The Game's Afoot

The Mastermind and the Escape Artist
sit together at a chess table.
The Mastermind is the favourite,
for she is still undefeated,
unlike the Escape Artist,
who has seen some harrowing losses.
(Then again,
to be fair,

there have been a few triumphs as well.)

Their play is intricate,
almost like a dance.
Moves are traded quickly,
as if they were in a hurry,
though they really have all the time in the world,
and are simply moving fast.

Their tempos match,
as do their rhythms.
They play as if it were their hundredth game,
when in fact,
it is their first.
At each turn,
both of them get the feeling,
as if they were playing with themselves,
not each other.
The strategy, the tactics
the quirks and the antics,
all of it seems eerily familiar.

Hours, days and weeks pass,
as the Mastermind slowly moves closer
to the heart of the Escape Artists game.
Previously impenetrable defences have been passed,
and with relative ease at that.
It seems as if the Escape Artist
were slowly welcoming
the Mastermind behind his ranks.
Yet both of them know,
it is no ruse,
the end is near.

Although she has the initiative,
and the better position,
the Mastermind still feels strangely vulnerable.
She has lost a lot of material,
they are almost equal in that respect,
and feels naked somehow.
She senses the game is by no means clear cut.

It has been a truly beautiful game thus far.
and the board is all but bare now,
the Escape Artist is cornered.
All the viewers gasp,
as it is plain for all of them to see,
there is only one outcome on the table.
Well,
there is a reason,
why they are there spectating,
not sitting behind the board,
because then,
suddenly,
the Escape Artist earns his name once more,
and brings the game to a stalemate.

They look into each others eyes,
both of them slightly surprised by the outcome,
yet smiling,
for they know,
it was one of the most beautiful games,
they will ever have the privilege of playing.
They leave the table,
both bettered by the experience.

The Escape Artist adds another X to his wall of escapes,
and the Mastermind remains undefeated.