Next September

Let her go

Disclaimer: this chapter gets pretty intense! You may think "huh why is the author like this? How dare she do this to us", but trust me that you'll thank me in the end. Also this chapter's hella long.

What they saw once past the wall of bushes was probably the most terrifying thing they'd seen that day.
In the front of them they saw Creek dragging a limp looking Poppy behind him.

"Is she dead?" Butterfly asked.

Branch ignored her question and stepped out from the bushes. He was about to run for Creek, but Butterfly's grip stopped him.

"Wait!" She whispered, "you can't just waltz right up to him without a plan".

Branch turned his face to look at her. His eyes were red and tears ran down his cheeks, "you just watch me" he pulled away from her and ran into the fog.

"Wait! Branch!" Butterfly tried to keep up.

"Creek!" Branch yelled.

He turned to see Branch and telling by his facial expression, he wasn't expecting him to show up.

"Let her go" Branch said walking towards him.

"Ahhh Branch, so we meet again-"

"Let her go!" He started to run again.

Before he could get any closer Creek suddenly pulled a small knife from his pocket and held it to Poppy's throat. As he did a small prescription bottle fell from his pocket. Branch stopped dead in his tracks.

Creek chuckled, "I see you escaped. That's good, that's good. There was a little part of me that was hoping you'd be here for this"

"Let. Her. Go" Branch took another step.

The purple troll held the knife out, pointing the tip at him, "I wouldn't come any closer if I were you" he said as a sincere warning.

"Or what-"

"Or the queen gets it!" Creek returned the knife to Poppy's neck. She cocked her head in response and let out a small whimper.

Branch was relived she was alive, but she was clearly not well. It broke his heart to see the love of his life in Creek's arms, helpless and defenseless. He felt as though he was stuck, watching Poppy come closer and closer to death, when he spotted Butterfly out of the corner of his eye. She was sneaking up from behind. It looked like she was trying to get the orange bottle from the grass.

"Creek stop this" he tried to keep him distracted, "you don't have to-".

"How'd you get out anyway?" He cut him off, changing the subject.

Butterfly was so close to the bottle.

"I saw Mallory lock you up. You must've met Mallory, really nice girl. She's been a great puppet, let me tell you" he smirked.

Branch would defend her, but Butterfly almost had it in her hand she was that close.

"Kind of odd though" he continued, "You're the only one that escaped?" His eyes locked with Branch's, "oh wait".

Before Butterfly could snatch up the prescription bottle he kicked it to one side and kicked her the opposite way. Butterfly rolled across the wet grass, hugging herself. Luckily. she was fine, but kept a good distance away from Creek.

"Don't hurt her!" Branch yelled walking closer.

"Don't move" Creek pressed the blade against Poppy's throat. His death stare returned to Branch.

The blue troll stopped in his tracks. He went wide-eyed and could feel his heart racing; his pulse pounding. Then all of a sudden, it stopped. Branch chuckled looking at the ground and playfully raising his arms into the air.