The Fallen Gems (Prologue)

Original novel written by Isabela Santana

Michelle Grant had always been fascinated by gems, the ones that shimmered in the sun and reflected off her hazel eyes. Gems were precious stones, ones that people desired to have. They weren’t like gold and silver, both too bulky and heavy to hold. Gems were the stones people wore against their skin, the jewels that radiated wealth. As a girl, she didn’t have real gems, only the tiny, plastic ones that came with the board game she and her younger brother, Theo, would play, The Gem Society. The board game had a total of forty- eight tiny gems. Twelve Rubies. Twelve Diamonds. Twelve Sapphires. Twelve Emeralds.

When they played, which was more often than one would imagine, Michelle always choose the clear and shimmery diamonds, loving to pretend that they were the real thing.

“You're not going to cry when I win? Won’t you?” Michelle asked her younger brother mockingly as she set up the game.

They were supposed to be asleep at this hour, half past nine, and in bed hearing the familiar booming noises from the war front. They had grown used to it, never fearing when their apartment building slightly rumbled or when Michelle’s school books danced on top of her desk. It was perceived as normal, and everyone lived life as one could, filled with fear and solitude. But that night when the power went off right when Michelle was about to brush her teeth, little Theo came running to her as if the end of the world were here. Michelle, who had been trained to remain calm and collected in these situations, felt goosebumps crawl up her spine as the lights flickered off and didn’t come back on.

Her parents were at that war front, risking their lives and fighting every night for a war that seemed to have no end. She tried to not dwell on it as she lit candles around them, her fingers trembling as she passed a flame across them and heard the sound of Theo’s quiet crying. Michelle was Theo’s anchor. If the world around them seemed to be falling apart, she was to be his shield. She could taunt him like an older sister would, poking fun at him and laughing when he did something silly. But when it came down to living life in the midst of a cruel war, she was to put on a brave face and live life as if everything was fine. As if she wasn’t slowly crumbling on the inside, wishing for someone to be her anchor.

Theo sat across from her on the plush rug of their living room, keeping the flashlight close to him with tight fingers and wiping away his tears with the sleeve of his shirt. The once cozy living room felt eerie with the lights off and the curtains were drawn in, with dark shadows around them and beyond the small flames of the candles. She kept Theo talking, finding his mindless rambling soothing to her pounding, anxious heart.

“I’m not a crybaby,” he insisted with crossed arms and a sniffle, “Not anymore,”

Michelle unfolded the game board, spreading it between the two of them. The rules of her favorite game were simple: whoever conquered as much land and gems from their opponent won. The game could go on for hours if they decided to pursue side quests such as building towns or allying with other gem societies. She lined up her diamonds along her side of the board, drawing the first player card from the deck.

“Move your gem one box toward your opponent and seize one of their gems,” she read out loud, getting a disappointing sound from Theo.

With a smile, she took a diamond between her semi-steady fingers, advancing it a square towards Theo’s side and stealing away one of his rubies. Contrary to typical board games, such as chess and checkers, The Gem Society held few restrictions on where gems could move. Front, back, left, right, diagonally—they were all equal in power. The only difference was learning how to manipulate those loose restrictions, and using them to your advantage. Michelle had uncovered that secret long ago, playing the game with such meticulous strategy that even her own military official parents couldn’t beat her.

By ten they were knee-deep into the game, both of them having lost some gems and conquered some more from untouched societies of the board game, Emerald and Sapphire. More than half of Michelle’s diamonds were spread across Theo’s Ruby society, infesting his bloody red gems with her crystal clear ones. Both of them had forgotten about the power going out and had ignored when they heard distant air strikes or when the ground trembled. Playing The Gem Society had that effect, to entrap you in its world and become someone you never thought to be.

She watched how Theo drew a wildcard, drumming her fingers against the wooden floor in anticipation. It was the first wildcard thrown at them all night, and she could already tell it was a good one from how Theo threw the card against the floor, messing up the neat pile she had.

“Give up your territory to your opponent in exchange for half of their gold currency,” he started without much enthusiasm, keeping his envious eyes on Michelle’s stack of gold coins, “Or, keep your territory, and risk going to war,”

Michelle couldn’t hide her gloating smile as Theo looked down at the board game in bitter defeat. She knew it was a dead end for him, even if he decided to keep his land and risk going to war. Michelle had almost all her gems in his territory, had half of his rubies stolen away, and had enough gold and silver currency to buy weaponry cards and declare war on him. She would respect him if he attempted to play it out more than he could, but Theo wasn’t as ambitious as Michelle was.

“Fine. I’ll take the exchange,” he muttered disappointingly, getting up with the flashlight in hand, “And I guess you win, again,”

“Yes!” she exclaimed, shoving all her diamonds towards his side of the board, knocking down whatever rubies she hadn’t claimed down. It was her fifth win in a row. She was starting to feel bad that Theo hadn’t won in a while, but who was she fooling in her twisted heart? Michelle was addicted to the feeling of winning, of conquering.

The power flashed on as Michelle had her hands full of gems, enjoying how they felt through her fingers and letting them tumble onto the ground. In her small world, she practically had nothing she could call her own. She had no talent to proudly flaunt. She had no wealth she could use to toy with others and persuade them to do her bidding. Nothing considered of value in her eyes. Of course, she was smart, but intelligence could only take you so far.

She felt as if this was all she had. A game she merely cracked open every once in a while when Theo agreed to play with her. Michelle had memorized all the rules. She could recite all ten wildcards without missing a word. She was a mastermind at the game and remained undefeated for weeks. No one understood her obsession, and perhaps, neither did she. What she did know, was that winning set off something inside of her. It meant that she had something. That she had a sharp mind built for plotting and intricate schemes. That she was capable of more than what she let on. That she held some sort of purpose in this world.

But playing The Gem Society felt too small for her. What she set her eyes on, was something far bigger than a game. Something that required you to gamble with lives and take risks larger than plastic gold coins. What she had in mind, was manipulating the great war outside her for years to come. To win the world's biggest game, all at a cost. And that she would do when the time came. Because when you're selfish, a liar, a schemer, and far too cynical for most to understand—nothing is ever too small.

Author's Note

Michelle Grant is a character involved in my first novel entitled “The Gem Society”, where her character is much older and accomplished. This chapter is apart of what would be the second novel in the series, entitled “The Fallen Gems” where Michelle’s origin story is told. (Both books are in the works and will remain in the works for a long time)