The Quagmires

Chapter 16: The Adverse Auction

"We're moving really fast," stated Isadora.

"Then we must be in a vehicle."

The drive was interminably long, and the Quagmires couldn't help but escape from the horrors of the world once again, by falling asleep.

They woke up, however, to a startle when they felt themselves hit the top of the statue.

"Isadora!"

"I'm here, Duncan, don't worry, I think the vehicle just passed over a bump."

"I guess, but that really hurt."

"It hurt me too, but what do you expect? We just got slammed to the inside of a statue's wall."

Duncan massaged his head and then said, "I had a nightmare, Isadora."

"We've been living a nightmare, Duncan."

Duncan tried to roll around to his other side, but instead, he accidentally shoved his sister and felt something a little bit pointy poke his finger.

"I think I found a hairpin, again."

"What are you doing," his sister asked as she heard the sound of something being carved into the statue's inner surface.

"It's nothing."

"I won't even bother to get the real answer from you. I've got more important things to worry about."

Isadora was right, I regret to say. She had more important things to worry about than Duncan carving his own initials with Violet's (D.Q. + V.B.). She had to worry about how they were going to get out of this red statue. She had to worry about what was going to happen to them next. She had to worry about whether she would ever see her friends again, but most importantly, she had to worry about how to escape Count Olaf's wretched clutches.

A long while after, the car come to a stop. They felt themselves being moved once again, but they got used to it. 

"That fish weighs as much as two kidnapped children," the hook-handed man whined.

"It certainly does," Count Olaf chuckled.

"They're awfully quiet. Should we have added more air holes?" questioned one of Count Olaf's Hench people.

"Ugh they'll be fine, they're probably hoarse from all that screaming."

"I guess they heard us scream then," suggested Duncan.

"I just hope we're out of here soon, I'm starting to panic again."

"We will, don't worry."

"That's not really possible Duncan. I can't just not worry. There are so many things on my mind."

"I know, Issy, I know."

His sister laughed and said, "You just called me Issy. You've never done that."

Duncan began laughing too. "I guess this pressure gave me a short nickname for you."

"Duncan, if they can hear us, then maybe we should-"

"Let us out!"

"Get us out of here!"

"Help!"

"There are children in this bright red statue!"

"Help!"

"Oh just shut up, twins."

"Triplets," Duncan whispered.

"We will let you out."

Duncan and Isadora looked at each other in confusion.

"Do you think he's serious?"

"I don't know, Duncan, but I don't think it's good."

The Quagmires had never been so happy to see the dim, orange light of the sunset shine on the two of them. 

"Duncan! We're outside!"

"Yes, Quagmires, you are outside, but not for long. Stash them in the fountain!"

"What?" Duncan quivered, and the villains pulled him and his sister by their sweaty arms.

Duncan began to sob. Although his sister was the one who had terrible reactions to closed spaces, he couldn't stand being locked somewhere dark. 

"Though villains may prosper in the beginning

The noble shall prevail and keep winning!"

 Count Olaf's Hench people pulled the beak of the fountain. The village's fountain was shaped as a crow and, apparently, its beak is the key to opening it. After they pulled the beak, the fountain's head lifted upwards and its stomach vertically cut in half and slid open, revealing a small space. "A poet! Just like your mother," mocked Count Olaf, "Well look what happened to her. She died in a mysterious fire."