The Dark Horse Page #4

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- I'm Mana.

Jedi.

Okay, show me the next bit.

That's good. What's the next bit?

Like a diamond. But turn around.

Face your audience. Yeah.

Yes!

Yes!

Yeah, this is the story.

This is the story.

Just this old tohunga

that lives up on this cliff.

Do you want to tell the story?

I don't know.

Is it hard?

No, no, you just read it off the paper.

Who's the tohunga?

- You're the tohunga.

- Yeah, bro, I'm the wisest.

So, I'll be the little Maori boy.

Just kicking back while my whole

village is getting smashed.

We got to step up our game right now.

The battle's not far away.

So, 10 rules.

- Control the centre!

- Right on the centre.

- Rip!

- I can't remember.

- Rusty? Rusty?

- Connect the rooks.

Connect the rooks.

Two rooks together are

stronger than one.

Leave no one behind.

All together, that's where we create the

net. That's how Maui caught the sun.

Okay? Coordinate.

- Rip?

- I still can't remember.

Come on, just like a little preview.

- Nah.

- That's just mean.

Rangimarie, give me the coordinates

for the Spanish Square.

CA.

- C4.

- Who told her?

- The Italian Square.

- B5.

- Stand up when you say it.

Stand up, Grumpy.

- The Italian Square.

- B5.

Awesome!

You need to show me

how to beat Michael.

He's very good is Michael.

- Who wants to play some blind chess?

- Yeah!

Cover your eyes.

Now, Jedi.

E2 to E4.

Bishop to D6.

Queen to E4. Checkmate.

Murray, did you fall asleep? Murray!

Murray.

Give us the coordinates.

Knight to B6.

Knight to B6.

Genius.

You can't put him there

unless he's protected.

Now, we've gone over this.

See?

Free.

You're not listening.

I'm just gonna keep on

taking your pieces.

Have you ever been pissed on?

It was in front of all of them.

I just sat there. Couldn't do anything.

Listened to him laughing.

I just want to f***in' kill him.

Why are you sleeping here?

Why aren't you f***in' sleeping

in a house like everyone else?

Is there something wrong with you,

holding on to all those old clippings?

Are you crazy?

Is that why you need those pills?

Just f***in' tell me!

Or are you too scared?

When I was a boy...

I was taken to a hospital.

Mental hospital,

'cause they thought there was

something wrong with me.

And the doctors,

they looked at me for a while

and told my family I was sick.

I had to stay.

I didn't see your dad for a long time.

But I kept playing-

Play every day,

dreaming of the day

I'd meet him again and thrash him.

I got out,

won a few local games, tournaments,

beat a few good fellas.

That's when they made

those clippings that you found.

But the stress...

I'd just get sick again.

I had to take those pills

to stop me from getting sick.

Have you thrashed Dad yet?

Not yet.

But you have played

against him though, eh?

Yeah.

He taught me.

Mafia.

You are not what they're

making you think you are.

Here.

King for a king.

A couple of you have come and told me

that you don't think you're gonna be

able to make it up to Auckland.

Now, if your parents

really don't want you to come,

we can't make them.

I'm really sorry, but we can't.

Just keep trying, yeah?

That's all I can say, all right?

The tournament is in a week.

We want as many of you up there

as possible.

A week? What day?

Next weekend.

Okay, so, we got to

knuckle in here, yeah?

Be strong... Be courageous...

Get out there and do your best.

Be strong... Be courageous...

Get out there and do your best.

Get into it.

Mana, where you going?

You should have f***in' told me.

What?

That's my f***in' birthday.

That's when I'm getting

f***in' patched!

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

It's okay. Carry on.

It's fine.

Okay, let's give her

another little clap.

Good girl. Now take a bow.

You go sit down. Good girl.

Who's gonna come up next?

Yeah?

'Bout time you came

round for a visit, eh?

I was havin' this dream.

You and I were playing

down by the creek like we used to.

You were drowning.

And I'd reach out.

And then you'd jump up,

and I'd realise you were

playing a joke on me.

What you lookin' so serious about?

Nothing.

Ward called.

I told 'em you're so healthy,

they must have got the wrong fella

in the first place.

They liked that.

Thank you, my bro.

Was I wrong?

No.

No.

I need to talk to you

about something, Ariki.

You in trouble?

No.

When I got out of the ward,

they told me I have to find

something positive to focus on,

and, well, I found something.

It's a club. Chess club.

For kids. And...

I'm taking them to this tournament

in Auckland.

They might lose,

but at least it's something

I can do for them, eh?

Something different, positive.

I was thinking maybe...

Maybe Mana could come, too.

Maybe he'd enjoy it.

Pretty hard

if he doesn't know how to play, eh?

He does.

I'm not saying he's gonna win

or nothing, but...

It's next weekend.

The tournament, it's next weekend.

Get out.

Wait. Wait a minute.

Behind my back, both of youse,

after I asked you.

No, it wasn't like that, bro.

I wanted to tell you about it.

- I wanted to ask you...

- About what?

About you knowing

what's best for my boy?

'Cause you got some f***in' chess club?

F*** up his chances with the brothers?

No, it wasn't like that.

You think some kids' game's

gonna solve all his problems?

Off to some weekend tournament.

And what, happy endings?

And then what?

You gonna raise him, feed him,

stay out of your nuthouse

long enough for that?

'Course you f***in' ain't.

Dump him right back here, and then

f*** off back where you came from.

Wait, wait. Stop, please.

Just stop a second.

I don't want take him from you. Okay?

I just want to give him a chance to

see something out there in the world.

There ain't nothing out there for him!

World don't want him.

Didn't want me, and sure as

f*** didn't want you, did it?

He lives in my world,

the real f***in' world.

Look, I didn't want this. I'm sorry.

I didn't want it to be like this.

Come here telling me f***in' stories.

Remember my hand on your shoulder,

do you?

Telling you things will be all right?

Well, nobody had theirfuckin' hand

on mine, bro.

No one told me sh*t'd be all right.

I've been alone with nothing.

But I stayed f***in' standing.

When you fell all apart,

I stayed f***in' standing,

and so will he.

And I ain't gonna let you f*** that up.

I don't want to f*** anything up, bro.

But he is being pissed on.

Pissed on and beat up by Mutt.

And you're his father.

You should be protecting him.

Damn f***in' right I'm his father!

You think I don't know?

You think I didn't go

through the same f***in' sh*t?

That's the real world.

That's the sh*t

the rest of us have to deal with

while you just take your f***in' pills.

Ariki, please.

- Get out.

- Please, just listen to me. Just...

You got 10 f***in' seconds.

No, please, listen to me. Just...

No, just listen to...

I'm just asking you for a week.

- Five!

- No, it doesn't make any sense, man.

Why can't you just give him a week, eh?

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