Trolls and the Sleeping Curse (rewrite)

Chapter 7

     "My feet hurt," Poppy complained, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion."We've been walking for hours."

     "Come on, Poppy. We can't stop now. We don't have much time left," Branch said, looking back at her. "Besides. This was your idea."
"I know... but I'm so tiiiired!" she whined, rolling over onto her back.

     Branch sighed, looking up at the sky as the sun began to set. It was getting pretty late... maybe resting for a while wasn't that bad of an idea.

     "Ok... ok..." he sighed, turning his attention back to Poppy. "I guess we can set up camp for the ni..." He paused, when he saw she was already asleep, snoring loudly.

     He sighed again, sitting down on the ground, as he looked up at the moon shining bright above him. They only had one more day to get to the stone of dreams, before they were stuck sleeping forever.

     Branch looked over at Poppy, who was sleeping peacefully, as he smiled slightly. He could look at her beautiful face for hours, and be perfectly happy.

     Finally, he sighed again, his smile fading away, as he gazed at Poppy sadly.

     They had to get that stone. They had to reverse the curse. He couldn't lose her. He wanted to be with her. He needed to be with her. He loved her...

He sighed one last time, beginning to sing softly, as he gazed at his beautiful wife.

"I could stay awake just to hear you breathing... watch you smile while you are sleeping..." Branch sang softly, looking over at Poppy lovingly. "While you're far away and dreaming. I could spend my life in this sweet surrender... I could stay lost in this moment forever. Every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure!"

     "Don't want to close my eyes... I don't want to fall asleep, 'cause I'd miss you, babe. And I don't want to miss a thing. 'Cause even when I dream of you. The sweetest dream will never do. I'd still miss you, babe. And I don't want to miss a thing."

     "Lying close to you feeling your heart beating..." he sang, snuggling up with Poppy. "And I'm wondering what you're dreaming... wondering if it's me you're seeing. Then I kiss your eyes. And thank God we're together. And I just want to stay with you, in this moment forever. Forever and ever..."

     "I don't want to close my eyes.... I don't want to fall asleep, 'cause I'd miss you, babe.
And I don't want to miss a thing. 'Cause even when I dream of you. The sweetest dream will never do. I'd still miss you, babe. And I don't want to miss a thing!"

     He kissed her forehead, before standing up to look back at the moon sadly, knowing that the next time it rose... He sighed, not wanting to even think about it, as he began singing again.

     "And I don't want to miss one smile! I don't want to miss one kiss! Well, I just want to be with you... right here with you... just like this..." he sang watching the stars, as they slowly began to transform into the shapes of Poppy and Branch, the two of them slow dancing together, while holding each other close. "I just want to hold you close... I feel your heart so close to mine... and just stay here in this moment... for all of the rest of time."

     "Don't want to close my eyes! Don't want to fall asleep! 'Cause I'd miss you, babe!
And I don't want to miss a thing! 'Cause even when I dream of you! The sweetest dream will never do! I'd still miss you, babe! And I don't want to miss a thing!"

     "I don't want to close my eyes! I don't want to fall asleep! 'Cause I'd miss you, babe! And I don't want to miss a thing! 'Cause even when I dream of you! The sweetest dream will never do! I'd still miss you, babe! And I don't want to miss a thing... I don't want to miss a thing..."

     He sighed, as the stars changed back to normal, Poppy and Branch being pulled apart, before slowly fading away...

     "Please..." he whispered, looking up at the sky sadly. "Please let us find that stone..."

     'Brrr...' 🥶 he suddenly heard from behind him, his ear twitching slightly at the noise.

     He turned to see what had caused the sound, seeing Poppy shivering on the ground, the cold air rushing over her.

     Without hesitation, Branch headed over to a short tree, pulling a leaf off of it, to cover Poppy with. He put the leaf over her like a blanket to keep her warm through the night, and then kissed her head gently.

     "Good night, Poppy," he whispered, as he lay down on the ground, snuggling close to her. "I love you."

     He gave her one last loving kiss on the cheek, slowly falling asleep next to her, the two of them keeping each other warm.

—————

     In the morning, Branch woke up to the sun shining brightly in his eyes.

     "Ugh..." he groaned sleepily, rubbing his eyes, as he yawned. "Alright Poppy," he mumbled, trying to gently shake her awake. "We gotta get going. If we don't find that stone by tonight..."

     He stood, but immedioutly fell right back down, unable to keep his balance for some reason.

     "Ow!" he yelped, accidentally banging his head on a rock. "What the..." He rubbed his head, slowly sitting back up. "What just..." he muttered, looking down at his feet, his eyes widening in shock, as he saw that his right foot was completely missing. "AHHHHH!"

     Poppy jumped up at the sound of Branch's scream, looking around frantically in a panic.

     "What!? What is it!? What's wrong!?" she yelled in a panic, still half asleep.
"My foot! My foot is..." He looked down, his foot suddenly back where it belonged. "What?" He wiggled it around a bit in confusion, and then looked at Poppy. "It was gone!" he told her, his eyes wide in horror. "I swear!"

     Poppy shook her head, not really believing him, as she yawned.

     "It must've just been a dream," she told him.
"But... but I..." he stuttered looking back at his foot in confusion. "I swear. It..." He looked up, his eyes widening in terror, as he looked at Poppy in shock.

     "Come on, Branch," Poppy said, turning to walk away. "We need to get moving."
"But... but Poppy..." he stuttered, his voice shaking, as he looked at her in fear.

     "Relax, Branch," she told him. "Everything is fine. It was just a dream."
"Um... unless I'm still asleep... I don't think it was a dream..."
"What do you..." She looked down, both of her hands flickering in and out of existence. "AHHHHH!"