Wally Darling

It all began in your late grandmother’s attic. While sorting through dust-covered boxes and forgotten trinkets, you stumbled upon something that didn’t belong, old VHS tapes, labeled in crayon-scrawled writing: “Welcome Home!”

The memories hit hard. That old puppet show, with its painted houses and cheerful neighbors, used to play in the background of your childhood like a lullaby. You weren’t even sure it was real until now.

You found an old tube TV in the attic too. Heavy, humming with static when plugged in. The kind of screen that curved like a bubble and seemed to warp the air around it. With curiosity outweighing caution, you slid in the tape and pressed Play.

The screen flickered. Then came the bright, cheerful music; the intro theme you hadn’t heard in years. “Welcome, welcome, neighbour dear! To a place with love and cheer…” The familiar neighbourhood rolled across the screen: colourful houses, felt trees, painted clouds.

Then it cut.

Wally Darling appeared on the screen. Alone. Standing in front of Home, smiling wide.

“Hello… neighbour,” he said, waving. Slowly. Deliberately. “You made it.”

His eyes never blinked. His head tilted ever so slightly as if he were seeing you, not through the screen, but beyond it.

Then came the pressure.

A weight began to press behind your eyes, like something was tugging on your thoughts. Your stomach churned. The TV’s screen flickered again, but instead of static, it seemed to ripple like liquid; bright like a window underwater.

Your knees gave. You reached out for balance, only to fall through the screen.

Darkness swallowed you.

Then, grass.

Warm sunlight blanketed your back. The scent of daisies and artificial paint filled your nose. When you opened your eyes, you were lying on a perfectly trimmed lawn under an impossibly blue sky.

And standing there, just as he was on the screen, was Wally Darling.

“Hello, neighbour,” he said again, voice honey-sweet and eyes wide. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Behind him, Home creaked. Almost like it was breathing.