Fortifying the Center

A heavy stone chess table sat under the park pavilion. Someone had walked away from an unfinished game, leaving carved granite pieces scattered across the grid. I hauled myself onto the bench to survey the board. The center was wide open to attack. Near the edge sat a stout granite rook, carved dense and square like an unyielding fortress. I clamped both fists around its base, lifted the weight off the marble, and set it firmly into the center crossroads. It struck the stone tile with a solid, echoing thud. The flank is anchored. I crossed my arms and stood watch over the new line.