{This is in response to a prompt from Friday Fictioneers, run by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. The job is to write 100 words inspired by the picture. The title, Zugzwang, is a chess term, defined as “the obligation to move, where any move would be bad.” I got this definition from a list of chess terms defined at Chesscentral.com. In German, Zug means a move, and zwingen means to force someone to do something, Zugzwang is when you must make a move, even if it is to your disadvantage. All errors are my own. Thank you for the prompt, and thanks for coming by to read!}
The marble chessboard, again. Axel squirmed, his lithe frame, folding in upon itself.
“Play you for it!” Father muttered. Had there been a spittoon, he would have spat. Finding none, his sweaty hands re-soiled his grimy mechanic’s pants.
White pawn forward.
Axel’s chest, compressed by Father’s presence, drew only shallow breaths.
The mechanic loved chess. It proved him worthy; revealed his untapped potential; laid the blame squarely on the boy, for preventing what might have been.
Black pawn forward.
“My son will be a fine engineer!” Father trumpeted, at last.
Axel tipped his king. He had no good moves left.
Manila Envelope
The father has something to prove and blames Axel for his shortcomings, feeling powerful when he beats Axel. Someday the father will regret his treatment of Axel, I’m sure. Nicely written story!
Thank you Brenda!
You have portrayed an uncomfortable father/son relationship very well. I don’t think I like Father very much.
I think I may have overdone his John-Wayne-Western machismo just a tad. ?
To me this feels like the father needs to win… I see him having to give up his own education after taking a father’s responsibility… but hopefully the son will still be an engineer like the father always wanted.
Glad you got so much out of it. Time will only tell what becomes of the boy.
Great piece. Wonderfully detailed.
Thanks Lisa!
I could feel the son caving in on himself as he was forced to play a game he couldn’t win. Excellent writing.
Thank you so much granonine!
I found the chess game clear even though I am not a player. What is absolutely clear is the relationship you paint!
Thanks Miranda! Glad that dynamic came through.
I have seen too many parents attempt to mold a child into the version they wanted for themselves and for whatever reason were not able to attain. It never ends well for the child. Nicely done.
Thank you JoHawk.
An intriguing piece that seems to be open to differing interpretations as my fellow commenteers have demonstrated!
Click to read my FriFic tale!
Thanks Keith!
Bleak story. It seems to me there can be no winners in this relationship. My interpretation was the boy was outdone by the father and that was the only future the child could foresee. Well done for creating a really repulsive character alongside one I felt so sorry for.
Must remember to add some hope to the recipe next time. ?
My reading is, that the boy, because of his youth and timidity, can’t see any alternative to obeying his father, since he finds the prospect of standing up to him, whatever the consequences, terrifying.
But the fact that it is frightening does not make it any less a choice. Perhaps,with time, he will gain the requisite courage.
Father is winning the money and game. His son’s education will be funded.
Yes, he seems excited about the prospect. Not so much the son.
I meant to convey that the stakes were not money but the boy’s future choice of career. Funded or not, the boy is not overjoyed at the prospect! Thanks for reading Abhijit!
phew… there is so much tension here in this piece. How awful to be blamed for a parents failings.
The gift of a child may be perceived as the theft of the parent’s dream.
Following in one’s footsteps the hard way. Nicely told.
I enjoyed the story, although I thought the father a horrible man.
I am utterly confused at the comments, if a player topples his king he is conceding defeat.
True. I think the ambiguity lies in the sentence “Axel tipped his king.” Who does “his” refer to?
Not sure, since Im not an expert at chess myself, whether you can knock down your opponent’s king. In a casual game at home, without hard and fast rules, i suppose it could happen. Although this game feels anything but
casual to me!
Glad you liked it!
No chess player would ever touch his opponent’s piece, it is just not done.
Thank you for clearing that up!?
The son tipping his own King means he concedes defeat – I see it clearly, Andrea.
And the father is a brute for blaming his son’s birth as a reason he himself failed…
Excellent story!
Thanks Dale! I concur with your reading and judgment of the character. ?
Dear Andrea,
Either way, whether the son wins or loses, something’s missing in the relationship. You illustrate this well.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thanks Rochelle!
Oh Rochelle, I actually heard the word “kaddish” on national news, after the atrocious events of this week, and thought of your books title. They were describing how volunteers from the synagogue were staying with the bodies according to custom despite the site being declared a crime scene. It was very touching.
I know it is too soon, but I look forward to your imparting some of your wisdom in these deeply troubling and perplexing times.
Loved the title and the meaning. And story, very well written. 🙂
Thank you so much, Priya! I am always fascinated how other languages express concepts, often more concisely than English can. One of my favorite examples in German is “bunt,” which means colorful, as in multi-colored, and another is “Sauwetter”, which means sow ( female pig) weather, or nasty weather.
Beautiful words. Thank you 😀
Yes, I thought the son had won. But it works either way, each outcome having associated layers with it.
Thanks, Sandra. I meant for the son to win, but sometimes characters do what they want.:)
Ah the complexities between fathers and sons. You’ve managed to convey a great deal in such a short story. I loved it – and I interpreted it as the son who lost. 🙂
Susan A Eames
Thank you Susan. There are a lot of churning undercurrents that run between parents and children, even the most well-meaning.
He seems quite a dominant and over-powering father.
Yes draliman. The son seems to feel he is no match for him.
Sounds like the father is taking out some of his own issues and regrets on his son. Such a shame if it holds him back from doing what he wants.
Yes, so often, those who impose their will on others were once, themselves, forced to choose a course of action against their own will.
I read this first as the son losing. Somehow I think it would have been stronger with that ending
Thats the way i meant it neil. Looks like ambiguity got the best of me again!
Ah, the student beats the master! Great Story!
I actually meant for the son to lose but I see the last line could be interpreted both ways.