The storm passed as we reached Curdled Cave. I was sat next to Sunny helping her steer us inside the cave. Klaus turned back and smiled at me. It made me giggle at his cute self. I love that boy, I think deep down I have done for some time but only then did I realise to what extent I actually do. I remember sitting beside him and reading the book on Greek gods over his shoulder. We got to the page about Aphrodite...
Klaus turned the page and I saw a beautiful woman dressed in a robe type dress with her hair half up and half down in tight ringlets. Her face was without flaw and her body was thin but still looked healthy. She looked like she could make any man fall head over heals for her beauty.
"Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. Her beauty was known by everyone." Klaus read out loud so I could hear.
"I wish I was that pretty. I mean, imagine if I was as beautiful as her, id never have to worry about what I wore or how my hair looked." I stated. Klaus turned his head to me and looked down. My head was resting on his shoulder but I moved when I felt him look at me.
"Freya you are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Why would you want to change?" He asked.
"Don't lie to me. But thank you."
"Freya in all these years we have been friends I have never once lied to you. Why would I start now?" He countered.
"I don't know." Then I lay back on his shoulder and waited for him to continue. I felt him look at me for a few seconds longer before returning to his reading.
I grinned at the memory, as I understand now why he said it. He liked me all along.
"Aunt Josephine?" Violet called out as we entered the hollow cave. Her voice echoed off the walls around me. We, Klaus and Violet, rowed to the rock and all stepped out, Klaus helping me out and Violet getting Sunny. With our hands interlocked, Klaus and me led the way to find our guardian. We called out again.
"Aunt Josephine, are you in here?" My voice carried around the rocky walls. Then we heard sobbing erupt from ahead of us. We lifted our gaze to see our guardian knelt on a rock above us. Upon seeing her, we all ran closer.
"Children, you did it! You deciphered the clues in my note!" she exclaimed, happy that we had found her.
"Aunt Josephine we are so glad you're ok." Violet replied. I was just smiling in the back with Klaus as Violet over took us when she saw our Aunt.
"It was dreadful. Count Olaf forced me to right that note and it almost killed me to add in all those grammatical errors." She explained.
"So what food did you bring?" She questioned.
"What do you mean? We just came through a storm!" Klaus raised his voice.
"Well how do you expect to live in this cave if you haven't brought food?" She said like it was obvious. She didn't exactly leave instructions!
"Live in the cave?!" Klaus answered back.
"No. Aunt Josephine you have to come back with us, you're the only proof we have that you didn't will us to Captain Sham." Violet said.
"No, no, no, no, no, no. Its much too dangerous." She turned around.
"Too dangerous! You're our guardian! You're supposed to task care of us!" I shouted.
"I don't want to talk about it any more." She said like a spoilt child. I looked at Klaus who looked like he had an idea.
"You know Aunt Josephine," Klaus spoke up, "Curdled Cave is for sale." He smiled.
"So?"
"So, before too long, people are going to come and look at this place." I smiled as I caught on to what he was saying.
"And some of those people, will be realtors." Klaus pulled me closer as if telling me I was right, that was where he was going with this. The face we got when she turned around was priceless. Fear was all over her face like a mask. Hiding all other emotions. We all climbed back into the boat, Aunt Josephine leading the way, as she wanted to get away as fast as possible. I handed her our other life jacket as Sunny was wearing the other. I sat next to Klaus as we sailed away from Curdled Cave.
The sky was getting darker as the afternoon drew to a close. Klaus pulled a piece of paper from out of his pocket and unfolded it, revealing the eye drawing.
"Aunt Josephine, what does this mean?" He asked. Violet turned to look at the conversation.
"Where did you find that?" She asked.
"We found it in Ike's room." He said.
"The fires." She whispered.
"Why was he investigating fires?" I questioned.
"We all were: Uncle Monty, Ike and your parents, Klaus, Violet. We started because of the Harrington fire that killed your parents Freya. I'm sorry." I was speechless. Klaus pulled me tighter to his side as he could tell I was upset.
"Freya, when your parents died, we all wanted to know who started that fire. Klaus, your parents were our leaders. Children, There are good people, and bad people in this world. People who start the fires, and the people who put them out." Explained Josephine.
"Who's doing this?" Asked Klaus.
"Is it Olaf?" Violet questioned.
"I've said too much already, your parents knew the answer to that and look what happened to them." She stated harshly.
"Our parents?" Violet repeated, "What did they say?"
"We should never have left that cave." She stalled.
"Aunt Josephine! What did their parents say?" I demanded.
"We are going to die." Was our reply, said in a possessed way? My eyes widened and I moved closer to Klaus, if that was even possible.
"IT'S THE LEECHES!" Aunt Josephine screamed.
"I guess it's a good thing that non of us have eaten in a while then." Violet stated.
"Guess again!" Gooed Sunny. I whipped my head around to see her showing a banana peel hidden in Aunt Josephine's dress, which she quickly threw into the sea.
"Aunt Josephine!" I cried in annoyance. Great! We could be dead because of her! I looked back at the approaching leeches. I was pulled to the opposite side of the boat as they sank their teeth into the wood, causing it rock. Klaus gripped on to me, in fear that I would fall out of the boat.
"There's a crack in the boat!" screeched Aunt Josephine.
"Klaus, what do we do? They're eating the boat!" I shouted above the high-pitched noise the leeches were making.
"Frey, you're going to be fine!" Klaus grabbed my face, forcing me to look at him. He kissed me quickly then pulled away.
"We're sinking, sinking, sinking. We're doomed! Doomed!" Aunt Josephine sung.
"Aunt Josephine that is not helping." Violet told her, shutting her up.
"Klaus, paddle, please." Violet instructed. I watched as he tried to paddle but the end was almost instantly devoured.
"There's a boat!" I cried. They instantly turned in that direction.
"Over here! Over here!" We all shouted. However as the boat approached, our hopes of safety vanished.
