The Prophecy

Chapter I

The sound of the bedroom clock echoes monotonously in Kianna's head as she draws the jasmine branch placed in a vase by the window. It's almost midnight and Vall, her younger brother, is already sleeping on her shoulder, rocked by distant dreams. The girl imagines her brother's dreams, imagines how peaceful his fantasies of a perfect world are. Something she knows doesn't exist: a perfect world.

Outside, the dense night, erased by clouds and animated by the harmonious sound of rain, which falls slightly. Accompanying this, a light show is followed by a great roar from the Universe. Unusual autumn weather in Runna.

Kianna closed her sketchbook, and before extinguishing the candle lit on the nightstand, after tucking her brother in beside her, she watched him. The perfect innocence of a six-year-old child who travels to distant, unconscious and fantastical worlds. Vall remains peaceful among the blankets and his calm breathing demonstrates the depth of his sleep. Or at least, so she thought, until he gently opened his little eyes.

"Did I wake you up?" the girl asked. The child shook his head in denial, and admitting he wasn't sleepy, Kianna had an idea. "Do you want to go play?"

The boy's eyes lit up and they both got up without thinking twice. While Vall sat on the wooden floor of the bedroom, the girl went to the closet to get the chessboard and the corresponding pieces. Playing chess is already a pastime for the two brothers. Kianna had learned to play when she was about her brother's age, and although she's not sure who taught her, she decided it would be a good idea to teach Vall how to play as well.

"I had a bad dream. You weren't here anymore...", muttered the frightened boy, as he prepared the pieces on the board.

"I will always be here. Even if you don't see me, or if you don't hear me... I'll always be here with you!", the girl replied as she sat down in front of him. They both looked at each other, as if neither of them believed such a thing, and sighed.

However, the two began the game of chess in silence, although the clock insisted on intruding on their minds making the seconds tick by strangely slow. At the same time, the two were meticulously thinking about their next move, trying to ignore any distractions.

The game had been going on for about fifteen minutes when Vall decided to speak, even though he was still focused on the game.

"Is not true..."

"What isn't true?", asked Kianna as she captured one of Vall's pieces.

"You won't always be here... At least, not until you check the King", he replied calmly.

"Why would I do that?", she smiled confused.

"Because if you don't, he's the one who makes you Checkmate", at that moment, Kianna realized that she had just lost the game.

The girl stared at the board fixedly. She couldn't move any more pieces. The game was over and Vall had won the game. Something that, in a way, she already expected, taking into account his great intelligence, however, what the child had said a moment ago did not leave her mind and a lot of questions echoed in her mind frantically: why a six-year-old child would want Kianna to check the king? Who was the king? Was he simply referring to the game?

"Checkmate...", she muttered, still incredulous, but quickly composed herself. "You're getting better at this, boy! Someday you'll be better than me."

Vall laughed and began to put the pieces away in their wooden box and put everything back in the closet. Then they extinguished the candle that lit them and went back to bed, this time, ready to sleep, sheltered from the rain that still fell outside. Kianna hugged him without saying a single word. It wasn't necessary, they both knew it. As long as the company of two brothers existed, nothing else was needed to make them feel safe enough to fall back into a deep sleep, in an attempt to travel away from the reality that surrounded them.