Welcome Home!

Part 16: Just in Time

I burst through Home's door and wrapped my arms around Wally. He dropped whatever it was he was holding. It sounded like metal, but I couldn't bring myself to look. I didn't want to know what he was planning to do with such an object.

"..You said she'd get better..." Wally muttered. I could hear anger seeping into his voice. "You told me everything would be fine! That she'd get better!"

"Wally, I didn't know this was differ-"

"Didn't know? Didn't KNOW? Then, why did you lie to me if you didn't even know it for certain?" he asked. He sounded so pained and angry.

"I was just trying to loft your spirit a bit!" I reasoned. Wally wriggled out of my hold and faced me, arms crossed.

"You. Lied."

"Wally, come on. This isn't good for you! I mean, look at what you were about to do!" I pointed at the sharp object on the floor. I didn't know its name, but it had a blade and handle.

"What do you think I'm going to do?" Wally leaned in closer to my face. His eyes widened completely; his dopey smile had been replaced with a conniving smirk.

"Nothing! You're not going to do anything because I'm taking you out of Home!" I said finally, dragging him outside by the ascot around his neck. He was limp, allowing himself to be dragged.

"If I do.. "something"..... do you think mom will come back..?" He asked weakly as I continued dragging him. His words sent a cold ripple throughout my body. Whay was he being so vague for?

"She's not coming back," I said bluntly but also gently. I didn't want to upset him by lying.

"But..." his voice gradually became quieter until he wasn't speaking anymore. He looked so tired.

"We're not going to visit Poppy's barn yet. You're not stable enough. Instead, we're going to have a picnic outside on your lawn." I quickly sprinted to my house and back. Wally wanted to sit facing Poppy's barn, but I refused. I took the seat he wanted.

The next hour was filled with silence. Wally's sleepy gaze was fixed to the ground, refusing to look anywhere else. Something about the situation felt wrong. Was it because I had forced him to leave Home? I was about to tell Wally he could go, but he beat me to speaking.

"A couple days ago... Julie mentioned something to me..." Wally dragged the sentence out. His voice was still trembling, but it held an unnerving tone now. "She said that you had gone on an adventure to dig a hole....Care to explain?"

"Oh, Wally, dear! She meant I was digging holes to place my plants in! Some had outgrown their pots, so I was digging holes to replant them."

Wally looked up at me. He didn't seem convinced, but he was one to talk. He was about to end everything. Everyone. Maybe. I had no solid proof of that, and I didn't want to suspect Wally of being capable of such a thing. He was just a cute little guy, nothing more, nothing less.

"Okay.. i... I guess I should thank you... I'm not happy about her death, but you're right. She's not coming back. She's never coming back. She doesn't want to come back. She-"

I interrupted him. "If she could, she would! She'd obviously want to come back, Wally! She loved us all! She loved you dearly! She absolutely adored you!"

I could see Wally's signature clueless smile coming back. Perhaps he had finally accepted the situation like I had shortly after learning of her untimely death.

"You're... you're right. I think I need to go lie down for a bit," he told me. He blew me a kiss and left. I waited for a few minutes before sneaking over to Home.

"Don't let him do anything harmful. He's going through a lot," I whispered. Home creaked me a "yes".

I left Wally's house. I walked over to Sally's house to check on her. After all, she hadn't spent time with Poppy during Poppy's last moments with us all.

The door was open, so I took a peek in. I stumbled back, hands clamped over my mouth. My eyes became glossy with tears.

Kneeling in the middle of the room was Sally, her head split. The stitches she had sewn were ripped, falling to the ground like feathers. Stuffing was everywhere. The most unusual part was the round, blue face she now had. It was textured to have craters and dots. She looked like the moon.

I held my ear up against the crack in the door. I could hear her sobbing. She let out a cry  every time she tried to sew herself up, more specifically every time the needle passed through her fabric. Her yellow sun face almost looked like a mask now. I turned and ran.

I looked around, paranoid someone had seen me. Luckily, no one noticed, not even Home.

I dashed through my front door, shutting it behind me. I leaned against it, trying to steady my breathing. What was going on? What was Wally up to? I grumbled in defeat. I was completely clueless.

I eventually drifted off to sleep. However, my telephone ringing woke me up. It was past midnight, but I didn't mind. These times were uncertain. I answered.

"Hello, neighbor," came Wally's voice from the other end.

"Wally, dear! How are you doing? Was your little nap helpful?" I clung to that phone like it was my greatest possession.

"I feel so much better," he answered. He truly sounded better. I could tell he was smiling.

"That's wonderful!" I yawned. The pit of despair I had been dealing with the entire day disappeared.

"Did I wake you?"

"Oh, it's fine. It's a bit hard to sleep," I said. There was no need to explain. We all knew.

"I'm sorry."

I paused, thinking of what to say. I really had nothing to say, but I feared he'd attempt to do something bad again if he thought he upset someone.

"Oh, no! You're fine, dear friend! I just need a bit of time to wake up is all," I replied quickly. I tried to keep my tone lighthearted and cheery, but I felt too depressed to keep it up for long.

"That's a relief.. I just feel so... sad.. Hearing your voice makes me feel better.. no one else will pick up.."

"Don't worry! We can talk for as long as you want, okay?" In truth, talking for long on the phone exhausted me. I couldn't say no to Wally, however. He was acting like a sad cat right now. I never ignored sad cats.

"As long as I want...? Then, can you just stay on the phone? You don't have to talk, I just need to know someone's there..."

"Alright," I answered with a smile. My eyelids felt so heavy. I gave in and closed them.

"You can sleep if you want, friend... I'm just glad I don't feel alone.." Wally whispered. I continued holding the phone close in an attempt to keep Wally happy. "My dearest friend... thank you."