Broken - Isadora Quagmire

Chapter Twenty Eight - The Chase

"Head for the door. I'm going to get the film" said Violet running back to the projectors and handing Sunny to Duncan.

Esme continued walking towards us, then as her stiletto knife heels got stuck in the floor Klaus asked if I could walk, I hesitantly nodded and we all started quickly walking away from Esme. We hid behind a filing cabinet. I snuck a peek as Duncan handed Sunny to Klaus.

"Peek-a-boo, I see you" laughed Esme as she knocked down a row of filing cabinets.

SMASH
SMASH went more filing cabinets
SMASH

"The doors blocked there's no way out!" Esme screeched. "But, you don't have to hide from me children" Esme said glaring at me and Duncan "Maybe we can help each other, I'm looking for something small, round, full of secrets"

"The Snickets thought they could hide it from me but now they're gone, all of them"

"We can make it to the mail chute" Duncan said.

"AND I WANT IT!" screamed Esme.

We got to the mail chits and Violet met us there, she told Klaus to go in first with Sunny. And then I was told to go in next.

"Isadora, look out!" Duncan called as a large row of filing cabinets came down like dominoes, blocking the mail chute.

"No!" Sunny cried

"Take this, Esme wants it" Violet said giving Klaus the Snicket File.

"But Violet.." I tried knowing that Esme was in fact after the Sugar Bowl.

"There's no time" Violet said.

Duncan dragged me to a row of knocked over filing cabinets. "Hide under here" Duncan said, practically shoving me under the filing cabinets.

"Duncan?" I said

"Stay here,okay?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Duncan. We're in this together"

"You have to. Please Issy"

"I told you to never call me that again"

"Please just stay here. I'm the oldest, it's my responsibility to look after my younger siblings. I failed Quigley, but I can save you. Hide under here and be quiet, I'll come back for you" he whispered.

"Duncan! Come on!" said Violet

"I can hear you orphans!" Esme screamed.

"I love you Isadora, so don't move"

"I love you too" I said and he left.

Suddenly there was an atrocious silence in the air as Esme took of her shoes. I saw Duncan and Violet running, and heard filing cabinets smashing, along with Esme's screaming.

"Come to mother" I heard Esme say, as well as a door swing open.

"Hello, Hello, Hello" Count Olaf said, while the sounds of Duncan and Violets muffled screams filled the room.

10 seconds passed, 20 seconds passed, 30 seconds passed, 5 minutes passed, and nothing. So I got out of my hiding spot and saw the destruction that Esme had caused. All because I was caught on the cameras. It was all my fault. I struggled to the mail chute, but Klaus was gone. And remembered what was in my hands, Hal's keys. I walked around, only five filling cabinets were still standing one of them being

"Patterns to pedicures"

I tried about 11 keys until I finally got the right one. I flicked through until I found a section labelled Pechman containing the files Liam Pechman and Valerie Pechman. I grabbed them and put them down beside me, with the other nine, as I locked the cabinet. I picked up the files.

Out of nowhere a book came swinging right at me. I ducked and she missed. Although, I wasn't expecting her to come back my way from the other side. THUNK. The sound of it hitting my skull echoed in my head. I felt woozy. As I start to sink to the floor grasping my throbbing head in pain, I start to see colourful and black spots slowly block my vision as I turned around and saw Esme staring at me, until it was completely dark.