I'm free falling. I can barley focus but I force myself to. Just before I hit the ground I flip the switch on the space gun thingy and I land in the ground safely. The space gun transformed into a shield, absorbing the impact.

I get up and give Steve a thumbs up then wait for him to come down.

When he hits the ground he hugs me so tight that if the fall didn't kill me he surely will.

"I swear to god Eli." He pulls out of the hug but keeps his hands on my shoulders. "Are you hurt? Are you ok?"

I nod. "I'm fine." I wince when Steve squeezes my shoulder.

"Well thank god. I was so scared when you fell. Don't ever do that again."

"Yeah I wasn't really planning on falling out of trees anytime soon."

"Good. Lets just go home now."

"Yeah." I look at the thing in my hand, by now it's shrunk back down to protractor size. "If this is some sort of alien tech weapon, then what do you think Aja and Krel are here to do?"

Steve shrugs. "Couldn't tell ya."

"One things for sure tho, we can't give this back to them."

"Agreed."

Steve and I start walking home. We avoid the bonfire altogether, figuring that we already defeated the thing we were gonna warn everyone about.

"We need to talk to Jim about this." I say. "I'm not sure if he already knows about Aja and Krel, but I'm almost certain he doesn't know about this thingy."

Steve nods. "Tomorrow. I'm too tired to deal with this anymore."

---

"Jim can I talk to you about somethin after school?" I ask.

He looks at me concerned. "Is this about..." He trails off, letting me fill in the blank.

"Yes."

Jim nod. "Walk home with Claire Toby and me, were going to my house today, we'll figure everything out."

---

Jim pushes open the door to his house. We agreed that we wouldn't risk talking about sensitive matters on the sidewalk where anyone could hear.

We all step inside.

In Jim's living room, all of our parents are sitting there. Even Coach Lawrence.

"Fuck me." Steve mutters, glaring at coach.

"We need to talk." Jim's mom says, crossing her arms

"Whats going on? On the phone you said our children's lives were in danger." Claire's mom says. 

"I think it'd be best if they explained." Jim's mom looks at the five of us. "Kids?"

We all look around nervously. My heart is pounding in my chest. 

"I don't know what shes talking about." Claire says, and we are all quick to agree. 

Claire's dad sighs. "Its the drugs isn't it." 

Jim's mom shakes her head. "It's not drugs, its trolls." 

I swallow nervously. 

"The internet." Coach says. "I always knew that google thing was a trap."

"Not internet trolls, real trolls."

Everyone laughs, our parents hysterically, the Trollhunters and Creepslayerz nervously. 

"Our kids are fighting trolls, and helping them."

"I believe you." Claires mom says, then goes into this mini speech about stress and anxiety and therapy and all that jazz. 

I glance over at Mom. She's looking at me, very confused. I cant tell what she's thinking, if she thinks I'm doing drugs in my free time, or maybe she does believe Jim's mom, I've never been good at reading expressions and emotions. 

"Trolls living beneath us?" Toby interjects. "That's crazy, compleatly impossible."

"Jim, tell them, please."

Jim looks down and stumbles to find words. Then after a long moment of silent tension he exhales a breath and says, "The hospital asked her to take some time off, she hasn't been feeling well."

"What?" Jim's mom glares at him. "Look in their bags! I'm sure you'll find a few surprises." Jim's mom picks up our backpacks and throws them at our parents. 

Steve taps my hand and I look at him, he's ghostly pail and honestly looks like he's about to pass out. 

"I have a pride flag in my backpack." He whispers. 

My mouth drops a little and I'm sure I turn a simaler shade of white as Steve. 

"Shit." I whisper back. 

His eyes are filled with fear. 

"I won't let him hurt you." I say, and give his hand a quick squease. I let go of Steve's hand, but he twines his fingers through mine so I hold on, knowing he needs me. 

On the coffee table is a collection of trollish artifacts, Jim's amulet, Claire's shadow staff, Toby's hammer. 

Mom takes the alien protractor thingy out of my bag. "Whats this?" She asks. 

"A protractor?" I say nervously. 

She looks me in the eyes before putting it on the table with the rest of the things. "You don't have math this semester." 

Jim, Claire and Toby look at me, I just shrug. 

I look at Coach, who opens the front pocket of Steve's backpack. His face falls and he whips something out of the backpack. 

"What the fuck is this?" He's holding the flag. 

Steve is holding my hand so tight my fingers tingle. 

"I-I-" Steve stutters. I can see his eyes water with tears. 

Coach glances down and sees our clasped hands. He scowls and rips the fabric of the flag. 

Steve's mom grabs Coach by the collar of his shirt and punches him in the face. "Get out!" She screams. "Go home! Or better, leave don't come back to my house with my son!" 

"Fucking disgusting, unnatural, freaks." He mutters on his way out. 

Steve's mom wipes tears from her eyes and takes Steve's other hand. "Lets go outside for a sec." She whispers. Steve lets go of my hand and goes outside with his mom. 

The room is dead silent, everyone too awkward to say anything. 

Then there's a loud crash and a door banging open and suddenly, goblins. 

A/N Hoooooooooooooly that hurt me to write. Gah I'm sorry for the sad chapter and cliffhanger ending. But hey has anyone noticed that I'm posting more than once a month, that's pretty good.