And It's Eleven

By P Hadassah Joyce Pushpa

"Yeah. I mean, look at how kind and friendly he is! He's so kind he's making us dinner!"

"Yes."

Olexa and Onyx were siblings. And best friends.

They were Investigators, always solving mysteries.

Now, they had been solving a mystery for a day.

Onyx and Olexa returned from the Investigatoffice (their office) on the second day.

Onyx was too tired. He went and sat in their garden. Olexa went upstairs, but came to him a few minutes later.

"Onyx!"

"Yes, Olexa!" said Onyx. "What should we do now?"

"I really don't know."

"How about a visit to the Lawn Park?"

"Oh, yes. We'll go there."

The Lawn Park was, as its name says, a green lawn with a walking track with several benches. Olexa and Onyx always loved the benches. They did need a lot of rest after a whole lot of investigating.

Onyx and Olexa arrived at the Lawn Park.

They went in.

"Ah!" Olexa laughed. "This is nice!!"

They both sat down on a bench.

"It is," Said Onyx, "and—oh, did you bring a book for us to read?"

Olexa shrugged. "I'm afraid not."

"Oh," Onyx sighed. "Never mind. I don't think I need a book now."

''Oh!" Olexa said. "It almost seemed like you read my mind!"

''Uh, I guess I kind of did." Onyx smiled; got up from the bench, and said:

"Olexa, I'll walk for a bit."

And off Onyx went to the walking track.

Olexa then saw something near the water fountain.

She went close, and picked it up. It was a.... pen!

"Huh." Olexa wondered, "This pen surprisingly—"

"Uh, hello," A person came and stood by Olexa, "Is that pen yours?"

"No," Olexa responded; and added, "Why?"

"Oh, it's just that my pen looks just like this and I lost it near the water fountain in this park."

"Water fountain?" Olexa said.

"Yes."

"Well then," Olexa gave the pen to the person, "I believe this is yours. I found it right near the water fountain."

"Really?" The person rejoiced. "I just can't thank you enough—you've found my favorite pen in the whole world! I was starting to feel a bit sick that I lost it, but now I'm better than ever! Thank you so much!"

"Anytime," Olexa said.

"And you look like.... an Investigator! Investigator Olexa, Is it you?"

"Uh, yes; it's me," Olexa smiled. "I'm Investigator Olexa."

"Well, that explains how easily you found my pen," The person responded. "And I'm Avenír Alabaster."

"Avenír, huh?" Olexa said. "What an interesting name! What does it mean?"

"Um, I'm afraid I don't really know," Avenír shrugged.

"Never mind," Olexa said. "Wait, here comes Onyx, my sibling. Hey, Onyx!"

"Olexa," Avenír said, "is he an Investigator too?"

"I sure am!" Onyx said. "Olexa, who is this?"

"This is Avenír." Olexa said. "I found a pen near the water fountain—turns out that that pen is Avenír's pen!"

"And that pen is my favorite pen in the whole world," Avenír added.

"Whoa, that's what I call Investigator Work!" Onyx smiled. "Shall we go back to Investigating our case, Olexa?"

"Yes, let's go, Onyx!"

"Wait, where are you going?" Avenír asked.

"We're going to Investigate a theft," Onyx said. "We're Investigators, remember?"

"Oh, yeah! Well then, goodbye!"

"Bye, Avenír!" Olexa said.

_______________

It was eight in the night. Olexa and Onyx returned from the Investigatoffice.

"Oh, what a day!" Onyx sat on the sofa in their living room.

"Yeah." Olexa sat down as well. "Well," Olexa said, "I'm going to our bedroom."

"Alright," Onyx said, and went to the kitchen to make something for dinner when Olexa's phone rang.

Someone was calling Olexa.

"I'll see it!" Olexa said, and saw her phone.

She saw that an unknown number was calling her.

Olexa went downstairs.

"Onyx!" She said, "An unknown person is calling me."

"Hmm, let me see it." Onyx answered the phone.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hey there! Are you Olexa?"

"Olexa?! She's my sibling! We're Investigators. What do you have to do with her?"

"Oh, you're Onyx! Well, I'm Avenír. Remember? You met me at the park, Olexa returned my pen—"

"Oh, yeah; I remember now!" Onyx smiled. "But Avenír, how did you get Olexa's phone number?"

"Ah, that," Avenír said. "Well, you're Investigators! And her number was clearly written on your office's board: 'Call for Further Enquiries'!"

"Oh, yes!" Onyx said. "Why'd you call us now?"

"I called you to ask how far your investigation has come."

"That," Onyx sighed. "It hasn't come very far—we haven't found any clues. And without clues, we can't find who did the robbery."

"Oh, it's alright!" Avenír said. "You'll find it soon, I know. Just don't give up!"

"I won't," Onyx smiled, and gave the phone to Olexa.

"It's Avenír," he said to Olexa. "Save his number in your contacts."

"I will," Olexa said, and took the phone.

"Hey Avenír!" Olexa said.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"Um, right now I'm going to help Onyx make dinner."

"Oh! What are you making?"

"It's a vegetable stir-fry."

"Oh. Olexa," Avenír said, "can I come to your house to have dinner?"

Olexa looked at Onyx.

"Well—why?"

"We're friends, right?"

"I'm quite sorry, Avenír," Olexa said. "You can't come. Me and Onyx are so exhausted—"

"Oh, oh. I'll come later, then," Avenír said. "Goodbye!"

"Bye, Avenír!"

Olexa said to Onyx, "Avenír wanted to come have dinner with us. But because we're tired, I refused,"

"Oh, never mind. He can come later," Onyx said. "I wish we found a clue to make our Investigation easier."

"Yeah. If we do, we can find out who the thief is."

Olexa and Onyx went to their dining room.

Onyx took two plates and kept them on the table. He paused, and said, "And Avenír told me not to give up."

"That's encouraging!" Olexa said, handing him a spoon. "Care for some vegetable stir-fry?"

________________

Olexa and Onyx met Avenír at the park the next day. They met again. And again. And Olexa, Onyx, and Avenír decided on one thing—to go out to dinner.

******************

A week later, they all went out for dinner to the Green Eats Restaurant.

They went inside.

"Oh, look!" Avenír exclaimed, "There's a table there with three chairs that's—"

"Perfect for the three of us!" Olexa rejoiced.

"Let's go there," Onyx said, and the three of them went and sat there.

"Wait!" Olexa exclaimed. "Now, where's the Menu Card?"

"I see this restaurant is unique," Avenír said, "because they kept their Menu Cards on those beautiful shelves over there."

"Oh!" Onyx and Olexa looked at the shelves—they were beautiful indeed.

"I'll go and get them," Onyx said.

"Ah, Onyx; I'll go and get it."

"No need, friends!" Avenír responded. "I will get them. You are Investigators, anyway—Investigating all day, finding clues.... You need rest. Be seated—I'll get it,"

'Oh, my oh my!' Olexa thought.

"What a kind person," Olexa said to Onyx.

Avenír went and got the card.

And they had a wonderful night—they had great food at the restaurant and enjoyed talking to each other.

Olexa waved bye-bye to Avenír. Then she got into their car—Onyx's car.

As she saw the buildings and trees through the window, she thought,

'What an amazing friend Avenír is. Possibly everyone on earth should have a friend as kind as him.'

Onyx thought that Avenír was a great friend, too.

*****************

Avenír met Olexa at the Lawn Park two days later.

"Hey Olexa!"

"Ah, hey; Avenír!"

"How's your investigation going?"

Olexa sighed. "Not so good," She said, "we haven't found any clues. And today is the tenth day since the theft happened. Oh," She sighed again.

"Oh, Olexa!" Avenír said with pity. "You and Onyx seem so tired, sad, and irritated that-that I—uh, that I want to stay in your house for a few days."

Olexa gasped. "You? Stay? Well—you are my f-friend and—"

"Don't you want me to help you out?" Avenír said.

"Yes," Olexa said. "I'll-I'll decide and tell you tonight."

"Alright," Avenír said, and added, "Bye, then."

"Goodbye, Avenír!" Olexa went home.

That night, when they got home, Olexa told Onyx.

"I see," Onyx said. "Well, why don't you let him? We do have an empty guest room—"

"That I designed," Olexa smiled. "It's upstairs—he can stay in it! Great idea!"

On the first floor of Onyx and Olexa's house, there was their living room, dining room, store room and kitchen.

On the second floor were Onyx and Olexa's bedrooms.

On the third floor, there was the room that Avenír was to stay in—it was the guest room (that Olexa designed!).

And Avenír moved in that very night.

____________

The next day, Avenír helped them clean the house and cook as much as he could.

Olexa and Onyx were quite grateful to him.

That night, Olexa and Onyx came back from Investigation.

"How'd it go?" Avenír asked them as they sat on the sofas.

"A bit great," Olexa smiled wearily. "We found fingerprints on the shelf—the things that the thief stole were once on that shelf."

"What things?"

"Pens, notepads, and quite a bit of gold coins."

"Are you sure the fingerprints haven't been made by you and—"

"Oh, Avenír!" Onyx exclaimed. "We Investigators wear special fingerprint-proof gloves."

Avenír stared at him.

"When we wear those gloves, our fingerprints won't be on the objects we touch." Onyx explained.

"Oh." Avenír responded.

"So, we think they might have been the thief's fingerprints."

"Ah! That's what's called investigating!" Avenír got up. "Now you two rest, and I'll make a special dinner."

"Great!" Olexa said, and with Onyx she said, "I've to talk. Let's go to your bedroom."

"Alright," Onyx said.

They went in.

"What a day, Olexa!" Onyx said.

"Yeah, what a day!" Olexa nodded.

"Onyx," Olexa said as she sat on the bed, "the fingerprints on the shelf match Avenír's."

Avenír came upstairs to ask where the capsicums were. He overheard what Olexa said, and paused.

"Come on, Olexa," Onyx said. "You must be joking."

"No, I'm not. But-but I don't exactly think Avenír did it."

"But looking at the fingerprints makes you think twice," Onyx sighed.

"Well, maybe there was a mistake in the verifying of the fingerprints," Olexa said.

"Maybe there was."

"Being an Investigator is hard, Onyx—"

"But it's worth it," Onyx smiled, "because we're helping the city."

"Perhaps it is," Olexa nodded.

Avenír came in.

"Um, Olexa, where did you keep the capsicums?"

"Oh, them," Olexa said. She got up from the bed. "Come, I'll show you."

They ate a delicious dinner.

Onyx doubted the fingerprints, then he doubted Avenír.

"But he's so kind!" Onyx shrugged it off. "Maybe the fingerprints weren't correct."

Then Onyx, Olexa and Avenír went to bed.

______________

The door opened in Olexa's room.

Avenír came in.

Olexa was awoken by the creaking of the door. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock.

It was eleven in the night.

Then she saw Avenír.

"Avenír?!" Olexa gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, oh, oh; slow down, you vile thing!" Avenír snapped. "Be silent."

"What are you doing here?"

"Shush! Be silent, you moronic thing!"

"Moronic?!" Olexa was taken aback by the way Avenír spoke. "Why'd you call me moronic?"

"Shush, you vile pea-brain!" Avenír jeered, "Be silent. Come."

"Come?! Come—come where?" Olexa got up. She was quite confused by the way Avenír spoke.

And with that, Avenír yanked her out of the bedroom.

"AVENÍR!" Olexa nearly shouted. "Where are you taking me?"

Avenír then taped her mouth. Now Olexa couldn't speak.

She tried to get to Onyx's bedroom. But Avenír hauled her down the stairs.

'Oh, goodness,' thought Olexa, 'What happened to Avenír?'

Then Avenír opened the door and yanked her into the car—Onyx's car.

Then Avenír got into the car, and began to drive it somewhere.

"Avenír!" Olexa wished to say. But her mouth was taped.

A while later, Avenír stopped the car.

"Get out, airhead," He jeered.

Olexa didn't move.

'Avenír! Could it be that he's really the thief? Is that why he's like this? But no! How kind he was!' Olexa thought.

Then Avenír grabbed her by the hand, and yanked her yet again out of the car.

"COME!" He snapped.

Olexa followed Avenír. The place where they stopped was in front of the Lawn Park.

Avenír went to a tree in the park.

He muttered something. Then, a door appeared in the tree.

"Go." Avenír said.

Avenír opened the door.

"It's been nice, Olexa," He said, "but, ah, goodbye." He laughed a wicked laugh.

He opened the door and pushed her in and closed the door.

It was a tiny room inside the tree. It was a bit dark. Olexa couldn't see anything. But Olexa could feel something—something that felt like... coins.

'Gold coins?' Olexa thought. 'Money?! These coins were stolen from the place where we found the fingerprints!!

'Avenír must be the thief because he was so rude to me tonight. And there is the money here. Only Avenír knows how to reveal this room. He has to be the thief.'

She heard Avenír going away.

'I have to warn Onyx and tell him that Avenír is a bad person.' Olexa thought.

And then, Olexa went into a deep sleep.

_________________

It was morning. Onyx woke up.

He went downstairs.

Now he didn't know about last night's incident.

"Olexa! Where are you?"

Avenír came down.

"Oh, Onyx!" He said. "What's the matter?"

"Where's Olexa? I've looked everywhere—even in her room—and I can't find her!"

"Don't worry, friend. Get going to your office, come on—you've got to investigate and find who the thief is!"

"What do you think should be done to the thief?"

"Simply give them the worst punishment ever. Go!"

"But we have to find Olexa!"

"That's none of your business, friend," Avenír was getting a tiny bit angry. "Now get ready to go to the office. I'll make you breakfast."

"None of my business?!" Onyx retorted. "Avenír, I might be getting angry; but how can you say that finding my sister is none of my business?"

"It just is." Avenír said. "Now Go!! I'll go out and find Olexa."

"I have to come too!"

"Oh, no, friend; I'll get Olexa. And you go."

"Yeah, Avenír," Onyx walked out. "I'll go. I'll go find my sibling. I just can't stay here any longer. You can follow me if you want. But I'll go."

Onyx got into his car, and drove away, not waiting for Avenír to utter a word.

Avenír groaned.

Onyx went to the Lawn Park.

He went and sat on his favorite bench. That bench was right in front of the tree Olexa was trapped in. But Onyx didn't know about it.

__________________

Olexa was startled awake.

The tape fell off her mouth.

Whether it was morning or night, she didn't care.

She yelled out, "HELP! HELP! HELP!!"

Onyx heard it.

Then the door opened. It was Onyx.

"Olexa!" He exclaimed. "What in the universe are you doing in here?"

Olexa and Onyx embraced each other.

"Onyx my best friend!" Olexa said.

"Are you hungry?" Onyx asked.

"A bit. Avenír taped my mouth with sticky tape." Olexa replied

"You just won't believe what happened last night," Olexa added. "I figured out who the thief is."

They got into the car. Onyx said,

"What exactly happened last night?"

"Avenír came into my room at eleven o'clock last night. He called me a moronic thing. Then he taped my mouth, hauled me into this car; brought me here, trapped me in the tree—and I think nobody but Avenír knows how to open it—then he closed the door. I was there all night. There were gold coins in that tree. I think Avenír stole it and hid it there—and the fingerprints match—so he is the thief."

"I just can't believe it. But he was rude to you, and only he knows how to reveal the door in the tree. He is the thief."

Olexa nodded.

"And remember, Olexa, that night he told me not to give up? And before I came here, he told me to give the thief the worst punishment ever," Onyx said.

"Oh, how Avenír managed to act so well. He wanted us to think that someone else was the thief, not him. But he failed. Wait—what about the tree?"

"Let's get the money out of it, and then pour the liquid of the Periculum Arbor tree on it. Then its door will disappear."

"Cool!"

"Now let's get Avenír to jail," Onyx said. "We've had enough of him."

*****************

Avenír was at their home, muttering something to himself all the while.

Then he saw Onyx's car. And the Investigators' Van.

"What in the shadows?" He said.

Olexa and Onyx walked in.

Avenír said, "Olexa! I'm so glad you're safe. Who trapped you?"

"Ah, Avenír," Olexa walked up to him. "I've had enough of your acting. You've pretended to be nice, but now we know that you're a wicked person."

"Oh, I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh really, Avenír?" Olexa said. "Say the same thing before Main Investigator Verdana. We've got evidence. Nobody except you knows how to reveal that door. So you must have kept the money there. And the fingerprints match. And, you hauled me, taped my mouth, and spoke so rudely with me last night. That's recorded in one of the CCTV Cameras."

"No way!" Avenír said. "How did you know that I was the robber—I mean, uh, well, uh, um, you see—"

"Enough!" Onyx retorted. "You've troubled me and my sister enough. Go to Prison."

"No!!"

The Investigators caught Avenír and got him into the Van.

Minutes later, they hauled him inside the jail.

"Goodbye, Avenír," Olexa said. "It's been great! But now I know you're nothing but wicked," Olexa laughed, "you have to stay here 6 months for the theft you did. And an extra 6 months for being rude to me—that's 12 months. Whoa, that's a year."

"No!!!" Avenír screamed. "You couldn't! You ruined my plan! You're a—"

"Not anymore, Avenír Alabaster," Olexa walked out and closed the doors. "Not anymore."

Olexa and Onyx embraced each other.

"Finally!" Onyx said, "We solved our case and figured out who Avenír really was."

"Yes," Olexa smiled. "Because that's what Investigators do."

And Olexa and Onyx went home.

Avenír muttered, "They haven't seen the last of me. There's more," He silently laughed a wicked laugh.

******************

It was a moonlit night. It was very quiet.

The roads were deserted. Not one person moved down the street except a group of some Investigators returning to the Investigatoffice.

"This is it," said Avenír, who was trapped in the jail of the Investigatoffice for 3 months.

He had been planning his escape. And the right time was now.

Avenír slowly removed the large stone near his bed, revealing a large hole.

Avenír got into it, put the stone on top of it again, and he crawled down, moved as quietly as possible and crept up—he was outside the jail!

"Hah! As easy as that!" Avenír silently laughed a wicked laugh.

Now Avenír was in the garden beside the office. He saw some tall trees, plants, and bushes. That was all he could see that night, and that was all he could see because he planned to escape and had to move quickly.

Avenír looked out of the fence. The group of Investigators were close.

He crept near the bush, and saw that there was a group of three Investigators.

He recognized them. They were Olexa and Onyx, his past enemies, and Mauve, the Investigator who put him in jail.

"Ah, there goes the Olexa-investigator-thing person again! Ah, how my plan of pretending to be nice to them didn't work! And my plan of trapping Olexa so that Onyx couldn't know who I am—it didn't work either! And that pea-brain called Mauve—she's Olexa and Onyx's friend! And because she is, she's my enemy!" Avenír said.

He waited.

Olexa, Onyx, and Mauve were talking and walking to Onyx's car.

Then—

"Hey, Onyx," Olexa said, "I think there's something behind those bushes. I heard a sound, like someone whispering something."

"Someone?" Onyx went near the bush. "Wait. Let me see."

Avenír heard it.

"Aw, no," Avenír whispered and crept quickly to the tall trees. He hid there.

Onyx saw. There was nothing—no one—near that bush.

"Nothing, Olexa." Onyx said.

"Oh. Maybe I just imagined it—after all, I was terrified by what Avenír did to me that night. He called me a—" Olexa paused.

"But," She said, "because you two are there, I guess I don't have to be scared."

"No, you don't have to, Olexa," Mauve said.

"And Avenír's in prison. He can't escape!" Onyx said.

"Oh, yeah! He is!" Olexa smiled.

They all got into Onyx's car, and drove away.

"That silly car!" Avenír said. "And that foolish Onyx doesn't know I have escaped and that I can escape. Those pea-brains don't know a thing about who Avenír Alabaster is."

Avenír silently laughed another wicked laugh.

______________

Avenír slowly and swiftly got down from the fence—he was out of the garden. He walked slowly and silently. He walked and walked. Then he stopped.

Avenír was at The Lawn Park

Avenír went a few steps, a few steps more, and a few more........

And he was standing right in front of Olexa and Onyx's house.

Avenír then waved his hand. A pair of shoes appeared. He kept them on the ground—they weren't ordinary shoes—they were the Super Sticky Shoes 45000.

Avenír wore them. He then climbed up the wall.

"It's easy! It's as easy as walking, only vertically," Avenír said.

Avenír climbed up to Olexa's room's window. Lucky for him—it was open.

"Ah!" Avenír exclaimed. "Job made easy!"

Avenír slowly crept into Olexa's room through the window.

He glanced around the room. And one particular object caught his eye.

"What's this?" Avenír said as he walked up to Olexa's table. "Oh! It looks like a TechTime 4 Device! Must grab it!"

He took it. It was as big as a tab.

Avenír saw something shining on the table. He saw that they were two Olexa's necklaces—one with a red stone, another with a green one.

And also, he saw Olexa's phone and computer.

Avenír took them as well.

"Aw, nothing else," Avenír muttered.

He turned to the window. Then he turned to Olexa's bed. He crept close to the bed, sat down on the floor, and stared at Olexa, who was fast asleep.

"You silly, moronic pea-brain!" Avenír whispered. "You ruined my plan. And I'll ruin yours."

Avenír stared for a while at Olexa's face. He then got up, and he climbed down from the room.

He was outside the house. Avenír then ran like the wind—stopping and hiding along the way to prevent detection—and he reached The Tree Ville, a small place where trees grew. It had a wall and was square-shaped. Nobody owned it—the people just kept the trees there for more oxygen.

Avenír used his special shoes to climb up the wall. He then removed a stone revealing a large hole and kept his stolen things—the tab, phone, computer, shoes, and necklaces—in it.

******************

It was morning. Onyx got a call.

It was Main Investigator Verdana.

Onyx got up. He took the phone and said,

"Hello, Investigator Verdana?"

"Yes. Hello, Investigator Onyx."

"Ah, yes. Good morning, Main Investigator Verdana."

"Onyx, where's Olexa?" Verdana said. "She hasn't been answering my calls."

"Hasn't been answering? I'll see."

"And I called her—and am calling you—to tell you this: Avenír is not in jail."

"W-What?"

"Avenír isn't in jail. I need you here at the Investigatoffice now. Olexa too."

Onyx was shocked.

"Certainly, Verdana. See you at the office," Onyx said.

"See you at the office."

Onyx disconnected the call.

"Avenír is gone? It can't be!" Onyx wondered, "But why is Olexa not lifting the phone? Could it be that Avenír escaped from the jail and trapped Olexa again?"

With that, Onyx ran to Olexa's room and pushed the door open.

Olexa woke up. "H-Huh? Oh, hey Onyx!"

"Olexa!'' Onyx said. "I was scared that you were gone!"

"Gone?! What are you talking about, Onyx?" Olexa got up. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you see, Investigator Verdana called me and told me that Avenír isn't in jail," Onyx held Olexa's hand, "that could mean he escaped."

Olexa's heart skipped a beat. "What?" She said, "No! Let's search the Investigatoffice!"

"Alright, but Verdana said you weren't answering her call."

"She called?!"

"Yep. She says she did earlier today."

"But I didn't hear anything!"

Olexa went to the table—her phone wasn't there. She noticed that her necklaces, tab, and computer were also missing.

Olexa said, "O-Onyx, m-my phone, devices and necklaces are gone!"

"What?" Onyx said. "They're gone?"

"Yes," Olexa sighed. "I'm afraid so."

"Oh." Onyx sighed. "Well, we've got two mysteries to solve: First, we have to find out where Avenír is. Second, we have to find out where your things are. Okay. Let's go to the Investigatoffice. And remember—"

"I'll tell you if I notice anything suspicious about any new friends. I will. And that guest room will be closed for a while until we Investigate this case."

And they went to the office.

________________

Onyx and Olexa went to Main Investigator Verdana's room.

"Good morning, Investigator Verdana."

"Yes," Verdana said, expressionless. "Avenír's gone. We couldn't find him."

"Oh, yes," Olexa said. "But we'll find him. His trick didn't work on me last time, and this time it won't either."

"Alright then," Verdana replied. "And today I'm dividing the Investigators into teams. So, you, Onyx, and Mauve will be a team. And you have to investigate together, whatever the case may be."

"Sure thing, Main Investigator Verdana," Onyx nodded.

"Now set to work!" Verdana said.

"Y-Yes, we will, Investigator Verdana," Olexa said.

Mauve came in.

Onyx whispered to her all the things Verdana told.

"Oh." Mauve said. "We'll be on it, Main Investigator."

Mauve, Olexa, and Onyx left the room.

___________________

They went to Avenír's prison room.

Avenír wasn't there.

They went in.

Mauve walked around the room, observing carefully. She noticed a big stone.

"Hey, Onyx!" She said, "I found something. I guess it's a stone."

Onyx and Olexa helped her move it.

"Huh!" Mauve exclaimed.

"A hole!" Olexa said.

"A big one!" Onyx said. "This is big enough for a person to fit in!"

"A person.... hmm... A hole... In Avenír's prison room... Ah!" Olexa said. "What if Avenír dug this hole and escaped through it?"

"Yeah!" Mauve said. "He could have."

"And there's a stone on top of this hole," Onyx said. "Maybe Avenír escaped and covered it up—"

"But we found it!" Mauve said. "And we still have to find where Avenír is."

They went out to search for clues.

****************

That night, as Olexa, Mauve and Onyx were returning home again, Avenír walked to Olexa and Onyx's house.

Mauve's house was close to theirs.

Avenír waited near the trees.

"Goodbye, Mauve!" Onyx said.

"Goodbye, Onyx and Olexa!" Mauve said.

Mauve went to her house, and Olexa and Onyx went to theirs.

Mauve went in.

"Hey, Mauve!" Mauve's sibling Magenta said.

Magenta and Mauve lived in the same house. Magenta was a writer, not an Investigator.

"Hey Magenta!" Mauve said. "That was such a tiring day at the office. Should we get to sleep?"

"Ah, yes!" Magenta nodded.

They both headed upstairs and went to bed.

"The coast is clear," Avenír said.

He used his special shoes, climbed up the wall, and into Magenta's room.

"Aw, no," Avenír muttered as he saw a picture on the wall.

It was a picture of Olexa, Onyx, Magenta, and Mauve.

Avenír frowned as he looked at it again.

He looked around the room.

He took from the room a phone, a computer, and a TechTime Device. He also took four necklaces, a pair of new shoes, some money, a small red chair, and all of Magenta's socks.

He took the picture with him, too.

Avenír climbed out of the house using the special shoes. He landed in their garden.

Avenír then threw the picture. It landed hard on the ground and broke.

"Ah, ha!" Avenír muttered, "I'm glad that that's gone. Now, I've got more things to get!"

He went to 3 more houses in the same street, climbed up to the bedroom using his special shoes, took whatever he pleased, and climbed down.

He then went to the Tree Ville, the small place where trees grew and removed the stone.

He kept all the things in it. Then he closed the stone, climbed up and out of the wall. And he ran forward, further down the road.

________________

The next night, Avenír went to Mauve's house again,

"I didn't steal everything!" He muttered.

He wore his special shoes and climbed up to Mauve's room. Avenír saw that the window was open.

He went inside the room.

He went slowly and silently towards the door. He opened it, went out; and closed the door.

Avenír went downstairs. He went near Mauve's pet bird. It was fast asleep.

But Avenír didn't care. He grabbed the bird by its neck!

"Chirp! Chirp!" The bird tried to say.

"Be silent, you foolish feather-head!" Avenír jeered at the bird. He then put it in a cage, and he ran outside.

He opened the doors of Mauve's car. He threw the cage—with the bird in it—in the back. Avenír drove off.

"Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!" The bird chirped loudly.

"Ah, be silent, you silly thing!" Avenír said.

The bird chirped loudly yet again.

"You're not ruining my plan any day," Avenír whispered.

And he drove the car to Olexa and Onyx's house.

_____________

He reached Olexa and Onyx's house.

Avenír wore his special shoes and climbed up to Onyx's room. He saw that the window was wide open.

"Ah-ha!" He chuckled. He got inside the room.

Avenír then glanced at the clock.

"And it's eleven," He muttered.

He was about to look around the room when the door opened.

It was Onyx. He walked in.

Avenír was going to jump out of the window when—

"Stop." Onyx said.

"I won't, you moronic pea-brain!" Avenír replied, and continued climbing down.

"Avenír." Onyx walked toward the window. He leaned over and said:

"Avenír, I've decided to be bad."

Avenír paused for a second. Then he said, "Don't trick me,"

And he continued climbing down.

"Avenír, I've decided to be bad and wicked, just like you," Onyx repeated.

Avenír said, "So what?" Avenír continued climbing down. "I don't care."

"Avenír, I want to help you to destroy Olexa forever. I decided I want to be wicked." Onyx said calmly.

Avenír reached the ground. He paused and said, "W-What?"

Onyx said, "I want to help you to destroy Olexa."

"Really?"

"Yes." Onyx sighed. "I think she's a silly person too."

"You do?"

"I do, Avenír; and I want to help you." Onyx said.

Avenír said, "Come down then."

Onyx smiled and came down the stairs.

"Where is Olexa?" Avenír said.

"That's none of your business, Avenír," Onyx replied.

"Tell me!" Avenír retorted.

"I already told you that that is none of your business." Onyx said, and he walked back to the house, saying: "I'll be back in a bit—don't you go anywhere!"

Avenír was alone once again. He stared at the house.

Then he remembered the time when he trapped Olexa, and the following morning Onyx asked him, "Where is Olexa?" to which he replied, "That's none of your business, friend."

"This is very similar to my trick. Strange," Avenír muttered.

Then Avenír heard a creaking sound above him. He looked up—something big, like a cage, was falling on him.

And when Avenír turned to escape, there was a loud 'Bang!' sound and the cage fell on him, trapping him.

"Aw, snap!" Avenír muttered. "Hey, Onyx! Where on the Earth have you gone to, and what have you done?" He retorted.

Onyx walked up to him.

"Whoopsie, Avenír," Onyx smiled. "So, you believed what I said. Poor you! You thought that I'd become bad and follow you? Never will I do that, for I love my sister, my friends, and my city. I won't go against them."

"Oh, no!"Avenír frowned.

Then Olexa and Mauve walked up to him.

"Uh-oh!" Mauve said.

"Aww!" Olexa said. "Avenír, you look so wonderful when you're trapped!"

Then Mauve went and brought the cage from the car and opened it. The bird flew to Mauve and Magenta's house.

"Aargh!" Avenír said.

Then Olexa and Onyx took Avenír to the van.

Soon they reached the Investigatoffice. Mauve took him to jail.

Onyx went into the jail.

"Avenír," Onyx said. "You can't escape again. While you were away, Mauve and I did a bit of a redesign to this room. We made the walls and floors extra strong so that you can't break through. And we made the window's glass unbreakable."

"You vile, moronic thing!" Avenír said.

"Oh, no, Avenír Alabaster," Onyx said. "You won't come in our way again."

Olexa and Mauve embraced Onyx as he walked out.

Avenír muttered, "Oh, no! No, this can't be! Shadows, no!!!" And he silently sobbed.

By P Hadassah Joyce Pushpa