'You're gonna have a black eye!' the voice in Wally's head taunted.
"Shut up!" He said outloud.
'Ah, Mr. Cranky Pants needs his nappy-wappy.'
"Didn't you hear me? I said shut up!"
'You brought this to yourself, you know. Its your fault your dad does this to you.'
"That's a lie," Wally tried to convince himself.
'You know its true. If you weren't always doing idiotic stuff, your dad would treat you good. But you're always doing something wrong. God. You make me sick.'
"Okay, you're right! Now leave me alone."
'Too bad you didn't die. Why did they have to call an ambulance? Everyone would be better off without you.' The voice cackled. 'I'm sure your dad wouldn't mind if you borrowed a knife from the kitchen. Go on. Do the world a favor and leave! It should have been you three years ago, anyway.'
Wally got off his bed and walked towards his door, prepared to go into the kitchen and grab a knife. 'You're right,' he thought. 'I should do something for someone else for a change.'
'Exactly! Be selfless and get rid of your sorry self.'
A loud knock echoed through the house. Mr. Beatles answered the door.
"Hey Mr. B! Is Wally here?" Hoagie asked energetically.
"Um, yes I believe he is. But I'm afraid he can't go outside right now. He's terribly sick. Contagious." Mr. Beatles lied easily.
"Oh. Well, can you tell him that a new comic book came out? Its supposed to be better than any other. . ."
"Yes I'll tell him. Good bye, Hoagie."
"Later, Mr. B." Hoagie left the house and said to himself, "Boy, what a cool guy. I wish my dad was that cool."
He had no idea how 'cool' Mr. Beatles really was. "Get down here, you little germ!" Wally's dad called up the stairs.
Wally dragged himself down. "Yes, sir?"
"I am sick and tired of your friends coming over here." He growled. "I demand that you stop seeing them immediatly."
"What? You can't . . . "
Mr. Beatles whacked his son to the ground. "Oh, but I can. You see, I am your father. You have to do whatever I say. Get rid of your friends, or I'll get rid of them for you." He grinned. "You really don't want to be the cause of more innocent people's deaths, do you?"
Wally gasped. "You wouldn't!"
"I would." He said simply.
Wally ran up the stairs two at a time and entered his room. He wanted to believe his dad was bluffing, but he knew he wasn't.
He had to protect his friends. There was only one thing to do.
He had to quit the only thing he cared about. The kids next door.
Tears filled the short boy's eyes. How could he give up the only thing he cared for?
It was that, or lose his friends forever.
Numbuh 4 hesitantly picked up the phone and dialed the familiar phone number. There was no turning back now.
"Hello, this is Numbuh one speaking," Nigel said formally.
Wally would never talk to him after this. "Hey Numbuh 1."
"Numbuh 4? What's wrong? You're not gonna do something crazy and life threatening, are you?" Numbuh one said in fear for his friend's life.
"No."
"Oh. Well then, what is it?"
"I've decided," Wally said slowly, "That I need more time off."
"How much more?"
"Um, forever." Wally spit it out.
"What are you talking about?"
"Um, I decided that it would be best for everyone if I quit the Kids Next Door."
"What?!?! You're kidding, right? You can't just quit!"
"Um, I've made up my mind."
Numbuh 1 was dumbstruck. What had caused Numbuh 4 to do this? He knew that the Kids Next Door was the highest priority in Wally's life. Why did he just suddenly decide to quit? "You know that once your out, its final right?"
"Yeah."
"And none of us, that is Numbuhs 2, 3,5, and myself, will be able to associate with you ever again."
"I know."
"Are you positive?"
"Yes."
Numbuh one sighed. "When do you want to come get your stuff?"
"Today, I guess."
"Okay." Wally listened to the dial tone for a few moments. This represented the end of everything he had stood for.