227 P.F.

“3…! 2…! 1…!” shouted Gideon. “Ready or not! Here I come!”

He dropped his hands covering his eyes and blinked to allow his eyes time to readjust. He made a show of standing up and stretching. He steadied his breathing as he examined his surroundings while idly brushing the dirt from his pants.

He began a slow walk around the green, letting his mind wonder. Each step had him wading through the flow left behind by the others. He paused where the flows became a tangle mess from where the kids had gathered before his counting.

He waved his right hand through the tangle mess, feeling the slight differences between each thread. As he examined the flows, he found himself pondering their existence. This must be the vitava that mom talked about. I wish she would talk more about it. More about dad…

He looked away from the flows in front of him and towards the thick flow connecting him to his mother. He remembered the surges from earlier, the same type that he came to associate with his mother’s panic attacks.

He looked back to the flow in front of him and followed the lingering traces of his mother’s flow onto another. This one was calm and thin compared to his mother’s but was thicker than the other flows he associated with the children. His eyes followed this flow to a pair of tents with a wood pile nestled between them.

That’s Kellan…

He sent a wave in the direction of the wood pile, uncertain if the other boy was watching him. His attention returned to the other flows drifting in different directions. He examined the thickness of the flows looking for the tiniest. This he traced to a distant picnic table near the bonfire.

This is likely Joan…

He moved onto the next two smallest. Both had a nervous and erratic flow that he came to associate with the energy of the two youngest boys in the group of children.

Mark and Perrin…?

These flows went into another tent that he made note of for later. He examined the remaining four flows. One went around the back of the bonfire. Another two went off to where several carts were parked. The final flow threaded into a large group of adults.

He eyed the final one which gave off a prickly sensation that he associated with Ava’s attitude. Time to keep my word. Need to be wary of the adults though…

He returned his hand to his side as he made his way towards the bonfire. He carefully looked past Joan’s hiding spot behind the skirts of adults at the picnic table. He let his gaze continue past Kelly who was huddled in the middle of dancing adults by the bonfire before adjusting his approach to the adults near Ava.

His gaze traced a path through the other festival goers as he weaved in between dancers and revelers. As he stepped into the pavilion, he felt several flows from the adults brush through him. He fought the urge to look at them as he made a show of looking around the pavilion for signs of Ava.

He crouched down to check for signs of Ava’s shoes and pants. He heard several of the adults laugh and grew more aware of their attention on him. He felt his ears redden from the attention as he straightened. He ventured a glance towards the group of adults that were focused on him.

There in the center of the adults stood Allen Mercer at full attention. His shoulders were pulled back and his head held high with a slightly downward glance. His blue eyes seemed to pass judgement on all that he beheld.

Gideon broke eye contact with him and focused on ignoring the slightly off-putting flow radiating from Ava’s father. Something about the man’s flow of vitava just felt wrong to Gideon. Not entirely unfamiliar as his mother had similar traces, but this man had more of that wrongness than others he had met.

Gideon lightly shook his head before eyeing the chest in the corner of the room. There he felt the prickly flow that belonged to Ava. He smiled at his soon to be victory over the spoiled child. He reached out for the latch of the chest prepared to catch Ava.

“You’re Gideon, correct?” called out a smooth baritone voice.

Gideon felt dozens of flows plow into his mind from the attention drawn to him. He paused to gather his thoughts and turned from the chest. He looked Mr. Mercer in the eyes before nodding politely.

“Yes, sir.”

“My daughter Ava has spoken of you.” He paused while examining Gideon’s attire. “She claims you’re a cheat.”

Gideon chewed on his lip to cut off his retort. He took a deep breath before he replied, “I’m not sure why she believes I’m a cheat.”

“Oh?” Allen focused on Gideon’s facial reactions. “Then could you explain how you arrived here in my tent?”

Gideon panicked for a second before gathering himself. “Of course, Mr. Mercer.”

Gideon smiled politely as he sat on top of the chest containing Ava. “While counting I used my senses to give me an idea of each direction the other kids ran. The heavier footfalls of the boys went off towards some of the other tents. The smaller children ran back towards the crowds in the festival. This made me think that the younger children and girls would attempt to hide within the crowds.”

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Allen Mercer smiled at his explanation and leaned against one of the tables while bracing himself with hand for support. He gestured for Gideon to continue.

“I did spot a few of the children where I suspected them to be in the crowds, but I had a promise to keep.”

“A promise?” inquired Mr. Mercer.

“I promised Kellan that I would catch your daughter first!” boasted Gideon before he could think through what he was saying.

Allen barked out a loud laugh. “Not even eleven and my daughter already has boys chasing after her!”

Gideon’s face reddened as he quickly replied, “That’s not what I meant!”

He waved dismissively at Gideon. “Of course, of course. But how did you conclude that she’s here?”

Gideon frowned as he thought of what to say. Mom said she didn’t need to talk about vitava yet as we don’t develop that sense until puberty. I know I’m special, but mom acts like being special leads to trouble. What should I claim…?

“Well?”

“I…” muttered Gideon as he tried to think up an excuse. “I simply thought, ‘What would Ava do?’”

Allen rapped the table with his silver ring and bellowed out, “What would Ava do?”

Gideon averted his eyes as he mumbled out, “Use her connections for the best hiding spot. To use adults as guards in a children’s game so that the seeker wouldn’t find her…”

A twinkle of delight appeared in Mr. Mercer’s eyes as his smile grew wider. “You believe we are hiding her here in this very tent?”

“Yes, sir.” Replied Gideon with his eyes firmly planted on Mr. Mercer’s well-polished black leather shoes.

“Perhaps, you believe you are sitting on top of my daughter’s hiding location?” asked Mr. Mercer with a hint of mirth in his voice.

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you sit down on top of the chest to make sure she couldn’t escape, then?”

Gideon looked up in shock at Mr. Mercer, at a loss for what to say. The man waved dismissively and smiled at Gideon. “No worries. You’ve entertained me this evening with my daughter’s antics. Let us finish this with a small bet. If you are right and my daughter is in that chest when you check, then I will have her apologize right here in front of everyone for calling you a cheater.”

Again, Gideon was grounded by Mr. Mercer’s proposal. He continued, “If however, she is not within the chest when you check, then you shall catch all the other children first. What say you to this friendly wager?”

Gideon felt a sense of unease wash over himself. He reached out with his right hand and brushed the prickly flow radiating from the chest below. She’s in there. I know it to be true. My sense has never been wrong before! It’s time for her to apologize for calling me a cheater!

Gideon smiled widely and reached out to shake Mr. Mercer’s hand. “It’s a deal!”

Just as Gideon jumped off the chest, he felt a surge of energy pass through him and settle on the prickly flow that belonged to Ava. Dread swept over Gideon as he felt the surge pull on Ava’s flow just as he prepared to throw open the chest.

There inside the freshly opened chest was nothing but a picnic blanket, wrinkled from someone laying on it. Gideon was left dumbfounded as he looked back at Mr. Mercer.

“How-?”

A shrill high-pitched laughter radiated out from Ava at Mr. Mercer’s side. Gideon blinked as he sensed Ava’s flow wrapped up in the flow that radiated from her father.

“Did you just summon her…?”

Mr. Mercer smiled widely at Gideon. “Perhaps? Who knows for certain?”

His eyes seemed to challenge Gideon to prove him wrong.

“What I do know for certain, young Gideon. Is that you have a deal to uphold.” Mr. Mercer let the smile reach his eyes as he gestured back out to the Festival grounds. “If you will, please seek out all of the other children first.”

“But-“

“My, my. Are you not a man of your word, young Gideon?”

“I… I keep my promises… But…” Gideon knitted his brows together in frustration. “I had already promised another child would be last…”

I messed up. No matter what, I’ll be breaking my word now…

“Which is more important to you? Is it the promise made to a child, or the promise made to an adult?” spoke Mr. Mercer as he towered over Gideon.

Mom told me to always respect adults. To always keep my word. I hate this.

Gideon glared at Mr. Mercer before looking down and answered, “I’ll keep my word to you…”

Mr. Mercer nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Get going now.” He said as he turned away from Gideon.

Ava grinned at him in satisfaction and turned with her father.

Gideon fumed at the unfairness of the situation and quickly jogged back into the dancers by the bonfire to tag Kelly. Immediately afterwards he pivoted for the ladies at the picnic table and shouted, “Come on out Joan! I see you hiding beneath your sister’s skirts.”

The little brown-haired girl peeked out beneath the skirts and smiled shyly. Just as Gideon returned the smile, he saw her bounce up and run away. He let her get twenty steps away before tagging her. “Alright, you’re out! Back to the green with you!”

He smiled in satisfaction as the joy of the game washed away the sour experience with Ava and her father. He turned towards the carts at a run to chase down Matty who was peeking out from behind the nearest one.

“Run, Eric!” shouted Matty with glee. “He’s found us!”

Gideon grinned as he sprinted ahead sensing Matty run into the cluster of carts while Eric ran towards the crowded revelers at the bonfire. A quick jump onto the side of the cart allowed Gideon to propel himself onto the roof of the cart. Eric had slowed down below and was crouched trying to see where Gideon would approach from. Slowly, Gideon made his way over the tops of the cart roofs before dropping down beside Matty and tagging him on his back.

“Caught you!”

“No! Where did you even come from?”

“Nowhere and everywhere!” exclaimed Gideon with a laugh. “I’m off to find my next victim!”

With that, Gideon found himself weaving through the crowd of revelers once more before tagging Eric. He took a moment to catch his breath as he made his way towards the tents where he had sensed both Perrin and Mark.

He let the flow of the crowds wash over him as he felt for Perrin. There beneath the flood of energy around them, was the solitary and steady flow of Perrin. Gideon picked his way carefully right up to the tent flap hiding the other boy before whipping the flap back to tag Perrin.

The boy blinked in shock before busting out into laughter. “You got me!”

Gideon turned towards the next tent and tracked down Mark who was peeking out of his tent flap trying to spot Gideon’s approach. A detour around Mark’s tent allowed Gideon to approach from his blind spot for a quick and simple tag.

The other bother had jumped in shock from being caught but quickly laughed it off before running to join the other kids.

Gideon smiled as the boy retreated. His gaze was drawn to Kellan’s flow under the wood stack between the two tents. Gideon sighed to himself and walked on over to the pile of wood. He paused in front and said, “I’m sorry Kellan. I… Uh. I couldn’t keep my promise. I made a mistake while going for Ava and the short of it is that I had to leave her for last…”

Gideon’s gaze dropped to the ground. A light chuckling escaped the pile of wood. Kellan pushed aside some wood and crawled out from his hiding hole. He reached out a hand for Gideon to help him up and said, “No worries at all, man! I just watched you do exactly what you said you would do. You ‘found’ her first, right?”

Gideon blinked in surprise as he pulled Kellan up and responded numbly, “I did find her first…”

“And you found me last, right?”

“Right…”

“So, you kept your word then, right?”

“Yeah. I did keep my word!” shouted Gideon with glee. “Thanks, Kellan! You’re a good friend!”

Gideon turned away from Kellan and started back towards the Mercer’s tent. “Now, to finally catch that girl!”