This is the End

“It seems awfully melodramatic to be calling this the end.” Henry leaned against one of the temple's crooked pillars and crossed his arms. “I think I’ve done quite well so far.”

The slow smile that spread across the sphinx’s face brought to mind missing canaries and mysteriously empty bowls of cream. “So far,” it purred. “Now, we shall see if it was only luck.”

“Might we please just get on with it?” Olivia was desperately ready to have this nerve-racking experience over. She was terrified, for her husband and for herself, and the sphinx’s game was pushing past the limit of her patience.

“Of course, my dear."

Gold I devour and gold I conserve,

Jade I offended, far to the east,

Whose punishment I deserve.

Sad is the fate of an uncouth beast.

Henry’s mind raced as he tried to think of something, anything from his studies that could fit the sphinx’s riddle. He circled around the same useless thought as tendrils of panic began to claw up his spine: why didn’t I pay more attention to the east?

Olivia’s heart pounded in an uneven rhythm as she watched Henry’s face and realized that he didn’t have a clue about the answer to the riddle. Fear heightened her senses, and the world seemed to slow to a crawl. Olivia felt every minute tingle of sensation as a single bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face.

“Do I get an answer, or do I get lunch?” The sphinx smirked and stretched languidly, amused at the miasma of panic wafting through the temple.

Nonsensically, Olivia’s found herself wishing that her Aunt Beatrice would walk through the door of the temple and save them. She had traveled all over the east and always returned with fabulous stories and gifts. She would be able to answer the riddle. Her last trip she’d brought back that gold and jade figurine of that weird animal and had told the strangest story…the memory suddenly ground to a halt with a jolt, and Olivia began to laugh.

Confusion warred with panic as Henry stared at his wife dazedly. “Dear, why are you laughing?”

“Yes, why are you laughing?” The sphinx narrowed its eyes and leaned forward menacingly.

“I know the answer,” Olivia choked out as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “The riddle, it’s about a pixiu.”

“A what?” Henry asked.

“On her last trip to China, Aunt Beatrice brought me back a statue of a creature called a pixiu,” Olivia explained. “It looks like a queer mixture of a lion and a deer, only it has wings. When she gave me the odd little thing, she told me one of the legends about it. Apparently, it was favored by the Jade Emperor and acted as a heavenly guardian. However, one day it ate a little too much and was unable to control its bowels while in the emperor’s palace. Angry at the pixiu’s offense, the Jade Emperor sealed up its rectum. He then proclaimed that forevermore the pixiu may only eat gold, silver, and jewels, and without a rectum, he cannot expel them."

“You know,” Henry said, “I’ve always liked your aunt. She really does always have the most fascinating stories. You have your answer, sphinx. Your riddle is about a deer lion with defecation issues. Are you going to honor our bargain?”

The sphinx studied the claws on one paw, then the other, letting the silence stretch out awkwardly. “As much as it pains me, I suppose that I must. I’m really quite disappointed. You look delicious. I will allow you to access the records held here in the temple. Since you answered three riddles, I will answer three questions of your choosing. Choose wisely.”