Welcome Home

Burn It Down

I felt tears streaming down my face as I looked up at Wally. He began to laugh once again. 

"Oh, are you crying?" He smiled widely. I looked around and noticed everyone else was laughing as well. All their color was drained.

Home possessed all of them. How? 

Wally turned, grabbing something off the table and throwing it down in front of me. 

"Oh, I believe these belong to you." It was the paintings Wally and I did together, only the faces were ripped apart. I felt myself begin to sob. 

"Why are you doing this?" I practically screamed. Wally stopped laughing, kneeling down to my level and placing his hand under my chin. He forced me to look at him. 

"Because the show. Must. Go. On." He smiled, standing up. 

"And you're no longer a fan favorite, so you must be wiped from the show." I shook my head. 

"The show is over! It was cancelled in 1974!" Everyone frowned, including Wally. 

"NO! We're not cancelled! The show will ALWAYS live on!"

I shook my head once again. 

"You're wrong! Let everyone live their own lives!" They all began to laugh hysterically. 

Wally stopped laughing, looking down at me with anger. 

"There's nothing you can do." 

I felt the black substance crawl up my body more. 

I'm going to die here.

My mind began racing.

 I need to think of something. 

I looked to Barnaby. 

How can I get him to snap out of it? Jokes... Jokes!

I turned to him, telling him a joke. He slightly chuckled.

That's it!

I told him another joke, and another, and another. 

He began laughing hysterically. His color quickly returning. He stopped laughing, looking around in horror. Wally quickly made his way over. 

"You little brat!" He screamed, running towards me. Barnaby grabbed him, throwing him to the ground hard. Barnaby ran for the window, only to be grabbed by the same black substance holding me. He turned to Julie and began singing. Julie began singing back, and quickly her color returned. Wally screamed.

"STOP IT!" He struggled to get up. It seemed like Barnaby threw him pretty roughly. 

Julie looked around in horror, turning to Barnaby. 

"Barnaby, what's going on?" Barnaby shook his head. 

"No time! Sing to Frank!" She turned and began singing a song to Frank; a duet. He began singing, and quickly his color returned as well. Julie gave him the same run down and he turned to Eddie, reminiscing about their life together. Eddie's color returned, and in turn he helped Sally. Sally helped Poppy, and Poppy helped Howdy.  

Wally finally got up, laughing maniacally. 

"You all think you're so cleaver! You're not! You're all wiped from the show!" The black substance reached up, grabbing everyone. Barnaby turned to me. 

"Kid, you gotta help Wally!" I looked at him in a panic. 

"How?!" Barnaby grabbed me, and pulled me from the black substance. 

"Sorry." He said as he threw me to Wally. I landed on him, both of us collapsing to the ground. Wally screamed. 

"GET OFF ME!" I quickly pinned his arms down. 

"Wally, I love you! Help us!" I leaned down and gently kissed him. I pulled back, and his face was lit up. It then twisted into a grin and he began laughing. He quickly threw me to the ground. 

"Did you actually believe that would work? IDIOT!" He laughed more.

Just then the house roared in pain once again. Barnaby had broken free and managed to crack the window. 

"Break it!" I yelled. Barnaby began to panic. 

"I'm trying! It's stronger now!" Wally laughed. 

"Oh, you naïve fools! Did you honestly believe I wouldn't take precaution?" He picked up and threw a table chair with ease, hitting Barnaby. Barnaby hit the ground hard, screaming in pain. 

"Wally, please! Stop!" I screamed. Wally had a look of sadness, but it was quickly replaced with anger. 

"Oh, stop trying to help him! You don't even belong here! This isn't your show, it's mine!" He laughed. 

"You're wrong!" Sally spoke up. 

"It's all of our show" Frank yelled. 

"Especially Wally!" Poppy chimed in. 

"So let our friend go!" Howdy yelled. 

"Or else!" Eddie spoke up. 

Wally laughed again. 

"Ohh, I'm so scared! What are you measly little side characters going to do?" 

Everyone began grabbing things close to them, throwing them at the cracked window. It finally broke. 

Home roared in pain, and the black substance quickly withered away. Wally fell to the ground, not moving. 

"Wally!" I ran over and lifted him up. He began to laugh. 

"Oh, you thought that was it?" He pointed to the window that was already almost fixed. Barnaby came up behind me, dragging me away from Wally. 

He opened the door and threw me outside. Just as he did, the window fixed and the door slammed shut. Black tentacles emerged from the house, grabbing at my legs. I quickly ran and got away, running towards my house. 

I felt the tears streaming down my face. 

I need to help them!

I got to my house and quickly ran inside. I ran to my drawers and began digging through them. I pulled out a lighter.

Perfect! 

I ran back down the hill, going around the back of Home. I began lighting the bushes outside on fire. I ran to the front of the house, where the door opened. There I could see the black substance had everyone once again, almost swallowing them. 

I went back inside, the door slamming closed behind me. I heard that same maniacal laugh. 

"Stupid... You actually came back." Wally stepped out, laughing. 

"I'm here to save my friends!" Wally laughed. 

"And how do you plan to do that?" I quickly turned, lighting the curtains on fire. Home roared again. 

"NO!" Wally screamed. I began lighting everything I could see. The black substance quickly retreated. Home screeched in pain. Everyone got up, quickly making a run for the door. Barnaby tried to grab Wally, but he was still fighting. 

"NO! This body is MINE!" Wally screamed. Barnaby picked him up, throwing him outside. He quickly grabbed me, carrying me out with him.

We quickly joined everyone in front of Home. Home screeched and roared as the flames grew larger, engulfing it. Barnaby held onto Wally as he tried to wiggle free. His voice becoming more and more distorted. 

Wally finally stopped moving. His head drooped down. 

I quickly held his head up, calling his name. 

Oh god, please tell me he's okay. 

"Wally? Wally? Please... You have to be okay."