The Experience of Being Alive

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Well Binny, you picked a real winner here.” Hermione motioned towards Michel while trying to shield herself from the sprinkles.

“I’m telling you, he’s in there. We just need to figure out the password.” Michel insisted.

“Has anyone else read the book?” Binny asked.

Blank stares greeted her in response.

“What did he mean about the rules?” Binny asked Michel.

“You only get one try at the password per day. Then you have to be on your way.”

“How many times have you tried to get in there?” Katniss asked.

“Twenty-six.” Michel said, hanging his head.

“Did that count for all of us or just you?” Binny asked.

“I don’t know. One of you could try I suppose.”

“My turn then.” Arya announced, and went back in without waiting for permission.

Arya was gone before anyone had a chance to protest. They all followed her back in to see what would happen.

“I’d like to try.” Arya announced to the giant man.

Fezzik turned to Arya. She was the smallest of their group and stood in stark contrast to Fezzik who looked amused by the difference between her physical size and the size of her attitude. Fezzik raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

“Let us in, or I shall have to add you to my list.” Arya unsheathed Needle.

“What would happen if you added me to your list?” The giant asked gently.

“Do I need to spell it out?” Arya gently waved her sword in Fezzik’s direction.

“Little girl. I use bigger swords as toothpicks. Empty threats are not the password either. On your way.” The giant deftly moved Arya towards the exit, resheathing her sword in the process.

Katniss and Hermione both reluctantly gave it a shot. Katniss tried something in French, being that they were in Paris, and Hermione tried singing. Neither worked.

Each time, they entered the little entryway, Binny eyed the giant. And each time she felt an itch in the back of her mind. But she couldn’t quite figure it out.

She’d never seen him before in her life. Of course other than the characters in her own book, she’d never seen anyone in the Stacks before in her life.

But Fezzik was someone she would have remembered. His arms in particular. Gargantuan and unlike any she’d ever seen. Smallish mountains sat under the heavy cloth of the man’s brown tunic. Binny wasn’t entirely sure of the dictionary definition of a tunic, but the tent that served as a shirt for this man seemed to qualify.

And then, Binny had a memory. Lying in bed, her father reading to her. A book about a princess, and a farmhand, and a swordsman, and a bad king, and a scheming little man, and his friend the giant!

“Oh my god. I know who it is.”

“Who what is?” Katniss said.

“Fezzik.”

“Who’s Fezzik?” Hermione asked.

“The guy. The giant in there. Didn’t you hear, Michel said his name is Fezzik.” Binny turned to Michel, “Didn’t you read his book?”

“Does it take place in Paris?”

“No.”

“Then no. I did not.”