Adonis began to feel frustrated as the day progressed. It had been the fifth time he had been caught that day while playing kryfto (also known as hide and seek). He considered himself to be a genius, which his loving parents diligently reminded him of everyday. However, ever since Pericles became a member of his esteemed " Kings of Gadefi" group, which also included his two other friends Agapios and Cora, he began losing more frequently.

  Pericles was only eight years old, a year younger than Adonis, but used to talk like all the adults in the village. These days Agapios and Cora also seemed to be fawning over how smart Pericles was..... traitors! This time Adonis had to make sure he wouldn't be found, and he had just the plan. Surely Pericles wouldn't think of searching near his own house!

  Adonis found a cozy area at the back of Pericles' house, a steep climb from the playground where he started, but it would be worth it. The wooden house had a flat roof, and was only large enough to accommodate two people. Within a minute of marvelling at his devilish plan, he suddenly saw a pair of piercing green eyes staring right at him, and a wide crooked smile with two teeth missing. A boy with black, messy hair who was not particularly tall to whom those eyes belonged spoke with a very polite tone - " I knew you would try to hide at my house, thinking I would never search here."

  The ever-smiling Agapios began to laugh looking at the devastated look on Adonis' face, while the shy and soft spoken girl next to him looked at Pericles with awe. Adonis spoke with a sense of annoyance and embarrassment-"Weren't you two caught before me? Why are you laughing at me?" , but Agapios continued laughing as Cora hid behind her brother.

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  Hearing the laughter outside, Uncle Hector stepped out of the house with a gentle smile on his face. His light blue eyes shone like rippling waves of stone dropped in a still lake, and sharp jawline and aerodynamic body indicating he was once a very attractive man. However his looks were betrayed by his balding head, wrinkles, and a severe limp in his right leg. " Why don't you kids come inside for a snack, you must be tired from climbing all the way here from the playground".

  Agapios immediately agreed and eagerly anticipated his unexpected pre-dinner meal. Cora had no option but to follow her brother's choice, and not wanting to be singled out, Adonis chose to accept as well. Besides, he loved Uncle Hector too, who used to love telling the kids about the girl he loved who turned out to be a princess. The tales he spun were more descriptive than the ones written in children's books, painting a picture so absurd and ridiculous that they would often struggle to breathe in between the bouts of laughter.

  Pericles looked at Uncle Hector with a sense of pride and adoration. He was only two years old when his mother had passed away, and had grown up under the doting parenting of Uncle Hector. He worked hard to do well in the local school, and learned to speak politely to make Uncle Hector proud.

  Suddenly Pericles noticed a change on Uncle Hector's face, which seemed to turn into a frown, as he suddenly picked up a knife and swung it into the nearby wall. Suddenly, a masked figure dressed in brown clothing suddenly appeared, seemingly out of thin air, completely invisible against the brown background of the wooden walls of the house.