C A S E U LT R A
THE QUIET WARS SAGA
ISSUE
8
he little boy was trying to sit as still as he could but the smooth leather on his chair kept making
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his butt want to slide. There was a tension building in his body as he attempted to make it as statue-like as possible. He knew his father liked him to be still, to be quiet, especially when he was on the phone, so the boy continued to hold back the urge to move while he stared at the strange board game on his father’s desk. “Oh, good. I see you’re interested in my game. Have you ever seen one of these? Oh, of course you haven’t, this
is a very old game.” The boy’s father placed the phone back in its place and sat back in his chair looking at his son with a penetrating stare that attempted to devour him whole. Then he laughed. “This is called Monopoly. It’s a wonderful game! You can’t really find these anymore. Your great grandfather was smart enough to discontinue them. He bought an entire toy company to keep this out of the public’s hands. Now, only a few of us have these. Do you know it was originally invented to warn people of the evil’s of landownership? Can
you imagine that!? Some foolish woman named Elizabeth Phillips invented it back in 1903. Thank god a heater salesman from Philadelphia stole the idea a couple decades later and sold it to Parker Brothers. That’s the way you do things son! This world ain’t for the weak, you have to take everything that ain’t nailed down because someone else will. Do you understand what I’m saying boy?” The young man was as still as ever except he was able to force a smile and nod. He knew that’s what his father wanted him to do. “Good, good, good. This game is important. It’s probably the most important thing you’ll need to know. The way it’s played is simple. You roll the dice, move around the board and buy up as many properties as you can. You negotiate, lie if you have to, but you want to end up with everything. You want to own it all. And when you do, it’s such a joy watching the rest of
the suckers, I mean players, pay you for the privilege of landing on your property. You play the game right and the idiots will be in your debt until they’re bankrupt and homeless. Just like real life! Ha ha ha ha ha!” The boy hadn’t seen his father laugh so much before. It made him happy to see him having a good time. He was usually angry. A loud knock on the door echoed throughout the extravagant office. “Come in!” “Sir, we’ve just got word that the rebel army’s numbers have grown since our last military campaign. We hear they are planning an attack.” “Let them come, the ants! That’s all they are! Leave us now.” He turned his attention to the boy. “Son, do you see why you have to wipe everyone out? Because if you don’t you’ll always be dealing with their bitter little friends. It’s not easy being the most powerful man in the
world. Everyone wants what you have.” He stared off into some giant invisible mirror and sighed. “This is my kingdom, my crown, and I don’t care if the entire world population is standing outside my gates. I will crush every last fragile bone in every last body to keep what I have.” He turned his black, soulless eyes to his son, “Even you!! Now scram and stop looking at my game!!!”
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