Chapter 4- Veruca's POV
Daddy never yells.
But sometimes he does. He yelled at the newspaper writers, journalists, reporters and cameramen out the front. They were still there for ages. He was still yelling for ages.
By the way, I didn't even know I had an attic. It's really dirty and gross. Much different to the rest of the house. I was stuck there. Which was lucky, because there were people with ladders trying to see if I was in my room. I was in the attic.
My phone started to ring, so I picked it up.
"Hey, why are there a heap of people outside your place?" Mike said on the other end of the line.
"Oh, long story." I replied.
"Tell me. Please?"
"Fine, my friend is the new weather girl on channel 47 and she told the network about how I got attacked at Wonka's and everyone found out and now I'm stuck in the attic."
"Ahaha, how long have you been in there?"
"Um about two hours."
"Ha, see ya."
Then he hung up. Weird.
Mike's POV
I sort of felt sorry for Veruca. I know how harsh her parents are on her 'keeping up the standards' and all, but I don't see a point in getting all grumpy about finding that she was thrown in some garbage.
Speaking of parents, Mom still hadn't come back yet. It's kinda suspicious. But at least I don't have to eat whatever lumpy vegetables with lumpy sauce and lumpy meat she would have made for dinner.
I put my phone down, turn off my laptop and switch on the TV to see the afternoon news.
There's a new weather girl... Cassandra Morris.
She looks like a nasty kind of person. Better change the channel.
Wrestling, weather, cooking, 'Psycho', kids shows... Wait?! 'PSYCHO'? I used to love that movie. But... Not since I went to Wonka's. That was freaking scary for sure!
There was a really loud knock at the door. Dad went to get it. Mom!
No.
It was Veruca!
"I thought you were stuck in the attic?" I asked as she sat down on the couch next to me and dumped her raincoat on the coffee table and kicked off her boots.
"I was. Then I saw there was a window, so I got out. But I had to wear this silly raincoat." She replied, pointing at the old worn coat, "And now my Ugg boots are drenched."
Her pink fluffy boots were full of water.
"Oh, take them off the carpet then." I said. She moved them near by the door.
I picked up my laptop from the coffee table and switched off the TV.
"What game?" She asked, looking at the screen.
"Five Nights At Freddy's." I replied, launching the game.
"What's that?"
"A survival horror game."
"But... that bear looks so cute!"
"Nope. No way."
There was a crash in the kitchen and we both looked up. Dad was rubbing his head as he took out a bowl from a cupboard.
"2 minute noodles, Mikey?" He asked me. I nodded in reply.
"Hey are you staying for very much longer, Veruca?" He asked her. She shrugged and replied:
"Not sure, I suppose I will. Just trying to get away from the craziness at home I guess."
Dad got out another bowl and fork, and in two minutes, we heard the familiar 'ding' of the microwave.
"Doesn't your dad cook?" Veruca asked.
"Last time he tried he nearly burnt down the house." I replied, still focused on my game.
"Mine doesn't either, Gretel does."
"Who's Gretel?"
"The Cook. She's really nice."
"Here you go." Dad said, handing us both a bowl and a fork.
"Thank you, Mr Teavee." Veruca said politely.
"Thanks." I muttered.
I put down my game and switched the TV back on as we ate. Veruca looked a little unsure of the food, before tasting a little, realising it wasn't peasant nuclear waste and ate it.
I almost dropped my fork.
It was Mom.
On the news.
I turned up the volume just in time to hear the news reporter say: "...has been reported missing by her work friend Cindy. She was last seen by Cindy as she drove home from work last night. If you have seen Mrs Teavee since, of know anything of her disappearance, call the local police..."
"That's your mum!" Veruca said, nudging me.
"Oh god! I must look like such a bad husband!" Dad cried from the dining room. I heard him slam down his newspaper and run to the phone.
"Yes, hello, I'm Mrs Teavee's husband, we had an argument yesterday and she stormed out. I was the last person to speak to her."
I cut him off, my voice sounded kind of panic-y, "Dad, I was! I told her to come back when she left, but she said she couldn't!" I yelled from the living room. Dad looked at me for a bit, then told the person.
Soon another report flashed up on the TV.
The heading read 'The Salt Family's Ugly Secret'
"Veruca!" I snapped, she turned to face me, then looked at the TV.
"The Salt family, owners of world widely successful nut company 'Salt's Nuts' have been keeping up the perfect record, until this morning, when we found out they were hiding a dark, slightly stinky secret. Daughter Veruca was one of the lucky five golden ticket winners to visit Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, after the tour the family told the media that it was 'marvellous'. But that's not true, it is alleged that little Veruca went a little overboard in the factory and fell down the garbage chute." The newsreader said. There was a collection of audible laughter from behind the cameras.
"I am so dead." She mumbled.
(A/N: News! Yes. Mike's mother has gone missing! BTW have you noticed that Mike says 'mom' while Veruca says 'mum'? Yeah, one's from America, the other's English or something. Is that weird or not?)