Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started with a dream. 

A young puppet sat in his room. Head down and curled up in a corner, their eyes stung as tears rolled down their face. Silent sniffles could hardly be heard as they sat in their isolation, not daring to make a single sound. If they did, the punishment would be far worse than just a slap across the face. 

Loud creaks and doors opening and closing could be heard, as if it were some kind of code. 

"-.-. . .- ... . / -.-- --- ..- .-. / -.-. .-. -.-- .. -. --. / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. .-.-.-" 

The child froze. Not wanting to anger their aggressor any further. He kept his head down and breathed quietly. Inhaling and exhaling slowly through his nose. 

".-. .. ... ."

The child, still with his head down, stood to his feet. He dared not lift his head. He knew what would happen if he looked up without permission. Still as a statue, he stood still for a few moments. Before the creaking, banging and slamming began again. 

"-.-- --- ..- / -.- -. --- .-- / .-- .... -.-- / .. / .--. ..- -. .. ... .... . -.. / -.-- --- ..- / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. .-.-.-" 

"Yes." The child said. It was more of a statement than an answer. 

"... .... --- ..- .-.. -.. / -.-- --- ..- / -.. .. ... --- -... . -.-- / -- . / .- --. .- .. -. --..-- / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .--. ..- -. .. ... .... -- . -. - / .-- .. .-.. .-.. / -... . / ..-. .- .-. / .-- --- .-. ... . .-.-.-"

"Yes…" The child said. He quivered slightly, but he did not cry. He knew better. Instead, he remained silent. He breathed slowly and kept his head down. He didn't twitch. He didn't flinch. He didn't move.

". .- -"

A single apple rolled to his feet. They slowly bent down to retrieve it. Bringing the apple to his mouth, he hesitated. Was this really okay? 

".. / ... .- .. -.. / . .- - / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. --..-- / .-.. . ... - / -.-- --- ..- .-. / ..-. --- --- -.. / --. .-. --- .-- / ... -.-. .- .-. -.-. . / ..-. --- .-. / -.-- --- ..- .-. / .... . ... .. - .- - .. --- -." 

A series of irritated clangs, bangs and slamming cabinets and doors filled the silent void. With a slight jump at the sudden loudness, the child, not wanting to anger their caretaker, took a bit of their apple. Then another. Then another. Until all that was left was the core. They were still hungry. 

"Thank you…" They said, with their head still down. Something smooth an black lifted the child's head. So that he could look at the ceiling as if looking into the eyes of the one who fed him. 

"Forgive me." Said the child tried and broken "I am sorry… I didn't mean to. It was an accident" The black, smooth something released their chin to instead give them a pat on the head. The child's head remained looking up. 

"-.-- --- ..- / .- .-. . / ..-. --- .-. --. .. ...- . -. --..-- / -- -.-- / -.-. .... .. .-.. -.. .-.-.- / .- -.-. -.-. .. -.. . -. - ... / .... .- .--. .--. . -. .-.-.- / .. - / .. ... / -. --- / --- -. . .----. ... / ..-. .- ..- .-.. - .-.-.-"

The child was silent. With one final pat, the bedroom door opened. Revealing a broken red vase. The child slowly exited the room and went to grab the dustpan and broom. Careful not to hurt himself, they swept up all of the pieces and threw them into the trash along with the apple core. 

Other children could be seen outside. Running, laughing, playing. The sun looked so nice. So warm. He wished he could feel it. Noticing him, a child stopped running. They waved and gave him a big smile. The little puppet smiled as best he could and waved back. They couldn't help. No one could. 

The playing child was called away by their friends.

Waking up with tears streaming down his face, an adult puppet sat up in his bed. Running their fingers through their hair, they gave an exasperated sigh. "Again…" They said, pathetically. "Why? Why can't I just…forget?" He said to himself. He got up from his bed and went to his bathroom. Coving his eyes from the sudden light, he washed his face. His eyes were red and puffy. The puppet scowled at his reflection, as if it had offended him somehow. "Who are you…? Is that me?" He asked. He tried to focus but instead was given a headache. Shaking his head to try and get rid of it, he refocused.

"Why…why can't…" He strained. "It's still…" His grip tightened on the sink, knuckles white and eyes full of pain "I can't…see" Everything went black. 

Oh, sorry. Did I say "dream"? I meant nightmare.

Chapter Text

Wallie was sitting at a café. When did he get here? What was that taste in his mouth? It was sweet and salty. The puppet looked down at the table he didn't remember sitting at and saw a chocolate biscuit that he didn't remember ordering. He blinked several times, trying to ground himself. 

What happened? How much time has passed? Why did he feel so…lethargic? Deciding to just not think about it, Wallie got up from his seat, biscuit in hand and left the café. The bright sun temporarily blinded him, as he stumbled out into the warm sunlight. The air was crisp with a faint smell of freshly cut grass in the air. He liked that smell. It grounded him. 

He walked to a nearby park and sat down on a bench near a bed of flowers. Munching on his biscuit, he stared out into the crystal blue pond. Mama and Papa ducks with their babies swam happily as their quacks could be heard, almost as if they were having a conversation. A little duckling swam up to Wallie and gave a little quack. Breaking off a piece of his biscuit, he went to toss it in the water. A voice stopped him.

"Don't do that." The voice sounded grumpy. Exasperated even. "Huh…?" Wallie looked around, searching for the source of the grumpy sounding voice. "That's not good for them. If you want to feed them, you have to give them frozen peas." Said, the grumpy voice. Wallie lowered his hand and the little duckling quacked at him, seemingly frustrated that he didn't get his treat. "It's not good for you." Wallie said, to the bird. "It will make you sick. I am sorry." A louder, more adult quack could be heard in the distance. The little duckling tilts his head at Wallie and turns to swim away, but not before giving him a silent quack. Wallie smiled at the animal. "Next time I'll bring something you can eat." He said, with a pitiful smile. 

As the baby duckling swam off to be with his family, A dog ran by with a stick. Wagging it's tail, happy to show it's owner what it had found. Wallie leaned back into the park bench, still clutching the chocolate biscuit. He didn't feel like eating it so he put it in his messenger bag. 

Staring out in the lake, his mind began to wander. He wondered what it was like to be a bird. Did birds have to worry about anything? Did they have to deal with not knowing where they were all the time? Time loss? Did they have voices in their heads that tell them what to do?

"No." There was that voice again. The grumpy one. "Birds do not have voices in their heads. At least to anyone's knowledge." Said the voice, as if it were answering a question from a student. "Also birds have many things to worry about. Food, the weather, their children if they have any, hunters, bigger animals and of course they also have to worry about people-" "Shut up!" Wallie whispered harshly. He shook his head, as if to make the voice go away. "Rude." The voice said, snidely. 

Wallie's eyebrow twitched, and he let out a deep sigh. He didn't mean to be rude. He was just…confused. "It's alright, Dear." Another voice? This one was gentle, almost motherly. "You have nothing to apologize for, we understand. Truly we do. Please, remember to breathe." Wallie took a deep breath. The sudden gentle voice shocked him, as he sat frozen. When did he stop breathing? "Please forgive him, he likes to give facts on animals. He didn't mean to scare you. Relax your shoulders, love" Wallie didn't even know his shoulders were hunched. "Unclench your jaw, sweetheart." How long has he been doing that? He massaged his cheeks with hands. It felt nice. "There you go, all better?" Asked, the motherly voice. "Mhm…" Wallie answered. He was very bashful at the sudden care that was being given to him. He's never received care before. He didn't know how to respond. 

He sat on the bench for a few minutes, before deciding to get up and move around. For some reason, sitting made him anxious. Feeling the rising anxiety in the pit of his stomach, he got up and walked toward a larger bed of flowers. They were poppies. "Oh! The flowers! They say hello!" A very feminine, high pitched voice said. "They also wanna know if you're okay. They say you should take it easy when you get home, Wallie! You look pale!" The voice squeaked. Wallie didn't know how to respond so he just awkwardly thanked the poppy flowers and decided he had enough if being outside and decided to go home. 

Letting out a deep sigh, he dropped his bag to the ground and let his hair down. Why was the hair tie gray? He shook his hair loose and massaged his scalp. It felt nice. Walking into the bathroom, he unclipped the pink flower clip and placed it on the sink. Raising his head, he saw his reflection. At least he thought it was him. Lately his own face had been blurry upon looking at it on any reflective surface. As if something is stopping from looking into his own eyes. He stared hard into the mirror, trying to get a clear view of himself. Instead he was met with a jumpscare. It was his face…but it was completely dark…only his eyes were visible. The sudden fright made him jump back in fear with a yelp. His back was against his bathroom wall and his eyes on the ground. He was afraid to look up. 

His body shaking, he clutched his chest in an attempt to slow his increasing heart rate. "Don't do that." A voice said. It was familiar, but he couldn't figure out from where. "What…?" Wallie asked, gasping for air. "Don't force yourself to see your face. You'll hurt yourself" The voice said. It was monotone, almost unfeeling. Almost. 

Unsure of what to say, Wallie pushed himself off the wall and went to his room. Turning on the light, he took off his cardigan and placed it in his desk chair. He was suddenly heating up and he felt trapped wearing it, but he still wanted it close by. It was important to him. He changed into his black sweatpants and sat on his bed. With his eyes glazed, he stared at his knees. His heartbeat loud in his ears, he flexes his hands. Where was he again? He tried to look around but he couldn't focus on anything. He felt soft fabric underneath him. A bed? He didn't know. 

The ground seemed to have risen at a rapid pace, because his face was suddenly smooshed against the wooden floor of his bedroom. Faintly, he could hear voices. What were they saying? Who's Wallie? He didn't know. With a small groan, he managed to rise to his knees. He stayed in that position for what felt like hours. Staring at nothing. He couldn't stare at anything. He felt like he was floating. He couldn't control his body. He couldn't do anything, except sit alone. In the dark. 

Chapter Text

Waking up on the cold bathroom floor, Wallie groaned in irritation. His shoulder was hurting and so was his neck. Great. Getting up, he looked into the mirror and saw his reflection. "Looks like I'm out today." Wallie said, running his fingers through his hair. "Well, I've got to be the one to shower today. Even though it's someone else's job to make sure Wallie does that." A small, 'bwak' could be heard in the back of his head, along with a gentle scolding. "Now, Frank…" A voice said in a kind, southern accent. "Be nice to Ms. Poppy. She's doing her best" 

"Fine, fine…I apologize Poppy. I'm just upset that we didn't get up here sooner." Frank said, with a deep sigh. "Thank you for apologizing. I know you mean well." Said a soft and timid English accent. Frank smiled and began to strip down to shower. "I'll be a few minutes, so please don't disturb me." Frank said, turning on the water. They felt everyone leave as they made sure the water was warm. Pulling up the valve on the bathtub faucet, the shower head began to release  freezing water, some of it getting in their hair. Scowling, they looked up and saw the shower head was at an angle. Frank groaned, annoyed that now they were now forced to wash their hair. They turned the water to warm. "Everything alright, Hun?" Asked a gentle, southern accent, full of concern. "I'm fine Eddie. I just got my hair wet by accident. I didn't want to wash my hair today, but it looks like I'm gonna be longer than a few minutes." Frank huffed. "Do you want me to stay with you, my love?" Eddie asked, shyly. "That would be lovely, actually." Frank said, hugging their body lovingly.

With a new found giddiness, Frank began to wash the body down. They were humming a tune to themselves when they noticed how dirty the shower water was. "When was the last time we showered?" Frank asked with disgust. There seems to be a build up of dirt on their body. "Uh…'bout a week ago?" Eddie said, in the back of Frank's head. "Or was it two weeks?" Letting out an irritated sigh, Frank grabbed their exfoliating sponge. Making sure to build up a good lather, Frank made sure to scrub the body clean twice. Not wanting to stay in the shower any longer, they turned off the water, and dried off. Wrapping their gray towel around their waist. 

Frank grabbed their shampoo and leave-in conditioner and turned on the bathroom sink. Making sure the water was warm enough, Frank washed their hair three times. Looking into the foggy mirror, Frank used his hand to clear some of the steam. He squeezed the water out of his hair and sat the towel around his shoulders. "You're so beautiful, Frank." Eddie cooed. Frank's face grew a bright orange as their face began to flush. A light giggle could be heard in the back of his head. Sputtering in embarrassment, Frank opened the mirror to grab a comb. They refused to look back into the mirror after closing it. "Do you want me to do our hair today, Honey Bun?" "N-no. I can do it. I'm fine." Frank said, their scowling with flustered embarrassment. 

With a light chuckle from Eddie, Frank grabbed their pink hair dryer. It was covered in stickers. They sighed, shook their head and turned it on. "No, no, no! You're not doing right, Frank! Let me do it!" Said a high pitched voice. "I'm doing perfectly fine, Julie." Frank, groaned. She did this every time. "No, you're not! You're going to damage our hair like that!" Frank pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are quite Vexing" 

Taking control, Julie let out a huff. "You know how to do our hair so it's nice and soft, yet you choose to not do it!" Julie complained. "There are more important things than our hair, Julie!" A grumpy voice scolded in the back of her mind. She stuck her tongue out childishly at her reflection- at Frank and began her hair routine. Why couldn't they understand that this was important? It was important to her. Doing her hair routine took a little over an hour. Her hair was soft, and smelled of apples and cinnamon. 

"See, Frank? Doing the hair routine is important! We always look our best!" Julie chirped, puffing out her chest. She could feel an eye roll, but she decided to ignore it. "Now it's time for clothes!" Julie excitedly sprinted to the closet to look for an outfit to wear. She was going to wear a pink dress with green stockings, that is until she was told to stop. "No, no, no! No dresses! You know that makes Wallie especially uncomfortable!" A voice projected. It was loud and could easily be heard very clearly, even though it was very far away in the back of Julie's mind. "But he's not fronting! I am!" Julie pouted. She stomped her foot with a "Hmph!" and crosses her arms in a childlike manner. "Yes, yes I know. But you know Wallie has a sixth sense for these things. If they realize they're in a dress they'll have a panic attack!" Julie's pout softened into a sad knowing look. She started at the dress, wanting desperately to wear her favorite outfit out in public again. "I know, but…" Julie whimpered. 

"It'll be okay, Julie. Maybe one day…you'll be able to wear it again." A usually grumpy voice said, with a soft, gentle tone. He felt bad that his best friend couldn't be herself anymore. At least, not to the fullest. Before she started to cry, Julie could feel herself get blurry. Her body felt light and floaty and she couldn't focus. This caused a wave of anxiety to fill her chest and stomach. She was being pulled out of front and she didn't like it. She hated it. "No! Stop it!" She shouted, but it only made the pulling stronger. Stumbling backwards in order to regain her balance and sense gravity, she ended up flopping on the bed. The white ceiling was the last thing she saw before she closed her eyes. She hated this part. 

Rubbing her eyes, she let out one last plea. "I don't wanna go…" The body went limp.

Vision blurry and head slightly hurting, the body rapidly blinks it's eyes, trying to regain at least some vision. “Sorry Julie.” The body said, with a heavy sigh. “But I simply can't let you give Wallie a panic attack… It would be very upset.” Soft crying and cooing could be heard in the back of the body's mind. “Looks like it's your time to shine, Sally.” 

Putting away the dress and leggings, Sally pulled out her favorite pair of pants as well as a white T-shirt and Wallie's cardigan. Just in case he suddenly came up front. Making sure to have everyone's comfort items, Sally made her way into the neighborhood. Passing by a building that smelled of treats of all kinds, a voice could be heard in the back of her mind. It sounded like a radio salesman “Say! Lookie there! 50% off of treats! We should stop in there for a quick snack!” Upon hearing this, Sally stopped and looked at the chalkboard stand. It was a café and was indeed having a 50% off of everything sale. Sally shrugged and decided she was feeling peckish. Walking inside, she stood in a long line of people waiting to order something sweet to eat.

‘Why was my body moving on its own? What's going on?’ Wallie thought to himself. He couldn't see anything, but he could hear. He felt like he was so close to seeing what's going on, yet so far away. He had no control. No power. No voice. Wallie tried to move forward, but something grabbed his wrist. For some reason, that sent a sharp wave of anxiety through him. As if he had felt it before. Breathing in sharply, Wallie whipped his head around to see who had grabbed him so abruptly. 

“Don't go up there.” Wallie blinked a little over several times in an attempt to try and adjust his sight. But everytime he tried, it just became more difficult. Why did looking at who this was…hurt his eyes? “Let go…” Wallie said, with absolute terror in his eyes. As if realizing what it had done, the blurry figure retracted it's hand as if Wallie was made of acid. Wallie pulled his hand to his chest, rubbing his wrist. “I am sorry… I did not mean to frighten you.” “Who are you…?” Wallie asked timidly. The blurry figure did not answer. Wallie blinked and sighed. He turned his back towards the voices. People? He could hardly tell but he was certain he could see something. Unlike the blurry figure that hurts his eyes. He made an attempt to go back towards them. 

“Wallie.” The blurry person said. Hearing his name said in such a way made shivers crawl up his spine like spiders. “Y-yes…?” Wallie fearfully whimpered. “Don't go up there.” “Why?” “It's not time for you to be out yet.” Out? What was he talking about? And why could he see anything? Why was his body moving on its own and why can't he see this one's face? The voices seemed to be squabbling. Something about hair? “I-I want to see. Why can't I see?” Wallie sniffled. He was getting scared. He didn't like this. At all. Tears streamed down his face like salty rivers. Breath labored and heavy, he snapped his head towards the voices when he heard the word ‘Dresses’ “No…” He tries to speak. He wanted to speak. He needed to speak. But his throat was tight, causing the words to get caught in his throat. Another sharp wave of anxiety hit him, but this one wasn't his. Where was it coming from? 

The blurry figure pulled Wallie into it's chest. The familiar scent of sandalwood and eucalyptus filled Wallie’s nose, causing his heart rate too slow, but only slightly. Like a child clinging to it's mother, Wallie wrapped his arms around the blurry figure, fingers gripping so tightly onto its clothes. The fabric felt familiar. I felt like his cardigan. A song could be heard coming from the blurry figure's unperceived lips. He knew this song. 

“Come with me…and you'll be in a world of pure imagination. Take a look…and you'll see into your imagination.”   This song always made Wallie feel better. He wasn't sure why. Softly and gently, the blurry figure sang for Wallie, like a mother lulling her weeping child to sleep. The words cradled him, hugged him, kissed his cheeks as his stream of tears slowly came to a stop and his throat opened up making it easier to breathe again. Wallie's grip loosened, becoming more of an affectionate hug than a grip of dear life. His body started to go limp and heavy, the double wave of anxiety subsiding, replacing itself with fatigue and exhaustion. The blurry figure cradled Wallie's head, gently and lovingly placing it's unperceived cheek on his hair. 

“There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination…Living there, you'll be free…if you truly…wish to be.”  Placing a kiss on Wallie's head, the blurry figure sat down, making sure Wallie was comfortable and calm. Hugging his torso, Wallie buried his face in the blurry figure's belly, sniffles with eyes puffy and red from crying. He could feel hands petting and caressing his hair. Lovingly and kindly, soothing Wallie's anxiety and fear. “You are safe with me. Always remember that. I love you…very much” Taking a deep, shaky breath, Wallie smiled into its chest. “I love you too…Neighbor.” “‘Neighbor?’” the blurry figure said, curiously. “I…don't know your name. But I know you're never very far. You're always next to me. Like a Neighbor.” Chuckling at the explanation, The blurry figure patted Wallie's head and brought him up closer to his chest. With a gentle kiss on the forehead, it caressed Wallie's cheek. “Then that shall be my name. At least…for now. Thank you, Wallie” Giggling at the physical contact, Wallie placed his hand on top of Neighbor’s. 

After a few more moments, Wallie could feel himself being pulled. “Huh…?” “It is time for you to go up now.” Even though Wallie wanted to see at first, he didn't want to leave his friend. He felt safer next to it. “Are you going to disappear if I go…?” Wallie asked, his voice tiny and fragile like a child afraid to lose their imaginary best friend. “I will always be here with you. Even if you can't see or feel me. We will always be here for you. No matter what.” We? Who's ‘we?’ Did it mean the voices? Before Wallie could question anything, he suddenly found himself in a café. 

At a table he didn't remember sitting at. With a chocolate biscuit he didn't remember ordering.

Chapter Text

‘Why is the sun so bright?’ Wallie thought. Their window shades were wide open, allowing the sun to wake him up earlier than he wanted to be. Looking around they noticed they were in his living room, laying on his couch with his throw blanket that was just much too big for his 4 '11 body. ‘How did I…?’ The low sound of his television caught his attention. A cartoon was playing reruns of episodes he's seen a million times. His coffee table was covered in sweets and snacks, as if someone had raided his pantry. Feeling himself dissociate, he shook his head to regain focus. He didn't know what happened last night but it looks like he didn't hurt himself so he didn't bother thinking too hard about it.

Getting up from the couch, he went to the bathroom. The after taste of chocolate and gummies was strong and he didn’t like the sweet taste. He loves sweets, but today the taste was overwhelming and made him feel sick. Brushing his teeth, he looked at his reflection. His eyes were so tired. He looked pale and just generally not well. He wasn’t sick, but he certainly looked like it. After getting the sweet taste out of his mouth he went to the kitchen. Upon entering, he saw a bowl of hot soup sitting on the counter top. Pausing in the corridor, his heart skipped a beat in slight fear. Did he make this…? If so…when? 

Carefully walking into the kitchen, he looked around for any signs of other people. Finding no one, he turned back to the bowl of soup. There was a note, folded and had his name written in script with a tiny red apple drawn next to it. Walking up to the counter, he picked up the note and opened it. 

“ Dear Wally,

I made some soup for you, dear! I hope you enjoy it! It has meat, veggies and potatoes! I also added a Hawaiian bread roll for you!

                                               Love, Poppy ”

Poppy? He’s seen that name before. On the many notes around the house. This “Poppy” has always left little notes, reminders and even words of affirmation, but this was the first time she cooked something for Wally to eat. Feeling the painful burning in his stomach, he folded the note closed and placed it in his pocket. Grabbing the food and a fork, he walked over to his living room and placed the hot bowl on the coffee table. Sitting on the couch, he placed his throw blanket over his lap and turned up the volume of the tv. 

Lightly blowing on the soup to cool it down, he brought the bowl to his lips and carefully and slowly drank the broth. Humming in contentment as the liquid warmed his body. They wondered how Poppy knew how to make such a yummy thing. Maybe they’ll leave a note asking about it later. Little Blue Jays and Red Cardinals sat at his windowsill, pecking at the birdseed that was placed there for them. That was another thing Poppy liked to do. Feed the birds. It was incredibly sweet and slightly unnerving that he knew of Poppy and her habits, but couldn’t find her. It was like she was some kind of ghost. A ghost that always showed up when he needed her. It was comforting but a little scary. 

Finishing up the broth, Wallie grabbed his fork and began to munch on the meat and veggies. The tv playing some random show that he Honestly wasn’t even paying attention too. A commercial for a new baking set came on. It was a rainbow colored and the quality was advertised to be very steady and long lasting. Of course, it was mostly silicone so that meant he had to take extra good care of them. Store them away properly, not let them come into direct contact with heat or else they’ll melt. Oh, that would be so sad. The cake tins are a decent size too, oh what lovely cakes he could make! Butterscotch, Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla, Confetti! There are so many options! And the cookie sheets were such a pretty marble rainbow. Instead of making just one dozen at a time, he could make two dozen! That would be so- 

“Bwak…” Wallie said. What happened? Where was he? He looked down at his lap to see the bowl of soup, broth gone and very little vegetables. “Oh dear…I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean too!” Wallie squeaked. He was so scared right now, he thought he might faint. “It’s alright, Poppy.” A southern voice said. “I’m right here, don’t be scared. I’ll be here with you.” It was Eddie! Oh thank goodness! “Oh, Eddie! I’m sorry! I was just coming up to check if Wallie had eaten, then I saw a commercial with baking utensils and I…I guess I got too close…” Poppy clucked. She was very anxious and didn’t like fronting. The outside world was so loud and scary. And big. Feeling the anxiety rise, she threw her face into her hands, and let out a frightful ‘Bakawk!’ “Hey, hey it’s alright. Now don’t you start worryin’ yer pretty feathered head. I’m right here and I ain’t goin’ nowhere.” Poppy could feel a hand petting her head. “If you get overwhelmed, I’ll take over fer ya, lickity-split. Just don’t split yer lickity!” With a light-hearted chuckle, Eddie took his place right next to Poppy. He made sure to make his presence very strong so she’d have constant reassurance that he was there. It brought her great comfort knowing she could depend on him in times like this. “Oh, Thank you Eddie. You’re so kind” 

Poppy got up from the couch and headed to their bedroom. She wanted to wear something of her’s today. She wasn’t present often, so she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. She began to undress herself but then paused with a bashful look on her face. She slightly cleared her throat, a little embarrassed to say what she wanted to say. “Oh, right! Don’t worry, I’m goin’! I’ll be in co-con ‘til yer done.” Eddie said, gently. Poppy didn’t like getting undressed in front of others, even if they shared a body. Sometimes Julie or Sally would poke fun at her for it, but they understood that she simply wasn’t comfortable and never made her feel foolish because of it. 

Choosing her red overalls and a pink and white striped shirt, she got dressed in a timely manner. She didn’t want to keep Eddie waiting too long. Putting on a pair of black socks, she slipped on her pair of red mary-jane shoes, making sure the heart shaped button was secure. “You can come back now,” Poppy said, loud enough for Eddie to hear. “I've just got to brush our hair.” Feeling Eddie’s presence, Poppy made her way to the bathroom and turned the light. Standing in front of the bathroom  sink, she grabbed the pink brush covered in stickers, she giggled at the sight. It was adorable and actually rather helpful to see so many stickers. At least in her opinion. That’s how everyone knew who it belonged to. Frank found it childish, but Poppy always felt her heart swell with joy whenever she’d come across something in the house covered in stickers. “Julie,” Poppy called. “Do you have any stickers left?” She asked, making sure to brush her head exactly how she was taught too. Julie was very particular about these things. 

“No, I ran out last night. I was putting stickers on my favorite remote!” A high pitched voice said in the back her mind. “Julie…” a grumpy and rather exasperated voice said. “What? It’s my favorite remote! It has cute buttons!” The high pitched voice exclaimed with joy. Poppy giggled and shook her head. “Perhaps a trip to the store is in order? I need to buy more groceries anyway. I’ll be sure to buy more stickers, alright?” Poppy said, like a mother talking to her child. Hearing a gleeful giggle, Poppy put on a light shade of red lipgloss. “How lovely! You look absolutely stunning! Bewitching! Enchanting!” A loud voice said. Poppy clucked bashfully. “Th-thank you, Sally.” “Well of course, Poppy dear! I’m only stating the facts!” A light, southern chuckle could be heard next to her. “Hey, Poppy! Whatcha getting all dolled up for? Ya seein’ somebody?” A relaxed voice said, teasingly. “N-no! Not at all! Nothing of the sort!” “Barnaby, leave her alone and get back here! I’m not done clipping your nails!” Sally said, slightly annoyed. “Awe, Sal! They ain’t gonna hurt nobody! Why bother doin’ that in here, when I don’t got’em out there?” “Because when you play around with Julie, you end up scratching her!” “Ain’t my fault my tiny little claws are sharp!” 

Giggling at the squabbling, Poppy turned off the bathroom light and made her way to the living room. She turned off the tv and grabbed her purse. Making sure everything was inside, she looked to the window with the birdseed. The birds were running low. “I’ll be sure to buy more birdseed as well…I don’t want the birds to go hungry.” Stepping outside and locking the door, Poppy made her way to the shopping center. It wasn’t as lively, so Poppy wasn’t too nervous. Looking around at all of the booths and shops, Poppy felt happy being able to experience the outside for herself. The smell of sweet bread fills her nose as she passes a bakery. A sign that said ‘Fresh bread and rolls! Get ‘em while they’re hot! Only 50% off!’ Grabbed the attention of Howdy. “Only 50%?! They’re practically giving them away!” With a soft hum, Poppy steps into the shop, smiling at how warm and cozy it looked and felt. Choosing a place to sit, she sat on the floor cushion next to the window and grabbed a menu. A server approached her table, notepad and pen ready to take an order. “Oh! Uhm…” Poppy hesitated. She didn’t get to fully look I’ve the menu yet, but she didn’t want to keep the server waiting. Poppy's hands began to shake slightly. Her social anxiety was starting to rise.

“I’ll have a glazed pumpkin bread bun and some earl gray tea with extra sugar and hazelnut cream.” 

“Of course! Right away!”

The server chirped, walking back to the kitchen. Poppy let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you Eddie…” Poppy mumbled. “No problem, Birdie.” Eddie said, patting Poppy’s head. Leaning back into the pillows, Poppy brought her knees to her chest and looked out the window. The birds were flying and singing happily and a few children could be seen playing with their friends. A little girl spotted Poppy in the window and came to a sudden halt. She turned her little body towards Poppy and gave her a big wave. Her lighthearted giggles were muffled behind the glass. Poppy smiled and gave the child a wave back. Soon after, the little girl ran after her friends again until she was gone from sight. She didn’t know why, but something about that interaction made her anxious. But why? The little girl did nothing wrong? So why was poppy so jittery? “Do you need me up there?” A loud voice said in the back of Poppy’s mind. She was already approaching before anyone could say anything. “Poppy it’s alright…Nothing is going to happen to you.” “I-I know…I just…” Poppy began to panic. Her heart was speeding up and her vision got blurry. Someone was talking to her, but it was muffled. All she could hear was ringing, like a flatline in her ears. She couldn’t breathe, her body was cold but also hot. Very hot. Was the room shrinking? What is that noise? They’re all muffled. Everything is muffled. Why can’t she hear anything? Is she going to die? It feels like she’s dying. I’m dying…

“Hey!” A voice said, gentle but full of worry. Poppy eyes snapped open and she looked around her surroundings. Where was she again? “Are you alright? Do you need help?” Oh right. She was in a bake shop. The server’s face was full of worry and concern. They hoped this poor puppet was okay. Panic/anxiety attacks aren’t fun at all. Especially out in public. Taking a few deep breaths, Poppy looked at the server, bashful and embarrassed. “I’m so sorry…” Her voice cracked. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You did nothing wrong. Are you going to be okay?” “Y-yes…yes I’ll be okay,” Poppy said, her eyes tearing up. “Th-thank you…” “Why don’t you take these to go? It’s on the house.” The server said gently. “Oh no! No, I couldn’t do that! You’ve worked so hard on this…it’d be rude not to pay you for your services!” Poppy pleaded. “Hey, I suffer from anxiety attacks too. I know how scary they can be. Trust me, it’s perfectly fine.” The server gave Poppy a warm smile. They just wanted her to feel better. Deciding it was no use arguing, Poppy nodded and sniffled. The server gave her a soft cloth to wipe her tears with and helped her stand up. “Wait by the door, I'll only be a few minutes.” “Thank you very much. You are so kind.” Poppy said, with a timid smile. The server happily skipped back to the kitchen, delighted to have helped someone feel better today. 

Poppy was starting to feel better about the site all together. That is until another customer let out an annoyed groan. Poppy tried not to think it was because of her. After all, they could be upset about something else. The server came back with a to-go box and a cute bag. “Here you go! The bag is reusable and durable! It’s a little freebie!” They said cheerfully. Poppy smiled. Just as she was going to respond, the annoyed customer ducked their teeth in irritation. “So we’re just giving things away to everyone?” The server scowled at the customer. “No, we’re not. I’m just doing something nice for someone who is having a bad day.” The server said, gently ushering Poppy to the door. She was already having a bad day, she didn’t need this too. Poppy’s face flustered with embarrassment. Was she really that big of a problem? Was she making the bake shop look bad? 

“So? Everyone has bad days. They can get over it and move on like an adult. Don’t be a fucking baby about everything. I swear this generation is so sensitive. See? Even now, they’re crying like a little fucking kid! Grow up!” They said, with their voice gradually increasing into shouting. People were starting to look into the shop. Most with irritated looks. This particular neighbor was mean to pretty much everyone. You’d think in such a friendly neighborhood, everyone would be understanding and kind, right? “Ma’am, please stop shouting. You're causing a scene and making this customer uncomfortable.” The kind server said, moving in front of Poppy. The shop has dealt with this customer before and they were all done with their attitude. So was the entire neighborhood. “Oh please! Stop treating them like a child! First you give them free shit, and now you're coddling them?!” The irate woman shouted. Mothers covered their children's ears and other puppets gasped at their language. Cussing wasn’t unheard of in this neighborhood, but it was typically said quietly or at home. If one should cuss in public, it was usually for a good reason. Usually. 

The angry woman stomped towards Poppy as she let out a fearful ‘Bkawk!’ And covered her face with her hands. She could feel someone trying to switch with her, but she heard someone say to stay put, as switching in public would cause more trouble. The server and another puppet went to shield Poppy. “Don’t step any closer!” The other puppet said. Her fluffy space buns began to puff up in anger. “You stay away from them! Or I’ll call the authorities!” The server said, nose scrunching up with their sharp teeth on full display. Some of the puppets in the neighborhood had animal-like features, something the woman quickly remembered upon hearing a deep growl erupt from the server’s chest. Her face going pale, she took a few steps back, taking note of the crowd that gathered around the shop. Some also bear their sharp teeth, claws, and talons. With an irritated huff, the irate woman stormed out of the bake shop, hopefully for good. 

Taking a deep breath, the server calmed themself and turned around to see Poppy, still covering her face and shaking like a leaf in December. Full of sympathy and concern the server asked the other puppet to help. “Hey…it’s going to be okay. That lady is gone. Would you like me to walk you home?” The puppet with space buns asked. Shaking and scared, Poppy shook her head frantically. “N-no! I’ll be fine…I'm sorry.” Poppy said, wiping the salty rivers off her cheeks. The other puppets tried to console her, but she put on her best smile and said she would be fine. She just wanted to go home and have a cup of warm tea. Before anyone could say anything else, she walked towards her home. Many people noticed the tears streaming down her face. No matter how much she tried to dry them, they just wouldn’t stop coming. Faking a smile and telling everyone she passed that it was nothing to worry about, she began panicking again. Everyone was watching her. They kept staring and asking if she was okay. The puppets here are so kind. So why? Why was she scared? Was it because of that woman? Was it because she was being looked at? Poppy couldn’t tell anymore. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t speak. Everyone seemed to become a blur in passing. Heart in her ears and her throat dry, she nearly choked on her own voice. 

The front door slammed as she roughly pressed her back against it. Poppy was out of breath and her legs hurt. There was nothing but silence. 

Poppy’s stomach grumbled and she could taste acid on her tongue. Bolting for the bathroom, she fell to her knees, emptying her stomach in the toilet. The food that she had so lovingly made for Wallie, was now in the toilet bowl. Her stomach finally finishing it’s purge, she flushed the toilet and leaned back against the bathroom wall. Taking deep breaths, she closed her eyes and stayed that way for a few minutes. She was just going to rest a bit. She was so tired and her body was weak. At the sound of other people calling her name, Poppy tried to respond but all she could muster was a pained squeak. Her throat was burned from all of the acid. Her dazed eyes floated over to her side. She could see a blurry figure. Standing over her, as if waiting for her to do something. “Go to sleep. You’ve done enough for today.” “I’m sorry…I’m so…very sorry” Poppy forced herself to say. The blurry figure kneeled down in front of her and caressed her head. Poppy smiled weakly, accepting the affection. 

“Go to sleep, Poppy”

Pretty soon, everything went dark.

Chapter Text

Waking up with a jolt, Poppy sat up right in her bed. Her heart was beating and she could feel the slight burn of acid in her throat. Heartbeat in her ears, she ran her hands through her hair. “I never got the things I set out to get…I hope Julie isn’t upset with me” She mumbled to herself. Poppy attempted to get out of her bed, but a wave of dizziness made her flop back down. She groaned and squeaked in pain as a sharp headache attacked her temples and the back of her head. “It hurts…I need to go back to the store…please someone help.” Poppy pleaded. “You cannot go out today. You have to rest.” A voice said. Poppy knew this voice. “But I promised Julie I’d get her new stickers…a-and I need to feed the birds…” Poppy replied, almost pleading. Letting out a quiet ‘Bwak’, she only got silence in return.

“Please…I just want to get Stickers and birdseed. After that, I’ll stay inside…” A chill slithered down her spine. She could feel a very strong presence on her back. “Please..” She squeaked, almost fearful. 

A few moments passed and the sharp headache was numbed down to a dull pain. Not enough to go away, but enough to function. “T-thank you…I appreciate it”

Hearing only silence, She slowly got out of her bed. Not wanting to fall over, she placed her hands on the nightstand to keep her already unstable balance. Wobbly and dizzy, Poppy took a deep breath in order to try and stabilize. After a few minutes of box breathing, she was stable enough to walk. Poppy cautiously made her way to the bathroom. Cringing at the sudden bright light, she focused on her reflection. Her hair was a complete mess and she knew Julie would be so upset if she saw it this way, but Poppy had no energy to actually spend the time to fix it. Not wanting to waste time, Poppy brushed her teeth and tongue. She brushed her hair out to make it look at least decent. Letting out a deep sigh, Poppy steadily made her way to her bedroom. Before she could say anything, the one next to her faded away. A small ‘Thank you…’ could be heard from Poppy’s mouth. She grabbed some red sweatpants and a black sweater. While putting it on, something fell out of the front pocket. It was a hair clip? At first, it was assumed to be Julie’s… but it was a cookie instead of a flower. Julie always went for the flower clips. Why did she have a cookie one? Was she trying something new? 

“That is for you.” A voice said, in the back of Poppy’s frazzled mind. “Julie wanted to give it to you, but every time she fronts…”

“She attempts to wear dresses.” Poppy finished. “Yes.” Looking at the clip in her hands, she looked at the star covered vanity in her room. Looking into the mirror, she clipped her hair to the side. Poppy smiled, unable to resist the warm feeling in her heart. Julie had gotten her a gift. The last time they wore this particular hoodie was when Wallie… “You have to go.” The voice said, a little closer than normal. Slightly jumping, Poppy slipped on a pair of black sneakers, grabbed her purse and left. Making sure to close the door behind her, she began her walk to the shopping center. It was quiet. Only the soft footsteps of Poppy’s sneakers could be heard on the cobble stone path. A small bird landed on Poppy’s shoulder, tweeting in her ear. “Oh, hello there little one. How are you today?” The little bird sang a little song. “I could be better, but I’m getting through it. Thank you for asking.” The little bird made a sad tweet. “Oh…yes I-I’m alright…He helped me.” Poppy said, with a sad smile.

The little bird took off into flight. Poppy wished she could do the same. She often found herself jealous of the birds…she wished she had wings. They’d have all of the colors of the rainbow. She’d be big and beautiful and have the softest feathers. ‘How silly…’ Poppy thought. ‘If I were to exist as a bird…I wouldn’t be able to bake. How on earth would I be able to hold my cookware?’ “Very silly, indeed” Poppy said to herself. She could feel a pair of eyes on her. She knew who it was. She said nothing. Approaching the shopping center, Poppy paused. She was hesitating. “What is wrong?” The one next to her asked. “What if I run into that lady again…” There was a small bit of silence. Poppy was humiliated. Frightened. She almost got hurt.

“I’ll handle it. Move forward.” With a bit of hesitation, Poppy took a timid step into the shopping center. She kept her eyes down, looking up occasionally to see if she was near the store she needed to be in. Eventually, she made it to the supermarket. She should be able to get everything she needs from this one place. Right? Grabbing a shopping cart, Poppy quietly walked down the isles. Grabbing the stickers and birdseed first, she took her time picking out the groceries that were needed for the house. Occasionally, she would hear Julie squeak in excitement about something sweet, to which Frank would tell her to not only keep her voice down, but that they also didn’t need more sweets. Despite the unruly amount she had last time, there was still plenty of sweets to eat at home. This seemed to sate her for the time being. Poppy carefully picked out meats, vegetables, and fruits that she knew Wallie and the rest of the collective would eat. She wished she could get Wallie’s opinion on what to buy, but she knew that was dangerous. For him and the others. 

Deciding to buy herself a treat, she went to the bakery section of the supermarket. There were many choices ranging from cakes to cookies, to bagels to donuts. She had enough sweets, so she decided to get a bacon egg and cheese bagel. She made sure to add ketchup as well. This was her favorite snack. Placing it in her shopping cart, she  began to walk towards the front of the store when she accidentally bumped into someone. “Bkawak!” Poppy exclaimed, eyes squeezed shut. “Oops, sorry!” The puppet said, running off to the colder sections of the store. “Didn’t mean to run into you! Bye bye!” Poppy sighed, grateful she hadn’t hurt them. “It’s quite alright!” She called after the puppet, catching a glimpse of lavender bottoms disappearing around the corner. Keeping a firm grip on her cart she made her way to the cash register. The cashier smiled and scanned all of her things and placed them neatly in bags. Poppy paid for her things and thanked the cashier. Putting the shopping cart away, Poppy sat down at the little table in front of the market and put up the umbrella. The sun was very hot today, and she would rather not feel like her skin was on fire. No one was around, so it was easy for Poppy to relax before going home. Letting out a content sigh, Poppy bit into her bagel. The delicious egg and cheese hit her taste buds, causing her to squeal and giggle with delight. She could feel Julie curiously coming into the front. Taking another bite, Julie began to kick their shared body’s feet. The childish display of joy seemed to put a smile on the one next to Poppy’s blurry face. “Can I see my stickers?” Julie asked, not out loud of course, but in the head they all share. “Of course you can, dear.” Poppy said, tucking her hair behind her ear. It was meant as a motherly gesture to Julie. Bouncing the body in their seat, Julie clapped her hands as Poppy Reached into the shopping bag. The stickers were shiny and glittery. Her favorite! “They’re so cute! Thank you, Poppy!” Julie squeaked. “Can we stay outside longer? I like the sun! And I want to talk to the flowers!” Poppy went to say yes, but she wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. “We can stay out longer” Said the blurry face 

Hearing an excited ‘Yay!’, Poppy finished her food and put the stickers in her purse where they would be safe. She got up from her seat, grabbed her bags and walked towards the park. This time the ducks could be fed with birdseed as opposed to a pastry. The thought of the little ducklings getting a healthy snack made her heart sing. Sitting on a familiar bench, Poppy enjoyed the sunshine on her skin. It made her wish she had feathers of her own. The thought of rainbow feathers made her happy. She imagined herself to have a long neck, perfect for grabbing things off of high shelves in case her hands (wings?) were full. A small peep bright her out of her daydream. Looking down at the grass, Poppy saw a little duckling. The same duckling she saw whilst peering over Wallie’s shoulder. Oh, it was so cute! Waddling it’s little body over to Poppy’s bag, it used its little beak to peck at the bag of birdseed. It was trying with all it’s strength to tear a hole. Smiling at the small feathered creature, Poppy brought the bag up onto the bench and carefully opened a hole big enough for her hand to fit in. She grabbed a small handful and placed it in front of the baby bird. Happily waddling over to the food, it went to take a bite, but a bunch of other bigger ducks got to it first. Forcing frightened and surprised peeps from the baby’s vocal cords. Shooing the bigger ducks away, until they all dispersed, Poppy saw the little duck was nowhere to be seen. Growing worried, Poppy searched for the poor thing, hoping it didn’t get injured. A small, frightened peep could be heard underneath a rose bush. Gently lifting the leaves, careful not to touch the thorns, a scared little duckling was shivering and shaking. The poor thing was so scared. Poppy quickly and calmly went to grab a small handful of birdseed. Making sure her footsteps weren’t too rough, she kneeled into the grass and placed the food in front of the duck. Slowly this time, the baby bird walked toward the pile of seed as Poppy shooed away any unwanted thieves. 

“There you go, little one. Help yourself.” Poppy cooed. After the duckling at it’s fill, he happily waddled back to it’s Mother and Father making sure to give a grateful peep. “You’re welcome, little one. Be safe!” Waving goodbye to the family of ducks, Poppy sat down on the bench with a content sigh. “Thank you for letting me come outside.” Poppy said. Hearing a ‘You’re welcome’ Poppy smiled to herself and sat back down on the bench. She wished she had brought her crochet project, but figured it was time to go home. Gathering her things, Poppy took a few steps before Julie called out in protest. That’s right Julie wanted to talk to the flowers! Letting the happy girl guide her, Poppy sat down in the grass in front of a bed of flowers. “Hello there,” Poppy said “You are all so lovely today.” Of course, Poppy couldn’t hear them, but it didn’t matter. Her body began to feel lighter and full of more energy. A big smile was on Poppy’s face as she looked down at the pretty plants in front of her. 

“Hi!” She squealed. “It’s Julie! I’m so happy to see you again!” Julie giggled as she heard the excitement echo from the flowers. They asked who Poppy was and if she could also hear them. “Sadly no, she can’t. But she likes to say hi anyway!” Julie said, giggling. The flowers seemed to giggle back as Julie moved closer to the flowers. She spoke to them for a full 20 minutes as people and puppets would occasionally pass by. Some had weird looks until they were told that some puppets have unique abilities like that, while others just smiled and went on their way, already aware of the abilities some puppets seem to possess. Juile takes on and on about her best friend Frank and her other best friends Poppy and Sally. Frank seemed to appreciate it, while Poppy got flustered and let out a small ‘Bwak’ and covered her flustered face. Sally however, loved the praise. Her job was no easy task! She was in charge of all things that had to do with Anxiety and she was very good at it! While Poppy was the one who took care of the others, Julie was the one who made sure they were all happy. 

“If it weren’t for Sally and Poppy, I’d have a very hard time doing my job!” Julie said, tilting her head with a finger to her cheek. “It wouldn’t be so easy making sure Wallie was happy or at least in a state to where he could be happy if something Joyful was to happen.” Julie grew quiet as she thought about those words. Because of Sally, Julie has to remember not to wear certain things because it could trigger Wallie. Because of Poppy, Wallie was healthy and well fed. Julie found herself wondering what it would be like to be able to make others happy in a different way. Maybe if she had her own body, she could visit Wallie and make up new games to play! What would she look like? ‘Pink!’ Julie thought. ‘I’d be a peachy pink, with yellow and orange striped horns! They’d be shaped like cat ears!’ The thought made her hands flap as an excited giggle left her lips. The flowers were curious. “Oh! Oh! Do you think I’d look good with green legs? And big blonde hair?” Julie asked

“That way I wouldn’t have to wear green leggings anymore and my dress would look nice against my complexion!” The flowers stated that bits of white would be very pretty. She would be adorable and no one would be able to resist her charm. Julie grew bashful at the nice words. “Awe, thank you” Julie said, hugging her knees. “You are all so sweet! I wish I could take you home!” The flowers wished the same. Julie continued on talking to flowers about different things, odd things and things that just sounded silly. Laying on her back, she began to hum a song, a smile on her face as the sun hit her face. Interrupting her peace, a phone could be heard ringing. She shot up looking around for the source of the noise until her eyes landed on Poppy’s purse. 

“We have a phone?” Julie pondered. “Oh yes,” Frank said, his voice getting closer to Julie. “I forgot to mention that I purchased a phone for us in case we needed one. I put in Poppy’s purse for later but all this…chaos started happening and it completely slipped my mind.” Frank explained. 

Julie grabbed Poppy’s purse and reached inside and pulled out a decent sized phone that continued to ring. The phone number wasn't one they knew, but Julie didn’t really mind. Before the blurry face could caution her, Julie had already put the phone up to ear and said a cheerful ‘Hello!’ There was nothing on the other side, only silence. Julie chirped again. “Hello? Anyone there?” Julie asked curiously. For a few minutes, there was more silence until she heard a creak. Julie’s eyes widened as her heart dropped to her stomach and anxiety began to rise in her chest. Hanging up, she could feel her body go cold. “Haha…I could’ve sworn…” Julie said, taking deep breaths. “That I heard a strange noise.” Julie said, feeling her heart pound in her chest. She got up off the grassy ground and grabbed Poppy’s purse and store bags. Just as she was about to leave the phone rang again. After slight hesitation. Julie answered. “Hello…?” This time a much louder creak could be heard on the other side of the phone. Clanking, banging and the sound doors slamming could be heard loud and clear. Julie could only listen, frozen with fear. 

“Wh-what…? How did you get this number…?” There was only since before Julie heard the phone call end. Her heart pounded and her body became hot and itchy. “Go home.” A voice commanded. Julie didn’t say anything, instead she slowly rose to her feet and gave the Flowers a dissociated goodbye, before turning towards the path home. Occasionally bumping into other puppets and people, the word “sorry” kept repeating from  Julie’s usually high and bubbly, now low and quiet voice. With the guidance of the voice in her head, she made her way home safely without hurting herself. Closing the front door, Julie made her way to the bedroom and sat on the bed. She flopped over onto her side, hair falling over her face as left dangled over the bed. She could hear her heart in her ears as she felt them pulse in sync. 

“He’s still there…” Julie mumbled. “After all these years…” Tears began to pool in her eyes before streaming across her face. “He’s still alive…he's still alive and she knows we are too…” Julie’s breathing became heavier as a cacophony of voices tried to speak all at once, but all she could hear was her own beating heart and hyperventilation. “He’s going to find us…he’s coming…we can’t hide…he's coming…we can’t hide…” Over and over those words slipped through the sobs that echoed through their house.