Lemony had trained in fire-survival as part of fire-fighting. Crawl, stay low to avoid the smoke. Always know where the nearest fire-exit is. So now he crawled, painfully, on hands and knees in the direction of the trapdoor. The air was horribly hot, painful to breathe.
The trapdoor was open; he scuttled through it and pulled it shut. Just as he did, he felt the shock of something heavy falling on top of it. Perhaps a bookcase, perhaps a piece of ceiling.
He felt in his pocket for his flashlight, only to discover he had forgotten to put it back in his pocket and it had been dropped during the fight with Olaf. (He would always regret not having that flashlight with him because he might have caught up with her sooner and prevented a tragedy). He began to run down the passage, calling out, "Isabella!" In the distance, he heard a gasp and steps running away.
The sounds led into the cross-passage and then toward the Fountain of Victorious Finance. Isabella didn't have a light with her either. Lemony wondered if she knew where she was going or if she had gotten lost.
Lemony heard footsteps going up a metal ladder, then the opening and closing of a large metal door. He ran to the door that led inside the Fountain of Victorious Finance. It was locked from the inside.
"Isabella, come out of there!" Lemony called. "A fountain might seem like a comforting place to hide after surviving a fire, but believe me, it isn't."
"No!" Isabella said. "You'll kill me, or turn me in to the V.F.D.!"
"Why did you join Olaf's side?" Lemony asked.
"You were always naive," said Isabella. "You couldn't see that the so-called quiet side of the V.F.D. was going bad, plotting to assassinate people with poison. If they went that far, why not join the side that was willing to act directly and profit at the same time?"
"Sadly, I admit that the V.F.D. has turned to poison. Even Kit has reconsidered using the poisonous Medusoid Mycelium," said Lemony. "And that's why the place you've chosen to hide is an exceptionally poor one. It's one of the Visitable Fungal Ditches."
"What? No, it can't be!" said Isabella.
"They 'ditch' mushrooms in there. And if I know the cycle, the mushrooms should be waxing right about now."
The answer was a scream followed by loud hacking coughs. Lemony tugged on the door, but it remained locked from the inside. He waited outside a long time, but our mother did not emerge.
Lemony walked slowly back to Lousy Lane and the other exit. He had a duty to perform - to write the story of whatever happened to the Baudelaire orphans and to make the world laugh at their misfortunes. He wasn't sure he would enjoy it as much as he first thought, when he swore to do it in the heat of anger. But he always kept his vows.
And that was the mission Lemony Snicket pursued during the last year of his life, writing the 'Series of Unfortunate Events' which are now complete. Since he died completing the 12th one, I (Klaus Baudelaire) have written the 13th. I'd like to think he had developed sympathy for us by the end. After all, he sacrificed his life to save ours.
I'd like to give credit to people who graciously granted interviews to make this book possible: Duchess R, who told me that the letter written by an impostor in her name contained accurate details; Gregor Anwhistle, now very old and out of hiding; Fiona, for telling me her childhood memories; Captain Chopfyte of the Palace Guard; Jenni the Pirate; and miscellaneous survivors of the V.F.D. who asked to remain anonymous.
I also give credit to the commonplace book Lemony was carrying when he died, and the many obscure hints he dropped in his writings about his life:
Leaving a box with Duchess R (UA, p. 26)Dr. Montgomery's reptile collection survivors (UA, p. 144)
Jacques helped Lemony flee the country (UA, pp. 96-98)
The marmosets (TGG, pp. 34, 99)
Box with map of secret passages (TEE, p. 213)
The Snicket Snickersnee and waiters (TGG, p. 99)
Rescuing the ichnologist and the poached egg (TGG pp. 77,134)
Chopsticks from the Chinese restaurant (TGG, p. 63)
Using chopsticks to get papers (TGG, p. 64)
Card saying Lemony was a French Admiral (TWW, p. 57)
Madame diLustro conversational opener (TGG, p. 92)
Stayed at the Carnival with his brother (TCC, p. 117)
Olaf stole the Octopus (TGG, p. 200)
Madame Lulu kept the reply note from Beatrice (TCC, p. 136)
Lemony's coded letter to the Duchess (UA, p. 144)
Sawing holes in a rented canoe (TCC, p. 1)
The masked ball (TAA pp. 167-168, UA 25-26)
Red shoes with strange buckles (TGG, p. 10)
Betrayed by a relative (TCC p. 51)
The navy-blue suit and armor (TSS, pp. 250-251)
Lost in a forest filling up with water (TVV, p. 121)
Female Finnish Pirates (TBB pp. 116-117, with notes in TBB-RE)
A pirate experiencing amazement (TGG, p. 45)
Difficult job interview: olive, fondue, poetry (TCC, p. 52)
Refrigerator of an enemy (TCC, p. 36)
Meatball camera (TCC, p. 73)
Photographer on the train (TCC, p. 36)
Olaf and the table stain (TBB-RE, pp. 171-174)
Tracing face from photographs (TBB-RE, p. 172)
Poisonous plant stolen before Royal Gardens fire (TBB-RE, p. 177)
Fire survivor hides in a fountain (TBB-RE, p. 178)
Visitable Fungal Ditches (TGG, p. 243)
There is one more thing my siblings and I would like to say. We don't blame any of you readers for laughing at our adventures as told in the books. Lemony's style is very droll. But please remember we are people, too, and the sufferings we went through were not funny to us. Our parents were villainous, but we aren't to blame for that, either. So please, when you think of us, we would ask that you think of us - with all due respect.
Sincerely,
Klaus, Violet, and Sunny Baudelaire.