𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙸𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝚂𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚕 𝙶𝚞𝚒𝚍𝚎 || Violet x Reader

The Miserable Mill▪︎Part i.iii

<A//n: if any of you are confused as to why the reader hasn't shared her knowledge on the Paltryville fire, don't worry, that's on purpose. It's coming.>

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     As the children walked back to the mill, Klaus brought up what had been mentioned earlier.

     "Did you say he only pays the workers in coupons?"

     "It's true. We are all paid in coupons, but it doesn't matter, we don't have any money to use the coupons with. I tried bringing up such matters, including the gum with Sir but he got mad at me and threatened to kick me out."

     "That's awful."

     "I know that you have nowhere else to go, but why doesn't anybody leave?" Violet asked.

     "They are quite weird about that." Y/n frowned.

     Before Y/n could elaborate any further, the children found themselves back at the mill, and the four reluctantly got back to work.

     They worked in silence for quite a while. Eventually, Violet looked up at her brother and noticed the familiar look on his face.

     "You're thinking something."

     Y/n, who was working on the very same log as the eldest Baudelaire siblings, couldn't help but hear their conversation, but nevertheless, continued to work.

     "The new foreman. Phil said he just showed up last night. What if he's Count Olaf and being a foreman's his new disguise?"

     "He is cruel like Count Olaf," Violet admitted. "but Count Olaf runs a horrible theatre company, not a lumber mill."

     "But isn't it suspicious how we never see his face? And we only ever hear his voice over the loudspeaker."

     "The mill is noisy. Besides, it's probably the only way anyone could ever hear him. I know what you're trying to do."

     "Keep us safe."

     "Find a reason to leave. And we will, I promise, as soon as we clear our parent's names."

     Y/n focused all her attention on the log, feeling this wasn't something she had the right to hear.

     "I... I need a new debarker." Klaus mumbled.

     Leaving his sisters and Y/n to continue the current log, Klaus decided to do a little investigating himself.

     Upon approaching the foreman, he had noticed that the man was sleeping, his left leg resting just outside the booth.

     Klaus moved quickly and he swiftly took a knee up against the booth. Cautiously, he reached his hand for the foreman's pant leg and slowly tried to raise it up, checking for a familiar eye tattoo.

     The pant leg had barely moved when the snoring foreman, twitched in his sleep causing Klaus to jump himself. He froze, staring at the foreman for only a few moments, before attempting to move the pant leg once more.

     Suddenly, the foreman woke with a start, frightening Klaus who removed his hand and jumped to his feet.

     "What are you doing, Midget?"

     "I... need a new debarker."

     "Spoiled brat wants a new debarker. Old rusty one isn't good enough for him, eh? They're over there, rich boy."

     The foreman extended his left arm and it was then that Klaus saw the long and awkward over-extension of the man's arm. The arm was completely covered by the uniform and long rubber glove, and it was the kind of length of arm one would have if their hands were missing and replaced with long metal hooks. Just like one of Count Olaf's most faithful theatre troupe members.