The King's Glide

A low side table just below the window sill held a polished walnut chessboard, pieces locked in the middle of a game. I hopped down onto the checkered grid, aiming straight for the tallest carved king to secure the high ground. But the second my boots gripped the crown, the felt-lined base lost traction on the slick varnish. The heavy piece tilted and began to glide across the board. Instead of jumping clear, I dropped into a tight crouch, gripping the cross finial and leaning into the drift. We coasted straight down an open diagonal, nudging a white pawn aside before braking hard against the heavy flank of a black rook.