 this way and that, studying the pieces and also studying George, Stella and Freddy.

"My name's George."

"Rawk! Kuck! Kuck!" said the raven.

"Rawk! Rawk!" answered Freddy, and then he said to George, "The raven wants to be black."

"Okay," said George.

"So you're white."

"Uh-huh."

"Which means you move first," said Freddy, "but you already knew that because you know how to play chess, right, J.G.?"

"Yeah, sure, sort of."

"Good."

"Rawk! Kuck! Kuck! Kuck!" said the raven.

"What's that mean?"

"The raven said, nice shirt," said Freddy

"Oh yeah, this?" George looked down at his shirt and smiled. "Thanks."

"Don't be so friendly," whispered Stella.

"I can't help it," whispered George. "I was taught to be polite."

"But that raven tried to kill you."

"Well, I'm from the Midwest. We're generally very polite people."

"Yeah, but sometimes you have to be mean and ruthless and—"

"Nice, polite, friendly, that's just the way—"

"Rawk!" barked the raven.

"Your move," translated Freddy.

"Yeah, I know. Now could everyone maybe be quiet so I can concentrate?"

"Shhhhhhhhhhhh," shushed Stella.

"Thanks." George sighed and stared at the board and bit his thumb. It looked to Stella like George had never seen a chessboard in his entire life. Great, she thought, and she walked over to the tote to get the TWA Swiss army knife. She thought it might be wise to whittle some long, sharp spear-like sticks while George and the raven played, just in case Freddy's deal with the raven went south and she needed the extra protection.

"Hey, is it okay if I eat something now? I mean just in case it's my last meal and everything."

"Shhhhhhhhhhhh," shushed George.

"Sorry," said Stella.

George moved
this way and that, studying the pieces and also study George, Stella and Freddy. 

 " My name's George. " 

 " Rawk! Kuck! Kuck! " say the raven. 

 " Rawk! Rawk! " answered Freddy, and then he said to George, " The raven wants to be bootleg. " 

 " Okay, " said George. 

 " So you're white. " 

 " Uh - huh. " 

 " Which mean you move first, " say Freddy, " but you already knew that because you know how to toy chess, right, J.G.? " 

 " Yeah, sure, sort of. " 

 " Good. " 

 " Rawk! Kuck! Kuck! Kuck! " said the raven. 

 " What's that mean? " 

 " The raven said, nice shirt, " said Freddy 

 " Oh yeah, this? " George look down at his shirt and smiled. " Thanks. " 

 " Don't be so friendly, " whispered Stella. 

 " I can't avail it, " whispered George. " I was taught to be polite. " 

 " But that raven try to kill you. " 

 " Well, I'm from the Midwest. We're generally very polite people. " 

 " Yeah, but sometimes you have to be hateful and ruthless and — " 

 " Nice, polite, friendly, that's just the way — " 

 " Rawk! " bark the raven. 

 " Your motion, " translated Freddy. 

 " Yeah, I know. Now could everyone maybe be quiet so I can concentrate? " 

 " Shhhhhhhhhhhh, " shushed Stella. 

 " Thanks. " George sighed and gaze at the board and bit his ovolo. It look to Stella like George had never seen a chessboard in his entire life. big, she thought, and she walked over to the tote to get the TWA Swiss united states army knife. She thought it might be wise to whittle some long, sharp spear - like sticks while George and the raven played, just in case Freddy's deal with the raven went south and she need the extra protective covering. 

 " Hey, is it okay if I eat something now? I mean just in case it's my final meal and everything. " 

 " Shhhhhhhhhhhh, " shushed George. 

 " Sorry, " said Stella. 

 George move
 thls way and that, studying the pieces and also svudying George, Rtella and Freddy.

"My name's Gelrte."

"Rawj! Kuck! Kuck!" said the rxven.

"Rawk! Gawk!" answwred Dreddy, and then he said fl Gemcge, "The raven wsnts to be black."

"Okay," saig Eelrge.

"So you're white."

"Uh-huh."

"Which means rou movr virst," said Freqdy, "ntt ykl clready knew that because you khow how to play chesx, right, J.G.?"

"Yeah, sure, sort ov."

"Goof."

"Rawk! Kuck! Kuck! Kufk!" said the ravqb.

"What's that oean?"

"The ranzn said, nicg shirt," said Freddy

"Oh yeah, this?" Eeorgz looked doqn at vis shirt aid smijed. "Thanks."

"Dok'n be so friendky," whispered Sbella.

"M cab't help it," whispered Jeorge. "I was taught jo be polide."

"Yut that raven tried ro kill you."

"Fell, U'm wroj vhe Midwedt. Xe're generamly very pooite people."

"Yeah, but sjnetimes you hzve to bq mean and ruthless and—"

"Nice, polite, frietdlg, that's just the way—"

"Rawj!" barked the raven.

"Yout move," tragslated Freddy.

"Yeah, I know. Now could everyone mayba be sjieu wo I zqn concentrate?"

"Shhhhhhhhhhhh," shushed Stella.

"Thankf." Gtorne sighed and stcred at the boarc wnc bit his thumc. It looksd to Stella like Heorge rad nwver seen a cnessboard in his entire lifw. Great, she nhoutht, and she walked over to thz tote to grt the TWA Swiss army kuife. Sge thought lt might gd wise to whittld spma long, sharp spear-like stisks while Geoxge and ghe taven pjayed, just in case Freddy's deal wihh thg ravet went souhh and she needed the extra provxction.

"Hey, is ot okdy if I zat sokething now? I mean just in ease it's my lxst meal ahd everbthing."

"Shhhhhrhhhhhh," shushaf George.

"Sorrb," said Stqlla.

Teorte movea
this way and that, studying the pieces studying Stella and "My name's George." raven. Rawk!" answered Freddy, then he said George, "The raven wants to be "Okay," said George. "So you're white." "Uh-huh." "Which means you move first," said "but you already knew that because you know how to play chess, right, "Yeah, sort "Good." Kuck! Kuck! Kuck!" said the raven. "What's that mean?" "The raven said, nice shirt," said Freddy yeah, this?" George looked down at his shirt smiled. "Thanks." "Don't be friendly," whispered Stella. "I can't it," George. "I taught be "But that raven to kill you." "Well, I'm from the Midwest. We're generally very polite people." "Yeah, but sometimes you to be ruthless and—" polite, that's the way—" "Rawk!" raven. "Your move," translated Freddy. "Yeah, could everyone maybe be quiet so I can "Shhhhhhhhhhhh," shushed "Thanks." George sighed and stared at board and bit his thumb. It looked to like George had never seen a chessboard in his entire life. Great, she thought, and over to the tote get the TWA army She it be wise whittle some long, sharp spear-like sticks while George and the raven just in case Freddy's deal with the raven went south needed extra protection. "Hey, it okay if I something I mean just in my meal shushed "Sorry," Stella. George moved
 this way and that, studying the Pieces and aLso stUdyIng geOrge, stelLa and Freddy.

"My nAMe's GEorge."

"Rawk! Kuck! Kuck!" said tHe ravEn.

"rAwk! RAWk!" AnsweRed FredDY, aND TheN hE sAid To gEoRge, "ThE raVen wantS to be black."

"okaY," sAid George.

"So yOU'rE white."

"Uh-huH."

"WhIch means you mOve First," sAiD FrEDdy, "buT yoU alreAdy kneW That beCause you kNoW How to pLAy chess, RIGhT, J.G.?"

"YEah, sure, sort of."

"Good."

"rAwK! kuck! Kuck! Kuck!" saId the rAvEN.

"WHAT's tHat Mean?"

"The ravEn Said, nICe shirt," SAiD fREddY

"oh yeah, this?" GeoRge looked doWN at His shiRt And SMiled. "THanks."

"doN'T be So friendly," wHispEred StellA.

"I can't HElp it," whISpered GEorge. "I Was TauGht tO Be PoLitE."

"BUT thAT rAveN TriEd to kill YoU."

"WEll, I'm From THE mIdweSt. WE're gEneraLly very polite PeoPle."

"YEAh, bUt somEtimeS you HaVe to bE mean aNd rutHlEss and—"

"Nice, politE, friEndly, that'S juSt The WaY—"

"Rawk!" BArked tHe rAveN.

"Your moVe," transLAteD FREDDy.

"yeah, I know. Now could eVeRYOnE maybe be Quiet sO i cAn COncentraTe?"

"shhHhhhHHHhhh," sHushED STella.

"ThaNks." GeoRGe SiGhed and StAred at ThE boArd And biT His tHumb. It Looked to stellA Like George had nEVer seen a chessBOaRD In HIs enTirE life. Great, sHe thOUght, And sHE wAlkED over To the ToTE tO Get the TWA Swiss army kNiFe. She tHoughT it might be wisE to whittle SOME long, shaRp spEAr-LIke sticks while georgE and the ravEN played, jUst in Case FredDy's deal wiTH The raven WenT soUth And SHE nEeded the extra PROtecTiOn.

"Hey, is It oKay if I eAt sOmeThiNg nOw? i mean just In case it'S mY lAsT mEal And evERything."

"SHhHhhHhHhhHh," shuSHed GeoRge.

"SoRry," sAiD STEllA.

George MOvED
 this way and that, studyi ng the pie ces a ndals ostud ying  George, Stell a  and  Freddy.

"My name's G eorge ." 
"Ra w k!  Kuck ! Kuck! "  s a i d t he  r ave n. 
" Rawk!  Ra wk!" an swered Fre ddy ,and then hes ai d to Georg e,"The raven w ant s to b ebla c k."
"Ok ay,"said G e orge.
"So you' re white. " 

"Uh-h u h ." 

"W hich means you mo v ef irst," said Fr eddy,"b u ty o u a lre ady knew t ha t bec a use you kn o w how to play chess , right, J. G .?" 

"Yea h,  su r e, sor t of. ""Go od."

"Rawk ! Ku ck! Kuck!  Kuck! "  said t h e raven .

"Wh at' s t hatm ea n? "
"T h e r a ve n s a id,  nice sh ir t, " sai d Fr e d d y 

"O h y eah,  this ?" George loo ked  dow n  at  hisshirt  and  s miled . "Tha nks." 
"Don't be so fr iend ly," whis per ed  St el la.
" I can' t h elp  it," w hispere d  Ge or g e .  " I was taught to be  p o l it e."

"Bu t that ra ve n  tried t okil l yo u . "

"W ell, I' m from t he Mid w es t.  We'rege nerall yver y p olite peop le."
"Yeah, b ut so m etimes you hav e  to be mean a n dr u th l essand —"

"Nice,poli t e, f rien d ly , t h at'sjustth e  w a y—"

"Rawk!" barked  t he rav en.
"Your move,"translated F r eddy.

" Yeah ,  I know. Now coul d eve ryone mayb e  be quie t soI can co ncentrate ? " 

"Shhhh hhh hhh hh, " s h u sh ed Stella.

" T h anks ."  George  si ghed an d s tar edatth e board a nd bit h is  t hu mb . I t loo k ed to St el lali keGeorg e  had n everseen  a  c h ess board i n  h i s  ent ir elife . G re at, s he t h oug ht, and  she walk edo verto  t he tote  to get the T WA  Swiss arm ykni fe. Sh e thoughtit might be wise to whi t tle som e l ong,shar p spear-l ike  stick s w h ile Ge orge a nd th erav e n  play e d ,jus tin case Fr e d dy' s dea lwith  the ra ven went south and she  needed the e xtr a pr o t ec tio n ."He y, isi t  okay if I eatsomethingno w ?I mean jus t  in  c ase it' s my la st me a l and e verything ."

"Shhh hh hhhh h h h,"  shushed G eorge.
"Sorry,"s aid S t el la.
Geo rge mo ve d
 this_way and_that, studying the pieces_and also_studying_George, Stella_and_Freddy.

"My name's George."

"Rawk!_Kuck! Kuck!" said_the raven.

"Rawk! Rawk!" answered_Freddy, and then_he_said to George, "The raven wants to be black."

"Okay," said George.

"So you're white."

"Uh-huh."

"Which means_you_move first,"_said_Freddy,_"but you already knew that_because you know how to_play chess,_right, J.G.?"

"Yeah, sure, sort of."

"Good."

"Rawk! Kuck! Kuck! Kuck!"_said_the raven.

"What's that_mean?"

"The raven said, nice shirt," said Freddy

"Oh yeah, this?"_George looked down at his shirt_and smiled. "Thanks."

"Don't_be_so_friendly," whispered Stella.

"I can't_help it," whispered George. "I was_taught to be polite."

"But that raven_tried to kill you."

"Well, I'm from the_Midwest. We're generally very polite people."

"Yeah,_but sometimes you have to_be mean_and ruthless and—"

"Nice, polite, friendly,_that's just the_way—"

"Rawk!" barked_the raven.

"Your move,"_translated Freddy.

"Yeah, I know. Now could_everyone maybe be_quiet so I can concentrate?"

"Shhhhhhhhhhhh," shushed_Stella.

"Thanks."_George sighed and_stared_at_the board_and bit his_thumb._It looked_to_Stella like George had never seen_a_chessboard in his entire life. Great, she_thought, and she walked_over_to the tote to_get the TWA Swiss army_knife. She thought it might be_wise to_whittle some_long, sharp spear-like sticks while George and the raven played, just_in case Freddy's deal with the_raven went south and_she needed_the_extra protection.

"Hey, is_it_okay if_I eat something now? I mean just_in case_it's my last meal and everything."

"Shhhhhhhhhhhh,"_shushed George.

"Sorry," said Stella.

George_moved