Can We Start Over?
A soft breeze carried on through the salty, moist air on the island. The waves of the ocean lapped onto the dull, sandy shores. The dark and seemingly emotionless sea was flat for the most part and it was empty of any presence of any living creature. There was a silence in the air that seemed to cling to time itself, riding out each miserably quiet second.
And the gray, overcast skies made everything seem bleak. Bleak like a baseball game on a rainy day. Bleak like a boring day at high school. Bleak like a call from an insurance company. Bleak like the lives of the Baudelaire children.
The soft breeze blew once more, gently and gracefully stroking the loose strands of Violet Baudelaire's auburn-brown hair. Her stunning, yet melancholic green eyes scanned the hazy horizon while her own thoughts carried her far away from the dreary island she found herself on. She wondered if maybe secrets were okay to keep at times. She also wondered if losing one's childhood innocence just brought them to a greater journey. And could that journey also bring joy? Just as her childhood had?
Violet sighed wearily as her thoughts turned to the oh, so familiar topic of whether her actions had turned evil or if it was all necessary. On one hand, her actions and choices lately were reminding her of Count Olaf. On another hand, no one else was helping, so what else was there to do? Wait for terrible fate to take hold of her life?
She turned her head wistfully toward Sunny, longing to be Sunny's young age again. She realized that Sunny may not even remember half of the things that had happened over the last year or so. After all, Violet couldn't remember much from when she was that young. She was thankful that Sunny might not remember it. Violet would give up her memories of Count Olaf and V.F.D. any day.
Staring at Sunny a bit longer, Violet shook her head. Sunny didn't look evil at all. How could her actions have been evil? Turning her gaze back to the sea, she let yet another sigh be carried into the barely perceivable wind. Her eyes began to tear just slightly and her throat clenched as she held them back.
Violet wanted to be a child again. She wanted to be safe with a safe home. She wanted to leave her life of conspiracies and misfortune. She wanted to invent for enjoyment, not to rescue herself. And most of all… she wanted her parents back. But all of these things, Violet could not have at the moment. And being her understanding self, she accepted that you can't always get what you want.
Suddenly, Violet shook her head though, reprimanding herself. She felt selfish as she glanced back at her siblings and Beatrice, the new infant. She knew she should be thankful for merely having them at her side, alive and well (for the most part). Violet closed her eyes gently for a moment, feeling numb and tired.
Klaus and Sunny, who sensed her unrest, stood up and walked over until they were at her side. Violet slowly opened her eyes and glanced at the two of them. "Are you alright?" Klaus inquired.
"I'll be fine," Violet stated with a small, reassuring smile. Klaus raised his eye brows doubtfully.
"Are you sure? You seem to have something on your mind."
"I always have something on my mind," Violet chuckled quietly. Klaus smiled a little and nodded briefly. Then Violet's own, barely perceptible smile faded into a frown. "Can we start over, Klaus?" She turned to look him in the eyes. "From the beginning?"
Klaus stared at his sister, trying to understand what she meant. "What do you mean?"
"Before all the conspiracies," Violet explained. "Before the schisms and treachery. Before Olaf. Before V.F.D. Before this series of unfortunate events occurred in our lives. Can we start over?"
Klaus sighed as he thought of her question. He too longed to leave this mess in which the Baudelaire orphans were forced. But then he thought of how far they'd come in such a short period of time. What seemed like forever was only a year. And now here the Baudelaire children stood, alone yet stronger and more intelligent than ever before. Klaus placed a comforting hand on Violet's shoulder and he could see her stress fade away slightly.
"No, Violet," Klaus replied, and Violet knew he was right. "We've come too far. We cannot start over."