Elias grunted, his eyes fixed on his blue marble, currently sitting three spaces away from his 'Home' row. He had been playing conservatively, avoiding risks, while Maya played like a chaotic whirlwind.
Elias looked at the dice. He realized he’d been spending more energy being annoyed at the "clack" of the marble than he had on the next move. He picked up the cup, gave it a single, sharp shake, and let the dice fly. aggravation
"It’s frustrating to start over," Elias said quietly, looking at his lone marble back at the start. Elias grunted, his eyes fixed on his blue
"Yeah," Maya agreed, leaning forward. "But the board doesn't change. The shortcuts are still there. You just have to roll again. If you stay in the Base because you're mad about being bumped, you’ve already lost." He realized he’d been spending more energy being
But the peace lasted exactly ten seconds. Maya rolled a five, landed squarely on Elias’s second marble near the center, and with a delighted clack , sent it tumbling back to the Base. "Aggravation!" she cheered.
He moved back onto the board, a small smile tugging at his mouth. "Okay," he said. "Your turn. But don't get too comfortable—I'm eyeing that shortcut now."
Maya stopped laughing, her hand hovering over the board. "Eli, it’s the name of the game. If I don’t bump you, you win. If I bump you, we both keep playing."