Hazel Blue Baudelaire and a series of unfortunate events

Part 2

Our house is truly gone. I step over rubble, still smouldering. Violet takes Sunny out of my arms, and Mr Poe sighs, "I did think you would want to see what remains of your home now. I just want to assure you Baudelaires that you have absolutely nothing-"
"We have absolutely nothing," Klaus and I both whisper. Mr Poe sighs, "To worry about."
Sunny babbles, trying to reach something and we all walk over to the draw. Klaus picks it up, and we all look at it, confused. Violet asks Mr Poe something and I jump, not realising how close he was to us. Klaus shoves what looks like a spyglass in his pocket, but Mr Poe doesn't seem to notice. He says, "Your parents left behind an enormous fortune, which will be yours when Violet and Hazel Blue come of age. Until then, you will be placed with the proper guardian, or guardians, as decided by myself and my fellow bankers at Mulctuary Money Management."
With that, he turns and begins walking out of our house. We follow him, and Klaus holds my hand as we walk. He's scared. Heartbroken, and scared. We sit in the car together, this time Sunny is on Violet's lap. Slowly, the car pulls out or driveway, and Mr Poe says, "Until you are at your guardians house, you'll stay with me and my family. That wont be so bad, will it? I'm sure you'll become fast friends with Edgar and Albert."

"It's a raven."
"It's a crow."
"It's a raven."
"It's a crow."
"It's chicken!" Mrs Poe interrupts, "Boiled chicken. And we have boiled chicken and blanched string beans."
I'll stick with string beans. Mother would make meals I could eat as a vegetarian. Surely, Mr Poe's wife would know that. Surely Mr Poe would have told her. One of her sons scoffs, "What does blanched mean?"
"It means boiled-" Klaus is cut off by the other son snapping, "Nobody asked you."
"Now now son," Mr Poe sighs. His wife protests, "No, my darling, Albert is right. Nobody asked the Baudelaires. But look at this!"
I look at what Mr Poe's wife is holding up, and it's a newspaper. A newspaper with our freshly burned house burned down. I bow my head, and hold Sunny close to me. She babbles something along the lines of not wanting to eat, and I just nod. Klaus whispers, "May we go to our rooms?"
"Rooms?" Mr Poe asks.

Turns out we just have the one room. One bed, and one pull out mattress. I take Sunny and we lie on the mattress, and whisper a lullaby our mother would sing to her. She is asleep in no time, and I groan as the little son asks, "How did you do it?"
We all sit up to look at him, and I ask, "What?"
The two sons of Mr Poe look at each other, and the taller son scoffs, "Set the fire?"
I'm too tired for an argument, so I lie straight back down. Sunny stretches out, taking up a big part of the bed, so I move over slightly. At least one of us is going to be able to get sleep.

                                                                                    ***
The next morning, we are woken up early to get in the car. Without breakfast, we begin driving. Mr Poe explains, "I know you must be nervous about meeting your new guardian. I remember how I was when I was your age."
"Other than Violet and I, we're all the same age?" I point out. Mr Poe ignores my point, going on to say, "Well, I should think at least a fraction of your unhappiness should turn to excitement when you meet this man. I know he is certainly eager to meet you. He is employed as an actor, so you know his excitement is genuine. His name is Count Olaf!"
"Never heard of him," Violet sighs. Mr Poe continues, "Now, he is either your third cousin fourth time removed, or your fourth cousin three times removed. Either way, he is removed. Still, he is only three miles away and your parents will was very specific. Your closest living relative."
Klaus asks, "Does he really think that is what closest living relative means?"
Annoyed, I nod. Mr Poe keeps talking. I don't know if he does it subconsciously, or if he truly thinks we care. He continues, "Count Olaf is a very busy man. As a banker, I'm often very busy too. This drop off will be unfortunately very hasty. Actually, here we are!"

We get out the car and I gasp. A little cottage, with vines creeping up the walls. A woman stands outside and smiles at us. She says, "Hello young children! My name is Justice Strauss. You must be the Baudelaires?"
"Yes," Violet smiles, "I'm Violet, this is Hazel Blue, Klaus and Sunny. This is Mr Poe, he has been arranging things for us."
"Well, it is so nice to meet you."
I zone out as they talk, and once I realise they've stopped talking, I sigh, "I realise my name is a little bit mental."
Justice Strauss smiles at me, before saying, "I don't think any names are too crazy. Is there a backstory behind your name?"
"Our parents asked their friends to vote on names they liked, and give suggestions and Hazel Blue was somehow the top name," I laugh, "Are you Count Olaf's wife by any chance?"
Justice Strauss laughs, before gasping, "Oh no. I'm not Olaf's wife. Gosh no, no, no. I don't even know him that well. He is just my neighbour. Actually, his house is over there."
We all turn round, and my stomach drops. I take Sunny out of Violet's arms as we look. Klaus groans and I can't help agree with him. The house is run round, and truthfully looks like something out of a nightmare. Klaus whispers, "Do you think maybe he is a really good man, but maybe is just quiet?"
Violet whispers, "Maybe. Just because someone has a run down house, doesn't mean they're a bad person. Right, Hazel Blue?"
"Right," I sigh, "Count Olaf might be a lovely man."
Key word, might.