A Series Of Different Events

Chapter 19 - Take it to the rightful owners

Both Klaus and Sunny had dozed off in the back of Kit Snicket's warm, comfortable taxi after a delicious picnic in the back. Kit looked up at the mirror every so often, the
reflection of the two sleeping Baudelaires reminding herself of when she was younger, her brothers by her side.

Kit shook her head, and her eyes widened as she looked up. The taxi had climbed one of the steeper hills, the engine growling like an upset dog, until it reached the peak. A scummy, half built yet half falling down hospital loomed into view like some sinister giant. She looked back at the Baudelaires once more.

"Klaus, Sunny, wake up! We're here," she slowed the car to a halt, in one of the fields by the hospital. The long, sleek car of the Firestarters was parked outside, and Kit wanted to stay hidden. Go in, get Violet, get The Sugar Bowl. Sounded easy enough. She tucked her brown hair behind her ears and Klaus stirred and looked at the hospital in disgust. Sunny woke up aswell, and wrinkled her small nose at the unwelcome sight.

"Let's go. Stay hidden, I suggest you put these on." Kit held up two uniforms, clean, white clinical coats, tailored to fit a scrawny 14 year old and a 2 ½ toddler. Kit walked to the fence line, out of sight, as she pulled out a spyglass. It was the same as the Baudelaire one, yet without the bloodstains and little graffitied letters. She looked through it, trying to spy the Firestarters.

Klaus and Sunny had changed, Klaus helping his younger sister step into the tiny doctor's outfit. He straightened both their collars, adjusted his glasses and went back to Kit. She smiled.

"Now, I've already booked in for the hospital, but you two haven't. There's a back door you can take though, it leads to the library of records. Under that, there is a hidden passage leading to a laundry room. The Sugar Bowl will be there, and then we can find Violet. Good?"

Klaus nodded. "Sounds good." Sunny giggled, and Klaus picked her up. Kit tied back her hair, reminding Klaus of how Violet often did that, and his new but familiar friend loneliness re-entered his mind. But then, Violet should be here, he thought, pushing his sadness down. He would rescue her!

Kit left to sneak in through the front door and check in with the terrified Babs, while the siblings had crept to the back entrance. The door was heavy and stiff, but Klaus shoved it open. As he entered, he heard receding footsteps, and the echo of a door that was not his. He had never felt so lucky, to be missed by the Firestarters within seconds.

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Adrianna and Violet kept looking for The Sugar Bowl, leaving the library of records, the door echoing shut behind them. There was a small, well concealed door built into the floor. Violet gasped as she saw it and the two shared an excited, hopeful look.
"This could be it.." Adrianna breathed as she opened the door, suspension filling the air. There was a metal ladder leading down into the dark room. Violet followed Adrianna down.

It was dusty, and Violet had to really force herself not to start bursting into coughs. It was fully dark, not an ounce of light managing to struggle its way in. Adrianna lit a match, the pack ever present in pocket. It illuminated the room in a soft, cozy red glow.

Shelves were stacked with towels, hospital gowns, and other bits of dusty laundry that looked like they had not been used for years, fallen victim to moths and rats and other creatures nibbling on the frayed edges. Something caught the light and Adrianna shrieked.

Violet tensed, but a huge grin broke out on her companions face, making it loose any rough Firestarter edge, and replacing it with a younger, happier glow. She reached behind a stack of towels, and pulled something out.

It was china, smooth, a beautiful blue of a sky going gray with rain, gold swirling like mist in little patterns. The handles were shiny and shaped expertly, the bottom and top crimped. The lid was as beautiful as the main body, with the same pattern of a fairly leafless bush with two red flowers, a deep burgundy pot housing it.

Adrianna looked slowly at Violet, catching her eye. Both of them laughed, in shock and ecstatic relief. Adrianna passed the bowl to Violet, and she felt the smooth, important part of a tea set and both sides of a secret organisation run under her fingers, a slight bump of the layered gold pain. Carefully, she reached over to the lid.

Adrianna quickly put her her hand over Violet's, gently taking the bowl back.
"We mustn't open it! Only our leaders will know, and they shall know first. Come on, let's return it to it's rightful owners."
Adrianna grinned at Violet, and she softly smiled back. They looked at eachother for a second, before turning back to the ladder.

Violet went first, the rusty bars against her hand, and Adrianna carefully passed up the priceless Sugar Bowl as she made her own way up. She reached the top and they shut the trap door behind them.
A familiar voice suddenly spoke, and Violet froze, relief and fear coursing through their body in rapid spikes.

"Violet?!!"