A Tale of Wretched Occurrences: The Beginning

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓻𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓷

You see why the room is so well-protected. Outside, the sunlight was rather feeble, but as it’s filtered through the glass ceiling, it somehow becomes brighter. Cushy chairs are clustered around colorful rugs and tables made of polished wood. Desks barely visible under research papers, books, and diagrams are placed at periodic intervals around the room. There are tables with brightly colored, bubbling experiments, and you wonder what Monty is working on.

But, of course, the most impressive part of the room is the reptiles. Cages take up the majority of the room’s space. There’s only a couple reptiles in each, so they have plenty of room to move around. You recognize a couple of the species, either from the few times your parents took you to the zoo or books, but most of the species are unfamiliar. There are snakes, lizards, iguanas, turtles, tortoises, and even a few crocodiles and alligators.

Monty beckons you over to a small, leafless tree sitting in a pot on one of the desks.

“Over here is a winged lizard.”

Sure enough, sitting on one of the tree’s branches is a green and yellow lizard with small flaps resembling wings tucked against its sides. It crawls onto Monty’s arm, and he holds it out so you can get a better look.

“Now, see his yellow belly, a sign of camouflage and cowardice.”

“Can it really fly?” you can’t resist asking.

“He can fly on cue. Fly!” Monty throws his arm up, and the lizard jumps off.

He outstretches his wings, and soars over your heads. You all watch as he flies up, circling the fan a couple times, before coming to rest again on his tree.

“And over here” — Monty leads you over to a nearby tank — “we have the dissonant tortoises, soothed only by the music of Alexander Scriabin or early Sonic Youth.”

Muffled music comes out from beneath the tiny headphones on the tortoises’ heads. You laugh as Monty moves on to a cage that’s evidently in a place of pride in the room. This one is much taller and wider than the others, and covered with a white cloth.

“This, bambinis, is my most recent discovery. The crown jewel of the Montgomery Reptile Collection. I discovered him on a recent journey and I brought him under the cover of night and a very large hat. Because next month, I am going to present him to the Herpetological Society as my new discovery.”

Monty pulls the rope dangling next to the cage. The cloth lifts up, revealing a large, black snake inside. You and your siblings lean closer, curious.

“I discovered him, so I got to name him.”

“What is it called?” Violet asks.

Monty looks at you. “The incredibly deadly viper.”

Suddenly, the snake hisses. It throws itself against its cage door, which swings right open. The snake practically jumps out, aiming itself — and its wide-open mouth — right at Sunny. The snake knocks her from Violet’s hands, catching her before she hits the floor and curling around her. Even you can’t tell who is saying what as you, Klaus, and Violet begin to yell at Monty.

“Sunny!”

“Do something!”

“Get the snake!”

“What are you doing?!”

“The snake!”

“You let a deadly snake bite our sister!”

“I told you we couldn’t trust him!”

“Help her!”

“You’re laughing?!”