Chapter by: Rammstein.
Buzz jerks his head around, sees Bonnie, and begins to panic. He freezes unwillingly and drop to the grass. But Bonnie does not see him, yet. She's gathering up Jessie and Bullseye, letting them go for one more ride around the yard before they go back inside.
Quickly, Buzz Lightyear jumps back up. He crawls along the fence, staying beneath the grass, until he reached the edge of the sidewalk. A loose board greets him warmly. He pushes on it with his foot, and it raises up easily.
Buzz smiles, but it is a sad smile. He looks over his shoulder at Jessie, Slinky, Ham, and all the others, squished in a massive hug between Bonnie's thin arms. I'll be back before you know it, he thinks to them, but they do not hear him.
He pushes himself beneath the board and wiggles out on the other side, rolling across the sidewalk like a plastic toy.
Woody is a few yards ahead of him, striding ahead fearlessly as if he is a human.
"Woody, what are you thinking?" Buzz growls.
He looks across the street where a mother is hooking up a water hose to an elephant sprinkler. Children scream with eager delight, their vomit-colored bathing suits flapping as they jump up and down.
They haven't noticed.
Buzz takes a deep breath and sprints down the sidewalk. His feet slip on tiny bits of sand and gravel, but he does not fall.
"Woody!" He calls, gaining ground.
Woody doesn't turn around until the instant before Buzz runs into him. Their plastic parts crack into each other and Woody's cotton-filled arms and legs flail wildly as they bounce and tumble off the sidewalk and into the street.
"Buzz!" Woody snaps. "What is the matter with you?" He dusts himself off and stands, giving Buzz the most hateful look he can muster. "I never asked you to come with me, so just go back!"
"I'm not letting you go alone, Woody," Buzz tells him sternly, rubbing a small scratch on his white plastic arm. Buzz turns around and picks up Woody's hat from where it had fallen on the curb. He hands it to Woody, who snatches it rudely.
"Like I need you," Woody scoffs.
"I can help you," Buzz reminds him.
"Like how? Huh? Helping us get hit by cars? Great." Woody shoves passed Buzz and climbs back onto the sidewalk.
Buzz walks over and joins Woody. He wordlessly holds out his arm and flips open his Star Command transmitter, where Andy's cell number is written.
Woody stares at it, his eyes widening.
"Stay here," Buzz says, clapping it shut. "Behind this tree."
"What? Why?" Woody demands, longing to see the number again.
"I'm going over there to find us a phone." With that, Buzz hops back off of the curb and beigns marching across the street.
"Buzz, wait! Why?" Woody cries, holding onto the tree, afraid to let go.
Buzz turns around. "Because there's no point in you wandering around aimlessly trying to get back home. We'll just call Andy, and tell him to come get you. Now stay put."
"No, hey!" Woody's voice drops into a fearful whisper. "Buzz, what if they catch you?"
"You're more important to Andy than I am. If I don't come back, promise me you'll go back to Bonnie's."
Woody can't lie to Buzz, so he says nothing.
Children in the background laugh and dance as the sprinkler is turned on. Water droplits burst up into the air, dazzling in the afternoon sun, before raining back down on their grinning faces.
Woody and Buzz stare at each other.
At last, Buzz blinks, lifts his chin, and continues across the road.
To Buck Tick: Short, but still good, ja?