The Pieces of Vengeance

A Game of Chess

When I enter the next room, I am attacked by the artificial light that glares down at me, illuminating my surroundings. A couple of beige couches surround the room like people having one of those circles where you confess all your feelings about stuff. Bright and bold posters line the plaster walls. My eyes slide between them, following their pattern. Bright, dark, bright, dark. They were promoting decades-old chess tournaments. A chessboard stands proudly in the centre of the room. Matches the theme, I guess. I touch one of the soft leather sofas, and memories of my mother before she passed flood back to me. Her soft smile, the way she would hold me tightly on couches similar to these. Did someone put these here to trip me up? Because I am very much not tripped up.

I lean against the wall as everyone scatters themselves around the room. Sleeping Beauty clears her throat and says, "Just so you guys know, my name is Eloise." She flashes a grin at us, expecting us to all share our names, hold hands and become friends forever under a rainbow. Okay, maybe not, but I doubt she appreciates being ignored.

"I'm Jasmine" the dark-blonde-haired girl replies. Jasmine offers a smile to Eloise, but Eloise looks her up and down and turns away.

"Lydia" add the pale haired girl, tapping her fingers on the table.

The attention shifts to the dark-haired boy. He shrugs, then says, "Ethan."

Before all of them turn to me, I quickly blurt "Sam." Lydia narrows her eyes at me. I think I have seen her before. I'm not entirely sure where though.

"Wait, do I know you?" Jasmine asks Eloise. "What school do you go to?"

"Silver Valley High" Eloise answers, looking bored.

I raise my eyebrows. "Same" I add. This is getting weird.

"Is there anyone who doesn't go to Silver Valley High?" questions Jasmine.

No one answers.

A wave of uneasiness trickles through my body. I remember the message on the wall, the memory of the dark red paint. Someone had to put that there. What if that person was with us? It would be a great way to make sure we all behaved.

"Guys" I begin, not sure how to voice my thoughts. "So, we are in this uh, thing, right? But um, why are we here? And how?" I finish lamely, not willing to tell them how I know... no, knew James, and what happened to him.

"Well, I know who James is," said Eloise. Clearly, she didn't have the same qualms that I did. Wait. I know her. She's his girlfriend. I don't know all the details, but I know they had a fight a few hours or so before he died. She catches me staring, and her gleaming eyes meet mine. I look away.

"Same" piped up Jasmine. I looked at her timid face, watching the way her eyes dart between us. She looks at us like we are lions, and she is a mouse. Fair enough, I can be pretty intimidating. I want to flex my muscles, but I don't have any. Oh well, maybe I'm intimidating in other ways. I survey Ethan's body. He has muscles. He totally rocking the mysterious, deep, hot boy look. It isn't fair.

"Yeh same" murmurs Lydia. I turn to Ethan.

"Let me guess, you know-...knew James too?" I said, eyeing him suspiciously.

"You didn't?" he shot back at me. Ok man, chill.

"O-k," I say, watching him warily. He didn't notice, just went back to staring at the chessboard.

"So, we are here because we know James right? And we have to... escape? Maybe it's like an... escape...... room?" Jasmine falters underneath the suspicious looks she was now getting "I mean, we are here for a reason. And if I were a sadistic, narcissistic person, I would put them in an escape room. Just a thought."