Short Story by Adam Holland, Grade 8

          A lone woman, mounted on horseback and carrying a heavy spear, rode over the hill. She looked out over the battlefield. She could see the opposing army at the other end of the field. The field was beautiful. Flowers were blooming on it, the grass was green, and butterflies fluttered about. The woman, the Queen of Jeremiah, raised an eyebrow. In moments this field would be trampled and covered with the dead. She almost felt remorse. Almost.
          She tapped the spear butt against the ground three times, and her army approached behind her. The infantry was in the first line. Behind them, the cavalry, two monks brought for good luck and healing, and a pair of massive siege towers. 
     

          "Attack!" roared the Queen. The lead member of the cavalry bounded over the first line of infantry and charged forward. As he moved, the other army sent forth infantry. The Queen rode into battle, cleaving the infantryman to the ground. The battle was on. 

          The King of Mathew watched the massive battle from the wall. Things did not look well. His strategy seemed somehow flawed; the opposing army was tearing through with ease. The siege towers were getting dangerously close to the wall. He quickly moved into the tower on the wall, spreading a map of the field before him. He had marks where his armies were positioned. Things seemed to be going as planned, and yet...
          Then he found it. The flaw. The area he had left uncovered, where his enemies could break through. He ran back out to the wall, hoping he could find some way to relay the information to his army. But it was too late. Even as he reached the wall, one of the siege towers reached them, a bridge crashing down on the wall. Several foot soldiers stood in the tower. "It is over," one of them called. "Surrender!"
          The King ran back toward his tower, only to see a pair of swordsmen emerge. He turned to the stairs down from the wall, but a knight and the Queen of Jeremiah blocked the staircase. He was trapped.

          "Checkmate," said Jeremiah, leaning back in his chair with a smile. Mathew frowned.
          "Shoot. The rook again," he muttered, seeing his mistake clearly now.
          "Don't be a bad sport, Mathew," said Jeremiah playfully to his friend.
          "I'll get you one of these days," returned Mathew, still trying to be angry, and failing.
          "Actions speak louder," said Jeremiah, folding the pieces into the box and folding the checkered board.
          "You watch," protested Mathew. "You can't keep using that bloody rook forever."
          Shaking his head, Jeremiah slid the board into the Chess set and rose to his feet.