branch's pov:
i pushed through the bramble of the forest; stumbling over logs and leaves to get back to the bunker.
my chest was heaving uncontrollably but i wasn't going to stop until i knew they were safe.
i just hoped i wasn't too late.
after what seemed like hours of running i had finally reached the entrance of my bunker.
i bent down and held onto my knees in an attempt to regain my breath. but i quickly got back up so i didn't waste much time.
i jumped onto the platform and pulled the lever swiftly as it brought me down to the bottom.
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there she was.
jules' hair was tangled around them; holding them together in place. it looked like they put up a good fight though. the whole room was a mess; books were scattered across the floor, tables were turned upside down, and coffee was splattered against the walls.
"i knew it." i growled between gritted teeth.
"huh!?" she exclaimed.
she whipped her head around quickly to find me standing in front of her.
she finished tying a knot around my brothers, poppy, and viva before facing me fully.
"it's about time you showed up." she snickered.
"yeah branch." john chuckled teasingly.
bruce elbowed him in the side as if to say 'now's not the right time.'
john dory immediately fell silent.
"let them go jules. it's me your after." i said while clenching my fists.
she laughed out loud. "no branch. i'm going to take each one of your family members away just like you did to mine."
she slowly inched closer to me in an aggressive manner.
"starting with him." she smirked wickedly before her hair whipped around floyd's neck.
"FLOYD!!" i screamed out as the ball of hair grew tighter and tighter around my brothers neck.
i jumped over to him; grabbing ahold of the hair i attempted to pry it apart from his neck but with had no luck.
all my brothers were panicking and trying their best to help me out but no matter what we did nothing seemed to work.
jules was some kind of super troll!!
before i knew it floyd's face changed from blue to a deep shade of purple. he reached his arm out in a final feeble attempt to escape.
his arm fell down; signifying his death.
floyd is.. dead?
floyd is dead??
floyd is dead!?
FLOYD IS DEAD!?!?!??
"NOOOO!!" i screamed out while slamming my fists into his body like a baby.
but then something strange happened.
my eyes opened up again.
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everyone was around me.
john.
bruce.
clay.
floyd.
viva.
poppy.
jules.
"branch?!" i heard floyd call out.
he was.. he was alive??
"i-i thought you were dead." i sputtered out before lunging forward to wrap floyd in a hug.
floyd had no idea what i was talking about but he pat me on the back anyways in an attempt to comfort me.
"it's okay buddy." he mumbled and hugged me back.
then i got off him and looked around at everyone. there was a huge awkward silence in the room.
"another hallucination?" clay suggested.
i shook my head slowly. "but it felt so real."
john pulled out three whole bottles of pills. i could see jules eyeing them at the corner of my eye, of course.
wait.
jules.
i don't know how to say this without sounding bat shit crazy.
but i could tell something was off about her. i needed her gone as soon as possible.
but i was snapped back to reality when john nudged me with his fistful of pills.
"take these it'll help you feel better." he offered.
i visibly stuck my tongue out in disgust. "but they make me feel like.. like a zombie!!" i whined.
"branchifer.." poppy started her sentence; giving me these huge puppy dog eyes.
i took the pills from john's hand and swallowed them whole. i gave poppy a small smile before turning to jules.
"you need to go." i said firmly.
her eyes widened in fear before clay interjected.
"about that.." he began.
"we invited her to stay with us for a bit!! just until she gets her life together." floyd said all at once; preparing for the response.
my mouth literally dropped open.
"i don't have an extra room.." i argued.
"don't worry about that. she'll be bunking with me." john smiled flirtatiously to jules.
she winked back.
uh oh.
that's really bad.
i guess they had all collectively decided to not move out while i was gone. which i was a little happy for, because clearly i wasn't in the right state of mind when i kicked them out.
but i couldn't have john and jules sleeping in the same room. i couldn't have her sleeping in the same room as anyone!! after what happened..
i sighed loudly; pulling myself together. it was just a hallucination.
after a bit i finally got up. "whatever, i'm going to my room."
i began walking away but poppy jogged to catch up.
i looked at her questioningly before she handed me my pills.
"i trust you." she mumbled.
you've got to admit that's adorable.
i picked her chin up with my free hand and looked down at her with a smile on my face.
"i love you popifer." i whispered before planting a kiss on her lips.
"i love you too, branch." she smiled with her cute overbite grin.
her face was so flustered and red. it's been a while since i've made her feel like that.
she returned to the living room with my brothers while i walked over to my bedroom; shutting the door behind me.
i placed my pills on the nightstand near my bed before grabbing one and reading the instructions.
"take twice a day.." i mumbled before slamming it back down.
i hate pills.
but poppy trusted me to take those. i didn't want to lose that kind of trust.
suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
"it's me." came jules' voice.
oh gosh.
thats the end!! sorry the chapter was sorta rushed. follow me please :)