Lillian

"Bye Mum, bye Harry," I called as I left the house. "I'm off to Snakes and Ladders now, see you later!"

"Make sure you talk to the other kids," Harry teased me, ruffling my hair. I frowned at him.

"Seriously, Lily," Mum warned me. "Don't be antisocial." 

"Yeah, you killjoy," Harry smirked. 

I shut the door on them both, but I knew they were right. No matter how much I might want to, I was pretty sure that that goodbye would be pretty much the last words I spoke today. It's not that I didn't want to speak to people, it really wasn't. It was just that every time I tried to speak I choked up and nothing came out. The only people I could have an actual successful conversation with were people who were close to me, but due to my shyness there really weren't many of those. I used to have a friend, but she abandoned me. Well, I kind of ruined the friendship by demanding that she stop taking the pi-

"Oh, sorry, I, I didn't," I stuttered after walking into someone, absorbed by my thoughts. They were obviously in a hurry and disregarded me without even speaking. 

I straightened out my skirt and continued on my way. I really hoped this thing would be good, because I hated being out in public. 

When I reached the building I had been told to go to, there was a sign on the door which read participants of snakes & ladders please enter through the side door. 

Groaning, I walked around the building. The door was in the most dingy alleyway, and looked like the entrance to the most ransacked apartment in the history of the planet, yet when I opened it I was shrouded in complete darkness. 

"Participant, please enter through the door to your left," said an artificial voice. I extended my arm and pushed against the wall, and was led into a rather empty room by a really odd-looking lady. 

She took me through an extremely thorough safety check, which I passed mainly by nodding and looking innocent. She removed everything from my pockets, and confiscated my bag. Apparently scraps of paper were dangerous. I was made to take out my hair from the ponytail I'd hastily tied it into, which was the most annoying thing. My side fringe hadn't been cut for months because I was trying to grow it out, and so now if I didn't pin it back my eyes were completely covered and I was constantly having to move it out of my face. 

In fact, I was left looking quite bedraggled. The cardigan I had been wearing had been removed because the buttons were magnetic, my shirt was somehow unacceptable, because it had sequins on it, so they had supplied me with a flimsy white one, through which my bright purple bra was partially visible. Jeez, never before in my life had I regretted what underwear I had on. My shoes and socks were also taken away, but according to the woman they took those off everyone. 

What kind of game was this?

I then had to undergo a health check. She measured how long I could hold my breath for, how easily I lost my breath after exercise and how long it took me to recover. How fast I could run, how high I could jump, how quick my reactions were. You name it, I was tested for it. 

Then she finally announced that the tests were over and was about to leave when she noticed my bracelet.

"I'm going to have to take that from you," she told me, not unkindly. I clutched at it and shook my head. "It might jeopardize your chances of winning."

I shook my head again. "I, um, I mean, there's, there's nothing in it." 

The woman frowned at me, but then just sighed and left me in the room after telling me that the game would start once three people had entered the room. I heard the door lock. So now all I could do was wait.

RATE THIS CHAPTER!

Author guidance for This exercise

Snakes and Ladders

Six children from the age of thirteen to sixteen are thrown into the most deadly game of snakes and ladders they will ever play.
It's a race, but not to see who can get to 100 first. It's to see who can get there at all.
This is no board game.


Participants

Name: Charles (Charlie) Mason
Age: 15
Appearance: Red hair that is shaved close to his head. Green eyes with little specks of gold in them. Freckles sprinkle his pale skin.
Personality: very happy, to the extent that some people migh call him childish. But he's a fighter. He loves people and working with people, and is really big on teamwork, even if it ruins his chances of winning.
Extra: he's an only child, so he's spoiled. But he doesn't let it get to his head.
Author: Shally16

Name: Lillian Summers
Age: 15
Appearance: On the short side at 5 foot 1, is very skinny. Has brown eyes and dark ginger hair.
Personality: Intelligent, but this is hidden by her very shy and nervous nature. She doesn't really like to talk to anyone she isn't close to, and keeps her feelings well hidden.
Other: she wears a locket bracelet on her left hand, which she refuses to take off. No-one knows what's in it or why she wears it, as it isn't the most attractive piece of jewellery. She is also going out with Alex.
Author: AutumnMay

Name: Archie Brooks
Age: 14
Appearance: Average build, though quite lean, chocolate brown curly hair that comes just below his ears, blue eyes that come to life when he has an idea, but glaze over when he's thinking, button nose.
Personality: A complete nerd, and proud of it. Is always suspicious of things, especially things he doesn't understand, is quite quiet but takes the lead if it's anything needing intelligence, surprisingly very kind and thoughtful underneath, but it comes off as really awkward and nerdy.
Other: He's secretly gay, but very good at hiding it.
Author: dancingshoes14

;Name: Alex Trestleford
Age: 16
Personality/Appearance: A sarcastic, witty personality. Will do anything to protect Lily. A little "naughty." Black hair, green eyes, 6'3'' and wiry. Clever and very energetic and excitable almost to the point of oddness.
Author: starwarsfreak117

Name: Victoria "Tori" Graham
Age: 16
Appearance: Fine blonde hair in a pixie cut, has a habit of wearing really bright headbands or bows all the time. She's what you would call "funsized", tiny but hyper. Rosy skin that refuses to tan, much to her despair. Slim, with green eyes.
Personality: An only child, she's intoxicated with self-confidence because her parents always tell her that she can do anything if she sets her mind to it. With not much ability in anything, her one specialty is determination. She's slow to do things, a drag-along almost, but her belief in herself sees her getting there eventually. She's very friendly and active, a fun person to be around.
Author: HeyJude

Name: Addaline "Addie" Peters
Age:13
Appearance: She has hair that falls a little below her shoulders, and is the color of fresh honey. Her skin is mikly soft and the color as well. She is avarge size and built petite but she is not.
Personality: Addie is very tough. Growing up, her family was all men. She has four older brothers, who picked on her, which made her bringing up a lot more enjoyable, since those things amuse her. She is sweet but she is also greedy. She wants everything and she wants it now.
Author: Maggie4ever

updated Feb 6 by AutumnMay