Word: Farrago

farrago

American  

[fuh-rah-goh, -rey-] / fəˈrɑ goʊ, -ˈreɪ- /

noun

plural

farragoes

1. a confused mixture; hodgepodge; medley.

   a farrago of doubts, fears, hopes, and wishes.

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                Frederick followed his host through the winding halls. The place was confusing. The halls turned seemingly at random. Passages emerged that went nowhere, and the walls occasionally seemed to shift and change. Plus, it was so big that there was no way it could all fit in the building. At least his guide seemed to know the way around.

                The person who was leading him appeared to be a tall, slender woman. She was the very picture of beauty and wore a fine dress to show her impressive figure. If anything, she was too good. Too perfect, too alluring. It was uncanny, really. And Frederick knew better that to assume it was a woman. For all he knew, what he was looking at was a mere projection that the being used to communicate with him.

                “You did well in the first challenge.” The host said. Frederick had been given a name, but he dare not say it. Or even think it. “I hope you are ready for the second.”

                “I’ll do what I can.” He replied.

The first challenge had been simple enough. It was little more than a child’s memory game. He only hoped the rest were so simple. He did not think they would.

“I am sure. The second challenge is simple.”

They rounded a corner and came to a simple wooden door. The host opened it to show the room beyond. The room itself was a simple one. Just a box for people to inhabit. But what was inside was a horrid mess of junk, trinkets and knickknacks. It was a confusing mix of things that made no sense and with no semblance of order in any of them.

“You must clean this room.”

“Clean it how?” Frederick asked.

                “Hm, perhaps organize would be a better word. Yes, organize. Sort every item in here. Put them wherever you like. Arrange them in any way you want. Just bring order to the chaos within.”

                He looked around again. There were thousands of items, and none of them fit together. There was no connecting thread between any of them. How was he, how was anyone, supposed to make sense of so many things?

                “I..” He began, but was interrupted.

                “Oh, but that is hardly a challenge now is it? After all, with enough time, any mess can be cleaned. You have three days to accomplish your goal. After that, I will come and judge your methods. But you need not fear. I am a generous host. I shall only count the time when you are awake. I know you humans require sleep to function properly, and so you may rest whenever you require it. Sustenance will also be provided, naturally. But time will still count down while you fill your belly, so be careful about when you eat and drink. The challenge will begin when you enter the room.”

                Frederick looked inside. There had to be some trick to it. Three days sounded generous, but there was so much, and it was all so confusing that his task was effectively impossible. Which meant there was a trick to it. Well, he was not going to find that trick just standing around looking. He needed to get in there and get to work.

                He stepped into the room and his challenge began.