'No!' His mind shouted at him. 'This isn't happening!' He glanced around at his friends. The desperation in their eyes caused him even more despair. 'Do something you idiot!' he mentally screamed. He couldn't-wouldn't-let them just...die. His eyes met brown ones and Jesse seemed to bare into his soul. Her eyes alone made his heart break.
His hand gripped his two best friends harder. The hellish fire came closer as each moment passed.
'Let it be soon. Let it be quick.' Not for his sake. No, never for his sake. His only though was for his friends. His family. Mr. and Mrs. Potato head gripped each other's hands, holding on for dear life. As if doing that would suddenly make everything better. Maybe it did. Hamm's round body and Rex's green one were shaking. Hamm was never one to display weakness, and for him to show only them his true emotions in their last moments was an honor. Even if he didn't think they saw. Rex was always the most sensitive one, and he was adored for it. He was loyal through and through.
Tears slipped down his face. Like Hamm, he tried not show anything that could be mistaken as a weakness, but because he was someone the rest looked up to. His eyes landed on Jesse and Bullzeye. His furry companion had a look of sadness etched deep into his huge eyes. His paw rested lightly in Jesse's hand, which had a painful looking grip on it. Tears were sliding down his long nose.
Jesse. He sucked in his breath. Her red hair (was that a speck of green?) had fallen loose into her face. The fire was coming even closer now and a long drip of plastic was running down her face. The tears came harder now.
'So much...'He didn't finish the thought. It was too painful. Her eyes bore into his. She was speaking with no words, something they long ago had perfected. Her small hand curled tightly around his.
And then he saw him. His best friend. 11 years. His best friend for 11 years. And now it was coming to a close. Blue and brown eyes locked. Apologies were said- mentally of course. They were the leaders. They had to stay strong till the very end. To give the others strength. Even if that end was near, very near.
The flaming inferno drew nearer. The crushed garbage beneath him was sliding faster and faster as the incline grew steeper.
His head was pounding, his eyes were tearing, and his body felt like it was melting.
With a sudden jolt the chain of toys was pushed forward by a sudden drop.
"I love you!" He shouted in desperation. He didn't know if she could hear over the roar of fire, but he had to get it out there.
Even as they fell their chain didn't break. Death grips was a literal term in this scenario as they fell...and fell...and fell...
The twenty second drop felt like a lifetime of reliving memories.
And in those twenty seconds, with his hand enclosing Jesse's and his very best of friends, his mantra repeated over and over.
To Infinity And Beyond...
To Infinity And Beyond...
...'T Infinity And Beyond...
...'T...Infinity And Beyond...
...Infinity And Beyon...d
...'Finity And Beyond...
...'And Beyond...
...Beyond...
And, in those last few seconds of awareness, before the searing red pain became cool black, as the plastic melted off, as his hand and Jesse's and his friend's were almost welded together and then broken off slowly, as his everlasting space laser and helmet fell apart, he realized something very impor...
Buzz Lightyear had finally reached Infinity. Now all he had to do was wait...