A Thin Line Between Gum and Chocolate

GREEN LOLLIPOP

"I can't believe I'm going..." Mr. Wonka frowned as he and Charlie stepped into the glass elevator and whooshed up into the air like lightning. It took Charlie two days to convince him to go and accept the invitation. When he decided that it would shut the boy up, Mr. Wonka had no choice but to go.

The freezing temperatures began to overcome them as they flew over a colossal snow-capped, treacherous rock mountain. Just below, they caught sight of Miss Vicky's factory. It was an enormous structure, but with an obvious feminine touch to it. The buildings were an assortment of pinks, purples, and reds. The chimneys were purple with pink and blue smoke coming out of them. Charlie tried to hide his amazement as Mr. Wonka kept his eyes up to the sky, avoiding the view. Once they landed in front of the shimmering, candy cane striped gates, Charlie walked up to a silver speaker with a flashing red button and pushed it. A harmonious bell sounded just before a smooth, female voice was heard from the intercom.

"Welcome to Miss Vicky's factory. Place your finger on this plate, please."

A blue plate beside the red button lighted up to indicate. Then the intercom confirmed. "Thank you, Charlie Bucket. Sensors show that you have a companion. Place your finger on this plate, please."

"Wow!" Charlie smiled. "Come on, Mr. Wonka."

Mr. Wonka rolled his eyes and briefly removed a glove to place his finger on the button as well. The intercom sounded another bell and stated. "Thank you Willy Wonka. Security cleared. Please enter. Have a pleasant day."

The gates opened in front of them and as they made their way into the courtyard, they found various ice sculptures displayed on the pathway. Some were shaped like trees, flowers, angels, dinosaurs, and a girl dancing. It was hard for Charlie to ignore it. He must have counted over twenty ice sculptures.

Charlie could not help but smile. "Wow, I wonder if they were made by some man with chisels for hands..."

Mr. Wonka kept his eyes on the ground as he finally spoke up. "I heard about someone with scissors... You know, her factory better not be bigger than mine. She always wanted to be one step ahead of me. It didn't matter what I did. She's absolutely horrid."

"Mr. Wonka, I'm sure she's not that bad..." Charlie rolled his eyes.

He sneered. "She is! And really ugly too! She had those big, scary eyes and she was really fat. Maybe still even fatter than that chocolate covered Augustus Gloop kid...ew!"

The boy sighed. "That's not very nice, Mr. Wonka..."

"So what!?" He snapped." She always made fun of my braces. Called me, Mr. Metal Helmet. And always badgered me with candy because she knew I was not allowed to eat it. Horrid."

Charlie frowned, shaking his head. As they passed the ice sculptures they found themselves approaching a towering magenta door that may have stood more than seven feet tall. It slowly opened in front of them and as they entered, the door shut immediately behind them. They stared at a long hallway in front of them. The walls were lavender with gold picture frames of old men lined up. At the end of the hall was a golden, shimmering elevator door and above it was a blue light flashing, indicating it was in motion.

Mr. Wonka panicked. "Okay, we've seen the factory. Now let's go, kay!?" He tried darting off toward the magenta door again until Charlie grabbed a hold of his sleeve.

"Mr. Wonka, don't be silly. Look!" He pointed toward the elevator doors when they heard a ring. "Come on." Charlie began walking toward the elevator doors with Mr. Wonka following hesitantly behind him.

The doors slowly opened and there stood a young woman, dressed as sharply as Willy Wonka with a velvet black hat with pink ribbon trimming along the brim and a long, velvet, midnight blue coat. Charlie beamed as he knew she could only be Miss Vicky Adams herself.