500: An Anthology of Short Stories

Kyle knew that he knew it, but for the life of him he just couldn’t unlock the mystery.

“I’m waiting,” Zarina said impatiently, tapping a foot to signify her annoyance. She was feisty like that, a firecracker of note. She also took no attitude from anybody.

“Why don’t you back off and give him some space, huh? With you looming over him like some predatory harpy, how is he supposed to think straight?” said Salman in defense of his best buddy.

“You lot have nary a clue as to what you want, yet you pretend to know exactly what you’re after. Such a farce of extraordinary proportions,” John deigned to state in a voice laced with sarcasm and ennui.

“Oh, shut up with your fake accent!” Layla cut in, highly offended by John’s condescending tone. “Who died and made you King of the Hill?” she added rhetorically.

Yusri cleared his throat for attention. However, when all eyes turned like blazing, burning spotlights on him, the mild-mannered seventeen-year-old squeaked, “Sorry. Had a froggy in my throat.”

“People,” Tatum-Lee barked, stepping forward into the circle surrounding the seated Kyle, “let’s just cut to the chase.”

Fawaaz had an amused grin on his face as he looked down at the diminutive pixie trying to make her presence felt. She only reached to the teenager’s waist who towered over her like a tall, broad oak.

“Kyle was brave or foolish enough to boast that he could solve this riddle, and I believe we’ve granted him far more than enough time to do so. It’s been nearly a full half an hour! Come on, already!” she exclaimed in obvious frustration. She had evidently reached the proverbial boiling point.

“I agree that Kyle has been given enough time to answer,” Shuaib said in his quiet but forceful manner. He crossed his arms over his broad chest before leaning nonchalantly against the office wall next to the window overlooking the decorative garden. “However,” he unexpectedly continued, “it seems to me that this is a matter of women ganging up against male colleagues.”

“What are you blabbing on about?” Miché interjected. “Who’s making this about gender? All Aakifah did was ask a riddle, and your buddy Kyle here bragged that he’s brilliant at solving them!”

“For the love of pizza! Can we just get an answer, Kyle, before our lunch break is over,” Sethu pleaded with his still confused-looking, deeply-pondering, much put out colleague.

“Fine. I think I have it now,” Kyle announced, staring up in triumph at the circle of co-workers.

“Finally!” Sinomteto breathed dramatically in relief.

“So, Aakifah. The riddle you posed was this: What receives more than it gives, becomes richer as it becomes poorer, and increases as it decreases. Obviously, it had me stumped, but I now know the answer.”

“Then out with it, man!” shouted impatient Jibraan, always in a hurry.

“An act of charity,” Kyle stated, to which Aakifah said, “Damn!’ and everybody else whooped in praise of Kyle’s legendary riddle-solving prowess.