entirely helpless. Suddenly feeling pain as his skin slowly changed color and texture, small horns grew from his skull, and a small tail emerging from his back. He then turned his head quickly as Mrs. Bartlebee, Venus, Bulan, and Nøel jumped out from a freshly opened portal behind him, magical auras surrounding them. The tan boy watched them weakly, no longer caring, realizing that it was too late, that this group would try to stop him from getting his mom back. He slowly stood to his week feet, staring at the four with blank eyes.
    The large head of the law enforcement dragon shoved it's way through the portal in desperation to follow the four. All of them frantically scattered and kept their distance, the large reptile shoving itself forward, stretching the portal to it's limits. The dragon broke free and scrambled to it's feet wildly, roaring as it towered above the others in the small frozen cavern. Frostbite stepped back, amazed that the beast followed the group, he then turned to glare at them before the dragon spewed it's neon blue spit at him. He quickly stepped back and it missed. The acidic properties began to tear away at the ground. The monster then growled and looked to them.
    "How did you-!?" He called out in anger before he watched the beast turn to the four, growling and chuffing at them. He then smirked. "Ohhh, it's not with you, it's chasing you! Well, then this makes my job so much easier!" The frozen creature remarked with a cackle.
    "F-Frostbite!" Nøel called out as they meekly stepped forward, in front of the others, feeling a sadness wash over them. "S-She was never in the candle, was she?" The hooded troll asked as they pulled down their hood, revealing their face once again. The beast glared at them, hissing and screeching as he loomed over Rocket, placing his large claw-hands over his ears. "Y-You used me! J-Just like you're going to use him!" He said as the dragon charged forward, destroying everything in it's path. The vampire quickly flew into it's face, capturing it's attention and trying to lead it elsewhere, leaning towards the portal seconds before Frostbite yelled and blew frozen air at the beast, quickly engulfing it in ice.  The witch froze, staring at what was becoming of the boy she had always known. With the flick of her wand she froze time on the human. She then walked to the tall monster with determination. She kept her head up and her eyes forward, giving herself strength even though she was deathly afraid. She watched as the monster's hands began to form into sharp ice crystals, ready to attack.
    "You return him back to how he was, and let him and his mother go, make her well again, and take me instead." Mrs. Bartlebee dictated, staring Frostbite dead in the eyes. She didn't move a muscle, glaring at the near animal. The beast grinned and bowed his spine infested head, and lowered his weapons, the icicles and snow slowly dripped off him as he moved.
    "Your soul is worth so much more than that, Eleanor. I can smell it! Are you sure? Whatever would they tell your husband!?" Frostbite asked, looking intrigued, laughing lowly as he sniffed the angered witch. She smacked his large face away from hers before she looked back at the human. Taking a long look at his features, his dirty white shirt and strung out black suspenders, what would be a day ago his clothes were clean. His small body wouldn't have all these scars and bruises. She frowned before smiling, thinking about all the times he would sneak into her garden to talk to her. The thought about his smile, and how much it would mean to him if she did this.
    "Hold your tongue or I will remove it from you! I choose to sacrifice, but let me say goodbye first." Mrs. Bartlebee replied blankly, gulping down her fear and sadness. Frostbite snapped his fingers and time resumed again, the changes reversing quickly. Rocket thought in a hurry, having a dreadful feeling knot up in his stomach. He turned to the frozen dragon and made a break for it, approaching it and looking to Bulan for help. She nodded as her eyes began to glow and the dragon began to heat, she mumbled things in ancient words, praying to her gods. The dragon roared as it was freed and stared at the seer and the boy, growling as it finally understood. The silver reins shimmered brightly as it turned and began to approach the scene.
     "Rocket, you and your mom are going home! Stop it!!" The witch told, yelling and wincing as the winged reptile bellowed and ran towards her and the villain. Frostbite quickly grabbed the girl's hand and ice began to engulf her instantly "I'm sorry, Rocketship, but this is the only way." Eleanor murmured as she shut her eyes, looking away from what was going to be a disaster. She then held out her pinky quickly, staring the tan boy in the eyes. "Promise me one thing,, that you will never ever come back!" 
    "You said what you needed to say." Frostbite grinned with a snap before the boy's mother reappeared, still asleep, but healthier than she had been in a long time. And the boy was human again, healed and normal. Rocket stood in silence, mouthing words to himself as he slowly stepped closer, pinky promising the frozen woman. "Now that's been delt with, begone with-"
    "Why do you do this? Couldn't there have been any other way?" Rocket asked quietly, holding his mother's hand gently in one hand, feeling it's warmth. Then feeling the witch's hand, cold to the touch. He hugged his comatose mom and began to cry once again. The others watched, now in silence as the dragon collided, destroying bits of the cavern, however the beast and the others moved out of the way
    "Everything alive needs to eat, now stop being ungrateful. Go back to youf world." The beast spat, continuing to grin and loom over the others. They all stepped back, the vampire and the seer slowly lead Nøel, Rocket, and his mother away, going back the way they came, through the magical portal that was opened by the now deceased witch. The dragon continued to chase the monster as it closed. The group found themselves in her garden, all the plants turned to face them, the blue fireflies blinked while the dandelions approached, slowing and chuffing once they realized that their caretaker was gone.
    "How did you find me?" The human asked in a whisper as the garden became depressed, feeling pain and sorrow. The vampire laughed quietly, scratching the back of his head as he glanced to Bulan, who smiled and blushed slightly.
    "We used our powers to scare everyone out of the judgment hall, we grabbed Eleanor and busted out!" King Venus explained with a smirk, he observed the boy, watched him smile too. His smile then faded as the child looked up at the sky.
    "I guess this is,, goodbye then?" Rocket hesitated to ask, frowning slightly as he stared up at his friends. He then glanced to the troll, who put their hood back up. He shook his head at them before slowly hugging them, patting their back awkwardly. They stared at him with a wide eye, they smiled even though it wasn't visible. The boy gave them a long stare before turning back to his friends. "Thank you guys,, for everything."
    "Yeah,, it was a pleasure meeting you, kid Don't forget to tell the stories of us to your human friends!" King Venus exclaimed, trying to make light of their sorrows, the melancholia setting in as he glanced at the plants that slowly began to droop and sink.
    "You're only a few years older than me, but yeah! Of course I won't! How could I forget to?" Rocket asked, then asking himself, thinking about the garden, wondering what it would be like in his world. He then looked to the lone seer and smiled, reaching out and shaking her hand. "Thank you, without your help we wouldn't have been able to find my mom!"
    "I only wish I could have helped sooner." Bulan replied as the boy stepped back, he then looked back to the troll. He frowned and found he had no words.
    "I don't blame you, I don't hate you, but I don't forgive you. Goodbye everyone." Rocket stated quietly as he grabbed the troll's hand gently. Nøel nodded, stepping backwards, the world shifted and it was suddenly daylight. The sky was blue, the sun was bright, the garden didn't exist, and the house was run down and abandoned. The boy stared at at the overgrowth that consumed the backyard, sighing. Alone sat a decaying ukulele in a dirty hammock. The boy picked it up and studied it, holding it close in his free hand, struggling to hold onto his mother. The troll removed their hood to reveal a girl, a human girl, around Rocket's age. Her horns were felt attached to her hood, her tail was clipped onto her jeans. She had a glass eye. She smiled softly as she helped the boy drag his mother back home. After they entered his home, placed his mother back in bed, the girl slowly exited, starting to walk down the street. "Nøel! I,, I forgive you!" The tan boy called out from a distance, watching as she kept moving, she turned and waved.
    "It's Nedra!" The girl yelled happily before turning back around, Rocket watched, starting to take a few steps forward before stopping. He realized it was better to let her go. She walked behind a corner and disappearing forever. The boy quickly walked back inside, stopping in the doorway of his mother's room as he watched her sit up, rubbing her eyes.
    "Hey mom, some nap huh?"