Willy Wonka x Child!Reader

Chapter 10

Mr. Wonka let the others walk ahead so he could make sure no one was getting left behind, and you were the last one to walk into the large corridor that led outside the Inventing Room. But you suddenly tripped on the edge of the corridor's entryway. You yelped and squeezed your eyes shut to brace yourself for impact, but after just a split second of hearing a gasp, someone's arm broke your fall. You opened your eyes and looked down as you held on to the dark red sleeve of the arm holding you up from the floor. You looked up to the arm's owner and saw none other than Mr. Wonka looking down at you with a panicked but quickly relieved gaze.

"That was a close one! You gotta watch your step with these doors, they can trip people up pretty often." He winked, then lifted you back up to your feet. "Thank you..." You giggled slightly shaken, but happy. You gently hugged his torso and surprisingly, he allowed it, chuckling softly. He patted your head then nudged you to continue on, only he made sure you weren't going to trip on anything this time.

After leaving the Inventing Room and catching up with the others, you all walked along the bright corridor. You, Veruca, and Mike were in the front with Mr. Wonka while the two adults were in the back. "Without the boat, we'll have to move double-time just to keep on schedule. There's far too much to see." 

"Willy?" You spoke up. "Yeah?" "Why did you decide to let people in?" You asked curiously, you'd wondered this for a while, and since there wasn't as much commotion you thought it'd be best to ask now.

"Well, so they could see the factory, of course!" He replied, smiling. "But why now? And why only five?" You tilted your head. Mr. Wonka was cut off from his thoughts by Mike.

"What's the special prize, and who gets it?" "The best kind of prize is a surprise." Mr. Wonka made a slightly exaggerated laugh at the end. Veruca abruptly pushed past Mike, causing him to stumble aside. "Will Violet always be a blueberry?" She asked.  You knew she didn't care for her well-being, but she was curious to know what would become of her, probably for a laugh.

"No. Maybe. I don't know." Mr. Wonka corrected his answers in an unsure but seemingly unconcerned way. "But that's what you get from chewing gum all day, it's just disgusting." He added with a look of distaste. "If you hate gum so much, why do you make it?" Mike questioned Mr. Wonka with that same annoyingly rude tone.

"Once again, you really shouldn't mumble because it's kinda starting to bum me out." He brushed Mike off again. "Can you remember the first candy you ever ate?" You asked, curious to hear his answer.

At that, Mr. Wonka suddenly stopped walking, and his face became distant. "No..." His voice trailed off like back in the boat. You all stood there in silence, watching as he stared off at nothing for a few minutes, then he said: "I'm sorry, I was having a flashback."

"I see..." Mr. Salt held Veruca by her shoulders, eyeing Mr. Wonka like he wasn't mentally right, taking a step back. Mr. Teavee had the same kind of look. "These flashbacks happen often?" He questioned cautiously.

You for one were worried that you had done something wrong or Mr. Wonka was having a problem. "Increasingly... today." With that he continued walking, giving an odd, quiet chuckle. Everyone followed like normal, but everyone besides you was watching him with either skeptical, untrusting, or -in the other kids' cases- simply bored looks.

You soon came across another large, white, round doorway. The big letters read: "Nut Sorting Room'. Mr. Salt spoke proudly upon seeing it. "Ah, this is a room I know all about. For you see, Mr. Wonka, I, myself, am in the nut business." He handed Mr. Wonka a business card, and as soon as he took it in his gloved hand he tossed it behind him, Mr. Salt had been looking at the door in that moment so he hadn't noticed.