The Twenty Five Percent Rayanna

Waterlogged

            Wading out, waist deep, into the slow-moving water; I do my best to scrub the thick mud off my skin and clothing. After a fair amount of scrubbing, I stand in the water a moment, enjoying its coolness. I've been so busy trying to figure out clues, that I hadn't realized how hot I was. I splash water onto my face and then duck my head under, to wet my hair as well. "This is nice. Peaceful." I say.

               "What is? Just standing around doing nothing?" Kat asks from the riverbank.

               "Yes."

                "I thought you were miss, 'we need to hurry up and solve the clues'."

               "I was, but then I almost got sucked down into a muddy grave, and now... Now, a moment of peace where I'm not in any danger, it's kind of nice."

                  "I hate to rush your 'moment of peace', but we only have a few hours left of daylight. And tomorrow is the last day of the contest. I highly suggest we at least try to figure out the last clue before we camp for the night."

                   "All right. I'm coming." I say, slowly walking back towards the shore. I see a school of small orange fish dart out of the way as I get closer. This place wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for that crazy creature, on the loose. I climb out onto the shore and wring out my hair and clothes. A cool breeze blows across my skin, causing me to shiver and wrap my arms around myself. "Pull out the paper and let us see what it says," I say, stopping beside her.

                Kat pulls the paper out of her pocket and reads it out loud. "Check your reflection but not in a mirror. I'm something shiny and silver. One quick tug is all it takes, but don't worry, it won't hurt me."

               "So, reflection not in a mirror? Glass of some sort, maybe?"

                     "No. I don't think so. While glass reflects and can be shiny, it isn't silver." Kat says.

                     "Good point. So maybe a really shiny piece of metal? A really shiny piece would show a reflection, sort of. It would also be silver in color."

                 "Okay but the last part says, 'One quick tug is all it takes, but don't worry, it won't hurt me.' Metal isn't alive. Whatever it is, it has to be alive."

                 "But what's shiny, shows your reflection, silver, and alive? I don't know about you, but I've never heard of anything like that. Is there some strange alien creature that I don't know about on some distant planet that fits that category?" I ask.

                 "Why are you asking me?"

                   "Because, for one, we are the only two out here, as far as I know. And for two, between you and me, you are the world traveler. You have been to more different planets and seen a lot more different creatures than I can even imagine."

               "Good point." Kat says, laughing.

               "So, any ideas?"

               "I have been so many places and seen so many things, I can't possibly remember all of them. Rayanna, how can I put this in terms you will understand? Have you memorized every plant, every animal, and every insect that exists on Earth?"

                "No, of course not. That would be impossible. No one knows exactly how many survived the nuclear apocalypse."

                 "That's how I feel. That it's impossible."

                   "Oh, sorry." I say disappointed. "You just seem to know everything. I guess I just assumed you really did."

                  "I do know a lot, but not everything."

                      I'm silent a moment trying to figure out what the clue could be meaning. But my thoughts drift to my home, and to the small pond I discovered in the middle of the woods. It was such a beautiful pond, so full of life. A great place to check my reflection too, make sure there was no sign of the make out sessions with Jezmul. He was so handsome, and an excellent kisser too. "Wait a minute!" I shout, startling Kat.

                "What!? Don't shout."

              "I know what the clue means. Or most of it anyways."

               "Well? What does it mean?"

                "What if it's not referring to the same thing? What if the clue means two different things?"

                  "Such as?"

                "What if the first part means something like a pond or a lake? You would be able to see your reflection, it would be shiny and silverish if the sun hit it just right."

              "And the rest of the clue refers to something that lives inside the lake? Hm. Could be. I've heard tell of a fish, also silver in color, that has the most beautiful scales. There are collectors out there who will pay good money for the scales. Supposedly, it doesn't hurt the fish to remove them, and the scales grow back, overnight."

                 "See, you do know everything." I laugh.

                  "I don't know about that." She says folding up the paper and putting it back into her pocket. "You are the one who thought of the lake."

                     "Thank you, Jezmul."

                   "Who is that?"

                "A really good kisser from back home."

                  "And what... You know what, never mind. I don't think I want to know. Come on, I guess you are leading the way."

                "Why me?" I ask.

                   "Because you are the only one of us who knows where the lake is."