A Tale of Wretched Occurrences: The Beginning

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂-𝓣𝔀𝓸

If someone who doesn’t know you and your siblings’ wretched history were to see you disembark from Fickle Ferry onto Damocles Dock, they might think you were bound for an exciting adventure.

“Here we are, Baudelaires,” Mr. Poe says cheerily.

But they would be dead wrong.

“Deemo… Dimmo… Dudy Damo… Democlay… Dimoclath… Dimoclat… Demcaca… Dock.”

“It’s pronounced ‘Damocles’,” Violet tells him.

“After the probably apocryphal figure in Sicilian mythology,” Klaus adds.

Mr. Poe checks his watch. “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. Remember, you can always rely on us at Mulctuary Money Management.” He hands Klaus a business card. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I will leave you alone on this mostly deserted dock to wait for your taxi to your Aunt Josephine’s house.”

“She’s not meeting us here?” you ask.

“Strangely, she said she’d be unable to come to the dock, and I didn’t think it was polite to ask why. Perhaps she’s planning a surprise party for you children!” Mr. Poe smiles. “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,” Violet supplies.

“Olaf,” Mr. Poe agrees. “Who knows where he came from?”

“You put us in his care,” you remind him.

“I wouldn’t exactly call it care. He’s a thief and a murderer, and so far has completely evaded capture. But I have the thing that just might turn things around.” Mr. Poe pulls a red-and-white-striped bag out of his ever-present briefcase. “Peppermints! Delicious peppermints! My second favorite candy when I was a boy.” He hands the bag to Violet. “You can eat them in the taxi on the way to meet your dowager aunt.”

“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 gives you a ride somewhere for a reasonable fee.” Mr. Poe pulls some dollar bills from his pocket and hands them to you. “And this should just about cover it. Cheers, Baudelaires!” Mr. Poe walks down the dock to board the ferry again, coughing all the way.

You all wave goodbye. Klaus picks up his and Violet’s suitcases, and you pick up yours.

“‘Dowager’ is just a fancy word for ‘widow’,” you explain.

Violet laughs. “Thank you.”

Should we have told Mr. Poe we’re allergic to peppermints?” Klaus asks.

Violet flings the peppermints behind her, somehow managing to land them in a trash can on the other side of the street. “It didn’t seem worth mentioning. We have a lot more important things on our minds.”

“Like asking Aunt Josephine if she can help explain all the strange and mysterious things that keep happening to us,” Klaus suggests.

“And how to get a taxi,” you add.

Right on cue, a bright yellow and black car pulls up near the dock. The driver sticks his head out the window. “Does anyone need a ride somewhere for a reasonable fee?”

㊋㊋㊋㊋

“This town doesn’t seem very crowded,” Violet observes.