Chapter Two
As the Baudelaire's got off of the elevator, an old memory came into their heads. Violet was 9 and Klaus was 7, and Sunny of course, wasn't born yet, so she just remembered what Violet and Klaus had told her about it. Violet was having a party and all of her friends were invited. Klaus was all alone, so he wanted to be with the older girls but Violet simply wouldn't let. Their parents had been in the kitchen preparing the girls' lunch, so Klaus sneaked out the front door to run away. Violet remembered how worried sick she was when she couldn't find her brother after the party. Her parents had called the police while Violet was outside calling his name. It turned out Klaus was too frightened to go anywhere too far so he had fallen asleep in the large bush in front of their house. When he was found they all hugged him and told him how worried they were and they went out for ice cream to celebrate.
This memory, of course, had absolutely nothing to do with the situation the Baudelaires were in now, but it had just struck their minds as they walked into the smelly hallway on level 4.
"Haroo?" asked Sunny, which probably meant; "Do you think Count Olaf will find us here?"
Violet and Klaus froze. It had seemed over ages ago since they had last thought of the wicked man who had caused them all of their troubles.
"I don't think so." said Violet, not as confident as she sounded.
"I hope not." said Klaus.
"Erit." Sunny agreed.
The Baudelaire youngsters walked in silence to room 401 and sat down on the torn carpet and patiently waited for Kit's arrival.
As they waited, they were once again in deep thought. Violet was thinking if there would be any items in the hotel for her to use for an invention if Count Olaf did indeed find them. Klaus was thinking if there would be any old books in the hotel to help him uncover Olaf's next scheme. Sunny was thinking if there would be any useless objects for her to bite in case she needed any practice to attack Olaf in any situation.
As the Baudelaire's were thinking, none of them noticed the terrified shrieks and screams of people below them in the lobby, until Sunny said, "Aiwa?" which meant; "Do you hear the terrified shrieks and screams of the people below us in the lobby?"
Violet and Klaus jerked their heads up, and now they did in fact hear the terrified shrieks and screams of the people below them in the lobby.
"Let's go!" said Violet, jumping to her feet.
The three Baudelaires ran to the elevators as fast as their legs would carry them. Violet pressed the button.
"Come on, COME ON!" she yelled.
"The stairs!" said Klaus. Violet scooped up Sunny in her arms since she was still learning how to walk properly and it would take her ages to be able to go up and down stairs as fast as her siblings. They ran down the stairs and Klaus opened the lobby door. To his horror he couldn't see anything, for the lobby was clogged with layers and layers of black smoke.
"It's—a—FIRE!" choked Klaus.
"Klaus! Cover your mouth and run to the exit! Sunny and I'll catch up to you!" said Violet.
"No! Violet, I can't leave you here!" said Klaus, able to talk better under the protection of his shirt.
"Ok, take Sunny. I promise you I will be fine. Just get out and find Kit." said Violet.
"But—"
"Just go!" said Violet giving him a little push. He covered Sunny's face and raced for the exit, and I'm sorry to say he made a very wrong choice of leaving the eldest Baudelaire in the fire. But Klaus of course, did not know this. He thought Violet would truly be safe, since he trusted his sister.
He ran out of the hotel which was now going up in flames, and kept repeating to himself; She is going to be fine. She is going to be fine. And I'm sorry to say that Violet Baudelaire would not be fine. In fact, she was going to be the farthest thing from fine. But of course, no one knew that yet.