Isabelle

Loss iii.

Check mate!". Eveline said laughing at the little child whose face had turned red in color. she didn't know how to accept the fact that she lost a game.

" I declare a rematch!". Isabelle looked serious as ever.

"Big words from the mouth of a youngster." her mother was quite amazed." No , no rematch. this is the fourth time we've played a rematch"

"How about another game then. A game I'd beat you in". Isabelle in her little head, fantasized the look on her mother's face when she losses. With a small sly smile on her face, she let out her cute evil laughter.

"mummy is so scared. What Game do you want us to play then?".

Isabelle starred at the unmoving pawns and Rookie that occupied the chess board. She remembered how her mother would beat her in every game of chess they. Remembered her mom saying something like.

" Life is a game of chess, There were the kings and the queens, Rookies and the knights and then the pawns.". She still didn't understand what her mother meant by those, she'd asked several times but her mother only said. "Once you're older you'll understand"

She didn't understand why her mother couldn't just tell her there and then. She let out a sigh still staring at the little figures.

Isabelle began hearing voices that was moving about as the two walked closer the words became much more audible

"I keep telling you, its a horror movie not strictly romance" Noel had just picked another movie for her and Candice to watch. It was her turn to pick. Rephrasing my statement, she always picked a movie to watch when it was time to , not giving Candice a chance. Not like Candice was bothered by it, simply to say the only movie she watched as a child growing up were in black and white, for some reason her dad didn't want the coloured television. He said "coloured television rots the brain and makes you think life's all bout rainbows and lily flowers. but its not , life's a bucket of rusty nuts and bolts of problems".
Her parents had frequent arguments just because of the black and white television that just sits in the living room. She remembered some of the scenarios.

" So, when people walk into our house they see that, that old thing since the 90s?" Her mom yelled pointing at the television.

"Well, it...its way better than the coloured TV, rotting our brains, life isn't filled with rainbows ya know?".

"Rot...rot....rotting? . Did I just hear you say Rotting?. ForGodSake?" Her mother groaned in frustration, she was tired of having to watch her telenovela series in black and white. Her frustrated eyes landed on Candice who was eavesdropping hoping her father would change his mind. She herself couldn't have a sleepover for she was ashamed of still having the TV.

"You gonna stand there and watch or convince your father?" Her mother's question was directed at her, her shaky legs moved away from the corner to stand halfway between her dad and the staircase, just in case he wanted to hit her she could make a run for it.

"um...uh...d..dad?" She started, stuttering.

"Go upstairs sweetie, go upstairs to your room, Your teacher called today that you've been sleeping in class and you flunked a few of your tests. Go and prepare".

It wasn't what he said that mattered it was the way he said it and his so calm facial expression that made it more scary. She didn't know what he meant by 'go and prepare' was it for her upcoming make up test or the beating she would be receiving. That night, she obtained a few more marks from a belt for lagging behind in class. But it wasn't her fault she had to take care of the cows, goat and sheeps, not to forget that the piglet Martha was just born yesterday. They lived on the farm and she did most of the task, having lesser time to sleep and lesser to read.

" I told you it wasn't strictly romance. " Noel brought out a compact disk." Romance included but not strictly ".

" Of course, I knew you couldn't do away with romantic movies, strictly or not". Candice rolled her eyes at Noel who was shrieking at the prologue of the movie.

The three hour movie begun and soon they were indulged in it.
Outside the street, a black limousine could be seen driving to and fro slowly trying not to make their true intentions obvious . After driving for a few minutes they finally stopped. The three suited men in black shades sat in it with an Italian driver whose job was to get them everywhere they asked and turn a deaf ear to their conversation.

"This the mansion she talked about?" Randy asked removing his shades still looking at the mansion behind the tinted car windows

"Seems so" Klaus zoomed on the Goggle chewing on another chip.

"Uh...uh...Klaus? Is that a chip you are eating?" Ivan turned to the direction of the crunching sound.

"Yes, and not just any chip. its tortilla chips"

"You brought CHIPS on the mission?" Randy used his first two fingers to pinch his forehead out of frustration.

"So what do you see? You think anyone's home?" Ivan shifted the topic back to the fact that they were here.

"Not seen any movement from inside the house. But according to what the Mrs said, the lil girl's mother died and now she doesn't wanna go nowhere." Klaus kept his keen eyes on the Windows of the mansion hoping he'd see someone.

" We need to get into the mansion" Randy suggested.

"But how, we can't just waltz in there" Ivan asked.

"Did you just say waltz?" Randy pinched his forehead more regretting bringing Klaus

"We need to get more info on this mansion, who we dealing with and what we need to look out for" Ivan thought aloud looking out the second window.

"When we get back kla.. Ivan? you call her and set up a meeting" Randy said signaling the driver to get moving.

After placing the last book on the shelve, Orlando stood a while as his eyes scanned the books on the shelve again top to bottom, making sure everything is alphabetically in place.

A smile appeared on his face as a sign of satisfaction, a job well done. He began walking out of the library but the corner of eyes caught something which made him halt, taking a few steps back he saw the black limousine drive off.

"Almost an hour" he said looking down at his watch. First he saw them driving forth and then back, he didn't know if it were the same limousine. Then seeing it again driving back and forth became suspicious. Then it stopped for more than twenty minutes. Really suspicious.