Broken - Isadora Quagmire

Chapter Thirty Eight - Arms Above Head, Elbows Back And Out, Smash Palms In

"What are you doing here?"

"You two didn't think that I was sit still while you two get hurt did you?"

"We're so glad you're okay but we need to tell you something" Duncan said.

"It's the Baudelaires, they're here, in disguise as Beverly, Elliot and Chabo"

"I know triplets"

"You do?"

"Quagmires!" a voice called

"He's going to find us" Duncan said.

"Olivia, put your disguise back on and walk us out of the tent, tell Count Olaf you found us and we'll figure it out what to do"

"I'm not putting you two back in trouble"

"We've been worse" said Duncan

"He won't hesitate to kill you if he finds out you're here"

"I won't send you two triplets back to him, it's wrong"

"Then we'll go ourselves"

"No!"

I walked out of the tent with Duncan and Count Olaf saw us.

"Are you sure about this Isadora?" Duncan whispered.

"Not at all"... is what I would have said if I was being honest. What I actually said was "I'm sure"

"Try and get out of this" smiled Count Olaf, he shut the door of his long black automobile and walked off with Esme.

"Isadora, if you have a plan now's the perfect time to tell me it"

"Let, let me think..."

"It's been almost five minutes have you thought of anything?"

"Can you remember that article you read about having tape around your hands, more importantly how to get out of it?"

"I think so"

"Arms above head, elbows back and out, smash palms in"

"How do you remember?"

"Quigley saw the article and tried to learn it, he got me to tie the duct-tape around his hands"

"When was this?"

"After you left the room with Mother. Raise your arms above your head, swing your elbows back and out then smash your palms in"

He raised his arms above his head "What about you?"

"I don't think I can physically do it. You're going to have to untie me after you're untied"

He failed the first time he tried, and the second, but the third time Duncan did it, the tape split open. He undid the tape around my hands then I reached into the glove compartment in the front of the car, opened it and pulled out a crowbar.

"What are you doing?" Duncan asked.

"Stay back" I said. The crowbar swung in slow motion until it finally reached the window, shattering it into pieces.

"Issy!"

"Duncan..." I said while I climbed through the window.

"Sorry. Are you okay? Have you hurt you arm?"

Yes I had. "No. I barley feel a thing"

I took the crowbar and hit it against one of the tires but bit down on my lip to keep from crying out.

"What are you doing?" 

"We can't let Count Olaf leave here"

"Since when was he leaving?"

"When he gets the Baudelaire fortune"

"He's going to throw the Baudelaires-"

"Into the lion pit, Violet and Klaus. I care about Klaus a lot and I know you care about Violet, we need to save them"

"How?"

Cheers exploded from the tent.

"We're going to have to figure it out on the spot"

When I first entered the big top with Duncan, Klaus, Violet and Sunny (still in their disguises) were standing alongside Hugo, Kevin and Colette as they waited to find out who was going to be fed to the lions. Esme saw us and nudged Count Olaf who sent the henchperson of indeterminate gender to grab us. We didn't put up a fuss and sat on the bench with the cheering crowd.

Beverly and Elliot were revealed as the 'lucky' freaks who would be pushed into the lion pit and my heart stopped. I knew it was going to happen, it was obvious, but it still shocked me. 

Violet and Klaus were standing on the wooden plank about to be fed to lions and as I watched, frozen, Duncan scanned the room. 

"Mr Poe"

"What?"

"Mr Poe is sitting over there with Mr Remora and Ms Bass"

"He is. But how are we going to get over there?"

"Just follow me. We'll go round the back"

Eating popcorn and watching intently, Mr Poe sat behind me and Duncan's former teachers. 

In the time that it took for Duncan and I to walk (or in my case, hobble) to Mr Poe, Olivia had gotten onto the plank and was being pressured to push Klaus and Violet into the pit. Nobody could hear what they were all whispering to each other, yet Count Olaf was getting fed up. I started to pat Mr Poe on the shoulder but he didn't realise Duncan and I were there. Olaf got the crowd to chant for Olivia to push them in the pit and eventually she did, push them that is, but not into the pit.

Klaus and Violet flew through the air and the crowd went silent as Duncan shouted "Mr Poe!" and the focus turned to us.

"Go!" Olivia said to the Baudelaires and Klaus, Violet and Sunny ran out.

The crowd started saying things about us being murderers and dangerous and that we should be arrested. The adults in the crowd started making their way to surround us in a corner.

"Duncan. What do we do?" I whispered.

"How's your leg?"

"Why?"

"I think we should run"

"Quagmires. You should come with me" said Mr Poe.

"Won't it be better to go to prison then whatever Count Olaf has planned?" I said.

"Mr Poe, we didn't do anything" said Duncan.

"I'm sorry twins but-"

"You're right Duncan" I said.

"Right about what?" said Mr Poe.

Duncan looked at me and I nodded, we pushed past Mr Poe and ran around a group of men but the henchperson of indeterminate gender was behind them. He tried to grab us but we pushed him back and he stumbled backwards then tripped over a log and fell into the lion pit.

"Duncan...Duncan we have to go!" I said.

We left the big top and then heard a scream pierce the air.

"Was that?"

"Olivia"