The crowd surrounding the factory was bigger than Em could have ever imagined, bigger than anything she'd ever seen. Surely all these people didn't live locally? There were camera crews from all over the world, talking in languages even Em had never encountered. There were children and babies, men and women, grandparents and great-grandparents, all chatting excitedly as a large band played merrily in the bright sunshine. People jostled them to and fro, craning their necks to get a view of the lucky ticket winners.
"Where do we go?" quizzed Charlie, turning in the crowd to face his sister.
"Just head to the main gates, I think that's where the others are." Em squinted into the distance, trying to peer through the sea of heads – she could just make out a rather large, really quite enormous boy and his mother, who she recognized from the TV.
"No one's letting me through," sighed Charlie as he was buffeted backwards for what must have been the hundredth time.
"Hold on," muttered Em, rolling up the sleeves of her slightly baggy cardigan – she'd borrowed if from their mother. "Grab my hand and don't let go, okay?"
"Okay," nodded Charlie, bracing himself.
Em took a deep breath and prepared herself. Large crowds made her slightly anxious, so it would seem, and all the noise and commotion was becoming overwhelming. There was no way on earth they weren't getting to those gates, though.
"Go!" she yelled, warrior like as the two of them plowed their way through the noisy crowd.
After a lot of tutting, sighing, angry yells, the occasional trodden foot and a general fear that they might just get trampled, they finally made it to the large front gates. A long red carpet led up to the closed doors of the factory.
They high fived, their laughter dying away rather unceremoniously as they got their first good look at their fellow competition winners. Em was suddenly very conscious that they probably, most definitely, stuck out like a sore thumb. The cameras weren't even paying them any attention – they simply didn't look like competition winners.
The large boy – Angus, was it? – was grappling with his equally large mother over a chocolate bar.
"Save some room for later, Augustus libeling," Em heard his mother reprimand as she ripped the chocolate from his chubby fingers and stored it in her large purse. She couldn't imagine how skinny and puny the two of them would look when stood next to the chunky duo.
"Mom, we're on TV!" shrieked a young boy, much younger than Charlie by Em's reckoning. He was adorned with several toy pistols and seemed to resemble a pint-sized cowboy. "Hi everybody in Marble Falls! Hi, Billy! Hi, Maggie!" The boy continued to list off his friends as his mother, a high-strung young woman, looked on with pride, a slightly forced smile on her face.
"I want to go in first before anybody else," a high-pitched voice demanded, drawing Em's gaze from the young boy. She recoiled slightly at the sight, very aware that this girl had brat written all over her.
"Anything you say, sweetheart," simpered her equally pompous father, a smartly dressed, middle-aged man who looked like he was permanently smelling something vile. Em made a mental note to avoid the pair at all costs. She'd had to deal with spoilt children in the Candy Shop, she wasn't putting up with any today.
The final pair was stood nearest the gate and seemed to be receiving the most attention from the reporters. A young girl was talking animatedly to a group of cameras, her jaws smacking together between every word as she chewed noisily on a piece of chewing gum. Em assumed the woman with her was her mother – a woman who, when Em appraised her, appeared flawless from top to bottom.
She had beautiful, long blonde curls that cascaded down her slender back, a face full of beautiful makeup and a dress that hugged her in all the right places. Em glanced down at her own attire, her childish dress fluttering feebly in the breeze, her mousy brown hair hanging limply past her shoulders.
"Em?" Charlie looked up at his sister, a huge grin on his face.
"Mmm?" she answered, distracted as the woman flashed a stunning smile for the cameras.
"Can you believe it? We're actually going in!"
At her brother's words, Em pushed all thoughts of the woman aside and focussed instead on the flashing cameras and the shouting reporters. People were beginning to realise that the young siblings were clutching on to the elusive final ticket, and she felt an overwhelming sense of excitement.
"We're going to see the greatest of them all, Mr. Willy Wonka!" she whooped, drawing sneers from the bratty young girl and her father.
The more she thought about the chocolatier, the more she was filled with an unknown sensation. One that made her heart flutter and her breath quicken, almost like she was floating.
"Charlie?" she ventured uncertain, pausing before she continued. "How do I look?"
"Huh?" he looked up at her, distracted by the young boy with the pistols. "Why? Do you not feel well?"
"No, I feel fine," she panicked slightly, "why, do I look ill?" She adjusted her cardigan and attempted to control her flyaway hair with her hands, pinching some color into her pale cheeks.
"No, I mean you look – wait, why are you doing that to your face? What does –" Charlie's eyes widened. "Oh my god, do you have a crush on Mr. Wonka?"
"Charlie!" she hissed, eyes wide and searching through the crowd for any sign that someone had heard them.
Charlie let out a bark of laughter and Em gathered herself
"Don't be ridiculous, we've never met the man!" She could feel people staring at her and she urged the hands of the clock in the tower to move quicker.
Did she have a crush on him? No, she thought, she was being ridiculous. She was just intimidated by all these people. No school-girl crush here. He was probably old anyway, far too old for her. They were here to have a good time and by gosh they were going to! Besides, how could she have a crush on a man she'd never met?
They took their place hesitantly next to the other ticket winners just as the clock struck ten. An unearthly silence fell over the record-breaking crowd as the chimes echoed above their heads.
Em knew she was gripping Charlie's shoulders far too hard, but thankfully he didn't complain.
The factory doors opened and the crowd sucked in a collective breath of anticipation. Em's mouth was dry and her knees were shaking. This was it, they were about to go in.
After what felt like an age, a frail silhouette of a man appeared in the doorway, a top hat adorning his stooped head. He emerged painfully slowly, leaning heavily on a cane with each shaky step and limping severely. Em glanced around, gauging people's reactions; this certainly wasn't the gentleman her and her brother had imagined. She was ashamed to admit it, but she was disappointed.
As the man continued forward down the red carpet, he appeared very unsteady on his feet. He wore a velvet coat of deep purple, neatly pressed trousers and a purple dickie bow. His top hat, a royal deep orange, created a long shadow across his face and Em struggled to see any of his features.
She could feel the crowd growing impatient and uncomfortable, herself among them. On the bright side, at least the possibility of a crush is gone, she thought wistfully as the old man drew closer. Her heart caught in her throat as his cane became wedged in the cobblestones. He wavered, tilting forwards and backwards precariously.
He was going to fall.
Sure enough, the poor man began tipping forward, falling as if in slow motion. She let out a cry and was not alone, the crowd looking on in dismay as the man pitched forward, headfirst. Just as he was about to hit the ground, he swiftly removed his top hat, exposing a head of bouncy orange curls – what happened next left Em and Charlie speechless.
The man tucked his head in neatly and fell into a wonderfully flamboyant forward roll, returning to stand with his feet planted firmly on the ground, his top hat safely back atop his head. A dazzling smile, full of mischief, lit up his marvelously bright eyes.
The crowd let out a deafening cheer, bursting into life with laughter and applause, Em and Charlie cheering louder than any of the others, relieved to learn their idol was in fact a mischievous young man. A handsome young man, fretted Em as she clapped eagerly.
The gates opened automatically and the band started up again, the ticket winners rushing forwards.
"Thank you, thank you," he grinned, his face lighting up as they approached. "Welcome, my friends. Welcome to my chocolate factory." He looked at the small group, beckoning them towards him. "Would you come forward, please?"
"Veruca first! Get back, you!" barked the father of the spoiled little girl. "Come on, Veruca sweetheart!" They rushed to the front of the queue, Veruca giving Charlie a cruel smile as she pushed forcefully past him.
"Welcome," greeted Mr. Wonka, his arms open wide. "It's nice to have you here. I'm so glad you could come. This is going to be such an exciting day." He regarded them all individually. "I hope you enjoy it." Em felt her cheeks burn as his eyes met hers. She looked away in embarrassment. "I think you will." Why was he still staring at her? Look away please! she pleaded internally. "And now, would you please show me your Golden Tickets?" He released her from his gaze and she relaxed.
A flurry of gold slips were presented, Charlie gripping onto his tightly.
"I'm Veruca Salt," announced the bratty girl, handing over her ticket and sinking into a sickening curtsy.
"My dear Veruca, what a pleasure," smiled the chocolatier, "and how pretty you look in that lovely mink coat."
"I've got three others at home!" she boasted.
Em let out an annoyed breath and Charlie kicked her sharply in the shins. She hissed and clipped him lightly on the ear in retaliation.
"And Mr. Salt, overjoyed to see you, sir." He shook the man's hand politely and gestured to his right. "Would you just step over there for a minute."
Next was Augustus. The trio exchanged words, Mr. Wonka laying a polite kiss on Mrs. Gloop's hand – Em felt a twinge of jealously rear its ugly head and she chastised herself. Stop being an idiot!
Then came the gum chewer and her supermodel mother.
"Violet Beauregard," she snapped between chews.
"Darling child, welcome to Wonka's."
Em watched on in envy as Violet's mother batted her eyelashes and twirled a flawless curl between her fingers, a smug smile crossing her face as the man laid a gentle kiss on her hand.
"A genuine pleasure, just over there, dear lady."
The pair moved to his left, leaving the youngest boy of the group to introduce himself. Em discovered he was called Mike, an energetic young child who perhaps wasn't as innocent as she first thought – he seemed to be a bit of a monster.
Before she knew it, Charlie was speaking his name and handing over his ticket.
"Well, well, Charlie Bucket, I read all about you in the papers." He shook Charlie's hand warmly. "I'm so happy for you. And who is this lovely young lady?" he questioned, his sparkling eyes coming to rest on Em.
"That's my sister, Em," informed Charlie, "and I think she likes you –"
"Your chocolate!" she practically shrieked, resurfacing from the pool of blue that was his eyes. "I most definitely like your chocolate, Mr. Wonka." She smiled weakly, resisting the urge to strangle the little imp that she so lovingly called her brother.
"Delighted to meet you, Em." He took her hand and presented her with a kiss. "Short for?"
She was very aware that he still had ahold of her hand and she was willing her palms to stop sweating so profusely, the spot where he had just placed a kiss tingling with excitement. She stared at him blankly, hoping he might repeat his question.
"Emily," cut in Charlie. "It's short for Emily."
Okay, maybe she wouldn't strangle him just yet.
"Lovely," he smiled, releasing her hand and turning to face the rest of the group. "Are we ready? Yes!" he clapped his hands together, causing Em to jump. "Good! In we go!"
The group sprung into action, following Mr. Wonka obediently. Charlie and Em exchanged a final excited yelp before joining the back of the group. Em glanced over her shoulder, taking in the many faces pressed up against the factory gates. For once in their lives, she and her brother were the envy of everyone in the town square – their wonderful adventure was about to begin!