Chapter Nine
I apologize in advance for the shortness of the previous chapter. Sometimes, in my investigations concerning the new Baudelaire case –and the case that followed – I did not manage to discover much of what happened at a given time. In the previous chapter, I wrote what happened in the dark night where Violet Baudelaire thought – once again, erroneously - she had lost the sugarbowl, and therefore, that all else was lost. I learned so due to a trustworthy person being right outside the window of the room where the Baudelaires had been confined. Now I understand how hard it must have been for her, not being able to do what she was going to do exactly there and then. But it was all part of a plan, a plan that had been in motion for a long time, and that was only now truly beginning. And when the dawn arrived, it also arrived the day that would ultimately be the best day of the Baudelaires’ stay at the House of Red Leaves. The day that they escaped.
‘Breakfast!Wake up!’ A familiar voice was heard. When the Baudelaires opened their eyes, they saw Kiyoha Higurashi standing over them with a tray. She came down on her knees and untied the knots that constricted the Baudelaires. Their arms were sore and stiff from a hard night, and their whole bodies hurt. ‘I’m sorry for the last night.
Gomenasai.’ Kiyoha said. ‘It won’t happen again.’
The Baudelaires began to eat breakfast silently, as they were very sad and disturbed by their loss of the sugarbowl – which was crucial, and yet they had no idea why – and ate without any appetite. ‘What is it? Isn’t it good? You want more?’ Kiyoha asked, noticing their silence. ‘You must eat, to keep strength. Reiko will make us work harder today. We greatly upset her and her father.’
‘What was that about Reiko being in charge of you and your siblings?’ Klaus asked objetively. He did not want to talk to Kiyoha at all, but it was strange that Reiko would have said something along those lines – due to their previous experiences with Olaf, and their various guardians, the Baudelaires were familiar with the concept of guardianship. Reiko could not possibly in charge of the Higurashis the same way Olaf had been in charge of them.
‘She gave us a piece of paper from Japan. It said in case of our parents’ death, she would be in charge of us until I was of age.’ Kiyoha said grimly. ‘Strange how we all seem to fall in the guardianship of someone who wants nothing but to get their hands on what is ours, no matter at what cost.’ Violet pondered. It was a cruel fact, but a true one nonetheless. Eyeing the floor, she noticed Kiyoha’s camera lying on the floor. Something occurred to her. ‘Kiyoha, did you take any pictures around here? Anything strange around the House of Red Leaves lately, or at least, before we arrived?’ Kiyoha was surprised to be asked about her camera. ‘Yes, I did take pictures before. When we first got there, Reiko pretended to be very friendly. She let me take pictures of the place. Nothing really strange…Except…’
‘What is it?’ Klaus asked. His glasses were askew, and he straightened before continuing to eat his
onigiri, a word which here means ‘riceball’ in Japanese. ‘Well, there was that biker. No one knows who she or he is, she or he never takes off helmet. When one of Reiko’s men try to interrogate her, or him, she, or he, beat the man up. She, or he, told the man to leave him, or her, alone to enjoy her
sake in peace. She or he pays handsomely, so Reiko and her men let her be. At least that’s what I overhear.’ Kiyoha took her camera and rose from the floor, patting the front of her kimono. ‘Come meet us in the restaurant. We are to work as waiters and waitresses today.’ Ren said, as he accompanied Kiyoha and Daisuke out of the room. The Baudelaires also rose; their backs and joints cracked after being tied up all night and their bodies were sore and stiff.
‘Why did you ask her if she took any pictures of the House of Red Leaves?’ Klaus asked his sister. Violet smiled. ‘Nothing, just a feeling I had. Maybe this biker isn’t really a biker at all. I don’t know, there’s something familiar about about him…or her.’
The restaurant of the House of Red Leaves was a very large room at the center of the building. A stage where a band composed by three women in western clothing sang an upbeat song barefoot, and there were many people on the dancefloor; salarymen in their suits, schoolgirls, and even a few of the House of Red Leaves’ own employees. Upon arrival, the Baudelaires were met by Mika Kobayashi, Reiko’s secretary. ‘There you are.
Ohayou gosaimasu!’ Mika said to the Baudelaires, as if nothing had happened that night. ‘Here.’ Mika handed the four Baudelaires new kimonos, matching those of the rest of the restaurant employees. ‘Reiko-sama told me to tell you to work extra hard today, as we have many guests that need to be impressed! Give your best, Baudelaires,
ganbate!’ Mika said to them, turning around and waving them goodbye as she left the restaurant, probably headed to Reiko’s office.
‘I can’t stand her. I can’t stand it here anymore.’ Klaus said. Violet, Beatrice and Sunny said nothing, they also could not stand that place anymore. The House of Red Leaves was a full house, and they had a long day of work ahead of them. The Baudelaires, as tired as they were, worked hard that day. Violet and Klaus waited tables while Beatrice took the orders and gave them to the chef, and Sunny helped in the kitchen. Ren, Daisuke, and Kiyoha also worked in the restaurant, but theirs was the opposite section, across the dancefloor, and they couldn’t really speak to each other much. It was a boring, dull day at the restaurant. That is, until a very special customer arrived and sat at the bar. She – this time, they could see it was really a she – was dressed in the same yellow biker suit with a matching helmet. The bar, however, was on the Higurashi’s section, and the Baudelaires eyed eagerly the biker as she spoke to Kiyoha, who was the bartender. The biker then rose from her seat and disappeared behind the staircase that led up to the second story of the restaurant, to the private serving rooms. Soon, Kiyoha came to the Baudelaires. She had a note in hand.
‘She told me to give this to you. She told me she has plan, but she needs to talk to you.’ Kiyoha said, handing over the note before rushing back to the bar – Mika Kobayashi had appeared out of the nowhere, and Kiyoha did all she could to avoid the secretary of Reiko Yazawa.
Violet unfolded the note. It was only one sentence, written in blue ink. ‘Come to the courtyard. I need to give you something.’
The Baudelaires each soon excused themselves and met near the restrooms, nearby the entrance to the hallway that led to the courtyard. Their hearts were pounding. They were unsure what to expect from the mysterious biker woman, but they had a feeling she was not an enemy. And in that enemy infested place, the Baudelaires could use an ally, they were sure of
that.
- - - - -
Chapter Ten
The hallways between the Baudelaires and the courtyard were empty, it was almost as if the universe had conspired to clear their path to their encounter with the biker. Nevertheless, they were nervous. Soon, the Baudelaire orphans reached the courtyard. A tall tree, with it’s leaves as red as blood dominated the place. A small pond, a stone bench. It was an authentic japanese garden.
‘Are you out there?’ Violet spoke. ‘Come out. We came. Show yourself.’ Klaus said. ‘And remove that helmet too.’ Sunny uttered. ‘
Urusai.’ Beatrice said. Sunny did not translate, as what Beatrice had said was ‘Be quiet!’ And then the Baudelaires saw her.
She was just as they remembered. Her long, blonde, hair flowing down her back, reaching down on her thighs. She had unzipped her jacket, and they could see the anchor pendant she wore, and she had removed her helmet, and it took a full minute before the Baudelaires could get past the initial shock. They should have known, yet they did not suspect.
‘Hello again, Baudelaires.’ Elizabeth Anwhistle smiled. ‘It’s been too long.’ Elizabeth crouched and laid the helmet on the ground, opening her arms. The Baudelaires ran to her and hugged her. The last time they had seen Elizabeth, she had been wounded, and fell from the heliport of Anwhistle Aquatics, amidst a cloud of Wayne’s trained bats. Before they knew it, the Baudelaires were crying, and so was Elizabeth, and this was quite extraordinary. I, who have the privilege of knowing Elizabeth Anwhistle in person, know, like any other person who knows her does, that Elizabeth was not prone to let others see her shed a single tear. The Baudelaires did not know it, but they could feel it. Elizabeth had returned from the dead, or so it seemed. And they couldn’t be any happier.
‘My, are you a sight for sore eyes.’ Elizabeth said, wiping the tears off her eyes. ‘I haven’t been the same since we were last together. So much has happened.’ She said. ‘I recently learned of your involvement in the Burton Bazaar fire, the events at Thriller Park and the fire 667 Dark Avenue, through a friend of mine.’ Elizabeth had sat on a stone bench with Beatrice and Sunny on her lap, with Violet and Klaus at either sides. ‘We feared you were dead. That fall…’ Klaus said. ‘I fell, yes. But Wayne’s bats are marvelous. They could not exactly keep me from falling, but they could soften my fall, with a net. Falling from such a height into the ocean would have been like falling into concrete, surely, such smart kids as you know this much.’ Elizabeth said. ‘I still got banged up pretty bad. Wayne had to care for me and keep me safe…Normally, it’s the other way around.’ She smiled. It was a sad smile. ‘I knew Lars would take you to Casanova Casino. Surely, by know, the Casanovas have taken the
Elizabethan Whistle for themselves. I loved that boat. Well, let them have it.’
‘Lars…He sacrificed himself to save us…Charles went with him.’ Violet said. The Baudelaires greatly missed Lars; he had helped them survive the events at Casanova Casino and Jupiter Island, if it weren’t for him and Charles, the Baudelaires would have surely fallen to their deaths with Juno Boreas’ zeppelin,
The Invincible, after being persecuted by the villains in the dreadful helicopter, the
Jabberwock.
‘Lars is safe. He and Charles survived.’ Elizabeth said. ‘They washed up at Briny Beach one day. I had gone to the beach to catch a cab to the city when I found them.’
‘They’re alive?!’ The Baudelaires uttered in unison. They were thrilled. Many friends had been lost, and news that at least two of them were alive were good news. ‘Where are they?’ Klaus asked. ‘Not very far from here, you see.’ Elizabeth said. ‘Speaking of which…I had made a vow to keep you all safe, no matter what. I failed at it. But now I can make it up to you.’ Elizabeth put her hand inside her jacket and removed a key and eight small, red, pieces of paper. ‘This is a key to a storage locket at the Tenenbaum Train Station. There you find something that belongs to you. These are train tickets to the
Ethereal Express, which leaves the city tonight at midnight and one minute. You must be in it. When that train leaves, you, above all of people, must be in it.’ Elizabeth took one and put inside her own pocket. ‘This here is mine. I will be aboard that train tonight, and so will you. But do not board the train without retrieving the contents of the storage locker, this is of utmost importance.’ Elizabeth said.
‘
Ethereal Express, is it?’ Violet had never heard of such a train. She examined the tickets carefully. ‘Yes. You must understand, this voyage will not be an ordinary one. It has been planned long ago. When you board the train, you will have any questions answered. Right now, you must go back inside and work, while I prepare. I have a score to settle at this House of Red Leaves, and I will not leave this place without satisfaction. When I show myself at the restaurant at ten thirty p.m., you must be ready to leave here with the Higurashi orphans.’ Elizabeth pointed to the shadow of the tree; a sword, her sword, was leaning against the bark, waiting.
‘How did you manage to stay under Reiko’s radar all this time? Esmé Squalor is also staying here, did you know?’ Violet asked. Elizabeth frowned at the mention of Esmé’s name. The last time the two women had seen each other, Esmé had tortured Elizabeth with her shell heel, and Elizabeth Anwhistle did not forget. ‘You’d be astonished to know how far fake documentation can get you. All I had to do was stay silent and show my fake documents whenever they were being nosy. Since I was such a
good costumer, they were willing to let my ‘excentricities’ by.’ Elizabeth smiled. ‘That is the problem with our enemies. Their never-ending hunger for riches, power and dominance blinds them. Bikes are not really my thing, but I did have this disguise and a license. Plus, I’m not really into
kimonos.’ Elizabeth and the Baudelaires laughed.
‘Elizabeth, before we go…Where is the train bound?’ Klaus felt the need to ask. Sure, they trusted Elizabeth. But it was curious to be told to board a train without knowing it’s destination, or which station to get off the train at.
‘It is bound north. So far north, to a snowy town between the mountains. The
true last safe place. The only place left to go. When you board the train, all will be explained. But now you must go. You’ve been here with me for too long, that secretary of Reiko’s is a suspicious witch. Go. I’ll meet you at the train station, before the train leaves. When you leave here, someone will come pick you up.’ Elizabeth took her sword and disappeared in an adjacent hallway. Violet folded the sheet of train tickets and put it inside her kimono with the storage locker key. It was the key of number thirteen. Violet was not a superstitious girl, and saw nothing peculiar about that number. Breathing deeply, the Baudelaire orphans went back inside to the House of Red Leaves for the last time.
- - - - -
Chapter Eleven
Violet Baudelaire called Kiyoha Higurashi aside and the two went in the ladies’ room of the restaurant. Making sure there was no one else in the room with them, Violet told Kiyoha of Elizabeth’s plan, and gave the three remaining tickets. ‘I should have known it was
her!’ Kiyoha uttered joyfully. ‘She was the only one who cared for me, Ren and Daisuke, before we met you, Violet. I thought she had forgotten about us, but she didn’t.’ Kiyoha was very happy. ‘Elizabeth Anwhistle does not forget her friends. Now let’s go, before Mika shows up to hassle us.’ The two girls left the ladies’ room, and returned to the restaurant. It was night now, and the Baudelaires and Higurashis had worked all day, and yet somehow they were not tired. The prospect of leaving that place once and for all gave them all the extra energy they needed. The clock placed above the bar marked ten in the evening. It was half an hour before Elizabeth showed herself. The Baudelaires were unsure as to what exactly would ensue when Elizabeth did appear, without her helmet. She was a skilled swordswoman, like the Baudelaires never had seen – not that they saw many swordsmen or swordswomen, of course.
It was not until nine and fifteen minutes that Reiko Yazawa, her father, Akira Yazawa, and his fiancée, the
oiran Shouhi, her sister, Kagura Yazawa, her secretary, Mika Kobayashi and the bodyguard, Ryuuji, appeared. They ascended to the second story of the restaurant, to the most exclusive serving room. Reiko was a vision in a white kimono, her jet black hair all done up in a traditional japanese hairdo, unlike the previous style. Several henchmen, all of them carrying their own swords also accompanied the Yazawas into the room, aparently, they had done something to earn the honor of eating with their employers.
Each turn of the clock felt slower than the last, as the Baudelaires nervously looked at the clock everytime they could, in between taking orders from customers and delivering. Each
tick and
tock was torturous, and the Baudelaires were all but nerves. They kept expecting to see Elizabeth appear out of such absurd places as from under a table, from behind the bar, or more ordinarily, the ladies’ room, but she was nowhere to be seen.
‘Where is she?’ Klaus asked Violet as he walked by with a tray filled with sushi and placed it on a customer’s table. ‘She said nine-thirty. Its nine-twenty-eight now!’ He whispered to Violet. ‘I don’t know, but she will appear soon, be a patient, Klaus.’ Violet whispered back. Across the hall, atop the stairs, the Yazawas made a fuss, laughing and talking loudly. The hour came and went, and no sign of Elizabeth Anwhistle.
‘It is nine-thirty-two.’ Klaus said. ‘I know, Klaus-‘ Violet began, but was interrupted. Out of nowhere, Elizabeth Anwhistle had materialized at the center of the dancefloor, her sword unsheathed. ‘
REIKO YAZAWA! YOU AND I HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS!’ She shouted loudly, in japanese, no less. The band stopped playing, the people stopped dancing. The sliding doors of the Yazawa’s private dining room opened, and the Yazawa henchmen rushed out. Slowly, the Yazawas showed themselves. Reiko was the last to leave the room, and when she saw Elizabeth, it took her a moment to recognize her, but when she did, her shock was visible. ‘
You.’
‘Yes. Missed me?’ Elizabeth asked, with a devilish smile the Baudelaires thought she only showed when confronted with her enemies. Akira Yazawa’s expression was of horror. Kagura Yazawa was as deadpan – a word which here means ‘with no discernible expression’ – as she was when the Baudelaires had first seen her. Mika Kobayashi saw fit to imitate her mistress’ shock, as she had no clue as to who the blonde stranger was. Ryuuji was a statue, and Shouhi, the
oiran, continued to smoke on her pipe, clearly entertained by that turn of events.
‘Not really.’ Reiko said, and smiled. ‘I must have known you’d show up here sooner or later, I just did not think you’d have the guts to do it
repeatedly. You’re corageous, I’ll give you that.’ Behind Reiko’s smile was a deep hatred.
‘I thought I’d finally be able to keep the Higurashis safe, but then we were attacked at sea, by your whalers.’ Elizabeth uttered the word
whalers with disgust. ‘I also came to learn another thing. How have you been enjoying posing as your half-sister, the Duchess of Winnipeg, the
real R?’
The Baudelaires were astonished, as was everyone else.
That, they did not expect. ‘Yes.’ Elizabeth continued. ‘She is a half-japanese, half-canadian breed, your
Reiko-sama. How are you enjoying your late wife’s fortune, Akira?’ Elizabeth now directed her inquisitory glare at Reiko’s father. He was visibly disturbed. Shouhi, the
oiran, was having the time of her life. ‘Sure, you look japanese, but you could almost pass for a westerner, and the Duchess was also a brunette. You must have enjoyed it. You so wanted to be her, didn’t you? You wanted to be her, you wanted to own everything she had.’
‘
URUSAI!’ Reiko shouted. Elizabeth smiled. Reiko was furious. ‘I will not shut up, Reiko.’ Elizabeth replied. ‘I’ll never know what devil’s trick you pulled to gain the guardianship over the Higurashis and the Tomoes, but I’ll make you pay! You enabled
them to destroy two valorous volunteer families of Japan, all because you wanted thei fortunes!’ Elizabeth was
also furious. ‘
Usotsuke! She is a liar!’ Reiko shouted. ‘She invades my House and accuses me of crimes, but does she have proof?’
‘She does, actually.’ Elizabeth answered. ‘I won’t tell you where it is though. You’ll have to come and make me.’ Raising her sword, Elizabeth challenged Reiko openly. It was only then that the Baudelaires noticed that Reiko also had a sword with her. Were
all of the Yazawas trained with swords?
‘As if!’ Reiko uttered, with contempt. ‘
YACCHIMANA!’ Reiko shouted, and a
dozens of Yazawa henchmen invaded the hall, as the customers and non-swordfighting employees ran for their lives. The Higurashis hid behind the bar, while the Baudelaires hid behind screens that separated the hall from the adjacent hallways. ‘Silly caucasian girl who likes to play with swords…I’ll teach you a lesson!’ Reiko shouted. Akira, Kagura, Mika, Ryuuji and Shouhi disappeared. Reiko stood alone as she watched the Yazawa henchmen circle Elizabeth. When the first man struck, Elizabeth defended herself fiercely. She was a force to be reckoned with when it came to swordfighting. It’s only natural, after all her dedication to swordplay in training school, and then later, when she had a private tutor from Japan. I think it would be fitting to say here that Elizabeth’s tutor’s last name was Higurashi. From that, dear reader, you are free to draw your own conclusions.
- - - - -
Chapter Twelve
The fight went on for what seemed like
hours. In the beginning, Elizabeth merely defended herself, breaking arms and legs with the dull side of her blade. But soon, the transparent dancefloor was running red with blood, and Elizabeth had quite a few cuts, the red of her blood making striking contrast with the yellow of her biker outfit. She had no alternative; the men were trying to kill her with all they had. The Higurashis were safely hidden behind the bar, and did not dare to take a look at the bloodshed. The Baudelaires, however, feared for Elizabeth. The Yazawa henchmen were
dozens. How could she survive them all? , they wondered.
It was in the middle of the fight when the fire started; how, or precisely when was anyone’s guess. But what happened was that soon, the hall was encircled by fire. Reiko stood on the upper ledge, eyeing the fight, unfazed by the fire that began to burn the House that belonged to her.
When the last Yazawa henchman fell on the floor, the Baudelaires saw how Elizabeth was wounded. A large cut on her stomach, her thigh, a few cuts on her face and arms, and a large one on her back. The dancefloor of the House of Red Leaves was red with fire and blood. It was unlike anything the Baudelaires ever thought they would see. ‘This is not just you trying to get back at me for taking the orphans, is it?’ Reiko Yazawa said, as she began to descend the staircase toward the dancefloor. The blood reflected the fire across the hall. Everything was red with blood and fire and smoke, and it was all too dangerous. From what the Baudelaires could see, the fire had spread to other parts of the House of Red Leaves.
‘Yes.’ Elizabeth stood upwright. The cuts and wounds did not bother her, or at least it seemed that way. ‘I am doing something I should have done years ago, when you and your friends back at Japan sent an assassin to kill my master. Hattori Higurashi. A
true master of the sword, and a second father to me. Their grandfather.’ Elizabeth was speaking not just to Reiko, but so that the Baudelaires, and the Higurashis, hidden behind the bar, could hear, and understand what was happening, and why it was happening. Lumps of burning wood fell down from the ceiling. The House of Red Leaves would soon crumble, but now now.
‘An old fool, that’s what your master was. We offered him peace. We knew what
they were building. We knew how much power was to be had. When
it is complete, we all will rule the world. We won’t have to hide anymore. Our activities will be conducted out in the open, and if anyone complains, well…
the sea is never quiet, isn’t it?’ Reiko unsheathed her sword.
The Yazawa henchmen that still lived dragged themselves out of the way. ‘It will never be completed. We will see to that.’ Elizabeth assumed her battle stance, as did Reiko. The two women then crossed swords. The fire then had become too intense, and the Baudelaires could not bear it any longer. ‘Kiyoha! Ren! Daisuke!’ Violet called. She came out of behind the screen. Reiko and Elizabeth were fighting fiercely, and Reiko had already sustained a few wounds. Her kimono was ripped in several places, and what was white as snow once was now spotted with red.
Violet tried not to slip and fall – there was blood
everywhere – as she made her way across the hall. Klaus, Sunny and Beatrice decided not to stay behind, and followed her. The only sounds in the hall were those of the swords slashing at one another, and Reiko and Elizabeth’s huffs, puffs, and grunts, and the crumbling sounds of falling wood, and the roar of fire. When Klaus, Sunny and Beatrice finally reunited with Violet, they noticed she was paralyzed with fear. She pointed towards behind the counter, where the Higurashis were seen hiding. A hatch was open, revealing a ladder and nothing else. The Higurashis were nowhere to be seen.
‘This must lead outside. They must have known! Or else, someone took them!’ Violet said loudly, as the roar of the fire was very intense at that moment. ‘If we want to live, we must go, too! Violet looked at the clock, placed just above the alcohol cabinet. The train would leave in twenty minutes. They
had to leave. It was then that Violet realized she and her siblings were standing next to a cabinet filled with bottles of alcohol, in the midst of a fire. ‘Sorry, Elizabeth!’ Violet took Sunny and Beatrice in her arms and jumped down the hatch into the darkness, and Klaus soon followed. It was a short fall, and Violet was lucky; there was soft sand at the bottom. ‘Elizabeth…’ Klaus uttered. The fire roared, and Violet wasted no time; she and her siblings went as far away as possible. It wasn’t until they had walked at least thirty meters that they heard an explosion – surely the alcohol cabinet had caught on fire. At the end of the dark path they were now in, the Baudelaires saw a light –
moonlight – shining down from above. They had no time to waste. Checking to see if the train tickets and the storage key were still with her – they still were, fortunately, safe inside Violet’s kimono – the Baudelaires ascended the ladder they found. The moon shone down on them as they exited the subterranean path. A good two blocks away, the House of Red Leaves burned. ‘Elizabeth…’ Beatrice Baudelaire was the one to utter the noble volunteer’s name. The Baudelaire orphans were on their own again, and had no time to mourn their friend. A train was waiting for them, a train bound north, to the
true last safe place. And as they walked away from the fiery vision of the burning building, the Baudelaires thanked Elizabeth Anwhistle silently for saving their lives, and prayed that the Higurashi orphans were well, and on their way to the train, too.
A car drove by the Baudelaires, slowly. ‘Baudelaires. It’s me.’ A female voice was heard, as the windown of the backseat lowered. The door opened, and Emma Squalor appeared. ‘Where is Elizabeth?’ Emma asked.
They had barely known Emma, but there was not much the Baudelaires could do but to hug Emma and cry. ‘Elizabeth, she saved us…But…We didn’t see her die, but after the explosion…’ They tried to explain between sobs. Emma cried as well. The other doors opened, and Dante, Sherry Ann and Hermes each offered their shoulder to a Baudelaire. The Baudelaires were so broken, so beat, exhausted of mind, body and soul, that the 667er’s had to carry each of them inside the car. Emma and Sherry Ann held Sunny and Beatrice with them, while Klaus and Violet were put in the backseat next to them. Hermes was driving, and Dante was on the passenger’s seat. It was only a few minutes to midnight, and soon, the
Ethereal Express would leave the city. The Baudelaires fell asleep immediately after entering the car, and the 667er’s were
noble enough to let them sleep, if only for the few minutes that remained until the train’s scheduled departure. When the clock marked five minutes to midnight, the car arrived at Tenenbaum Train Station.
- - - - -
Chapter Thirteen
Boarding a vehicle, be it a train, airplane, bus, bicycle or skateboard is always an unnerving experience. I myself hate to to go to the bus station to board the bus, prefering to board it in less suspicious – or more, depending on how you view it – places. It is unnerving to buy your ticket, and remain vigilant at the schedule, while running to the nearest coffee shop for a last minute
cappuccino before your departure. Then there is always the nuisance of tending to your luggage and making sure it is not misplaced, and then the annoyance of boarding the train, or bus, and seeing just how dreadful and unpleasant are the people you are doomed to travel with, for the next hours, or, if it’s a particularly long voyage, days, months, or even
years. Yes, boarding a train is always unnerving, but there was no more unnerving boarding that the boarding of the Baudelaires on the
Ethereal Express, leaving the Tenebaum Train Station in five – no,
four – minutes.
‘Hurry, Violet!’ Emma Squalor said when Violet told her about the storage locker key. It took Violet three minutes to find the locker marked
thirteen and to open it, and when she did, her jaw dropped.
‘My suitcase! I thought I lost it!’ Violet grabbed the suitcase and slammed the locker shut, leaving the key on the lock – she had other things to worry about.
‘Of course not. Elizabeth told us of what happened in the alley. You dropped the suitcase when that dreadful secretary appeared. Luckily, Elizabeth was watching your incursion to the streets of Yoshiwara from a close distance.’ Dante explained. It amazed Violet at how one-step ahead the 667er’s were, even if they had been caught with their guards down at 667 Dark Avenue. That was an exception, I must add. Me and I fellow 667er’s are very rarely caught with or guards down.
‘Thankfully, the fire did not destroy the
whole apartment.’ Sherry Ann said to the Baudelaires as a bellboy carried their suitcases to their respective cars and cabins. They were still outside the
Ethereal Express, waiting for the clock to hit midnight to board it, as were a myriad of other passengers. The
Ethereal Express was an unusual train; thirteen cars plus the steam locomotive; each car painted in a different hue of blue, black, purple, and indigo, and each car emblazoned with a different sign. The Baudelaires didn’t have much time to examine the train from the outside, because the enormous clock of Tenenbaum Train Station began to sound midnight. The 667er’s accompanied the Baudelaires inside the train, and at midnight and one minute, the
Ethereal Express left Tenenbaum Train Station. Yes, boarding a train was unnerving. But if the Baudelaires knew what laid ahead of them following those train tracks, they were be
much more unnerved indeed.
- - - - -
EXTRA
If you have read The Nefarious Neighborhood, I hereby grant you the title of
Eastern Expatriate