THE CHESS GAME

02: HER ROLE

THEY ARE right. Expect the unexpected.

When I was just 10 years old, I already witnessed the true bloody game. I saw how they were killing each other on the chess field. I saw how the blood scattered into the area. Cries and cheers were also booming.

But now, I did not expect that I will be involved and be part of the Chess Warriors. One of the people who will fight and kill just to get the attention of the Shah House.

How cruel, isn't it? We need first to win the game to have opportunities come into our community.

"Take care of yourself there, honey." cried my mother. She hugged me for a while.

"And ace the training..." my father added after my mother let go of me from hugging.

I nodded my head and showed them my smile. A bitter smile, I suppose.

I know how sad they are right now---even me. I don't want to be involved in the stupid fight because you see, I only have two outcomes in the end. I can either survive or die.

As the woman said yesterday, once the Shah House chooses you, you have no other choice but to follow because we all know how evil our leader in this city is.

Now, I will go to an academy named Chaturanga Academy. This is the academy where we will be trained on how to fight, defend, play chess, use weapons, and...

...to kill.

I leave my house carrying my large bag. My father will drive me to that academy because I cannot drive on my own for we will stay there for the meantime for our training up until the day of the game comes.

Honestly, I am scared. Well, who does not? Half of my life is already in the grave because this game is full of uncertainties. If only we had been given a chance to back out, I immediately did that.

Minutes have passed, we arrived at the said academy. It is located on the left side of the Sentro. This academy is wonderfully and amazingly built and designed. Very classic, we can see vines that are hugging the long walls surrounding the academy which adds beauty and aura to the building.

"Just be careful always, Jobella." my father said as soon as I left his car. I just smiled at him and started to walk to enter the large gate.

So this school is really big, huh? This is quite big for 32 people. From what I've heard, the Blacks and Whites are both staying here in this one academy. However, different classrooms and different teachers prevent possible conflicts and chaos. But if ever we have vacant time, it is fine for us and Blacks to meet at one place. But it depends if both parties want that and in my opinion, that won't gonna happen. In the very first place, we are here to train and to fight with them in the end. So, are there mutual enemies who are close to each other? Definitely, none.

As soon as I entered the large gate, a woman walked towards me. "You must be Ms. Krista?" she said, more of a statement than a question. She wore formal attire. I just nod to her in reply. "Here's the key to your room." she said while handing me a key that marks 'room#8'. "Let's go. I'll walk you to your dorm." she smiled and we started to walk.

We walk across the very wide-open field. I keep glancing everywhere, familiarizing the place, until my sight diverted above. I am amazed when saw a long bridge.

"That bridge connects the two dorms. From your dorm to the Black's dorm. There is a possibility that you will cross your paths there and so it is better to avoid going to that bridge to avoid conflicts." the woman suddenly spoke. She is not glancing at me instead she is still looking straight to her walk.

And by the way, Blacks are not literally black-skinned. Me for instance, I am from a white community but my skin color is not white. The people in the Black community have one black circle marked on their foreheads while people in the White community have one white circle. That was the sign that you are from a certain community. The woman that is right in front of me now has a gray star on her forehead, which signifies that she is a committee from a Shah House.

After a moment, we reached the said dorm. Actually, it just looks like a house. I saw two stairs: one towards above while the other one towards below. Each stair has a big door on both ends.

"That way..." she pointed to the big door above. "...that is the boy's dorm," she said. "Then that way will be the girl's dorm." she pointed to the door below. I just nod at her in response. "Let's go. They are all here since yesterday. You are the last one to complete them."

I am a bit confused about what she had said. They are all here already since yesterday? I was just only informed by a committee yesterday, right?

We are then going to the door below bypassing the stair. As we reached the big door, the woman immediately knocked three times and in just a few moments, the door slightly opened and a girl with thick eyebrows welcomed us. She looked at me quickly and then open the door widely.

"Girls..." she called her friends inside.

Several girls immediately at my age came out. Some of them are still in their pajamas and some are already on their wet hairs. They went in front of the door and looked at me which gives me an awkward feeling.

"She's Jobella Krista, the last member of the Chess Warriors." the woman beside me spoke, and then she looked at me. "They are your housemates and your teammates," she said to me, and as usual, I just nod.

They look so serious. They also look scary at the same time. Looks like they are really serious to be part of the Warriors and get here. Their faces are full of determination. Seems like they are all very brave. I think I will be only a thorn here.

I can fight, yes. But killing and fighting is not my thing just like what I had witnessed before.

"Later in the afternoon, you will finally meet with the boys. And tomorrow, you will go to the Audio Visual Room for orientation." the woman committee said. They all nodded their head and I hear incomprehensible whispers coming from them.

After that, the woman left and I already entered the dorm. The inside is really just like a house. There was a couch near the wall, there is a rectangular table at the center, and a door that lined up horizontally which I think were our rooms, one by one.

Suddenly, a girl with long hair walks toward me. Her bangs are very remarkable that suit her well. But I got confused when she suddenly walks around me while folding her arms together. Her thin eyes seem like assessing every detail of my body.

"So..." she muttered, still looking at me from head to toe. I looked at her. What is she doing? "Another pawn, huh?" she said and let out a chuckle.

Pawn?

I looked at the other girls inside this dorm. Others don't have reactions while others are smiling widely—some sort of a grin.

What is happening? Why are they like that?

The girl grinned. "I'm Lori Janes." she introduces herself but she did not lend her hands to me to do a handshake, instead, it remains folded. "I am the Queen."

Queen? The chess piece's Queen? That was her role in this game? And she mentioned a while ago that I am a Pawn. So, that's my role in chess? How did she know?

I can't help but only stare at her. I smell that something wrong is going to happen.

"Ginagirl," she suddenly said to someone. What's her name again? Lori?

The same girl who opened the door a while ago walks in our direction. She is holding a paper and forcefully handed it to me.

"See this?" Lori asked---but more of a matter of fact. She pointed her name on the paper which has 'Queen' marks beside it and then pointed next to mine with a 'Pawn' mark.

So this is how'd she knew. So what? I don't care about our roles. We are all the same who will fight in the end. No exemption.

I looked at her. "So?" I asked her, raising a brow in confusion. What's her point? I noticed that some of the girls are looking at each other.

She just smirked. "I am the Queen, and you're just a Pawn," she said, raising a chin. "That means... you should follow what I will say, command, or even follow what I wanted."

I looked at her in disbelief after hearing those words.

What did she just say?!

I will obey her because I am a Pawn and she is the Queen? Is she in the right mind? Tsa! This is unbelievable!

♨THE CHESS GAME♨

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