This is slightly more of a longer one shot (lol) than I would normally write...but I got the bug when writing this and couldnt put it down. I must be out of the loop when writing shorts, because the ending took a while to come to me. Still not really sure what I think of it...so I'd really appreciate some feedback on this one. :-) Thanks.
Shadow Play
It was the winter after the toys had arrived at Bonnie's. This was a particular night that Bonnie's parents had chosen to take their daughter to see a production of Oliver! at the local theatre playhouse. Left alone in the house for the night, the toys were free to do as they chose.
Woody had chosen to play draughts with Slinky.
Hamm and Mr Potatohead were playing cards.
Mrs Potatohead was reading a book to her three aliens, trying to get them to sleep.
Rex and Trixie were playing a new video game that Bonnie had purchased the week previous.
Buttercup and Bullseye were playing hurdles, using a set of building blocks as their obstacles.
Mr Pricklepants was reading aloud from a book with Dolly sitting nearby, listening to him whilst peacefully sewing - various soliloquies drifted across the room to meet the other toys ears.
Downstairs, Buzz was sitting on the couch in the family room, with none other than Jessie. They had been placed there by Bonnie, since she had taken them from her room to be her companions in front of the television that afternoon.
The two toys had been together now a few months, and the beginning of the relationship was a more than interesting experience for both of them. Although they had known each other years at this point, they were still finding lots of learn about the other, and it was in the quiet times they spent alone together that many of the more unknown things were revealed.
At the present time that evening they were sprawled next to each other, playing a game of Jacks. Jessie bounced a small ball on the couch, and as it flew into the air she collected four jacks quickly before catching the ball again. Next to her, Buzz watched with a smile as his girlfriend passed him the ball.
"Your turn. Five jacks this time!"
With a laugh, Buzz tossed the ball into the air. He turned his attention back to the jacks scattered on the couch, but before he could pick anything up, everything went dark.
In the pitch black, several screams rang out from upstairs followed by a voice.
"Its okay guys, calm down." It was Woody, Buzz could just hear him. "It's probably a just power cut. The lights will be back on soon! Everyone remain calm!"
In the panic that filled the rest of the house, Buzz felt Jessie cling to him. He wasn't fazed by it. He was used to her clinging to him in the dark from when they used to be in the toy box at Andy's. He was always her comfort during the long nights together. Her two small hands were wrapped around his bicep.
"Its okay, Jessie." He was used to comforting her verbally as well. It was nothing new. Looking down in her direction, he noticed his suit had started to glow a faint green. It illuminated the immediate area around them, and glinted off the steel like silver of the jacks they had been playing with.
He got up and passed across to the small side table next to the couch. Grabbing a box of matches, he lit a small candle that sat in a holder there. The flame flared into life, the light playing off the ceiling and wall. It wasn't much, but it might help her panic ease a little.
Walking back over to the cowgirl, he noticed her glancing around fearfully.
"What is it?" He was caught unaware for a moment.
"Something's moving!" Jessie whispered in startled tones, and Buzz looked about. He didn't see anything.
"Where?"
"There!" Jessie moved and pointed, and the shadows on the couch near them danced around merrily.
Buzz smiled. "Do it again."
"Do what again?"
"Move around."
"Buzz, be serious! There's something moving on the couch – right there in front of us!" Jessie declared, her voice a little louder now. Buzz laughed a little and Jessie grew indignant. "Don't laugh at me, Buzz! You know how afraid of the dark I get!"
"I don't mean to Jessie. Its just what you're seeing…it's a shadow."
"A shadow?"
"Yeah. Look." Buzz cupped his two hands together and moved them in tandem in front of the bright light being given out by his suit. On the couch below them, a shadow of a butterfly appeared to move steadily.
Jessie blinked and flinched, moving backwards a little. "How did that thing get in here?"
Buzz laughed. "It's called shadowgraphy, Jess. Here." He put his hands out to take Jessie's. "Let me show you." The space toy took Jessie's hands and pulled her third and pinkie fingers down and tucked her thumb into her palm. "Now, wiggle your two fingers," he instructed, moving Jessie's hand into the light in front of his spacesuit. Jessie hesitated and then waggled her fingers a little. To her surprise, the shadow on the couch took the form of a rabbit. She gasped.
Buzz chuckled. "You can make lots of different shadow puppets."
"Like what?" The cowgirl asked curiously.
"Well like a dog…" Buzz let go of her hand at last and made a dog shadow appear using one hand.
Jessie giggled. "Aw, a puppy. Can you do more critters, Buzz?"
Buzz thought for a moment, before arching his hands and arms to form a shadow of a pelican. He made the 'beak' open and close deftly, as Jessie looked on in awe.
"You're good at that! I wanna see another!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands in glee.
Buzz went back to something a little simplistic, this time using both hands to make a small bird. He waved his hands to make the bird's 'wings' flap, and Jessie laughed softly.
Knowing she would like to see another, Buzz cupped his thumb and forefinger on both hands and put them together in the dim light. What resulted made Jessie grin ear to ear.
For in the shadow, formed by Buzz's hands, was a little heart.
"Buzz," Jessie whispered shyly, as Buzz sat back down next to her and took her hand. "It's so quiet and romantic with the candle flickering." In the dark, her lips found his cheek, before Buzz turned to face her. They kissed for a moment before breaking apart, but stayed nestled together. The glow from Buzz's suit was emitting enough light still for Jessie to see the other movement on the couch.
"Buzz! How are you doing that one?" She asked, pointing suddenly to the shadow on the floor in front of them.
"Doing what?" Buzz asked lazily, tracing a finger over Jessie's cheek.
"That really good...shadow." Jessie said feebly, pointing again.
Buzz glanced round. To his surprise and horror at the same time, a shadow paraded there….and he wasn't responsible for it. He felt his face drain of colour and he gripped Jessie a little tighter.
"Don't move Jess." He hissed, trying to figure out what to do without alarming her. "Keep still and maybe it'll go." He'd heard that was what you did around predatory creatures.
"It's not you doing that?" Jessie asked, fearfully.
"No," Buzz confirmed, tugging his girlfriend tighter into his arms. "If we ignore it, maybe it'll just go away."
But the shadow didn't leave. It remained, frisking across the floor.
Buzz was contemplating using his laser on the demon shadow when the figure revealed itself - and both of them saw it was none other than Bullseye, who had gotten bored of not being able to play hurdles upstairs, and had come to find his mistress.
"You wuss. Afraid of Bullseye!" Jessie's socked Buzz lightly, pulling away from him.
"Oh yeah? You're scared of shadows!" Buzz teased back.
"So are you," Jessie grinned, looking down at the horse who stood on the floor under them, with a confused expression on his face.
"I was not! I….I…." Buzz raised a finger in his defence. He composed himself. "I was merely protecting you from the fiend."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Jessie laughed, giving Buzz an 'I-know-what-you-were-up-to' look. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell the others."
"I don't care if you do!" Buzz returned hotly, shifting where he sat. "They wouldn't believe you anyway!"
"Wanna bet?" Jessie asked with a giggle, getting to her feet and flinging herself off the couch and down onto Bullseye's back. "To the playroom, Bullseye! Yah!"
To Buzz's horror - for the second time that night - Bullseye reared up before cantering off.
"Jessie! No!" Buzz hollered, starting to get up to follow them upstairs. But she'd already gotten a head start on him, he realised, as he dashed after them both.
All that could be seen as he gave chase upstairs, was the myriad of toy shaped shadows dancing on the walls.