When I was [sixteen] I learned survival

[chesspolitik]

To say that Anatoly was feeling overwhelmed was to put it mildly. He had gone to sleep after a night out in Moscow and had woken up in a strange hut with a strange (if undeniably beautiful) woman. She had tried to explain things but he was not sure he understood anything past he was not in Moscow. It seemed impossible to believe but here he was, on this strange place.

He had managed to make his way to the Compound but he had found little in the way of explanations. Barely anyone spoke Russian here and his English was only of the barest, most limited kind. Trying to make himself understood was an exercise in frustration and out of desperation, he had retreated to the kitchen to make some tea and try to come to terms with it all.

He sat at one of the tables, hunched over his cup as he put in spoonful after spoonful of sugar in his tea. Rationing did not seem to be something that was done here so the prospect of being able to use as much as he wanted was perhaps the only bright spot about being here.

Someone entered the kitchen and he looked up with a faint tremulous smile. There was no reason for him to forget his manners, even as flustered and out of sorts as he was.

Comments

[loveofmasters]

It was going to be an interesting time with all the changes. Florence had already seen one friend turned teenager, and see several other people walking about in bodies they didn't seem to know how to control very well. She'd never been so glad to have been left out of things.

Entering the kitchen, she almost didn't notice the young man sitting, hovering over his tea until she'd already pulled the kettle out to make some tea of her own. Her stomach had largely settled, now that her pregnancy was past the first trimester, but she still drank regular doses of a ginger tea she'd found. She was almost developing a taste for it.

Turning back after placing the kettle on the stove she looked again at the young man and felt the blood drain from her face a little. It couldn't be, could it? "Anatoly?"

[chesspolitik]

Anatoly stared. He knew it was rude and went against everything his mother had taught him about manners but he couldn't help it. The woman before him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life and he didn't think he could speak, let alone do anything else.

It occurred to him after a few long moments that she had said his name and he pulled himself together as best as he could. A beautiful woman who knew his name. Perhaps he had died and gone to heaven after all.

"Yes," he answered very carefully, hoping she would be able to understand him. "That is my name. I am sorry - I do not know you."

[loveofmasters]

"Oh, God, I..." She took a deep breath to cal her nerves. She'd seen pictures, of course. Propaganda put out by the Soviets before matches. The glorious history of the unbeatable prodigy, dedicated to his game and the state, something to that effect. The pictures did nothing to prepare her for the living, breathing and obviously confused young man sitting in front of her.

"I'm sorry. My name is Florence." It was like Jonas all over again only... more wrenching.

[chesspolitik]

Florence. It was such a beautiful name to his ears - so melodic, so graceful. It suited her perfectly and he was so very glad he had decided to make tea. If he hadn't, he would have surely missed meeting her.

"It is lovely to meet you," he said, wondering if he dared kiss her hand. "Forgive me - I just woke up here and everything is still confused."

[loveofmasters]

"That's alright, it's happening to a lot of people today." Habit had her placing a hand on her expanding belly out of nervousness, but she took a seat anyway. She couldn't just leave him like this, all alone.

[chesspolitik]

"How do you know me?" he asked curiously. He noted her condition in the back of his mind but didn't give it much more thought.

[loveofmasters]

"Has someone explained this place to you? What it does? And what this place has done to you?" She didn't want to shock him too terribly, and if he hadn't already have heard the basics she would have to start there. This place was just too strange to jump into the middle of an explanation.

[chesspolitik]

Anatoly nodded, a little uncertainly. He had heard the explanations but he couldn't quite bring himself to believe it. It didn't seem possible that he should be old and settled here. How could he have lived a life he didn't remember?

"Yes but it is very - hard. I remember nothing of this. Yesterday I was in Moscow, now I am here. I do not understand it at all."

[loveofmasters]

"No one does, but we make do the best we can. I teach here, but I'd never taught before. Everyone tries to find their place." She didn't want to go into too much detail because she didn't want to disturb him with too much of his future. Florence could only hope that she could do her part to assuage his fear. He looked so young and... innocent of everything. It hurt her heart to see him like this, a side she'd never seen before.

[chesspolitik]

"You teach? You can just - go and teach what you like?" Anatoly asked curiously. He couldn't imagine being able to simply settle in and make a life here - he was used to everything being ordered and being told what to do and when. The prospect of complete and utter freedom was exciting but more than a little frightening.

[loveofmasters]

"So long as you know what you're talking about. I teach Women's Literature, 20th Century History and Chess." She knew that the last part would be the only part he cared about. He was nothing if not predictable that way. It was interesting, sitting here and talking to him without the baggage of their history behind them.

[chesspolitik]

Some things didn't change and the delight in Anatoly's eyes when Florence mentioned chess was one of them. He sat up straight and beamed happily. He spoke excitedly in Russian before he remembered himself and started again in careful English.

"You play chess too? That is wonderful! I thought I would be the only one and now there are two."

[loveofmasters]

"There are a lot of people who play. Would you be interested in a game?" It would certainly be interesting playing him at this age. He won almost all of the time when they played while they were together. In fact, about the only time she ever won was when she found some way to distract him.

[chesspolitik]

"I would very much," Anatoly answered quickly. He ducked his head bashfully, hoping Florence didn't think him too ridiculous for his enthusiasm.

"There is a board in the other room," he said. "I could bring it over so you would not have to walk?"

[loveofmasters]

"I don't mind the walk. I'm not that far along." Standing, she picked up her tea and made an, after-you, gesture. It was sweet of him to consider her, but she had to wonder. What, if anything would he remember of this? She wasn't exactly hiding her pregnancy from anyone, but she hadn't gone out of her way to tell anyone either. Especially either of her ex-lovers. To be honest, she didn't believe it was any of their business anymore, but perhaps she should have said something. To find out like this would be a bit of a... shock she supposed.

[chesspolitik]

Considering the future hadn't ever been a strong point for Anatoly and his younger self was certainly no exception. The only thoughts running through his mind as he led the way to the rec room were of the upcoming game. He didn't know anything about how Florence would play but he would learn and that was so very exciting.

"Would you like black or white?"

[loveofmasters]

"I can take white, unless you'd like it?" She smiled, waging he wouldn't. She'd never cared which way of the other, she could play strategies for both, but all the other professionals in her life seemed to prefer one or the other. She guessed it was just in her nature to support the preferences of those she worked with.

[chesspolitik]

"White is good," Anatoly answered happily. "I like very much to start with black. It is not always disadvantage."

[loveofmasters]

Heading into the rec room, she saw that the chess board was already on the table. It would just take a moment to set up. "You're right. It's all in how you play the game, not in how you begin it."

Florence sat in one of the chairs and began expertly setting the board. "Do you want to play a timed game?"

[chesspolitik]

"I would like that very much," Anatoly answered. Playing with a timer was not particularly his favorite thing to do as he felt it got in the way of the purity of the game but he was happy to do it for Florence. He would be happy to do anything for her.