112. The Challenge
Amy remembers distinctly that waltzes are always three beats per measure. She starts out with some simple steps, and is delighted to find she can keep pace with her far more experienced dance partner. Soon he's showing her more and more elaborate steps. Amy loses herself in the music and dreams of being a princess. Finally, her partner whispers to her.
“I'm going to throw you at the end of this song. Just spread your arms out and trust me.”
Amy nods and silently counts to three, bracing herself. He picks her up and tosses her straight in the air, while Amy closes her eyes, lifts her head, and spreads her arms. He catches her, holding her aloft in perfect swan dive posture, while the assembled guests clap politely as the display of dancing skill.
From the crowd emerges a pair dressed all in black. The man speaks:
“I, Willhelm Gottebein the Fourth, and mine dance partner, Willhelmina, are the undisputed greatest dancers this hall has ever seen. But we seek always a challenge! Will you step up and face us in a dancing competition? Have you the spine to prove your mettle on the field of honor?”
Amy bites her lip. She only just picked up dancing again. A glance at her partner reveals that his ghostly face has somehow managed to lose color, and he trembles as he stares at the challengers.
Can Amy really challenge for the title of Best Dancer with so little practice?
What should Amy do?