| Game Challenge 4-12-2004 Challenge: Write a short story around a board &/or card game. Examples: Candyland, Doctor, Trouble, Scrabble, Old Maid, 4Score, Mouse Trap, Dominoes, Chutes & Ladders, checkers, chess, tic-tac-toe� Exclude the usual gambling games (poker, BJ...). Must include at least two of the seven men. Must follow the rules of the game. (Cheating allowed but must be acknowledged as cheating; if not out right, make sure the reader knows it.) - This challenge was issued by the Chronicler, on the Mag7Kids List. ** Ophelia was playing one of her favorite card games - solitaire. Ezra had taught her it right after he'd found her, more as a way to get her attention than because he felt she needed to know it. However, the game required a mixture of skill and luck and quickly captivated her. Now, as Standish watched the young elf, who was like a daughter to him, he frowned. �Ophelia, honey,� Ezra stated softly. �I�m almost certain that is against the rules of this game.� The little elf�s ears twitched. �No,� she argued. �I can take them off there and put them here if I want to.� Ezra frowned. �I�ve been playing solitaire longer than you�ve been alive, my dear,� he persisted. �I�ve never made that particular move.� Ophelia scowled slightly. She was young by elvin standards, but Ezra knew as well as she did that they were exactly the same age chronologically. �I�ve always played this way,� the child grumbled. Ezra blinked in frustration and turned to Josiah, who was quietly reading a book. �You aren�t allowed to do that, are you?� he asked. �What?� the former preacher asked, setting aside his book. �Move cards from one pile to another, once you�ve laid them down like that,� he answered, pointing to the cards laying out on the table in front of Ophelia. Josiah shrugged. �Can�t say I know for sure, Ezra,� he answered. �But I do know one thing.� �What�s that?� the southerner grumbled. Josiah grinned at the southerner and shrugged again. �Never can argue with elves,� he stated, grinning even more. Ezra rolled his eyes and turned away from the former preacher. Kneeling down, he said, �Ophelia, honey, let�s play checkers instead.� �Okay, Ezra,� the little elf replied, folding the cards and grinning impishly. Ezra pulled out the checker board and set up the pieces while Ophelia put her cards away. When she returned, she saw that he'd already moved a piece. She knelt down and moved one of her own pieces. A short while later, Ezra sat back and scowled. "You can't do that, Ophelia," he said, shaking his head. "But," the girl argued. "If I move forward, you'll jump me." Ezra shrugged. "Those are the rules, darlin'." The elf scowled darkly and moved the checker properly only to stare in amazement when Ezra didn't jump the piece and take it, to win the game. "You didn't jump me," she stated incredulously. Ezra smiled. "I have more important matters to attend to, my dear," he said. Pointing to his piece, he added, "King me." Ophelia sighed and granted Ezra yet another kinged piece. "You're going to win," she sighed, moving her piece again. "First time for everything, I suppose," he added, moving one of his own. Josiah looked up from his book in shock. "Don't you usually win at nearly any game you play, Ezra?" he asked. Ezra shook his head. "Not when I play against Ophelia, I don't," he replied. Ezra turned back to the board in time to see Ophelia happily jump every one of his men. "And that's why," he mumbled. End |
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