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| Chapter 24 | Book 1 • Chapter 25 | Chapter 26 |
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FLASHBACK START
Riddle's Mother |
Happy eighth birthday, Riddle. This year's birthday cake is a low-sugar recipe made with nuts and lecithin-rich soy flour to improve your cerebral function. |
| Thank you. But, Mom... Just once, I'd like to try one of those tarts covered with bright-red strawberries... |
Riddle's Mother |
Absolutely not! Those tarts are monstrously unhealthy. I might as well feed you poison! Even just a single slice would exceed your recommended daily intake of sugar. Now, dinner tonight will be a tuna sauté rich in DHA and omega-3 fatty acids. Now that you're eight, your caloric intake should be 600 kilocalories per meal, so don't eat more than 100 grams of it. Understood? |
| Yes, Mom. |
 |
I'd always wanted to try one of those tarts with the bright-red strawberries. The local cake shop had them in the window. They shined at me like forbidden jewels. |
Riddle's Mother |
That's enough classical magic study for today. Your homework is to read the first fifty pages of the philosophy of language book referenced in today's magical philosophy texts. You may now have one hour of independent study before your potionology lesson. |
| Thank you, Mother. |
Riddle's Mother |
I need some time to prepare the lesson materials. I will see you in one hour, okay? |
|
I was studying every possible subject, scheduled down to the minute. When I didn't understand something, the lesson was extended until I did. That was my "normal." |
| ...Is someone knocking on the window? |
| Whoa, he heard us! |
| Hey, come play with us! |
| Who are you? |
| I'm Che'nya, and that's Trey. Let's all play croquet! Oh, but it's LOTS of fun! |
| I can't. I'm supposed to be doing independent study, and I have a lot of homework to do. |
| "Independent study" means you pick what to do, right? My grandpa says play is a form of study! |
| Just play with us for a little bit! |
| ...O-okay... Just a little, though! |
| Hey, what's your name? |
| R-Riddle. Riddle Rosehearts. |
|
I had the best time playing with Trey and Che'nya. We did so many things I'd never done before. They taught me lots of things I didn't know. After that, I snuck out of my room every day To play with them during independent study time. |
| Whaaat? You've never even tried a strawberry tart? They're out of this world. |
| Yeah. My mom says sugar is basically poison. |
| I mean, you probably shouldn't eat too much of it, but calling it "poison" is kinda...yikes. You know, my family runs a cake shop. Let's go get a tart right now! |
| Really? But...I shouldn't. |
| Just one slice. It'll be fine. |
| One slice for YOU, maybe. I want a whole one! |
|
A bright-red strawberry tart on a white plate. To me, it shined more brightly than any gem could. That first bite was so sweet. It tasted like nothing I'd ever eaten before. With each bite, I became more entranced... ...and completely lost track of the time. |
Riddle's Mother |
I cannot believe this! Not only are you cutting independent study time, but I find you eating a mountain of sugar?! Those two hoodlums must have incited this behavior. You must never play with them again! |
| I'm sorry, Mother! I promise, it will never happen again. |
Riddle's Mother |
Be quiet! You've broken the rules, and I'll not hear another word from you. Clearly, you're not able to handle the freedom of independent study. I need to keep a closer eye on you. |
|
Because I broke the rules, my favorite part of my day was taken away from me. I vowed to never break my mother's rules again. After all, she was the most accomplished mother in the city, and therefore, the most correct. But Mom... Why? Why does my heart hurt so much? I want to eat a tart! It's my birthday, so can't I have some just this once? I want to play outside all day long! I want to make lots and lots of friends! Tell me, Mom, please... What rule do I need to follow to make this pain go away? |
FLASHBACK END
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Riiiiiddle! |
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| Chapter 24 | Book 1 • Chapter 25 | Chapter 26 |
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