THE QUESTION AND THE PIT

Adewale, uncle James, Adetutu, and Fawmus went to a hotel. Fawmus rented a room that has three beds in a room using another human face. As they got inside the room, they took their bath and ordered food except for Fawmus that doesn't do any of those. After eating and relaxing for some minutes, Fawmus told uncle James, Adetutu, and Adewale that they need to go to Kuntapha place now and they all agreed. 

The four of them sat down on the floor forming a circle and holding hands. ''Now we will be going to Kuntapha place, so everyone please close your eyes'' said Fawmus, and they all closed their eyes. 

Some seconds later, Fawmus opened his eyes and said to everyone ''now you can all open your eyes''. 

Adewale, uncle James, and Adetutu opened their eyes to see a very big mountain surrounded by clouds in front of them as they stood next to each other. They saw two guards guarding the stairs (path) that lead to the mountain, the two guards were also holding a spear each which they crossed together to prevent anyone from climbing the stairs. Uncle James said ''I think this is the so-called mountain''.

''Okay, let's go see this Kuntapha guy'' said Adewale, and wanted to move but Fawmus stopped him and said to Adewale, Adetutu, and uncle James ''don't move an inch from where you are''. 

''Why?'' uncle James asked Fawmus. 

Then suddenly the ground cracked and opened round the four of them. The mountain, ground, and everything around them also began to move slowly backward disappearing. Seeing what was happening Adewale, Adetutu and uncle James became scared except for Fawmus. Adetutu (scared) asked Fawmus ''What is happening?''. 

''Question time'' said Fawmus to the three of them. 

Everything around them moved backward till they all vanished except only the ground they were standing on. Adewale, Adetutu, and Uncle James were shocked and frightened to see nothing around them anymore except the clouds and the ground which has already become a pit. Adewale, uncle James, and Adetutu peeped into the pit to see nothing but darkness, and that scared them more. Uncle James said ''am sure we don't wanna fall inside this pit''. 

Adewale asked Fawmus ''Yes, we don't. What the hell is going on that everything disappeared remaining the ground we are standing on?''. 

''We are only still standing on this ground because we haven't been asked the question'' said Fawmus. 

''What kind of question are we talking about and why do we need to be asked a question?'' Adewale asked Fawmus. 

''I don't know, but the question is a test you all need to pass to get to Kuntapha. And sincerely everyone, we don't want to fail the test'' said Fawmus. 

''Is there something we need to know Fawmus?'' Adewale asked Fawmus. 

''Once the question has been asked, the ground we are standing on will began to crumble slowly from beneath. You will be given three chances to answer the question correctly. If you say the wrong answer thrice or was slow in answering the question. The ground will crumble completely and you three will fall inside this pit'' said Fawmus. 

''You kept saying you three. What about you?'' Uncle James asked Fawmus. 

''Don't forget am not real. I may be here but am not real. Am just a soul of Leo's power'' said Fawmus. 

''What will happen if we fall inside the pit?'' Adewale asked Fawmus. 

''You will all be eaten by what's inside the pit since you have no powers and you will die in the real world'' said Fawmus. 

''What is inside the pit?'' Adetutu asked Fawmus. 

''You don't want to know'' said Fawmus. 

''We want to know since we might fall into it'' said Adewale to Fawmus. 

''They are creatures that walk the night, their teeth are more sharpened than of any other beasts or demons in this world. They are terrifying and lovers of darkness. They eat anything that comes their way even spirits. They are the worst nightmare of every.....'' said Fawmus. 

Fawmus was cut short of words as they all heard a roar from the pit, and that made Adewale, Adetutu, and uncle James anxious and frightened. Adewale asked Fawmus ''what is truly inside the pit?''.

''Even I will be killed by those things if I go into the pit, and I don't want to talk about it anymore because it will only make you guys more frightened. Just pray you all don't fall into the pit'' said Fawmus. 

''Am already scared of whatever is inside this pit'' said uncle James, just then an unknown voice said ''hello'', and that caught their attention. 

''Who is that?'' uncle James asked the voice, in fear. 

''It is Kuntapha. Hello Kuntapha'' said Famwus to the voice. 

''Who are you people?'' asked the voice. 

''We were told you are a friend of ours. Am Deo, so can you please show yourself'' said Adetutu to the voice. 

''You should know I won't believe that not until I see you for myself and to do that you need to pass my test which is a question. Answer it right and you will be able to see me. You only have three chances to answer the question and if you get it wrong, they are waiting for you in the pit'' said Kuntapha to the three of them. 

''Okay. We are ready for the test'' said Fawmus to Kuntapha. 

''How did you know we are ready? What if we are not'' said uncle James (scared) to Fawmus. 

''What else are you waiting for, uncle? Let's just hear the question so we can think about the answer'' said Adetutu to uncle James. 

''We are ready kuntapha'' said Adewale to Kuntapha. 

''Here comes the question. Am something that never grows old or dies and I am greater than all things. What am I?'' said Kuntapha to the three of them. 

''Okay that is the question, but you have to think carefully before you all answer'' said Fawmus. 

''You are joking, right? I thought you should know the answer to that'' said uncle James to Fawmus. 

''I don't know the answer'' said Fawmus. 

''What do we do now?'' asked Adetutu. 

''We think. We all think about what the answer might be. It's just a riddle, we should be able to know the answer'' said Adewale. 

Th four of them started to think silently while uncle James murmured the riddle words in fear which were disturbing the others from thinking. Adetutu (annoyed) said to uncle James. ''Would you stop murmuring, uncle, you are distracting me''.

''No, I can't because am scared right now. I don't want to fall inside that pit'' said uncle James tensed. 

''We are all scared but you have to calm down and think, uncle. That is the only way we can get the answer right. And please stop murmuring, it's distracting everyone'' said Adewale to uncle James, then the ground they were standing on suddenly shake for some seconds and stopped. 

As the ground shake they all became more frightened except for Fawmus. Fawmus said to Adetutu, Adewale, and uncle James ''what we are standing on is crumbling slowly underneath. We don't have much time we need to answer'', as the ground stopped shaking. 

''I think I know what the answer might be'' said uncle James (tensed) to everyone. 

''Okay, say it'' said Adewale to uncle James. 

''I think the answer is life'' said uncle James. 

''Life?'' said Adetutu. 

''A life doesn't end because it continues with your kids and then your grandkids'' said uncle James. 

''What about the ''greater than all things'' mention in the riddle?'' Adewale asked uncle James. 

''Life is greater than all things right. No one wants to die even if life is unfair to them'' said uncle James. 

''Okay, let's go with that. Kuntapha the answer is life'' said Adewale to Kuntapha. 

''No, you are wrong'' said Kuntapha, and the ground shook and stopped again. The three of them became scared, anxious, and frightened as the ground does that again except for Fawmus. 

''I know his answer was going to be wrong because he is scared'' said Fawmus annoyed. 

''Then why didn't you say anything'' said Adewale (annoyed) to Fawmus. 

''We don't have much time and we only got two chances left. We need to do something'' said Adetutu. 

''Am so fucking scared and why won't I be. There are a lot of beasts lying beneath us and if we fail the question we will fall into the pit. I don't want to die in this horrific place. I have families at home'' said uncle James, and start a fake cry. 

Adetutu went to uncle James and said to him ''it's okay, uncle. We won't die here, uncle, I promise you that''. 

''Okay, I pray so'' said uncle James with a shaky voice, then uncle James stopped his fake cry. 

''I think the answer is sky'' said Adewale to everyone. 

''I also think so'' said uncle James. 

''Are you sure because we can't just waste the chances on wrong answers'' said Fawmus to Adewale. 

''Yeah. The sky is not a living thing, so it can't die and it is greater than all things. It is so high'' said Adewale. 

''Okay. Let's try that'' said Fawmus. 

''Kuntapha the answer is the sky'' said Adewale to Kuntapha. 

''No, you are wrong'' said Kuntapha to them, then the ground began to shake continuously. 

They all became terrified as the ground began to shake continuously except for Fawmus. Adetutu shouted at Kuntapha ''wrong answer again'', with anger. 

''The ground is crumbling from beneath very fast, so stay where you are and hold your leg firm to the ground. We also need to think of an answer and don't let it be the wrong one this time or you are all dying'' said Fawmus to them. 

''We are all going to die'' said uncle James terrified. 

''Would you stop saying that and concentrate on what the answer might be, uncle'' said Adewale to uncle James. 

''Now think everyone'' said Fawmus to the three of them. 

They all couldn't come up with an answer then the ground crumble completely into the pit leaving them afloat in the air. The three of them become more terrified looking at the pit as they were all levitated. 

''Now what?'' asked Adewale.

''We all fall inside the pit but you three die'' said Fawmus.