|| The heart of Home, Wally Darling, becomes reclusive suddenly. And a once-welcoming neighborhood is now a shell of itself. Trying to find safety in their favorite activities. Yet they all know it's to distract them from worrying. ||
"The forest i...
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"Wally Darling! You get back here!" A tall caterpillar man exclaimed at a small blur of yellow and blue that ran out of his store.
'I need to get Home. He'll hide me.' The culprit said to himself, dreading the thought of his friend, Howdy, catching up.
'What was I thinking? In broad daylight?!'
He wished he'd asked Barnaby to accompany him. Mainly as a distraction. His best friend's jokes always cracked Howdy up compared to his, which were on the tamer side. Due to Barnaby's help, he'd say funny things were becoming more understandable. Yet his monotone laugh could use some work.
While stopping at a field near Home, Wally tried to catch his breath and placed his hand on a tree to steady himself. Thinking about taking a break from the run. It was times like these where he wished he had longer legs. Two sets of footsteps were approaching fast. Looking around in a hurry he hid behind a tree brush nearby.
Howdy passed by the area unaware of his hiding spot. No doubt heading towards Home going to give him a stern talking to. A rainbow-colored partridge followed close behind.
"Howdy! Please, calm down."
Ms. Poppy had the unfortunate timing of being in the store at the same time Wally did. So she'd seen the whole thing go down.
'Oh dear. I don't think Home will be happy about this.'
Wally, relieved at having gotten away with his apple crime was faced with another dilemma. And opted not to go home just yet. Continuing to hide behind the tree, sitting down on the soft grass. The red apples in the brown bag held close as he marveled at their beauty. He wouldn't eat them of course. No.
He'd never throw them away unless they began to spoil. The other neighbors were aware of his fascination with the fruit. Yet didn't mind as it was part of Wally's sweet personality.
"Hey, Wally!" Julie's face popped up with Frank nearby, who shot him a confused look, each with a butterfly net in hand.
"Hi, Julie. Hi Frank."
"What are you up to?" Frank suspiciously eyed him.
"Nothing much." He lied.
"Are those apples from Howdy's store?" The pink puppet monster took a few steps forward. Wally only then realized that he still had the open bag in his lap.
"Yes."
Frank's face scrunched up.
"Let me guess, stolen from Howdy." Not surprised at the recurring stunt Wally pulled almost every month. "How you haven't gotten banned yet is a mystery."
The yellow and blue puppet fidgeted with his necktie. Bashfully looking at the apples then up at his neighbors. Howdy had already given him a few - more like several - warnings. Perhaps he should've headed back home after all.
