As Sid leaped off his skateboard and headed up the front path to his house, Buzz peeked1 out of Sids backpack.
Sheriff, Buzz whispered to Woody, who was squeezed in next to him. I can see your dwelling2 from here. Youre almost home.
The squeaky alien Sid had won wriggled4 up between them. Nirvana is coming! The mystic portal awaits!
You guys dont get it, do you? Woody cried. once we go inside Sids house, we wont be coming out.
Sid opened his front door to a barking Scud5, who pounced6 at the backpack.
Scud! Hey, boy! Sit! said Sid, holding his backpack in front of Scud. The dog obeyed with a growl7.
Good boy. Hey, I got something for you, boy.
Woody pressed himself down into the pack as Sids hand plunged8 inside. Squeak3! The alien toy was smiling as Sid yanked it out and placed it on the dogs snout.
Ready, set, now! Sid commanded. Scud flipped9 the alien up into the air, caught it in his mouth, and began to shake it back and forth10 ferociously11. Buzz and Woody looked on in horror.
Sid shoved open the door and, without wiping his feet, stomped12 inside. Hey, Hannah! Sids little sister stood in the front hall holding a worn-looking Janey Doll.
Did I get my package in the mail? Sid asked.
I dunno, Hannah replied.
What do you mean, you dont know? demanded Sid.
I dont know! insisted Hannah.
Sids eyes narrowed. Oh, no, Hannah! LookJaney! He snatched the doll from her hands. Shes sick! Ill have to perform one of my operations!
No! Hannah cried. Dont touch her!
Sid ran upstairs to his room and slammed the door in Hannahs face. He threw his backpack on the bed. Woody and Buzz peeked out. They watched, stunned14, as Sid clamped the Janey Dolls head in a vise and began to operate, grabbing various items from his makeshift workbench.
Hannah? Sid called when he was finished. He went to the door and flung it open. Janeys all better now, he said to his worried-looking sister as he handed her the doll.
Hannah shrieked15. Janeys head was gone, and in its place was the head of a plastic pterodactyl. Mom! Hannah screamed as she turned and ran.
Sid tossed the doll over his shoulder and chased after Hannah, trying to get to his mother first. Shes lying! Whatever she says, its not true! he cried as the door slammed shut behind him.
Buzz and Woody took in their surroundings. Sids room was a disaster. There were posters of heavy-metal bands on the wall. The bed was unmade. Dirty clothes, discarded toy parts, and power tools littered the floor. Shadows lurked16 in every corner.
We are gonna die, Woody moaned as he climbed out of the backpack, ran across the bed, and ped onto the doorknob. Im outta here!
But the door was locked from the outside. Woody dropped to the floor. Theres got to be another way out. A strange rustling17 sound made him turn.
A plastic yo-yo rolled quietly across the floor, then fell on its side. Woody grabbed a pencil from the floor and held it like a weapon. A shadow floated past him. He whirled around but saw nothing.
Buzz? Was that you? Woody called in fear, dropping the pencil and snatching a nearby flashlight. He heard a noise from under Sids bed. He turned on the flashlight and pointed18 it in the direction of the noise.
A face inched into the light, and Woody sighed in relief. It was only the head of a baby doll. Hi there, little fella! Come out here. Do you know a way out of here? The head moved forward out of the shadows.
Woody choked down a scream. The doll head was mounted on a spider-like body made from the parts of an Erector set. With a soft whirring sound, the baby-faced creature stretched its metal legs until it towered over the astonished cowboy.
Woody glanced nervously19 around the room. Other strange mutilated toys darted20 out from the shadows. There were a toy fishing pole with fashion-doll legs, a skateboard with a soldiers torso screwed onto its front end, a jack-in-the-box with a rubber hand for a head, and many other frightening creations.
Woody clambered back up onto the bed and cowered21 behind Buzz. They watched as the mutants dragged all the Janey Doll and pterodactyl parts into the shadows.
Woodys guts22 lurched. Theyre cannibals! He leaped into the backpack, with Buzz right behind him.
Buzz punched a button on his chest. Mayday! Come in, Star Command. Send reinforcements! He paused. Star Command, do you copy?
No response. Buzz sighed and adjusted a knob on his suit. Blip! Ive just set my laser from stun13 to kill, he told Woody.
Great, Woody muttered. If anyone attacks us, we can blink em to death.
Next door, Rex pointed a flashlight through Andys bedroom window into the dark bushes below. Bo Peep, Mr. Potato Head, and the other toys looked on, hoping to spot Buzz.
Suddenly, they heard a car approaching. Rex turned off the flashlight, and they watched as the Davises van pulled into the driveway. As Mrs. Davis hopped23 out to unbuckle Molly from her car seat, Andy climbed out of the van and began looking under the backseat. Then he searched the front seats, too.
Hes not here, Mom. Woodys gone!
Upstairs, the toys looked at one another.
Woodys gone? Bo Peep gasped25.
The weasel ran away! Hamm cried.
I told you he was guilty, Mr. Potato Head bragged26.
One by one, the toys moved away from the window, until only Slinky and Bo Peep were left.
Oh, Slink, I hope hes okay, said Bo Peep.
A survivor27! Sids voice rang out the following morning. He snatched Woody up and sent him flying across the room. Woody landed on the floor, hard.
I can see your will is strong, said Sid. Well, we have ways of making you talk.
Sid opened the blinds. Bright sunlight slanted28 sharply through the windowpane. He pulled out a magnifying glass and slowly, carefully, directed a beam of sunlight onto Woodys face.
After a few moments, a tiny wisp of smoke curled up from Woodys forehead as it began to burn.
Sid! his mother shouted from downstairs.
Your Pop-Tarts are ready!
All right! Sid hollered back. He threw down the magnifying glass and ran out of the room. As soon as he was gone, Woody let out a howl. Fanning his face, he dashed toward a nearby bowl of half-eaten cereal and dunked his head into the leftover29 milk.
Buzz ran over and pulled Woody out, searching his face for damage. Then he grinned and whacked30 Woody on the back. Im proud of you, Sheriff. A lesser31 man would have talked under such torture.
Woody sighed and looked at his reflection in the rounded side of the cereal spoon. He rubbed at a black smudge on his forehead. I sure hope this isnt permanent.
Then he noticed something else reflected in the spoon and grabbed Buzzs arm. The door! Its open! Were free!
Woody, we dont know whats out there! Buzz warned.
Woody and Buzz ran for the door, but Babyhead, the half-doll, half-spider creation, suddenly crawled into Woodys path, followed by several other mutilated toys.
Theyre gonna eat us, Buzz. Do something, quick!
Shield your eyes! Buzz cried. He fired his laser at the mutants. Beep! Beep! Nothing happened.
Youre a toy! Woody shrieked. Use your karate-chop action! He grabbed Buzz and began to push a large button on his back. The spacemans arm chopped up and down involuntarily.
Hey! How are you doing that? Buzz cried.
STOP that!
But Woody ignored him. He held Buzz in front of him like a shield and backed toward the door as the arm chopped up and down. Back! he shouted at the mutants.
Sorry, guys, Woody said when he reached the door, but dinners canceled! He quickly let go of Buzz and ran. Theres no place like home. Theres no place like home , he murmured as he flew down the hallway.
He rushed down the staircase but sTOPped at the landing with a gasp24. Scud blocked his way. The dog was sprawled32 out asleep, snoring loudly. Slowly, one step at a time, Woody backed up. Then someone grabbed him and pulled him down the hall.
Another stunt33 like that, cowboy, and youre going to get us killed, Buzz scolded.
Dont tell me what to do! replied Woody. Shhhhhh! said Buzz.
Buzz darted over to the stairwell. After checking to make sure that Scud was still asleep, he motioned for Woody to follow him down the hall. Woody crawled on hands and knees across the floor toward Buzz. But when he stood up, the ring on his pull string snagged on the railing. As both toys began to creep down the hallway, the string was stretched tighter and tighter, until
Snap! The ring slipped off the railing and flew toward Woody, releasing the sound of one of his recorded messages down the hallway: YEEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAAAAAA!
Buzz and Woody jumped in surprise. Across the hall, Scud woke up.
Giddyup, partner!Woodys voice box talked on. We got to get this wagon34 train a-movin! Scud started up the stairs with a growl.
Split up! Buzz ordered as he ped through an open doorway35.
Woody flung himself through a different door, nearby. It led to a junk-stuffed closet. As he slammed the door behind him, an unsteady tower of clutter36 crashed to the floor.
Scud prowled back and forth, growling37 and sniffing38 around the crack beneath the door. Then he turned and started to enter the TV room, where Buzz was hiding. Suddenly, Sids dad, who lay dozing39 in front of the television, let out a loud snore. Scud retreated with a disappointed growl, heading back downstairs. Buzz breathed a sigh of relief. He had begun to tiptoe into the hall when a voice boomed:
Calling Buzz Lightyear! Come in, Buzz Lightyear! This is Star Command!
Star Command! Buzz cried. He quickly flipped open his wrist communicator. He started to speak but then heard a child answer for him:
Buzz Lightyear responding! Read you loud and clear!
Buzz whirled around to see a television screen. An image of outer space faded into a shot of a boy playing happily in his backyard with a Buzz Lightyear toy. Confused, Buzz stepped closer.
The worlds greatest superhero, the announcer said, now the worlds greatest toy!
Buzz winced40 at the word toy. As the announcers voice droned on, ordinary kids demonstrated each feature described. Buzz has it all: Locking wrist communicator! Karate-chop action! Pulsating41 laser light! Multiphrase voice simulator! One by one, Buzz compared the abilities touted42 on the screen to his own powers.
His mouth fell open as he heard the TV toy say, Theres a secret mission in uncharted space! He pushed the button on the chest of his own space suit and heard: Theres a secret mission in uncharted space! The same message in exactly the same voice!
And best of all, the announcer added, highpressure space wings!
The Buzz Lightyear toy on television seemed to fly across an uncharted planet. The Buzz voice cried, To infinity and beyond! Then a disclaimer flashed across the bottom of the screen: NOT A FLYING TOY.
Not a flying toy, the announcer repeated quickly.
His mind reeling, Buzz staggered toward the door. He glanced at his wrist communicator and saw something hed never noticed before. Tiny lettering was pressed into the plastic: MADE IN T人工智能WAN.
Woodys taunting43 words now echoed in Buzzs mind: You are a toy! You cant fly!
Suddenly, Buzz stood up straight. His eyes sparked with determination. This was all some kind of weird44 mistake. Hed show them he could fly. Hed show them all!
He climbed the banister and stood tall on the railing. He pressed the button that released his magnificent high-pressure space wings and held his arms out wide, aiming at an open window above the stairwell.
To infinity and beyond! he shouted as he leaped off the banister and fell toward the hard floor below. CRUNCH45!
For a few seconds, Buzz didnt move. Then he slowly rolled over. Eyes open wide in shock, he saw that his left arm was completely broken off at the shoulder. For a moment he stared. Then he simply turned away and lay still, his eyes closed in despair.
A minute later, Sids sister, Hannah, picked him up and took him to her room.
