Despite the Pain -Klaus Baudelaire FF

Chapter 16

So, I've gotten questions about Ellis and Duncan's relationship. I will explain at the bottom, so if you want to know you can read it.

After traveling in the firetruck -which eventually ran out of gas- we found a rundown gas station, which didn't have gas or a working cellphone. The shopkeeper almost recognized us, but luckily he didn't. While trying to contact Mr. Poe -I don't know why they bother- a familiar, horrifying voice called out to us. Olaf. No matter where we go, he's always there.

He chased after us for a few minutes, before we managed to find a decent hiding place. The shopkeeper had finally realized why he knew us, from the newspaper, about us being murderers. I could hear them coming for us. I grabbed Violet's hand, pulling ourselves into a new hiding place. After Olaf managed to tangle himself in some beads, we were able to sneak out of the store and into a van with the letters VFD painted on the side.

Klaus slid the door open, and a cheery voice spoke to us. "Ah, volunteers? Hop on in." The older man smiled warmly at us. I hurriedly pushed Klaus inside, not wanting to be spotted by Olaf and his goons. However, I regretted my decision when I saw the amount of pink balloons that were stuffed in the vehicle.

"Are you VFD?" Violet questions the man, eyeing him suspiciously.

"We certainly are!"

"Can you tell us what VFD stands for?" Klaus asks next. Instead of responding, the group begins to sing, clapping excitedly afterwards. Great, this is gonna be a long drive.

The van takes us to a hospital, where the Library of Records is. That could, hopefully, tell us what our VFD stands for. Climbing out of the van, I stare at the building. "I've never liked hospitals." The man with a guitar hands me a balloon, skipping into the hospital. "Do I have to keep this?" Klaus smiles softly at me, taking the balloon out of my hand and letting it float away.

We enter the building with the group, and I try not to groan out loud at all the singing. I'm glad we have another plan, so we can get away from all this annoying happiness. A man, with not the best eyesight, helps into the Library of Records.

Instead of inspecting the files, the man wants us to put them away. But we can barely look at them. We won't ever be able to find anything about VFD with this man near us. Another file comes down, a film with it. On the label, is Snicket. Just like Jacques Snicket.

Just when we've convinced the man to let us look at the file, a woman announces that the library is closed immediately.

Walking around the hospital, trying to avoid Olaf, I groan. "We have to find a way to see that file."

Klaus's fingers brush mine. "We'll try again in the morning." I smile softly at him.

Olaf's voice sounds over the intercom. He's looking for us. And if he finds us, he's going to kill us. There's only one place with no cameras, the unfinished wing. I grab Sunny, holding her while we run to the wing, almost being caught by one of Olaf's goons on the way.

We come across a hole in the wall, a metal bridge connecting to the unfinished wing. I pass Sunny to Violet, letting them go first. Klaus rests his hands on my shoulders. "I know you're afraid, but this is the only place we can safely hide." He grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze before letting go. Taking a deep breath, I force myself to move, trying my best to ignore the fact that I'm about four stories up and there's nothing preventing me from falling to my death.

After making it across safely, we run into Hal, the man who helped us before. It's my idea to steal his keys when he falls asleep. Violet and Klaus have guilty expressions. This man had been so kind to us, yet here we are stealing and lying to him. "I feel terrible about this."

I turn to the older girl. "It's the only way. We have no other choice."

Searching for the film didn't take long. I quickly inserted it, wanting desperately to know what it was about. Snicket appears on the screen, speaking to another man. "Snicket, I need you to lay out, in excruciating detail, what you know about Olaf." The man says to him. "This rash of fires, and anything we need to know about the orphans and Ellis King." I share a glance with Klaus, grabbing his hand.

"I should start from the beginning." Snicket begins. "But first, I have an important update. There may have been a survivor of the fire."

Violet and Klaus gasp. "One of our parents might still be alive."

"I'm wild about movies." My bones chill. "Now, who wants popcorn?" Klaus yanks me behind him, away from Esme as she stands before us. Wasting no time, I run the other way, dragging Klaus with me.

Standing behind a row of file cabinets is pointless, Esme pushes one and they all fall down. "The two of you take Sunny and head for the door." Violet says to Klaus and I. "I'll get the film and catch up."

"I'm coming with you." I tell her.

Klaus reaches for my hand. "I don't want to lose you again." I can see the pain in his eyes. He's afraid. We all are.

"I'll be okay." I smile reassuringly. "Violet and I will be quick, and we'll meet up with you and Sunny soon." Before he can respond, I take off after the brunette, weaving through the file cabinets. Violet grabs the film, and we take off in different directions, deciding it'd be best to split up.

"You two are all alone, Violet and Ellis!" Esme shouts. Wasting no time, I sprint to one of the exit doors, but it doesn't budge. As I try another one, Violet joins me, Esme not far away from us.

The last door we try opens, and we quickly exit it, only to stop in fear. Olaf stands before us, his usual sinister smirk on his lips. Violet and I turn the other way, praying there's a chance we can get past Esme. Just as I take a step, Olaf grabs a hold of my arm, his other hand gripping onto Violet. "Ellis, when will you learn?" He scolds me. "You can never escape me."

Okay, so some of you are confused about Ellis and Duncan's relationship. They're just friends. Duncan and Isadora were Ellis's first friends, and they are all really close. They see each other as siblings. Due to that, Duncan is protective over her, just like he's protective over Isadora. There are no romantic feelings whatsoever.

If y'all have any more questions, please ask and I will happily answer them!

Sorry if this seems rushed. There was so much going on in this episode that I didn't want to leave anything out.

Also, I move in like five weeks for college and it's weird. This was totally random but I just wanted to say that.