Garrick’s Gargoyle Dare — Every evening, Garrick counted the stone gargoyles above the old courtyard and blinked his candle twice at the ugliest one, a game he had invented because courage felt safer when it had rules. Read the full story →
Every evening, Garrick counted the stone gargoyles above the old courtyard and blinked his candle twice at the ugliest one, a game he had invented because courage felt safer when it had rules. Then one night the gargoyle blinked back. Because of that, Garrick changed the rules and dared himself not to snuff out before the third blink; because of that, the bats began keeping score, squeaking like rusty hinges while rose thorns scratched the pedestal below.
Finally, the gargoyle leaned down and whispered, “Your turn to make a face.” Garrick carved his grin wider with a wicked little crackle, less brave than ridiculous, but brave enough. The gargoyle laughed dust over the moon, and from then on, every evening began with Garrick counting the stone gargoyles above the old courtyard.
