MATILDA (A Series of Unfortunate Events)

CHAPTER 32: THE GLASS SILHOUETTE

Their meal was extremely pleasant. The candlelight and the familial atmosphere lulling them all into a false sense of security - soon to be shattered. Matilda had only a small portion and appreciated the warm food after the earlier ordeal. Her energy absolved after the almost tragic incident. Surprisingly though, her mood had very quickly returned to normal, despite being quite sluggish. Klaus' curiousity was almost bursting the seams - he very much wanted to ask what had happened, what she had seen, why it was different. Violet desperately wanted to know the in's and out's of what had happened and was eager to develop strategies to prevent what ever that was, from occurring again. But their concern and love for Matilda overshadowed Klaus' inquisitive nature and Violet's innovative mind.

"Would you like to go and have a rest?" Violet asked, seeing Matilda's eyes struggling to stay open.

"I think that would be a good idea," the girl giggled, transitioning into a yawn immediately mimicked by Sunny.

"Maybe take Sunny as well," Klaus laughed. Smiling tiredly at the elder Baudelaire's, Matilda gently scooped Sunny up. As Matilda and Sunny pottered off up stairs, Klaus and Violet dove into more secret digging.

Both Sunny and Roti snuggled into the girl as they ascended to the bedroom, enjoying the girls intense warmth. Matilda gently caressed the young child's head as her eyes kept blinking in an effort to stay open. Matilda giggled almost soundlessly at the sight. She carefully pulled back the cover and relaxed into the bed - feeling safe that Klaus and Violet were down stairs, protecting them in their vulnerable state and that the only possible threat could be the clumsy, jumpy Josephine that would surely be on her way back home now. Roti was placed on a nearby pillow, as the two girls quite swiftly fell into a slumber; the days events catching up quickly and soundly.

Below them staged a tale of foreshadowing torment as Klaus and Violet revealed photos of Josephine at her most fierce and formidable followed by the 'Incomplete History of Secret Organisation'. Their sneaking cut short by the entrance of Josephine and shortly after a limping sailor by the name of 'Captain Sham' - a poorly disguised Count Olaf. And, unfortunately, like any other adult the children had come to meet, Josephine was blind and deaf to the words of the children. Blind to the obviously malevolent mole before her. The elder Baudelaire's tried their best, but despite their pleas, Josephine left the house with the murderer. The mans returning presence triggered Klaus and Violet into action, spurring forward to form an escape - contemplating the window as the hench-people were stationed at the front of the house.

Hushed planning bounced up the stairs with the children, Klaus with the large book they had returned for and Violet a large rope net as well as some biscuits. Their proposed strategies halting into silence at the site of Matilda, Sunny and Roti sleeping peacefully still on the bed. A tense sigh fell from Violet.

"Should we wake her?" Klaus asked quietly.

"No," Violet said after a moment of contemplation. "They should get as much sleep as they can. Who knows what will happen next?" Violet's morose voice murmured into the still air. Silently, they got to work, moving around the two figures sleeping peacefully in the bed beside them - knowing that they'll wake to an unwelcome reality.

The night wore on, and the Baudelaire's continued to concoct potential exit strategies in quiet.

Glass shattering broke the quiet. Splintered it into hundreds of pieces. Matilda bolted awake in alarm.

"What was that?" Violet called.

"It sounded like a window shattering." Before Klaus had finished speaking, Matilda was already out of the bed and making her way down the stairs. Entering the living room, an imprint of a human left a gaping, gasping hole in the window. The chill breeze wafting through Matilda's hair, picking it up to suspend it in space as Matilda perspective slowed. Unthinkingly, she moved to the edge, glancing down. For a split second, an image flashed in her mind of time long unremembered, before giving way to reality, opening up to reveal the crashing ocean and jagged rocks below Josephine's house.