Chapter Thirty-One

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"I hope that Klaus is okay." sighed Violet to Phil at four in the afternoon.

"Why? I'm sure he's fine!" chuckled Phil. "I mean, I was asked to leave the waiting room after an hour, but-"

"He's been gone for five hours to get an eye test!" exclaimed Rowan. "And we're not much better. We're stuck here in a miserable lumbermill, working for ten hours a day, eating gum for lunch and casseroles for dinner, sleeping on a bunk bed."

Phil chuckled. "But you have to look at the bright side! Klaus is having fun! And the lumbermill isn't that miserable. We only work for nine hours a day, not ten like you said. And what's wrong with gum and casseroles? Anyway, I'm going to bed."

"But we haven't even had dinner." said Violet.

Phil grinned. "That just gives me more time for dreaming!"

Violet gave a sad smile. "I like Phil, but he's a little bit mad."

Rowan chuckled and then frowned. "I can tell that you're still worried about Klaus. I am too."

"I know that the eye building is an optometrist's office, but it can't be a coincidence. I mean, are there any optometrist's office shaped like eyes?"

Rowan shrugged. "Other than the one here, none that I've heard of."

"Klaus would know." said Violet. 

Rowan took Violet's hands in his own. "Klaus will be fine. He's intelligent and resourceful."

Violet managed a smile. "You're right. Klaus will be fine."

An hour later, Klaus did not arrive, but dinner did. Violet, Sunny, and Rowan did not eat one bite of their casseroles, for two reasons. One, it was disgusting, and two, they were worried about Klaus.

After dinner, there was the creak and click of the splintered lumbermill door and the children instantly went to see. It was Klaus.

"Klaus!" exclaimed Violet. "You're back! We were so worried about you."

"You were gone for six whole hours." said Rowan, smiling in relief. "What was it like inside the eye?"

"You haven't got your glasses." noticed Violet. "Are they still being fixed?"

"Yes, sir." said Klaus monotonically. "They are still being fixed."

"What?" Violet said in disbelief. "I'm not Sir. I'm your sister!"

"Yes, sir." repeated Klaus.

"No, nobody here is Sir." said Violet. "The only people here are Rowan, Sunny, and I."

"Yes, si-" began Klaus.

"I'm Violet." said Violet. "You know who I am."

Klaus then said hello to the three scared children, calling Violet 'Veronica', Sunny 'Susan', and Rowan 'Raymond'.

"Klaus, are you tired?" asked Violet gently.

"Yes, Veronica." said Klaus, robotically moving over to the bunk bed and lying down on Violet and Sunny's bed.

"Klaus, you still have your shoes on." said Violet. "And that isn't your bed."

But Klaus was already asleep.

A/N: So many really long chapters and this one is really short. TnT

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