"And I'd walk through the shadows of death just to be with you."
"Damn, why am I so poetic?"
Sequel to Despite The Pain
Season 3
I own nothing except for my own character(s).
All rights go to Daniel Handler and the producers of the show.
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Green used to be my favorite color. It was the color of my mother's eyes, color of my favorite apple, color all the walls in my room were painted. It's the color of life, renewal, nature. Green is associated with harmony and safety. But as the color trickles across the inside of my helmet, I decide green isn't a color I want to see ever again.
"Klaus?" My voice shakes, as do my hands and knees.
The boy takes a second to turn from Sunny, eyes drastically widening when he sees my predicament. "No." Violet also looks, having the same reaction.
"We're gonna be okay, right? I mean, Fiona's read all those stupid fungi books. She'll know what to do." Even I don't believe myself as the words tumble out of my mouth. Especially when Olaf and Esme return.
The villainous couple forces us out of the airlock, dragging us up the ladder and through the halls of their submarine. "You orphans are as useless at sea as you are on land." Olaf complains, gripping tightly onto Violet and I. "I order you to bring my girlfriend a sugar bowl, and instead all you bring are two coughing children." The man continues dragging us through the sub, stopping multiple times just to turn back around.
"Sunny and Ellis have less than hour." I hear my older friend tell her brother. "We have to find an antidote!" A violent cough escapes me, and I stop to catch my breath.
Klaus interrupts Olaf and Esme while they disagree on which direction to go. "We have to go back."
"Don't be ridiculous! We just came from there." Esme rolls her eyes.
"Sunny and Ellis have been poisoned!" Violet joins in, motioning to her sister and I as we continue coughing. "If we don't go back, they'll die!"
Olaf shrugs his shoulders. "Fine with me. I only need one of you alive to get your fortune."
"But...you need...me alive to...get mine." I point out in between coughs. Olaf pretends to think about, before deciding he'll be fine without it.
The pair push us through the halls, searching for the brig. In one of the areas is a group of kids. The Snow Scouts. And if they're here, Lilian is as well.
As I'm shoved into Violet -who has taken to holding my hand- I let out another horrific cough. The Snow Scouts pay no attention, all except one. "Ellis?" Lilian. She moves to get out of her seat, but Esme pushes her back down, yelling for her to stay still. When I pass, I do my best to smile, but she probably can't see with the Medusoid Mycelium covering the mask.
The coughing persists, my head aching. When we arrive at the brig, I lean against the wall and collapse to the floor. My throat burns. My head is pounding. My hands and knees are still shaking. Any minute and I feel I might pass out.
"Please let us get back to the Queequeg." Klaus begs the horrible man. "Can't you see them coughing?"
Olaf merely turns away, saying something bout him not caring. "They're going to die!" He ignores Violet's yells, slamming the door to the brig closed.
The coughing somehow grows worse, and I double over in pain. My throat and chest sting, feeling as though scorched by a flame. Tears prick my eyes, doing little to cool the heat in my face as they roll down. I'm able to stop coughing for second, giving me barely enough time to catch my breath, before it starts up again. The energy drains from my body, and I soon find myself laying on the floor of the brig.
"Oh, no." Klaus sits in front of me, gently cradling my hand. There's a crease between his brows. "Hang on, Ellis. Please, hang on. We're gonna get help." His voice is soft, and my eyes begin to close. "No, keep your eyes open, okay? You have to keep them open."
"But I'm tired." The words come out as a whisper.
His thumb rubs soothing circles on my hand. "I know, love. I know you're tired. But you need to stay awake." With a grumpy sigh, I peel my eyes open.
I watch as Klaus moves to Violet, the two of them conversing in the corner. I can't hear what they're saying. All I can hear are the occasional aggressive coughs leaving Sunny and I.
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I'm not sure how, but the four of us are soon exiting the brig. Klaus has an arm wrapped around me, holding me up while we walk. The hooked man -while carrying Sunny- leads the way. We soon come near the place where the Snow Scouts and Lilian are. And with them, Esme and my bratty cousin. The two siblings create a distraction for us to pass through. A sea monster. A horrifying screech sounds, sending the children into a frenzy. The scouts run around the room, bumping into us as we hurry away.
"Ellis? Wait!" Ignoring his protests, I squirm out of Klaus' arms. Lilian stops before me, jaw dropping slightly as she stares at me. "The Medusoid Mycelium. We need to get you the antidote!" She throws my arm over her shoulder, yelling at the Baudelaires to show her the way to the Queequeg.
"Fiona!" Said girl appears, asking what's wrong. "We need your help. Sunny and Ellis have been infected by the Medusoid Mycelium." The shaking in my knees intensifies, and I crumble to the ground. The coughing still goes on, and I pant for breath. "We need to find antidote. They're getting worse." My body trembles, sweat rolling down my forehead.
The hour is almost up. Sunny and I don't have much time left. Soon, we'll die. Maybe it'll be quick and easy. Perhaps the fungus will be kind enough to kill us quickly. Or maybe it'll be slow and painful. The sickness might worsen. We'll cough until we can't breathe. Our heart will stop pumping from not getting any air. Our organs will slowly shut down, one by one. The latter seems more likely, but I pray it'll be quick.
Klaus, Violet, and Fiona frantically search the cabinets. For what, I don't know. I keep my gaze on Lilian. We just reunited and now I'm dying. What a funny twist, fate. "Te-tell Richard...thank you." My throat burns with every syllable. "I lo-ve y-you guys."
Lilian shakes her head. "No. You're not dying. I won't allow it." I chuckle at her words. I am dying. After all the crap I had dealt with the past six months, and a stupid fungus is what's going to kill me. Not Olaf or any of his troupe, a fungus.
Klaus kneels next to Lilian, a spoon in his hand. He slides the helmet off my head, and I welcome the fresh air. When I open my mouth to tell him one last time that I love him, he shoves the spoon in my mouth. Gagging at the retched taste, I almost spit it out, but Klaus yells at me not to.
As if by magic, the headache dies down. The fire in my chest and throat disappear. The cough stops completely. It's gone. The infection is gone. I'm not going to die -right now at least.
Klaus cheers, pulling me into his arms. Laughing into his shoulder, I reciprocate the action. "Not that I'm not grateful or anything, but what the hell did you feed me?"
