Checkmate

This is just practice for a short story, so the actual story itself may not be perfect. I wrote it yesterday and was pleased with it just being a prototype. It doesn't need to be perfect, I think it's good enough :). So here it is, and I hope you like it:

“Check…and mate…”

That was the moment I finally beat my egotistical brother at the logical game of chess. I couldn’t believe I had gotten his King in a corner. That was the best move of my life. I took my Knight and pushed him in a tough spot next to my Bishop and Rook. He couldn’t move.

I could see him get up in frustration; I watched him moan and groan. He was ready to flip the board over in disagreement, in disbelief. I won! I really won the game and there was nothing he could do about it. He was such a sore loser and a terrible sport. I couldn’t believe the fit he was having….okay, maybe I can believe the fit he was having. But he was being such a big baby about it, pouting like his candy got taken away by a stranger. Remember kids, “Don’t take candy from strangers and don’t let anyone take candy from you. Bottom line, don’t let a stranger take candy from you….Or your little brother.”

I laughed, but not whole-heartedly. I was still wondering if I truly beat him. I looked at the board one last time before his fingers reached the edge. He was cornered and there was no possible way that he could’ve gotten out of it. He was in a pickle and he couldn’t take it. He couldn’t own up to that one, simple defeat and take it like a man. I watched as he twirled the board in the air and let the pieces fly and drift farther apart from each other. And I smiled up at him without noticing a black Queen hit me directly on the top of my head.

“I win.”

“No. New game.”

“I’ll play another game as soon as you pick up all those pieces you flung to the floor. And I mean every last one of them.”

He gave me a determined look, and he smirked, “My pleasure.”

He hadn’t known a pawn was there under my foot. I played like I needed to tie my shoe and I picked it up. It was over. It was over when my lips said “mate”. I didn’t need to play him again. I was confident over my victory while he was being insecure over his loss. His loss is my gain, so why should I give him another chance to take it back after fate so willingly put it in my hands? Victory was at my fingertips the moment the game started because fortune was on my side. I don’t need to play him again to see if I could defeat him again. I just needed that one time and that was enough for me.

“See you later, alligator. Hope you find all those pieces.”

I walked out of the kitchen with a big grin on my face. I proceeded to put the pawn somewhere safe and sound: my right shoe by the door. And I looked back at him and gave him the farewell salute. His face couldn’t have looked angrier and my face happier. This is what happens when you make a promise with your fingers crossed. He crossed his when he promised to be at my baseball game the other day; I saw it but he didn’t realize that. So I crossed mine when I “promised” him a chance to redeem his winning streak. Two can play at that game, sir, two can play at that game.

Ah, when victory is best served on a silver platter with a golden serpent as the main dish.