Checkmate Chic

That morning sprint definitely earned me an upgrade to high-stakes strategy. I hopped onto the concrete bench and scrambled up to an abandoned stone chess table, where an unfinished match sat frozen in time. Frankly, the board composition lacked flair. Strutting past a quiet cluster of captured pawns, I zeroed in on a sleek, dark-stained wooden knight. Leaning my hip and claws against its carved flank, I shoved with all my might until the heavy piece slid with a sharp clack right onto the center ivory square. I tilted my antennae back to admire the geometry. The board finally had its star player.