Fates' Folly by Ella Norris Page A

the
dingy walls, broken light fixtures and scarred, battered door, I
really didn't have high hopes for the apartment's occupant. Riley
knocked on the door, four precise knocks.
    We waited. No answer. Riley knocked again,
knock, knock, knock, knock. We waited.
    "Maybe he's not home," I suggested.
    Riley knocked again. "He's home. And we are
not leaving until he sees us," he announced loudly.
    I slid down the wall directly behind Riley
until my butt hit the floor and my legs were stretched out in front
of me. I was so damn tired.
    I wondered what germs and microscopic
organisms were in the carpet. If I were to lie down for five
minutes, how many of those organisms would get into my hair?
    Would I notice, and could I wash them
out?
    I ran my hand across the carpet, ick. I
suppressed a gag while quickly rubbing the sticky, greasy residue
off my fingers and onto my pajama bottoms.
    "If he's home but isn't answering the door,
obviously he wants nothing to do with us. Are you sure there is no
one else we can go to for training?"
    "It has to be The Trainer
Extraordinaire."
    "Did you just say éclair?" I loved
éclairs.
    Riley turned around to look at me, pointing
to a sign above the door. Trainer Extraordinaire was engraved on a
gold name plate that hung above the door.
    "Thinks highly of himself."
    "Zeus awarded him the name plate. After five
consecutive years of the gods taking turns sponsoring him in the
Olympian Trials and winning each time, Bartholomew was given the
name plate and the privilege to never have to compete again. He is
the best."
    "Fine, he's the best. He is the most amazing
trainer in the world. However, he is not opening his door. So I say
we skedaddle to the nearest pastry shop on our way home and call on
Mr. Extraordinaire at a much later and, therefore, more convenient
time."
    Riley knocked again. "We are not going
anywhere until he agrees to at least see us," he shouted at the
door.
    I thought again about letting my body fall
down to the carpet. Riley knocked again. I watched a large roach
crawl across the floor by my leg. I jumped up to stand next to the
door.
    "Good grief, Riley, this is ridiculous! You
probably don't know this about me which isn't surprising
considering I've only known you for less than twenty-four hours,
but I have no patience. None whatsoever, but especially not when
waiting in a disgusting hallway listening to you systematically
knock on this damn door."
    Riley, giving me a mock bow stepped
aside.
    I pounded on the door. "Hey asshole, how
about you stop being a yellow-belly pussy, and open the damn
door!"
    I stopped pounding. No answer. Riley sighed,
leaning against the wall beside the door.
    I stuck my head against the door and the
casing where it would open and in my most menacing voice I said,
"If you don't open this fucking door right now I'm going to scream
up and down this hall that you’re my baby's daddy, and I think you
gave me syphilis and herpes and-"
    The door swung open. A tall -probably over
six feet- leanly muscled man stood in the doorway. He was dressed
in black super skinny jeans and an equally tight, short sleeve
white polo. His skin was the same color as his shirt and heavily
freckled. His hair, bright red and slicked back, revealed perfectly
plucked eyebrows, both arched over large brown eyes that, in a
strange way, balanced the super skinny mustache that outlined his
top lip.
    "Do you kiss your mother with that Mouth?" he
sneered.
    "Yes, I did. Who the hell do you think taught
me my colorful vocabulary?"
    He raised one red eyebrow. I've always been
suspicious of anyone capable of singular eyebrow arching.
    “It’s like you’re an oversized Opie
Cunningham,” I said
    He curled his top lip in disgust.
    “Who thinks he's French,” I added.
    Before Mr. Extraordinaire could respond,
Riley reached around me, opened the door wider and pushed me
through.
    Books -lots and lots of books- greeted me. I
should say shelves of books- they lined the walls below and above
the