Despite his own reassurance toward the other toys, Buzz looked around anxiously, half-expecting Lotso or one of his minions to appear. But, without hassle or hindrance, the toys made it to the back door just as it creaked slowly open. Barbie rounded the corner with a big grin, which dropped like a stone when she saw Jessica. She was just about to panic when she caught sight of Jessie.
Jessica watched shrewdly as Barbie relaxed. Yes, it was okay if a toy was damaged, as long as it was a toy she didn't know.
"Is there an opening in the butterfly room for my friend?" Woody asked.
"There are enough openings for all of you," Barbie answered.
The toys were unusually quiet as Jessica followed them down a spotless corridor. Then they made a left turn and walked maybe half the distance before turning right into a beautifully decorated room. Sloppy drawings, obviously created by children, hung lopsidedly along the pastel walls. Toys, toy boxes, and plastic mansions covered the floor and tables. Feeling like she was living in a dream, Jessica walked ahead of the group, her eyes taking in every drawing.
She hadn't seen a kid's drawing in forty-three years.
"What day of the week is it?" she asked.
"Thursday," all the other toys answered at once.
Jessica turned to face them. "If I get played with for one minute tomorrow, it'll be enough," she told them.
"In the meantime we have a lovely little repair spa through here! Follow me, please! Oh, I'm Tour Guide Barbie..." She stopped and turned, looking at Jessica. "Aren't you coming?"
"Why?" Jessica asked plaintively. "What can be repaired?"
Barbie was walking back to her. "Well, in essence, nothing, but you will definitely relax," she said, sounding much too perky.
Jessica looked at Woody and his customized roundup. Then, with a hesitant smile, she confided in Barbie. "I haven't felt this good in many years."
Barbie smiled back. "Well, we're here for you if you change your mind! Welcome to Sunnyside!"
As Barbie walked toward the mansion, Ken asked, "Does anyone need to leave the room?"
Buzz stepped forward without hesitation. "I would feel much safer with our new living arrangements if I saw to it myself that Lotso was gone. No offense," he said. "But we all know who you were."
Ken looked very offended. "Those days are over, Lightyear. But suit yourself. Give the key to Big Baby when you get back." He threw the key onto the carpet. Barbie gave a perky wave before they stepped into the plastic elevator. It lifted them up into the mansion and they were gone.
Buzz walked to the key and bent to retrieve it. Big Baby made a rather cute cooing noise as Buzz walked dutifully past him. He watched Buzz pull the door open enough to squeeze out into the hall.
His plastic boots clunked on the linoelum as he walked slowly down the hall. As he passed the familiar kitchen, he paused and retraced his steps. Peering inside he looked up at the glowing top, half-expecting to see the shapes of toys from within. But the machine was as abandoned as the rest of the room.
He continued to walk slowly through the halls.
-0-0-0-0-
Woody turned towards the spa. "Great. Now I'm nervous," he muttered to his friends. He walked forward and peered into the spa room. Stretch had her back to him as she worked quickly with all of her arms to putter around the room, putting stuff back where it belonged.
Turning, Woody looked quickly up at the dollhouse to see Ken peering at him from one of the highest windows. Ken grimaced before retreating into the darkness.
Woody shrugged it off and looked around the room for Jessica. He didn't find her, but he did see a pile of building blocks. He walked up to them, unable to take his eyes off of them.
Bo...
He sighed in sadness, but as he stared at the building blocks he became less and less sad. Anger took over his face and he kicked the tower down, scaring all his friends.
"Woody? What're you doin' back there?" Slink croaked, as he trotted up.
"Playing Jenga."
Slink observed the tower. "Yer not good at it."
"We can't change anything," Jessie said, as she retrieved some blocks. "We need to leave it the way the people left it."
Woody watched as she helped Mr. Potato Head and Rex restack the blocks, then he threw his arms into the air and walked away.
Jessie couldn't be sure, because he was muttering, but she thought he said something to the effect of, "Yeah, yeah...Buzz doesn't lose a girl; he gets another. Just my luck."
"What is your problem?" Jessie demanded.
"Ah...sorry, Jess. Buzz just got me all nervous when he mentioned Lotso." Woody waved it off and kept walking.
"Look on the bright side," Mrs. Potato Head said. "We're all getting played with tomorrow! By the kind children!"
"Yeah, that's true," Woody muttered. "Thanks, Mrs." He climbed up onto the chair, then onto the table. Sitting down on its polished surface he crisscrossed his legs and looked at the drawings scattered about the table. As Rex and Hamm walked by, Woody overheard Rex ask, "So before she met Mr. Potato Head, was she a Ms.?"
"No."
"But before they met she was single!"
Woody looked up at the interior door as it creaked open. Buzz squeezed in through the gap, offering the key to Big Baby, who took it from him and left, pulling the door shut and locking it from the other side.
Buzz approached Jessie. "The premises appear to be safe. WHOA!" he added, as she suddenly hugged him.
She pulled away just as fast, before he could even respond. "I love you."
He touched her cheek with the back of his fingers, but found he could not honestly return the sentiment. "I...like you very much."
She looked disappointed, but nodded and walked away. He looked at Jessica, who lurked behind the Dreamhouse, watching him with her creepy, unmatched eyes. "Blast," he muttered. He looked back at Jessie, who sat on the bookshelf and closed her eyes. Looking back at Jessica, he marched dutifully forward. Coming to stand behind the Dreamhouse he got right to the point. "Can you leave?"
"What?"
"You've got your legs, I'd like you to leave."
Jessica sneered, the sight of which would surely haunt him forever. "Make me, spacecase."
"Listen, I don't mean to be rude. But I can't look at my girlfriend anymore without seeing..." He ran out of words.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it!" She abandoned her place by the Dreamhouse, leaving him to stare at a blank wall.
Buzz shook his head, slumping against the wall with a soft clack.
Suddenly she materialized in front of him, and he looked up to see...Jessica.
"I just want to get played with," she said simply. "We have the same purpose. Sue me, for wanting to live up to it."
"I wasn't trying to be rude. This mirror image thing is just..."
"Disturbing?" she guessed.
"Well, uh...yeah."
"It's because of my eye, isn't it? How do you think I feel?" she inquired. "I can't even look in the mirror anymore." She stared at him, satisfied when he wouldn't meet her eyes. "Well, when you get damaged, you tell me how it feels."
She turned and walked away, and Buzz looked up at her messy, discolored braid; and the worn ribbon that somehow held it together.
Jessica stopped walking when she stood underneath a chair. Laying down on the floor, she closed her functional eye and tried to relax.