The Game & the Challenge

What's it going to be – the dice or the gauntlet? If you're game, here are thirteen thought-provoking short stories to challenge you.Rumours of a mad captain's ship stranded in the desert attract men from around the world, each armed with a different theory. Two generals play Russian roulette that's bound to have a checkmate ending. And as for the game of chess, you're in for several surprises as its key moments throughout history are revealed.A bobby treads the London streets where the cobblestones rhyme. An Arabian princess will tell you the story behind her dead lover's eyes. The powerful pull of a macumba moon makes for a ghoulish supper. When the gift of a golden wish turns true, the consequences become dicey. Getting to work in Mexico City turns out to be more than a difficult task, considering the time involved.Read the letters revealing the palindrome nature of a relationship made impossible. Join a confidence game in which the con man gets trapped in his own device. Get an invitation to a hilarious movie pre-production meeting that ends with disaster. Enjoy the memoirs of a self-made scrap millionaire who doesn't shy away from the pleasures in life.And – how would you react if you were handed the world on a plate, with no knowledge of the price tag? Read and decide for yourself – if you're up to the challenge.