Come Back To Us - 17. Chapter 17

Back to Karl's POV

One evening, as he had just finished his various lessons, Karl came across Arthur again, in the same room as last time, when he had met the French guy.

He was playing chess again. Alone of course. He didn’t really seem to enjoy people’s company…
He decided to take his chance and get him to talk. Just to say anything. Even if it was something trivial.

“Can I play with you ?” He asked with a neutral tone. “Just one game.”

The man came to a still but kept focusing on the game. Karl’s shoulders stiffened. This could mean nothing good… He remained for a long while this way.

When he finally looked up at him, Karl’s apprehensions vanished.

“Mr. Hopkins taught me to play quite well.”

They kept staring into each other’s eyes for a long while.

“He may have taught you to play quite well, but if you don’t have the intellect that goes with it, it’s pointless.”

He remained still for a few more moments. Then he took a chair and sat across from him. He wanted to have the proof that he could say something other than sharp things.

Why? He wasn’t so sure himself…

Maybe because he believed that there was a good part in each human being.

“Just try and you’ll see. You’ve never seen me play yet.”

They held their gazes. This had him thought about times when they would do that with George. He guessed he was just like him deep down. Acting tough, but actually broken inside.

“Okay. But if you lose the next game, you get out of the room.”

He waited for a few moments as he kept staring into his eyes.

“Deal.”

He let him finish his game before they started a new one.

“Who taught you?” Karl asked him out of the blue as they had just begun.

As expected, no answer came from his mouth, at least not an immediate one.

“He was the one who taught me too, along with my father.”

Nothing to be surprised about if he lost then. He suddenly remembered what he had told him the last time he had made a move on his game.

You’ve just enabled the Nazis to shoot down some more of our men.

And then he remembered the first time when Mr. Hopkins had taught him to play. His jaw clenched and his shoulders tensed.

Hadn’t he mentioned something about pawns and war?

“It’s your turn.”

Karl examined what his best option was. He made his move swiftly.

It wasn’t because of the war that he had become a pilot, was it?

“Why did you become a pilot? Were you forced to or was it because you wanted to become one?”

Karl spoke slowly so as not to choke on the words. He was always careful about that.

Still. Think. Play. Still. Think. Play. Still. Think. Play. Still. Think. Play.

They kept doing that for a long time.

“What is it going to do if you answer that question? It’s not going to kill you.”

It was the same thing again.

He didn’t know what kind of upbringing he had, but it was clearly not the same as the Hopkins’s.

“My father was a pilot in the Great War. I got this passion for flying from him. He taught me everything he knew, so I could become just like him one day.”

So this was the reason why. Another moment of silence followed his words before he spoke again.

“It’s difficult to become a good pilot if you are not passionate about flying. The fierce and utter determination to fight for your country is far from being enough. Think about it.”

Okay, he got it. According to him, he could never make it. But apart from making him understand he couldn’t with words, he had never tried to discourage him in others way so he would beg him to go back to the Hopkins… Was it because he was afraid Karl might tell all about it to Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins? And Paul too?

Most likely.

Or maybe because he knew that there was nothing that could discourage him. No.

He was glad to learn how to fly anyway. So this should be enough.

“What about Paul? How did you become friends with him? You are very different.”

He shouldn’t expect too much from him. But he didn’t have anything to lose with one more question.

For the time being, Arthur was leading the game with a slight advantage only.

“I’ll ask him if I see him again. If I can,” he emphasised the last three words as he spoke.

“You’re losing fo now, so stay focused on the game.”

“I know. That’s why I ask my questions now while I can. Before you make me leave the room.”

He forced himself to make long ‘e’s’, but it sounded awful as he tried to make it. It didn’t sound natural at all.

Karl felt like smiling but he didn’t. Obviously he didn’t like his sharp tongue at all. One that could match his.

A bit like George it seemed. His jaw clenched. He didn’t feel like smiling anymore.

But he remained unimpressed. And silent of course.

“You met him when you were young?”

By that, he meant as a child. He didn’t mean to offence him.

It was his turn to play. He had a chance to take the lead now if he played his next move well.

He did.

“Not that bad. You have potential.”

“Does it mean you are going to answer my question?”

He played a good move too.

“I have never been good at talking to people. As a child, I couldn’t make any friends. The other children didn’t like anything I would say, it seemed. And I just thought they were stupid.
It seemed to be easier to talk to adults. But adults didn’t like to have interesting conversations with a child like me. They would look at me as if I didn’t belong there with them and the other children.”

There was a long pause before he spoke again.

“Paul was the only child who dared to stay with me ans was willing to talk to me, even if I wasn’t interested in him in the first place. He was the only child who treated me as if I hadn’t been different. He was always cheerful, never said anything mean to me. He had that something I’ve never had that pulled me towards him. Besides, he could keep up a good conversation for long enough to end up interesting me.”

Nothing surprising about Paul. He should, could, have guessed by himself it had happened that way.

“He didn’t even care about the other children who told him off for staying and discussing with a “weirdo” like me. He’d rather stay with me than making a lot of other friends who would have been normal.”

He smiled at that. A small but proud smile. Paul was a good person. Just like his parents. No wonder everyone liked him so much.

He looked up from the game to gaze at the man who didn’t meet his eyes.

He would like to see them together just to see that bond which had beens strong enough to make their friendship last despite their differences.

He couldn’t help thinking about something he shouldn’t.

Had they had the same kind of relationship he had with George?

That was something he knew he shouldn’t ask.

Secrets that should remained buried where no one could find them if it had even happened.

But it seemed that Arthur was jealous of Emma from what he had understood, so this could only confirm what he thought.

The game was getting more complicated as it went on…

He guessed it would be a good thing if they could be reunited again, and maybe talk things out which they should have sorted a long while ago. But after all it was none of his business. But maybe that was just what he was missing. Love and attention which he probably could never had with that upbringing.

He blinked blankly at him.

“Keep focusing on the game. Whatever you’re thinking about is most likely not as important as that.”

But what he said only distracted him more.

“Why it couldn’t be?”

It wasn’t enough to make the man look at him.

“The game isn’t war. We’re not playing for our life.”

It seemed that he managed to have the last word because he didn’t say anything else afterwards. They kept playing with sweat and brains. At one point he could see a favourable outcome for himself. He just had to make one more move to check and mate him.

He’d never thought so many people would like to play chess. Five was already a lot for him. That was much more than he could have known if he hadn’t left home.

“I win,” he stated proudly as if it was only natural. “What do I got for it?”

It seemed that this would lead to a kind of competition that would need to be settled once and for all, and he liked the thought of it.

“You get the right to play with me again. But not tonight. Now get out of my sight.”

He smiled. And even if he wanted it to vanish because of the thoughts that were coming back to haunt him again, he kept it steady.

“Yes, Captain. Good night.”

He stood up swiftly and left before the man decided to throw the chessboard in his face.

Maybe that was just what he needed. What he missed and probably could never have again.

Hello everyone!
I don't know how the weather is in your country and region, but here it's been snowing since Thursday night; it's so unbelievable 😱 Global warming....
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter
Have a good day/evening/night and take care ❤️