Chapter has been edited and re-uploaded.
So this chapter wasn't so bad to write or get up. I think cutting back on what I'm working on may have contributed to that. If things continue the way they are going, I'll be back next week with another chapter.
My theory of us not moving as fast as it appeared was only strengthened when the boat did not jerk to a stop. The lights came back on and we were already stopped next to a platform.
"We're here," said Wonka.
"Where?" moaned Mrs. Teevee.
"Here," Wonka answered. "A small step for mankind, but a giant step for us. All ashore!"
Mr. Beauregarde jumped up and hurried to get off. "Let me off this crate!"
Everybody else was quick to get up as well.
"Now why don't they show stuff like that on TV?" Mike wanted to know.
"I don't know," Mrs. Teevee replied, steering her son onto the platform.
"What a nightmare," said Mr. Salt.
"Daddy, I do not want a boat like this," Veruca told him.
Charlie and I went over to a single door and began reading the sign posted on it.
"Dairy cream," said Charlie.
"Whipped cream," I added.
"Coffee cream."
"Vanilla cream."
"Hair cream?" we said at the same time.
Wonka stood before a set of double doors with the rest of the group. "Meine Herrschaften, schenken sie mir ihre aufmerksamkeit," he said. He took out what looked to be a large tuning fork, but it was the key to the doors.
"That's not French," Mrs. Teevee said, confused as to what Wonka was saying.
Remember how I said French was my weakest subject? Yeah, German was a close second.
"Sie kommen jetzt in den interessantesten und gleichzeitig geheimsten raum meiner fabrik," Wonka went on, twisting the end of the two pronged key.
"I can't take much more of this," Mr. Salt said with a heavy sigh.
"Meine Damen und Herren, der Inventing Room," Wonka finished. He unlocked the door and opened it ajar. He was quick to block the way with his cane as we stepped forward to enter. "Now remember, no messing about. No touching, no tasting, no telling."
"No telling what?" I asked.
"You see, all of my most secret inventions are cooking and simmering in here," Wonka explained. "Old Slugworth would give his false teeth to get inside for just five minutes, so don't touch a thing!"
He opened the door and went inside.
The inventing room was abuzz with activity. Oompa Loompas were going around to different machines, chemistry equipment, and large bubbling cauldrons. There were sounds of churning and something was piping almost musically. Puffs of steam went up from various areas of the inventing room. There was also stuff laying about, stuff that could be considered junk and having no purpose here.
"My, my, certainly a busy beehive in here," I commented.
"Even if Slugworth did get in here, he couldn't find anything," said Charlie, looking around.
Wonka and the other parents were gathered around a table with chemistry equipment. I left Charlie and joined them. Wonka picked up a beaker and started pouring various colored liquids in it.
"You got a garbage strike going on here, Wonka?" asked Mr. Beauregarde.
"Who does your cleaning up?" asked Mrs. Teevee.
"Shouldn't you be wearing rubber gloves?" added Mr. Salt. "You'll have the health inspectors after you, you know that, don't you?"
Wonka mixed his concoction. "Invention, dear friends, is ninety-three percent perspiration, six percent electricity, four percent evaporation, and two percent butterscotch ripple."
"That's a hundred and five percent!" Mrs. Teevee exclaimed.
"And he's missing five percent," I pointed out.
Mrs. Teevee looked at me like I was crazy.
"What? I was told you always give it a hundred and ten percent," I said.
Wonka tasted what he made up.
"Any good?" asked Mr. Salt.
Wonka gave a nod. "Yeah," he replied in a high pitch voice. He put the beaker down. "Excuse me."
I was quick to get out of his way and Wonka gently moved Mrs. Teevee aside. He picked up an alarm clock from the table and walked over to a cauldron.
Veruca was leaning over it, wafting the steam over to her to smell what was in it.
"Time is a precious thing," Wonka said to her. "Never waste it." He tossed the alarm clock into the cauldron. It whirled and buzzed as Wonka walked away. Everybody looked at him in shock that he did that.
"He's absolutely bonkers," Veruca declared to Charlie and Mike standing beside her.
"And that's not bad," said Charlie.
Mike said nothing and popped something into his mouth. Charlie turned to him, looking surprised that Mike ate something when Wonka warned them not to.
I wandered around the inventing room. I was quick to step out of the Oompa Loompas' way as they went from machine to machine, pot to pot, carrying different ingredients in measuring cups and large spoons.
An Oompa Loompa was doing something with what looked like food coloring. He had several bowls in front of him and seemed to be mixing up pastel colors. It honestly reminded me of the colors I used in my tea set painting.
Wonka hopped on a stationary bicycle that had been modified into a mixer. I walked down to see what he was mixing. In the bowl where the rear wheel would be was what appeared to be whipped cream.
Wonka sang as he peddled. "In springtime, the only pretty ring time
"Birds sing, hey ding
"A-ding, a-ding
"Sweet lovers love the spring -."
There was a loud bang and Mike went staggering back into a rack of pans.
"Mike!" screamed Mrs. Teevee, running to her son.
"I told you not to, silly boy," Wonka said calmly.
"Your teeth!" cried Mrs. Teevee.
"Boy, that's great stuff," Mike said, breathing out smoke.
"That's exploding candy for your enemies," said Wonka, getting off the bicycle mixer. "Great idea, isn't it? Not ready yet, though, still too weak. Needs more gelignite."
He walked over to a pot and dipped his finger in for a taste. He bent down and picked up a pair of sneakers from the clothing pile next to the pot. He dropped one shoe in and then the other.
"What's that for?" Mr. Salt asked.
"Gives it a little kick," Wonka answered.
We walked around to a set of vats marked "Butterscotch" and "Butter Gin". We were getting closer to something covered in many colored sheets and signs to keep out. It was the machine that made the Everlasting Gobstoppers.
"Wonka," Mr. Salt called out. He walked over to Wonka and spoke quietly. I wasn't able to hear, but I knew what they were saying. "Butterscotch? Butter gin? You've got something going on inside of here?"
"Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker," Wonka replied.
Wonka checked another pot, reaching in hand into the steaming contents. "Ahh!" He yanked his hand out and shook it off.
"What's the matter?" asked Violet. "Too hot, Mr. Wonka?"
Wonka grabbed a coat from the pile of clothes next to the pot and added it in. "Too cold. Far too cold." He grabbed a large wood paddle and began to stir.
"That's gourmet cooking for you," said Mr. Salt.
Mr. Beauregarde tried to peek under the machine's sheets. A loud buzzer went off and caused all of us to jump.
"No! Please," Wonka said, whirling around to Mr. Beauregarde. "Forgive me, but no one must look under there. This is the most secret machine in my entire factory. This is the one that's really going to sizzle of Slugworth."
He walked around to where a narrow conveyor belt stuck out from under the sheets.
"What's it do?" asked Charlie.
Wonka leaned on the machine. "Would you like to see?" he asked with a smile.
"Yeah," Charlie replied.
Wonka leaned over and pushed a button.
The machine came alive. It beeped and whirled and honked while its moving parts flipped and spun the sheets it was under. The conveyor belt moved and out came a bunch of multicolored, nine-pronged candies. The conveyor belt came to a stop and the machine shut off.
"But what's it do?" Charlie asked.
Wonka picked up one of the candies. "Can't you see? It makes Everlasting Gobstoppers."
"Did you say 'Everlasting Gobstoppers'?" Violet asked loudly.
Wonka mouthed the last part with her. "That's right. For children with very little pocket money. You can suck 'em forever."
"I want an Everlasting Gobstopper," said Veruca, shoving her way to the front.
"Me, too!" Violet called out.
"And me!" added Mike.
"Fantastic invention," Wonka went on. "Revolutionize the industry. You can suck 'em and suck 'em and suck 'em and they'll never get any smaller. Never. At least I don't think they do. A few more tests."
"How do you make 'em?" Mike asked.
Wonka pointed to his ear. "I'm a trifle deaf in this ear. Speak a little louder next time. Who wants an Everlasting Gobstopper?"
"Me!"
"I do!"
Wonka was about to hand out the first Gobstopper when he paused. "I can only give them to you if you solemnly swear to keep them for yourselves and never show them to another living soul as long as you all shall live. Agreed?"
I noticed Veruca cross her fingers behind her back.
"Agreed," the children chorused.
"Good." Wonka handed out the Gobstoppers. "One for you, and one for you, and one for you."
Charlie, who was standing back behind the others, hadn't gotten one.
"Don't forget about Charlie," I said.
Wonka grabbed one more. "And one for Charlie."
"Hey, she's got two," Veruca accused Violet. "I want another one."
Wonka rolled his eyes at her outburst.
"Stop squawking, you twit!" Violet snapped, showing her she only had one.
"Everybody has had one, and one is enough for anybody. Now come along." Wonka led us over to the other side of the inventing room.
I recognized the three course gum machine when I saw it. It was silver with its many red arms that lifted the dish coverings that would rotate around the machine.
"Now over here, if you'll follow me, I have something rather special to show you," said Wonka.
"Well, it's special all right," said Mr. Salt. "I only hope my Veruca doesn't want one." He laughed.
"What a contraption," said Mike.
"Isn't she scrumptious?" Wonka asked proudly. "She's my revolutionary, non-pollutionary mechanical wonder." He clapped his hands and started looking at the machine. "Now: button, button, who's got the button?"
Charlie looked around and found a button that could have been what Wonka was looking for. "It's over there."
Wonka walked over. "Here?" he asked Charlie, reaching out for the button.
"Yeah," Charlie said with a nod.
Wonka pressed the button and the machine turned on. The dish covers lifted and lowered as the dishes rotated. Ingredients were dumped into funnels to be added to the dishes. Mr. Beauregarde held Violet up so she could taste the tomatoes that were being smashed into pulp. I walked around the machine as it worked, taking in everything. I could smell the different foods cooking in the machine.
"What you are witnessing, dear friends, is the most enormous miracle of the machine age: the creation of a confectionary giant!" Wonka announced.
The machine puttered and chirred a bit more before giving out a loud groan.
"Finito!" Wonka opened up a little compartment and took out what looked like a little piece of ordinary gum. He held it up for all to see.
"That's all?" Veruca asked, somewhat unimpressed.
"That's all?" Wonka came back. "Don't you know what this is?"
Violet pushed her way up to Wonka. "By gum, it's gum!"
"Wrong!" Wonka said. "It's the most amazing, fabulous, sensational gum in the whole world."
"What's so fab about it?" asked Violet.
"This little piece of gum is a three course dinner," said Wonka.
"Bull," Mr. Salt scoffed in disbelief.
"No, roast beef, but I haven't got it quite right yet," Wonka quickly told him.
"I don't care." Violet snatched the gum from Wonka's hand and stepped away.
"Oh, I wouldn't do that," Wonka warned. "I really wouldn't."
His words only paused Violet for a moment.
"So long as it's gum, then that's for me," she said, swapping out the piece of gum she had been chewing, and putting the new piece to her mouth.
Mr. Beauregarde grabbed her by the shoulders. "Violet, now don't do anything stupid."
Violet sighed in disgust and rolled her eyes and walked away, chewing the piece of gum. The other children and the parents followed after her.
"What's it taste like?" asked Charlie.
"Madness!" She turned around to face them. "It's tomato soup! It's hot and creamy. I can actually feel it running down my throat! It's delicious!"
"Stop, don't," Wonka said flatly, sitting on the edge of a machine and waiting for what was going to happen next.
Charlie turned to me. "Why doesn't she listen to Mr. Wonka?"
"Because she thinks she doesn't have to," I answered.
"This sure is great soup." Violet's loud commentary brought our attention back on her. "Hey, second course is coming up! Roast beef and a baked potato! Mmm."
"With sour cream?" Mr. Beauregarde asked. He laughed and clapped his hands. "What's for dessert, baby?"
"Dessert? Here it comes!" Violet said.
Yeah, here it comes, all right.
"Blueberry pie and cream! It's the most marvelous pie that I've ever tasted!" she cried out. As she spoke, her face began to change color. It was quickly turning a bright purplish blue, beginning with her nose. It rapidly spread down her neck and disappeared under her collar. This wasn't the instant entire face coloring like it had been in the Wonka version, but more like the Burton version.
"Look at her face!" Charlie called out.
"Holy Toledo, what's happening to your face?" Mr. Beauregarde asked.
"Cool it, Dad! Lemme finish," she said, completely oblivious.
Mr. Beauregarde pushed through to look at his daughter. "Yeah, but your face it turning blue! Violet, you're turning violet, Violet!"
"What are you talking about?" Violet asked.
"I told you I hadn't got it quite right yet," Wonka stated calmly.
Mr. Beauregarde ran back to him. "You can say that again. Look what it's done to my kid!"
"It always goes wrong when it comes to the desserts. Always," Wonka muttered.
I kept my eyes on Violet. She had a slightly strained expression and then she began filling up rapidly, her red belt straining.
"Violet, what are you doing now?" Mr. Beauregarde yelled in shock. He hurried back over to her. "You're blowing up!"
"I feel funny!" Violet cried out. Her belt snapped off with a loud crack. She looked down at herself. "What's happening?"
"You're blowing up like a balloon!" Mr. Beauregarde exclaimed.
"Like a blueberry," Wonka corrected calmly.
Mike poked at Violet's swelling body. I glared at him. That couldn't have felt good to her.
"Somebody do something! Call a doctor!" Mr. Beauregarde yelled.
"Stick her with a pin!" Mrs. Teevee suggested.
"She'll pop!" Charlie countered.
I pulled Charlie back a bit to give Violet some space. She was terrified as she continued to grow.
"It happens every time!" Wonka said, irritated. "They all become blueberries."
Mr. Beauregarde ran back up to Wonka and shouted angrily in his face. "You've really done it this time, haven't you, Wonka. I'll break you for this!"
Wonka ignored Mr. Beauregarde's outburst. "Oh, well, I'll get it right in the end."
"Help! Help!" cried Violet, continuing to swell bigger.
Mr. Beauregarde turned to his daughter worriedly and saw how much larger she had become in a few seconds.
Wonka took out his pipe whistle and played the short tune again.
"We've got to let he air out of her, quick!" cried Mr. Beauregarde.
"There's no air in there," said Wonka. "It's juice."
"Juice?" Mr. Beauregarde repeated.
Wonka leaned down to speak to the Oompa Loompa who had just arrived. "Would you roll the young lady down to the juicing room at once, please."
The Oompa Loompa nodded and walked away.
"What for?" Mr. Beauregarde asked.
"For squeezing," Wonka explained. "She has to be squeezed immediately before she explodes."
"Explodes?" cried Mr. Beauregarde.
"It's a fairly simple operation," Wonka assured.
By now, Violet was basically a ball with hands, feet, and a head. Her skin was now a deep blue color. A group of Oompa Loompas surrounded her and began to sing.
"Oompa Loompa doompadee doo
"I've got another puzzle for you-oo-oo-oo
"Oompa Loompa doopadah dee
"If you are wise you'll listen to me."
The Oompa Loompas moved and began to position Violet on her side.
"Gum chewing's fine when it's once in a while
"It stops you from smoking and brightens your smile
"But it's repulsive, revolting, and wrong
"Chewing and chewing all day long."
The Oompa Loompas rolled her across the floor and two of them ran around to stop her before she crashed into anything.
"The way that a cow does."
They rolled her back.
"Oompa Loompa doompadee dah
"Given good manners you will go far
"You will live in happiness too
"Like the Oompa Loompa doompadee do."
They rolled her over through a set of doors and down the hallway.
"I'll get even with you for this, Wonka, if it's the last thing I ever do!" Mr. Beauregarde shouted as he was being led out of the room by an Oompa Loompa. "I've got a blueberry for a daughter."
Wonka watched the door they just went through. "Where is fancy bred? In the heart or in the head?" He turned to us. "Shall we roll on?"
We followed Wonka through the set of doors the Beauregardes went through, but instead of following them, he stopped us at a colorful door across the hallway. An Oompa Loompa handed him his cane. He turned to us.
"Well, well, well, two naughty, nasty little children gone. Three good, sweet little children left. Hurry, please, long way to go yet." He opened a colorful door that led us in the opposite direction of the Beauregardes.
I really hope I got the German right and autocorrect didn't decide to change something while I was typing. Like I said at the beginning, I'm pretty sure I'll have another chapter up come next week. We don't really have that much farther to go.
Since we are getting to the end of this story, I've been putting together the ideas for Lucid Dream 4. I'm not saying what it is yet, but you'll only have to wait a couple chapters more because I plan on announcing it on the final chapter of this story. After that, I think mid-September is a good time to begin posting a Halloween story.