(The first book starts in achatina and continues in abc order and then the second and third

follow it)

The Riddles of the phoenixes series.

Through the eyes of the Dark phoenixes.

Chapter four: escape plans

“So what’s the plan?” Jack asked. Just then their dinner trays slid from a slot under the door. There was cold soupy beans, a small water melon, bread with fungus growing on it, a mysterious black pudding, and suspiciously rotten looking pieces of broccoli. Jack picked up his plate and wrinkled his nose. He nudged the cold beans with his flimsy spoon. “Why do they serve beans at every meal?” He wondered aloud. “Hey! You gotta problem? You better not because whether you like that meal or not you will eat it! When it’s hot it’s hot and when it’s cold it’s cold. Deal with it!” The “chef” that had slid their food under the door exclaimed angrily. He walked off, sliding more trays under each door. Jack sighed. The only thing that looked like it wasn’t rotten or poisoned was the watermelons. Jack picked one up from his tray and was about to night into it when Elizabeth snatched it from his hand. “Hey!” Jack exclaimed angrily. “Shh! Lower your voice! We can use these melons to escape.” Elizabeth whispered. “Good gosh you’re right!” Eric whispered. Elizabeth handed the melon to Eric and he brought it down hair on the edge of his tray. It broke in half to reveal juicy red insides. Elizabeth scooped some out and using the flimsy spoon she shaped it into a small key then dipped it in the mysterious black pudding. The pudding hardened almost immediately after. It looked almost identical to the key the guard had. “Ok. This key will break if we try to turn it in the lock but…we can switch the guard’s key with this fake key.” Elizabeth said with a sly grin. “How?” Jack asked. “Simple. We get the guard to come in her by annoying him. We just need someone to do it…” Eric said. They both turned to Jack with expectant looks on their faces. “Oh no, I will not be the distraction! You can’t make me!”

A few minutes later, Jack strode to the corner of the cell, his face already red with embarrassment. He cleared his throat then opened it and began to sing. He sang loud, and brokenly, and it would surely annoy the guard. “If you love somebody you better tell them while they’re here because they might just run away from you. You’ll never know quite when then again it just depends on how long time is left for you.…” Jack sang loudly with no harmony or melody. The guard with the key rattled the bars of their cell. “Hey shut it you!” The soldier yelled. Jack continued singing. “…'cause I’m in top of the world, hey. I’m on top of the world, hey. Waiting for this for a while now. Been paying my dues to the dirt…” Jack continued singing loudly until finally the guard grew so annoyed that he unlocked the cell and lunged for Jack. “Been dreaming of this since a-” Jack dodged the guard. “Oops you missed. Let me help you.” Jack taunted. He tackled the guard and while the guard was dazed, he slipped the watermelon key beside the other key. “Hey get off me!” The guard yelled. The soldier pushed Jack off him and hurried out the door, locking it behind him. Jack at the last minute, before the guard walked off, lunged at the bars and grasped the key from the soldiers pocket. Before the soldier turned Jack slipped the key into his mouth. The soldier sneered at him. “Trying to escape, eh? Well…good luck!” He kicked Jack in the chest. Jack fell to the floor, breathing hard and trying not to spit the key out while the guard was watching. Elizabeth and Eric came over and helped him to his feet. “Did you get it?” Elizabeth asked. Jack nodded and spit the small key into his hand and held it out to Elizabeth.

-SunnyFox57