𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐊𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐗 𝐅𝐞𝐦!𝐎𝐂

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓 - An Unfortunate Death

Veronica felt her eyes open to the first rims of small sunlight as the grey clouds covered it, rubbing her head. There's no word to describe the feeling of waking up and knowing instantly that something is terribly wrong. If there were, the Baudelaires and Veronica would have used that word when they rose to find dawn had awoken them and their Uncle Monty had not. The brunette saw a iguana on her beside table, making her confused. Where was Uncle Monty? She got out of bed and rushed into the Baudelaires room and awoke Klaus. "Klaus...Klaus!" She whispered. "Yes?" Klaus asked groggily. "Monty had never woke us up, I'm worried." Veronica said. Klaus sat up and put on his glasses before waking his elder sister.

Violet ran out the room as Veronica's breath quickened in worry. Klaus saw this and took ahold of her warm and pale hand. Her breath slowed down and she gave a heart-warming smile towards the glassy-eyed boy. "Come on." Klaus said, as the two ran down the stairs with their hands still intertwined. "Monty?" Violet exclaimed. "Uncle Monty?" Klaus yelled. The trio ran into the Reptile Room and Veronica noticed Monty sitting in his chair by his desk. They looked at each other uneasily and then walked over to their guardian. Veronica gasped as tears stinged her eyes. Monty's skin had gone pale and his eye had lost it's colour, he had two bite marks of a snake on his cheek, he was dead. "Monty..." Klaus muttered, putting his hand on Monty's arm. "How could have this happened?" Klaus then whimpered. "Klaus, we know exactly this happened." Veronica responded in a whisper to then biting her lip in sadness.

"My, my, my, my, my..." Olaf stood at the top of the stairs and took his huge glasses off as his voice changed from Stephano to his simple and cruel self. "What a terrible accident...whoever discovers this will be very upset. 'For in that sleep of death what dreams may come.'" Olaf sneered. "You murdered him." Veronica growled as her fists clenched up but her voice trembled. "Why, Veronica, I'm surprised. A smarty-pants girl like you ought to be able to figure out that jolly old Uncle Monty died from a snakebite, not murder." Count Olaf replied as he made his way to the three children and the corpse in front of them. "Look at the teeth marks on his cheek, look at his cold, waxy face. Look at his unblinking eyes." 

"Stop it!" Violet exclaimed. "Stop talking like that!" She continued. "You're right. There's no time for chit-chat, we have a ship to catch and I'd like to board in time to have a bottle of wine before lunch." Olaf said and then magically pulled the four tickets out from his sleeve. "Peru, we're going to Peru." He added. "We wouldn't go to the end of the drive-way with you much less international waters!" Veronica yelled. "Well then, I guess I'll have to take my own luggage..." Olaf replied as he picked up two bags beside him. As he left, one bag hit the wall which made a some sort of baby sound and the elder children realised who that was. "Sunny!" Klaus exclaimed and the three ran out to help her. Veronica ran with the Baudelaires but stopped in the parlour to see a small photo with a note. "This is for me...?" The brunette said to herself.

Veronica took the note and read it in her head, but also making sure that Olaf or his henchmen that she knew were probably somewhere weren't there to capture her. 

'Veronica...I'm so sorry for not explaining this to you. 

I couldn't find the right words to explain myself, I'm sorry if I hurt you in any way because of it. I'm giving this picture to you so you can have a better look for yourself. I hope whoever you meet next might be able to help you...all I can tell you is that you knew them before your terror...

Uncle Monty.'

The note shaked in Veronica's hands as she felt tears sting her eyes once more. "I'm sorry, Monty...the last moment we had together...and I only upset you..." She cried to herself, trying to wipe her tears away. She stopped when hearing a crash outside on the drive-way, causing her to shove the picture into her pyjama pocket and then rush out the door. Monty's car was crashed and a snake hedge had smashed the front window and another car was beside it. "Baudelaires!" She exclaimed and ran towards the accident. "Klaus, Violet, are you okay?" She asked in worry. "We're okay, don't worry. Get Sunny out!" Klaus responded. Veronica obeyed and unlocked the trunk and opened a suitcase to see Sunny, laying with a smile. "Buttercup, you're okay!" Veronica exclaimed, picking Sunny up and holding her tightly.