Trolls and the Lost Glitter (rewrite)

Chapter 9

     "No! Please! Don't do this!" Branch begged, as he hung upside down over an active volcano. "Start burning the rope!" the troll with the staff ordered.
"No! Don't start burning the rope!" Branch yelled.

     One of the trolls walked slowly over to the end of the rope Branch was tied to, with a torch.

"Please," Branch begged, pleading with the troll who held the touch. "Please don't..."

The troll looked at him for a moment with an angry glare, before finally using the torch to light the rope on fire.

"No!" Branch cried out, his heart racing.

     The rope began to burn quickly, snapping a little bit under Branch's weight.

Branch dropped slightly closer to the lava below, as he screamed out in pure terror. "AHHHHH!"

     He breathed heavily, his eyes wide, as he looked down at the lava below him, the rope snapping a bit more. "AHHHHH!"

—————

     "Come on!" Poppy yelled, as the group of trolls ran towards troll meadow. "We've got to get to Branch!"
"He's right over here!" Rainbow said, leading them forward.

     They reached the spot where Branch used to be, gasping as they saw the empty cage.

     Tears came to Poppy's eyes, as she looked at the cage, Branch no longer inside of it.

     "No..." she whispered, her heart sinking down into her stomach. "Branch..."

"I'm sorry..." Rainbow said softly.
"We're too late," Gumdrop finished.

Poppy fell to her knees, crying into her hands, as she grieved the loss of her best friend.

Slowly, her friends walked over to her, hugging her comfortingly.

"We're sorry, Poppy..." Guy said softly. "He's gone..."

     "AHHHHH!" a scream suddenly rung out through the forest.

Poppy gasped, her ears perking up, as she turned towards the sound. "Branch!" she yelled, quickly jumping to her feet, and running off towards where the scream had come from. "He's alive!"

—————

     Branch blew at the fire burning the rope, trying to blow it out, but it wouldn't work. It just kept burning, snapping a little bit more.

"AHHHHH!" he screamed, as he dropped down a few more feet.

The trolls stood at the top of the volcano watching, waiting for the final string to snap, sending Branch to his doom.

"Please!" Branch begged, looking up at the troll with the staff, tears of fear sparkling in his eyes. "Please don't do this!"

But she just smirked down at him, waving goodbye.

"Ughhhh..." Branch whimpered in fear, watching as the final string of the rope snapped, sending him plummeting down towards the lava. "AHHHHH!"

     He fell towards the lava, closing his eyes tight, as he braced himself for the burning pain of death.

But then... suddenly... he stopped...

     Panting heavily in fear, he slowly opened one of his eyes, seeing the lava right under his nose.

He opened his other eye, and then slowly looked up, seeing Poppy clinging onto him with her hair.

     "Poppy!" he shouted joyfully, smiling wide. She came for him! She actually came for him!