It had been a year, and I had been there, even though she didn't see me, I lingered amongst the crowd. "Dead" the newspaper had told the world. "Sunny and Klaus Baudelaire are dead" but it was not so... I suppose you wonder, "How could a boy who had his windpipe crushed still be alive when he was alone in a burning forest?" and the answer to your question is this; he couldn't, but I wasn't alone, because hidden amongst the trees was someone Violet, Sunny and Narantha had neglected to notice.
My eyes hung open slightly as Violet laid her head on my chest. "He's dead..." I heard her whimper. I'm not dead! A voice in my head screamed begging for violet to hear, I'm NOT dead! But she couldn't hear me. She and Narantha spoke quietly to each other... well Narantha did but Violet was screaming. Though I couldn't make out her words she was screaming. The world seemed to be fading away, when I felt someone grab hold of me. They were taking me away, away from my sisters, away from the cabin. A rush of cold air hit me as my carrier walked into the freezing cold... but moments later every bit of cold was gone, replaced by heat, burning heat, heat like the flames of the underworld. I tried to move, but air was almost impossible to get, and the smoke now curling around me made it worse... when I felt hands. They were gentle and kind, and they were taking me away from the flames. "You'll be okay Klaus... you'll be okay." I heard a voice speak. For some reason the voice was familiar, but my world was so blurred that I couldn't see his face. I blacked out.
I wasn't positive how long I was out, but when I woke air came to me in great rushes. I could breathe normally again. Actually, it came to me so fast I coughed. I took in air with short gulps for a few minutes, reacquainting myself to regular breath. As vision came into clear focus I saw a room. I was alone, on what looked like a hospital bedroom. I blinked, trying to figure out where I was. The door swung open as I stepped on the floor. It was a woman, maybe three or four years older than Violet. She had long blonde hair and wore a white dress. "Oh! You're up! That's wonderful, Mr. Quagmire was beginning to worry if he had found you too late." I looked at her confused, and she smiled, looking understanding. "I had that same look when I woke up here for the first time. My name is Lavender, welcome to V.F.D."
For a year I stayed in V.F.D. which I found stood for, Very False Deaths. Ten minutes after I woke up I was greeted by several familiar faces, and some not so familiar. Quigley was there, so was Isadora and Duncan; Captain Widdershins was there, as was Phil, and to my great surprise Sunny. Then there was the woman with long black hair who wouldn't stop talking, the short pudgy woman with gray hair, several children, and several teenagers; one who seemed to pay an odd amount of attention to me. He was about nineteen, maybe twenty, and he looked slightly like Violet. His hair was much longer than mine, and was black that fell slightly into his face. He was tall, but muscular. He had many scars on his face, and one running down his neck. Though he showed no compassion, he was always looking out for me and Sunny, but if I ever thanked him, he would roll his eyes and turn away. I had no idea that this boy, Nathan, would end up being someone I knew... even though I didn't.
"You can't be seen Klaus," said Phil on my first day. "You wouldn't want someone thinking you have risen from the dead, but don't worry, this is a very nice place, and they do let us out once a day for some fresh air... you just have to keep your head down, which I find a good thing to do, especially if it's raining." And no one ever saw who I was... not for one whole year when I saw her.
