Short Little Stories

“So.”

“So.”

The two gentleman sat across the table from each other, negotiations having come to a halt.

On one side sat “The Player,” an elderly man with flowing gray hair. His identity was shrouded in secrecy, but he was known as the greatest chess player the world had ever seen.

Opposite him was Robert Hutchfield, game developer. His current project – “Battle Chess 2020!”, a virtual reality game world of epic scope.

“I ask zou again, Robert, what have zou to offer me? Money is nothink. Fame I have not ze need for. All I am beink concerned about is ze purity of chess, and nothink more.”

Robert sighed, and looked down at the blank check he had signed, which he had thought would be enough to handle the process. “I know you feel our game to be an atrocity, sir. But you know that the kids of today cannot care for anything without flashing lights and power swords! This is your chance to ensure that something of your game continues – a game designed to appeal to new and old players alike.”

“Ah.” The Player steepled his fingers before him, and stared resolutely into the polished tabletop. “But perhaps it would be better to be lettink ze chess to die, than to condone such a… perversion?”

“The game will happen one way or another. If you come on board… you have the chance to influence it. Should you step aside, a hundred years from now, this may alone be the chess game that is remembered – and you shall be forgotten, sir.”

“Threats, is it beink? Well. Well, well, well. I shall play ze game of yours, Mr. Hutchfield. And let us see what we can be creatink together.”

The two stood up and shook hands, and prepared to launch into the preparations for what could have been the greatest game of all time…

But it was too late. Five minutes earlier the deal had been set for “Parchesi: The Wrath of God!”

And when that was released, the world would never be the same.