The Quagmires

Chapter 15: The Helpless Hoping

One of the most painful feelings, asides from losing a loved one and failing an important test, is a hope that is not fulfilled. 'Hope' is a word which here means the Quagmires' strong desire for  their friends to rescue them from their misery. However, I'm sorry to say that since nothing ends well in this grim tale, their reasonable hope was not fulfilled.

Duncan and Isadora's faces lit up when they saw Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, staring at them with obvious expressions of disbelief.

"You found us," sighed Duncan, with the biggest smile on his face. His sister was just as happy as he was, if not more.

"I'm so happy to see you," smiled Isadora.

"I've never been so happy to see anyone in my life," confessed a happy Klaus.

Isadora grabbed onto the bars of the cage and asked, "How did you find us?"

"It was Klaus's idea."

"It was Violet's invention."

Klaus directed a question to Violet, being more serious now, "Can you pick this lock?" 

"Not without any tools. I wish I could see what's down here."

Isadora handed Violet her half of the spyglass and suggested, "Try this."

Duncan, having also read 'The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations', explained how she should assemble the spyglass.

"See the markings? If you line them up."

"And give it a half-turn counterclockwise."

Klaus sighed and so did Violet as they saw a bright light shine from the top of the spyglass.

"We learnt that in 'The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations," Isadora informed them.

"You found the book?" queried Klaus. The triplets smiled and Duncan explained something the Baudelaires hadn't known once more.

"Right before we were kidnapped. We took as many notes as we could. We may be kidnap victims," sighed Duncan, "But, I'm still a journalist."

"We've learned many, haunting secrets," warned Isadora.

"About our parents. And your parents, too," continued Duncan.

"We were right. Everything is connected."

"Well, what did you learn?" urged Klaus curiously, but before they can reply, they heard a loud thud coming from the top of the elevator shaft. Duncan and Isadora gasped for air, and the Baudelaires worried for their friends.

"You can tell us when you're safe," stated Violet.

"We heard Count Olaf's plan. He's going to hide us in one of the items at the In Auction so he can sneak us out of the city tomorrow," Isadora quickly explained.

"No he's not," demanded Klaus, "You're coming with us, right now."

Violet, however, was preoccupied with the spyglass. After playing with it for a while, she discovered something.

"I think it's an electromagnetic circuit. It's not just light, it's heat. I wonder..."

She began to spin one of the round, golden, stripe with markings until a red laser appeared from the top of the spyglass.

"The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations said that the spyglass can be used for all sorts of things," Duncan stated.

"Maybe it can melt the lock."

The Quagmires backed away from the lock as Violet pointed the laser at it. The faithful friends stared at the lock with high hopes.

"Did it melt?" asked Isadora hopefully.

"No, it just got hotter," said Klaus, placing his hand just over the lock.

Violet then destroyed all of the friends' hopes once she stated, "It's not gonna work. I can feel it overheating."

Klaus tried to find a way and he suggested, "There must be something else down here you can use."

"Can you hand me that newspaper?" asked Violet, and to Duncan's surprise, he looked down to see a ripped piece of newspaper. He bent down and picked it up, then handed it to Violet. She held it up above the spyglass, and spun the markings until the red laser appeared. Everyone looked at her in confusion and awaited to see what she was trying to do. Violet let go of the paper and the newspaper rose. "Heat rises."

"What?" questioned Klaus in confusion.

"We have to go back up to that penthouse."

Duncan and Isadora's expressions saddened and Duncan asked,

"You're leaving?"

"We're gonna find something there to get you out."

Isadora and Duncan held back a set of tears, for the thought of losing their friends again haunted them. 

"Gather the handkerchief."

"I see what you mean," sighed Klaus, "Heat rises."

"And so will we."

"Sunny and I should stay here with the Quagmires."

"No, Klaus," Isadora murmured as she gazed down in sadness, "Just, come back soon."

"We will."

"We promise," Violet confirmed.

She placed the spyglass near the bottom of the handkerchief where it was gathered and it began to rise. The friends stared at each other, each with a look of worry. The handkerchief was almost lifting the basket up into the air when Violet stated,

"You saved us at Prufrock Prep. We'd be in Olaf's clutches if it were not for you."

"So I'm sure you know," began Klaus as the basket started to rise.

"What?" questioned Isadora, and Violet replied with a slight smile,

"What friends are for."

Several minutes after the Baudelaires disappeared from sight, the Quagmires heard a dreadful sound.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" came a distant scream from who seemed to be Klaus.

"Violet!" yelled Duncan. Isadora followed and yelled,

"Klaus!"

"What do you think happened?" trembled Duncan.

"I don't know but it doesn't sound good."

The Quagmires listened closely to figure out what was going on.

"It stopped," gulped Duncan.

"Then someone probably solved the problem."

Still looking up, the Quagmires' faces darkened with shock as they saw and heard an explosion. The handkerchief burst and fell right onto the ground in front of their cage.

"Baudelaires!" shrieked Duncan. Their eyes widened when they saw the burnt remains of the basket and the handkerchief.

"At least it's not them," gulped Isadora.

"I hope they're okay," whimpered Duncan as tears filled both of their eyes. 

"They are. I know they are."

They stood their ground as they watched the handkerchief turn to ashes in front of their eyes. They were speechless. The elevator shaft remained quiet for quite a while until the Quagmires heard something.

"Hurry up, Hooky. We have to get the Quagliers into that fish."

"Olaf," the triplets said in unison.

"They didn't make it, not in time," sighed Duncan.

"I'm sure they were going to come, but Count Olaf beat them."

"Beat who?" snickered Count Olaf, who was now standing very close to their cage. "I hope you enjoyed the little space you had here, because soon, you'll have none."