Riddle Me This

The sun shone down through my window with a blazing glow. I was tucked in bed, but couldn’t remember how I’d gotten there. I slowly sat up with my head feeling like a ton of bricks. How did I get here, I wondered and when? What a wild night it must have been, although my mind was quite foggy trying to trace back what actually happened. The last thing I remember was leaving the club to go to the coffee shop, trying to sober up. Stacey’s 21st birthday and we definitely lived up to the celebration! I stumbled to the kitchen to get a much needed glass of water, fumbling with the Advil bottle that sat next to the kitchen sink. My brain was so heavy I couldn’t even fathom how that could’ve possibly gotten there. I dropped onto the couch with a loud thud and closed my eyes, trying to retrieve the night before. After lying there for an hour or two, I finally gathered myself to go get ready for the day. As I pulled my jeans up, something caught out of the corner of my eye. There on my bedside, lied a little black book.

I was shocked. Where did this perfectly woven little black book come from? So many questions, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what the answers were. As I flipped through the book, I noticed that each one was written in a very distinct hand writing that I didn’t recognize. On the very first page was my name written with a message saying, 'Clara, with every day that has past, I have thought of you. Every waking moment, I ponder what I ever could do to make up for it. Please take this book and it will take you to the answers you’ve long been searching for.' Other than completely being astonished that I could possibly have a stalker, it’s actually quite intriguing to figure out what this could possibly mean. Each page contained a riddle. Each riddle seemed to be taking me around the city of Edmonton; seemingly harmless. I flip to the last page, to read, “Hurry up, there is limited time. If you don’t make it there, I’ll be all out of rhymes.”

I raced out the door like a bat out of hell. This was the craziest thing I have ever found after a night on the town. What in the world could it mean, and why me? I quickly dialed Stacey to see if she could catch me up on the happenings of the night before. Maybe she could tell me who I left with and how I got home. The phone rang over and over, with no answer. Oh well, I guess I won’t be getting my answer from her. The first riddle in the book read, “Among this beauty, on the great big walls hang some of the most beautiful pieces. The swirls of the outside will be sure to catch your eye.” I instantly think of the art museum, it had the most intricate design inside and out and I absolutely loved going there. Traffic is crazily fast, especially for a Saturday morning in Edmonton, surprised to find myself standing in front of the doors in mere minutes. I ran into the building, wondering what I could be looking for. I walked around looking for any kind of clue, when I noticed my favourite painting. It had a little piece of paper sticking out the back that had never been there before. I looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, quickly grabbing the piece of paper and ran back out to my car.

Unfolding the note I read, 'The first clue was easy, now look in the book. The second one might be a little bit harder to look.' I flipped to the second page in the book to find, 'There is a limited time so you better get moving. This place is where people like to get grooving. But not like the upright dancing kind, it’s wet and wild with lots of good times!' I thought this one was supposed to be hard… My very first thought was the West Edmonton Mall water park. My friends and I go there all the time! I raced over to the mall, painfully slow as traffic had picked up. Where could there possibly be a note in here? I went over to the man at the check in, "I need to get into the change rooms. There was something I left behind in there." I said crossing my fingers he’d actually let me in. “I can’t let you in without a wristband and payment, ma’am." He said looking me over. I probably looked a mess with my hair wild and no makeup on. "I’m not going into the park, I just really need something that’s in that change room." I said, a pleading look in my eye. "I’m sorry ma’am but without payment, I cannot let you through." He exclaimed sternly. I put my head down with embarrassment, wondering how I was going to get in there. I didn’t have an extra $50 right now, especially when I wasn’t even going swimming. I sat on the bench pondering the thought of purchasing a ticket to find the next clue, when I noticed a little piece of folded up paper in the corner of the bench. Opening it up, it was same hand writing from the last clue. I raced to my car to read the next clue.

The second note reads, “I told you that one would be hard, I know you sit on that bench most often. Look in the book for your last and final clue.” Kind of creepy, I think to myself. I flip through the book to the third and final riddle that reads, “Your last and final clue will be, where the bison are able to run and roam free.” That should be fairly easy; Elk island national park has tons of bison. But that park is huge, how will I ever find the final clue? I’ll have to start on the trail I know best, lake view trail. I rush to the trail as fast as my little legs will take me. “There it is!” I shouted jumping up and down, astonished that I found it so quickly. The day was flying by and it was already 3:30 pm. I quickly unfolded the note to find a drawing of an airplane. That was it, no words for explanation just a drawing. I pondered the thought of what it could possibly mean, before it hit me. The airport!

As fast as I possibly could during rush hour traffic, I raced to the airport. Why in the world would it just have a picture of an airplane. There in the entrance, where people were rushing around to get to their flights, stood an older gentlemen. His hair was combed over, grey running through it, with a large build. He wore a fancy suit and designer glasses. He held two suitcases, on the front of one it said my name, Clara. On the other one it read, Catherine. I strode up to him with caution, as he said, "Clara? I’ve been waiting for you. I see you’ve found your third and final clue." "That’s me…" I said with a questioning look. "Your father has instructed me to give you this suitcase and your plane ticket. You will be boarding a flight to Hawaii, where you will enjoy a 2 week fully paid all inclusive vacation. Inside this suitcase is a gift for you when you return home." This was too much; I’d never met my father in my life! How could this possibly be, this didn’t make sense. He handed me the suitcase and an envelope. I tore open the envelope and read, 'Clara, I know I have not been there for you. For that, I am truly sorry. You were taken from your mother and I when you were little and I have been searching for years since. I would like you to know where you come from, including getting to know your sister. Your mother and I will be meeting you both at the resort. Please take this trip to get to know your biological parents and sister.' My eyes swelled with tears. How could this possibly be, I had no idea I had a sister. I knew I was adopted but my foster parents never told me that I was taken, and had a sister to boot!

I boarded the flight with the clothes on my back, thoughts racing. I’ll have to purchase some clothes when I get there, no time to run home to pack a bag. The women who sits down next to me, is my spitting image. She has long blonde hair, green eyes and beautifully tanned skin. She looks me over, as she must also recognize the freakish resemblance. We both looked at each other for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she said, “Hi, I’m Catherine. I can’t believe this is happening and I’m meeting a sister I never knew I had.” Tears started to swell in her eyes’ and she quickly wiped them away. “I wonder what these suitcases are for. Do you want to open them together?” She laid the suitcase on her lap as I reached for mine. We unclipped the clasps and slowly opened them together, inside lied bundles of money, $20 000 to be exact. We looked at each other with pure joy and excitement, both saying “This is going to be the best vacation ever!”