(Matilda's POV):
My first instinct after seeing him is to run as fast as I can. The others seem to be on the same boat as Sophie nudges me in the opposite direction.
I take off, not even daring to look back.
As we get close behind everyone else, Sophie jumps onto Veruca's shoulders. I try to keep up when suddenly, I slam into something and fall to the floor. My back seems to hit against something as I fall.
"Ow! What the heck?" I grunt as I shut my eyes and rub my forehead.
Once I regain my composure, I stand up and open my eyes. And when I do, my heart drops. Surrounding me on all sides are golden colored bars. I'm in a human-sized bird cage.
"What the heck is going on?" Violet asks as the group runs back to me.
"He's not playing fair, that's what," I exclaim.
"Oh, but my dear Matilda, my sweet candy darling, my creative buttercup flower, my innocent little lollipop, who said I had to play fair?" Wonka purrs as he comes up behind me.
"'Tis my factory, after all."
A pit forms in my stomach as I turn in my cage to face the madman I idolized for so long. He's right. It's HIS factory. But that doesn't mean I'm just gonna give up.
I hold my hands out, grasp the bars, and pull at them, thinking maybe they're made of lemon candy or something. Nope. I try hitting them, but my hand retracts as I feel something hard and metallic hit against my fist.
"I figured you might try something like that," he chuckles maliciously.
"So I used a real cage instead of my candy cages."
"He's made candy cages?" Mike asks.
"Of course he has," Veruca scoffs.
Clenching my teeth together, I begin to tremble as my body begins to run hot. Trying to keep my composure, I decide it's high time for some answers.
"Where's my father?" I growl.
He gives a gasp.
"Why, Matilda, don't you know?"
"Know what?" I ask through my grimace.
"Your father's right here," he answers, gesturing to himself.
"You know what I mean, Wonka. I'm not stupid."
He gives a vicious chuckle.
"Of course you're not. Why else would I pick you for my plan, sugarplum?"
He reaches his hand through the bars for my hair, but I slap it away.
"Don't you dare touch me!" I snap in fury.
"My, my, why is my little girl treating me with such disrespect?" he asks condescendingly.
"That's just not what sweet little girls do."
"Don't patronize me! What did you do to my father?" I fume.
Chuckling again, he begins to walk away from the cage and pace up and down the hall, clicking his shoes in a steady rhythm. Immediately I know what he's trying to do, so I bang my fists against the floor of my cage. He turns around with a shocked look on his face.
"Answer me, you prat!" I demand.
"What did you do to my father?"
He gives a loud sigh.
"You do know that being rude to your new father will get you nowhere."
"Quit dodging the question, Wonka," I hiss.
"I'm gonna ask you one last time. What did you do to my father?"
He groans dramatically.
"Very well," he sighs reluctantly.
"I'll tell you what happened."