A Series Of Different Events

Chapter 3 - Who's the mysterious figure over there?!

Standing by the door, was a woman not too much older than their parents. With her wavy, blonde hair, sparkling eyes and presentable clothes, the Baudelaires instantly knew she was someone they would like. Just as they reached the foot of the stairs, she looked at them "You must be Violet, Klaus and Sunny! It's a pleasure to meet you, I have heard so much about you from your parents! My name is Jacqueline, and I hope you can call me a friend." The children smiled back, shyly, and their father clapped his hands. "Alright, let's go."

As they stepped out the door and shut it, Beatrice and Bertrand looked at eachother, a hidden message only they could decipher. But it didn't go unnoticed, Violet giving them a quizzical look. "Aren't we taking the car?" Klaus asked, confused as he adjusted his glasses with the back of his hand. Sunny looked up at her parents, and Beatrice shook her head "Not today, I'm afraid..."

The group of six kept walking down the road in silence. Klaus had spotted the cylindrical object Beatrice kept in her hand, and was looking at it. It looked nice, and purposeful. He wondered if he'd find out what it was, when Bertrand spoke. "Children, I suppose you would like to know why we have departed so suddenly."
All three nodded, in sync. He sighed. "Well then... We have heard news that a group called the Firestarters are targeting old.. enemies, I suppose." Violet's blue eyes widened and Klaus felt his breath hitch. Surely this was a joke?!

"This is no joke, I'm sorry to say" Jacqueline gave an apologetic smile. "Because of the Firestarters, your parents, and others that we knew have been and currently are having to escape, to.. go on the lam."

To go on the lam, as you all surely know, is a phrase which here means "to go on the run from police, government or general authority". In the Baudelaires cases, it was to escape from the mysterious group, the Firestarters. Violet, Klaus nor Sunny had ever heard of them, but the name sent shivers down their spines.

The air was cold and chilly, and when they dropped down into a valley, so did the temperature. And the entire groups spirits, so it seemed. Beatrice and Bertrand were in their own worlds, Jacqueline had lost her bouncy walk, and Violets feet were starting to hurt, from the cold, and from the hard road. She was sure her siblings felt like that aswell, and to confirm her suspicions, Sunny started crying.

Beatrice looked around at her, and picked her up with a sympathetic noise, shushing her and cradling her gently as they walked. Sunny fell silent again, save for the occasional sniffle. Violet felt a smaller, cold hand slip into hers, and she tightened her grip on it as she looked at Klaus. Whatever troubles they would face, she would try her very hardest to protect her siblings, Violet promised to herself.

"We've been walking ages, and I'm hungry.. can we please stop?" Klaus said, struggling to keep the whine out of his voice. But Jacqueline shook her head "We have to keep going. The skies are clear, but I fear the Firestarters are close by."
Klaus looks at Violet, confused, but Beatrice Bertrand seem to understand. Their father looks at them, and gives further explanation.
"The Firestarters trained eagles, and use them to patrol for victims, and cause general havoc."
"Oh." Klaus nods, processing it.

The slight clink of metal shook him out of his thoughts, and he saw Beatrice look around, down at the gravelly surface. The cylindrical object had fallen from her numb fingers, and it rolled to a bump at Klaus' feet.

He picked it up, carefully. As he passed it back, his fingers caught on small grooves engraved into the metal. The lines scratched into it caught the light, reflecting back into his glasses, and he frowned. Who was L.S, and why was his initials on a strange object his mother owned. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. It wasn't important. Beatrice carefully tucked it back into her pocket.

They kept walking, the cheerful birdsong seeming too happy for the occasion, the bright, blue sky mocking their situation. A silence creeps over them like the cold slipped through their clothes.

Suddenly, something caught Violet's eyes. She stopped walking, stepping backwards. The others looked at her, confused. There was a slight edge to her voice, a note of fear. "Mother.. who's that?"