youtube writing prompts

playing chess with your best friend's ghost by candlelight

This work is inspired by a YouTube video posted by oliviaalee, posted January 31, 2021.

-Ω-

"Checkmate." You moved your queen, trapping your friend's king in the corner and winning the game.

Silence greeted you from across the board.

"You know I could flip this board if I wanted to, right?" Your best friend's voice broke the silence as you began moving pieces back into their starting positions.

"Mhm." Queen to E1, rooks to A1 and H1.

"And I could totally win against you. It's just that I don't want to, and haven't."

"Absolutely - for the past ten years? I have no doubt." You looked across the board into the dark the candle didn't reach, expression dead serious. "Another match?"

You heard grumbling, and a wayward curse slip your way. "Fine. Another match."

"Language. I thought the time with the old ones in the graveyard would've taught you some manners." Pawn to E4.

"You'd be surprised. A lot of them are catching up on cursing the people they couldn't while they were alive. There's a pair who spend most of their time around the queen trying to hex her to hell. Move my pawn to E5."

You moved your friend's pawn. "Have you figured out why you died, by the - oh. It's dawn." The rising rays of the sun crept over the sill, making their slow but steady progression towards you and the chessboard.

"Yeah, I did," your friend's voice, suddenly tinged with a note of apprehension and sadness sighed. "But I'll tell you next time. I'm already late. Just be careful, though. The bastard slipped something into my morning drink." And with that, your friend was gone, off to his graveyard to spend the day that had been cursed with sun.

Bastard? Had he been murdered? You jolted, a shudder running down the length of your spine. But if he had been killed, then -

"Young master?" The voice of your new butler rang from the other side of your study door. "A drink for you."