Chapter 1

Violet looked down at the paper in her hand and then looked up at Count Olaf. She didn't have a choice. She took the pen in her right hand and signed the paper, trying to look strong and not cry. As the pen moved across the paper Count Olaf looked at it greedily and, as soon as she was done, snatched the paper from her to make sure everything was going as planned.

The two white faced women pulled Violet off of the stage and held her down on a chair. Violet didn't really pay attention through the rest of the play, but as soon as the curtain went down it hit her-she was married to Count Olaf and he had the Baudelaire fortune. There was nothing she could do about that.

Olaf came backstage and grabbed Violet by the wrist and dragged her back to the stage to take a bow. As he came over she heard him say into the walkie-talkie "take her out and bring her to the theater NOW!" Suddenly Violet realized something...maybe she had to stay with Count Olaf, but why did Sunny and Klaus? With her free hand she put her hair up with a ribbon.

As Olaf was taking extravagant bows and making ridiculously long speeches, Violet saw Sunny and the Hook-Handed man arrive. Sunny's mouth was still taped over and Violet saw that, when he was dragged into her view, Klaus's mouth was taped over as well. Klaus looked at her in confusion because her hair ribbon was up.

After Olaf was finished with his speeches, he dragged Violet backstage and said "You do one thing wrong just ONE thing, and Klaus and Sunny will be..."

"Great job children!" said Mr. Poe happily. "You all did a wonderful job, although I had a little trouble finding Sunny in the crowd. Klaus, Sunny, why are your mouths taped over?"

"They were SO excited after the end of the play that they would have yelled, which would have ruined the...um...mood of the play." Olaf replied before Violet could say anything.

"Of course!" replied Mr. Poe. "With such great writing and unbelievable acting you wouldn't want to ruin the mood."

"We really have to go celebrate our performance" Count Olaf said speedily. "We don't want to keep the rest of the crew waiting!"

"I wouldn't want to bother the rest of the crew! Well then, goodbye children!" Mr. Poe said.

"Goodbye Mr. Poe" Violet said with a pleading look in her eyes as she removed her hair ribbon.

Mr. Poe walked out of the theater and Violet saw that he was never going to be of any help.

Olaf immediately turned back to Violet and growled out "As I was saying, one wrong move and your two siblings over there are toast. Got it?" Violet nodded. "Good. Now to get back to the house."

Olaf grabbed Violet and roughly dragged her to his long black car and pushed her in. The man with hooks for hands grabbed Sunny and Klaus and began to drag them to the car. They put up quite a fight and it took a while to get to the car. He pushed them into the car and closed the door, which made a sound as it automatically locked.

Olaf talked with his associates for a little while and then they drove off in a different car. Olaf stepped into the car with the Baudelaires and smiled at them. They were silent.

"It won't be so bad living with me. As long as you, Sunny and Klaus, do everything I say, I won't hurt you. Much. And Violet, if you do what I say you will be treated like a queen." Olaf turned to the road and slowly made his way through the crowds.

Once Olaf seemed concentrated on the road, Violet turned to her siblings and whispered "No matter what happens, just run as far away from here as possible, OK?"

Her siblings nodded and Violet untaped their mouths. She reached over Sunny and Klaus to the door where they noticed her hair ribbon sticking out.

"What's tha—" Klaus started to say

"quiet!" Violet whispered urgently.

She slowly pulled on the door handle and Klaus and Sunny saw that she had prevented the door from locking by sticking her hair ribbon in the way while there was all the confusion about getting the children into the car.

Once the door was open she yelled "NOW!" causing Count Olaf to turn around. He saw the three orphans trying to climb out of the car.

"NNOOOOO!" he screamed. He lunged over the seat and was able to stop Violet from leaving even though her siblings escaped.

Before Olaf shut the door Violet saw her sibling standing in the crowd staring at her, waiting for her. "RUN!" she yelled to them. "Leave me here! GO!"

With one last look back at her they ran, and kept running for a very long time.

"YOU LITTLE—" Olaf yelled. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!!!!!!" He punched her across the face. Olaf left her in the backseat, bleeding, and drove to his house.