“HUT! HUT! HUT! HUT! BO! OFFICER GIGS!” the Combat Carls shouted as they emerged from the bushes. Bo greeted them and asked where they were going.
“Combat Carl just heard there’s a birthday party at the playground on Main Street,” said the original Combat Carl. He asked if Bo and Giggle were joining them.
“You bet!” said Bo. She picked up a roll of tape in preparation. “Woody, you are gonna love this.”
“Uh, no, I can’t…sir,” Woody said. He turned to Bo. “I need to get back to my kid.”
The Combat Carls looked at Woody in complete shock. Bo turned away to hide her surprise. She couldn’t believe that after all these years, Woody still had a kid.
Moments later, the kids in the playground began to load onto the bus. The Combat Carls said goodbye and left.
“So…you’re with a kid?” asked Bo. “It’s not Andy, is it?”
“No, no, no. He went off to college. But he gave us to Bonnie. She’s this—”
“You have a little girl?” Bo asked.
“Yeah, it’s why I’m out here,” explained Woody. “One of her other toys is trapped in this antiques store, and I have to—”
“Second Chance Antiques,” Bo interrupted. “We know that store.”
Bo and Giggle refused to return to the antiques shop. They had spent years on the shelf collecting dust, and they knew Gabby Gabby all too well.
Bo suggested that Woody cut his losses and head home.
“Kids lose toys every day,” said Bo. “Bonnie will get over it.” She began packing the skunkmobile.
Woody rushed over to her. “No, no—but…but, you see, Bonnie needs him, just like Molly needed you!” he said. Bo flinched at the mention of Molly.
Giggle was surprised to hear about Molly and wanted to know more.
“Oh, it was a long time ago,” Bo said, not wanting to discuss it.
“Oh, Bo’s kid was something special,” said Woody, facing Giggle. He said Molly had been afraid of the dark. “Hearing Molly cry each night broke every toy’s heart. And then…Bo came into the room.” Woody smiled as he remembered. “Her lamp was the only thing that made Molly feel safe. Mom would let her keep Bo on all night.”
“Whoa,” said Giggle. “Huh. Who knew you were such a softy?”
“And Molly would fall asleep with her hand resting on Bo’s feet—”
“Okay, okay. I get it,” interrupted Bo.
“Bo,” said Woody, “my kid really needs this toy. Will you help me? For old times’ sake.”
Bo sighed.
“All right, all right,” she agreed.
“Thank you!” said Woody, hugging her.
“All right, guess we’re doing this,” said Giggle, not at all happy with her friend’s choice. “Let’s ride!”
The sheep were ready to drive, and they bleated as everyone climbed into the skunkmobile.
“Second Chance Antiques,” Bo ordered. “And step on it.”
A reluctant Giggle jumped onto Bo’s shoulder as she pulled the cover down and the skunkmobile took off.
Gabby Gabby sat in her display case, eyeing her reflection in a handheld mirror. She used a thin brush to apply small, perfect dots of light-brown paint to freshen her freckles. Benson and Forky were struggling in the background.
“Benson?” asked Gabby Gabby in her sweet voice. “Are we finished?”
Benson stepped aside to reveal Forky wearing his pipe-cleaner arms again.
“Oh, that feels great,” said Forky, relieved.
“Look at that!” said Gabby Gabby with a smile. “Good as new.”
“Yeah. Thank you…uh…Benson,” said Forky, still not entirely comfortable with the dummy. Benson smiled, making Forky shudder and scoot closer to Gabby Gabby. “Uh…so, um, when’s Woody coming back?”
“Like I said, soon. He won’t forget about you,” said Gabby Gabby.
“How do you know?” asked Forky.
“You have your child’s name written on your sticks. That makes you a very important toy,” explained Gabby Gabby.
“That’s exactly what Woody said!” said Forky.
“Interesting….” The bells on the front door chimed, interrupting Gabby Gabby’s thoughts.
“Hi, Grandma!” said Harmony as she entered the store with her mother. “We’re back!”
Gabby Gabby gasped and smiled brightly. “She’s back!” She hurried over to the cabinet glass to get a better view.
“Who is she?” asked Forky.
“Harmony,” said Gabby Gabby.
“Wait a second—she took Woody!” said Forky. He didn’t see Woody with her now. “Did she lose him?”
“No,” said Gabby Gabby. “My Harmony is perfect.” Gabby Gabby moved around the case, her gaze following Harmony as the little girl went to sit in her favorite corner of the store. Forky and Gabby Gabby watched Harmony read a short book, then pull out her tea set.
“Forky, it’s teatime…it’s teatime…,” said Gabby Gabby with delight.
“Woo-hoo!” cried Forky. “What is teatime?”
Gabby Gabby picked up a small storybook called Gabby Gabby: A Very Special Day. She flipped it open to a particular page and propped it against a decorative dinner plate. When Harmony reached for her teacup, Gabby Gabby picked up her own tiny version. She pretended to have teatime with Harmony, matching the little girl’s every move.
“Harmony, sweetie!” called her mother, breaking up the game. “I’m leaving!”
“Bye, Mom. I love you!” shouted Harmony. She set down her cup and ran off.
Gabby Gabby sadly put down her own cup. She picked up her book and placed it in her lap. Forky watched as Gabby Gabby flipped through the pages. There were pictures of a happy little girl having a great time with her Gabby Gabby doll—pushing the doll on a swing, dancing in a field of bright yellow sunflowers, hugging her, and pulling her string.
“When my voice box is fixed, I will finally get my chance,” said Gabby Gabby, placing her hand next to the picture of the pull string.
Forky put one of his pipe-cleaner hands on hers. He could tell how much Gabby Gabby wanted to be like the doll in her book. She looked at him and smiled. He smiled back.
“Now, about our friend Woody,” said Gabby Gabby, closing the book and putting it back in its place. “I want to know everything about him.”
Forky hopped onto her lap and began to share what he knew.
“Oh, yeah, Woody—I’ve known that guy my whole life. Two days,” he said. “Hey, did you know that Bonnie was not his first kid? He had this other kid, Andy…and you know what? I don’t think he’s ever gotten over him.”
Gabby Gabby nodded, eager to hear more.
Over at the Star Adventurer booth, another kid tried to hit the target and missed. The carnival worker leaned against his counter, bored, and turned up the volume on his headphones. Seeing the worker distracted, Buzz popped out of toy mode and tried to break through the plastic zip tie around his chest.
“Psst, hey! Lightyear,” said a voice.
“Hey—up here, astro-boy,” said another.
Buzz looked up to see a stuffed yellow duck toy hanging above him. A big round blue-and-green stuffed bunny was connected to the duck. They were joined at their paw and wing.
“If you think you can just show up and take our top-prize spot, you’re wrong,” said Bunny.
“Dead wrong,” added Ducky.
“You don’t understand,” Buzz said as he continued to struggle with the plastic tie. “I’m trying to…”
“Cheat the system and get with a kid? Yeah, we know,” said Ducky.
“We weren’t made in China yesterday,” said Bunny.
“No, I need—” Buzz began, still trying to free himself.
“A child to shower you with unconditional love? Join the club, pal,” said Bunny.
“Yeah, join the club,” echoed Ducky.
“C’mon, help me get outta here,” said Buzz.
“I’ll help you…,” said Ducky, “with
my foot.” Ducky tried to kick Buzz down, but his big orange foot was nowhere near the space ranger.
“Get ’im!” said Bunny. “Ho, ho, ho—get ’im.”
“Bunny, what are you doing? I can’t reach him. Help me out here, c’mon,” Ducky said.
“Oh. Sorry, Ducky. I’m not a mind reader, you know,” said Bunny.
“What’s not to understand?” asked Ducky, annoyed. “You’re gonna make me say it?”
“What?” said Bunny, clueless.
“With these tiny legs, I cannot reach without your help…,” explained Ducky in an irritated tone.
As the two continued to bicker, Bunny began to swing, trying to get Ducky’s foot closer to Buzz.
“This is what I’ve been talking about, Bunny—you need to work on paying attention, and your listening skills,” said Ducky, scolding him until his foot finally reached Buzz. “HA!” he said, giving Buzz a kick in the head. “How you like that, cheater? Huh? P-SKOW!” Swinging, he kicked him again. “Ha, ha! To infinity and…MY FOOT!” He kicked him once more and cheered, “BOOM!”
Ducky and Bunny laughed and laughed while Buzz ignored them and continued to focus on trying to break free.
“In a galaxy far, far away…you got kicked in the head. BOOM!” said Ducky, still laughing.
“How do I get out of here?” Buzz asked himself.
“How you like that!” said Ducky.
Now able to reach his button, Buzz gave it a push, searching for an answer. “This planet is toxic,” said his voice box. “Closing helmet to conserve oxygen.”
Ducky laughed. “In the vacuum of space, they cannot hear you SCREEEAM!” Ducky screeched as Buzz’s helmet closed on his foot. Then Buzz grabbed Ducky’s leg and used it to pull himself up and out of the plastic zip tie.
“Whoa, whoa!” said Bunny, wondering what to do to help Ducky.
“Let go of me! Get off of me!” cried Ducky.
As Buzz climbed free, the three toys swung right off the board, landing on the ground in a heap. Buzz jumped up and darted through a small compartment in the wall of the booth, leaving Ducky and Bunny behind.
“Hey, where you going?” called Ducky. “You better get over here, spaceman!”
“Put us back up there!” shouted Bunny.
Ducky ran after Buzz, dragging Bunny behind him. Ducky crawled into the opening in the wall, but Bunny was too big. Ducky struggled as he tried to pull Bunny through the tight space.
“Bunny, what are you doing? He’s getting away. Let’s go!” urged Ducky.
“I’m trying!” squealed Bunny. He sucked in his tummy, but he remained wedged tight.
“Come on!” yelled Ducky. He pulled on Bunny with all his might as he watched Buzz race off toward the carnival exit.
The skunkmobile remained hidden as it made its way to the carnival.
“Why do you ride around in a skunk?” asked Woody.
The sheep snickered as they raced into the carnival. People screamed at the sight of the skunk, jumping out of the way and wincing as they tried to avoid it.
Bo and Giggle laughed with delight, enjoying the dramatic reactions to the skunkmobile.
“Oh, I get it. Smart,” said Woody, now understanding the idea behind Bo’s strange vehicle.
“Corn dogs, corn dogs, CORN DOGS!” yelled Giggle. But her warning was too late—the skunkmobile crashed into the corn dog stand and rolled under the carousel! The gang spilled out, and Bo and her sheep landed on Woody’s chest.
“Why are you so bad at driving?” Bo asked the sheep. “You’ve got six eyes.”
“BAAAA!” they answered.
Woody chuckled as Bo rose to her feet. She held out a hand and helped Woody up.
SNAP! Her arm came off in Woody’s hand and he screamed.
Bo joined him, yelling in horror…until she started laughing.
Giggle cracked up. “Ha! His face!” she said between laughs.
Bo looked at Woody, who seemed concerned and confused. “I’m fine,” she said. “Don’t worry—happens all the time.” She turned and shouted, “Tape!”
Giggle dug through the supplies and grabbed a roll of tape. She tossed it to Bo, who caught it with her broken arm.
“Let’s get you to that store!” Bo said to Woody as she and Giggle climbed up the center column of the carousel on a ladder. The girls made it to the top and peeked out, scanning the grounds while Bo finished taping up her arm.
“Okay, spill it,” said Giggle. “The cowboy. What’s the deal?”
“There’s no deal,” said Bo.
“Uh-huh,” replied the officer. “Don’t do this to yourself—cowboy’s got a kid.”
“Giggle—”
Woody popped up from below, interrupting their conversation.
“Second Chance Antiques. Straight ahead,” Bo said. “Easiest way in is…”
“…the roof,” finished Giggle.
“Let’s go antiquing,” said Bo, pointing out the store to Woody.
Then Bo took off running, with her sheep following behind. Back at the skunkmobile, she grabbed a sticky hand toy with a long, stretchy tail.
Woody hopped down next to Bo as she swung the sticky hand above her head, twirling it around like a lasso.
“Hold on!” she said as she threw the sticky hand toward the top of the carousel and zoomed up after it. But Woody didn’t hold on and Bo had to drop back down to grab him.
Woody followed Bo as she raced along the rails of the carousel’s roof. “Bo, how did you end up here? I thought you were given to a new family.”
“You know how it goes,” said Bo. “Their little girl grew up and didn’t need me anymore, so—” She blew a raspberry.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Bo…,” said Woody.
“Eh, who needs a kid’s room when you can have all of this,” she said. They reached the very top of the carousel and looked out over the carnival below.
Woody watched Bo’s face light up as she gazed at the children having a blast, playing and laughing.
“Whatcha lookin’ at, Sheriff?” asked Giggle, interrupting Woody’s thoughts.
“What?” he asked. “Um…nothing. I was looking at…the store. Right there. I was looking at the antiques store.”
Bo smiled and turned to Giggle.
“Giggle. Count us down,” said Bo. Then she spun…and transformed her dress into a cape and pants!
Giggle counted, “Five, four, three…”
Woody frowned. “Count down? For what?” he asked.
“You want to get to the store, don’tcha?” said Bo. Woody didn’t have time to answer. Giggle hopped onto her shoulder as she finished the countdown. Bo grabbed Woody’s hand and jumped.
“Whoa!” Woody shouted while they flew through the air before landing on the roof of the bounce house. Relieved, he couldn’t help smiling when they hit the springy surface. He was even beginning to enjoy the crazy adventure as they continued on toward the antiques store.
Still searching for the highway, Buzz peeked out from behind a car that was parked near Second Chance Antiques.
“The highway exit has to be somewhere….Where is it?” Buzz asked himself. He glanced down at his voice-command button and pressed it. “Meteor shower! Look out!” said the recorded voice.
Buzz looked up and saw Woody, Giggle, Bo, and the sheep leaping onto the antiques store awning. “Good work, inner voice,” he said. Then he jumped onto one of the building’s drainpipes and began scaling it.
Bo led the way up the sloping roof of the building. “So…how ’bout you?” she asked, turning to Woody. “How’s your new kid?”
“Bonnie? Oh, she’s great. Jessie is loving it—”
“Jessie’s still with you?” Bo interrupted.
“Oh, yeah, the whole gang’s still together….I mean, well, most of us,” Woody said.
Bo smiled. “What about Rex?”
“Yeah, yeah—Rex, Bullseye, Slinky, the Potato Heads…”
Bo’s eyes suddenly went wide and she gasped when she sa
w Buzz pulling himself up onto the roof behind Woody. “Buzz!” she shouted.
“Yeah, Buzz, too,” said Woody. “I cannot wait to see his face when he hears that I found—”
“Bo Peep!” said Buzz, just as surprised to see her.
“Buzz?” said Woody, turning to see their friend.
“My old moving buddy!” said Bo as she and Buzz hugged. “It’s so good to see you!”
Buzz asked what she was doing there. But before she could answer, Ducky and Bunny flew in, slamming into Buzz and pushing him up against a wall at the base of the roof.
“Three years!” screamed Bunny.
“Three. Years,” Ducky repeated menacingly.
“That’s how long we’ve been hanging up there waiting for a kid,” said Bunny. The two lifted Buzz and leaned in harder, pegging him to the wall.
“Look. I’m sorry about that,” said Buzz.
“You’ve ruined our lives,” said Ducky. “Shame on you!” He began to sob.
“Who are these guys?” asked Woody.
“Lightyear promised us a kid!” shouted Ducky.
“You did what?” Woody asked Buzz.
Buzz struggled to get away. “I did not!”
“All right, come on, stop it!” said Woody. “Cut it out, now!”
“C’mon, guys, break it up,” said Bo.
Woody held up his boot to show Bonnie’s name written on the bottom. “Guys, I have a kid.”
Ducky and Bunny whipped their heads around. “You got a kid?” Ducky asked.
“Yeah. Now, let go of Buzz and come with me. I’ll take you to Bonnie,” said Woody.
“W-we’re, we’re gettin’ a kid?” asked Ducky.
“Yes!” yelped Bunny.
“We’re gettin’ a kid,” Ducky said, laughing. The two jumped around and sang, “We’re getting a kid, we’re getting a kid….”
With Giggle on her shoulder, Bo headed toward an air shaft in the roof. Woody and Buzz followed with Bunny and Ducky behind them, still dancing and celebrating.
“Where’s Forky?” asked Buzz.
“Yeah, it’s a long story…,” said Woody.
Toy Story 4 Junior Novel Page 4