Yeah, I should be working on the next chapter of Meeting the Others…but I saw TS3 today (which was AMAZING) and I just needed to do this.
Woody knew something was wrong the minute he woke up. First of all, it was Saturday, when Andy's mom would usually let him linger on in bed for much longer than a weekday, lazily hugging Woody all morning. However, a strong knock on the door sounded way too early, causing protest from Andy and his silent cowboy doll.
"Andy, we're doing a Garage Sale to clean out Molly's room when we redo it. Do you have anything you'd like to donate?"
Woody awoke with a start. Redoing Molly's room?
He knew what that meant. Redoing rooms means new paint, new decorations, and no old toys. His eyes jolted wide when he remembered…Bo Peep, a lamp, was in there. She was going to go to the garage sale.
He mind begged his body to rush off to the next room, to see if the toys were okay, to help hide anyone that were to be taken away. But he was held tightly in-between Andy's arm and chest, facing right towards the open door. There was no way he could move, not without waking Andy and catching the boy's attention.
"No, mom…" Andy mumbled, still mostly asleep. "I'm keeping all my toys."
"You sure?"
"Yeah…actually, no, you can take the penguin. I'm a bit old for squeaky toys."
Andy's mom opened the door slightly, and Woody prayed that he would get out of bed so his toy could sneak off. He risked one glance down out the toys in the toy box. Buzz and Jessie quietly opened the lid, staring up at him in concern and pity. Jessie's eyes were wide and shaky, gripping her hands together.
"Okay, then." Andy's mom swiped Wheezy from the shelf, squeaking him a few times before dropping him into a large cardboard box. Wheezy gave one last look at Woody before disappearing.
His hands twitched, wishing he could burst out of Andy's hand. As if a punishment for that movement, Andy simply tightened it as he fell asleep again. Woody looked back down at Buzz and Jessie, Buzz shaking his head slowly, his eyes closed. Jessie let out a small sob as she lowered back down into the box.
Time seemed to stand still on the bed. Woody stared across the hall, into the open door of Molly's room. Why weren't they trying to escape? Did they even know? He wanted to yell down at Buzz to warn them, but he couldn't wake Andy. Usually, he loved Andy sleeping with him, his special toy. Today, he hated it.
Finally, Buzz looked back up. Woody frantically motioned with his eyes towards Molly's room, crying out in his head what he needed his friend to do. Go warn them! She's getting rid of them!
Buzz took a moment to get it. But, as fate would have it, the second his eyes lit up with understanding, Andy's mom returned upstairs.
This time, she entered Molly's room.
Woody's mouth itched with the desire to call out. He felt trapped, like he didn't have a mouth at all. All he had were eyes and ears, and they tortured him.
"Well first thing first, let's get the decorations out of here. We know we're getting rid of them. Right girl?"
"Right, mommy." Molly's five year old voice said.
"Like this old lamp. Silly thing is quite too kiddy for you, don't you think?" Andy's mom said.
No…No…Woody closed his eyes. Not Bo…
"Yeah! I'm too old for nursery rhymes!" Molly called out triumphantly. No! How could she be so heartless! Woody opened his eyes again, only to see Bo Peep being lifted off the shelf. He couldn't tell very well, her being very far away, but he was pretty sure she was sneaking a small smile at him before being placed in the box. Woody closed his eyes again, a heavy, crippling weight collecting in his chest. He went limp.
Andy woke up fully a few moments later, starting the toys on an afternoon of play. Woody, however, had no intention of playing, and for the first time in his life, wished he could stop. Each moment that passed was another that Bo Peep could be sold.
"Dr. Porkchop! By the honor of the Star Command, I bid you to…" As Andy bobbed Buzz up and down, the space toy gave a quick glance toward Woody. Finally, Andy's mom called him down to help clean up. The yard sale was over. Woody raced toward the windowsill, frantic. There's still hope…He thought as he climbed. There's still hope…
He reached the edge, looking down to see the leftover items.
There was a princess painting…a Barbie…a "sheep jump over the fence" blanket…
And no Bo Peep lamp.
Woody collapsed onto the sill. She was gone. She was really gone.
"I'm sorry, buddy." Whispered Buzz behind him. He sat down next to Woody on the window.
"She meant so much to you." Jessie forced out, joining them. She looked on the verge of tears.
"Figures." Woody mumbled, resting his fist on his forehead. "Of course someone would buy her. She's beautiful, delicate, smart, kind…who wouldn't want her?"
Buzz placed his hand on his friends shoulder.
"I…I really don't know what to say." He finally said, shaking his head.
"That's fine." Woody replied, sighing. "I really just want to be left alone right now anyway."
Buzz took Jessie's hand and led her away. Woody looked out the window, the birds singing and the wind rustling through the trees. He had seen that sight so, so many times before…but now it was different. Wrong. But nothing in the world had changed. How could something have changed so much, yet stay so much the same?
He dropped down to the floor. He half expected Bo to waltz up to him, take his arm, make him feel better, just like she always did. But no, she wasn't there.
And what about Wheezy? Woody couldn't believe it, but he almost forgot about him. How could Andy, the kid who cried so hard when Wheezy had just broken his squeaker, give him away like he was nothing? There was not even a hint of concern.
Woody looked out the window again. No matter how little it seemed, things were definitely changing, and changing a lot. And they were most likely never to be the same again.