Chapter 9 - We All Are In This Together...

Okay, now we have a big problem in our hands. We completed one of the eight riddles but we don't know where to submit it?

"Hey, Allen, what should we do now?" Liz asked me.

"Why is everyone asking me?" I mean for the last few moments everyone is asking me what should we do next?

"Okay, okay we'll try asking you fewer problems from now onwards."

"Yes, please do that."

"Beep-beep."

"15 minutes have passed." For me, 45 minutes are left, for Selene, only 15 minutes are left, for Alex, 30 minutes are left, for Liz 45 minutes are left and as for Peter I don't care. I only know about all these people's time limit, and others I don't know as of now.

"Hey everyone, let's aid others whose tasks are written. It might lead to something if we solve all eight of them." I don't know completely but most probably all of the eight tasks might give us hints about how to read the blank sheet of paper because it is not like they will try to give us a blank sheet, most probably moreover it might also lead us where we have to submit it.

"Umm... guys I think I have a problem here."

"What now?" Peter is extremely annoyed, I could make out just by looking at his face.

"In my paper, it suddenly got a few letters."

"What!? Give it to me." Liz asked.

".... Yes, there are few letters but I could hardly make out what is written here."

"Hey, what did you do?"

"Nothing, I was just drinking water and a few drops of water fell on it."

"That's it! Water." I said loudly in excitement.

"Water?" Alex asked.

"Everyone sprinkles water in their papers. It might be that invisible ink is used." these government bastards, they must have made it like that so that people will waste their time.

"Hey, my task is visible now."

"Mine also."

"My task is also visible now." yes! It means it was certainly invisible ink.

"Mine doesn't show up."

"Me neither." It seems like a few still have a few problems.

"Okay people with their tasks written, start thinking. And for others, let's see what should be done." Liz has started to take control, which is good. In this situation, we need a leader.

"What to do now with them?"

"Hey, if other papers were related to invisible ink shouldn't other papers be also related to it." Alex pointed out an obvious statement.

"Hey, do any of you know another way to make invisible ink visible?"

"Umm... I know." someone from behind said. His name is Henry.

"What?"

"We can put the paper in some bright light and it might reveal the context."

"Let's do that." We took our papers and put them in front of the lights.

"Hey, it's visible now." Peter was the one who was checking the papers since the lights are placed at a high location and he is the tallest person in the class.

"Bring it down."

"What does it say?" Alex asked.

"Read it yourself." Peter handed down the papers to them.

Let's see what is written on my sheet?

Task- I'm tall when I'm young, and I'm short when I'm old. What am I?

What the heck is this? Isn't the answer an old person?

No, wait, the answer shouldn't be this easy.

"Hey, Selene, could you help me out?" since Selene is the only one whose task has been completed. Let me rephrase it, she is ready with the answer. We still don't know where to submit it.

"Y-yeah sure..."

"Listen- I'm tall when I'm young, and I'm short when I'm old. What am I? Shouldn't the answer be an old man but the answer will not be this simple right?"

"Umm.... how did you conclude that the answer is 'old man'?"

"Huh. I mean normally an old person's back becomes weak and it bends forward, which means they become short.... or so I thought." Is it wrong?

"But in this, riddles aren't always the answer. I mean, in any case, the result would be the same but for this specific question if we take the answer as an old man he/she might or might not get his back weak. Right?"

"Wow. Selene, I think you should speak more." man she can talk when it is needed.

"I... t-try." Best of luck, I wanted to say that out loud but I am too busy to waste any time.

"Beep-beep, beep-beep." I heard a similar voice.

"Wait, isn't that the sound of the timer I asked Liz to make?" 30 minutes have passed and we still haven't found out where to submit?

"No, no. It's the alarm I enabled earlier. Only.... 8 minutes have passed since the first beep."

"Oh... thank God I thought I had to say goodbye to Selene," Alex said with a relieved face.

"Hey, how many of you have found out the answer?" ohh boy. I forgot about my riddle.

"Selene, did you get the answer?" I asked Selene.

"Let me think...." fast, fast.

"I think I got it." yes!

"What?"

"I think it could be a candle?"

"Huh? Candle?" I don't understand.

"Look when a candle is not used it stands straight and this could be considered as young in a sense but if we use the candle the tip of the burning candle begins melting of wax and slowly its height reduces and it could mean that it becomes old also it is always true in any case."

"Selene...."

"W-w-what?"

"Oh my God! Aren't you a genius? Like you usually stay quiet but right now I think I saw a different side of yours." due to excitement I unknowingly moved my face a little too close to hers.

"Umm... Allen could you please mov-move b-b-back a little...."

"Oh... sorry, sorry but I think you should talk more if it suits you."

"Hey, I think all of us have found out the answer. Right?" Liz shouted but only a few answered.

"What!? Only this many completed the task? Do you all want to get expelled?" no one let out a single voice.

"Hey, it's not their fault that the questions are difficult." I tried to stop her because I know what happens when she gets angry and you don't want to see it.

"We have only 3 minutes left and most of us will be expelled. Suit yourselves."

"Hey, something is written in the corner of my envelope," Alex exclaimed.

"What?" Liz asked.

"In the roof."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know? Do we go to the roof?"

"Everyone checks if something is written in the corner of their envelope. If a place is mentioned, go to that place fast." Liz shouted to which every student started reading their envelope.

"People with a time limit of 30 minutes should leave first and rest here." Nope, Liz is more like a dictator.

Everyone with their time limit saying thirty minutes started to leave, of course, Selene also had to go but she seemed kind of hesitant so I tried to encourage her.

"Selene, ALL THE BEST." as I said that Selene's facial expression changed, at least better than before.

Around ten students had a time limit of thirty minutes so they all left and the classroom seemed kind of less crowded since one-fourth class is gone or maybe more. I don't know the exact number but I am sure.

Let's see what happens now.

TO BE CONTINUED....