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Augustus Gloop

Mrs. Beauregarde looked over, her expression that of bewilderment. "There's two of them."

Mr. Teavee observed quietly in awe, "There's more than two."

Mrs. Gloop looked up at Mr. Wonka, asking curiously, "Where do they come from?"

Mr. Wonka gave no answer, observing the little men peacefully, content blissfulness coloring his features and mood.

Charlie inquired of Mr. Wonka, "Who are they?"

Again, no answer from the candy man. I walked right up to Mr. Wonka's side, and he gave me a sideways glance, smirking. I smirked back and we both returned our focus to the smallish people.

Mike then discriminated, "Are they real people?"

We glanced at the child, and Mr. Wonka scorned in offense, "Of course they're real people. They're Oompa-Loompas."

He smiled proudly at his workers. Mr. Salt must've wondered if he heard him right, because he repeated the name, "'Oompa-Loompas'?"

Mr. Wonka nodded and confirmed, "Imported, direct from Loompaland."

Mr. Teavee then denied arrogantly, "There's no such place."

Mr. Wonka's smile fell, and he looked over his shoulder in irritation. "What?"

Mr. Teavee countered, "Mr. Wonker, I teach high school geography, and I'm here to tell you—"

"Well, then you'll know all about it, and, oh, what a terrible country it is," Mr. Wonka interrupted. He cocked his head to the side a little, his eyes ignited with dangerous testimony. He looked at me with a strained, minute grin as he began to tell us about the Oompa-Loompas.

"The whole place is nothing but thick jungles infested by the most dangerous beasts in the entire world. Hornswogglers and Snozzwangers and those terrible, wicked Whangdoodles. I went to Loompaland looking for exotic new flavors for candy. Instead, I found the Oompa-Loompas. They lived in tree houses to escape from the fierce creatures who lived below. The Oompa-Loompas ate nothing but green caterpillars, which tasted revolting. The Oompa-Loompas kept looking for other things to mash up with the caterpillars to make them taste better. Red beetles, the bark of the Bong-Bong tree. All of them beastly, but not quite so beastly as the caterpillars. But the food they longed for the most was the cocoa bean. An Oompa-Loompa was lucky if he found three or four cocoa beans a year. But, oh, how they craved them. All they'd ever think about was cocoa beans.

"The cocoa bean happens to be the thing from which chocolate is made, so I told the chief, 'Come live in my factory. You can have all the cocoa beans you want! I will even pay your wages in cocoa beans if you wish!' They are such wonderful workers. I feel I must warn you, though, they are rather mischievous. Always making jokes." He smiled with glee and pride, chuckling a bit when he finished informing us.

Mrs. Gloop then yelled loudly in the opposite direction, looking across the river, where Augustus was cupping his hands and lapping up the chocolate from the river. "Augustus, my child, that is not a good thing you do!"

The boy ignored her demand. I cringed, disgusted by the horribly ravenous sight, and looked up at Mr. Wonka. He, too, was disturbed, but a dark resentment was glistening in his eyes. He walked up to the edge of the river, raising his hand in hopes to get his attention. He kept his voice calm as he warned, "Hey, little boy. My chocolate must be untouched by human hands."

Just then, Augustus fell in to river. Mr. Wonka shut his eyes and turned away, sighing in utter frustration. He pursed his lips and glanced at me, revealing his disappointment and irritation at the boy's foolishness. He then looked back at the boy coolly and remained emotionless, apart from the bitter demeanor his shoulders now held.