It took her a while to actually process what she just heard. "What?! You mean if I lose I'll be trapped in this wretched island forever?"
She didn't realise she was shouting until the man winced. "I'm pretty sure you were happier than a bird with a french fry a few moments ago. And now you're calling the island wretched?" said he with a amused expression
"Firstly I do not get to wear a single item on this island for more than two seconds and secondly some funny looking moron tells me to play a game ,in which if I lose I don't get to meet my family; ever. Am I right or am I right?" she said with a dangerous glint in her eyes. Her voice had risen quite a few octaves. "Whoa! Easy there tiger. Why don't you think about winning instead. Think of all that you can take home. Think of all the money you could save. Think of the compliments you'd get when you're out and about dressed in the best clothes and shoes. And I can say you're a smart woman. You can easily win." he said with a wink. Well it was a mouthwatering prospect after all. And she definitely was smart. No one could take that away from her. So with a new found enthusiasm she spoke "What's the game".
Hearing that he gave her a dazzling smile. Maria noticed for the first time that despite his eccentric get-up, he was very handsome. "You'll get three clues. Each one will lead you to the next. The last one will lead you to me. Once you're through with all three, you're free to go home; with all that you want from here of course. So, shall we begin?" "Yes" she whispered, now getting a little tense. He led her to a gate made of beautiful crystals. "You're on your own now Maria. All the best". Saying this he vanished with a 'click'. She spotted text written on a crystal. It read
'When you have me, you feel like sharing me. But if you share me, you don't have me. What am I?'
" Umm umm umm..." Maria wracked her brains for an answer. And finally, " A secret!" she said. The gate opened and she walked through it. "Stop my child". She whirled around and was petrified to find a shoe tree with a big hollow speaking to her. " Don't fret child and do what I say.
Get in the tree hole
And tell me what's blacker than coal.
A clue for you to get it right,
It is something you daily sight".
"Blacker than coal. I see it daily. What is it?". She thought for a few minutes and then it clicked. "The night" she said confidently. "Bravo my child. Get in the hollow now." As soon as she got in, she slipped through and went sliding down a giant rabbit hole finally landing on her butt in a garden. She saw three flasks with coloured liquids, on a pedestal. The leftmost had blue, the middle one had red and the rightmost had yellow liquid in it. Right there on the pedestal was a Tshirt with the following written on it
'If you drink one
You'll perish.
If you drink another,
You'll lose all you cherish.
But one potion is such,
That'll give you more than much
On it the sun shines the brightest,
And it is the best and the rightest.'
"Perish? Lose all I cherish? Sun? What does it mean?"
Hello my lovelies,
I hope you liked this chapter and that it lived up to your expectations. I had said there will be three parts. But I guess due to the amount of ideas I had in my head I decided I'd make another additional part. I'm really really sorry for the cliffhanger though. Let me know in the comments below, how you liked it. Also try guessing the answer for the last riddle. Stay tuned for the final part guys. This time I promise it'll be the last; and definitely not the least.
Lots of love,