When I left the camp kitchen, the day is still considered morning probably around 10 am. Well, most activities here start when the sun starts to rise and ended when the sun is set. I go to the carpenter site to check whether Charles already finished my order or not. When I arrive there, Charles greeting me with a bit worries expression."h.e.l.lo Charles, my order, is that finish yet?"
"Yes, master Henry. But I have difficulty to find paint to paint the chip into black and white chips. To make the chips look different I make some marks on them, so there are marked chips and unmarked chips"
"It"s alright, I can understand that. Let me see the goods"
Charles handed the thing that I order him to make this morning. Although it"s a bit crude, at least the grids are clear and usable. I nodded as a sign of the satisfied result.
"Master Henry, what is this thing?"
"It"s a board game. We can play a game using this board"
"Board game?
"Well, you see, after sunset all works are stopped. No crew is working anymore. After dinner most of them go to sleep, some go fishing. For those who can"t sleep but don"t want to go fishing, I make this board game. Accompany play this game and I"ll tell you the rules of this game"
"Yes, please master Henry"
We look a place that nice to sit down and spread the board to start the game. I have the marked chips while Charles holds the unmarked chips.
"Listen to me, Charles, this game called "Five Streaks", we put this chip in the board and try to make a strip consist from our chips in the board. The strip can make vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The person who can make the first five streaks is the winner, of course, we must blocking our opponent to make the streak. It"s simple and easy to understand, right?"
"Yes, if the rules only that much, this game rule is easy to understand, master Henry"
"Would you want to try?"
"Yes, Yes"
"Alright, I give you chance to put your chip first"
"I can put my chip in any place of this board"s grid, master Henry?"
"Yes, but my advice, start putting the chip from the middle of the board. If you start from the edge, you limited your moves"
"I"ll be not hesitating then, master Henry, I"ll put my chip in the middle"
Charles put his chip in the middle grid. I also put my chip beside his chip. After that, we start to block each other moves to prevent our opponent make a streak. Although a beginner, Charles is quite good in play "Five Streaks" for the first time. Within a short time, we already drowned in a serious game and not realize some other crews start to gather around us and watching us play.
Of course, although Charles is good, he"s still no match for me, the one who introduced the game. When I put my last chip to make five chips streaks, he looks dejected for his loss. Of course, when the game ends, I just realize we have spectator around us.
"Eh guys, why you"re here. Aren"t you supposed to work?"
"We"re part of firewatcher crew that has night shift master Henry, we just wake up and see master Henry playing with Charles which make us curious with what master Henry playing"
"This game called "Five Streaks", if you interested to play this game, ask Charles to make another board set. And only play this game when you"re not working. I don"t like you slack on working because playing the game too much"
"We understand that master, Henry. We will do as you said. Charles, let"s make another board for us, we will help you make it"
"Go on Charles, don"t forget to tell them the rule of the game too"
"Yes, master Henry. Thanks for letting me play with you, excuse us"
After bid goodbye, they left me to go to the carpenter site and making another board for them. I also back to my tent carrying the Five Streaks board that I"ve just played with Charles.
Later on, when this area develops into a town, a Five Streaks championship is held during Town festive to celebrate the foundation of the town.