2: Back on the Team
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"Will Ms. Beauregarde be a blueberry forever?" Veruca Salt asked Mr. Wonka as the group continued down a red-carpeted hallway.
"No. Maybe. I don't know," he shrugged.
Mike Teavee couldn't hide the eagerness in his voice. "Will Violet have to quit the competition?"
"So it seems," the creepy confectioner chuckled. "Now who will we talk about gum with? Who will fill the silence with constant chewing noises? Truly, a loss for us all."
Mike laughed. Veruca smiled. Charlie Bucket just looked uncomfortable. Mr. Salt was attempting to change the subject to his business, when suddenly…
A blue polyester vise clamped around Wonka's waist.
"HI, MR. WONKA!" Violet shouted happily. The entire party jumped.
Wonka actually cried out, in an unsurprisingly girlish fashion. He was frightened of her; Violet had noticed it the first time she hugged him. If he thought that was scary, he hadn't seen anything yet.
She finally let go and gave him that same smile as before, dazzling and false. "Thanks a lot for getting Mom some help back there. That was a really silly mistake she made, huh?"
"Why yes, it…certainly was," Wonka said pleasantly through grinding teeth. He had a wild, calculating look on his face, as if wondering how much longer he was going to put up with this. "You're very welcome…I'm sure."
"Shouldn't you be with your mother, young lady?" Charlie's grandfather said.
"Oh, she doesn't mind! And the Oompa-Loompas said she'd be just fine, so I could keep going."
Veruca smiled broadly. "Welcome back then, Violet! I'm so happy to see you."
"And I'm even happier to see you!" Violet gushed. "Let's see what's in this room! It says nuts, but that can't be right. Mr. Wonka is nuts everywhere!"
The entire party laughed, with the exception of their ashen tour guide. The two V's breezed inside, arm in arm.
No sooner had they been reunited, though, than Veruca made a terrible mistake. Demanding that Wonka sell her father one of his trained squirrels for a pet (which he refused), then trespassing on the nut-sorting floor to steal one, the spoiled little nightmare drew the ire of every rodent in the vicinity.
The squirrels jumped on top of her, held her down and began to drag her towards the garbage chute in the center of the floor. As Violet watched in disbelief, Mr. Wonka dallied around with his keys trying to find one that would unlock the three-foot-high gate-as if he wouldn't have them all memorized!-while the girl was carried closer to her possible doom.
Violet was conflicted. Save her, one part of her cried. Just because Wonka gave up and tried to sacrifice another kid didn't mean you have to just stand here. Let it happen, the other part said. The sooner the others are out of the way, the more easily YOU WIN.
She saw the look on Mr. Salt's face, and the first part won.
"Just jump over the stupid gate!" Violet yelled out. "Haven't any of you done hurdles before?"
"I've read Yertle the Hurdle. Does that count?" Wonka said as he monkeyed around with the keys.
Violet ignored him and vaulted over the fence in one smooth motion.
Current record holder on the Wilder Elementary obstacle course, one minute fourteen seconds.
The grownups called after her, but Violet took the stairs three at a time and rushed the floor. Even with her speed, she was too late. Veruca tumbled down the garbage chute with a scream.
Violet stood there helplessly as the squirrels turned their eyes upon her. She stared back at them, and they seemed to reach a silent understanding. She made no move toward them; they chose not to attack her and scampered back to their stations. She heard Mr. Salt panicking over his daughter, demanding to know where the chute led.
"To the incinerator," Wonka said gleefully. "But don't worry, they only light it on Tuesday."
Mike stared bug-eyed at him. "Today is Tuesday!"
"So it is. Well, there's always a chance that they decided not to light it today. You never know what strange, silly little things people will do." He looked down at Violet, who had just tried to rescue her biggest rival. "Um...isn't that right, little girl?"
She said nothing. Holding his gaze, she reached behind her ear to retrieve her old wad of gum and began chewing with a vengeance.
Wonka cringed.