The first time I saw the Baudelaire children, was the day their house burned down. Well, I'm not exactly the most observant person, so noticing them before that point was very unlikely for me. But this isn't about me, so let's get back to the Baudelaire's story. When I went on my morning walk that day, I began to smell a very different scent than what usually filled the air.

Smoke.

I began to have a coughing fit as I pushed past people on my way to the source of the thick cloud of smoke that now filled the entire area.

Some people ran, shouting for others to join them, others stood in disbelief, watching the building go down in flames. Me? I simply stood where I was, covering my eyes, mouth, and nose with a rag, waiting for the unrealistic amounts of smoke to clear.

When that horrid cloud began to thin, I opened my eyes, to see the silhouettes of the three youngsters standing up ahead. Soon, two adults appeared behind them. They'd all made it out alive, but now I know that it was with a price.

A price I'm all too familiar with.

~_*_~

~Violet~

Have you ever had a really lovely dream, with all things that you desired in the palm of your hand, and all of your enemies obeying you like humble servants? And right when you think the dream couldn't get any better, it doesn't. Everything crumbles apart like a thin, over-baked cookie. And before you know what's happening, your perfect dream turns into your worst nightmare. A nightmare that seems too real, and is just too frightening. Obviously you won't be able to wake up, that's not how it works. And pinching yourself only makes it worse, and the fear of never waking up more real. My life is eerily similar to this, in more ways than I care to admit. It all started on that dreadful day I lost everything except my loving family.

Like most days, I was sitting in a comfortable work space in my home. My hair was tied up with my ribbon, and I was working on a new invention. Klaus had wanted to go down to the beach, and I'm sure Sunny did too, but I just had to get this done. They both sat on the other side of the room. Klaus was rereading one of the many books from our library, too engrossed in whatever story it was to notice that Sunny was currently chomping on one of the other books he had laid out to read later.

My siblings and I have extraordinary talents that we use constantly. I'm good at inventing and building things, as long as I have my hair tied up with my ribbon, it helps me think. Klaus can remember every book that he's ever read, which makes him extremely smart. And Sunny, has unusually sharp teeth, that she likes using to bite things. She often occupies herself by chewing on something hard, like wood.

As I tightened a screw, I became aware of the intense and growing heat in the room. I could tell Klaus and Sunny noticed too, for they had stopped what they were doing to look at me.

As the walls around us started to bubble, I stood up, walked to the door, and laid my palm on it. Muttering an 'ow' as the heat burned me, I turned to Klaus, who shouted,

"Fire!"

I rushed over to them, looking at Klaus.

"We're trapped! How are we going to get out?"

He frantically looked around. "We can't go through the door, it's too dangerous." He looked to the window. "We could jump, but we're too high off the ground."

"I'm on it." I replied, tightening the ribbon in my hair.

I searched for something to use as a parachute. The curtains.

"Klaus," I said, "Go find some string and a needle. It's in the small cabinet up against the wall. Sunny, help me pull these curtains down."

"Ifft!" She replied, which translated into, "Got it!"

Sunny, still being a baby, hasn't learned how to pronounce words yet. Instead, she uses her own language, that both Klaus and I understand well.

As I tugged on the curtain, Sunny chomped on it with her teeth, and gave it a forceful yank.

After a few tries, it came tumbling down, and Klaus ran over with the string and a needle. I sewed the ends of the curtain so it looked like a parachute, then added strings to hold on to.

I tightened my grip on the string as I picked up Sunny. Klaus also grabbed the string with both hands.

"I don't know how much of our weight this will hold, but it will at least slow the fall." I stated. Before jumping out the window, I added, "Sunny, hold on tight." Then I gripped the string with both hands, and leaped off the ground.

The curtain did slow our fall, but not by much. We landed with a thud, all three of us falling into a heap. I was the first to stand, picking Sunny up as well.

"We should go try to find help." I said, walking towards the front of the house where smoke contaminated the air like a blanket of death was laid on the town.

Two figures stumbled through the smoke, coming from the house.

"Mom? Dad?" Klaus called, rushing up to them.

"Klaus!" They shouted back. "Violet! Sunny! You're okay!"

They pulled us into their embrace, all of us in the most joyous of hugs ever known.

Once we pulled away, the question that was burning in my mind found its way past my lips.

"How did the fire start?" I asked.

My parents shared a look, then turned to all three of us. "Kids, there are things we haven't told you, things that you're not ready to hear yet." My mother spoke. "But know this, there is a very treacherous man, Count Olaf, who wants our fortune. And as you can see," She said while looking at our charred home. "He'll do anything to get it. He wants us to be afraid, but don't worry, your father and I will do everything in our power to keep you safe."

I looked into her eyes, and saw what she was hiding. She knew that we'd probably never be safe, and that neither her or my father could change that. But I also saw something else, she wanted us to believe that we'd be okay, because it would give her hope that it could be true. So I did what she needed me to do. I hugged her, and told her that I believed her.

But I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. Because even in that moment, we were being watched. And it would always be like that.

~_*_~

"We could change things, you know that." Klaus suddenly said.

We'd rented a two bedroom hotel room to stay in. Klaus, Sunny, and I were in one room, while our parents were in the other.

It was a small room, with a window and a single bed. The walls were sloppily painted a beige color, with many odd stains on it.

"What are you talking about, Klaus." I responded.

He turned to face me from his spot at the window. "Mom said that he wanted us to be afraid. But I'm saying, we could turn the tables, and make him afraid."

"How?" I asked.

He slowly pulled out a dagger from behind his back. "We strike back."

"Put that thing down!" I shouted at him.

"No, just listen!" He yelled back. "If we scare him, he'll leave us alone, and our family alone. I want to be safe, Violet. I'm not going to hide from this man, I want him gone."

I looked at Sunny, who shrugged, and then back at Klaus.

"Please, for mom and dad." He pleaded.

Before I could answer, Sunny shouted, "Arrgeth!" Which means, "I'm in!"

I thought for a moment, then added also, "Then so am I."

Eventually, I found a samurai sword, and Sunny uses her teeth as a weapon. We prowl the streets at night, committing crimes, which secretly protects our family.

But no one will ever know.

Klaus was right, it keeps Count Olaf away, but we don't dare stop, in fear he will just show up again.

Sometimes, I'm afraid of myself, and who I've become. Others fear us too, but I still have my siblings, and that's enough.

And if you ever want to see a picture of us, just check out the nearest wanted sign. It's usually us.

You better be afraid, Count Olaf. Because we don't fear you, and we never will.

THE END.