The Baudelaires (Unedited)

15: "It's magnificent, isn't it?"

Charlotte's POV
He had slapped me twice hard across the face, I had fallen down bawling my eyes out.
My face stang, it was probably red.
Earnest opened the door and threw me back into the room, making me fall flat on my face.
The others ran over to me and asked, "what happened?"
"He got fed up of me not giving him an answer..so he slapped me twice across the face." I explained through breaths.
Klaus stared at me, either horror or anguish across his face, "I swear I'm gonna-"
Violet covered his mouth as some footsteps passed the door.
A knock was heard, Violet then asked, "who is it?"
"Frank Denouement." He replied as he opened the door anyway.
I tensed up and Klaus had grabbed my arm.
"Earnest didn't-" Frank began.
"He hit her on the face." Klaus interrupted.
Frank stared at me and then at Klaus, "what?"
"Tell him, Charlotte." Klaus encouraged.
"He hit me around the face twice because I wouldn't give him you know what." I explained.
"I am so sorry, Charlotte." Frank apologized, "I don't know what to do about him."
"Honestly, neither do we." Violet said.
"It's fine Frank, honestly." I sighed.
"Is there anything I can do?" Frank asked.
I shook my head.
Klaus then suggested, "find us a good place to hide if enemies arrive."
"Like Esme." Violet added.
"The best place you can go is the library, Earnest doesn't know about it." Frank said.
Klaus nodded once, "thanks, Frank."
"Anytime." He did the VFD signal, we did it back and he walked away.

I looked at the others and got up, "Should we go to the library then?"
Klaus got up, still grabbing my arm, "shouldn't we...clean up?"
Violet then said, "we do all look a bit worn out."
"I can go down." I volunteered, "while you guys use the facilities."
Klaus shook his head, smiling a little, "No-"
"Yes, Klaus." I laughed and walked out the door, him trying to follow.

I got back into the elevator and pressed the buttons 153 all at the same time, getting me down into the secret library.
I gazed in awe at how big the space was, underneath the pond outside.
I started looking through the drawers, looking at all the paperwork when I heard the elevator ping.
I hid underneath the table.
"Charlotte?" Klaus asked, I got up.
"Sorry. I thought you were Earnest or someone.." I sighed.
"No, you're safe." He smiled.
He also started searching the drawers, picking pieces of paper and scanning them, then putting it back.
I opened up the door to the gigantic tunnel behind the bookcase, "this is handy."
"Yeah, it is. If you go forward and left you come to the front of the hotel." Klaus informed.
"You've been down here before."
"With Dewey."
"I miss him."
"Same." I saw the moment of his death flash across his face, the same sad and dark expression I saw from my room's window.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Bringing it up."
"It's not your fault."
"I found it, which brought up Dewey. It's obviously my fault." I sighed, "but if your insisting that it's not, I can live with it."
"Good." Klaus smiled.
I smiled at him, I could never stay sad with him smiling like that.
"You're blushing." He said.
"What?" I realised I had zoned out for a moment.
"You're red, Charlotte."
"No, I'm-" I looked at myself in the reflection in the door, "could just be my cheek's reaction to the hit."
He tilted his head, "are you sure?" He winked.
"You didn't just-"
"No I didn't." He winked again.
"Klaus, stop!" I laughed.
"Stop what?"
"Winking!"
"I'm not!"
"Yeah you are!"
"I just have something wrong with my eyes."
"Nothing is wrong with your eyes." I smiled.
"Glasses?"
"Nope, just makes you look dapper."
He laughed, "good excuse for me when someone calls me four eyes."
"You're welcome." I grinned.

I looked up for a moment, gazing at the water above.
"It's magnificent isn't it?" Klaus asked.
"Yeah, it is. Sometimes I wonder how they built it." I sighed.
"They built the library first and then put the water on top." Klaus explained, "I think.."
"That's probably it, seems logical."
"You sound like Spock."
"Yeah, whenever I say something like that, I do." I giggled.
I then heard the elevator ping.
"Table." Klaus pointed and hid as I followed.

I heard the familiar clicking of heels and elderly voices walk in, the duo and Esme were together.
Klaus had his hand over my mouth, mine over his. We were being very quiet.
"Trust me, the last VFD members will have nowhere to run once this is gone." Esme bragged.
"You better be right, Ms Squalor." The lady said.
"Or you're going with it." The man finished.
"Alright, alright!" Esme said, "pass me the lighter!"
"We have several." The lady said.
"All equally good." The man said afterward, presumably passing her one.
I heard the flicking of drawers and paper. They were making the beginning of the fire.
We couldn't do anything, we were helpless. We would be dead if we got up.
"We stay here until the glass ceiling breaks." Esme said.
"The fire will spread upward and into the elevator. Nothing escapes." The lady explained.
I could smell fire, I looked worriedly at Klaus.
Klaus shook his head.
I could hear the fire spreading, paper falling all around us, and soon enough the drawers were melting, heat above summer degrees.
I was sweating my head off just as I heard the elevator leave, heels disappearing with it.
I got up and looked at the ceiling, "oh no."
"Hold your breath, Charlotte."
"I can't swim."
"I'll help you." He said as the ceiling broke, letting all the water in.