Y/ᑎ ᑭOᐯ
"Forky?" I'm awoken by the panicked searching of the cowboy. I see him lunge to look over the side of the bed and freeze, there inside lays a very relaxed and comfortable Forky, all snuggled up under a few scrap pieces of paper. How did this all happen?
"Bonnie!" Woody freezes and falls off the bed, falling and knocking the trash bin over as he tumbled to the floor as the dad walking in "Let's go! Rise and shine! Who wants to go on a road trip?" While heading over to wake Bonnie, he treads over poor Woody's head, that had to of hurt.
"Me!" Bonnie springs to life "I'm gonna bring Dolly and Buttercup and Forky and... Forky? Where are you?" Bonnie notices that Forky is not on the bed and starts looking around her ruffled blankets.
"He's gotta be here somewhere."
Down below I see a panicked Woody break his frozen stance to grab the spork before he can run away and toss him up for Bonnie to find behind her. "Forky!"
"Come on. let's eat some breakfast and hit the road!" Bonnie's dad opens his arms, and she leaps into them with her light blue pjs on.
"Let's go, Forky!" She smiles to the spork in her hand as her dad closes the door shut behind them. For just a few minutes, Woody will be able to have a break, good because I need to talk some sense into him taking an actual break. On their way out of the room, Woody is unluckily walked over again and as soon as that door closes I dash over.
Woody hazily gets up, trying to gain his bearings as he crawls around. I feel quite pitiful for him right now, he keeps getting hit with things that are changing his mind and happiness. Or should I say squashed?
"Whoa!" Buzz gets to Woody first and seems shocked by the stage of Woody, they both kind of flinch and look at each other. I myself get a surprise seeing the state of Woody's head "He's quite a handful, Woody. You need help with him on the road trip?" Buzz bends to Woody's level and guides him up to standing, but Woody brushes off his worries as I come to stand in front of them.
"No. No, no. I got it, I got it." Woody blocks his nose and blows his head back to its shape with a little pop "We'll just be stuck in an RV." Woody almost seems a bit woozy from his lack of sleep "He can't get far. I got this." He rests a hand on Buzz's shoulder as he looks at the cowboy with an expression of uncertainty and a little disbelief "I got it."
"Woody come with me for a moment." I usher the cowboy away from the trash can he spent part of the night in and the closet which he's been looking at for too long now. We can't go far because the anticipation of the road trip is high on the mind with Bonnie and the desire to finish breakfast as quickly as possible would be evident. So I just lead him to below one of the windows on the opposite side of Bonnie's bed that's flooding the morning sun into the room.
"Woody, you're not going to survive this entire trip trying to wrangle Forky alone." I state to the tired cowboy, plain and simple.
"Y/n, I have to. I need to do this for Bonnie." He let's put a sigh leaning his back against the wall covered with white, wooden paneling.
"I understand, I do, but your going to drive yourself silly!" Gazing into his eyes I see fatigue and determination, it's such a deadly combination. "Let me help you."
"Oh I couldn't put that pressure on you, I've done that to many times over the years." Woody reaches out and rests his hands on my shoulders, brushing the hair that had fallen over them behind my back.
(For the folks who's y/n's don't have the hair for this...)
"Oh I couldn't put that pressure on you, I've done that to many times over the years." Woody reaches out and rests his hands on my shoulders, brushing the creased fabric flat on them.
"Hey, I'm your deputy. It's my job" I joke around with a smirk, earning a smile from the sheriff. He looks my face over as I see the cogs turning in his head. In a hopes to make him allow me, or allow himself help I rest my hands on top of his. "I promise I won't take over, just let me be there for you and to catch the little runner if he makes a dash for it." I suggest, or more calmly request in a hopes to take the pressure that Woody is putting on himself just a little.
I hold my hand out awaiting to shake is hand in agreement, and he lets out a sigh. "Alright, I'll accept your help. But don't feel you have to take over" Woody clasps my hand in a firm shake.
"I won't" I tell him in a sing-song voice while leading him back towards the centre of the room by his hand. "I just think another eyes on him will help."
...
Over the course of the day, we head out in the family RV and make our way across town. Bonnie was strapped into her car seat with was sat at the little dining table where she had a couple of us toys gather around as we drove and watch her colour in. Of course Forky was by her side the entire time, and of course every trash bin he saw he just gravitated towards, like a magnetic force.
Everything Bonnie would turn around in the morning, Forky would inch towards the edge of the table and Woody would grab him or hook his boot around him. Bonnie just wouldn't notice the little movements he'd make,even when Woody had to lunge at the spork to get him to stop, Bonnie simply help up Forky and placed him on her paper airplane she was crafting.
When the RV stoped at a Dinoco to refill and stretch some legs Forky to the opportunity to jump at the bin inside. Woody was quick on his tail and fetched the half in fork and shoved him away at arms length. For a moment it was a little funny to see the desperate little toy fighting the sheriff hard. He had the bin above his head and a boot pushing the fork away. After having my giggle I jump down and swoop the fork up into my arms as Woody gets an ideas as to what to Dow it's it. As the RV gets moving again, we ditch it out the back window, we should finally have some peace.
But I was so wrong. At the lunch stop Bonnie had chosen of course Forky and surprisingly Woody to play with outside. I feel so excited for him as it's a little big rarer for him to be chosen exclusively by Bonnie, and not just as a filler character or even at all. I was watching an enjoying the moment she was having, sat on the pavement before one of her parents called her over and she placed her two toys on the ground for the moment. I don't even think Forky's back his the ground before he was up and running towards the purple bin. It was a little funny seeing Woody chase after him with sauce packets over hits boots. He slipped and wobbled before galloping his arms around as he glided after the fork. I don't think an ice skater is in Woody's near future.
At a quick afternoon stop Bonnie hopped out the RV door, and Forky thought he was quick to follow. But this time I was right behind him. Just as he leaped out the door I wrapped a hand around his spine and yanked him right back inside as Bonnie turns to run right back inside. That one was a little too close for comfort.
We stayed there for a little longer as the afternoon dragged on and it was like a constant game of chase-y between the fork and Woody. I wasn't able to stay too close to grab Forky I'd I had too because Bonnie had me in her hand all afternoon, playing around on the grass. But from the tiny little snippets I saw of the two it was like a chase scene from one of those old cartoons we use to watch with Andy.
The sun started to set and Bonnie had gathered all us toys she had played with on the grass and brought hem back to the RV, but once again she goes looking for Forky, only to find him by the step beside Woody.
At least while we were driving it wasn't so bad, Forky didn't really have to far to go or anything to keep his eye on to be driven to join. It was just to stops that were the most nerve wracking at the point, and I'm sure that just like last night, Forky was keep the fight up all night. Which is going to be all okay, I'm happy to take the night shift if it means that Woody can just relax. Even if it's for a few hours.
The RV makes one last stop and Bonnie takes her backpack into the spot her and her parents were having dinner at. This was all fine, expect that Forky has vanished. He knows this is the time for him to strike and the face that he's already gone is concerning.
While I'm looking around inside the RV, I hear a panic stricken gawk from Woody. Turning I see him looking out the window before dashing to get to the door.
I follow the cowboy outside and my eyes land on the run away spork headed starlight for the very full trash bin. With quick thinking I grab a hold of Woody's pull string and unwind it to use as a lasso.
(That lasso tried to autocorrect to kazoo 😭)
"Trash, here I come!"
We manage to wrangle to fork with the lasso and try to keep him quiet to head back to the RV. But it turns out that Bonnie and her parents stop was not a dine in one, they were heading right back to the RV before we had even a chance Rolf turning around. Woody holds on tightly to Forky and I clamp his mouth shut as he cower behind the trash can as we watch them enter the back door. Uh oh.
Inside I see the worried searching begin as we inch closer. At this point Forky is just wailing around and causing a fuss. Everything has gone out the window. The sight of Bonnie's mom just inside alarms me and I usher Woody to drop down. A couple of seconds later I see her relived smile as she grabs all three of us and holds us up for her daughter to collect.
Of course Bonnie gravitates towards Forky first but what hurts more is being chosen over Woody. Bonnie hugs Forky tight before taking me from her mom too, completely ignoring poor Woody once again.
"Why are you so good at hide and seek Forky?" Bonnie hold myself up, as she plays around and asks as me to her little creation.
...
Finally the night arrives and the sky changes from a misty blue to a darker blanket decorated with little stars shining down on Bonnie who is now dozing in her car seat. At the end of the last pitstop Bonnie had moved all her toys to the bed in the back of the RV, except for Forky who is tightly tucked in her arm. It looks as though he shouldn't be going anywhere too soon, but Woody stubbornly keeps his guard up, or should I say is trying too. He's obviously struggling by the sight of his slumped posture and lazy eyelids. He knows he can trust me, but doesn't want to burden me. I really want to help him, maybe now in this state he'll agree to just take a few hours.
I see that Buzz is eyeing the cowboy too, he's checked up on him a few times. At least it's not just me seeing that this is taking over Woody's mind, energy and everything. I see the space ranger switch his attention to me briefly and I answer his wordless question with a small nod. Together we scamper down and across the RV to duck down and sit beside the stairs with the drowsy cowboy.
"Hey, buddy." Buzz keeps his voice low.
"Hey, guys." Woody's voice croaks out while we inch closer.
"How you feeling? You alright?" I ask. I am really hoping he calls it a night. It's been over twenty four hours that he's been at this for.
"I don't know. I know Buzz, you weren't around when Andy was little, but I don't remember it being this hard. Was it Y/n?" Woody sits hunched over, his knees tucked up in front of him. To be honest I was only with Andy a year or so before Buzz, but even then it wasn't tiring to this extent.
"Want me to take the next watch? I'm sure you'll assist, Y/n? We'll keep an eye on Forky." Buzz suggests looking between Bonnie and myself as I give an agreeing nod but Woody just isn't on the same page.
"No, no." He dismisses "I need to do this. That little voice inside me would never leave me alone if I gave up."
"Oh but Woody-" I begin but Buzz seems confused.
"Who do you think it is?" He questions, his eyebrows pulling down.
"Who?" Woody and I ask, our voices overlapping.
"The voice inside of you. Who do you think it is?" Buzz sits hunched forwards, his arm slung over a raised knee. Honestly I have no idea of what he's going on about.
"Uh... Me." Woody answers trying to think of how to explain inner thoughts "You know, my conscience?"
Buzz continues to look at the cowboy lost, not understanding what Woody is getting at.
"Buzz, it's the part inside you that tells you things. Like what you are thinking deep down" I try to break down what Buzz is trying to comprehend while motioning to myself.
"Fascinating." In the dim lighting of the night something seems to hit Buzz and I see his eyes change. "Your inner voice advises you." Buzz leans over to gently cup Woody's pull string in his hand somehow seeming to think it's important to thinking processes.
"What?" Woody asks trying to look over his shoulder at his pull string, I am to distracted, theming to understand what Buzz is thinking.
The only sound filling the dark RV is the sound of the tires rolling on the road which is quickly cut off much to our horror.
"It's a secret mission in uncharted space! Let's go!" Buzz's voice box calls out and loudly. Woody and I pounce onto Buzz trying to keep him quite. Somehow Buzz us confused his inner voice and thoughts that for a human would come from their brain and mixed it up with a voice box.
We hang low sitting in the stairs to comfirm the Bonnie is still in face fast asleep. Thank gosh.
But something isn't right...
"Where's Forky?"
Forky is gone!
"Oh, no!"
We start looking around frantically for the once again run away fork. He's not near Bonnie, and he's no where near the gathering of toys on the floor, or the foot rest. He is climbing up onto the bed, trying to escape.
"Forky stop!" I whisper shout to him, as if he would. I should have known better than for him to just turn around and give up.
"I am not a toy! I'm a spork." He glares over his shoulder and pulls himself up with his red pipecleaner arms.
"Be quiet!" Woody tries to hush his loud voice near the sleeping Bonnie as Forky keeps waddling towards window and the three of us follow nervously.
"I was made for soup, salad, maybe chili, and then the trash." The little guy then does the dreaded and throws himself out the window, getting swept away with the wind. "I'm litter!" All I can do in the moment is gasp, hands clasping my mouth with disbelief and dread. This did not just happen! jumps up in front of "Freedom!"
Cliffhanger??
Please feel free to vote and comment as it really helps out my book! 🌳
Words: 2800