The Quagmires

Chapter 22: The Alarming Attack

The phrase 'safe and sound' is quite overused by numerous people, but not in the lives of the Quagmire triplets. The Quagmire triplets were never really safe and sound, so it would be inaccurate to use that phrase to describe their sad lives, especially during the attack on their self-sustaining hot air mobile home.

Quigley followed Isadora, who followed Duncan, into the basket. He slowly lowered himself into it and spotted the mini door. It was already open since Duncan and Isadora had crawled through it before him. He crawled through it and saw what he didn't expect to see. A room large enough for four people with brown walls and a wooden floor. There were four mattresses with the cover patterns grey, green, grey, green. Isadora pointed to her mattress in the corner and stated, "This is my mattress. I chose to cover it with a grey sheet. Duncan," she pointed to the mattress right next to hers, "Sleeps next to me-"

"You'd figure the oldest triplet wouldn't be scared to sleep by himself," chuckled Quigley.

Duncan rolled his eyes, but smiled slightly. "I see you haven't lost your sense of humor."

Isadora giggled and continued her presentation. She pointed to the mattress that was quite far away for Duncan's and said, "Hector sleeps here, but I think he wouldn't mind if you slept in his place. That way the we, triplets, can stay together."

Quigley made another remark. "Don't worry, Isadora. I'm not as scared as Duncan, even though I am the youngest triplet," he sniggered.

Duncan was ready to get him back this time, but before he could say anything, the Quagmire triplets were startled by the sudden drop of the self-sustaining hot air mobile home.

"What's going on?" Isadora whimpered.

"Do you think Esme's using that harpoon gun again to shoot the balloons?" Duncan questioned.

"What?" Quigley queried in confusion.

"Long story," replied Isadora, and the triplets felt the mobile home drop again slightly.

"Come on," cried Duncan, "Let's go see what's going on."

"Before Hector faints again," added Isadora.

The Quagmire triplets hurried out of the lower level of the self-sustaining hot air mobile home. To only Quigley's shock, Hector was laying unconscious on the ground, right next to his control. However, to everyone's shock, the hot air mobile home was being attacked by eagles.

"Those are the same eagles that were summoned by the woman with hair but no beard and the man with a beard but no hair!" Quigley exclaimed.

"We have to escape! This hot air mobile home will crash any minute," yelped Isadora.

"Well, what do we do?" Duncan asked, frightened.

"What would Violet do?" whispered both Duncan and Quigley at once. They gave each other confused glances that almost said 'we'll deal with this later'.

"A parachute!" Quigley yelled abruptly.

"What?" Isadora questioned, and the mobile home dropped for the fifth time already.

Quigley began passing out orders. "We have to get all the sheets from the lower level. Duncan?"

"On it."

"Isadora, help me wake up Hector. I'll explain as we do so."

"Alright."

As Duncan went to get sheets from the lower level of the self-sustaining hot air mobile home, Isadora and Quigley attempted to wake Hector up.

"Hector," they called as Isadora shook him gently.

"Quigley, pass me a water bottle," ordered Isadora, pointing to the basket of water bottles.

Quigley ran towards it, picked up a water bottle, and ran back to Isadora. She took the water bottle from Quigley, took off its cap, and spilled the water all over Hector's face.

By the time Hector woke up, Duncan was on the top level of the mobile home, holding four sheets.

"Everyone, grab a sheet, and do what I do," Quigley declared.

He held onto the sheet as tight as he could from its sides. He had two corners in each hand. Everyone followed his lead and held onto their sheets tightly. The mobile home was almost down when Quigley yelled, 

"Hold onto your sheets tight! We're going to jump off this mobile home!"

"What?!" Hector's eyes widened and he began to sweat. 

Isadora acted quickly. "You were able to defy the council of elders and speak up for the Baudelaires. If you were brave enough to do that and save the Baudelaires lives, then you are brave enough to jump off this hot air mobile home and save your own."

Hector took a deep breath, and so did everyone else.

Hector, Duncan, Isadora, and Quigley, walked to the edge of the hot air mobile home.

"On three," began Duncan. "One."

"Two." Isadora joined in.

"Three!" yelled Quigley, and all four of them jumped off the self-sustaining hot air mobile home, not daring to look back.