Pool/Story Game

Jim had not really had the time to play games like this as a child. He was born in a precarious world and was either moving from mansion to another to find safer grounds or was learning skills that would ensure survival.

It seemed to be that the idea of gaming suggested by Peter could be carried out a a place some of distance away. Jim imagined that to be a game centre, something of that sort. He was following closely behind Jeff, and Peter their tour guide, took the lead. The reason for this was because he was too preoccupied with his thoughts.

The Academy did change a lot of things. That was Jim's thought. He had been here a while and not for a long, bit he did notice the care free attitude in most people. It was almost as if everyone had forgotten the terrible things both the Academy and the rebels caused. If they had, Jim hadn't. He had not forgotten as a young child, when people had to live in fear of the next clash between the Academy and the rebels and wondered where that would take place. Thousands of people had died already, and many more were still dying.

'Right now' Jim thought, outside the domes of the Academy were civilians cowering in fear , others running for their lives, some in harsh conditions. Yet, himself together with several others were about to play a game. 'How Ironic'.

"Hey kiddo" Peter's voice sounded shaking Jim out of his soloquiy.

Jim's half closed eyes fully opened to see Peter by his side.

"Hmmm" he responded.

"Hey" Peter continued. "Don't think too much, it's not good. You'll worry yourself to death. Besides, it isn't that there's any thing you can do." He paused to gauge Jim's reaction as he had always done whenever he spoke.

"You know, I was once like you in the past few years. But I've learnt something, Stand up, have the courage to change the things you can and the courage to accept the things you can't, and the wisdom to know the difference." His advise seemed genuine and was equally true. "I've also realized.." he continued etching closer to Jim. "Have fun while you can. You alone can choose to create good memories or waste it worrying on things not worth worrying for."

And that said, Peter away from Jim's side and took his position as the tour guide once again. Soon, moments of walking came to an end when the trio arrived at the game centre. The neon lights provided the glow necessary for for playing games. There were centres for sort of games, betting stands and even coffee ones. Following Peter's lead, they had no difficulty finding the pool grounds. There were not many on this one, hence, the trio had free space.

"Tell you what, to make this spicy, as we're playing, we will all narrate out live story." Peter suggested. "This will help lighten the mood and relieve burdens. You know." He demonstrated with his hands as if expecting a reply from his audience. Peter did like his audience reaction.

"Nice idea" Jim chipped in.

"No problem with me." Jeff also added.

And just like that, the trio had once again unanimously consented to the idea suggested by Peter.

"So, how do we play this game. It does look a lot like snooker you know" Jim observed as he walked towards the seven foot wide pool table.

"It's not snooker, but there's a difference." Peter explained picking up the cur stick and stroking it mildly.

"Tell you what" he continued, "Since you have next to no idea, you'll go first while I direct you. Jeff has no problem with that I believe." He looked towards Jeff for confirmation and got it in the positive.

Peter held the stuck in his hand by the middle and began explaining the items in the table. "That's the eight ball, the cue ball, the others are even or odd balls depicted by their numbers, we have the solid and striped." he explained pointing to the difference balls on the table taking his time with the solid black and white.

"That's your kitchen, this is the cue stick and this is how you hold the stick...."

Once he was done explaining, and after getting a positive response from Jim and Jeff at times, he proceeded to give a stick to both his companions.

"Now, go first" Peter poked the stick at Jim's chest dramatically.

At that moment, Jim noticed Akira by his side. "When the hell did..."

He was hushed down by both Peter and Jeff at moment who said he didn't have to shout so loud. "Take it easy" Peter said. "Just remember what I said and play." he advised.

Evidently, they wanted him to hurry up and start. Sincerely, Jim thought they were more interested in his story than in his ability to play the game. Whichever way, he got himself in the right position of which Akira had helped him.

"Place your index finger on top of the stick..curve it" Akira had instructed. "Your feet should be wider than the width of your shoulders apart... good...just slightly...at about a 45 degree-angle."

"How's 45 degree-angle?" Jim had asked. It seemed a lot easier saying it than actually performing it. A little push here and there, some taps and adjustments, Akira was able to direct Jim right.

Jim on the other hand had found it strange that the others had no objections to Akira guiding him, which took a while.

"You got it right." Peter observed.

"He's a fast one." Jeff commended.

"I was to correct you, but seeing you did it right in a short time, made me stay put. Now get along hitting those balls."

Jim wasn't sure that this was a game anymore. It felt like it was some practice session. But the mot interesting part of this was the story telling. He placed his stick in front of the solid white cue ball which was targeted at the triangle shape arranged balls and executed a break.

"To start with.." Jim began explaining, "I'm the first and only child of my parents. My age in comparison to theirs, shows that they had me late in life. And really, though I kept moving from one house to another an attempt to find safety, I never felt comfortable. Two things accounted for that..."

Jim took his stance again and attempted a solid ball.

"Scratch" Peter muttered looking at the white ball fly over the table. Jim looked at Akira whose expression depicted the clause: "I told you".

"One was because I never did spend much time in a home. Always moving, results of both internal and external displacement, destruction of properties and search for safety. At the time, I was plenty young, but that uncomfortability was there. The second was because I spent more time with my self and with my butler than I ever did wit my parents."

Jim had no idea why he was saying all these, but he felt like he could talk to these guys even though they had been together for a while.

Jeff on receiving a nudge from Peter walked over to the table, stick in hand, and went for a striped ball hitting 9 points.

"I'm Jeff Bawa.."

"Skip the introduction brother."

"Well, I'm a automotive engineer. At my age, that's pretty impressive. But where I come from, that's just one way to make sure your child gets useful in life. I am the third child of my family. Both my elder brothers were war agents. One worked for the 'universal' side and later joined the side of the rebels, the other is also a war veteran, but a specialist surgeon. He's the only one who's name wasn't changed. Chris Bawa.

Peter stepped in next, and surprisingly, he had done better than the two others had done, not depending on luck, but pure skill.

"Not much to talk about..' he said. "But my I've been here since months, precisely eighteen months.."

"What have you been doing here eighteen months." Jeff asked bluntly.

His question suggested that he too had been here a couple of months too and understood the implications of time duration. As for Peter, he ignored the question and continued what he was saying.

"Actually, this section of the Central Immigration Control Centre offers much. Medium and high paying jobs, simple, complex, high and low connections, fun and much others." He paused to gauge his audience's reaction before proceeding further. "Even though I'll help you and the people I can with their admission processes, I'm not sure I'm ready to leave the Control Centre yet. And mind you, this building alone isn't all about the Control Centre.

"That wasn't actually a story." Akira observed. This Jim repeated to the hearing of his tour guide.

"No worries kiddo, you'll get to hear something as we proceed further. Another try" He pointed towards the table with his stick.

Jim took his stance again and began talking. Following instructions from Akira, he was able to make two ball into a pocket consecutively. Jeff took his turn bouncing the ball round the entire table, back and forth with no results. Peter on the other hand hit within his 'kitchen', earning him six points. Slowly, soft shots turned into hard ones until numerous scratches were being performed by both Jim and Jeff. Soon after, it had come down to one ball for Peter, three for Jim and four for Jeff. With the way the ball was distributed, it was only a matter of time before it would be the final showdown of the eight ball. And the anticipation was high as a considerable number of persons had gathered to watch the game.

____

"Once again the people are having fun and rest" one said.

"For a while though.." another chuckled.

Two individuals among many others in a large room, could be seen viewing the scenes in front of them being displayed on the multiple screens.

"First floor's closed now. " The other continued licking his lips.

He moved his hand to click on something and that done, scenes of the first floor began to flash at a considerable rate while he stated intensely at it. "This is not in my job description." he muttered under his breath.

"Wait wait wait!" the other alerted.

The one on the screen stopped to look at the other. And on cue, he flashed the screens, backtracking it.

"Stop!" the other ordered. "That's the kid from the minor citadel."

"You know that kid?" the one on the screen asked.

"Yeah" the other replied calmly. "He's on file...Take the second floor."

The one on the screen moved to another screen and began flashing it again. "There's the lad..."

"Playing snooker"