Chapter 5: Going down the hole
Mr. Wonka ordered his faithful servants to stop. Mike, Charlie and all the others turned to the left and saw a huge sign. The iron letters said: "The Inventing room". They got out of the boat, moving their feet quickly as Mr. Wonka was preparing for a speech.
-This is the most important room in the entire factory! All my inventions are cooking and simmering in there! But be careful, my dear children. Don't touch or taste anything. It can be dangerous! - Mr. Wonka said, looking a bit slyly at the kids who had gathered together in front of him, with the adults behind their backs.
-I'm sure something bad will happen. –Veruca whispered excitedly to Charlie. – I just feel like we must be totally concentrated.
-You know, - Mike added, also appealing to Charlie quietly, -I think the Wonka guy wants to get rid of us. I wonder why.
-You suspense him?
-No, I'm just being myself. Was he trying to save Augustus Gloop? No. He didn't even move. He was too busy cheering up his oompas…
While they were talking, Mr. Wonka explained his guests the point of everlasting gobstoppers. The oompa-loompas dived into the tank and got a couple of sweet treats of different colors. It was amazing that those little people could do anything just for the cacao-bean salary.
-Hey, I can set a world-record in sucking a gobstopper! New victory for my large collection! -Violet said.
-Counting chickens a little earlier, miss Champion?
-Just setting goals, Veruca. Is it that bad?
-No, that's nice, but just imagine. Your jaws are so used to chewing that they will certainly try to chew a gobstopper, and you will soon have to buy yourself some extra teeth… not sure if you have enough money.
-I will find some to spoil your mink-coat, girly.
-You don't say!
Mr. Wonka had the most irritated face you could think about, waiting for their dialogue to end. After a few seconds of absolute silence the girls realized that their quarrel annoyed everyone, because they stood in the center of the room and didn't move.
-I hope your friendly conversation will end somewhere outdoors, my dear girls. I hate to be impolite, but we have so much to see and there's too much children left…
-Too much children? – asked Mike, looking into Willy Wonka's eyes attentively.
-Did I say children? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I was thinking about different factory rooms. Such a pity we have only half of the day left! And you, kid, shouldn't mumble.
-I think you must invent some new joke about me. You're starting to repeat this sentence too often. – Mike said, looking down to the floor with an ashamed look.
-Sorry, I'm a little deaf on my left ear. Hope you didn't say anything important.
The guests walked through the large inventing room, with the factory owner running enthusiastically in front of them.
-Now this, my friends, is the hair toffee. Nice thingy. You eat one, and perfect long hair grows out of your head, and you also get a magnificent beard and a moustache!
Charlie smiled, imagining himself with a beard. His father had a beard when they had no money on a hairdresser, but he shaved it as soon as possible, because it didn't fit him at all.
-Mr. Wonka, are you sure anyone really wants a beard? – he asked with an interest, looking at the man politely.
-Well, certainly! Look at your neighbor, that little girl. – Mr. Wonka pointed his finger to Veruca Salt. –Just imagine her with the beard! Wouldn't it be terrific?
-I don't know. Actually, I haven't seen many people with beards.
-And thanks to me, there will be more of them! – Willy shouted. –But these toffees aren't ready yet. One oompa-loompa ate one, and…
They saw the negative result of Wonka's experiment. It was like a hairy hill moving at the ground. Still you could see the little creature's legs.
Charlie looked at him with empathy, although the oompa-loompa didn't seem to be depressed. He even showed to them that everything was okay.
-Let's go and I'll show you something better! I'm sure you'll like that, Violet! But wait a minute: someone's missing. Hey, where is that Teavee child?
Charlie and everyone looked around. No sign of the little computer genius. He was gone.
-First this tubby, now the mumbler… who is next? –Violet asked.
-I'm sure he is fine. Charlie Bucket, can you please walk around the room and find Mike? He must be stuck somewhere near the technological stuff. Anything with the buttons will be perfect for him, right, Mr. Teavee?
Mike's Dad nodded nervously.
-While you're searching, we can wait for you in my Guest room and drink some hot chocolate. I don't want the boys to miss some fun, so will we wait for them?
-Why not? – Mr. Salt said. –I really appreciate your business qualities, Mr. Wonka. Let's go to your guest room. Actually, I'm getting pretty tired of walking.
-I'll try to find him. -Charlie said. His heart gave a leap, his palms became sweaty, but he didn't pay any attention.
Grandpa Joe looked a little worried.
-Charlie, be careful.
-I will, grandpa.
Charlie turned around, walking past the huge machines and looking with curiosity. He saw some other great inventions, which he couldn't see because of Mr. Wonka's huge moving speed. There were candy balloons, tested by the tiny factory workers, and awesome square candy that smiled widely and watched him passing by, and the sweet popcorn that blew out of the huge casserole and changed its color during the flight. He wished he had more time than just one day to explore everything.
Suddenly he heard a familiar quiet voice out of the corridor. It was Mike:
-Now, how can I pull this thing off… what is it saying? "Press the code"! Aha! A retard could figure it out!
Charlie hurried to the bank of the chocolate river. He saw that Mike was near the little door he hadn't noticed while their boat trip. It was so small that only a child could squeeze through it. It also had a sign "top secret" in the left, and a large code locker.
-What are you doing? –Charlie cried, thinking about all the dangers behind the door.
-If not me, then who's going to find out the mystery of Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory?
Mike's fingers were touching the buttons of the locker fast, and Mike himself continued mumbling: "Ok, the algorithms, the square root out of 43, the date – today is the 1st of February, the speed of sound… it will be…"
-Stop, Mike, remember he told us not to touch anything?
-Charlie, I'm flattered that you care about me, but it's no time to think! I have to know what's behind the door! Remember, all the best discoveries were made by mistake. Maybe I make a mistake, but… oh, here it is. The code is 519.
He pressed the button combination on the locker, waiting for the result. Charlie was standing behind him. Suddenly the floor under Mike disappeared, though the metallic door remained closed. In a few seconds Charlie saw a huge hole, and the next moment he saw Mike, his hands grasping the edges, and with a feared look in his eyes.
Charlie quickly took Mike's hands, hardly trying to pull back and get the naughty boy out of the hole.
-Don't you let go my hands, Mike Teavee. - he said firmly. -I don't want you to fall down there and get lost…
-Charlie, this damn pulling isn't working! –Mike screamed. -Look at you feet! We together are moving back to the hole! Leave my arms alone and go get help! I'm getting you into trouble here!
-No, I can't, what if you need help down there? This tunnel seems to be deep…
Mike, still holding Charlie, started his way down the mystery hole. There was no way back: this adventure was for them both.