The Candy Man (Christian Borle as Willy WonkaXReader)

4.

This tour is proving to be more ghastly than I expected: after Augustus, Violet Beauregard chewed an experimental gum that tasted like a three-course meal and when she arrived at the dessert, blueberry pie, she transformed into a giant blueberry and almost exploded, and right after Veruca was attacked by trained squirrels in the nuts room, who tore apart her arms and legs. Mr. Wonka has assured us that the Oompa-Loompas will fix everything, but surely it has not been a pretty sight to see. Although, if I have to be honest, these brats have had it too good. The contract Wonka made us sign stated it in black and white: no machine, equipment or product inside the factory can be touched or handled without Wonka's permission. Augustus drank from the chocolate lagoon, Violet ate an untested prototype of chewing gum without permission and Veruca disobeyed what Wonka told her. These kids are each one worse than the other: they're spoiled, capricious and overbearing. I'm surprised Mike hasn't made a disaster yet...

The only survivors are me and Mike, who is still playing with his phone, and the child with his grandpa: I found out he's called Charlie Bucket. I think Charlie is the only child that's happy to be here: he's got his eyes wide opened and a big smile since he is here, it is evident that Willy Wonka is an utter legend for him.

*beep-beep-beep-beep*

Oh goodness. If Mike doesn't stop immediately with that phone, I'll throw him to the squirrels. And yes, I said "him": I mean Mike,not the phone. Even Wonka starts being annoyed by those "beep-beep" that go over his voice, accompanied by Mike's continuous puffs.

-Is there anything wrong, Mike?

-Of course! I can't get any signal on my phone in this awful place!- screams Mike waving his phone in the air. I feel terrible, I don't even want to look at Willy's face...

-Oh, the signal... Let me try.

crack!

What's this noise?

crack!

I'm standing in front of the greatest show ever: Willy has just torn to pieces Mike's phone, throwing it to the floor and jumping over and over on it. Now he's tap dancing on it! Nobody in my family would have dared to do something like that! Neither me, being honest...

Mike does not take so much to react: after a first shock, I see his face turning red with anger:

-WHAT ARE YOU, CRAZY?! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!!! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW WITH THAT?!

Willy picks up what remains of Mike's phone and shakes it: the broken pieces inside the device clang with each other.

-Maracas!

I burst into laughs. Willy got me rid of a burden in the most carefree way. I don't know how he did it...

-WHAT DO YOU FIND SO FUNNY ABOUT THAT?!- Mike screams when he sees me laughing.

-I think that's quite clear as a signal, don't you, Mike?

-WHEN WE GO BACK HOME I'M GONNA TELL EVERYTHING TO MOM!!!

I look up: Willy is covering his face to not show he's laughing out loud. His stare meets with mine, and we smile at each other.

-In return, Mike, I really think that you're going to love the next room.- answers Wonka -Come on, it's this way!

While entering the next room, I get closer to Willy, gently touching his shoulder:

-Thank you.- I whisper gently.

-You're welcome.- he replies smiling.

Wow! This place never stops to amaze me! In this room, there's a big step full of levers and buttons, connected to a TV. I wonder what it is...

-Gentlemen, may I introduce to you the Chocolate Television!- exclaims Wonka.

-How does it work?- I ask.

-Easily said: look at that big chocolate bar on the transformer...

-Why is it so big?- asks Charlie. The chocolate bar is really big, high as a 4-years old child.

-Because, my dear Charlie, everything that is very, very big in real life, it becomes very, very small on TV! Keep watching!

Wonka throw a lever, and the machine starts working: it releases a dense fog. Everything in this factory is very flamboyant...

-Hey, it disappeared!

-No, Charlie, it just displaced! Pay attention to the TV: channel 209!

Inside the screen appears a bar identical to the one who disappeared, but with real dimensions.

-Mike, do you want to grab it?- asks Willy.

-...No, I don't trust it! I don't want to get hurt like the other kids!

-Mike, what's happening to you? Why now you're so gun-shy?- I say, fooling him a little bit.

-Shut up!

Charlie runs to the TV and, with everyone's surprise, he grabs the bar, opening it:-It's real!

Wonka smiles: I'm astonished, and even Mike's face is showing a genuine enthusiasm. What if Willy Wonka managed to make him show interest in something?

Mike goes to the television:- Mr. Wonka, if this machine can do that to chocolate, do you think it could do it with... real people too?

-Well, I don't know. I suppose yes, but it would be dangerous...

Oh no. I know that look. That's Mike's look when he has an idea. A terrible idea.

-...I'm gonna do it!

-What?!

-Mike, don't do that! There could be some problems!

-Get out the way, Wonka!

-Mike, get over here now!- I say angrily. I try to be as strong as I possibly can, but I'm sure my voice revealed my concern.

-Shut up, (Y/N)! I can finally have a TV show like I always wanted!

I try to grab him from his sweater's hoodie, but it's too late: Mike just climbed on the step, pushing the lever.

-Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Mike Teavee TV Show!!!

And that's the last thing I hear from him, until I see him disappear in a smoke cloud.

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First chapter of 2018! Do you like how the story proceeds so far? Please comment and let me know!

(I canceled this chapter by mistake,here you have it again!)

XOXO