The Riddles Club

Day 4

Very soon after her parents had gone, right on cue, the knock at the door came. Tali startled. Wrapped in contemplation, she had engrossed herself in guessing objects about the house. Her careful thoughts evaporated and she plopped down where she stood to ignore her stubborn visitor. She didn't care about the club anymore. At least, she didn't want to.

Ysmael's mug appeared at the window. Tali gasped and hid by the door. When the boy started to bang at the glass, yelling, she covered her ears.

Several minutes transpired. Tali removed her hands. It was silent. She felt worse than ever. Was it really worth avoiding someone just because of a potential injustice? Her parents had always taught her to stand unwavering for her beliefs, but, oh, Tali wasn't sure what she believed.

CRASH.

She flattened against the wall. A stone bounced against the floorboards, then tumbled across the kitchen into the sleeping area. And that was that. Tali's remorse vanished just as fast as the glass that glittered in after. She wrenched the door open. Ysmael's round eyes caught hers. He bolted.

"You RAT!" Tali screamed, flying after him. That ayu-boy would see the last of his club days.

Ysmael was fast, but Tali was faster still. He had to be quick to outmaneuver her. They bounded over crates and collided with unwitting passersby. Too focused to notice their ruckus, it became quite the sight. The two streaked across the bridges this way and that, the small commonli girl screaming: "I'mma gonna give ya the whuppin' yer momma shoulda!" They hastened down so many paths and alleys, Tali very nearly lost the boy. Commonli, merchants, and passing noble alike all paused to watch the anomaly.

At last, Ysmael dashed free of the city, Tali hot on his trail. They broke under the Tapestry Tree with such dynamic force that the children waiting there gasped and lunged away. The two sprinted in circles around the great wrinkled trunk. Ysmael finally caved. Panting hard, he came to a stop, lifting his arms to shield his head and dropping to grovel at Tali's feet.

"I didn't know it'd break!" he squealed.

In reality, Tali had planned to scold him mightily, then maybe push him into the dirt. But when she realized where he'd led them, she knocked him on the noggin.

"You're a weasel!" she shouted.

"I know!" he cried, rubbing the sore spot.

They'd stopped a little behind the Tapestry Tree, just out of sight. Rebeka appeared from around trunk. "What's happening?" she breathed.

Tali fell to a terrible self-consciousness then. She grew hot and had to look away. Thankfully no one else could see.

"Nothing," Tali lied. She faced Rebeka, anger and shame spent.

Ysmael regained his composure. "I promise you want to be here, Tali," he tried to say. Tali cut him short with the threat of her fist, but she resisted hitting him again.

"That better be true," she hissed. Then she took her befuddled friend's arm and they seated amid the clusters of puzzled faces.

Curiously, the two groups were closer to a single now. No one moved and no one protested; nobody said a thing about the chase either. There was a fascinating air of cooperation. This intrigued Tali.

"If I could have everyone's attention, please," Ysmael said, fixing his air from the niche in the trunk.

And the trick was forgotten. Tali learned there were ten contestants left, herself included, and the rest watched.