A Tale of Wretched Occurrences: The Beginning

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂-𝓔𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽

“We don’t have much time before Hurricane Herman arrives,” Violet shouts as you race up Aunt Josephine’s front steps.

“The library,” you try to say, but it comes out as, “The thithary.”

“Good idea. The library,” Violet agrees.

“You and Sunny take soda baths to treat your hives, while Millie and I will get to work on our research,” Klaus tries to say, but it comes out as, “Thoo and Thunny thake thoda baths to treat thour hives, thile Thillie and I will geth tho work on our rethearth.”

“Mm?” Sunny asks, which means, “What?”

“Got it. Sunny and I will take soda baths to treat our hives, while you and Millie get to work on your research.”

Violet takes Sunny upstairs to the bathroom.

“Should we start with nouns and verbs?” you try to ask, but a yawn comes out instead.

“Do you want to take a short nap while Violet and Sunny are taking their baths?” Klaus tries to ask, but it comes out as, “Tho you thant tho thake a short nap thile Vithet and Thunny are thaking their baths?”

You nod, laying down on the couch. Aunt Josephine bought you a bottle of medication, even though you barely used any from the bottle Uncle Monty bought you. You’ve been taking it, but the combination of medication and panic from Aunt Josephine jumping out the window basically worked like a sugar rush, and now, you’re experiencing the sugar crash.

You’re not how long you’re asleep for, but when Klaus shakes you awake again, Violet and Sunny are back, and their hives are practically gone. It’s also a little easier to breathe, so you hope that means the swelling in your tongue has begun to go away.

“Aunt Josephine faked her death. She’s hiding at Curdled Cave,” Klaus tries to say, but it comes out as, “Aunt Thosephine faked her theath. The’s hiding at Curthled Cave.”

Violet pulls down the map of Lake Lachrymose. “We have to find her. But how are we going to get to Curdled Cave?”

“The Fickle Ferry goes to the Lavender Lighthouse, which is right next to the cave. We can walk from there,” you try to say, but it comes out as, “The Fickle Ferry goes tho the Thavender Thighthouth, which is right next tho the cave. We can walk thom there.”

“I saw the schedule when we arrived. The Fickle Ferry leaves every 17 minutes,” Klaus tries to say, but it comes out as, “I thaw the thedule when we arriveth. The Fickle Ferry leavth every theventheen mithith.”

Violet nods. “Alright, then let’s gather everything we might need.”

There’s a bang of thunder from outside. A crackle of lightning streaks down to the house, striking the roof. At first, you don’t think it’s a big deal. That lasts for only a second, before the whole library begins to shake. You and Klaus fall over onto the rug in the center of the room. Violet grabs onto the map of Lake Lachrymose to keep herself from falling as well.

And that's when the room begins to tilt.

“Klaus! Millie!” Violet shouts.

The rug easily slides on the wood floors, and as the library begins to hang sideways off the edge of the cliff, it brings you to the window, which is now the floor. Sunny grabs onto the doorknob with her teeth to keep herself from falling. The wind that’s now barging through the house flings the safe door open, and all the music sheets and photographs fly out the window and into the lake below. The winds become so strong they’re even able to carry the large book, The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations. The book is flung open to a random page, and on it, you can see a photo of a spyglass that looks exactly like the ones Uncle Monty, Jacquelyn, and Klaus had.