A Series of Unfortunate Denouements

2: The Lake

As I'm sure you've noticed, things don't always go as planned. For example, Qeta had planned the Baudelaires would catch the harpoon gun, so they could at least have control over the villain who was with them on the ship. She expected Acidia and Amer to leave her alone after she told them where the sugar bowl was, and she hoped she wouldn't see the taxi driver again. But of course, things don't always go as you had planned, expected, or hoped.

Acidia and Amer had walked up to Qeta and were looking at the ship that was floating away from them, and would probably never see again.

"That didn't go as you had planned, did it?" the man said.

Qeta shook her head. "It certainly did not."

"So?" the woman said. "Where is it? Tell us now!"

Qeta looked at the destroyed building, and then at the lake.

"There."

She pointed into the waters that once reflected Hotel Denouement, but now there was no hotel anymore. There was only the sky to be seen in the reflection of the water. "The sugar bowl... Is there."

"In the lake?" Amer said in a scratchy voice. "Of course! Those crows, they must've dropped it into the lake!"

"Are you sure?" Acidia asked Qeta. "How can you be so sure?"

Qeta didn't look away. "Because I saw it fall. I saw it all happen. And Dewey Denouement..." She sighed. "It was his plan all along."

"You would betray a dear, dead person?" Amer said in surprise. "I didn't expect that from a pathetic orphan like yourself."

"Well," Qeta said, "if I didn't tell you, you'd kill me where I stand, right?"

Amer and Acidia both laughed.

"You're not as noble as you claim to be. You're not that different from us," Acidia said with a horrible smile. "You value your own life over the safety of V.F.D. If only all volunteers were like you!"

Qeta kept her mouth shut, but she smiled. She knew she was nothing like these terrible villains, but perhaps it would be best not to get on their bad side.

Acidia and Amer... Two of the most terrible villains on earth, tricked by a little orphan girl.

"Well," Qeta said, "good luck searching for the sugar bowl! I have some things to do. See you later!"

She turned around to leave the terrible villains, but before she could even take one step, she felt two cold hands on her shoulders.

On her left shoulder, she felt a strong, rough hand keeping her from walking away.

On her right shoulder, she felt a slender, smooth hand, making her shiver as its nails touched her skin.

"You didn't think we'd let you leave so easily, now did you?" Amer said in her left ear.

Qeta swallowed.

"We don't know if you're telling the truth yet," Acidia said in her right ear.

Qeta shivered.

"W-well," she said in a trembling voice, "I'm not sure I can trust you either."

I sure hope you've never been touched by a terrible, laughing villain. Because if you haven't, you can't possibly imagine how frightening it is. But if you have, then I'm sure you know there's nothing more terrible.

Except, of course, being touched by TWO terrible, laughing villains.

Qeta's lips trembled as she tried to speak, but the way the villains laughed made her shiver uncontrollably.

"W-why not j-just let me go?" she said in a high pitched voice. "Y-you don't really believe I'd have the courage to.. Lie to you?"

"We have seen the most surprising things in our lives," Amer said. "So it wouldn't even surprise me anymore if you're lying to us, no matter how pathetic you may look."

"Besides," Acidia said, "you seem to have very strong arms, the way you were able to throw the harpoon gun on board that floating ship was, I have to admit, astonishing. You might be of some use to us."

Qeta sighed. Of course she had strong arms. When she was in Babylon, she was a highly skilled boxer. One of the best young boxers in the world, as her trainer always called her. Her parents were always there to support her, but after they died, Qeta hadn't had the time for a boxing competition or training. She missed it a lot, and hearing a villain compliment her made her think of her own parents, how they would compliment her when she bashed someone's head in with her fists. Qeta felt angry and sad.

"You two are horrible," she said quietly, but loud enough for the villains to hear her. "I told you where the sugar bowl is. You don't need me anymore. If you can't even search a small lake yourselves, then you are the ones who are pathetic."

"You sure have some nerve," Acidia said. "Little brat."

"Listen," Amer said, "we are going to let you go. And we shall look around the lake. And if it's really there, we will find it in two days. However."

He tightened his grip.

"If the sugar bowl is NOT there, we will find you. And we WILL kill you."

"Fine by me," Qeta said, trying to sound braver than she felt. "After all, it is there. I'm certain you will find it."

And while she said that, Qeta knew that from now own, she would have to run. She would have to run and hide for the rest of her life.

Because the sugar bowl was not in the lake.