If the Baudelaire Parents had Lived - Series of Unfortunate Events

Problems

Quigley

"What?!" I exclaimed after at least five minutes of silence. That was impossible.

This apparently very, very, powerful organization, was split up and killing each other over... sugar. That makes absolutely no sense! How could something so futile cause something so large to happen?

Maybe it was like rumors at school. Not many people know the truth, because the first people who got their hands on it blew it way out of proportion. Soon, no one really knew what was happening. There must not be very many people who know what is actually in the sugar bowl.

"I told you, no more explanation until the party."

"Fine." We six of us said together. Even Sunny could manage such a small word.

The parents soon left and we decided to follow Mrs. Baudelaire's advice and play another game. We chose a different game this time, Seven Minutes in Heaven. We went with our roommates into a closet for seven minutes, and did whatever we wanted.

Duncan and Sunny went first. When we opened the door seven minutes later, Sunny was on Duncan's shoulders and he was running around the room yelling, 'Zoom! Zoom!'

Me and Vi were next. Klaus pushed me, Izzie pushed Vi, and Duncan locked the door behind us.

We both slumped down against the wall. We were still trying to take in all the information that had been thrown at us. I looked over at her and saw a tear rolling down her perfect cheek. I reached over and wiped it away with my thumb. She looked over and gave me a watery smile just before the tears began to pour from her eyes.

It was an awful sight. They flowed down her face like rivers. I couldn't bear to see her like this, a perfect girl broken by the cruelty of the world. But at some point you have to wake up, and realize that the world isn't as innocent as your mind thinks it is.

Still, I pulled her into my arms and comforted her.

"I know it's a lot. But we will get through it. Together."

She still continued bawling. I couldn't think of anything else, so I began singing. I had always sang to Izzie when she was hurt, because it would take her mind off pain.

I sang the first song that came to mind, which was Battle Scars by Lupe Fiasco and Guy Sebastian.

She eventually stopped crying, but I kept holding her.

Just as I finished the song the door opened. We both stood up and walked out.

Klaus caught me by the sleeve on the way and growled in my ear, "If you hurt her, so help me god-"

"I didn't hurt her." I said, and let my tone end the conversation.

Klaus and Izzie went next, and I played with Sunny outside the room while Vi and Duncan talked.

When we opened the door later, Izzie had her legs wrapped around Klaus's neck and was leaning down and kissing him.

When they noticed us, Izzie hopped down and left the room, followed by a slightly stunned Klaus.

.....

The next day I woke up to an empty bed. Vi was already up. I dressed quickly in a simple gray t-shirt and jeans, then jogged to the living room.

Vi and Izzie sat cross legged on the couch facing each other. Izzie was dressed to the tee, with natural makeup and a little fancy outfit.

Vi was dressed more simply, wearing spandex and a way-too-big sweatshirt. It took me a second, but I soon realized that it was my sweatshirt. She sat easily on the couch, looking completely relaxed.

Izzie was gossiping about how she and Klaus were going on their first official date. I ran to Duncan's room and recruited him and Sunny to spy on the date and make sure Klaus kept his hands off our sister.

After about ten more minutes and Klaus calling me into his room to ask for my blessing to go out with my sister, they were ready to go. Duncan and Sunny followed as inconspicuously as they could manage.

Meanwhile, me and Vi went back to the roof. Today we did not go straight to the edge, but instead Vi did cartwheels across the roof and I did a few backhand springs and such. It was pretty fun.

We decided to go out for ice cream next. It was reasonably warm for September, and we decided to walk.

As we walked down the street of the ice cream parlor, Vi shivered.

"Are you cold?" Asked a voice from behind us.

We both whirled around at the menacing voice. Behind us stood a woman with hair but no beard and a man with a beard but no hair.

"No," Vi said slowly. "I just feel a little uncomfortable. We're the only ones away from the house and the others are expecting us back any minute. C'mon, Dunc, let's go."

We both ran past them.

When we arrived back at the house, I pulled her down on the couch in the living room.

"What was that?"

"Well I couldn't tell them that the others were all out, and I had to make an excuse to leave, and I didn't want them to know who you were, so I called you Dunc because it's not your name and it's not Duncan's full name. It works, does it not?"

I begrudgingly nodded. She was smart. She had always been smart.

"Should we tell anyone about this?" I asked.

She thought, and then nodded, but grabbed my hand when I stood. "We can't tell just anyone. Especially our parents. We can tell Duncan and Isadora and Klaus, but no one else."

"What about Sunny?"

"No need to scare her if it's just nothing." She took a deep breath, then insisted, almost as if she was convincing herself, "And I'm sure that's all it is. Absolutely-"

"Nothing?" Asked a voice. We both whirled around once again, only to be met with the same faces as before. They both grabbed one of us each and covered our mouths, clamping our arms down to ours sides.

The man with the beard but no hair laughed. "Oh I assure you, dear, it is far from nothing."