Just a little something to whet your appetites while we're waiting for
phencerx :
In a small cabin in upstate New York, a small black and white television crackles with static as the frequency seems to change almost by itself. The voice of an unseen narrator reassures his audience, with suspenseful music playing lightly in the background:
"Do not attempt to adjust the picture."
The narrator continues as the picture fades in and out.
"For the next hour we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set."
But even as he speaks, the unseen force tunes the television, the image and sound bending and distorting. It eventually rewinds itself, replaying over and over, before the television abruptly cuts off.
A soft voice mutters:
"Wait. Go back. Go back. Wait. Go back."
The voice is suddenly replaced by the image of a ticking clock and the hopeful and excited voice of Christopher Lloyd:
As the scene plays out, he proclaims:
"Roads?! Where we're going, we don't need roads."
A stray thought, almost like a bursting bubble rises and pops, disappearing. A robotic voice echoes from the television:
"SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?"
A young Matthew Broderick responds:
"Love to. How about Global Thermonuclear War?"
"WOULDN'T YOU PREFER A GOOD GAME OF CHESS?"
By now, the air around the television set is almost jumping with electricity. The set settles in on another image, a young Max von Sydow sitting over a chess set:
As Death and the Knight begin their game, the image settles......
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Meanwhile...
A bony, gaunt figure silently beckons to the young knight with a single finger, pointing wordlessly at the two boards before her, two chess sets in opposite positions, but one red and white and the other red and black. The square jawed figure likewise said nothing, but idly clutches the sword at his side, pausing to determine which of the two is meant for him, and cautiously picks up the white pieces.
Death finally speaks:
"Let's play."
The game is about to begin.
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