The Perfect Machine: Kingdom Of Glass (GxG

4. Do you wish to play?

Each day here is almost the same; you rest, you eat and do nothing. It's a nightmare how boring it can become. Today we can be in the library and pick out some books to read, which is a fantastic feeling at the moment. I miss books. It's what has kept all the worries my entire life away.

I generally go for history books to learn about the past, but a work of fiction and imagination might help make my world not feel so small. I have been here for three days, and I already struggle to be able to adapt to my new life.

This place is so crowded, and I have no privacy. I can barely pee in peace; that is how bad it is. It's loud, women shout and mock each other, and some tend to smell bad. No wonder considering that we only shower once a week, and this prison is as warm as it gets. There are limited air conditioners around, and people tend to stand in front of them to take all the cold air, which won't let it flow around the prison.

Eden and I are currently on our way to the library; she is also interested in finding something to read. She struggles with boredom, which I understand.

We walk through the sad and gloomy hallway. The once white paint has faded off the concrete walls, and the floor is so dirty that it's almost gone black. A few light bowls from the lamps on the roof have gone out. The government, of course, doesn't care about those things. They have a war to wage and power to demand. How foolish can politicians be?

We arrive at a glass door that attempts to state the library on it. Yet, it feels the loss of a couple of letters in front of us. There are a few benches, put in a row for people to sit and read. Behind, there are three columns of racks loaded up with books.

I pass Eden and towards the books, not even caring if there are other inmates in here. For once in the last few days, I want to feel normal and safe.

I search through the books, and I felt the happiness inside of me, but it all fades away as I see their condition. They are ripped, have watermarks and some of them have lost a lot of pages. My desires were dreadfully too strong.

I sigh aloud as Eden steps in next to me with a frown.

"They look horrible." She says.

"Yeah, they do." I sigh in sadness but keep looking to see if I can find something exciting.

After searching through the shelves, I found a few books that seemed okay enough and sound like lovely books to read. I place myself on a seat to look through the pages to see I didn't miss anyone.

"Look what I found," Eden says, smashing some board games onto the table. One of the guards looks at her in a fury but doesn't interact.

As I glance through the books, Eden attempts to find a game with every one of its pieces; however, there was one that did. Unfortunately, it was the one game that she doesn't know how to play, chess.

"You didn't have chess as a child?" I question.

"No, I have never had it or played it at all." She tells me, and I chuckle.

"All things considered, you can show me sometime in the future," Eden says as she gets up onto her feet.

"Don't know if you noticed, but we have time." She laughs and walks out of the library. I get back to my books. A guard who comes through the door catches my eyes and following him is the woman who wears the black hoodie over her face. She sits down quietly on the bench next to me, her head hanging low to hide her face.

The guard takes the chessboard and puts it in front of the woman. He opens the game and throws the pieces all over the table with laughter. The woman doesn't seem to care as she picks them up and places them in the right place.

I try not to gaze, yet I am simply so inquisitive. She is unquestionably more intriguing than the books lying before me.

"Do you wish to play?" I jump in my seat at her words.

"Um." I stammer sceptically. As much as I know, I should stay away from people. There is just something about the mystery of this woman that is taking my attention.

"Sure," I state while I lay my books to the side before I slide over to the following table. She lifts her head and astonishes me with a dark headband around her face, which hides her eyes.

"How can you play while not seeing?" I ask as I rub the back of my head.

"I just know." She answers and moves the black pawn that is in front of her rock. I watch her amazed, but she can't see me. Maybe that is a good thing because I always act like a fool around people.

"I don't understand?" I say and move a pawn myself. She doesn't utter a word, so I continue onward.

"Are you blind?" I ask her lightly not to sound so rude. But no matter how you question someone about it, it will always be impolite. I should know better. I'm just curious and maybe that is my curse. Yet, I feel like I can't really blame myself either. There is something about her that pulls me in.

"Who said that?" She says with a straight face as she moves another piece on the board.

"Umm?" I say, startled by her question as I try to figure out what to do next in the game. She ignores me as I make a move.

"Where are you from?" I ask to change the subject, but she remains quiet. I take the hint and keep on playing. She is excellent at this game, which makes it even more enjoyable.

I have always played this game with people who don't know how to. It's not as popular as those video games that those spoiled rich kids have. Boardgames have lost their peak. But the poor have found them as a comfort to spend time with their families.