Prufrock Prepatory School ✓

day one at hotel denoument

The escape pods finally arrived at their destination: Briny Beach. The children stepped out of the pods. Francine needed help getting out, but other than that, everything was fine. They were met with a woman who called herself Kit Snickett. The children entered her taxi. Kit proceeded to explain that she was taking the children to the last safe place, Hotel Denoument. A person affiliated with VFD, initialed J.S., had scheduled a meeting to discuss the status of the children.

"Who would do that?" Quigley asked Kit.

Kit shrugged. "We don't know. That's where you kids come in."

Kit explained how the kids would disguise themselves as workers to figure out who J.S. was, and whether he was friend or foe.

xxxxxxx

(time jump brought to you by my laziness)

Francine, Bree, Jenny, and Sunny waited in the lobby of Hotel Denoument while the others went on their assignments. Violet and Duncan went to the pool, Klaus and Isadora went to the sauna, and Quigley went to Mr. Poe's room. Jenny entertained Sunny. Bree watched. She noticed Francine sitting in a chair not far away. She left the two blondes to console her.

"Hey." Bree sat next to Francine. "What's wrong?"

Francine sighed. "Two people I cared about died in a span of two days. Just like that. One minute, they're both next to me, and the next they get devoured by lions and die from a sickness. And I couldn't say goodbye."

Bree felt like she needed to say something, but couldn't figure out what to say.

"How do I know one of you won't be next? You, the Baudelaires, Quagmires, Jenny? What if you all die and leave me alone? I'll have no one left!"

Bree pulled Francine into a hug. She cried in Bree's collar.

"I'm not gonna say everything's going to be okay, because we have no way of knowing that for sure. But I can say this." Francine pulled away. "I'm here for you. So is Jenny, and everyone else. Whether we die tommorrow, in a year, or whenever, we're here for you. Stay strong."

Francine sniffled and nodded. "Okay. I will."

The clock struck for the top of the hour. It made a noise that sounded a lot like the word "wrong". Francine and Bree gave each other nervous looks.

xxxxxxx

Later that night, after Francine got better and the others had returned from their missions, the children shared what they learned and who they thought J.S. might be. Their theories were interrupted by a familiar face. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny jumped up from their seats to go hug an older woman.

"Who's that?" Duncan asked the three siblings.

"This is Justice Strauss." Violet told the others.

"Another J.S.?" Isadora asked.

"The J.S." Justice Strauss told the other children. "I called the meeting."

The Baudelaires caught up with Justice Strauss. When she finally left, a man named Dewey Denoument walked out from the shadows and asked for everyone to follow him. Of course, they followed him. Dewey showed the children the underground library. What seemed like a happy moment was interrupted when Count Olaf showed up with a harpoon gun.

"How did you find us?" Klaus asked the man with the unibrow.

Count Olaf shrugged. "The same way I always follow you. Just follow the paper crumbs."

"You mean bread crumbs?" Bree asked.

"What?"

"It's bread crumbs. From Hansel and Gretel." Bree explained. "I've heard Carmelita recite that fairy tale so many times. It's bread crumbs."

"Maybe he meant paper trail?" Jenny offered. "He did say paper..."

"Whatever." Olaf interrupted. "The point is, I have you. So let me do what I need to do so I can get my fortune!"

"No!" Duncan yelled. "Can't you just leave us alone? You're not getting our fortunes and you never will!"

"What's going on here?" the children turned to see Esme and Carmelita walking towards them.

"Carmelita?" Bree asked close to a whisper. "What're you doing with them?"

Carmelita rolled her eyes. "Somebody left me alone on top of a mountain. What was I supposed to do?"

"Go back inside, my pet." Olaf grumbled. "And take the little brat, too."

"Hey, my sister is a lot of things, but she's not a brat." Bree defended.

"Debatable." Quigley muttered.

"Not the time, Quigley." Bree said to the long haired boy.

"Right sorry."

"For once, I agree with the litte urchin." Esme told Olaf.

"Bree's not an urchin." Carmelita told the tall woman.

"Shush, my darling." Esme told Carmelita. "Olaf, can you not care about the fortunes for one second? I really want--"

"The sugar bowl!" Olaf interrupted. "I know! It's all you ever talk about!"

Something in Esme snapped. "No. No! Ever since we started dating, you've been obsessed with the Baudelaires and their friends! And they beat you every time! Look, they're not even old enough to rent tuxedos and yet they beat you every time!"

"You know what, Esme? We're though."

"What...?"

"We're. Through."

Esme nodded then walked away. She led Carmelita back from where they came from.

"Is County not my daddy anymore?" Carmelita asked.

"He's not mine either, pet."

"Oh, gross." Jenny covered Sunny's ears.

"What about Bree?" Carmelita looked back to gaze at her sister. She never admitted it, but at the end of the day, Carmelita cared a lot about Bree Spats.

"We're leaving. We're leaving Olaf, your sister, and everyone." Esme told the little redhead. It was then that Carmelita regretted choosing what side of the schism she was on. Esme lead Carmelita away. Carmelita looked back one more time. She and Bree's eyes met. They shared one more worried glance before Carmelita was dragged away. That was the last Bree ever saw of her sister.

xxxxxxx

The rest of the night was a blur. Dewey dying, being locked in a hotel room, everything. It seemed like a bad day, but the next day was only going to get worse.