Chapter 4
Orange Rules
Orange Door
The orange door led into darkness.
“Whatever happens,” Ronnie whispered, “do not cheat. Ponco Orange cannot bear cheating.”
An orange spotlight blazed on.
They stood in a giant games room. The floor was a chessboard. Playing cards covered the walls. Above them, a Snakes and Ladders board was fixed to the ceiling.
A spiral staircase corkscrewed down. Ponco Orange descended in a fitted orange suit, holding a pack of cards and waving like a visiting emperor.
“Pick a card,” he told Ronnie.
Ronnie chose one, returned it and waited.
“Six of hearts,” Ponco Orange announced.
“Correct!”
Ponco Orange offered a second pack to Paul. Paul selected the queen of hearts.
“Queen of hearts,” said Ponco Orange.
“Every card in one pack is the six of hearts,” Paul said, “and every card in the other is the queen.”
Ponco Orange blinked.
“That is a very serious accusation.”
Paul reached for the packs.
“No need to become unpleasant,” said Ponco Orange, stuffing them into separate pockets. “Let us play something completely honest.”
He pointed to the ceiling.
“Upside-down Snakes and Ladders!”
Paul put one foot against the wall. It stuck. He took another step and walked straight up. Within moments, he and Ronnie were standing upside down on the board.
On the floor far below, Ponco Orange rolled a huge dice. It bounced like a washing machine falling down stairs.
“Six!” Ronnie called.
“That was clearly mine,” Paul said.
“I called first.”
Ponco Orange moved an orange counter.
“Which counter is mine?” Paul asked.
“The orange one.”
“They’re both orange.”
“Precisely. It prevents favouritism.”
Up ladders and down snakes they went. Ponco Orange changed rules, forgot turns and moved whichever counter pleased him.
At last Paul reached the final square. His section of ceiling flipped over, placing him beside Ponco Orange the right way up.
Ronnie remained below.
“And now,” Ponco Orange said, producing a button marked DROP, “the loser falls on his head.”
“You didn’t tell us that.”
“I have told you now.”
Paul grabbed his wrist.
“A rule cannot be fair if you hide it until the game is over.”
Ponco Orange’s smile faded. Paul had expected an argument. Instead, the Ponco looked embarrassed.
“I only wanted the game to remain exciting,” he muttered.
“Fear and excitement are not the same thing.”
Ponco Orange glanced at Ronnie hanging below. “Perhaps we might settle the matter with three riddles.”
“Two,” Paul said.
“Three.”
“Two, and you tell me every rule before we begin.”
Ponco Orange sighed. “You negotiate like a Ponco.”
“Thank you.”
“It was not a compliment.”