We All Lie Sometimes

Chess to Escape?

POV Sam (written by my friend Amy)

I step through the door frame, only to be attacked by the artificial light that glares down at me, illuminating my surroundings. The beige couches surrounded the room like people having one of those circles where you confess all your feelings about stuff. Bright and bold posters lined the plaster walls. My eyes slide between them, following their pattern. Bright, dark, bright, dark. They are promoting decades-old chess tournaments. I feel one of the soft leather sofas, and memories of my mother, before she passed, flood back to me. Her hard smile, the way she would watch me coldly on sofas similar to these. Did someone put these here to trip me up? Because I am very much not tripped up. I think.

I lean against the wall as everyone scatters themselves around the room. I watch them survey the room before someone clears their throat.

"What is this room?" asks Jasmine.

"Well, if it's an escape room like you said, maybe there are clues hidden in the cushions," I say, mocking her squeaky voice, and pointing towards the couch. She raises an eyebrow at me.

"Excuse me?" she says.

"You're excused" I challenge. She huffs in exasperation. Maybe I'm not intimidating in a physical sense. Maybe it's all mental. After all, mental ability is the best ability of all. "How about we search the room" suggests Lydia. "Who knows, we may find something".

Jasmine begins to search the fluffy cushions, and Eloise shrugs before examining the pictures on the wall. I trace my fingers along the plaster walls searching for a latch, a hidden door, something to get us out of here.

"Guys! Look! I found something!" I spun around to see Jasmine holding a chipped wooden chest. It had no lock. If it is of importance, it would have a lock.

I look away, examining the walls again. I hear a click come from behind me, and Eloise scoffs "Chess pieces? Great find Jasmine, absolutely amazing". 

Jasmine looks down at the chess pieces, before solemnly putting them next to the chess board, and resumes searching the cushions. Ethan glares at Eloise.

"Leave her alone, at least she has found something". Ethan challenges, before looking pointedly at her. Anger flares up in my chest.

"C'mon, it was only a joke. Get a thicker skin" I argue.

"Stop it guys" Lydia pleads "Maybe there is a chess piece-shaped keyhole somewhere?" We all resume searching, apart from Ethan, who stands there glowering at us. What a sulky baby.

After about ten minutes, Eloise calls for a halt.

"It's obvious there is nothing else to find," she explains "Maybe let's just work with what we got. A game of chess, anyone?"

"Wait!" Shouts Lydia "I found something!" She proudly held out a piece of paper with an unfamiliar scrawl written across it. I snatch the paper from her hand.

"So amazing! My pony laughed at you! Choose him every time. Sadistic Sam." I read. "Huh?" Lydia grabs the paper back, nearly tearing the corner off. Sadistic? That's what Jasmine said earlier. Hmm..

"As I was going to say, it is obviously in code." She began tracing the letters with her fingers, and I stare at her, dumbfound.

"Why am I, uh, sadistic?" I say, confused. Lydia shakes her head.

"No, dummy, it's a code. It has nothing to do with you," a shadow passes over her face as she speaks "Or maybe it has," she adds excitedly. "Aha! Yes, I knew it! Every first letter of every word! That is why 'every time' is spelt weirdly".

Eloise furrows her brow. "I'm sorry, what?"

Jasmine gently took the paper from Lydia, and began reading out every first letter of every word "S, A, M, P, L, A, Y, C, H, E, S, S. What does that mean?"