Black Book Number Challenge

I, Stephan, and Marcus. We were the best buddies in the school. It is hard to see without us together. To be precise our friendship started not from school but from the very first day in kindergarten when we came dangling on our mothers' fingers. We stood together through our 'thick and thin'.'Notorious', 'Villainous', 'Misbehaved', we collected all possible accolades in our school. 

It is not only in the mischiefs we performed very well but also in 'scoring' very low grades. Every year we almost made sure the last three grades will be split among us.

Now at the age of 18, we were sitting by side of the beautiful Delaware River in Philadelphia discussing our future.

"We need to start working as early as possible" .

It is Stephan who started the conversation. Both I and Marcus could not agree more. "We are not going to go much further in academics."

Actually, no one really understood us in kindergarten or school. We were only labeled as 'troublesome kids'. No one really bothered about the reasons. It is the hundreds and thousands of family problems that made us rebels. It is the same thing that kept us together and glued together.

Among us, the situation of Stephan was the most pathetic. At the age of 3, he had to witness his drug-addicted father killing his elder sister. His father went to prison and his mother was almost mentally sick after the incident. He had to spend his childhood and teenage with a mentally sick mother. He is the one who struggles most among us financially and emotionally. Moreover, he needed to find more money to treat his mother's illness.

 No one cared about these things. Neither the society, teachers nor the classmates. There were occasions where Stephan will come without a lunchbox to school, and we would happily share our meal with him. 

Only one time in our school time, we were surprised one day, when I and Marcus were absent for the day and Stephan was without his lunch box, then someone has sneaked his lunch box into his bag with a note 'It is for you, enjoy your meal'. For us, there was not even a single soul who was compassionate in our class and it remained a mystery.

The sun started setting down leaving a yellowish golden color on the river. The swans in the river were moving around caring less about the human worries.

"You know, the whole country is now talking about the Black Book Number challenge."

It was Marcus who initiated the conversation.

"So what? It is not for us. It is for people like Friedrich." Friedrich is our classmate who is an absolute genius. The whole school is proud of him. There is not a thing in the world he is not knowledgeable about. From Mathematics to Science, Politics to Economics, world affairs to history, he has a hold on any subject. But his virtues started and ended there. He is one of such most selfish people who only thinks about himself and cares nothing about others. He speaks very rarely and always had a serious demeanor. No one liked him. One day Marcus unintentionally placed his book on his desk and Friedrich was red-hot angry. God only knows how it ended without being punched on his face.

"Yes, it is true, it is not for us people. But the prize amount is really lucrative, it will be worth 20000 dollars. That is what the sponsors are promising. He showed us the ad on his mobile phone.

"Why should we waste our time talking on this. We need some working plan". "It works if Friedrich is in our team." Marcus interrupted." "That is what I said, it does not work.". I was a bit angry about pulling the name of Friedrich again. We all kept silent for a few minutes and looked clueless at the slow-moving river.

" I have an idea." It is Marcus again. "Not sure if it works, but it is something which we could try for. The number challenge rule states that four people could make a team from one school. What if we three and Friedrich makes a team?" "Think about making the earth flat, but this is never going to happen," I said. Marcus continued. "The rule of the challenge says that up to the final, schools can participate as a group of four. In the finals, 8 students from the two schools compete individually. The winner gets the ultimate reward but all other 7 get consolation prizes which are 5000 bucks. So we have the chance of winning 5000 bucks by reaching the final. Let that moron get the biggest reward. Who cares? We get what we want."

"But how we convince Friedrich? He will be least interested in teaming up with us". Stephan was quick to point out.

"See, if he teams up with other better guys in our school, he may feel a bit insecure in the finals even though he had the most chance. Leave that task to me."

The next day in our class, we walked more quietly than usual to the class. During the break time, Marcus slowly approached Friedrich. "Friedrich, have you heard about the black book number challenge". "Yes, I have". Friedrich replied without much interest. "You know, I would like to talk about the prospect of making a team with you." Friedrich continued to look uninterested and said suddenly. "I need to go to the washroom". Friedrich went out. Marcus followed him. They were missing for 10–15 minutes and Friedrich was the first one to return. Our hearts started pumping fast. Fredrich's body language did not look promising. After a few minutes, Marcus also returned with a plain face. We lost hope. "What he said?"

" He said,YES'"

Both me and Stephan were wonder-struck. "How you managed?".

"I said the same things I told you to him."

We four were waiting to board the train to Newyork from Amtrak station, Philadelphia for the event. As usual, as we do, we three were chirping, chatting, and ogling at girls. Friedrich as always is reading something, then thinking and again mugged into his book. Then he said something really weird. 

"Stephan, your perfume is very pungent smelling. You know how perfume is made? It is from alcohol, water, and fragrance. Then…"

This crappy guy opens his mouth to talk only about science and facts. We cared little about his lecture. The train has arrived after few minutes and all of us boarded the train. We continued our small talk as Friedrich continued reading his book. The train started to speed up. The screen on the train started showing the speed. 60 mph, 90 mph, 100 mph. "You know till the late 1980's Germans were the pioneer in speed trains. It was a world record in 1988 when their Intercity express hit a speed of 253mph. After that, it all became an Asian affair" Freidrich again started with his intellectual lectures. "If I had a piece of cloth, I would have inserted it into his mouth". I felt in my mind. 

We reached Newyork city and headed to the program venue.No upsets, no other dark horses, everything went as we planned. We reached the finals.

Credits - Friedrich - 100%

I, Marcus, and Stephan- 0%

We did not answer a single question but Friedrich did every question correctly. The finals have got big media coverage. Many of the television channels are going to broadcast it. The setup of finals was like this. There will be a group of rooms with entry and exit doors where the contestants enter into a single room assigned to them. The rooms are without ceilings. You will only progress to the final room when only two contestants are left. In the central room, it will be two people separated by an opaque screen, and a hole is cut through the wall and a black book is placed. In that black book lies the treasure. So whoever answers the question first by answering on the screen will win.

No one could see each other, and we went each into our own designated rooms. We should not make any noise and should type answers on the big touch screen if we know.

The first question appeared on the screen to me. 

'Holy S***'. 'I do not even know the distance around my own waist'. I quit. I am out. I waited in the pavilion and within seconds, Marcus appeared. We waited for few more anxious moments. The other four boys from the other school started coming out one by one. "What the holy crap Stephan is doing inside." We murmured. Few more minutes passed by. Still no signs of Friedrich nor Stephan. Then we saw Friedrich coming out with his usual plain face. 

The announcement was made. "Stephan is the winner". 

"What?"

 How on earth he could win? Something went somewhere wrong.

The felicitation ceremony is going to happen soon and during the felicitation ceremony, the whole event is going to be played on the big screen and on the broadcasting channels. We moved to the hall where the event is going to happen. We could not talk to Stephan as he was moved to the big stage by the program co-ordinates. We were dumbstruck.

During the felicitation ceremony, they started showing the game once again on the big screen. Now we are seeing from above the rooms what has happened.

First question, I, Marcus, and the other 4 guys from the other school were out. None of us 6 could not even answer the first question.

The first question to Friedrich appeared on the screen.

Easy-Peasy. "324 meters". Friedrich answered correctly.

Question to Stephan,

"20%" .Stephan answered correctly. Now I and Marcus were looking at each other in dismay. How does he know that? 

Now in the final room, it is between Friedrich and Stephan without knowing who is at the other end.

Question.

We could not believe what we are seeing just now. 

Friedrich immediately left the room. We were wonderstruck! How he could quit while he only told us this whole story? Stephan looked like trying to recollect something. After 10 seconds or so, he was answering on the touch screen.

"253mph"

That was that. He is the winner, and he holds the black book now.

The chief program coordinator asked Stephan to open the black book and read out loud what is written.

He read out loud. "Here is bitcoin private key underneath the scratch card inside the black book which are worth 20000 dollars before the start of the final event".

That was the treasure hidden in the black book. Our happiness knew no bounds.

When he came out of the podium we hugged him tightly and there were tears of happiness all around. Friedrich has left the scene already. 

"But how on earth could you answer the first question," I asked Stephan.

"That is one thing which I answer even in deep sleep. The doctor who my mother consults, says this thing at least once during our every visit."

On our way back I had some thoughts which I felt were true. Suddenly I yelled out loud. 'Friedrich is a great human being with a great heart'. 'What?' Marcus and Stephan together asked. "Why do you now think so?". 

"It is the Perfume.."

"He sensed that you were at the other end, Stephan. He purposefully boycotted for you to win."

"But why?" asked Stephan. 

"He is a hidden gem. That is all I could say. Some may look cruel outside but kind inside". 

I started glaring outside the train window. Many past events started flashing in my mind. 

"You know who kept lunch for you on that day? It is none other than Friedrich".