Lizzy and the Riddler pt. 3

Jack (background, left) and Lizzy (foreground left) meet Jack's uncle at the Mississippi River to solve the riddles Lizzy keeps receiving.

Well it just so happened that Jack the jackrabbit had an Uncle in Mississippi so both he and I hopped onto a plane and headed over there.

“He lives a few miles from the Mississippi river” he added, as our plane took off.

“Wow what a coincidence” I said, sarcastically.

Since Mr. Smiley wasn't in his office, I left a note on his door saying that Jack and I were going on a hopefully quick journey in order to retrieve something. I knew as soon as we arrived in Mississippi that this was not going to be a good day.

“Hello Jackie!” greeted an elderly rabbit wearing a straw hat and a Hawaiian shirt.

“Hey Tyrone” Jack said, grabbing his luggage.

I stare at him in awe.

“Tyrone?” I asked, “that's not very...rabbitish.”

“Rabbitish?” Jack laughed, “that's not a word.”

“Well it is now” I mutter, “So can we just go to the river now?”

Jack took the front seat so I had to sit in the back with a bunch of...was these teeth bones?

“What time is it?” I asked, hoping to get to the lake and be done with this little quest.

“It's five” Mr. Tyrone informed me, jerk the wheel to the right on his jeep.

“Good that means that we can go visit the lake...now” I stressed.

Jack just laughed, “It's 5p.m. Almost supper time.”

My cheeks turned red, I knew that. I just needed to get the lake. How come Jack was being so annoying? I guess the world will never know. We arrived at his Uncle's house and I got settled into the guest room. Jack had to sleep out on the couch in the living room, HA serves him right. That's when I feel guilty because he is just trying to help me after all. Then again I did tell him I didn't need his help. For dinner we had um...I think it was carrot soup...I hope.

The next day, Jack and I went to the river.

“Well um where exactly do you think we would find the clue?” Jack asked, looking around on the bank.

“I don't know..It will just pop out...” I answer and suddenly a piece of paper flies into my face.

Jack starts to laugh as I grab the paper.

“Okay that was no cool” I said, looking at the paper “This is...so cool!”

Jack looks at me really confused. I quickly show him the paper.

“It's another riddle” he exclaims out loud, “That guy is genius!”

I look at him real suspicious.

“How do you know it's a guy?” I asked.

“Um I don't know...I just assumed...” he quickly gets distracted, “okay the riddle says, 'Weight in my stomach, trees on my back, nails in my ribs, it's feet I lack. What am I?”

“Oh nails in my ribs...that sounds horrible” I commented, looking out into the river “Oh wait I get it...I think.”

“What do you think?” Jack asked, “I know the answer.”

“It's a ship...or a boat either one...um weight in my stomach is the cargo. The trees on my back is the boards on the deck. Nails in my ribs is...um the nails to hold the boards together and the it floats or sails so it doesn't have feet.” I respond, quickly.

Jack leads me to a nearby harbor and finished talking to some man.

“We need to rent a boat” Jack nodded, “Do you have any money?”

My eyes widen and then my checks start to feel warm again.

“You didn't bring any money?” He asked, shocked “what kind of animal are you?”

“A lizard” I smile in response, “uh I brought my credit card but...no cash.”

Jack fished out his wallet and handed the man thirty-five dollars.

“Doesn't your uncle own a boat?” I asked.

“Yes and no” Jack admitted, “It's getting some repairs.”

“I'll pay you back when we get home...to New York” I add, meekly.

Jack unties the boat from the harbor and then we take off. It was only a few minutes when we started to repeat our conversation from before.

“Well um where exactly do you think we would find the clue?” Jack asked, paws on the steering wheel.”

“I don't know” Lizzy exclaimed, “It will show up.”
“Buoy ahoy!” Jack yelled suddenly.

“What?” I asked, confused.

Jack points to something in the river. I lean over but as I do the boat hits a wave and I nearly take a dip in the water but luckily my foot got caught in a net.

“Um...I think the riddle may be over there” I confirm as Jack sails the boat over.

I lean over and grab the buoy and untie a piece of lamented index card off it.

“It says, getting closer. One more riddle then your gift is yours” I read as Jack came over, “What's always coming, but never arrives? And Sometimes I'm high and sometimes low, and I creep between your toes. My orders come from the sky, I make men fall and rise.”

Lizzy sat on the deck and started to think. These riddles were getting a little annoying, She just wanted to go home and give Mr. Smiley his present.

“Well I've heard the first one” she stated “It's tomorrow. So that must mean we have to look for the next riddle tomorrow. But where...er when?”

Jack kept the boat steady as they headed back to the dock. The man who let them borrow the boat came running to them.

“It's a good thing you returned when you did,” he said gasping for breath.

“Why?” Jack asked.

“Because the tide is coming in and I'm afraid this dock is just a little to low” he responded, “you would've gotten lost!”

“Ah ha!” Jack exclaimed, snapping his finger, “It's the tide.:

Both the man and Lizzy looked at him confused,

“The answer to the second riddle is tide” Jack said, confidently “I assume that we need to come back here tomorrow when the tide is low.”

Jack and I headed back to his Uncle's house.

“Aw rats” I announced, upset.

“What?” he asked, caught off guard.

“Low tide...” Lizzy answered, “either the next riddle is under water or...Mr. Smiley's present is.”

“And?” Jack asked, as he opened the door to the house.

“Mr. Smiley's present isn't waterproof....and I didn't bring my bathing suit.” Lizzy added.

Jack just smiled and they hurried inside.

“What? What's so funny?” Lizzy asked, “why are you grinning.”

Jack struggled to keep a straight face as he looked back at Lizzy.

“Oh nothing,” he replied casually. 

Written by: Lizzy the Lizard

Photographer: Daniel P. Smithwater

Edited by: Christian Ryan, Joy Hammond & Mr. Smiley

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