Oops…sorry for the lack of updates -hangs head in shame-. My computer got a virus and I only just got it back. Anyway, heres chapter 3. Also, thanks for all the reviews!
Ok, ok, I confess! I'm not Daniel Handler, how did you know?
A recap of last chapter:
Diving under his bed to grab the walkie talkie, he pressed the button to talk into it and said "The two Baudebrats are in the unfinished wing of the hospital. Go and collect them, I have plans for them later." He shoved the walkie talkie into his pocket, then ran back out to Violet.
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Count Olaf had Violet by the hand. He was walking her out of the Heimlich Hospital, and guided her to his car. "Get in the back," he said, and once she had sat down, he slammed the door. He then walked back up to the hospital, but Violet did not see his turn to walk to the unfinished wing where here siblings were staying. She was to preoccupied staring at the person in the driver's seat, who appeared to be the bald man. He turned around to face her, and laughed at her. "Bet you had quite a night, ey, orphan?"
Violet looked out the window, determined not to look at him.
"Hey, you look at me when I talk to you, missy," said the bald man angrily.
Mechanically, she turned her head to look at him.
"That's better," he said, then opened up a copy of The Daily Punctilio and began to read.
Violet looked at the bald man, who was engrossed in the latest story about the 'Baudelaire Butchers', and decided that this would be a good opportunity to try and escape. Very, very quietly, she opened the door of the car. Holding her breath, she put one leg out, then the other, and then pulled the rest of her body out. She was out of the car. Sighing happily, she turned to run back up to the hospital. Instead, she ran right into the bald man. Jumping back with surprise, she tried to run away, but he grabbed her arm tightly.
"You foolish girl!" yelled the bald man. "You dare to make a fool out of me?"
Violet started to panic. 'N-no! Of course not!"
She looked up to him, and saw a maddening glint in his eyes. He raised his hand and struck her, once, twice, and not showing any sign of stopping. She tried to defend her self, but her efforts were futile. Feeling blood trickling down her cheeks, Violet began to feel nauseous. Everything started to go black, and the last thing she saw was Count Olaf walking towards them.
Violet awoke up with a start. The sun was setting, and she saw that they were nearing Count Olaf's house. Suddenly she realised that her head was on Olaf's lap, and he was stroking her face. She quickly moved away, making Count Olaf laugh to see her so startled.
When they were driving down the street to get to his house, Violet saw Justice Strauss' house, and was shocked to see a moving van outside her house. Violet couldn't care less about whoever was moving in, but the fact that her old dear neighbour had moved made Violet sigh with disappointment.
The car finally stopped, and everyone got out, except for Violet. Count Olaf noticed, and dragged her out, despite the fact that she was clinging onto the door with all her might.
"Why do you insist on making things so difficult for me, Violet?" Count Olaf asked. "I am providing you with a place to call your own, and all you do is complain."
Violet turned to face Olaf, with an expression of the deepest hatred on her face. "I did have a place to call my own," Violet said, through gritted teeth, "Until you burnt it down."
Count Olaf, furious with this response, raised his arm to strike her across the face, but when he saw her face, cuts and bruises on her flawless skin, he lowered his arm and marched back up to his house.
Confused by his actions, Violet trailed along behind him.
When she entered the house, it was quite busy. The two white faced women were running back and forth with flowers and clothes, the person that looked like neither and man nor a woman was on the phone, making some sort of arrangement, and the hook handed man was in the kitchen, starting to prepare for what looked like an enormous feast.
"What is going on here?" Violet asked Count Olaf.
He turned to face her. "Everyone is making plans," Olaf said vaguely.
"Plans for what, though?" Violet asked.
"For the wedding!" Olaf cried. "How else was I supposed to get your fortune? Wait until you're eighteen? I don't think so."
Violet took a step backwards in surprise. "You are going to marry me again?" she asked incredulously.
"Violet, don't sound so surprised! I know it might take a bit to get used to, but you will learn to love me," Olaf said.
"Love you?" Violet said, growing hysterical, "I could never love you!"
Count Olaf frowned, but then smirked at her. "You will love me. Just look at the way you behaved last night."
Choosing to ignore that last comment, Violet walked to the room she stayed in while she was in the care of Count Olaf. She lay down on the bed and wept. She thought of all the things that Olaf had put her through, but then she thought of Klaus and Sunny. She would never see them again, and it pained her to think that the last words she said to them were "I'll meet you back in our filthy, cold, inappropriate home." She sighed. At least they were safe.
Violet lost track of the time, staring outside her window, watching the sky turn gradually darker, until it was lit up with stars. Feeling herself growing weary, she shut her eyes, but then suddenly, one of the white faced women entered her room. Violet quickly jumped off the bed in surprise. "The Count wants to see you downstairs, orphan," the lady said.
"My name is Violet," Violet retorted.
"It's all the same to me," the lady replied, "Now if you will follow me, please."
When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Violet gasped in shock. The entire living area had been transformed into a replica of the inside of a chapel. She saw Count Olaf standing at the alter, talking to the bald man. Olaf saw Violet walk in, and hurried over to her.
"Don't you just love it?" Count Olaf asked Violet, making a grand hand gesture to where the 'chapel' was.
Violet's eyes were wide with horror. "When do you intend on marrying me then? And how can you possibly get away with it?"
Olaf tapped his nose. "I have an associate in V.F.D who is a priest, so I managed to, let me say, persuade him to perform the ceremony."
"No, no! This can't be happening!" cried Violet. "I won't marry you, I refuse to! You cannot make me!"
At this, Count Olaf grinned, and pulled out a walkie talkie. "Bring them in," he said quietly.
A few moments later, the front door opened, and in came Klaus, holding an unconscious Sunny.
"Klaus! Sunny!" Violet cried, running over to her brother. Before she got to him, however, Count Olaf grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her back.
"I don't think you want to go any further," Olaf whispered into her ear.
Then she saw why.
An associate Violet had never seen before was standing right behind her brother. In his hand was a knife, the tip of the blade poking into Klaus's back.
Violet gasped. "Don't hurt him!" She turned around to face Count Olaf. "If you…if you do…no…please, let him go!" She pleaded with Olaf, tears in her eyes.
Count Olaf looked down at her. He couldn't help but smile.
"Oh Violet, don't you see I am using the same trick again? If you don't go through with the marriage, your brother here will get a knife through his belly. And you wouldn't want that, now would you?
Looking down, tears silently hitting the floor, Violet shook her head.
"Violet, no!" yelled Klaus, trying unsuccessfully to release himself from Count Olaf's associates grip.
Violet looked up to her brother. "I'm sorry Klaus, but there is no other way."
Klaus stared up at Violet, and then saw Count Olaf sneak his hand into Violet's.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Klaus screamed at Olaf, then turned desperately to face his sister. "Violet, don't worry, I will think of something to get us out of here."
Count Olaf shook his head. "I'm afraid there is nothing you can do now, orphan. Take them to the tower," Olaf ordered his comrade.
Violet gave a huge sob as she watched her brother and sister taken away from her.
"Well Violet," Count Olaf said, "I think it's time for you to go off to bed, you have a big day tomorrow after all! Try and get some sleep, you won't be getting much tomorrow night." With that, he winked at her and sent her up to her bedroom.
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Next chapter up soon, I promise :) Please review as always!