The Quagmires

Chapter 20: The Stunning Surprise

A surprise could be both a pleasant and unpleasant thing. If your friends plan a birthday party for you and surprise you with it, then the surprise would be pleasant. If someone surprises you with the information that you have to leave your friends and family and move to another country, then the surprise would be an unpleasant one. In this story, you have yet to find out what type of surprise the two Quagmire triplets were given.

The following day went quite similar to the previous one, except Duncan and Isadora were a little more cheerful.

"Good morning!"

Isadora and Hector were still asleep, but Duncan was wide awake. As soon as he noticed that everyone else was sleeping, he took off his Prufrock Prep blazer, folded his thin blanket, placed it nicely onto his green-covered mattress, and headed towards the top level of the self-sustaining hot air mobile home.

It was really cold outside, so Duncan was lucky to have taken his blazer with him. He put on his blazer and grabbed a water bottle, which was also very cold. He took a book called 'Anna Karenina', sat down inside the entrance basket for warmth, and began reading.

Duncan had read through half the book before he was hit by something. Isadora had awoken and opened the door.

"Ouch."

"Sorry. And, good morning!"

She flung her arms around her brother and when she let go, she snatched the book from his hands.

"Anna Karenina? I feel like I've heard of it."

"Me too," explained Duncan, "That's why I felt like I should read it."

"Oh."

"Now, can I have it back?"

"Sure. Right after I check for a blank page."

Duncan got a bit grumpy when his sister began to look for one.

"Duncan, look."

Duncan looked at his sister, then at the book. The last page was open, but the information on it was not typed; it was hand written. He began to read what was written aloud.

"The central theme of 'Anna Karenina' is that a rural life of moral simplicity, despite its monotony, is the preferable personal narrative to a daring life of impulsive passion, which only leads to tragedy."

"That's a long theme," said Isadora.

"Well it's a long book."

Isadora looked back at that page and noticed something.

"Look, it's signed V.F.D."

Before Duncan could reply to Isadora's statement, she was hit by the mini door. 

"I guess Hector woke up," sniggered Duncan.

Isadora rolled her eyes and moved away from the door by getting out of the basket.

"Good morning, and why are you seated here?"

"It's warm in here," explained Duncan.

"Alright. I better check the controls, but I may need your help."

"I'll be there."

Duncan took his water bottle and the book, and exited the entrance basket. Isadora was already busy helping out Hector, so Duncan put away his things and went to help him too.

The next few days went quite similarly. Almost two weeks had passed since anything interesting happened, but that ends on this day in the lives of the Quagmire triplets.