Last time ...
Lily walked with Charlie down through the rabbit-warren-like corridors and hallways towards the Great Glass Elevator, still yawning from time to time.
The Elevator journey was spent in silence, as they both admired the view from the glass floor and walls ... when they weren't picking themselves up from the floor.
Dishevelled and slightly disorientated, they eventually arrived in the Chocolate Room and walked leisurely towards the Bucket household.
"Lily! How lovely to see you! How are you feeling now?"
"Better, thank you, Mrs Bucket."
"Do come in, and make yourself at home dear. Charlie, remember to take your homework in on time today!"
"Yes Mum ... bye Lily!"
Charlie grabbed his school bag and hurried out of the door, not looking back.
"Lily? Pancakes or toast?"
"Oh ... toast please."
...
When Lily had eaten her full, she decided to walk around the factory and peek at what was happening throughout the magical building.
For time to time, a passing Oompa Loompa would point the way towards a particularly intriguing Room, but mostly, Lily was left alone. After all, the Oompa Loompas were paid to work, not show around visitors.
Among the many various Rooms that Lily saw, were the Coconut Ice Rink (she didn't dare go in), the Mongolian Pink Sheep, the Jelly Bean Island, "Sugar Cubes that Look Round", the Nut Room, the Fudge Rooms (including the "Strawberry-Flavoured, Chocolate Coated" variety) and finally the Liquorice Whip room.
She finally emerged back into the Chocolate Room with very sticky fingers to see Willy Wonka leaning on his cane, waiting for something. She felt his eyes settle on her long before she came within speaking distance.
"Well?"
"Well what, Mr Wonka?"
"Did you like it?"
"Did I like what?"
"Your unguided tour of my factory."
Lily tried to stop herself from wincing at his cutting tone.
How did he know?
Probably because an Oompa Loompa told him.
"Um ... it was... extraordinary."
"Really? You think so?"
Willy's chipper tone seemed colder than normal.
"I-is something wrong?"
"I don't remember giving you permission to go snooping around my factory. You could have stolen recipes, and I can't have that."
"Mr Wonka, what would I do with your recipes? Since you won't even let me out of here, there isn't anyone I could even give them to who'd be interested, besides Charlie!"
"That's not the point! You went around without permission!"
He tapped Lily's nose sharply, his violet eyes piercing hers with an intensity that she couldn't match.
"I ... I'm sorry I didn't ask permission, Mr Wonka."
"Huh! I guess you didn't know that I was watching you. I hadn't realised you liked liquorice that much."
"I don't mind it ... but fresh liquorice is ..."
"I know. I made it! Isn't it great?"
"Yes, but -"
"What did you think of the island?"
"There ... there were a lot of beans -"
"All grown from the beanstalk. It should be about 500 metres high by now!"
"Really? Mr Wonka, I -"
"The Fudge Rooms are something else, aren't they! You know, I almost had a boy get made into fudge in one of them-"
"Willy!"
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry I went without permission, and -"
"You already said that."
"You didn't seem to be listening."
"I was."
"Oh."
"I'd always listen to you. Hey, would you mind testing these?"
From under his coat, he produced a plate of succulent chocolate bites.
"Uh ... Willy, I'm really not sure that -"
"There's no coconut! I made sure of that!"
"But still, I'd prefer -"
Willy ignored her protestations as he took one and popped it into her open mouth as she spoke. His dazzling grin took full effect on his lips as he watched Lily chew and swallow the little portion of chocolate heaven.
"Well?"
"I-it's ... it's ... amazing!"
"I thought so! At least, that's what I thought when I tested it."
"You tested it? Then why did you ask me to?"
"I wanted a second opinion. Besides, Charlie's at s-s-school."
"That makes sense, but why not the Oompa Loompas?"
"They don't have the ... they're getting more and more wary of them. I don't know why."
Willy replied, a trace of sadness in his voice as he looked in Lily's eyes. She blinked and looked away, somehow unable to keep the gaze locked.
"Hey ..."
Willy murmured, his grin gone from his face as Lily looked back at him again.
"What?"
"Uh ... how's the story going?"
"It's going OK ..."
"You gonna finish it?"
"I don't really know. Eventually, yes, but -"
"Excellent!"
Willy turned on his heel and started to walk away.
Lily blinked.
How does he always manage to confuse me?
"Lily!"
Willy called out, looking behind him. Lily frowned slightly - he hated her frowns - but walked towards him.
"What?"
"I ..."
He turned to stand right in front of her and for once, he was lost for words as he looked at her.
"What, Mr Wonka?"
"Willy."
He couldn't help the correction.
"Willy."
Lily repeated, growing more and more confused by the moment. Willy just kept looking at her. Being looked at by intense violet eyes is not the most comforting thing in the world, especially when those eyes belong to a world-famous chocolatier.
Willy couldn't help looking at her - especially when her hands and lips were traced with candy.
His candy.
My candy.
He couldn't help himself as he leaned down slightly and let his lips touch hers.
Just like melted chocolate ... smooth and sweet ... He thought, and closed his eyes, thoroughly enjoying the new sensation.
Lily couldn't believe it.
He's kissing me ... again ...
But she didn't complain.
... And on with the story ...
Willy couldn't believe how addicting it was to kiss her. He could still taste a trace of chocolate on Lily's lips, and it drove him on, intoxicating him more and more.
Lily's eyes fluttered closed as the kiss went on, allowing herself to get lost in the moment. He soon broke the kiss, a wide smile on his face that lit up his whole being.
"Wow! Let's do that again!"
He cried, leaning in once more towards Lily.
Yes, her lips still tasted of candy, and it only encouraged him - enough to allow him to trace her jaw with a gloved finger.
Lily soon drew away. She needed to breathe, but there was something else ... in all honesty, she was scared.
Willy looked confused. I was enjoying that ... didn't she?
"Are you alright?"
"Y-yes ... I just needed to breathe."
"Are you breathing now?"
"Yes, but - no Willy!"
Her insistence stopped him in his tracks.
"To be honest, I'm a little frightened, Willy. I-I ... I just need some time, OK?"
Lily smiled at him and turned, walking off back through the Chocolate Room.
Willy watched her go ruefully.
She was ...scared? I'll never understand her properly at this rate!
He stood up straighter, shrugged his shoulders and strode off to the Inventing Room.
His overactive mind wouldn't let it go ... and it would cost him dearly.
...
...
Lily spent the rest of the day in her room, writing. She had been inspired by her walk through the factory and she wrote down all of her characters wishes, desires, hopes and dreams. She didn't look at the clock once during the day, and when she put down her pen and stretched with a yawn, she was surprised at the time that the clock showed.
8pm ... have really been writing that for long?
She sighed and yawned again, wondering if she should go to the Buckets for dinner.
Knock knock.
A sharp rap on the door startled her. She got up, stretched again, and walked over to it, opening it slowly.
"Willy! Is something wrong?"
"Why were you scared?"
Something in his demeanor made Lily think twice before answering. His smile was not as wide as it normally was, and his violet eyes were more like chips of ice.
"I ... I don't know. I mean, wouldn't you be scared if you were me?"
"No."
"Well ... it's hard for me not to be a little nervous around you."
Lily tried to explain herself. Willy's heart skipped a beat when he heard this, but his overactive imagination wouldn't let him forget what it had come up with.
"Why should I believe you? You're probably working for someone, like a spy!"
"A spy? Why would I be a spy?"
"You'd be a spy, working for Fickelgruber or Slugworth, sent to se-se-sedu-sedu- uh, be nice to me, and then you'd strike!"
"Willy, that is absurd! I have never met any Chocolatier apart from you, and I am not a person who would spy!"
"How would I know? I'm not a fe-fe-fem-fema- uh, a girl!"
"What, you think that just because I'm female, that I would go as low as to try to steal from you?!"
"I can never be too careful."
"Careful?! Willy Wonka, you are being ridiculous!"
"You think I'm ridiculous?"
"Well, at the moment, yes!"
"Fickelgruber would try anything to get his hands on my recipies! So would Slugworth!"
"Willy, I promise you, I am not a spy!"
"Promises mean nothing. I had to shut my factory because of false promises made by my workers."
Lily sighed. She knew what had happened all those years ago, but she couldn't believe that he was still bitter about it ... well, maybe she could.
"There's nothing for it ... yeah ... yeah ... alright then, Miss Lily! I am personally banning you from going near my candy without my express permission and surveillance ... and maybe Charlie's ... no, just mine!"
"What?! Willy, that's the most absurd thing I've ever heard!"
"Why's that?"
"Willy, you've locked me in a Chocolate factory! Your Chocolate factory!"
Willy blinked.
"Fine ... then I have no choice ... so that you can't do any more damage ... yes."
He suddenly grabbed her wrist in a vice-like grip, pulled her out of the room and down the corridor towards the Great Glass Elevator.
"Willy, what are you doing?!"
Willy didn't answer, but pressed the button for Elevator and produced a long piece of material from his coat pocket. He didn't waste any time in tying it around her head, over her eyes; he was blindfolding her.
He drew the knot tightly, but he made sure that it didn't trap any of her hair. The Elevator came with a quiet ding, and Willy led her inside, pressing a button as he did so.
"Willy, where are you taking me?"
"It's a surprise!"
"I'm not so sure about your surprises, Willy."
"You'll see!"
His tone sounded falsely chipper to Lily's ears, but since she couldn't see, she had no idea what was happening.
The Elevator seemed to be gaining speed, and going up ... up ... up ...
...
...
...
Crash.
Lily flinched on instinct and her stomach did a double flip as the Elevator descended and landed gently with a scrunch on the ground. The doors opened and Willy led her out, undoing the blindfold as he did so.
Lily blinked as she took in the sight.
She was outside the factory gates, on a strangely quiet street in the other end of town.
"Willy, what's going on?"
"It's very simple! Since I can't trust you in my factory, you'll have to stay outside it."
"Outside the factory ... Willy, you told me that I didn't belong out here."
"Maybe I was w-w-wrong."
Lily swallowed, her eyes full of suppressed sadness.
"You would do this, just because of something your imagination cooked up about me?"
Willy looked her in the eyes, and almost broke his resolve .... almost.
Willy Wonka's resolve was very hard to break.
"Heh ... well ... bye then."
He turned back into the Elevator and pressed a button.
Lily watched him as he soared into the sky and out of sight, back towards the factory.
Wonderful ... and I thought my life was going so well ...
... Go on ...
A cold wind started to blow, which reminded Lily that she needed to find some warmer clothes and some shelter.
Her stomach rumbled.
Maybe some food as well.
I can't stay here. Where can I go though? I doubt Tanya and Danny would ... but I suppose I have no choice.
On and on she walked, until she eventually reached the street where the cafe was.
I wonder if they'll let me work there again ...
She thought dully as she turned left and walked the still-familiar path towards her old apartment.
She stopped, looking up at the dark, grey-bricked building.
"Here goes nothing."
She murmured to herself, and she climbed the steps and knocked three times on the door.
...
...
...
Was anyone there? Lily closed her eyes and listened ... wait, were those footsteps?
The door opened and a burly-looking bald man starred down at her.
"Um ... hello? I was wondering if Tanya was still here?"
"Tanya? Tanya who?"
The guy had a surprisingly high voice, and he wrinkled his nose as he looked Lily over.
"Well then ... do you know where she might be?"
"No idea, love. I suggest you put some different clothes on though. It's gonna be frost tonight."
The man nodded towards the steel-grey sky and shut the door.
"Well ... thank you anyway."
Lily muttered sadly, before turning and walking slowly towards the park.
What do I do now? I can't find Tanya, I've been thrown out of a Chocolate factory by a crazed Chocolatier who is kissing me one moment and accusing me the next, and there is nowhere in Liston that I can go to for shelter. Looks like my life is back to sodding normal.
Lily thought dully, her footsteps echoing on the slushy ground as she walked.
Splat ... splat ...
Splat ... splat ...
Splish, splat, splish ... splat.
There was someone behind her. She turned to see a skinny guy with a bit of pipe bring it down on her head ...
She felt nothing ... nothing as she fell to the wet ground, her attacker poised in case she tried anything.
She knew nothing more.
... Rest in results ...
Willy strode through the factory, making a list of everything that needed replacing and making for the next few days.
Glass, three cables, muffins, chocolate buttons, cacao powder and beans, steel ...
"Mr Wonka!"
"Huh? Oh, hey Charlie!"
"You haven't seen Lily around have you?"
"Nope, not around here!"
Willy turned and strode off deeper into the factory. Charlie watched him.
That's odd ... usually he knows exactly what's happening everywhere.
Willy spent a the night going in and out of a troubled sleep. For some reason, he just couldn't concentrate, and the Sugar Fairy wasn't going to visit his dreams if he couldn't sleep!
What's wrong with me? Usually after a cup of hot chocolate the Oompa Loompas have to carry me up to bed ...
A small and insistent knock on his door punctured his thoughts.
"What is it?"
An Oompa Loompa came in with a worried look on his swarthy face. It made several frenzied signs over and over again.
"What? That's never happened before!"
Willy threw the covers off him and grabbed his favourite dressing gown - deep plum with a quilted inside decorated with pictures of gobstoppers and candy canes.
...
The Oompa Loompa led him down through the factory, towards the room where the Dragons were kept. He didn't say anything, but he had a small, niggling feeling that it was about Lily.
Why? Why is this happening now?
He could hear the roars now, and the Oompa Loompa refused to go any further. He sighed and went on, unlocking the door quickly, sliding inside the vast room.
William Wonka!
"What's all the hubbub Miranon? Why in the Sugar Fairy's name are you acting all ... weird?"
What have you done, Chocolatier?
"I haven't done anything!"
You sent her away, when she did nothing against you.
"I thought she was a spy!"
At least ... I think I thought so ...
...
...
...
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