Sweet and Beautiful, just like Chocolate

Chapter Two

Willy's POV

I gasped as I raised my head out of the laundry basket. A man looked over at me, "Ah! You must be Mr. Wonka." I was confused, "Who are you?" The man stood up, "Abacus Crunch, chartered accountant. At least, I was. Now, uh..." A woman came over, "He runs the place. And you best do as he says, or you'll answer to me. Piper Benz. Plumber by trade." She helped me out of the basket and Mr. Crunch gestured to another young woman, "This is Miss Lottie Bell." Miss Bell waved sheepishly and whispered, "Hi." 

Miss Benz looked at me, "She don't talk much." Another man came in, "And I'm Larry Chucklesworth! Comedian." I looked around, "They got all of you, too, did they?" Mr. Crunch nodded, "I'm afraid so. We each of us found ourselves in need of a cheap place to stay, and neglected to read the small print." Miss Benz sighed, "One moment of stupidity, followed by endless regret." Mr. Chucklesworth laughed, "Sounds like my third marriage." No one laughed and I looked concerned causing him to sigh, "I'm sorry, I do that a lot." Mr. Crunch looked down, "He does." Miss Benz nodded, "A lot." 

Mr. Chucklesworth sighed, "I'm only been married once, and it didn't work out." I looked around, "There's gotta be someway outta here." Miss Benz looked at me, "You don't think we've tried? You don't think that we regret not taking Miss Mallard up on her offer for her to pay our debt to these awful people? There are bars on the window and there's a dog on the door." 

Mr. Crunch nodded, "And even if you could get out, that contract is watertight." Miss Benz continued, "If you're not here at roll call, Mrs. Scrubitt will call the police, they'll bring you right back, and she'll charge you a thousand for the inconvenience." A dog barked behind me and I turned around, yelping. Mr. Crunch ushered us, "All right everyone, back to work. Come along, Mr. Wonka." I followed him and he pointed at me, "You come with me. You're in here. On suds." 

I followed him and looked around, "Woah." He started to show me what to do, everyone singing along, "First, you pick up the apparel and you stick it in a barrel. Scrub, scrub. Then you take it to the mangle and you turn a giant handle. Scrub, scrub. Then it's hung up really high until it's nearly dry. Scrub, Scrub. But when we sing this song, the day don't seem so long. Scrub, scrub. Gotta press out all the creases from the dresses and chemises. Rub, rub. Gotta fold 'em like they told us or they'll scold us and withhold our grub, grub."  A whistle sounded and we all stopped what we were doing, lining up upstairs, "We all sighed the dotted line, so we gotta do our time. Scrub, Scrub." 

Mrs. Scrubitt grinned, "And if you don't agree.." Bleacher added, going back and forth, "See clause five." "Section seven A." "Paragraph twenty-two." "Part D." "Which says..." "Scrub, scrub." We all walked to our rooms and I sighed, looking out the window. Someone knocked on the door and I heard Noodle, "Room service. Told you to read the small print." I smiled slightly, "Slight problem with that." Noodle sighed, "You can't read, can you?" I nodded, "I focused my studies almost exclusively on chocolate." Noodle hummed, "I see." I turned to face her, "For everything else, I've relied on the kindness of strangers." 

Noodle scoffed, "And look where that got you. The staff quarters. You've got a bed." I sat on it and yelled as it fell apart and Noodle looked upset, "You had a bed. Desk, and a wash basin/toilet. The water comes in two temperatures. Cold...and colder. Didn't Miss Liliana offer you a place to stay?" I sighed and laid my head against the wall, "She did. I couldn't take advantage of her kindness."

Noodle smiled widely, "You like her." I looked appalled, "No, I don't!" Noodle grinned smugly, "Yes, you do. I've never seen Miss Liliana take interest in any man here. Just like all of us, she offered us a place, and just like all of us, you refused. How much do you owe them?" I sighed, "Ten thousand." Noodle made a face, "Count yourself lucky. I owe thirty." I frowned, "What? How do you owe them money? I thought they found you down a laundry chute." Noodle nodded, "Oh, they did. Took me in out of the goodness of their hearts and charged me for the privilege." 

We both became silent as we heard the front door slam open and Miss Liliana's voice came yelled in. Mr. Crunch walked by, "Miss Liliana has come to collect her payment. I wonder what it was exactly?" Noodle sighed, "Miss Ana has been trying to get me away from them since I can remember. I think you two would make a good pair." I smiled softly, "You think so?" We flinched as a smack sounded and it was slient. I feared the worst until someone came stomping upstairs to our quarters, "Scrubitt, open this door now!" Miss Lili came yelling in and Miss Benz gasped, "Miss Mallard." Scrubitt yelled back, "I'll do no such thing!" 

Lili growled, "You owe me one million sovereigns! You either pay it to me or release everyone you have here now! Including Noodle! I'm not a patient woman." Scrubitt scoffed, "I may owe you one million, but you can't just-" Lili yelled, "I can do whatever I please when it comes to you, woman. I own you! Now open this door!" Bleacher growled, "We will pay you when we can, now leave!" A slam sounded and it got quiet again.