🏠Welcome Home🏠

🏠Chapter 8: The Envelopes🏠

"I'm not sure how long it's been since that day. . . Or night even, but it started off as any day; Painting."

Wally stared at the canvas in front of him, he could paint butterflies, flowers, Home and just about anything but he couldn't bring himself to do anything on the canvas.
*Creak*
"Sorry Home, I do have ideas to paint but. . . It seems I am lacking motivation to do anything, as Frank would say. . . Do you mind if I go on a walk to maybe freshen up or get ideas?", Home was silent, but the door opened and Wally walked out to get some fresh air and to try and make himself feel happy, even if his smile didn't match his mood.

~

Wally walked around the neighbourhood, everything was quiet for the day. . . Far too quiet for Wally's liking, he would give anything to see Barnaby coming out of his house to play, Sally coming to him about a new show, cook with Poppy, explore with Julie, mess with Howdy and catch butterflies with Frank.
But, everyone has been gone for so long one after the other with no explanation so no one came into the neighbourhood to explain why they were disappearing.
"Wally-?"
"Oh!"
Wally jumped, behind him was Eddie and he looked quite unsettled and worried,"You startled me Neighbour!", "I'm sorry for scaring you.", Wally hadn't seen Eddie often, they were the only two left and Eddie spent his days in the office and barely came out.
"Hey, Neighbour. . . How can I help you on this. . . Quiet day?"
Usually Wally would say fine day, but it was just too quiet, Eddie looked stressed and a little. . . Wary,"Listen, Wally can I ask a favour?", "Yes?", Eddie smiled, he knelt down a little closer and lowered his voice slightly,"I just wanted to check on you, are you okay?", Wally looked past Eddie before making complete eye contact with him,"I miss them. . .", Eddie nods, placing his hand on Wally's shoulder,"I know, but I'm sure we'll find then soon.", Wally packed his hand on Eddie's feeling his fuzy, Wally could almost feel the absolute guilt that he couldn't say to Eddie what was possibly happening to his friends and what Wally knew.
"Hey, Wally?"
"Yes, Neighbour?"
"Don't worry, I'll do my part and look for them."
Eddie looked determined as he stood up,"Jsut keep smiling, seeing you smile is enough to keep me going.", with a pat on the head and he walked back to the post office.
"It's not like I can do anything but smile. . ."
"What was that?"
Wally looked up, seeing Eddie looking back at him,"Oh er-Nothing, just talking to myself again.", Eddie nods and leaves for his Post Office. . . Wally sighed, deciding to go look for something to take his mind off things.

~

"Eddie?"
Wally entered the post office, he had a picture he wanted Eddie to have to try and make him feel better bit Wally was surprised to find the office empty but envelopes were scattered on the desk, pens were on the floor along with puddles of ink from broken pens, stamps all over the place and books scattered everywhere along with unfamiliar newspapers and a big yellow book he didn't recognise.
"Eddie, are you here?"
Wally looked at the mess and the yellow book, seeing some numbers circles and one in big purple and red markers and it looked like someone also ripped it out, feeling it was important Wally ripped it out and put in his pocket.
"Eddie??? Are you sleep in your office??"
Wally opened the office door and-
"!"
The office was also trashed.
Wally suddenly felt fear raising, panic too as many thoughts came to mind.
"EDDIE?!?!"
Wally ran out of the Post Office, looking around the neighbourhood like a wild animal and not caring how loud he was, he couldn't lose Eddie; Eddie was all he had left besides Home.
Without thinking, Wally darted into the woods yelling for Eddie and running everywhere he could!
"EDDIE?!?!?!"
Wally then saw him, laying near the exit door and the mail slot that they use to get from the outside like from fans or from the humans that helped them.
"EDDIE!!!"
Wally ran to him, stopping and trying to see any damage,"H-Here, let me help you!", Wally tired to lift Eddie by his arm but his Puppet body was made to be worn like a suit for certain shoots but it still was heavy to keep the head, arms and legs together.
Once Wally realised that he couldn't lift Eddie, so he turned him over-
Wally froze.
The front of Eddie had been damaged beyond his belief, holes in his suit, his eye missing and it looked like something had torn him apart from the inside.
Wally found himself backing away, hearing something in the woods.
"AHHHHHHHH!!!"
Home's eyes perked up, seeing Wally run out of the woods screaming!
Wally ran, knowing it was behind him, Home opened the door and Wally slammed the door shut and locked it manually.
It was banging on the door, Wally knew his body was too weak to hold the door and so he just crawled under one of the tables and covered his ears and head.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!!! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!! PLEASE!!!!"
. . .
The banging stopped, Wally curled in a ball as Home closed the shutters and the inside became darker.
*Creak*
"I'm okay, Home. . . I just want some quiet for a bit. . . Not paint today please. . ."
And Home said nothing.

"After that, I found out what Eddie was doing and when Home found out they said it was for the best I don't go out anymore. . . But I haven't had seen anyone or spoke to anyone in years so when I remembered the paper I found, I thought maybe I'd try the phone to see if it was real and not a toy, when it wasn't I tried to get your attention once I knew Eddie sent your letters."