Chapter 3: Willy Wonka

                                    

                                          
Chapter 3: Willy Wonka
                          
word count: 1482
                          
 Your eyes flicker open, your internal clock alerting you of a new day and you smile to yourself, pure giddiness coursing through you. You push yourself up and glance at the clock by your side.
                          
8:06  it reads. If you didn't want to be late (anad you absolutely did not), you and Charlie would have to start getting ready soon. You hop out of bed, bare feet padding on the wooden floors as you make your way towards your brother. You reach your arm out and gently shake his shoulder.
                          
"Charlie..." you whisper, "c'mon, it's time to get up. Don't want to be late, now do we?"
                          
The boy's eyes flutter open, taking the blurry view of his sister above him. It takes a moment for his brain to start fully functioning. When everything sets in, he beams and sits up. Quite literally leaping out of bed, the boy yanks open his drawers and starts to pick out his clothes for the day. You chuckle at his antics and make your way downstairs where you find your parents and grandparents already awake.
                          
"G'morning, mum," you greet and kiss your mother on her cheek. You go over and hug your father, who is sitting at the table with a cup of steaming coffee. "Morning, dad". The two smile at their daughter responding with their own good mornings.
                          
You greet your grandparents, not forgetting about them as you pad your way into the kitchenette. You open the rickety old cupboard to find the bag of bread from the local bakery and pop them into the rusty and quite honestly pathetic toaster. You then turn and prepare two glasses of milk - one for you and one for Charlie - and place them on the dinner table. The toast pops and you swiftly butters them, placing them next to the glasses of milk.
                          
"Charlie!" you call in an overly posh accent, "breakfast is served!"
                          
"Coming!" Charlie replies, a smile evident in his voice. The boy is already dressed in his sweater and pants. You quickly scarf down half her toast and take a few swigs of the milk. You brushpast your brother who makes his way to the table, ruffling his hair on your way. He giggles. You rush upstairs to change into your own clothes: a long, pale red skirt with a floral pattern, a simple white blouse tied at the waist, and a short, green jacket rolled at the sleeves. You take a moment to admire yourself in your outfit, feeling confidence bloom within your chest. You nod, satisfied and make your way back down to your family. 
                          
It was now 30 minutes until 10am and Charlie, you, plus the two parents (who would be seeing them off) grabbed their coats and made their way towards the factory. Charlie and you were holding hands, swinging your arms back and forth. You admired the warmth of the sun on your face, a stark contrast to the chill that surrounded you.
                          
"What do you think Mr Wonka will be like?" asked Charlie. You hummed.
                          
"I don't know, Charlie. I'd imagine he'd be at least a little nervous opening up his factory after so many years secluded away." Charlie nods in response.
                          
"I can't wait to see inside! This is going to be great!" he says. Their parents smile at their children in front of them.
                          
-
                          
9:52 am
                          
It was 8 minutes until the gates would open and the Bucket siblings would see inside the factory. You both look over your shoulders at their mum and dad, past the guards and the massive crowd, who smile and blow kisses to you both. You turn back towards the factory with big grins. You take this time to look at the others.
                          
You and Charlie stand at the very right end of the line, Mr Salt and Veruca to you left, then Mrs Gloop and Augustus, Mrs Beauregarde and Violet standing next to them with Mr. Teavee and Mike standing at the very end. You survey the line once more and make eye contact with Mrs. Gloop, whom you give a friendly smile and receive one in return. You then meet eyes with Mrs Beauregarde and are shocked at the venom behind her stare. The woman was glowering at you  but you respond with a smile that is anything but sincere. 
                          
"Daddy, I want to go in!" comes Veruca's voice. Her father looks at his watch.
                          
"It's 9:59, dear." he says apprehensively. She stomps her foot.
                          
"Make time go faster!" Wowza. 
                          
"Eyes on the prize, Violet, eyes on the prize..." Mrs Beauregarde voices, and gives one last glare at you who isn't paying her any mind. This seems to make her more upset than anything.
                          
10:00 am
                          
Suddenly, a loud and booming voice echoes from the speakers:
                          
"Please. Enter!"
                          
The gates creak open and the group make their way past the gates. Everyone but you and Charlie rushing past and pushing each other. The voice booms once more:
                          
"Come. Forward!" 
                          
And the group listens, and make their way to the edge of the steps, the grey factory looming over them while the same voice blares again:
                          
"Close. The Gates!" and the gates slowly shut with a loud clang. The voice comes once more:
                          
"Dear visitors, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to my humble factory. Who am I? Well..."
                          
The doors open, a curtain standing behind them. The curtain moves as music starts playing to reveal multiple puppets. They start to sing. The song blares, the puppets singing about Willy Wonka. You can't help but smile and chuckle a bit at the pure outlandishness of the whole thing. You glance down at Charlie and it seems he's more confused than anything. You're startled as the song ends, large sparklers going off as a throne rises from the ground in between the scenery.
                          
Horrifically, the puppets start to melt, creating for a rather gruesome and horrid scene. What the fuck. The puppets continue to sing, but their voices become deep and distorted. You slightly jump, startled once again, by the sound of someone clapping beside you and manically giggling. You and the rest of the group turn your heads to see a man, dressed in a purple outerwear coat.... Large sunglasses... a top hat. And a cane.
                          
Oh my god.
                          
"Wasn't that magnificent? I was getting a little worried it was sort of dodgy in the middle part, but then, that finale! Wow!" The man scrambles up the steps, standing before the group.
                          
Your eyes are wide. The man, the clothes, that voice.  The chocolate bar! It all makes sense! 


                          
"Who are you?" Violet's snarky question breaks you out of your mangled thoughts.

                          
"He's Willy Wonka..." you state. Willy turns to look at you, smile still on his face and still breathing heavily after running up the steps. He swallows, giving a soft but barely audible giggle, and continues to smile. Willy knows what you're thinking, he can see it clear as day on your face. He breaks the gaze and turns to the small crowd before him.
                          
"Good morning, starshine! The Earth says 'hello'!" He's still smiling. The group just stares up at him, absolutely baffled at what is happening. His smile drops, aware of the weird situation and pulls out some cue cards from the inside of his coat and reads off of them.
                          
"Dear guests, greetings! Welcome to the factory! I shake you warmly by the hand." He pauses and extends his hand out, but slowly retracts it when no one takes it, "My name is Willy Wonka." he ends with a small giggle.
                          
"Then shouldn't you be up there?" Veruca asks, pointing at the large throne between the smoking robots. Willy seems to be disgruntled by this.
                          
"Well, I couldn't very well watch the show from up there, now could I, little girl?" he bites back. You smirk to yourself at his bickering with a literal 9 year old girl. Willy puts the cards away as Charlie speaks up.
                          
"Mr Wonka, I don't know if you will remember but my grandfather used to work for you! His name was Joe-" He's cut off.
                          
"Was he one of those despicable spies who every day tried to steal my life's work and sell it to those parasitic copycat candy making cads?" He aggressively responds. You frown at this, raising your eyebrows at the man. You did not like his attitude towards your brother. Willy seems to notice your change in expression.
                          
"N-no, sir." Charlie sheepishly responds, which does nothing to make you feel any better.
                          
"Wonderful, then!" Willy's tone has changed drastically, "I send him my regards." You smile briefly at him, knowing he was trying to make up for his snappiness.
                          
"Let's get a move on, kids!"
                          
With those words, the crew followed behind Willy into the factory.