0.1 | No Exit from Deception ?

0.08 | This Is Crazy #$%@

"Morning everyone," Joseph interjected her line of questions. Sarah didn't notice his presence, so Ruby had to greet him back again. Her eyes trained on the bundle of papers he had held in his hands.

"What is this?" Ruby prompted.

"This . . . is the key material you need to be well versed with." His voice was tersely thick and commanding but he avoided any eye contact.

"Can I have a look at it?" As soon as she saw Sarah's face, she understood the seriousness of the conversation.

"Just a look--no. You have to memorize every line by heart. The trial and error method is not applicable here," he said blatantly. Those eyes were a dead giveaway. "Anyway, shall I read it for you?"

"No. I'll manage." She wrapped her fingers around the spine of the plastic folder expertly, a tad bit weighted as she peered at the black printed words dancing in the emptiness of the paper. If any teacher were to score it, they would've given full marks on the neatness of this project. It showed his deep concern.

"Name: Elizabeth Warner.
Born: 15 February 2000.
Elizabeth was the only daughter of Benjamin and Katherine Warner. She also had a younger brother," Ruby recited each line with 'errs' as she came across any hard word that her tongue didn't come to terms with. Sarah left everything and drew herself near Ruby. With keen interest just like how a child looks at his mother while she recites him bedtime stories, she gaped at Ruby.

She turned over a page and read the first line in a serif font, "Elizabeth's favorite color was dark pink." Ruby's reaction came flooding along which cut the silence in the air. "Eww! That color is just so bad."

A slight crease formed on Joseph's forehead which was scarcely noticeable unless you sit closer to him. He twiddled with his thumbs to disengage himself in any aggressive session.

"She was afraid of bugs, cause once her brother, Mark secretly put a butterfly in her underpants. Ever since that incident took place, Elizabeth dreaded wearing underpants," Ruby was reading the compendium in frivolity, flipping through the pages. By this time, Sarah mumbled something and vanished inside with careful foot movements.

Ruby stopped reading and whipped her head to follow where Sarah went and looked back at him. "Does anyone live on the upper floor?"

"Yes, I live there."

"No, I mean, along with you?"

"Nobody lives there except me."

Ruby opened her mouth wide and nodded promptly, knowing his answers would only come in constrained words. Just then her eyes fell on the pocket-sized kettle craved with argentine glass that sat at the center table. She took an instant fancy to this little showpiece. Her eyes were burning up. She wanted that. Her attention was seeded only there where he couldn't get by any means.

She was thinking hard as to how she could get him swept away in some other task while she slid it into her pocket.

"Don't know where I kept it. It was a plain ring." Ruby got on her feet, touching the absence of the ring on her finger and looking perplexed.

Suddenly there was a breach in the serious atmosphere.

"Are you sure you were having one?" Joseph rose, taller by two complete heads.

She didn't look into his eyes. "Yes. Of course, my friend gifted it to me and I always wear it." Then, Ruby trudged toward the sofa and began searching for it by lifting the cushions. "I sat here last night."

Joseph joined in with her and looked in the direction of the door.

She glued her head on the carpet and looked beneath the sofa. "Where are you?" She looked over her shoulder and before he could take a turn, she grabbed the shiny piece and shoved it inside her coat pocket.