"Stalemate: Armageddon"
by
Tristan Rose

In a large space filled with white, with no walls or limits or boundaries, a chessboard sits on a small table. All the pieces are in their proper places; it is a game sitting waiting to be played. Suddenly as if out of nowhere, two beings appear. The first is garbed in a brilliant and illuminating white robe, he has a long white beard, lines and creases in his face that show age and wisdom. The second being is clothed in a dark musky smelling cloak of black, he has red eyes and long twisting dirty fingernails, an immense amount of hatred and anger seems to rise like heat on a hot day from his person.

The two float over to the chessboard, each one to his respective side, the white being takes the white set and the black being takes the black. Without a word to each other they begin to play. There are a couple opening moves, some pawns go forward, a knight is moved out, the game seems simple enough, but then the battle begins. The black knight takes a white pawn. In our world, two teenage boys walk into a high school in Columbine and begin to slaughter their fellow students and teachers. White bishop takes black rook. A large drug lord is arrested, convicted, and put behind bars. Black pawn takes white bishop, a sacrifice move. Two terrorists fly planes into the world trade center towers, bringing about multitudes of death and destruction.White knight takes black pawn. Brave police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel respond to the tragedy, risking their own lives to save others. Black queen takes white knight. A crazed Satanist blows up a church killing men, women, and small children in the congregation.White queen takes black queen. The survivors of the incident band together, strong in their faith, they build a new church and attract many more people to the congregation.

The game continues, pieces being taken and events unfolding in our world. The play goes on until there are only two pieces left, the black king and the white king. The being in the black cloak looks up and utters the first word since the two met, "Stalemate". The being in white looks up and simply replies "Armageddon". Then the true battle begins.