Guardians(47)
Then I look down at the third clue. That’s when I realize it’s not a clue at all. It’s more of an omission. Yes, there’s something about the third clue that is going to reveal the answer. I just need to focus in and drown out the steady laughter coming from Kairo.
“Why does it say ‘I’m not water’ is that because it is?” I ask out loud to no one. Emmy is now too weak to remain standing. She slinks down to the bottom of the glass. She is barely conscious.
“Emmy wake up! Emmy, please wake up!”
“You have ten seconds!” Kairo says, with utter glee.
Why does he take the time to point out that it’s not water? When is water not really water…? When it’s an image of water. An image that ‘hangs’…on the wall?
Got it! A painting “hangs” on the wall through it has no arms, it’s a painting of water, so it’s not wet, and what kind of water always runs?
“It’s a painting of a waterfall!”
Kairo points the Loop at the glass and Emmy is freed instantly. I quickly get down on the floor and check on her.
“Em, wake up,” I beg.
She opens her eyes, shocked that she is now able to breath. She coughs for several minutes. I hold her hand and help her breath normally.
“So touching. You have ten seconds before the next game,” he says.
“Marcus, I don’t know if I can do this,” she admits.
“You can. I know you can. He’s too far away now, but If I can figure a way to get him to come closer to the force field, I can use my power and reflect his fear back to him.”
“We’re not gonna die here, right?”
“No, baby. We’re not,” I promise her.
“Okay, folks, now time for round two!” he says, throwing a jagged, crude-looking stick on the floor towards her.
He tells her to put it in her mouth so that she doesn’t swallow her tongue. He doesn’t want her to choke on her own blood and that kind of death is too quick.
I don’t give a damn what the Council does to me. I’m going to end this guy…
“What’re you going to do to her now?” I ask.
“It’s simply shocking, I tell you,” he laughs and points the Loop at her.
The glass box appears. Although this time there is a keypad underneath the riddle.
“Are you suffocating her to death again?” I ask, studying Emmy inside the glass.
“And what, repeat my work? Please, have you ever heard of Mac reissuing products without some delicious new upgrade?” he brags.
“Just tell me what the hell you what me to do,” I snap.
“She gets shocked every two minutes she’s in the box. That is, until you key in the right five-letter word answer to the riddle, engraved above. Other humans have lasted ten rounds. But your human is significantly smaller and weaker. So, I would hurry.”
“Fine, anything else?” I ask, trying not to lose my temper, knowing it won’t help.
“You only get one chance with this one. If you key in the wrong answer, I’m gonna deep fry her like butter on a stick at the state fair.”
I look over at him, perplexed.
“Human activities amuse me,” he says.
“Just start,” I counter.
“As you wish.”
He points the Loop at the glass and the keypad lights up.
“It has the entire alphabet printed on it. Given the number of spaces on the screen, the answer is a five letter word. There’s a timer next to it. It counts down from 120 seconds,” I explain to Emmy.
“Read the riddle,” she says.
On the Way Home…
A mother is walking home with her 3 children
One is an Angel
One is a demon
One is human
She encounters a beast which blocks her path.
The beast demands two of her three children as a sacrifice.
Who makes it home?
? ? ? ? ?
As soon as I am done reading the riddle, I look over at the timer and we have only ten seconds before Emmy will be shocked. She reads the express on my face and tears flood into her eyes.
“Let me do it, Kairo. Let me be in the box!” Emmy shakes her head. Kairo just laughs and says he’s having too much fun to switch victims.
She looks as me with sheer terror as she puts the stick in her mouth. The timer is down to three seconds. We look at each other knowing nothing can stop what’s about to take place.
The timer hits zero.
The jolt of electricity rips through her body. She convulses uncontrollably from side to side. Her jaw clenches and drool drips down the side of her face. Enraged, I bang on the glass and curse Kairo. I vow to the heavens that I will kill him.
The electricity stops just as easily as it came on. The timer starts up again and gives us two minutes.