Through The Shadows - Klaus Baudelaire FF

III

There are many things to love about winter. Snow, being able to have hot chocolate all the time without being judged, sledding. But there are also things to hate about it. For me, it's the cold. I absolutely despise the cold. Due to that reason, it was very difficult falling asleep last night. Sleeping bags don't provide much warmth, and I deeply underestimated how many hoodies would be enough.

"Why didn't you pack more? I told you it was going to be cold." Lilian says to me as we sit by the fire.

I shrug my shoulders. "I wasn't expecting it to be this cold."

She laughs and bumps her shoulder with mine. "It's winter, of course it's going to be cold." I roll my eyes as she continues to giggle.

The masked boy walks over to us, book in hand. "Excuse me, do either of you know the Latin name of the lions found in the Hinterlands?"

Lilian glances at me, a confused expression on her face, before answering. "Yeah, Panthero Leo." The boy nods, writing the answer into his book. "Are you doing a crossword or something?"

The boy shakes his head. "Just a quiz someone gave me before I left."

Multiple pairs of feet crunching on snow is heard. Being the nosy person she is, Carmelita jumps out of her seat to go investigate. "Go away, cake sniffers!" Why is she such a brat? "This is a private cave."

Brucie rises from her spot, joining my cousin at the entrance. "Carmelita, who are you talking to?" Their voices become quieter as they converse with the strangers. After a few minutes, the boy decides to join them, and I hear him ask the people about Anna Karenina, a book my mother used to read to me as a child.

Carmelita suddenly gasps. "Wait, you're those orphans from Prufrock Prep who lost your home in fire and then Vice Princie expelled you." No. It's not possible. It can't be.

"We've never been to Prufrock Prep."

"He did not expel us!"

I don't mean to leave my seat, but I do, stumbling over Lilian's feet in the process. She shrieks loudly, causing everyone to stare at us.

Our eyes meet, and I can't breathe. My feet suddenly feel heavy, glued down to the icy floor. My mouth moves, but no sound comes out. I can't speak. I can't think. I can't move.

"Ellis? Is that really you?" Violet pushes past my cousin until she stands right in front of me. "Oh my...it's been so long." She wraps her arms around me, squeezing me tightly before stepping back.

"I-I..." My head is spinning.

"Ellis..." My eyes move towards him. He looks so different. He's taller, his hair is longer. And those eyes, how did they become even more beautiful?

Why are my eyes so glossy? "Klaus." It comes out as a whisper. So quiet I almost think he didn't hear.

But then his lips form into a smile, and he's suddenly holding onto me tightly. "I missed you so much." I missed you, too. His hands cup my cheeks, gorgeous brown eyes pouring into my blue ones. "How are you here? Last we saw you, you were with Mr. Poe. We thought you were going to jail."

Right, they probably haven't had time to read the paper or listen to the radio. "Oh, you haven't heard?" Please, no. "My cake sniffer cousin sold you guys out for a get out of jail card."

Klaus drops his hands, returning to Violets side. "Ellis, what is she talking about?" Violet stares at me with sad eyes.

Lilian joins me, grabbing my hand. She gives me a comforting look, urging me to tell the truth. Sighing, I turn to the siblings. "You have to understand...they were going to put me in jail. No one believed me when I told them the truth. They thought I was crazy! So I lied." His eyes, they used to bring me comfort. Now they stare at me in disappointment. "I-I told the jury that...that you guys brainwashed me. That it was your idea to kill Olaf because he murdered your parents." I rush the words out, regretting them immediately. "Please believe me. I didn't want to say that. But I had no choice."

"You always have a choice!" My eyes widen. He hardly ever yells. Yet here he is, yelling at me. "You could've told them the truth!"

This is not what I thought I'd be doing if I ever saw him again. "Damn it, Klaus! Don't you understand? I'd be in jail. They would charge me with accessory to murder. Would you rather I be in prison right now?"

"It'd be better if you were there than here."