Gustav hadn't seen Martin for 25 years, not since they had been bitter rivals in the World Chess Championships.
Gustav had heard from a a mutual acquaintance that Martin was dying in hospital. Apparently Martin had asked to see him for old time's sake.
So on a damp Sunday afternoon shortly before Easter, Gustav decided to visit his old foe and pay his last respects.
They had last met in 1955. Gustav had won the World Chess Championship and taken the long-held title from Martin in a gruelling round of hostile matches.
Martin had reacted to losing very badly indeed and completely retreated from public view and was largely forgotten. Gustav had remained Grandmaster until he retired 10 years ago.
The hospital was positioned on the far side of the City in an old corner almost lost to time, a gothic heap needling with towers and minarets.
Rooks cackled in its murky heights and one landed square at Gustav's feet. It turned as he moved forward towards the gates.
"This hospital is more like a damn witch's castle!" Gustav grumbled.
The weather was terrible. Dark skies were chequered with pied clouds and distant thunder fumed far away.
It was raining stair-rods. Gustav pulled up the collar of his long coat and adjusted his hat to keep the wet out as he trudged through the shadows towards the other side.
An ageing carbuncled nurse met him in the gloomy reception and after mumbling about the rain Gustav asked for Martin's room.
"Down the long corridor, the End of Life Ward, bed 13. Would you like me to let him know that you're on your way? I can call the duty nurse."
"No thank you. I think I'll surprise him."
Gustav pushed along the dim corridor to where the world ended for some. He wondered if he had made a mistake in coming. After all, they had never been friends. It was their dreadful rivalry that had always brought them together in a loveless arena of Kings and Queens.
"We were just pawns ourselves!" he mused.
Reaching the End of Life Ward Gustav felt the lights grow dimmer. The temperature fell and the clock seemed to stop.
He wavered on the threshold and questioned his next move. Gustav went in.
A wizened nurse hunched beside a dripping candle gave Gustav a knowing nod and he walked slowly towards bed 13.
He took off his hat.
"Hello Martin. It's Gustav."
Gustav noticed that Martin could hardly open his eyes. They were covered in scabs. In fact his entire bald head, face and neck were covered in large weeping bed sores, which looked truly agonising.
"I've brought you some grapes Martin."
Gustav placed the grapes in a cracked bowl at the side of the bed. A single wooden chess piece stood erect next to it. An old black queen, that had seen better days.
"How have you been Martin?"
Gustav couldn't help gawping at the open sticky rents on his rival's ancient body. He shivered.
"It's been a long time Martin. I'm sorry to see you like this. I wanted to see you, for old time's sake and just say goodbye. No hard feelings."
Gustav put his hat back on, nodded and turned to leave, when Martin raised his right hand.
Reluctantly Gustav took it and gently shook hands. He could feel the moist moldering blebs against his skin and grimaced. He drew his wet hand away and left.
Gustav hastened from the ward and went to the nearest bathroom, where he vigorously washed his hands.
He tripped past the old nurse at reception who simply stared at him as he left.
Hurrying through the hospital grounds the rooks seemed to laugh at Gustav. As he got further away his pace slowed. Somehow he felt weaker. His skin became parched and itchy and as he walked he could not help clawing at his face and neck.
As he got nearer to his house adjacent to the Royal statue, Gustav began to stagger. He was burning up. Resting against the pedestal of the King the Old Monarch seemed to be looking down at him in disgust.
Gustav fell into his home and crawled towards the mirror in the tiled hallway. What he saw horrified him to his very core and he began to scream.
His entire face, head and neck were erupting with noxious red and yellow seeping bed sores all sopping-wet and blood-flecked.
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