The Quagmires

Chapter 18: The Gloomy Goodbye

The phrase 'feelings were up in the air' refers to being 'unsure how to feel'. Not too long after the Baudelaires broke out of jail, the Quagmires experienced how it felt to have their feelings up in the air; literally and figuratively.

The Quagmires turned around to view the most beautiful sight they have ever seen. The belly of the fountain had opened, revealing the Baudelaires on the ground.

"Duncan!" Violet yelled.

"Isadora!" followed Klaus.

"You found the poems," Isadora sighed, as Duncan helped her out of the damp fountain.

"Are you okay?" Violet asked as Duncan leaned in to hug her.

"Much better now."

Isadora also hugged Klaus. The children still couldn't believe what was happening.

"How did you get here?" questioned Klaus.

Isadora explained, "Count Olaf smuggled us out of the auction inside of a red herring."

"We found it in the saloon," Violet began. "That's how we knew you guys were close."

Isadora smiled at her then looked at Klaus and gave him an even bigger smile.

Duncan quickly turned to Violet, "You didn't happen to see anything written inside?"

"We didn't have time to examine it closely," but Duncan knew deep down that she might've seen their initials carved into the fish.

Isadora began to explain what had happened to them in details. "Olaf hid us in the fountain so that we'd be out of his way."

"It was Isadora's idea to use the couplets as a code," Duncan confessed.

"And Duncan figured out how to smuggle them out," she added modestly.

"It was damp from the morning dew and there were always crows on the fountain, so we waited until one landed on the beak and wrapped a wet couplet around its leg."

"The paper dried overnight and fell from the tree," Klaus continued, figuring out how they thought this out. "But how did you know we were here?"

"We didn't. We just knew that you would find us," Isadora smiled.

"It's what friends are for," nodded Duncan.

"Mob!" mumbled Sunny. Indeed, there was an angry group of people headed for the Quagmires and the Baudelaires.

"This way," guided Klaus as he took a step back. Violet picked up her little sister and the triplets followed the Baudelaires into hiding.

"What do we want?!" yelled Officer Luciana, who was actually Esme in disguise.

"To burn children!" replied the angry mob in exclamation.

"And when do we want it?!" yelled detective Dupin, who was really only Count Olaf in disguise.

"Now!"

"What do we want?!"

"To burn children!"

"When do we want it?!"

"Now!"

The Quagmires and the Baudelaires ran behind two small houses and hid there.

"Where do we go?" queried Duncan.

"This village is in the middle of nowhere," panted Isadora.

"We know a way out," started Violet.