I’m but a child watching a chess game. I can see the players concentrating hard, thinking five, six, even ten steps ahead. Moves and countermoves, bluffs and double bluffs. One troop here, another there – all maneuvers towards the end goal. Towards the big prize.
Big wins requires big sacrifices. I see the pawns lying dead on sun-scorched sands and in snake-infested forests. Yet, the players sip their scotch and press ahead with their next step.
Time to interfere, to blow the chessboard into pieces. Everyone wins, everyone loses.
I’m but a child watching the game.
Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by the lovely Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Today’s prompt is from Jeff Arnold. Please find other entries here.
Total words: 94
L.E.R.T 
Well constructed which gave the piece just the right air of menace
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Perfect title with hints of anger simmering beneath the surfaces, yet he watches and waits for a time to strike. Nicely done.
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Chilling and Powerful, great stuff, I’m struggling to say anything which hasn’t been said before without repeating the first comment!
Doh!
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Chilling & powerful.
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The images are chilling but the writing is beautifully constructed.
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He’s viewing it all. Taking it in, consequences and all. Wait until he steps away from just viewing.
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A chilling story of watching from the sidelines as young people fight and die at the whim of those in power, for their purposes. Powerful!
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Does the peace ever prevail? Some great lines there, Varad.
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Time to grow up? Multi layered, great imagery with a lovely rhythm to the coldly menacing language.
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Everyone wins, everyone loses. Such is the way of the world today. Excellent Varad.
Click to read my FriFic tale!
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World is a big chess board. Everyone is planning not only next move but moves several decades later.
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Noce allegorical tale that.
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Very layered piece. Definitely conveys a feeling of hopelessness and desperation. Nicely done.
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Nice anti-war piece. You make the transition smoothly from the game to the battlefield, emphasizing the detachment of both kinds of “players” and the narrator’s powerlessness.
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Skilful writing Varad. It’s some feat to have told an allegorical tale of such depth in less than 100 words.
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A chillingly deep allegorical tale to have told in less than 100 words. Skilful writing Barack.
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Very well done, this week, Varad. I’m with Rochelle.. perfect repetition at start and finish and menacing..
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Whenever we see it as a game, we forget the blood and bones behind…
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Reminiscent of the ludicrously misnamed Great War.
Politicians sending millions to die.
I think it was Haig who said ‘The fact is, old chap, that war has one great advantage over chess.
When you lose a piece or two, they are easily replaced.’
Love your piece.
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Nice juxtaposition of war and chess.
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Fascinating and chilling read. Nicely done!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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I throughly enjoyed this seasonal story, which reminded me of a warring family of nations, circa 1914-1918. Most of us are but mere children in the games that the leaders of nations play.
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Brilliant!
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Our thinking was similar today, Varad. Does anyone really win?
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Dear Varad,
There’s something particularly chilling about the repetition of the first line as the last line. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We are all pawns watching those rulers make their moves. Occasionally one of those pawns decides to try and make a change. Great work Varad.
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Oh, I liked this!
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I liked this. The final line threw me a little
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This has such a truly menacing feel about it. Could be an enemy soldier, but even more chillingly, could be a terrorist bomber. Well done.
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