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3. Chili-red

The Spittle Petal, Screecher Petal and Muving Petal shook in their shell-sprinkled square receptacle.

"They are like baby T-rexes! Trying to hug each other but they can't! Their arms are too short!" Una cried out.

"They must achieve Togetherness."

Una kneeled on the sidewalk next to Duo. "Why can't they?"

"We need more of them."

"How many?"

"We had none in the Past. We have three in the Present. The Future is the Unknown."

"I don't think I like the Unknown." Una grimaced.

"Don't do that. Don't you know your face will get stuck? Then, you'll always have that ugly prune-like look." Duo swatted her nose. "And: love the Unknown. Life is about puzzles. Not about finding solutions to them. It would be beyond boring to have all the answers."

"I guess." Una shrugged, but she did un-grimace her features.

"Riddle me this: what's your neighbor doing in line in front of the non-existent cinema, at the ticket office that will never open, to see the film that will never air?"

Una stood up with haste, knowing she should not be seen sitting on the cold concrete by an adult.

"Good afternoon," she said in the greet-the-elderly-people-cloy-sweet voice.

The neighbor's head bobbed up-and-down.

"She isn't feeling chatty today. Let's go, Una." Duo yawned.

"Go where? We don't know where the next petal is."

"To Toys, Trinkets and Trifles." Duo pointed at the toy shop right next to the cinema.

"How do you know we are to go there?"

"It takes but one glance in their shop window."

A small red Beetle toy car with a rounded roof dominated the display.

"And a wooden doll." Duo gestured towards a Pinocchio-look-alike mannequin.

"Crikey! That's wonderful, kit..."

"Tut-tut. No. Catcalling."

"Jeepers-creepers, Duo! Stop being so grumpy!" Una hopped with glee. "We didn't have to walk far. Here I was thinking the latest puzzle was oh so very hard!"

"Cherish this victory. Few triumphs are coincidentally achieved," Duo said.

Una turned around to glance after the neighbor one more time.

"One should not lose one's focus." Duo nibbled on her earlobe. "Always follow the petals, Una. Straying away from the path is not safe. Curiosity can be harmful."

"I know a saying about cats and curiosities." She stuck her tongue at him.

"Touché. Dexterously defeated. By my own definition, no less. Let us press on." He jumped inside her schoolbag.

"Why?" Una started but understood when she saw a huge rectangular sign.

NO PETS ALLOWED

On it, a figure of a terrier dog bore a regal red sash.

"Such discrimination. Cats are never on these signs," Duo protested. "We mustn't dawdle. Press the buzzer."

Moments later, an elongated elastic hand reached for the handle from the other side.

Upon entrance, Una was greeted by the strangest sight.