Life, Death, and Time - A Books Of Beginning Collection

Oneshot: Board Games And Chaos

Background: Rafe is alive.

Content: Wilamena, Michael, Emma, Kate, and Rafe play board games with disastrous results. HUMOR!

Michael Wibberly concentrated intensely. He couldn't afford to lose this, not when his very reputation as a hero was at stake. He calmed his shaking fingers, keeping them steady, steady... yes! He had done it! The Jenga block was safely on the tower.

His younger sister and main competition, Emma, groaned audibly, "aww, I thought he was going to lose this time!"

"Nonsense," Wilamena, an elf-princess and Michael's girlfriend, who had come over for the afternoon, scoffed, "these human blocks are no match for the clever sir rabbit!"

Michael and his sisters had spent the day working on their long term project, also known as introducing the people of the magical realm to human innovations. Today was devoted to board games, which Wilamena wasn't really getting the hang of, and which Emma was becoming increasingly frustrated with. The house was a mess because of a chaotic game of monopoly, featuring Emma throwing the game pieces and Kate forcing them to put the game away before her siblings strangled each other.

"Wilamena, you aren't supposed to want him to win," Emma sighed, "it's a competition. YOU want to win!"

"But I'd be very happy for Michael if he won," Wilamena said, her voice full of honest confusion. Michael smiled to himself. Wilamena was dreadful at board games, but her good sportsmanship and the fact that she never lost heart were only making Michael like her more.

Emma rolled her eyes, "whatever. Time to let the master work."

She reached for a block. The tower wobbled, and Emma's hand stopped. Holding her breath, she slowly pulled the block out, the tower trembling with her every move. Finally, when the block was out, she sighed with relief, placing it delicately on top of the tower....

CRASH! The block was too much for the tower to bear. It collapsed, making Emma the loser of the game. Her face went red with frustration as Michael began to laugh.

"CHEATER!" Emma screamed, "YOU BUMPED THE TABLE AND YOU KNOW IT!"

"I did no such thing," Michael stated indignantly.

"My bunny is noble, he would never do that," Wilamena stood by him loyally.

"HE'S A CHEAT!" Emma continued to roar, though she had no proof. In her tirade, she had knocked the Jenga blocks over even more, littering the floor with them. She stood up from her seat, preparing to launch herself at her brother, angry in the way only siblings could be.

"Did you all learn nothing from monopoly earlier?" Kate's voice echoed through the room, not very loud, but still commanding. The voice of someone used to having to take charge.

"Michael's a cheater!" Emma whined.

"Emma's a liar," Michael declared.

"I think these board games may be dangerous," Wilamena admitted.

Kate sighed heavily, "alright, Michael, Emma, clean up this mess. I think you two have had enough board games for one day."

"But Kate," Wilamena protested, "they promised to teach me about Uno!"

For a moment, Kate seemed conflicted. Uno had the potential for disaster, and her parents would not want to come home to that. On the other hand, Wilamena looked so eager, and she was a guest. Kate didn't want to disappoint her.

"Fine. Get this cleaned up and we'll all play a round of uno," Kate gave in.

The children cheered. Kate shook her head fondly, smiling with amusement at their joyfulness. Troublemaking as the three of them were, they deserved this chance to be happy kids after everything they had been through.