Poison & Puzzles

Ordinary

Earlier that night

I checked my phone in between my performances, which I knew I wasn't exactly supposed to do, but it kept my nerves,thankfully, distracted. My solo was rapidly approaching and I was completely beside myself. I took a moment to contemplate the most recent riddle.

I give you a group of three. One is sitting down, and will never get up. The second eats as much as is given to him, yet is always hungry. The third goes away and never returns.

The three answers had to be connected obviously. I was too distracted with my day to give it a proper look over. I tried to break it down and solve one line, hoping it would clue me in to the other two.

The second eats as much as is given to him, yet is always hungry.

I mulled it over as I watched the performance ahead of mine. I was shaking. Peeking through the curtain, I tried to focus on the riddle. I glanced through the crowd, looking for where I knew Papa was sitting. My heart nearly stopped. If his features hadn't been lit by the glow of his cell phone I would have doubted the black mop of hair belonged to my Da at all. He looked worried if not a little bored. Distracted. Something was clearly wrong but I couldn't tell. Maybe it was just being dragged here. The music drew to a close and I saw Papa jab Da with an elbow, his cell phone dropping back into his coat pocket. I was pushed on stage and the lighting made it impossible to see anyone beyond the front row.

I somehow made it to my starting position and waited. The music started and I went away. I could never describe it as clearly as my father could. That space in my head that I went to when I danced. He said it was the same place his music took him sometimes. My place could barely be called a room. It was just a vast blank space. A canvas in my mind, my body painting a picture. There was no one else. No lights, no stage. I felt so much clarity. My worry melted away and the tremor of nerves became solid and purposeful. I hadn't realized how much I had needed this, craved it. I felt powerful. I felt perfect. Fuck everything going on in my life. Forget the stupid things that kept me in constant wonder about who I was and what I was doing. Everything was lost to this perfectly framed moment in time.

When the song ended and reality came crashing down, I took a bow and headed off the stage. It took me a moment to come back from my little break from the world. When I was back in the present I escaped to the hall to find Maddie jumping up and down. "I watched from the monitor. You're so beautiful I can't stand it!" She squealed and I was finally able to smile.

"Thank you. I could barely breathe." I hugged her tight, letting her compliments wash over me and brushed her off after a moment. "My Da's out there."

"You mean he actually came?" Madeline didn't seem impressed.

"Yeah."

"Good thing he didn't miss this one, I would have had to have a word" Madeline said with mock ferociousness.

"I would kind of like to see that." I admitted, letting her lead me down the corridor to the dressing rooms. We were both finished performing for the evening. When we reached the room I immediately spotted the large bouquet of roses on the vanity I had claimed as my own. Madeline squealed again, flicking through them for a card.

"It just says your name, signed from 'M'. Your uncle Mycroft is a man of few words." She grumbled, clearly disappointed that it wasn't from a secret admirer. I longed to change into loose clothing, but there were bound to be pictures taken, so I instead pulled on a simple black dress, leaving my makeup in place. I also noticed a small box next to the flowers. I opened it, revealing a very expensive looking necklace. It was simple, round with an intricate engraving of my initials surrounded with what looked suspiciously like genuine flawless diamonds. Though it looked like a locket, it didn't open. I was a very spoiled niece indeed. I immediately added the necklace to my outfit, it rested in the hollow of my neck perfectly.