To Kinderline
The person who convinced me to follow through with this.
The man sat in the bar. He picked up his drink and sipped it carefully. He looked ahead of himself at the man in the dirty rags for cloths. He moved his piece, knowing the man in front of him was going to fall.
His name was unknown to everyone in the bar. The women behind him were his. They were really there as part of his defense, but he loved to use them to gloat over the hobos that came in to play against him. He took another sip.
“Looks like you are going to have to pay me big.” He said. His name was Louis, and he was in the nicest suit that money could buy. He knew what the high life was like, and this was as close to it he believed could be gotten.
“Sir, please have mercy upon me, I didn't know it would cost this much.” The man said.
“Oh it's not me you have to pay, I have debts to pay, and I'm sure your hide would be worth something, so you better pay, or win, Your choice.” Louis said calmly.
The man made his move, and Louis put him in check mate. Louis looked him in the eye as he cowered there.
“Go line up against the wall, and prepare for my first task.” Louis said. Louis reset the table, and ordered a new drink. He smiled to himself. He never lost a match, a new sucker came in first playing the gamble, and then getting caught in the match, and Louis would have them for life. A new slave, and when they died, he would just sell the bodies to those whom he owed. Let them have as they would. He hated the low life, and loved making them suffer.
Louis dinged the bell, and a new individual came up. He looked Louis in the eye, almost with hate, but something else was there. Louis sighed and pulled out his book.
“What do you want to sell your soul for, $100, 1,000, what?” Louis smiled and took another sip.
“Everything.” The shabby man replied. Louis almost choked.
“You are going to risk everything for my everything?” Louis smiled. “Amazing, well I'll call it a deal.”
“Good, I'm black.” The hobo said.
“Black? You people usually want white, but whatever.” Louis said, and turned the board around. “So where do you come from?”
“I'm not a local, but I heard you are unbeaten.” the hobo said in a gruff voice.
“The prize is huge, so take your best shot.” Louis said.
“I assure you, I will.” The hobo replied.
Louis moved a pawn forward, and took a sip from his cup. “Yes, I have won many matches, and you are just my next.”
The hobo stayed quiet as he moved a pawn. Louis looked at it, and made his move. Louis would win, as always. The hobo was more ambitious than the usual throwback humans in the area. Louis looked at one of his guards as they drove the last loser into the back room. He scanned through his book, and jotted down the order of all or nothing, and then reached over and moved his next pawn.
Suddenly the hobo moved his knight. Louis looked at it, but then moved his last pawn into position. He picked up the the newspaper, and looked at the headline. The hobo moved, and as before very quickly. He moved his bishop into check on Louis's king.
“You are better than the locals.” Louis said, and moved his pawn in defense. The hobo moved his knight into empty space, it had no gain as far as Louis could tell. Louis moved his rook, and then the hobo replied by taking the blocking pawn with his bishop.
Louis look at the board for a moment, and then took the bishop with his queen.
As soon as he let go he swore; the hobo took his queen with the knight. Louis sat back and looked The hobo in the eye. The Hobo looked at him with a cold glare.
“Who are you?” Louis asked.
“I'm Joseph, I do believe you owe me.” The Hobo replied.
Louis tapped his fingers nervously. “You still have to beat me.” Louis said.
“I assure you I will, I know what you will do. I know your every move, and I know you will try to cheat, even though I just stated this now; you lost this match before I ever entered the bar.
Louis moved the king toward the knight. “You still have to beat me.” Louis said coldly.
Joseph moved his pawn; Louis moved his king to take the knight; Joseph slammed his rook across the the board to put his king in check. Louis moved his rook in the way. Louis moved his queen to take a pawn.
It kept going like that for the next two minutes: Louis would make a movement, and Joseph would take another piece. Finally Louis scanned the board carefully. He looked up at the bar maiden, and signaled to her.
“Please get me the usual.” Louis said.
“You're stalling.” Joseph said.
“I'm thinking, and I'm hungry.” Louis said.
“You are afraid. I would leave you if you let these people go.” Joseph said.
“They are mine, and you can't talk me out of them. I haven’t lost yet.” Louis said. “Now, you want anything?” Louis asked.
“Just a second.” Joseph said. He turned away to face the bar maiden explaining to her what he wanted. Louis looked a the board, and quickly moved Joseph's queen into a position that he could take with his rook. Joseph turned around to face Louis, and looked at the board.
“Your turn Louis.” He said.
“Indeed.” Louis said, and took the queen with his rook. Joseph frowned, but moved his bishop. Louis moved a pawn, and so did Joseph. This time Louis frowned; he struggled against Joseph's seeming undaunted strategy. Louis made a move, and then watched as his rook was taken.
“Louis, your cheat, you thought was a help, but I took it into account when I first looked at this board. You don't have a strategy anymore.” Joseph said. Louis ignored him and got his food; it was swordfish. Louis had the best meals ordered to the place as he paid for practically everything inside its walls. Joseph however did not get anything but water. Louis did notice the bar maiden taking a steak back to a man sitting in the door. Louis put down his fork.
“Ordering food for the locals now? They aren’t yours.” Louis said.
“They will be In fifteen moves.” Joseph said.
“Quit it.” Louis said.
“I will when you hand everything over.” Joseph said.
“These people are my slaves and you can't have them!” Louis snarled. He then moved his bishop.
His king went into check. Louis moved his king. But then Joseph moved a second rook down. Louis realized it was going to be less than fifteen moves.
“You are the real criminal here, why would you never leave me in peace?” Louis snarled.
“Because you are mine. Remember when we worked together, You were my greatest assistant, and things worked so beautifully. I recall you had quite the beautiful mansion near me, but now it's all gone. You decided to start looting my pockets, and you then turned to me, and wanted me to make you more powerful.” Joseph said.
“You were taking advantage of me, I simply wanted my due.” Louis said.
“You wanted to hold these people as your own slaves, to erect a house for you grander than mine.” Joseph said.
“It would have worked if it had not been for your guards.” Louis said.
“If they hadn't taken you down, I would have, and that's why you are here, in the slums picking the pockets of the poor, and stealing the food of the needy. You are a leech, and that's why I'm here.” Joseph said.
“The only leech is you.” Louis said.
“Funny that before you came here everything was a far more beautiful place.” Joseph said.
“I hate you, and these people deserve everything coming to them, you yourself said so.” Louis said.
“I also said I do not like to see them suffer, and you do. You delight in their pain, and your power. You always wanted to know what's the difference between us? You are heartless, you would kill your own henchman here if you thought it would do you any good.” Joseph snapped back.
“Get out.” Louis moved his king. Joseph moved his rook, and so they repeated till Louis was one move away from losing everything. He grabbed a tuft of his hair and looked Joseph in the eye, then looked at the solid wood board, and then grabbed it, and threw it into Joseph's face.
Joseph took it out of the air, but Louis quickly threw a punch into Joseph's face. Joseph flicked the board up to block the blow. Louis felt his hand crunch against the board, and he screamed.
“You just forfeit.” Joseph said.
“I will lose nothing!” Louis screamed, and stood up. Joseph stood up and looked him in the eye. Louis panicked, and threw another punch, but Joseph grabbed it out of the air.
“Give it up.” Joseph said, and the almost with a flick of his wrist sent Louis flying over the table and trough the window. Louis fell into the dumpster and blacked out.
__.....__
“You people are all free to go as you wish, and you are free to take any food you need, I will be waiting to take you all outside. I have a place where you all can stay.” Joseph said to the stunned people.
“Where is it?” A man asked.
“A ways up the road.” Joseph said.
“Will we be tortured?” A woman asked.
“Absolutely not, but hurry I do not have all day.” Joseph said, and you will have to work, basic upkeep, oh and helping me get these people off of the streets.” Joseph said. “Like I said, meet me outside when you are ready.”
He turned to the table and saw the white king standing upright. He scowled, and then flicked it over, then walked out of the bar.
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