asoue; if Uncle Monty didn't die

Part 12

it had been many, many weeks since Olaf's treacherous kidnapping, and the Baudelaire children still had nightmares about their close encounter.

their Uncle still woke in a cold sweat, expecting to find Olaf in the kitchen, dangling knives above his snakes and threatening the Baudelaire children.

but Violet felt worst of all. even though she was the only Baudelaire sibling to avoid the knives, she was also the only one that could have stopped it before, and therefore, had laid awake for many, many, sleepless nights, as the guilt was too much to bear.

Klaus, who often felt the cold blade of Olaf's knife upon his throat when he was in the kitchen, lay awake every night, scared that Olaf would take him again, and not fail his mission like he had before.

Sunny had been, and still was, too young to really understand what was going on, still what had happened was very terrible, and still woke in the middle of night expecting her parents to check up on her like they had before their deaths.

each night since the elder Baudelaire children noticed this, they pretended to be their parents and comfort Sunny.

Sunny, of course, was not stupid. she knew the difference between her siblings and her parents. but she appreciated their effort and acted like she did not know. 

Monty heard Violet and Klaus get up every night and go to Sunny's room, but did not make much of it, after what happened it was reasonable.

"Violet, dear- i have a surprise for you." Monty said the next morning. "a friend of mine built a tome machine, and stole this from the future you." 

he handed her a diary.

she opened it to the first page. 

 February 24, 1993

today, my 23rd birthday, did my beautiful daughter, Josie take her first steps. Quigley and I quite agree that it was the perfect day for the occasion. Beatrice has turned 8 years old this year, and i am so happy that she is old enough to help us with Josie.

Sunny, who is now 10, is really helping us with both of them. Even with her piles and piles of homework, she still has time to help us. 

Fiona and Klaus got married a couple of months ago, and our family now is much better. even if my parents are gone, and not here to see it, i'm proud of how big our family is now.

Violet flipped the page.

there was nothing else.

Violet sighed. "so i guess nobody ever found out what cause the fire." she whispered.

"Violet- when my friend took the diary- your house was on flames. Josie and Beatrice and Sunny managed to get out, but they-they were crying. you, Quigley, Klaus and Fiona- you didn't make it."

Violet frowned. "they never go after anyone else."

"the explorers?"

"the fires."

Violet shoved the diary in the garbage can. she pounded it until the cover snapped out and pages flew everywhere. the blank pages.

one landed softly at Violet's feet. she picked it up and turned it over. writing!

April 1999

help- it's on fire! but the fire is not harming us. but the bullets are.

final will--,

"the fire didn't kill my parents- they were murdered!" Violet screamed, and threw that page out the window, where it danced in the strong winds.