Chapter 4
The door swung open to reveal a chocolate river surrounded by beautiful trees with various sweets hanging off of them and large mushrooms dotting the room. I was in shock. There were no words to describe what I was seeing. And then, as if to add to the wonder, Wonka started to sing a gentle tune. As he sang, he guided us all down the stairs and eventually let everyone go to venture the strange room. I vaguely noticed Charlie and Grandpa Joe run off in some direction, but I stood stock-still, unable to comprehend what my eyes were seeing. Surely this wasn't actually real right? That can't be possible. Wonka seemed to notice my shocked state, he walked up to me before I could even notice he was there.
"Aren't you hungry, dear?" He said, gesturing to the edible room in front of us. "I promise it won't bite." I tried to gather my wits about myself to respond.
"Yes. Sorry, I was just... in shock I suppose." Willy smiled at this. He gently grabbed my hand and placed it in the crook of his arm as he started to lead me around the room.
"Do you like it?" He cocked his head at me. Waiting to see how I'd respond.
"Yes, it's astounding. I feel like I'm in wonderland right now." I looked up at him. "I suppose that would make you the mad hatter." I said, looking up at his top hat. He smiled again at my little quip, seeming pleased.
"And would that make you Alice then?" He quipped back. He led me over to a bush of edible tea cups and handed me one.
"Maybe I am." I said before taking a sip out of my cup. Wonka chuckled at this and took a bite out of his. But before either one of us could speak again, we could hear Mrs. Gloop complaining about the state of the river. We walked over to where the rest of the group had converged. I left Willy's side to join Charlie and Grandpa Joe.
"What a disgusting, dirty river." Mrs. Gloop shook her head in disapproval.
"It's industrial waste, that. You've ruined your watershed, Wonka. It's polluted." Mr. Salt said decisively.
"It's chocolate." Willy sarcastically informed him.
"That's chocolate?" Disgust clear on Veruca's face.
"That's chocolate." Charlie said in wonder, his face was stuck in a permanent look of awe. I smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Ten thousand gallons an hour. And look at my waterfall. That's the most important thing. It's mixing my chocolate. It's actually churning my chocolate. You know, no other factory in the world mixes its chocolate by waterfall." I had caught Willy's eye at this point. "But it's the only way if you want it just right . . ." He stared right at me as he said it and winked. I looked away, slightly unsure what to do with myself. I broke out of my daze when I noticed Charlie gasp and point across the river.
"Grandpa, look over there across the river! They're little men!" I looked up and saw four or five small men with an orange complection and green hair. Yet again I was taken aback by this factory. And just as I was starting to think that nothing could surprise me at this point. Wonka finally piped up after Veruca stated that they couldn't be real.
"Well of course they're real." He said as though he were merely stating the obvious.
"Stuff of nonsense." Mr. Salt added.
"No. Oompa Loompas." Everyone widened their eyes as they repeated him. Wonka proceeded to inform us of their origins (with some debate from Mrs. Teevee) and told us about the hardships they were faced with before he hired them to work at his factory. I smirked a little, not completely sure if he was telling us the truth or not. He was always so full of antics that it was hard to tell when he was lying or not. This moment or reflection was interrupted by Veruca loudly stating that she wanted an Oompa Loompa for herself. I frowned a bit at the idea of her wanting to own another human being like it was a pet. I couldn't help but wonder what she would even do with an Oompa Loompa. She was really starting to whine until Violet told her to shut it. I couldn't help but silently laugh at that and give Violet a mental high five. We all turned as we noticed Augustus drinking from the river. Willy was noticeably distressed by this, trying to get around his guests to stop him.
"Oh, uh, Augustus, please, don't do that. My chocolate must never be touched by human hands. Please don't do that! Don't do that; you're contaminating my entire river. Please, I beg you, Augustus!" I jumped out of the way for Willy, but before he could grab Augustus, he was already in the river. "My chocolate!" Willy exclaimed. "My beautiful chocolate!"
"Don't just stand there, do something!" Mrs. Gloop yelled at him.
"Help. Police. Murder." Willy deadpanned. Charlie rushed to save Augustus with a large lollipop.
"Quick, Augustus, grab this." Augustus tried, but he was quickly pulled under the surface.
"It's too late now. Suction's got him." Willy said casually. I couldn't help but panic when I heard this. I ran to Willy and grabbed his arm.
"Is he going to drown?" I said, fear evident in my eyes. He seemed to soften at this and rubbed my back.
"Don't worry." He whispered to me. "Watch the pipe." I looked up and as I did I saw Augustus slowly sliding up until he got stuck. I sighed in relief.
"Well what happens now?" Grandpa Joe asked.
"Oh, the pressure'll get him out. Terrific pressure is building up behind the blockage." Willy replied, hand still present on my lower back. You could vaguely hear Mr. Salt wonder how long it'll take before he gets out. Wonka pulled out some chocolate and started to eat a piece. "The suspense is terrible." He said looking over to me. "I hope it'll last." And moments after, the chocolate is pushing Augustus out and he's gone. Mrs. Gloop stormed up to him shouting.
"He's gone! He'll be made into marshmallows in five seconds!"
"Impossible, my dear lady, that's absurd! Unthinkable!" Wonka told her.
"Why?" She asked, clearly still distressed.
"Because that pipe doesn't go to the marshmallow room; it goes to the fudge room." And with that, Wonka pulled out a small flute like object to call over an Oompa Loompa. "Take Mrs. Gloop straight to the fudge room, but look sharp! Or her little boy is liable to get poured into the boiler." He informed the little Loompa.
"You've boiled him up, I know it!" Mrs. Gloop yelled as she was guided away.
"Nihil desperandum, dear lady. Across the desert lies the promised land. Goodbye, Mrs. Gloop. Adieu! Auf wiedersehen! Gesundheit. Farewell." He called after her. A small part of me was still worried that what Willy said was true and that there was a possibility Augustus would be thrown into a boiler, but a bigger part of me trusted that Willy wouldn't actually let harm come to anyone here. But before I could say anything about it, the Oompa Loompas started so sing a little melody about the dangers of gluttony.