Chapter 9: Don't Touch the Squirrels!

After a minute of walking, we stumbled upon a room called "Nut Sorting Room." Mr. Salt seemed eager to show off. "This is the room I would know about! You see, Mr. Wonka, I myself am in the nut business." He handed Wonka a business card, to which Wonka immediately threw behind him. "I use the Havermax 4000 to do my sorting. Do you use the same?"

Wonka smiled and said, "I could, but that's just not as fun, is it?" Wonka then opened the door. Inside the room, at least 100 brown and gray squirrels were perched on little chairs. Above them were tubes that dropped walnuts onto a tray. The squirrels would tap the walnuts and then listened closely. They would then either toss the nut behind them towards a giant hole in the middle of the room, or break them open and send the insides into another tube. Each one was moving in a very methodical pattern.

"Squirrels!" Veruca stated. Everyone else looked on, completely bewildered by the sight.

"Correct," Wonka said. "These squirrels make up the backbone of the nut division. They have been trained to get the whole walnut out of the shells almost every single time. Take a closer look at them when they have one. Oh, look over there! I think that one has a bad nut! See how he's tapping it with his knuckles to check? He's been listening to it for a while. If it takes that long, it usually a bad- and he just threw it away. Right into the trash chute over there. Well, you guys and gals just witnessed something a majority don't get to see. Isn't that interesting?"

"I guess," Mike flatly replied. I could tell he enjoyed it just a little, but it was at least something.

Augustus and Violet didn't seem all that interested, but Veruca was getting very excited seeing them. Which is why the inevitable followed. "Daddy, I want a squirrel. Get me one of those squirrels. I want one."

Her dad looked at her and said, "Veruca, my dear, you have many marvelous pets."

"All I've got at home is one pony, and two dogs, and four cats, and six bunny rabbits, and two parakeets, and three canaries, and a green parrot, and a turtle, and a SILLY old hamster! I WANT A SQUIRREL!"

Woah, I thought to myself. That's 21 pets. "A little excessive, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think it is," Veruca stated. I was taken aback by this. What scares me is that my curse makes you say what you are hiding. She's not hiding this at all. She really believes that it isn't too much. "Now, daddy. I want one."

"Alright, my dear," Mr. Salt then reached in his pocket for his checkbook. "Mr. Wonka? How much would you like for one of these squirrels? Name your price?" Veruca gave Wonka a disturbing grin, but Wonka just ignored it.

"They aren't for sale, Mr. Salt," Wonka told him. "She can't have one."

Veruca's grin turned into a horrific scowl. "FINE! I shall get one myself." She snuck through the small gate and walked down toward the squirrels.

I couldn't just stand here. I have to think of something. Maybe if I find an opening, I can get her to come back!

"Veruca!" I shouted, "You don't really want a squirrel, do you?"

"Of course I do! I want one! They are too adorable for me to not have one!"

"But you do realize they aren't trained to listen to you?"

"They can learn to love me!"

It's not working. And she's almost going to grab one! I need to think of something else. "Is it really worth the risk of endangering yourself?"

"Of course not!"

Perfect. Better get her to come back. "So why are you doing it then? Wouldn't it be better to just quit and come back to your father? If you truly believe it, you should agree with me on this."

"Yes. It would be better." It was working. She started to walk back. But then the unexpected happened. The squirrel that she was going to grab started following here. It climbed up her and sat on her head. "Aw, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have you come with me. I have to come back to everyone- what are you doing?" The squirrel started tapping on her head. He then squeaked in an unsettling manner. That's when the rest of the squirrels jumped off their seats and toward Veruca. They all leaped on her and pinned her down with little effort. The squirrels then lifted her up and began to move her toward the trash chute.

"Veruca!" I shouted. I jumped over the gate and ran towards her. I grabbed her by the legs and tried to get her back. Unfortunately, 100 squirrels are really strong when you combine their strength. Suddenly, I was able to pull her back. I didn't know why, until...

Violet shouted, "Simon, look out!" I turned to see at least 25 squirrels split from the group and headed towards me. They all jumped and started running all over my body. The other squirrels were pulling Veruca.

I failed, I thought to myself. I can't get to her now, and Veruca is almost at the chute. But just as all hope seemed lost, they stopped. They let me go, and they put Veruca down before running back to their stations. I walked over to Veruca and helped her up. When I got to the gate, Wonka unlocked the gate and helped us through.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You saved my daughter, Mr. Sawyer," Mr. Salt said to me. "Thank you."

"I don't quite understand."

"It's understandable, Simon." Wonka explained to me what happened. "When you were being surrounded by the squirrels, one of them tapped on your head. He listened in and squeaked. That's when they all left. He must have believed you to be a good nut."

After hearing that, I couldn't believe it. Everyone was smiling at me. "I..."

Mike then broke the silence. "I don't get it. If he thought Simon was a good nut, why didn't he try to crack his head open and-"

"Oh no, you don't!" Wonka interjected. "Not another word out of you about that!"