“Nope,” said Bo. “And now with the carnival traveling through, it’s our chance to hop a ride and leave town.”
“You’re—you’re leaving?” asked Woody, surprised.
“Sure am,” said Bo. “You ever thinking about getting out there and seeing the world?”
“Without a kid?” Woody said with a chuckle. “Nah.”
Bo reached the top of the cabinet and pulled on the launcher as Woody pushed it from below. “Can’t teach this old toy new tricks,” he said.
“You’d be surprised,” she said with a smile, reaching down and helping Woody up.
With the launcher in place, the friends took a moment to check out the view. The late-afternoon sun streaming through the windows bounced off several hanging crystal chandeliers, making beautiful light patterns everywhere.
“Wow,” said Woody. “Will you look at that.”
“This is the only part of the store I ever liked,” said Bo, enjoying the scene only for a moment before turning to the edge of the cabinet. “That’s going to be quite a jump for you and Duke.”
“FOR ME?” Woody asked, shocked. His jaw dropped as he looked out, taking in the distance to Gabby Gabby’s cabinet.
Bo patted him on the back. “Didn’t I tell you? You’re going with him.”
“I—I am?” stammered Woody.
Moments later, Duke’s stunt cycle locked into the launcher with a click.
Woody sat behind Duke on the tiny bike, still unsure about the plan. One end of a spool of yarn was tied around Woody’s waist, and the other end was still wound around the spool. Buzz held on to the spool, while Ducky and Bunny stood by the launcher controls.
“It’ll be fine,” said Bo. “Duke’s the best.”
Woody looked at her with raised eyebrows and whispered, “Yeah. At crashing!”
Dragon was sprawled on the floor beneath Gabby Gabby’s cabinet, napping. Across the aisle, Giggle was hidden on a tall shelf, keeping watch on the dummies. When the dummies turned, Giggle leaped up and grabbed a chain that dangled from a neon sign, causing the sign to flicker.
Bo saw the signal and ordered, “Go!”
Ducky and Bunny activated the launcher, and Woody held on tight. The cycle shot forward. Buzz gripped the spool as the yarn began to unwind.
Duke focused on the makeshift ramp at the end of the shelf and was ready to go, but then something strange happened. In his mind, the ramp faded away and all he could see was the flaming hoop from the old Duke Caboom commercial.
“Rejean…,” he whispered, the memory sending a pang of pain through his body. Duke’s eyes widened as he was overcome with doubt and fear. “I can’t do this!” he screamed. “I’m sorry, Rejean!”
“No, no, no, no, no…,” said Woody when the bike swerved and Duke dropped his head. Woody lifted the stuntman’s head back up, forcing him to focus. The bike straightened and hit the ramp, and Woody yelled when they were launched into the air. They soared over the aisle—but didn’t make it to Gabby Gabby’s cabinet. Instead, they began to fall.
Thinking fast, Woody pushed himself off the bike in midair and jumped for the cabinet. He made it to the edge, slipped off, and then managed to grab the knob on the cabinet door. Woody held himself there and watched from above as Duke landed next to Dragon and sped away on his cycle.
Dragon woke and saw Woody clinging to the cabinet. The yarn, still tied around the cowboy’s waist, dangled tantalizingly. It was Dragon’s favorite kind of toy! The cat leaped up and swiped at Woody as the cowboy yanked on the yarn, trying to send Buzz a signal.
Buzz, Ducky, and Bunny worked together to pull the yarn taut. In a flash, Bo hooked her staff on it and zip-lined down to Woody. She used the key to unlock Gabby Gabby’s cabinet door. Bo and Woody slipped inside and searched for their trapped friends.
“Girls? Billy? Goat? Gruff?” Bo called in an urgent whisper.
“Forky? Forky, where are you?” said Woody. He rounded the corner to hear muffled laughter coming from Gabby Gabby’s original box. Forky was inside, giggling and holding his hands over his eyes.
Forky smiled when Woody opened the box.
“Woody!” he exclaimed. “How’d you find me?”
“Bo, I found him!” said Woody, pulling him out. But as they turned to go, Bo stopped them.
“Wait. It’s an actual fork?” she said in disbelief.
Forky turned and waved at her.
“Bo, Bo, Bo, Bo, Bo—” Forky said excitedly.
Outside the cabinet, Giggle noticed something and gasped. She hopped down to Buzz’s shoulder. “Buzz! The dummies are gone!” she said.
Buzz looked across the aisle to the top of Gabby Gabby’s cabinet and saw that Giggle was right. “Where’d they go?” he asked. The four toys froze in fear as they looked up to see two other dummies looming over them.
Inside the cabinet, Bo and Woody heard a familiar voice behind them. “Hello, Woody.” It was Gabby Gabby. Benson and the other lookout dummy were lifting her onto the shelf. “Hi, Bo,” she said.
Bo held up her staff. “Where are my sheep?” she asked.
“Look! Woody found me!” cheered Forky.
On top of the other cabinet, Buzz knocked the two new dummies down and spotted Gabby Gabby with the other dummies closing in on Woody, Forky, and Bo across the aisle. He ran over to help Ducky and Bunny with the yarn.
“I just want to talk,” said Gabby Gabby.
“Yeah, with my voice box!” said Woody.
“Pull!” ordered Buzz. With the help of Ducky and Bunny, he yanked on the yarn and Woody and Forky were jerked forward.
Gabby Gabby reached out and grabbed the ring on Woody’s pull string before they could escape. Woody and Forky were now suspended over the aisle. Gabby Gabby and the dummies held on to the string, determined to get them back to her cabinet, while Buzz, Ducky, and Bunny tugged on the yarn, trying to pull them to safety. Woody’s voice box sounded every time the pull string snapped back. “REACH FOR THE—THERE’S A SN—I’D LIKE TO JOIN YOUR—”
Hearing the voice, Dragon leaped up and swiped at Woody. Woody and Forky were whipped back into Gabby Gabby’s cabinet, and the force tore a seam next to his voice box.
Ducky, Bunny, and Buzz were pulled forward by the momentum. Buzz planted his feet at the edge of the cabinet, but Ducky and Bunny flipped off it. Then an antique picture frame toppled down after them, pinning the stuffed toys to the floor. Dragon turned to the sound and stalked toward them.
In Gabby Gabby’s cabinet, the dummies were trying to get to Woody’s voice box. Bo jumped, using her staff to whack them out of the way, sending the dummies flying. When Benson landed, she saw her sheep still clamped on to his backside.
“Girls!” she cried. “Drop it!” They let go of Benson and hopped into her arms.
Woody shoved one of the dummies out of the way, but Forky was knocked out of his grip and off the side of the cabinet. Woody watched in horror as Forky hit the ground behind Dragon. The cowboy screamed as the cat turned away from Ducky and Bunny and began to creep toward Forky.
“It’s too late. We’ve got to go,” said Bo.
Woody was so focused on Forky that he didn’t notice as Bo hooked her staff on the yarn to make it taut and started to zip-line across the aisle. Woody dove toward Forky, making the yarn go slack again. Bo screamed as she and her sheep plummeted.
Clutching her sheep, Bo managed to get a grip on the yarn and swing herself toward the cabinet. But she lost hold of the sheep and they fell to the floor, smacking down with a loud CRACK!
Woody landed on top of Dragon. Startled, the cat let out a big MEOW and tried to buck Woody off.
Woody hung on with all his might as he rode Dragon, his body flopping around every which way. His boot got caught under the cat’s collar and he dangled upside down as Dragon tried to shake him free. All the movement tugged the yarn repeatedly and caused Buzz to lose his footing. He and Giggle slipped off the cabinet shelf, flying off in different directions. Buzz landed on a fa
miliar-looking bag.
“Bonnie’s backback?” he said aloud.
Giggle stumbled to her feet, trying to collect herself, and didn’t see Dragon approach until it was too late—the cat pounced on her and gulped her down!
Bo called helplessly, “Giggle!”
But Giggle was gone.
Inside the cabinet, Gabby Gabby shouted to her dummies, “Don’t let Woody leave!” The four dummies hurried to the floor and surrounded the gang as Dragon raced around them.
Bo ordered everyone to grab on to the yarn, which was still tied around Woody. Duke, on his cycle, darted out from under a display case.
“Duke! Get us out of here!” Bo shouted, holding her sheep and gripping the yarn.
Duke revved his engine and took off, teasing Dragon. The cat began to chase him.
Still dangling upside down from Dragon’s collar, Woody yelled, “Wait! We don’t have Forky!”
“Woody!” shouted Forky, his eyes wide as he chased after Dragon and the rest of the toys. Then Benson snatched Forky up.
With the toys clinging to the yarn, Dragon continued to race after Duke, who was crashing into the shelves. Woody pulled himself onto Dragon’s back and held tightly as the dummies approached, reaching for the yarn. But Bo yanked open a drawer with her staff and the dummies were knocked to the floor.
Duke led Dragon to the back of the store and up to a window. When he realized he was on another ramp, he got emotional again and lost control of his cycle. He broke through a window pane and sailed out of the store with the cat, who was towing the rest of the gang, close at his heels.
Outside, Woody clung to the cat while the others still held on to the yarn behind him. Dragon spun like a top, throwing the toys off and sending them into a pile of trash bags. Unable to stop in time, the cat smacked into a dumpster and coughed up Giggle. With one last MEOW, Dragon darted back into the store.
Woody sat up, grabbed his hat, and scrambled to his feet. “Is everyone okay?” he asked, catching his breath.
Giggle let out a disgusted groan, trying to shake a thick layer of cat drool off her body.
Bo comforted her sheep as they bleated, hurt and scared. “Shhh, it’s okay,” she said.
Duke held his cycle close, cradling it like a baby. “Shhh,” he said.
“Forky’s still in there,” said Woody. “If we hurry, we can get him before they lock him up.”
“You want us to go back in there?” asked Ducky, flabbergasted.
“We barely got out alive,” said Duke.
Woody started toward the broken window. Buzz tried to stop him. He told him he’d seen Bonnie’s backpack and that she would return for it, but Woody wasn’t listening.
“No, no,” said Woody, unable to think about anything but Forky. “There’s no time. We can easily get back inside—”
“Woody, look at us!” shouted Bo. Woody turned to see the ragged, exhausted toys. “Nobody is with you,” she said. “It’s over, okay?”
Woody picked up Duke’s cycle. “No. No, no, no,” he said, refusing to give up. “We’re wasting time. We can do this.”
“Come on, Pullstring,” said Bunny.
“It’s not worth it,” added Giggle.
“Yeah, yes—listen to her!” shouted Ducky.
“Nobody wants this!” said Bo.
“I do!” said Woody.
“Why?” asked Bo.
“Because!” he said.
“Why?” Bo hooked Woody with her staff and forced him to look her in the eyes. “Why?” she asked again.
He shoved her staff away and exploded. “BECAUSE IT’S ALL I HAVE LEFT TO DO!” he shouted. “I don’t have anything else.”
“So the rest of us don’t count?” asked Bo.
“Th-that’s not what I mean. Bonnie needs Forky,” said Woody, calmer now.
“No. You need Bonnie….Open your eyes, Woody. There are plenty of kids out there,” said Bo. “It can’t be just about the one you’re still clinging to.”
Woody winced. “It’s called loyalty. Something a lost toy wouldn’t understand.”
Bo was stunned by Woody’s words.
“I’m not the one who’s lost,” she said. Then she turned to Giggle and Duke. “Let’s get out of here. We’ve got a carnival that leaves in the morning.”
Bo, Giggle, and Duke started out.
“C’mon, we’ll go find our own kid,” said Bunny.
“Mmm-hmm. You’re crazy,” said Ducky as he and Bunny joined Bo.
“Bo!” cried Woody.
“Bye, Woody,” she called. “Good luck with Bonnie.” Woody watched them disappear before a look of determination crossed his face and he headed toward the pet door.
“Woody…you did all you could,” said Buzz. “Time to go home.”
“No,” said Woody. “I don’t leave toys behind, Buzz.”
Woody climbed up to the broken window.
“Yeah. But, Woody, you’re actually lea—”
“Not now. Not ever,” interrupted Woody as he disappeared inside the store.
“Aaaaand he left me behind,” Buzz said to himself, standing there alone. “What now, inner voice?” He pressed his button and his voice box said, “This planet is under alien control. We’ve got to warn Star Command. Return to base.” He sighed. “I’m right,” he said, then crept down the alley toward the RV park.
Woody sneaked around the antiques store, desperately searching for Forky.
“Hello, Woody,” said Gabby Gabby, stopping him in his tracks. She stepped out of the shadows. “I knew you’d be back.” Benson appeared beside her, holding Forky’s hand.
“You don’t know me,” said Woody, grabbing a pencil and holding it like a sword.
Gabby Gabby smiled. “But I do….You were left in the closet feeling useless…wondering if you’d ever get played with….”
“I’m not leaving without Forky,” Woody said firmly. He held the pencil higher, ready to strike.
“Can we agree on just one thing?” asked Gabby Gabby. “That being there for a child is the most noble thing a toy can do?”
“Okay…,” Woody said cautiously.
“I was defective right out of the box,” Gabby Gabby explained. She took a deep breath before continuing. “I can only imagine what it must have been like for you. All that time you spent with Andy—riding a bike with him for the first time, comforting him when he skinned his knee, proudly watching him grow up. And then you got a second chance with Bonnie. You’ve been there through all their ups and downs….Please. Be honest with me—was it as wonderful as it sounds?”
As he listened to her words, Woody couldn’t deny the truth of what Gabby Gabby was saying.
“It was,” he said, and lowered the pencil.
“All I want is a chance for one of those moments,” said Gabby Gabby. “I’d give anything to be loved the way you have been.”
Woody thought about what Gabby Gabby said and made a decision.
“Just leave me Forky,” said Woody with a sigh. “Bonnie needs him.”
Gabby Gabby agreed, and the dummies slowly surrounded Woody.
Inside the RV, Jessie and Dolly watched out the window as Bonnie’s dad finished fixing the flat tire.
“Come on, Woody, hurry up,” Jessie said impatiently. “Where is he?”
Suddenly, Buzz popped into view, startling them.
“Buzz!” they shouted. They quickly helped him through the open window.
“Where’s Woody?” asked Dolly.
“And Forky?” asked Hamm.
“We have a situation,” said Buzz. “They need to be extracted from the antiques store.”
“How do we do that?” asked Rex.
Before Buzz could respond, the RV door opened and the family entered, causing the toys to drop into toy mode.
“Okay,” said Bonnie’s dad, eager to hit the road. “Let’s make sure we have everything.”
Bonnie’s toys looked at Buzz with concern.
Buzz whispered confidently, “It�
��s okay.” As the family began looking around, he said, “Any minute now, Bonnie will notice her backpack is missing, she’ll realize she left it at the antiques store, and we’ll head back there.”
“Looks like we have everything,” said Bonnie’s mom. “You good, Bonnie?”
“Yep,” answered Bonnie.
“Great,” said Bonnie’s dad. “Let’s get out of here.”
Bonnie’s mom buckled Bonnie into her car seat as her dad turned the key in the ignition. The RV engine roared to life and began to pull out of its spot.
“All right, genius,” whispered Hamm. “Whadda we do now?”
Buzz frantically pushed his voice-command button and listened as it said, “Scanning the perimeter.” He pressed it again and it said, “Laser at full power! Shields to maximum!”
“Buzz, what are you doing?” asked Rex.
“I’m thinking,” answered Buzz. He hit the command button yet again, causing the recorded voice to say, “This planet is toxic. Prepare for hypersleep!”
“Honey, will you please shut that toy off?” asked Bonnie’s dad.
Bonnie’s mom found Buzz and picked him up. As she looked him over, trying to figure out how to turn him off, he continued to trigger his voice box, causing it to say various phrases.
“Just toss it in a drawer,” called Bonnie’s dad.
Buzz sneaked a peek out the window and saw that they were about to exit the RV park. Bonnie’s mom placed him into a drawer. Having no other choice, Buzz blurted, “YOUR BACKPACK’S IN THE ANTIQUES STORE! LET’S GO!”
Bonnie gasped and her eyes went wide.
“Oh, no—my backpack!” she cried.
Her dad stepped on the brakes.
“I left my backpack in the antiques store!” she told her parents.
“All right, let’s swing by and get it,” her dad said with a groan.
As Woody’s eyes fluttered open, he heard what sounded like an old sewing-machine pedal. He looked up to see Benson biting down on a thread, cutting it off. Benson nodded, letting Woody know that the job was done.
Feeling a little woozy, Woody slowly sat up and heard Gabby Gabby celebrating.
Toy Story 4 Junior Novel Page 6