Chapter 8: The vine field
-Are we lost?
-No.
-Are we lost?
-No.
-Are we lost!
-No already, and leave me the heck alone, dreamboy!
-We're lost. – Charlie stated, as they turned left for the 5th time.
When they got out of Mike's creepy imagination, they had found themselves in a huge iron corridor, long and narrow. It had a lot of turns. Charlie himself and Mike, having no idea where to go, just had to choose where to turn: left or right. Mike's watch showed 15:20. It meant that they were walking for about 30 minutes. For the first time Charlie regretted that the factory was so large.
At last the corridor ended with the wooden door. It had a strange sign. Was it a prune? Or an apple? Or some unknown creature? Mr. Wonka didn't draw very well, indeed.
Mike pushed the door strongly. Although observing the factory was his idea, he looked tired and a little freaked out.
All the rooms they saw before were huge, but this one was gigantic. It looked like a huge field, divided into many parts by numerous flowerbeds. All of them were planted with vine. Who needs such a huge plantation of vine?
-I knew that the Wonka guy is a freak, but I could never imagine that he's an alcoholic! – Mike smirked.
-Don't be silly, maybe he uses the grapes for his chocolate.
-Yeah, sure, almost like he uses the chocolate-making room for killing people.
-You know he wasn't! It's your fault anyway that we're stuck here and lost!
-Oh. So sorry. Next time when I fall somewhere, just leave me alone. – the boy said sarcastically.
Mike looked upset, and Charlie just thought that it's really hard when no one likes you and you have to defend yourself constantly.
They walked through the flowerbeds, Charlie - stepping carefully and Mike – not noticing the destroyed grapes and stomping them. Suddenly they heard a noise coming from the ceiling…
-Muaghhiuaggggh! Ighighhhhuuu!
-What the hell is it? – Mike asked, looking up with curiosity.
A large tribe of monkeys jumped down from somewhere in the ceiling, shouting loudly. There were about 30 or 40 of them at least. They had large baskets in their hands. The animals gathered the grapes from the vine, taking each grape in their palms carefully and with professional enthusiasm. Charlie and Mike stopped walking in surprise.
-What are they doing?
-Maybe they work for the factory, just like the oompa-loompas.
-But why the stupid monkeys? Why not use the high-technologies?
The monkeys looked around, searching for the owner of the voice. It seemed to Charlie that they looked angry.
-I don't like this, Mike… -he whispered. –Maybe they're angry because you stomped the grapes! Don't do it anymore!
-Come on, just relax, man! They make such a funny sound when I stomp them!-Mike said innocently, destroying a bunch of grapes.
The monkeys stopped working and looked at the boys with curiosity. Their leader, who had white hair, came forward and began to shout something. He looked fiercely at the "criminals" and gave some order to his fellow-monkeys.
-Oh, not again… - Mike sounded bored.
-We must run for our lives, Mike! They're angry and they are going to kill us!
-I don't think so.
Mike searched for something in his jeans and showed it to Charlie. It was a lighter.
-For what?
-For your information, the monkeys are extremely afraid of fire. Better listen to your biology teacher sometimes, we're not always going to be together, Charlie. Oh, forget I said that.
Charlie suddenly smiled, analyzing what Mike had just said. "He wants to be with me! Isn't it obvious?" But Mike didn't look at him. He grabbed a large stick from the ground and lit it.
The monkeys stopped shouting. Their leader saw a burning stick in the hands of the smaller boy. His behavior was strange: he swung it to the left and to the right and cried something that sounded like: "Gu ovey, yu krips!" The leader didn't like it at all. This strange human was much smaller than their master and a lot more aggressive than he was. He commanded his tribe to stop. The monkeys were afraid, they tried to defend their baskets from the evil invaders. The leader shouted: "Amphauirrrlis!" , which meant "Run away and hide in the trees, or these humans will catch us and eat!" The monkeys followed their leader and soon disappeared somewhere in the ceiling.
-Man, that was close! No more stupid suggestions!
-You told me not to be afraid and now you sound relieved! What's the catch?
-Well, I don't learn biology. I could be mistaken.
-You what! I'm going to kill you!
-Oh right, the hero is going to punish the evil. How sweet! Thanks for the gratitude!
Mike turned around and walked straight to the exit form the room, which was far away from them. He looked sad, angry and disappointed. Charlie felt the guilt, but didn't want to confess. He just followed Mike who didn't seem to notice him. "I always thought that the vine needed a lot of water." - Charlie said, appealing to no one.
And to satisfy his curiosity, it started raining. Well, it wasn't actually raining, but the water was coming from the ceiling and fell to the ground. Soon the boys were all wet. Mike mumbled: "At least I won't be all covered with that stupid chocolate…" Charlie sighed, feeling cold and wishing for grandpa Joe to be here.
-Hey, Mike? – Charlie asked after 15 minutes of silence.
-Now what do you want from me?
-I'm kind of… sorry. Well, I shouldn't be rude to you. In fact I criticize you a lot, and I know I hurt you. Can you please forgive me?
-Well… - Mike's voice sounded playfully. -… I will forgive you. For a price. – he smiled.
-What is it? What do you want? I hope it isn't a freaky wish.
-Can I take a picture of you when we come out of the factory? – Mike said fast.
Charlie looked surprised. His heart began to beat loudly and his cheeks blushed.
-Sure, Mike. I won't even ask you for the purpose.
-None of your business, nice guy. – Mike said confidently.
Despite the rain and the tiredness, Charlie felt somehow happy. It was all about Mike: at one moment he seemed rude, and the next time he was a softie. And then again and again. Charlie couldn't stop liking the boy more and more.