THUD!
The sound echoed as the rain poured down heavily on the seemingly abandoned castle. A man stood beside a body that was sprawled out on the hard wooden floor. His trembling fingers wrapped around the shattered mug. The strong wind and rain blew through the opened French windows fiercely as the man stepped away from the body in horror. In his dumbfounded state he didn't realize that he had reached the opened window till he tripped over the sil and fell to his doom with a mug next to him.
The ticking away of time resounded while the castle was still and silent with no sign of life.
TICK! TICK!
The castle stood tall, covered in plants that grew up its walls. Windows were open letting in the pleasant evening breeze and the room was lit by the chandelier that hung above. Two mammals sat across each other as they watched their opponent make their next move. They didn't remember who the other person was, they felt a sense of familiarity with them. Despite this they continued to play the chess game which neither of them remember starting. It all came naturally to them. Each piece they moved revealed to them a memory of their past life. To the time when they were humans.
One was a boy named Ezekiel and he had it all. Lived in a rich household and had his life planned out. That was till at the age of 11 his parents discovered his talent for playing chess. It was in his blood and he could easily defeat his fathers quests as a way of entertainment.
The other was a boy of the same age called Benjamin who had nothing. He lived in the slums and resorted to anything to get food which mainly included stealing. He loved watching the elderly men playing chess on the sides of the road. He was quick to learn and was able to earn money by challenging the passers by. It led him to be selected to play in front of audiences.
The first time they crossed paths was at a competition that was held in their home country of Britain. They played against each other which ended in Benjamin taking home the reward.
Another piece moved.
7 years later they met again in India. Benjamin had now been recognized for his talent and was taken under the wings of professional chess players to improve his skills. Ezekiel on the other hand faced harsh criticism from his parents and relatives but it motivated him to work harder. It paid off as he won the game in India.
The next piece moved.
A chess game was being held in Russia and that was where they met again for the third time. Both at the age of 25 they impressed all the spectators with their immense skills and tactics. Although in the end Benjamin won.
And then the next.
They were back where it all started. Back to Britain. They had just turned 30. The tension and pressure on both Benjamin and Ezekiel was unbearable. Both had to prove to everyone else how much they had learnt in all their years of playing chess. At the end of a seemingly never ending match Ezekiel won the game.
After two years the two decided to meet again. This time it was in Ezekiel's Family Castle. It was mostly empty and unfurnished as he lived alone. His shelves were filled with trophies of all his achievements. A chess board was laid neatly on a table with the chess pieces neatly arranged in order. Slivers of sunlight seeped through the opened French windows as the clouds started to gather in the sky. Two mugs filled with hot coffee were also set on the table.
Ezekiel pulled out his pocket stopwatch and started the timer. Each of them started intently at the board while the other made their move. Neither of them realized the time went by. The mugs were now empty and it was turning dark as the sun began to set and the clouds covered the entire sky. The wind had picked up and the trees shook but neither of them noticed even as it had started to downpour.
As the game went on Ezekiel was growing more aggravated as Benjamin took advantage of his moves. Benjamin was also growing more agitated. Ezekiel was outsmarting him. It reached a point where his pride was at stake. Blinded by his anger he picked up his empty coffee mug by its handle and swung at Ezekiel. A loud thud was heard as Ezekiel's body lay still on the floor, blood slipping out. In Benjamin's shock he didn't realize how far back his legs had taken him till he tripped over the sill of the window. His back collided with the wet and muddy soil and just when he thought he survived the mug that had spilled from his hand came plugging towards his head and stabbed him in the skull.
"And then I woke up here." Benjamin ended his part of the story as he moved one of the pieces.
"It all seems like a wild dream."
"I still don't get why we are in these bodies though!" Benjamin complained.
"I don't find it all that bad." replied Ezekiel calmly.
"Says the horse. I'm a monkey and it's humiliating."
"I think it represents your cunning mind and I mean it in a good way. I do admire it."
"You do? Well, thank you. If so then I think the horse symbolizes your elegance in playing."
"That's a first coming from you but thank you. I appreciate the compliment."
"I feel like I remember these moves." Benjamin commented.
"If I'm correct this is the same game we played before...Well before you killed me." A silence filled the room.
"I'm sorry about that. I wasn't thinking straight." Benjamin apologized.
"It's quite alright. Although I don't seem to understand why we decided to play this match in the first place?" Ezekiel questioned.
"I'm thinking we were trying to prove that we are better than the other. We were even back then. I won two against you and you won two against me. This was a tie breaker of sorts."
"Well then I don't see a point in playing this match then. We both have our own skills and plus points and we should have realized that when we were alive."
"I agree, We were foolish at the time and now we have lost our chance of living a good life. Well then my friend shall we end this here?"
"We shall."
Their bodies started glowing as they slowly vanished into thin air and the stopwatch stopped ticking.
