Unfortunately Fortunate

Petrified Protector

Congratulations on making it this far, is what I would say if this story was for children or had happiness involved in any of the paragraphs of this story. However, it does not. So, beg of you again to look away while you still have a chance because the lives of the Baudelaires, Quagmires and Farmers do not get any better from here. Infact, it gets worst. If you decide to continue reading this than you are in for a sad, tragic story. And if you still reading this paragraph, then I give you my final warning in this chapter to look away and enjoy something more pleasant.

The children and Mr. Poe arrive at the Damocles Dock after being on the Fickle Ferry and now stand at the docks as Mr. Poe tries to tell the children where they are. "Here we are, children. Deemo...
Dimmo... Dudy Damo... Democlay... Dimoclath... Dimoclat... Demcaca... Dock."

"It's pronounced Damocles." Violet explains.

"After the probably apocryphal figure in Sicilian mythology." Klaus tells him.

"Well, I don't have time to learn things. The banking day has already begun. In any case, I'm sure you'll be off on some exciting adventure with your new guardian." Mr. Poe says, handing Elizabeth a card. "Remember, you can always rely on us at Mulctuary Money Management. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will leave you alone on this mostly deserted dock to await for your taxi to your Aunt Josephine's house."

"She's not meeting us here?" Isadora asks.

"Strangely, she said she'd be unable to come to the dock, and I didn't think it polite to ask why. Perhaps she's planning a surprise party for you children." Mr. Poe says. "Which reminds me, I know you've had a frightening and mystifying time with that horrible man, what, um, Count... What's his name? Um..."

"Olaf." Sam says.

"Olaf. Who knows where he came from?" Mr. Poe says.

"You put them in his care." Keira reminds him.

"I wouldn't exactly call it care. He's a thief and a murderer, and so far, has completely escaped capture." Mr. Poe says.

"Never noticed." Elizabeth states, sarcastically.

"But I have the thing that just might turn things around. Peppermints! Delicious peppermints! My second favourite candy when I was a boy." Mr. Poe says, pass a small, paper bag to Duncan.

Duncan looks inside the bag and says, "There's only three in here." He tells Mr. Poe.

"Hm. Oh. Yes. Sorry. I have different sweets for per family. My sons ate most of the peppermints you see and there was only three left." He explains, taking the bad off Duncan. "The peppermints are for the Baudelaires." He passes the bag to Violet before taking two small, paper bags out of his pockets and looking in them. "The mango gummies are for the Farmers and the caramel cubes are for the Quagmires." He says passing the bags to Sam and Duncan.

"You can eat them in the taxi on the way to meet your dowager aunt." Mr. Poe tells them.

"What's that?" Violet asks.

"Oh, Violet, I'm surprised at you. A girl your age should know that a taxi is a car that takes you someplace for a reasonable fee." Mr. Poe replies before handing Elizabeth the money. "And this should just about cover it. Cheers, children! Good luck." He says before coughing hectically, walking back onto the ferry.

The children wave 'bye' before Elizabeth says to Violet, "'Dowager' is a fancy word for widow."

"Thank you." Violet says to Elizabeth as the walk off the dock. "Should we have told him we're allergic to peppermints?" She asks Klaus.

"It didn't seem worth mentioning." Klaus says.

"Want to trade? We're allergic to mangos." Sam tells them.