The Riddler (Completed)

RIDDLE II: MECHANICS

"Hey brother! You've been staring on that card since God knows when, what is that anyway?" She asked as she snatched the card from me. "Let's play a game. Hm, that's it?" Then she looked at me with a curious face.

"Obviously." I answered as I give out a deep sigh. She then returned the card to me and went back to her bed afterwards. That was my sister, Ricciane Alv. It's just the two of us living in a small apartment since my parents died in an accident four years ago. "Stop thinking about those days Kessler." Hmm, I grab the card beside me and I started mumbling the words written on it. "Let's play a game." I've been staring on this card since the day I've found it and that was already three days ago, I guess. "Well, I think this is just a piece of paper that got stuck on my backpocket accidentally." I just shrugged a little to shove off all the curiousity that's been running on my mind and I still need to prepare 'cause I got some work to do.

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Walking down the empty streets of this neighborhood is nothing to me. Blinking lights and indistinct noises that covers the whole street has been the scenery I'm seeing every night of my life. It is a cold night, and instead of me warming up near a fireplace having a cup of hot chocolate, here I am playing with the breeze that's enveloping my whole body. I gotta work so that we can live, it's not easy to study and work at the same time but I don't have a choice. The place where I'm working at is just around the corner, it's a convenience store actually. I work here at night and this is the reason why I'm always late and absent sometimes but it doesn't matter.

"Hey Kessler major!" Klein shouted when he saw me entered the store."What's up man? Ready for your shift?" He asked as we do our little handshake.

"Yeah, as if I have a choice." We both laughed as we exchange places.

"The store's all yours Kessler, okay?" He said sarcastically. "I'll go now, ciao!"

"Haha sure, okay take care bro." Only few people come in the store during this time of the day because obviously most of them are probably sleeping. Hours passed and now it's already 2:45 in the morning, it's getting really cold here inside the store that's why I decided to increase the temperature on the AC. There's still no customer and there's no people outside either, time past so slow. It seems like every night of my shift is a trip to eternal misery and I'm getting tired doing nothing. My eyes are now starting to close, it's starting to close--

* * *

"Excuse me? Hello? Kessler?" Hmm, I'm hearing voices. Who is it? "Kessler, wake up Kessler."

"Hm, uhm-- Hernhea? Oh shit! I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I just realized that I'm still here at the store and one of my classmate is here. "I didn't notice that I fell asleep, shoot. My apologies Hernhea." I kept on apologizing while I'm punching in her goods.

"It's okay Kessler." She said as she show me her beautiful smile. "You're just so lucky that it was me who saw you sleeping here." She said as she giggled.

"Yeah, thanks to you." I said as I wrapped up the things she bought. "Just a hundred and fifty Hernhea." I placed the goods in front of her and she gave me the amount intended for it.

"Here." She's still smiling at me. "Thank you Kessler." I just smiled in return and she started walking out of the store. I then turned my back and slap my face to wake my spirit up.

After that awkward moment, I decided to stretch up a li'l bit to lessen up the sleepiness inside my body. I can't actually believe that I just slept for almost fifteen minutes. It's still 3:10 in the morning, I checked the clock a while ago if it's working and it really is. While I'm in the middle of my stretching session, I started hearing scratching noises. I stop for a while and I listen to it keenly and seems like it's coming on one of the shelves at the right. Slowly, I walk towards that direction to check up on it. I just hope that it's not a thief or what that probably sneaked in here while I was half dead. My heart's beating so fast as if it's gonna blow, just a few inches more and I'll reach the meat section and--

"Hey!" I shouted but there was no one there, nothing's in this alley where I'm standing at. I was about to leave and go back to the register when I saw a card right under my feet. My body stiffens all of a sudden and I can feel someone is walking behind me. Fuck! I cannot move, fear is restraining my body from moving. Cold sweat started to run down my skin and by this time I'm sure that there's someone here other than me. Footsteps are getting closer and closer, slowly getting closer to where I'm at.

"Don't look back." My eyes widen when I heard a distorted voice behind me, it is really close to me. I can clearly hear it's heavy breathing.

"Wh-- who a-- are you?"

"Hahahahahaha." The laughter I'm hearing right now is like coming from an evil because of its distorted voice. "Read and find out." What does he mean? I look down and stare at the card that's still under my feet, wait? "But before that, I'll give you the mechanics." Mechanics? "Solve my riddle and earn a prize, lose my game and someone dies. Ready or not, we will start 😈"

"What?! Are you out of your mind?!" I managed to give him that kind of tone even if fear is now eating my whole system. But he didn't answer me, I didn't hear any response. I close my eyes and breathe deeply as I gather all the courage I got inside me and I immediately turn my back to see-- to see that no one's around. "Whoever it is.. " I picked up the card that was under my feet and I was startled when somebody grabbed me on my shoulder. "Hoo, it's just you Steven." I said and hid the card on my pocket. Steven is the assistant of Mr. Gregory.

"What are you doing here? Mr. Gregory's looking for you and what's with the face?" He asked while pointing at my face.

"Nothing, let's go." He just shrugged then we walked back to the register. Mr. Gregory is a good man, he's the owner of this store. He was just here today to remind me that supplies will arrive and I gotta remind Klein before I leave the store. "Surething Mr. Gregory." He then tap my shoulder before they leave.

Now that I'm alone, fear started crawling up on me again. I get the card out of my pocket and I start reading what's written on it silently. It says--

Kessler Alv,

"You are chosen to play this game but the reason's cannot be name. Follow the rules and win whole-heartedly and you will be rewarded accordingly."

Solve each riddle I'll be giving you and write your answer at the back of the card then just leave it where you've found it. For every question, you have a day to solve it. Time will start when the card reaches your hand. Tell no one and you will live, say a word and you will bleed.

Have a nice day.

-The Riddler

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