Black Chalk

They ran trials and made small adjustments and finally everyone felt happy. The Game was intended to be a contest for individuals, although eventually it would become apparent that the structure allowed numerous opportunities for both cooperation and back-stabbing. In fact it seemed almost as if some of the rules had been designed to encourage such behaviours.

None of them flinched at any of this. The Game was going to be fun, sometimes challenging, but mostly fun. And the prize money was a goodly amount but they told themselves earnestly that the money came second to the challenge, money was merely the cherry on top of the cake.

Of course, in the end, the mechanics of the Game proved irrelevant. What mattered most of all was the players. And with regard to the consequences, they had formulated absolutely no rules at all. They were young and idealistic and they all believed in trust and honour and each other’s inherent decency.

In retrospect, their naivety was staggering. Like newborns gurgling with pleasure as they crawled into the lions’ den.

XXIV(iii) As cards were fanned and played and picked, and dice were rolled, the conversation remained guarded and slight. Tallest, observing this fact, said, ‘Just carry on as if we’re not here.’

‘Who are you people anyway?’ said Jack.

Shortest moved forward from the wall. ‘You do not speak to us,’ he said. ‘Under no circumstances is this permitted. Not unless we specifically invite you to do so. Is that understood?’

Tallest raised his hand. ‘It’s all right,’ he said, ‘I don’t mind fielding that one. But my colleague is right. We come here as observers, not participants. I’d be most grateful for your cooperation. As to your question, Mr Thomson, regarding our identity, we will in fact be revealing that information at a later date. Once the Game has concluded.’ Tallest removed his glasses and started to clean them. ‘But to one individual only,’ he said. He fogged his lenses with a hot breath. ‘And I doubt very much that the individual concerned will feel inclined to share such information with the rest of you.’

‘And why’s that?’ said Jack. ‘Because you’re so powerful and secret and scarily important?’

‘No, not at all,’ said Tallest, returning the glasses to the tip of his nose. ‘Because I doubt any of you will be on speaking terms by that point.’

‘That’s so wrong!’ Chad shouted. His anger came quickly and his face was inflamed. ‘You have just . . . you have no idea just how wrong you are.’

Tallest pushed back his glasses. ‘Of course, Mr Mason,’ he said. ‘Whatever you say, I’m sure you’re right. This is, after all, your game, is it not?’

‘It’s everyone’s game,’ said Jolyon. ‘It belongs to the group. We arrive at our decisions democratically.’

‘Yes, that’s right,’ said Tallest, ‘quite the collective.’ He sniffed cheerfully. ‘As I was saying, it’s as if we’re not here.’

XXIV(iv) The first session of the Game finished with neither clear winners nor losers but Chad could perhaps claim to be happiest with his position. He would have to perform only one consequence, to be drawn from the first pot, the one containing the lightest and least daring of challenges. There were three pots in total, each one containing small cards on which the consequences were printed. They had agreed that whenever a card was chosen, the other players would hold on to it and return it only once the dare had been completed. And then the successful performer could ceremonially tear the thing up in front of them.

To complete his single consequence, Chad had to wear a Pitt College scarf for a week. He hadn’t even understood why this was any sort of consequence at all when the scarf had first been suggested. Jolyon had explained that, in most cases, it was the privately educated students who gadded about town wearing college colours. And therefore those students from state school who wore college scarves were acting as if they were ashamed of their backgrounds, or were behaving pretentiously. Everyone else had agreed, none of them would choose to wear the college scarf. ‘But I suppose Americans aren’t like that,’ Jolyon had said. ‘You mean we dare to show pride in our achievements?’ Chad had said. Jolyon had shaken his head, frustrated that he couldn’t make Chad understand. ‘I suppose it’s more than just a common language that separates our countries.’

And so for Chad the scarf-wearing proved the simplest of tasks. Not that any of the challenges were particularly severe at the end of round one. They would of course escalate as the Game evolved.