Vanessa Williams

I grabbed the envelope labeled Vanessa Williams.

Mike took out a lighter and lit the other envelope on fire, making sure it burned up completely before throwing the charred remains away. Whatever information was in that envelope was lost forever. Only Emma (or Ella?) knew what it was.

I opened the envelope. Inside was a piece of paper. On one side of the paper was written only one thing.

7:00

The other side of the paper contained instructions for the next part of the quest.

"You are supposed to show me the time that you were given," Mike said to me. I held the paper up to him. "Okay," Mike continued, "I will see you at 7:00." He turned and headed back to his car.

I turned the paper over in my hands to read the note.

Emily is the keeper of the next question in your knowledge quest. Proceed as quickly (but safely) as possible to our house where Emily will be waiting for you. She will give you your next question and your next instructions.

I got back in my Audi and started the drive over to where Emma and Emily and their dad lived. Ten minutes later I found myself standing on the doorstep, ringing their bell. I had to ring it twice. Just as I was about to ring it a third time, the door finally opened. I was greeted by Emily, who looked anything but happy to be there. She played the bored and annoyed teenager role really well.

“Oh,” she said with very little enthusiasm. “Hey, Isaac. Good to see you again.” I was not very convinced that she really thought it was good to see me again.

“Good to see you too,” I said, waiting for her to invite me in or step outside to give me my next question. Instead, she just stared at me for a little while like she was wondering what I was up to.

“So …” she said somewhat impatiently, “Emma’s not here right now.”

“I kind of figured she wasn’t,” I replied.

“So did you just come to perv on her little sister then?” She said, looking even more annoyed.

“No,” I blurted out quickly. “No, of course not. Didn’t she arrange for you to have something to ask me?”

She looked at me and shrugged her shoulders like she had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. I was starting to panic. How the hell was I supposed to complete this quest if Emma hadn’t actually arranged each of the steps required?

Emily just stood there, looking annoyed and watching me squirm. I wasn’t sure what to say or do as I watched her. Just as I was thinking she was going to close the door on me, she smiled. It was a big, shit eating grin, actually.

“God, Isaac,” she said with a chuckle, “you really are ridiculously easy to tease. No wonder Emma likes doing it so much.”

She stepped back and opened the door.

"Come in," she said, "you big doofus. I can't believe how badly you fell for that. You looked a little like a fish that someone had just tossed out onto the shore, flopping around helplessly, gasping for air."

"You little minx," I said to her, although I had to smile. She had done a really good job selling that.

She took me in to a room right off the entry way that looked like it doubled as both a study and a bedroom. She turned and sat down on the edge of the small desk inside the room.

"Are you ready for your question, then?" She asked.

"Sure," I said, "let me have it."

"Okay, here goes. What is the name of the town that is the backdrop for the famous series by L.M. Montgomery: Anne of Green Gables?"

She reached behind her and pulled up two envelopes once again, holding them out for me to see them.

On the left - the name Avonlea was written in all caps. On the right, the name Cavendish.

Once again, it was time to make my choice.