Chapter 23 : The Cardboard House

The female avatar gave a nod. Excellent. First riddle: I have homes, but no cities. All I have are mountains. I have fish, but I have water. "What am I?" John thought over the puzzle for a while. The solution was clear-cut yet evasive. He looked to Marie, thinking she could know anything. Marie mumbled, "It's a map," after giving it some consideration. John's eyes brightened. "A map!" he said, pointing to the screen. The woman's mouth opened slightly. True. Let's go on to the next one: I have no mouth, I have no ears. I am without a body, yet the wind gives me life. "What am I?" The strain increased, but John experienced a boost in self-assurance this time. Together, he and Marie worked while their brains raced. Together, they said, "An echo!" The lady remarked, "Excellent," her voice tinged with admiration. There were two additional puzzles, more difficult than the last one. However, driven by a common goal and adrenaline, John and Marie managed to break the code. Th