Trolls and the Sleeping Curse (rewrite)

Chapter 9

Poppy and Branch walked through the forest together, holding hands as they smiled at each other, not worrying in the slightest about what would happen if they didn't find the stone of dreams, because they knew they would. They had each other...

     It wasn't long before the two trolls reached the tunnels of certain death, both of them freezing in place, as their smiles slowly faded from their faces.

     "W... well..." Branch stuttered, suddenly nervous. "We gotta go through one... one of these..."
"Which one?" Poppy asked, looking up at her husband.
"Um..." he stuttered, pulling out the book, to look at the map. "Uh..." He looked up, and then pointed at one of the tunnels. "That one."

They both looked at the tunnel Branch was pointing to, their hearts instantly sinking into their stomachs. It was the darkest of them all, and a strange smell wafted out of it, making their noses scrunch up in disgust.

     "Wha... what do you think is in there?" Poppy asked, fiddling with her fingers nervously.

     "I mean... I'm not positive..." Branch stuttered, staring into the dark tunnel. "But I'm gonna guess... certain death." Poppy glared at Branch, annoyed by his answer. "Sorry," he said, looking at her apologetically. "Force of habit."

Poppy took a deep, calming breath, beginning to slowly walk towards the tunnel.

"Cupcakes and rainbows. Cupcakes and rainbows," she whispered to herself, Branch walking over to her, and gently grabbing her hand in his. "It'll be ok," he whispered to her comfortingly.

     Poppy looked at him, and then nodded.

     "I know it will," she said, smiling up at Branch. "Ok... let's do this."

They stepped into the tunnel together, holding each others hands in their own, as both of their hearts raced in terror.

     Immediately as they stepped into the dark tunnel, a gust of cold wind blew over them, a quiet moaning sound being heard in an echo throughout the cave.

"Ok... bright side..." Poppy said to herself, as they walked slowly through the tunnel. "Um... we're together..." she said looking up at Branch. "And... and..."
"Ruuuuuugh!" a groan of anger suddenly rang out from behind them.

They both jumped, spinning around quickly to see what had caused the terrifying sound.

"Wha... what was that?" Branch asked in a whisper, scanning the darkness surrounding them. "Um... a nice critter that will help us get through the tunnel safely?" Poppy said with an innocent smile, trying to be her useful positive self. "Now's not really the time for that positivity, Poppy," Branch said, not even looking at her as his voice trembled in fear.

     "Ruiuuuuuugh!"

They both flinched at the sound, a huge dark shadow slowly creeping around the corner in front of them.

     "Uhhhh..." Branch and Poppy both whimpered softly, slowly backing away, as they held each other close.

The shadow got closer and closer... getting bigger and bigger as it approached it's meal.

     Poppy and Branch hugged each other tight, shaking rapidly, as they stopped their retreat, frozen in fear.

"Ruuuuuuiiiaaaaaa!" they heard, causing them the flinch again. What were they going to do?

Quickly, Branch got in front of Poppy, putting his arms out to shield her. It didn't matter what this creature was... he had to protect her... no matter what...

Suddenly, the creature creating the shadow was seen, skipping around the corner cutely. It was just a little puffball.

"Hugh?" Poppy and Branch both said, cocking their heads slightly in confusion.

"Awwwwww!" Poppy finally shouted, her face lighting up with the biggest smile ever. "It's so cute!"

She pushed past Branch, running quickly towards the creature.

"Poppy wait!" he warned, trying to stop her. "You don't know what that thing is! It could be dangerous!"
"Aw, Branch. Look at him," Poppy giggled. "This little guy couldn't hurt a fly. Boop!"

     She booped it's nose, smiling at it lovingly. Let's just say... the creature didn't like being booped...

Suddenly, the fluff ball began to grow, growling in anger.

     "Uh... what's happening?" Poppy asked, her smile immediately fading from her face, as she slowly backed away.

     The fluff ball grew bigger, and bigger, until it became a giant monster with big, sharp razor-like teeth.

"Uhhhh..." poppy and Branch stuttered, looking up at it in fear.
"Ruuuuuuuuugh!" it roared, its breath, blowing onto them.
"Umm... I stand corrected," Poppy whimpered softly, her voice trembling in terror.

     "It... it's ok..." Branch stuttered softly. "It... it can't see us. We're... we're g... ghosts... re... remember?"

     The creature locked it's eyes on the two trolls, growling softly.

     "Um... I think it sees us..." Poppy whispered nervously.
"N... no. It... it's impossible," Branch responded, pushing Poppy gently behind him. "It can't see us..."
"Well... you might wanna tell it that..."

     "Raaaaaaaaagh!" it roared again, chomping its fangs at the two trolls, actually scratching Branch's arm.

     Branch looked at his now bleeding arms, his eyes wide in terror.

     "Uh... B... Branch..." Poppy stuttered. "It definitely sees us..."

     "Rughiiaaah!"

     "RUN!" Branch yelled, quickly grabbing onto Poppy's arm, and running away through the tunnel of darkness.

The thing chased after them, moving much faster than the trolls could, quickly gaining on it's prey.

     "Turn!" Branch yelled, taking a sharp left down a different tunnel. The creature ran past, skittering to a stop, before turning around, to fallow them once again.

"Branch!" Poppy yelled out in a panic, running behind the blue troll, as he dragged her forwards. "Look out!" She pointed up ahead at a cliff, right at the end of their path.

     Quickly, they both stopped running, looking into the deep hole of blackness, their eyes wide, as they panted heavily in both fear and exhaustion.

"It's a dead end!" Branch yelled out in a panic.
"Please don't use that word," Poppy begged.

"Ruuuuuuuuuiiiiiiaaaaaoooooo!"

The two trolls turned quickly, seeing the creature standing just a few feet away from them, beginning to slowly approached it's lunch.

"Um... Branch?"

     They backed up to the edge of the pit, Branch standing in front of Poppy, blocking her from the creature.

It stepped closer, and closer, licking it's lips, as it smiled evilly at the two trolls.

"What are we gonna do?" Poppy whispered, looking at Branch in fear.

     Branch looked back at the hole, gasping with an idea. A really bad... truly awful... idea...

     "Jump!" he shouted.
"What!?" Poppy yelled back in shock, but before she had a chance to say of do anything else, Branch jumped into the pit, dragging her with him, as the creature chomped it's jaws, just barely missing it's prey.

"AHHHHH!"