((Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. At all. So there. ))
Hello, I'm sorry I didn't update this last night, so I updated this morning instead. Today is my sister's birthday (she's turning 6), so I had to prepare for her presents I bought her. Hehe… my birthday is going to be on the 22! Yay! Soon I'll be 16! -randomly dances- I'd like to thank Hellsfirescythe for giving me some inspiration cookies over the internet. And, I like to thank IDOL HANDS, Hellsfirescythe, and my friend for helping me with the future chapters. –gives you all special candy- I love you all!
Warning: This Fanfiction may contain Movie Spoilers: So, if you don't like them, watch the movie, then come back.
Chapter Seven Summery – Willy finally tells Charlie what he is up too. But, something wrong happens, and Charlie doesn't understand. It shouldn't of happened, I couldn't of happened. It had to be fake. It was all a nightmare… It had to be.
Chapter 7 – Government Authorities
"Let me explain," Wonka said, pulling the sheet of blueprint papers closer to Charlie and himself. "This is the blueprint for the factory we are living in now." Willy pointed to the large field, "see this?"
"Yes. That's the field."
"Uh huh," Wonka pointed down at the paper, "see how big it is?"
"Wow, now that I look at it... It's one and a half times bigger than the factory itself," Charlie said with awe, "that means it's huge."
Willy laughed at Charlie's comment and continued to explain, "this factory is fifty times bigger than any factory in the world, right?"
"Right."
"This then means, that this field is seventy-five times bigger than any factory in the world... right?"
"Right..." Charlie thought for a moment, "wait are you planning to-"
"Yea!" Wonka interrupted, "I am! This factory, will be One-Hundred and twenty-five times bigger than any factory in the world when I'm done with it!"
Charlie just gaped at Willy Wonka. One Hundred and twenty-five times bigger than any factory in the world? That is very, very, large. "Mr. Wonka... that's huge!"
"Yea... I know!" Wonka said happily, folding up the blueprint papers. He grinned wildly at Charlie's look of complete and utter shock. Or was it terror? Willy frowned, "is it a bad thing?"
"No... Well, yes." Charlie said, "the factory isn't the bad thing though, what if, they see the construction? You know the reporters? They could think the factory is even more dangerous than it is now!"
Willy frowned deeper. He's right. A construction area is really dangerous for a young child. What would the press think? What can I do to make a construction area to see safe? Wonka mulled over in his mind the problems with his idea. Darn! I had this planned out for the beginning of next month, and I can't cancel! What can I do?
"Well... isn't this a big gosh-darned problem." Wonka finally said, levering himself up and out of the stool. He couldn't cancel it now, things were already set in motion for making it begin, and he couldn't stop it. Even if he really wanted to. Then, there was the problem with the newspaper and Charlie. He's right, they'd think the factory would be much unsafe!
Charlie got up and followed Willy, who was now going into the Elevator, "Mr. Wonka, I have an idea."
Willy stopped and turned, "What, Charlie?"
"Well, the newspapers and people want reassurance for my safety. So, maybe you can tell them in-person that you are going to make the factory bigger, I'm sure if you explain the safety issues yourself, people would be a whole bunch better about the idea," he explained quickly to Willy, hoping that it would help.
Willy's face scrunched up to one of disgust, talk to people... in person? "Ew. I hate talking to people. It makes me feel all wired inside."
"But, if it helps to lower the chances of me being taken away, isn't it worth the chance?"
Wonka thought to himself, it is, isn't it? It is worth the chance. But, I can't handle talking in front of too many people. I hate the feeling of people looking and pointing at me, he shuddered, remembering his feeling at the Doctor's office, I would probably faint again, and -that- wouldn't help at all. He thought of Charlie for a moment, why should I worry Charlie about it? I'll sort this out tonight when he is asleep.
He placed on a grin and faced Charlie, "why yes Charlie, it is worth the chance. It's worth all the chances in the world." Just how I'm going to do it is the question. "Well Charlie, let's get moving, we have to finish many errands today."
He stepped back into the Elevator with Charlie and pressed a button labeled, "Nut Room", and the Elevator whizzed off happily towards it's new destination. Wonka stayed silent, and pulled out a white with blue-stripes envelope and started to read it over, leaning himself on the back of the Elevator to relive his right ankle of the floor.
He always changes the subject. Charlie thought to himself rather intently, Mr. Wonka is placing too much pressure on himself. If he always changes the subject, nobody will ever be able to help him when he really needs it. But why? Why does he keep it to himself? No wonder he got sick. I bet he stayed up really late at night worrying himself, about something or other, to sleep.
Charlie looked up a Willy. What could he do? He couldn't just go up to Wonka and say, "tell me what's wrong, and this time don't change the subject!" He would somehow have to get Willy to trust him. If he could, they could work out plans better for helping the dilemma. But, the chances of solving Wonka's own problem before the dilemma was over... was slim to none. He couldn't just keep on avoiding telling Charlie; it concerns himself as well as Wonka! Willy doesn't need to face their problems alone, he needs help, and Charlie vowed to help Wonka see it as that way.
The Elevator stopped, and Wonka walked out, still reading over the paper that was folded inside the envelope. Charlie followed, mind still tracing over how to speak to Willy much more freely.
"Now... what can we do? It seems that the squirrels are in a dispute with each other," Wonka looked up, and saw that none of the Squirrels were de-shelling a single nut. Instead, they where separated into two groups glaring at each other.
"A dispute? What would a squirrel dispute about?"
"I dunno, radical ideas, points of view, moral values... stuff like that," Wonka took out his key chain and unlocked the gate. Charlie found that he did it remarkably faster then when he did so for Veruca's father. "Squirrels are just like little people, and people share different views about different things."
"Just like the factory, Mr. Wonka?"
Wonka sighed, and stepped down the stairs, "just like the factory, Charlie."
Charlie followed Willy to the direct center, in between the two groups of Squirrels. Willy read over the paper again, "now, it says here that the Grey Squirrels are disputing the fact that the Brown Squirrels are opening the nuts incorrectly. And same with the Brown Squirrels, only vise-versa. It's stopping all of the nut progress."
"How can you open a nut incorrectly? Aren't they coming out whole?"
"Yup."
"Then, why are they arguing?"
"Different points of view Charlie, just the way with people." Wonka sighed again, "I think this one will take awhile to solve."
Wonka sat down on the floor in between the Grey and the Brown squirrels, and Charlie followed suit. Wonka turned and faced Charlie, "Charlie, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to. Negotiating with Squirrels is very boring... very boring indeed. Especially for a little boy." He pulled out his Key Ring and unlatched a large silver key, "here, this key opens several rooms, why don't you explore for yourself? I'll call when I'm done. Tell me what rooms you find Charlie."
"I want to stay here Mr. Wonka, I want to help you."
"No Charlie, you don't need to be worried in the affairs of Squirrels, I'll be able to solve it myself."
Charlie stood up, "alright Mr. Wonka, I hope you finish soon." There, he's doing it again. Not wanting me to be worried in his own problems. I wonder why he wont let me help him. He frowned for a moment, then grinned towards Wonka. Well, if that's what Willy wished for him to do, he'd do it. Maybe he shouldn't be 'worried in the affairs of Squirrels'.
"Bye Charlie, have fun!" Wonka waved and tipped his hat towards Charlie as Charlie walked away.
"Bye Mr. Wonka!"
Charlie walked up to the stairs and walked past the Elevator, leaving Willy Wonka behind to talk, or negotiate, with the disputing Squirrels. He opened the door that led into a vast hallway lined with what seemed like hundreds of doors.
"Hmn, I wonder were I could go first?" Charlie said aloud, and turned the corner.
Charlie saw the Chocolate River rushing down it's path and he walked on the sidewalk ledge that was right beside it. He loved to look at it's glittering surface as it rushed down quickly towards some part of the factory. He'd have to figure out where that goes later.
He looked at the doors. They were all different kinds of creams and milks. "Whipped Cream," he laughed when he saw the cow, remembering Willy Wonka's comment;
"Whipped cream isn't whipped cream unless it has been whipped by whips. Everyone knows that."
"Clotted Cream", "Sugar Cream", "Hair Cream", "Hand Cream", "Milking Room", "Chocolate Milk Milking room". Charlie stopped, he was getting rather thirsty, and he did like Willy Wonka's Vanilla-Flavored Chocolate Milk. Charlie took out the key, and went to see whether it would fit.
It did, and it unlocked the door with a satisfying 'click'. Charlie sighed happily, he opened the door and walked inside.
The room was abandoned, nobody was in it. Cow or Oompa-Loompa. He saw across the room a door labeled, "Candy Meadow". Charlie then realized Oh! He must keep all of his cows in there! That must be where they all are right now.
Charlie walked over and opened the door, to reveal it's self to hundreds of different coloured cows. Charlie stared at them with awe. Even though Charlie had experienced many strange things in Willy Wonka's factory, such as; Pink Sheep, Everlasting Jawbreakers, Candies that turn you into Blueberries, and even more strange and magnificent things. Even the sight of a multi-coloured Cow still surprised him.
Charlie assumed that the brown ones where chocolate, the pink ones where strawberry and the yellow ones were Vanilla. He inwardly inquired himself of how Willy came in the possession of pre-flavored milking cows.
Charlie continued on towards one of the cows, he saw this nice lazy pink one who was grazing on some sugar grass calmly. As he walked over to it, he reached his hand out and rested it onto her side.
The cow looked up at Charlie, revealing her name tag, "Cherry".
Charlie grinned wildly and stroked her back. "So, your name is Cherry. I suppose Mr. Wonka named all of you different names, huh? Must have been a big job."
Cherry nodded, and continued to look at Charlie while chewing the grass in her mouth. Charlie grinned and pet her forehead and neck. She was so very soft to his touch. Cherry responded to this nice round of affection by licking him sloppily all over his face and made a soft mooing noise. Charlie started to laugh and pet her again.
"I like you too, Cherry," he said, while continued to pet her kindly. "I bet Mr. Wonka doesn't like it when you give him cow kisses."
She shook her head and took another bite of grass.
As he pat her as he turned and looked around. He saw that the field had another door leading out of it. Itching for adventure, and having a key in his pocket, Charlie wondered where it went.
"Sorry Cherry, but Mr. Wonka told me to explore, I'm sorry my visit was so short. I promise to come back, okay?"
Cherry nodded again and mooed before bending her head down and eating more sugar grass. Before turning to leave, Charlie made note of how her patterns went so he could pick her out again. He walked across the field, and weaved in and an around all the different cows. Coming to the door, he pushed it open to reveal another huge long hallway.
"I've never been here before," he said aloud, peering over the edge of the doorway. He walked out of the Meadow and shut the door loudly behind him. The noise echoed through the hall in a loud booming echo.
He started to walk looking at all of the doors. This place is so huge. I wonder if Mr. Wonka even has them all memorized? I bet that's why he built the elevator. So he'd remember better.
He walked all the way down the hall, and to a dead end. At the end, was a door labeled, "Dreaming Room". He tried to pull the door open, but it was locked.
Dare he try it? Well, Mr. Wonka did give him a key. Charlie took out the key and fit it into the lock. He turned it slowly and the door opened with a soft 'click'. Charlie took a breath, and placed the key back into his pocket. He pushed open the door, and it opened with a loud 'creek'.
Inside, he saw a couple of Oompa-Loompa's held their fingers to their mouth saying "shhhhh." They pointed to other Oompa-Loompa's who where in their uniforms but wearing nightcaps and were asleep in beds.
The room was fairly large, fairly white and was lined with twenty or so orange beds. Beside each bed was what looked like a bowl of candies that looked like little crescent moons. He walked forward, closing the door behind him, and sat on the edge of a vacant bed, pulling up a piece of paper that was beside one of the bowls.
We have tested this candy, and the Dreaming Fantasies are now able for consumer use. This candy can make the eater fall into a short, Dreaming State for half-an-hour. Previous effects of Nightmares and endless sleep, unless woken by someone else, are eliminated. Twenty-five Oompa-Loompa's have tested and confirmed it's safety from nightmares and endless sleep. No side-effects.
"Dreaming Fantasies?" Charlie said aloud, picking up one of the candies from the bowl and examining it.
"Shhhhh!"
"Sorry," he said in a horse whisper. He saw an Oompa-Loompa and waved him over, "excuse me... Excuse me!"
"Shhhhh!"
"Sorry... Umm... can I try this?" Charlie whispered the Oompa-Loompa, holding up a Dreaming Fantasy.
The Oompa-Loompa nodded and smiled, and walked off to another bed to take notes on another sleeping Oompa-Loompa. Charlie shrugged, it couldn't hurt, could it? The paper did say it was safe, and the Oompa-Loompa even said it was OK to eat. What could he loose?
Charlie lay back on the bed and popped the candy into his mouth and started to chew. He didn't feel any different. He blinked a couple of times and noted no change.
He pinched himself. "Ow!"
"Shhhhh!"
"Sorry. But, I think you need to check these some more... this one didn't work," Charlie got up off the bed. "Don't worry, I'll tell Mr. Wonka."
The Oompa-Loompa's nodded and continued with their work. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, wondering if he should stay. After a few moments, Charlie decided to leave, he had much more exploring to do.
He walked back towards the door quietly and opened it up. He was feeling rather upset that the candy didn't work. He was hoping to delve into some dreamland for a little while.
"I guess it only works on Oompa-Loompa's," he said as he closed and locked the door, and continued to walk down the hall.
Charlie did feel a little dizzy, he supposed it was some strange after-effect of the candy. But, that went quickly away went a cold whip of air brush against his face.
He shuddered. It felt cold in the hallway. A cold breeze seemed to be blowing from somewhere. It must be some cooling room or something. Charlie shivered again. He walked faster down the hall, to warm himself up, and to see what was on the other end of it.
As he walked, he though back to Willy and the Squirrels. He wondered if Willy was done yet. Well, I think I have only been gone for fifteen minutes. Probably not. He then thought of how Willy would negotiate with a Squirrel. He couldn't speak Squirrel... could he? Charlie smiled, I wouldn't put it past him. Recalling Willy's strange Oompa-Loompa calling noise, Mr. Wonka does make some strange noises.
Charlie stopped and stared at the sight before him. What he should have been seeing was the Chocolate river. It looked like the Chocolate River, but it seemed like it was all dried up. Dried flakes of old Chocolate hung lazily attached to the sides of the hollow river path. Charlie dropped all thoughts he was having before and walked over to it.
"Weird," he bent over and broke off a piece of Chocolate, examining it closely.
He got up and walked down the sidewalk by the edge of the former river and looked at the doors to see where he was. All of the titles on the doors were unlit and shut down. "Chocolate Cream", "Chocolate Milking room", "Milking Room", "Hand Cream", "Hair Cream", "Sugar Cream", "Clotted Cream", "Whipped Cream".
"I guess I must have found the other end of the hall," Charlie said aloud, trying to peer into the abandoned and shut down "Whipped Cream" Room. There was no cow, no Oompa-Loompa's. The light wasn't even on. It looked like it had been shut down in a hurry, and left for a long time.
"This doesn't make any sense... The river looks old and dried up. The rooms are shut down. What's happening? They weren't like this a few minutes ago." Charlie looked down the hall and saw "Nut Room", which also looked shut down.
"I'll ask Mr. Wonka!" Charlie started to dash madly towards the "Nut Room" door. Hoping, wishing, pleading that it was just a blackout of power.
Charlie started to worry. He had this horrid feeling that something was wrong. Very, very wrong. He finally made it to the door and thrust it open with all his might. "Mr. Wonka! Mr. Wonka!"
Silence. The room was dark and there was not a single light on. There was no familiar hum of the machines letting the nuts drop for the Squirrels to De-shell. There were no Squirrels. Worst of all, there was no Willy Wonka.
"Mr. Wonka?" Charlie stepped forward, looking around the room in confusion. "Mr. Wonka?"
He walked around the room several times, seeing whether he could find the missing Chocolatier. "Mr. Wonka?"
"Mr. Wonka can't hear or see you... Charlie Bucket," said a low voice behind Charlie.
Charlie whipped around, heart racing just behind his ears. "What? Who-?"
"I am one of the Government Authorities Charlie, I have come here to take you to safety."
"What? No!"
The man walked up closer to Charlie, "this factory is closed, the lunatic running it has been taken away."
Charlie's eyes widened in horror. No... that can't be true! Willy was there, only a little while ago. He backed away from the man as he walked up closer to him. "You're lying, Mr. Wonka is here... and he's going to stop you!"
Charlie heard laughs coming from around the room, and more men wearing black suits surrounded Charlie. "Did you here that? Willy Wonka is going to stop... us?" They laughed again. The first one spoke again, "that weirdo was hauled out of here just a couple minutes earlier. Good riddance. Probably going to lock him away."
"No! You're lying!"
One of the men grabbed Charlie, "don't worry, we'll bring you to safety. You need to leave this factory now."
"No! Let go of me! Let go of me!" Charlie started to struggle, trying to get out of the large man's grip. But, the man gripped tighter, and started to drag Charlie.
"Let go!"
"Be quiet little boy. Or you'll end up the same as Willy Wonka."
"I don't care! You're lying! Mr. Wonka is here, and he'd never let me go! He'll stop you! You'll see!"
The men stayed silent, ignoring Charlie. They continued to walk down various passageways, making their way towards the front doors with a kicking and screaming Charlie all the way. They pulled the screaming Charlie along for what seemed like half an hour till they finally reached the front doors.
"I said let go of me! Let Go! Let Go! LET GO!"
"Just shut up already," one of the men said, and they threw him outside and onto the deep snow. "Screaming won't help you. We're supposed to be here."
Charlie coughed and spluttered, spitting the cold snow out of his mouth. He glared up at the men. He staggered up to his feet and turned to run. He dashed as hard and as fast as he could.
"Get him."
He heard the men running, following him, and he felt a rough hand pull him upwards. Charlie was picked up by one of the men and slung over his shoulder, so Charlie was facing backwards. Charlie started to beat against the man's back with his fists, screaming to be dropped by him.
"Leave him alone!" Charlie recognized that calling voice, it was not one of the men... it was...
"Mr. Wonka!"
Willy was standing in the snow, with his arms pinned back by a couple of men. It looked like he was trying to pull himself as close to Charlie as he could. "Charlie!"
"Mr. Wonk-...!" The man slightly bounced cutting Charlie off and winding him at the same time.
"Hey! You leave Charlie alone!" Willy shouted. Charlie had never seen Wonka look so livid and angry. Wonka was deathly pale, and his teeth were clenched angerly. It looked as if Willy tried to put up a fight because his lip was cut and bleeding. "You can treat me this way, but Charlie's just a little kid!"
"Be quiet Willy, you know your business is washed up. You'll be locked away, and you'll never see little Charlie Bucket again." The man bounced again, and laughed. "And what can you do about it? Worried about this little boy?"
Willy clenched his teeth angerly and wrenching himself out of the other's grip, trying to make his way over to Charlie as quick as he could.
"Charlie!" He reaching his hand out, dashing madly. "Charlie!"
Charlie saw that two more men where running up close behind Willy as he ran, they both drew out nightsticks. Charlie looked at them with horror. They wouldn't... they couldn't...
"Mr. Wonka! Watch out!"
Too late. One of the men caught up and hit Willy hard across the back of the head. Charlie winced, he heard a sickening crack and Wonka fell forwards onto the snow. They didn't... They didn't... The other man ran around the other side of Wonka and pulled his limp figure up and out of the snow.
"Just keep going. It's not like he'll cause anymore trouble."
"No! Mr. Wonka!" Charlie screamed, he felt hot tears start to form around his eyes.
"Just shut up. Do you want to end up like him?" the man gestured to Willy who was now being dragged across the snow to a car against to the one they were leading Charlie to. "You can't do anything now. If you want a chance to see him again, shut up and let us do our jobs."
Charlie closed his mouth and he felt his lips tremble. How could this happen? This doesn't make any sense. Mr. Wonka should be arguing with Squirrels... not being attacked by people with nightsticks! Mr. Wonka should be with me in the factory... not... not... Tears started to streak down Charlie's face and he started to sob lightly, watching Willy Wonka in the distance.
I don't want to leave, Willy was being lifted up by two men.
I never wanted to leave, They opened the car door.
I don't want to go away, The men shoved Wonka carelessly into the large black car.
They slammed the door, and Charlie found himself being pushed into a car himself. He didn't resist. He knew, there was nothing he could do. He stayed focused on Wonka's car as he was being forcefully strapped in and the door slammed beside him. This doesn't make sense...
One of the men got into the driver's seat and both cars started up. He watched as Wonka's car pulled away first. He hoped, as his own car pulled away from the former Chocolate Factory, that he'd be going the same way.
Wonka's car turned left, and Charlie's turned right. It's like a nightmare come to life. He watched, with pain, Willy's car pull away into the distance. Charlie's tears began to flow harder. His crying growing more heavily. Nobody to hold him... nobody to protect him. Willy is gone.
"This sh-shou-shouldn't be ha-happening..." Charlie mumbled in a small choked voice, Wonka's car finally disappeared in the distance. "I don't w-want this to happen..."
"This c-can't be re-real."
Authors Thoughts – Don't kill me! If you read the chapter carefully, you may realize that all isn't what it seems! Believe me, I'd want to kill me too! So, read the next chapter and put down those axes. So re-read the chapter if you want to find out what is –really- happening, kay? This chapter was fun to write though, and it was interesting to write Charlie without Willy Wonka. I thought it would make a good change.
Wonkaland Info – Yup… still makin' up stuff.
Chocolate Cows – Yup, there are more than just Chocolate cows, there are Vanilla and Strawberry too. And yes, Willy Wonka did give all of those cows separate names. I feel rather sorry for him. That's a lot of Cows/Sheep/Squirrels/Oompa-Loompa's to give names to. I bet he has more animals than that in his factory.
The Silver Key – This key opens a few of the more safe rooms around the factory. Usually ones with harmless candies. Willy decided that Charlie could do more exploring on his own. But, Wonka himself forgot what the key actually leads to. Sometimes, there is one or two doors around the factory that aren't too safe that the key can open.
The Men in Black – No… they aren't the MIB and they aren't looking for Wonka 'cause they think his is an alien. Who are they? Well… read the next chapter and you'll find out.
Dreaming Fantasies – Hmn… they are supposed to make you fall into a nice dreamland for half-an-hour. I wonder why they didn't work. I guess I'll even have to read the next chapter to find out. Maybe not all of the bugs have been removed.
Chapter Eight Preview – Who are these Authority people? What are they going to do with Charlie? Charlie feels someone comfort him in the back of the car when he was being taken away. He swears it was Willy. But, when he turns round and round in the car, Wonka isn't there. What's happening? Is this all Charlie's imagination, or is it reality?
To the Past Reviewers:
Important Note: Please Review. I wanna know if any of you liked it. Plus, I may feel like updating faster if I know that people actually read what I write. (No flames... I'll only feed them to Gloop, although, I don't think even he likes flames. I think I'll dip them into Chocolate first.).