Chapter 3

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She asks me if I cheated.

     I really, really hate her.

     She plays IGNORE on the triple-word for 21 points. The score is 153 to her, 155 to me.

     The steam rising from her cup of tea makes me feel hotter. I try to make murderous words with the letters on my rack, but the best I can do is SLEEP.

     My wife sleeps all the time. She slept through an argument our next-door neighbours had that resulted in a broken door, a smashed TV and a Teletubby Lala doll with all the stuffing coming out. And then she bitched at me for being moody the next day from lack of sleep.

     If only there was some way for me to get rid of her.

     I spot a chance to use all my letters. EXPLODES, using the X of JINXED. 72 points. That'll show her.

     As I put the last letter down, there is a deafening bang and the air conditioning unit fails.

     My heart is racing, but not from the shock of the bang. I don't believe it - but it can't be a coincidence. The letters made it happen. I played the word EXPLODES, and it happened - the air conditioning unit exploded. And before, I played the word CHEATING when I cheated. And ZAP when my wife got the electric shock. The words are coming true. The letters are choosing their future. The whole game is - JINXED.

     My wife plays SIGN, with the N on a triple-letter, for 10 points.

     I have to test this.

     I have to play something and see if it happens. Something unlikely, to prove that the letters are making it happen. My rack is ABQYFWE. That doesn't leave me with a lot of options. I start frantically chewing on the B.

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