Euclid Shellingford (Volume 2)

CHAPTER 28: It Started with a Riddle (Part 1)

“Are you done?” I heard Nessaj asked for the nth time. I looked at Razor whose smile was so wide I wonder if his face muscles were not hurting for too much stretching. I tasted the hot chocolate from my cup then returned my gaze at them again. Their stares were like that of predators waiting for their prey to come out of their cage. I put down the cup and turn the page of the book I was currently reading.

“Are you ready?” Razor asked. Halatang nag-eenjoy ito sa nakikitang ekspresyon mula sa mga kasama. Siya kasi ang nagsuggest kanina na magriddle game para magpaantok kaya siya ang naghanap ng mga riddles sa internet at naging quizmaster.

“Just get on the first question!” halata na sa boses ni Sven ang inis. Napangiti naman ako.

“Okay, okay! Chill bro!” saad ni Razor na sinundan niya pa ng malakas na tawa. Mas lalo tuloy nalukot ang mga mukha nila Sven. Nang makitang puro seryoso na ang mukha ng mga kasama ay tumikhim ito at saka nagsalita. “First question, what are the two strongest days?”

Strongest? Psh.

Ibinalik ko na lang ang tingin ko sa binabasa kong libro.

“What do you mean by strongest days?” I heard Roshan asked.

“Does it have something to do with the gravitational pull of the Earth and volcanic eruption?” Napaubo naman ako sa tanong ni Sven. Why are they being so serious?

“No! Think harder man!” nakatawa pang sabi ni Razor.

“It’s Saturday and Sunday,” rinig kong sagot ni Nessaj.

“And why?” Razor asked with an amused smile on his face. Sinamaan naman ito ng tingin ng kapatid.

“The rest are week days,” parang may malamig na hanging dumaan sa pagitan nilang apat dahil bigla silang natahimik. Napailing-iling na lang ako. I knew it. That joke is so lame.

Napansin kong sabay na tumayo si Sven at Roshan at saka nilapitan si Razor. “Hey Nessaj, can I kill your brother now?” tanong ni Sven at saka pinatunog ang mga daliri sa kamay.

“Leave to me his internal organs!” hindi ngumingiting sabi din ni Roshan.

“Wait, t-that was just a warm-up! I still have tricky questions here!” sabi ni Razor na nakatakbo na ng ilang metro palayo sa dalawa.

“Make sure it has some sense, Razor or else…” babala ni Nessaj sa kapatid.

“Fine! So here’s the question: Mr. Smith has two children. If the older child is a boy, what are the odds that the other child is also a boy?”

“50%!” mabilis na sagot ni Nessaj. As expected of the math freak.

“Tama! One point for my brother!” sigaw ni Razor.

If there are only two possibilities to choose from, then the probability to get one or the other out of the two will always be 50%. He should have searched about Bayes problems instead so it will be more challenging.

“That’s too easy!” Roshan commented.

“Well, I’m not good in probabilities! Next question: ‘There are two sisters—one gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?’”

“Day and night!” sagot agad ni Sven.

“Ohh that’s right!” disappointed pang sabi ni Roshan dahil hindi ito agad nakapagsalita.

“One point for Sven! Next question!” Ibinalik ni Razor ang tingin sa listahan niya ng mga tanong. “Two people are born at the same moment, but they don't have the same birthdays. How could this be?”