Chess Game by Fire Near Rainy Window

Fluorescent tubes cast a flat, pale glow over a wooden table where two hands rest near a chessboard. Rain streaks the glass beside them, blurring the dark street outside Kirkuk into gray smears. A small oil lamp sits in the corner, its flame flickering low against the harsh electric light. The chess pieces are carved wood, some worn smooth by use, arranged mid-game with a few captured on the side. The table surface shows scratches and water rings, evidence of daily life. Shadows stretch from the lamp across the board, meeting the cool blue light from the window. One wooden pawn leans slightly toward the edge, casting a soft shadow on the grain.