Hey everyone! I'm back from camp and here's a new chapter!
Enjoy! R&R please! :)
Chapter Four: Gunther
"Hello, please," Count Olaf spoke when we didn't. I guessed the Baudelaires were just as scared, as I was, to speak. Count Olaf looked at us with his shiny eyes and a wicked smile. Being taken off guard seemed to amuse him.
Count Olaf was wearing another disguise. He wore a pinstripe suit like ours except, his fit better. On his feet, covering his tattoo was a pair of long, black boots. He wore a monocle too, that made him furrow his one eyebrow, thus, concealing it.
"You must be children, please," he continued, "The name of mine is Gunther. Please excuse the talking of me. Please, I am not fluent in the English language, please."
"How . . ." Violet managed, unable to formulate a sentence.
"Where . . ." Klaus said and then trailed off.
"Are . . ." I half-whispered. I meant to say, "Are you going to kidnap me again?"
Sunny shrieked something that was something I didn't understand. It sounded like, "Bik . . ."
"I see you are not fluent in the English language either, please," Count Olaf said. "I took a small step to the side so that I was standing closer to the Baudelaires. I felt vulnerable and weak without being near them. "Where is the mother and father?"
"We're not the mother and father," Esmé said, as she walked into the room with Jerome. Her voice made us jump in surprise. "We're their legal guardians. These children are orphans, Gunther."
"Ah!" Gunther said, his eyes even brighter, if that was even possible. "Orphans in!" His eyes scanned the four of us again as if it was Christmas morning and he was deciding which present to open first. His gaze rested on me and I felt myself taking another step closer to Klaus who was the closest to me. He noticed Gunther looking at me, and his moment of shock wore off. He narrowed his eyes at Gunther as he took my hand. That only seemed to further Gunther's amusement.
"I know orphans are in," Esmé said. "In fact, they're so in they ought to be auctioned off next week at the big event!"
"Esmé!" Jerome said. "I'm shocked! We're not going to auction off these children."
"Of course we're not," Esmé said. "Jerome, take the Baudelaires to Café Salmonella. Jane, you can come with us like I promised. Come on."
"But we haven't even introduced them," Jerome cut in, "Violet, Klaus, Sunny, Jane—meet Gunther, the auctioneer we talked about earlier, Gunther, meet the newest members of our family."
"This girl is not a sibling of theirs, please," Gunther said, pointing to me. I felt like pointing out that it was very rude to point, but I knew Gunther couldn't care less. Gunther pointing out that I wasn't a Baudelaire, made me feel, suddenly, out of place here.
Esmé placed a hand on my shoulder, which made me feel a little bit better. "No," she said, "this is Jane Rumary, she's an orphan too. In fact, Jane offered to accompany us tonight, didn't you, dear?"
I looked up at Esmé who was giving me a sweet smile and then, I glanced at Gunther, whose eyes shone so bright that I felt myself take an involuntary step back. I knew as soon as I'd seen him. He was the auctioneer, of course, and I would be alone with him, leaving just Esmé to protect me. And when we were alone, he'd probably kidnap me and somehow get out without Esmé noticing.
The Baudelaires realized it just as I did and their heads snapped in my direction, with alarmed looks on their faces.
"About that Esmé…" I started, trying to find an excuse not to stay without offending her, "I don't think I can. I don't know if I'd feel comfortable being away from the Baudelaires right now."
"Why?" Esmé said, looking disappointed, "You seemed fine with it before."
"I know," I replied, "but—"
"But I promised Gunther," Esmé said, "you're not going to make me go back on my word to the innest auctioneer in the world, are you?"
"He's not an auctioneer," Violet spoke up, "Actually, we've met before. Many times before. Jerome and Esmé, this man is an imposter. He's not Gunther and he's not an auctioneer. This is Count Olaf."
"I am not understanding, please, what the orphan is saying," Olaf said. "Please, I am not fluent in the English language, please."
"Yes you are," Klaus said. "You speak English perfectly."
"Why, Klaus, I'm surprised at you!" Jerome said. "A well read person such as yourself must know he made a few grammatical errors."
"Waran!" Sunny shrieked.
"My sister is right," Violet said. "His improper English is just part of his disguise. If you make him take off his boots, you'll see his tattoo, and if you make him take off his monocle, his brow will unfurrow, and—"
"Gunther is one of the innest auctioneers in the world," Esmé said impatiently, "He told me so himself. I'm not going to make him get undressed just to make you feel better. Now shake Gunther's hand, and go off to dinner and we'll say no more about it. And Jane will stay with us, of course."
Klaus glanced at me and I could see the urgency I felt reflected back in his eyes. "He's not Gunther, I tell you!" Klaus cried. "He's Count Olaf."
"I am not knowing what you are saying, please," Gunther said, shrugging his bony shoulders.
"Esmé," Jerome said hesitantly. "How can we be sure this man is really who he says he is? The children do seem quite alarmed. Perhaps we should—"
"Perhaps we should listen to me," Esmé said, pointing one long fingernail at herself, "I am the Esmé Gigi Genevieve Squalor, the city's sixth most important financial advisor. I live on Dark Avenue, and I am unbelievably wealthy."
I closed my mouth as I had been getting ready to speak up about Gunther being an imposter too, but I knew even before I opened my mouth, it was useless. As nice as Esmé was to me, she didn't seem to like the Baudelaires as much. Despite that, even though she's always working, I've known her long enough to understand that when she's set her mind on something, she won't change it for a bunch of orphans no matter how in we are. How else would she have gotten to be the city's sixth most important finacial advisor? So arguing with Esmé would do nothing but upset her even further and it didn't seem like there was any way I could get out of staying here alone with Gunther and Esmé.
"I know that, dear," Jerome said. "I live with you."
"Well, if you want to continue to live with me, you will call this man by his proper name, and this goes for you three children as well. I go to the trouble of buying you some smashing pinstripe suits, and you start accusing people of being imposters!"
"It is okay, please," Count Olaf said, "the children are just confused, please."
"We're not confused, Olaf," Violet said, "and you're here to kidnap our Jane again."
Esmé turned to Violet, glaring angrily at her. "You, your siblings, and Jane, will call this man Gunther," she demanded, "or you will make me very, very sorry that I adopted you."
Violet looked like she was about to continue but faltered when she realized it was helpless to argue with Esmé. And that by now, we should realize, that adults never listen to us. So I turned to the man who had caused so much trouble in our already miserable lives. However, sometimes, I thought he could have been the reason for the Baudelaires misery in the beginning. So I lifted my chin and forced an apologetic smile on my face
"I'm sorry, Gunther," I choked out, "and Esmé. If it means that much to you, I'll stay."
"I'm sorry too," Violet said, forcefully, "We must have confused you with someone else."
"But—" Klaus started, glancing back and forth between Violet and I in disbelief. I looked away knowing he was probably mad at me for giving in so easily, but what could I do?
Violet must have given him a look because he closed his mouth and hung his head without saying another word.
Gunther reached up to adjust his monocle. "Okay, please," he said and then he was looking at me again with those shiny eyes and that nasty smile that haunted me every night. "And it is great that you chose to stay, please."
I felt Klaus' hand tighten and he stepped even closer to me as if by being near me would protect me from Gunther. I took a step closer to him too. Although, I knew it would change nothing. But for the moment, I could pretend that being near him would mean I was safe. I tightened my grip on his hand too so I could get the most out of the small amount of time we had left.
"It's so much nicer when no one is arguing," Jerome said, "Come on, children, let's go to dinner. Esmé, Gunther, and Jane, of course, have to stay to plan the auction, so they'll need the place to themselves. Have fun, Jane, and we'll the Baudelaires will be back to see you before you know it."
"Well, come on, Gunther, let me show you around my glorious apartment," Esmé said.
"See you later, please," Gunther said, giving the Baudelaires a tiny wave. Esmé was starting down the hallway followed by Gunther. She noticed I remained where I was.
"Coming, Jane?" Esmé called.
"I'll be there in a second," I said. Dread consumed me and I wasn't sure how I was going to say what I needed to tell the Baudelaires.
"Don't take too long, please," Gunther said.
"When you're done with them," Esmé said, obviously still angry with the Baudelaires, "we'll meet you in the living room down here."
I nodded stiffly and they started down the hall. Looking back at the Baudelaires and Jerome, I realized this might be the last time I saw either of them.
"Thank you for not arguing with Esmé any longer," Jerome said.
"Jerome?" I said.
"Yes, Jane?" Jerome asked.
"Do you think I could have a second with Violet, Klaus, and Sunny?" I asked.
"Of course," Jerome said, "I'll wait at the top of the stairs." He exited the penthouse, leaving the four of us alone.
We were silent until Klaus broke it.
"What are we going to do?" he asked, quietly, but with urgency.
"I don't know," Violet said, "but if Jane doesn't stay, Esmé will be upset and might make us guardianless again."
"Golapa!" Sunny shrieked, which meant, "And then Gunther could convince Esmé to hand us over to him like he usually does."
"Well, at least we would be together," Klaus said.
"No!" I said and then, remembered to lower my voice. I was surprised he would think of that. I knew he just didn't want me going alone if Gunther somehow got me, but I knew the Baudelaires being caught too would be far worse. "He only needs one of you to get your fortune. If we all get caught, he'll only spare one of you. I know because he told me that. And I'm not about to lose you like that."
"But what about you, Jane?" Violet asked.
"You can't be alone with him," Klaus said, "If you stay here with Esmé and Gunther, he might…"
"I know," I said, "but there's no other choice. Besides, Esmé is here and Gunther wouldn't dare try anything in front of her." I tried to find comfort in that fact, but…I couldn't shake off my feeling of dread. Tears welled in my eyes, but I pinched myself so I wouldn't cry in front of them. They couldn't see my despair, or they wouldn't let me go. And I had to be strong for them. "But," I continued when their worried looks didn't fade, "if something does happen to me—and nothing will—I won't be alone. In fact, if Gunther somehow gets me…he'll take me to where he's keeping the Quagmires and then, maybe I could help them escape. Or, I could at least help them stay out of harms way."
That didn't seem to make them feel any better.
"I have to go," I said when none of them spoke, "And there's nothing we can do about it. It's like that song I sang the other day." I looked at Klaus now. "There's nothing we can do but be strong and hope that things will turn around for the better. Maybe it is for the best since I'll be with the Quagmires and there will be other means of help I can find." I winked at Klaus hoping he understood I was talking about Monty Kensicle.
I waited for a response and when I heard nothing, I figured they were still mad at me. At least I knew they would be somewhat safe, though. So I started to head down the hallway.
"Wait."
He had taken a step closer to me and when I spun to look, I wasn't expecting his face to be so close. It took me off guard. And then, Klaus reached out and gave me a hug.
"You can't go without saying goodbye," Klaus said.
Violet gave me a hug too and then Sunny wrapped her tiny arms around my legs before she stretched up and gently bit my right hand.
"Don't worry," I told them, "maybe it's goodbye now, but that doesn't mean it's forever…right?"
It seemed like forever before Klaus spoke.
"O-of course," he said, "We'll see each other again."
"And let's hope the next time, I'll have the Quagmires with me," I added.
We were silent and it stretched out for what seemed like ages. We had all come to the conclusion that we had to part ways, but none of us could find the courage to move.
"Jane," Klaus said, suddenly, taking my hand in his, "in case we don't see each other again, there's something I want to tell you."
"Stop," I said, "we're going to see each other again."
"But what if something happens to one of us?" he said, "You, particularly?"
"I'll be fine as long as my fortune is still up for grabs," I said, "and you'll be okay as long as you stay out of Olaf's clutches. And you will, because you're good at that. Much better than I am."
"But—"
"Jane?" Esmé's voice rang out from one of the rooms, probably the living room. "Are you coming, Jane?"
"Just a second," I called back.
"Hurry up!" she hollered, "It's not as if you're never going to see them again."
I heard chuckles follow Esmé's comment and knew they were coming from Gunther.
I turned back to Klaus who was still clutching my hand. "I don't have time," I said, "I have to go. I'm sorry. . ."
"Goodbye, Jane," Violet said.
"Bye," Sunny managed and I saw tears in her dark eyes.
"Bye," I choked out, a lump forming in the back of my throat.
I noticed Klaus still struggling with the urge to tell me. "Just think," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You'll always have a reason to come and find me again."
Before Klaus could protest, Violet took his arm and the Baudelaires sadly walked to the front door. Klaus glanced back at me just as he was about to exit. Violet and Sunny were ahead of him.
"Keep holding on," I mouthed to him and after a moment he left too.
They were gone. I began to head down the hallway to the nearest living room when my gaze flickered to the photos still on the table. The nice picture of the four of us seemed like it had been taken ages ago, yet only a few minutes had gone by. Time could move so quickly sometimes that it almost scared me. To think, just a few minutes ago, we were happy. Our only worries were about the Quagmires and though, we worried about Count Olaf returning, none of us thought it would be so soon. I wished there were someway I could go back in time and warn myself to be more careful. But I knew, even if I could go back to those last few moments, nothing would have changed. Gunther still would've shown up at the front door to the Squalor's penthouse and I'd still be in this same, awful situation.
I sighed and put one of the photos of us in the pocket of my pinstripe suit. Maybe I couldn't bring the Baudelaires with me, but this photo could be enough.
"Jane?" Esmé's voice called from one of the rooms.
"Coming," I said, hoping she was close enough to hear me. I was in no mood to raise my voice.
I followed Esmé's voice into the living room. Gunther and Esmé were sitting on the long sofa that was positioned against the far wall of the room, talking avidly about something. The shades were gone from the windows that lined one of the walls, so although it was the evening, the sun's rays streamed through. They cast a pinkish, orangey glow on the furniture.
"Hello, Jane," Esmé said when I entered, "Could you go into the kitchen and get us some aqueous martinis?"
"Oh, yes, please," Gunther said, "That would be smashing, please, little Jane." His eyes shone brightly as he looked at me as if I were a tiny little ant he wanted to squish. I shivered.
"O-okay," I stuttered. I was a little glad for a chance to escape for a little bit.
I moved to the first kitchen I found along the hallway. In the kitchen, I rummaged around until I found the bowl of olives, the pitcher of cold water, and three fancy glasses. I fit everything on an in wooden tray. But this small distraction only made time for my fear to worsen. I made my way back to the living room, but lingered outside so I could eavesdrop on their conversation.
"Lot #20, lot #48…In Auction…" It was hard to hear much except little things. I paid close attention and tried to figure out what Lot #48 or Lot #20 could mean other than an item for sale at the auction.
"Jane, where are you with our martinis?" Esmé called suddenly.
"I'm coming," I mumbled and took a step into the room. I set the tray down on the table. "Here you go."
Esmé smiled. "Do you see how good this little orphan is?" She appraised as I began making the martinis, "She's definitely the innest out of all the orphans. All she needs is to be taught by someone as glamorous as me."
"It too bad we can't sell her, please, at the In Auction, please," Gunther said, jokingly, but he stared at me with gleaming eyes that said he wasn't joking at all. I handed them the martinis. I instantly thought that I should've poisoned Gunther's drink, but knew it would only make me as bad as he is. "We make lots of money, please."
"That's illegal," I said, firmly and turned to Gunther so I could give him an angry glare.
Esmé laughed. "Oh, Jane, Gunther was only joking," she said, "We wouldn't sell a child in an auction, especially not you. Now, come sit."
I did as Esmé told me and went to sit in the armchair beside the sofa.
"No, no," Esmé said, "you won't be able to see anything from over there. Come here."
She scooted over so there was a gap between Gunther and her. She waited for me to sit.
"I don't have all day, Jane," Esmé said and reached over to take my hand. She pulled me over to the sofa and I reluctantly sat in the spot in between them. I sat so I was closer to Esmé than Gunther who was staring at me, hungrily as if I were a cookie in a cookie jar.
They started discussing more of the items like Lot #14, an enormous globe, and Lot #25, a valuable piano. There were more mentioned like a scarlet red, fish statue which was Lot #48. I wasn't really listening though. Gunther's gaze was very unnerving and after awhile I couldn't take it anymore.
"I-I have to go," I managed as I started to get up.
Esmé caught my arm.
"No, you don't," she said, "you wouldn't leave without being excused, would you? That is very rude and definitely out."
"Yes, please," Gunther said.
As I looked behind me I noticed both of them had set their glasses down on the table. There didn't appear to be any coasters nearby. I stared at a droplet of water slowly sliding down the glass and onto the fancy wooden table.
***Flashback***
Monty Kensicle unfurled the newspaper he was holding and started to sit down on an oddly, green bench, when something caught his eye. He stiffened and moved away from the bench, almost knocking into me as he did.
"What's the matter?" I asked, curiously.
Monty looked around him, as if someone were watching. There was nothing there, though. Some children were playing tag and a dog was racing to fetch a Frisbee a little distance away.
"Come over to the bench and I'll show you," Monty said. He put a hand on my back and guided me toward the armrest of the grassy green bench. He pointed to the armrest. "Look here."
I looked and saw a ring of some kind of liquid on the armrest. I gave Monty an odd glance.
"Are you one of those germaphobes or really neat people?" I asked, grinning. I was reminded of a character, Monica Geller, on one of my favorite television shows, called Friends. She was also a neat freak.
Monty gave me a small smile, but shook his head. "I'm neither of those things. This ring is the sign of a villain. Villainous people never use coasters under their drinks. It's one way for noble people such as ourselves to differentiate between the noble volunteers and the villains. If you ever encounter a ring like this, you should get away from it as soon as possible. You never know what dangers could be lurking nearby."
A wave of fear and realization hit me like a freight train. Did that mean Esmé Squalor was a villain? Was she working with Gunther? Did she know who he really was? Did she know where the Quagmires were being kept? But what if she was just a really careless person who didn't think to use a coaster. It seemed a little odd to define someone by whether they use a coaster under their drink or not. I've put a drink down without a coaster underneath plenty of times before but I'm not a bad person like Count Olaf…or Esmé.
But it seems odd to me that Esmé of all people could be villainous. Maybe her attentiveness to fashion could make her a little ruthless sometimes but she'd also been so kind to me.
Esmé followed my gaze, as did Gunther. They seemed to understand why I'd suddenly gone pale.
"I have to use the restroom," I said. I was walking towards the door when I felt Esmé grab my shoulder to halt me.
"It can wait," she said.
Gunther's hand grasped my other shoulder and I began to feel like a rabbit trapped in a fox's den. All of my instincts screamed at me to run. But where could I go? I was in a seventy-one-bedroom penthouse that was either forty-eight or eighty-four stories tall and my only escape was the stairs that would take forever to climb down.
But my instincts were stronger than my reasoning so before I wasted any more time thinking about it, I started sprinting for the hallway. The good thing was that I wasn't too far away from the front door but the bad thing was that it was two adults versus a ten-year-old girl. And I could hear them chasing me, getting closer and closer. I wasn't sure how I was able to make it to the front door without them getting me, but maybe I was being powered more by adrenaline than anything else.
My hand grasped the brass doorknob and I opened it as quickly as I could, despite its obvious heaviness. But it seemed that Gunther and Esmé reached it just as I did because before I could step out, I felt a pair of hands grab me from behind.
"Let go of me!" I screamed. They laughed mockingly.
Now I was being dragged to the pair of elevator doors. Olaf, who's bony hands were the ones that grabbed me, tightened, as we got closer to where the elevators waited. It confused me that we were going this way. Weren't the elevators out of order?
Esmé stepped forward and pushed the button on one of the two elevators. It opened, revealing an empty shaft. I wasn't really afraid of heights but as I looked down the deep, dark shaft, I felt chills run up my spine at the thought of falling down there.
"All set," Esmé said, "Goodbye, orphan. Have a nice fall."
"No!" I shouted struggling as Olaf brought me closer to the shaft, "Don't! Please, don't throw me down there!"
"There will be worse things that will happen to you than being thrown down an elevator shaft," Olaf said. "Maybe you should have been a good orphan and not escaped from my clutches." At that, Olaf half-pushed, half-threw me into the dark shaft.
I screamed, and knew my death would come at any moment. At least it would be fast. All I could see was darkness and could feel nothing below me but the air whooshing past me. Then I hit something that felt net-like before I felt nothing again.
Review, please!
Sorry to leave you hanging but i'll update soon! :)