Chapter Four—Rite of Passage

 

By now, my emotions and those of the Listians were running far past thin.

“What do you mean?’ Was my forced-calm reply.

“Simply that. As you know, my Labyrinth is not an easy thing to conquer. Neither is your quest.”

“Hasn’t waiting for hours in the hot sun been enough torture?” inquired Michaellah, though she looked at me when she said it.

“Torture?” Jareth feigned ignorance. “And here I thought you’d enjoy your task.”

“Depends,” LittleWren said, “on what we have to do.”

In an instant, the land around us transformed. There were now trees and mountains all around.

“Where are we?” Cheralyn breathed.

“Part of the Canadian boarder. You have a List member to find.” Jareth shuddered; how I knew is still a mystery to me. “There are far too many of you Tights-Happy Freaks.”

“No name-calling!” shouted Lady Sarai.

“Besides, it’s not our fault you’re so sexy!” Cybil yelled.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, lass.” The King advised. Unfortunately, as well as I knew him, I could tell he was smiling smugly.

“Are we ready, guys?” Sesana, near the front of our group, took charge and began to walk through the trees.

“And where are you going?” Jareth asked.

A streak of blue light pierced the air and a blaze of blue fire encircled us. A few of the girls, including myself, cried out at the suddenness of it. The King laughed. “Now, then, as I was saying, this will not be easy. You’ll have a test to pass before you are allowed to enter each Listian-inhabited country. Should you fail to correctly pass said test…”

“What?” Queried FireDstany. “What happens then?”

“That’s for me to know,” the King’s voice echoed one last time, “and you to find out.”

“He’s so infuriating!” Labyrinthian clenched her hands into fists.

“Guys, look!” Jess pointed ahead of us. We all turned and drew in sharp breaths.

Before us, words were forming.

“Is this our first test?” inquired LittleWren. Some shrugged; the rest didn’t answer. We were all mesmerized by the words:

 

I sizzle like bacon

I am made with an egg

I have plenty of backbone

But lack a good leg

I peel layers like onions

But still remain whole

I can be long like a flagpole

Yet fit in a hole

What am I?

 

“A riddle is our first test?” squealed Tawnya, her blue eyes sparkling.

“I—I guess.” I stammered. “Any ideas?”

“‘Sizzle like bacon, made with an egg’.” Repeated Guinevere, frowning. “Makes me hungry. I didn’t have breakfast.”

“What are some things without legs?” Pondered Anakerie.

Discussion spread like wildfire. Various parts of the riddle were questioned.

Northstar was biting her lip and fiddling with her notebook again. “Hey, guys, I wrote the riddle down…what if we don’t take it so literally…?”

We stopped talking and thought about that.

“It remains whole after peeling,” said Starlight. “A bird, maybe?”

“No.” Sesana shook her head. “Birds have legs.”

“Long like a flagpole. It must be small and thin.” Beth concluded.

“Maybe ‘sizzle’ means it makes a noise…like a hissing sound.” I added.

“What’s small and thin?” Beth asked.

“Has no legs.”

“Shed’s it’s skin.”

“Hisses…”

Instantly, we all shouted, “A SNAKE!”

Happy to have solved the first test, the Listians and I cheered, hugged, and jumped around.

One of us must have been paying attention to the blue fire encircling us. And whoever it was let out a blood-curdling scream.

What were once cerulean flames licking the sky became hundreds of hissing, rattling, venomous snakes!

In every hiss, there was laughter. Jareth’s laughter.

How were we supposed to pass this test?

 

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