The Tunnel

“School days, school days. Good ol’ rotten rule days. With reading and writing and arithmetic. All on top of a hickory stick.”

You’ve all heard the poem, most of you say “that’s how it use to be.” Well it’s not. It’s still this way, but only in two very private schools.

Bayard’s school for boys.


And Miss Margret’s Girls Academy.


They sound normal, but they are far from it. Physical punishment is still enforced in both schools and neither boys or girls have ever been outside the walls that surround their school. They are orphans, dropped there when they were just babies, and have never seen the opposite gender before. If you’re lucky, you’ll get adopted, if not, you’re kicked out onto the streets with no clue of how the real world is run.

What the schools don’t know, is that there is a secret passage, on that resides in both schools and leads to an old boarding house deep inside the woods that separate the schools. This house is on the old trading road that is now abandoned.

What happens when the passage is discovered and the children meet for the first time?

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Basic character skeleton with Name, Age, Looks (if you don't have a picture, please be descriptive), personality, and since they are all orphans, there isn't really to much of a bio.

Please:
No God moding or Power Playing
Don't leave people behind
Try to keep the genders balanced
And try to keep this a little bit more on the realistic side alright? By this I mean, no weird creepy monsters or creatures or odd things. It's just normal-ish kids in a normal world.

Name: Cass
Age: 16 almost 17
Looks:
Personality: He keeps to himself, always quiet. Doesn't express much emotion towards anything and most everything he does show is a forced reaction that he knows is appropriate for the situation.

Name: Gerad
Age: 17 almost 18
Looks:
Personality: He's very protective and can get territorial. He thinks of Cass as a little brother, both were born around the same time of year. He can be loud and obnoxious but for the most part he's alright. He hates "bs" and will call you out on something if he thinks it's wrong. He has no problem telling someone off and has very little patience for "bush beaters" as he calls them. He prefers getting straight to the point.


Name: Tanya
Age: 17
Looks:
Personality: Tanya is the type of girl you'd imagine instigating a fight club. She has a firey temper that always gets her in trouble and has a knack for mischief. She likes to tease and play, but will also lay you out of the grass if you get on her nerves.

Name: Ivy
Looks:
She's on the thiner side, and has blue eyes.
Personality: She's not timid but she's not out going either. She's thinks before she speaks and means every word she says. As for what happened to her hair, you ask? Heh, let's just say she's smarter than she looks. One night she snuck out of bed and got into some forbidden supplies. No doubt, she was punished severely. And much to the headmasters dismay, the dye never washed out like they had hoped. But to Ivy, it's a mission accomplished.

Name: Isaac
Age: 17-18 (he's not sure)
Looks:
Personality: TBD
Needless to say, he gets more than his fair share of beatings for his bad habit.

Tanya-

I glanced at Bethany who sat on my lap. She was my current...partner? Was that the term? I couldn't remember. All I knew was she was suppose to be mine. But...I just couldn't bring myself to actually...care..for her. It was difficult. She was probably the fourth girl I'd gone through in the last three months and at present, she was talking about "going to the next level." Needless to say I just tuned out and looked around the large court yard with the sun shining down on it. Sure, I'd kissed a few girls, but..no. Just no. It was wrong. It felt wrong, it just...no fire. Nothing. It wasn't what other girls described which made me think something was wrong with me. I caught site of Mrs. Flake and quickly moved Bethany off my lap..or more like shoved her off and to the ground. No use in getting beat again today. Yes, again. I glanced at my clothes which were still all ratty and torn, my own statement to the world about how I hated the uniforms. Oh well, that's life at Miss Margret's I guess.




Cass and Gerad sat at a table staring at a chess board. "Your move," Gerad said and Cass waved at him carelessly.
"shut up will you? I'm trying to think."
"Think? What's there to think about?"
"Strategy my good man. Strategy."
"Pff. As if you know what that is."
The two continued to bicker, neither now paying any attention to the game they had been to involved in to go out into the sunshine.

Ivy
I walked into the court yard, mindlessly tugging on a strand of hair as I looked around. Several girls smiled and waved me over, but I just gave a small smile and wave before continuing towards a stone wall, plopping down by myself. It wasn't that I was shy or anything, I just wasn't up for the meaningless small talk and gossip my fellow peers had to offer. Besides, trouble was something I tried to avoid, and those cliques were hardly known for their good behavior.
Let's just get something clear here- I'm not a coward. I'm not afraid of breaking rules or getting beating. But I learned early on- if you wanted to survive /here/, you have to learn how to play the game. I played it well... most of the time.

Isaac

I trudged down the hall, away from the office. I had just gotten a nice beating for getting caught smoking in the stairwell, and I could tell I was ganna be feeling it for the next couple weeks. The other thing I could tell is that I evidently needed a new place to light up. Mr.B had confiscated all my cigs and my lighter... or so he thought. I always kept a few extras in my shoes. Lighter in my left, cigarette in my right. Gatta be prepared. So I headed down the halls, hoping to find a secluded little place where I could smoke in peace. So what if I got beaten again. It was worth it.

Tanya-

I watched Mrs. Flake pass then slowly Bethany's protests started to reach my ears. I stared down at her then sighed and helped her up. "Sorry," I muttered before brushing my red locks over my shoulder. "Look, I gotta go do something, I'll be back later ok?" She looked at me as if she was offended then sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Fine, don't be late for dinner this time."
Ya, ya, whatever my brain thought towards her as I ducked away from her so as to avoid a kiss. She was terrible at it and, as I mention before, it just didn't feel right. I walked around with my hands in what was left of my pockets until I spotted Ivy. I made my way over to her then plopped on the ground. In my eyes she was the closest thing to a friend I had here. I didn't say anything and just sat there, my body shuddering slightly at the thought of Bethany and her kisses again.




"You're doing it wrong," Cass muttered as he watched Gerad move a piece.
"How am I doing it wrong? You just pick it up and set it down."
"I thought we were trying to be strategic?"
"Oh shut up will ya? You're takin' the fun out it." Gerad said as he stood, leaving the game. He walked out of the room, to frustrated to notice Issac coming, only to run into him. "Holy sh-" he stumbled back and frowned, looking at Issac. He glanced down the hall towards the office, figuring it was where he came from. "Wha'dya do this time?" He asked, not trying to be mean, but rather having an uncontrollable curiosity.

Ivy
I glanced at Tanya though a rainbow strand, my lips twitching slightly. She was my... partner in crime, I guess you could say. Not to mention the only person here I really allowed myself to get close to. Which I guess equates to why I only break the rules with her. Course, I'll break them on my own, but she's the only other soul in this god forsaken place that I'll trust my arse to when it comes to getting not getting caught.
She wasn't saying anything and I didn't say anything back. Small talk and gossip... it annoyed me thoroughly. It was pointless. I knew not to expect it from her and thank god she didn't expect it back. We had a mutual understanding and I liked it that way. So silent I remained.

Isaac

I was about to yell ay whoever had walked into me to watch where they were going. Until I saw who it was. "Heya Gerad."
I chuckled at his question, then smirked as I reached into my shoe and pulled out a fresh cigarette. "Whad'ya think? Mr.B caught me in the stairwell again." He explained, slipping into the room Gerad had come out of, giving a little wave to Cass. "Either of you guys know a safe place I could light up? I'm gonna be sore for weeks, and desperately need relief."
Cass and Gerad were alright guys, though they sometimes argued over the stupidest things.
I glanced at the chess board before moving over to it. I moved one of the pieces, effectively putting the other king in check.

Cass gave a slight nod, not exactly smiling, but not exactly totally emotionless either. But then again, it was Cass. He never really felt anything, or at least he tried not to.
Gerad chuckled and sighed. "Well, I guess here is as good as any."
"The tunnel," Cass said as Gerad spoke. He paused and glanced at Gerad, then looked down at the chess board acting as if he hadn't said anything at all.



Tanya-

"So, how's it been since..you know?" I asked as I glanced over to her. "I see you're able to actually sit now." The hair thing hadn't really gone over to well, but then again what ever did? Mrs. Flake, Mrs. Red, and Ms. Reed always seemed to find something to beat you for, even if it was for something as simple as blowing your nose wrong. "I'm thinking next week I light a bra on fire. What do you think?" If you're going to get beat for something, I always say, you might as well do it for something good.

Ivy
My backside twinged at the mention of my most recent stunt- and punishment. After all, there's really no way around getting caught when you dye your hair ends like a rainbow. I had expected the punishment, but like she said, it was well worth it. See, I'll break rules, but only if I see them getting me something worth the following beating.
"I'd say count me in... if the bra was on Mrs.Red."

Isaac

I raised a brow and looked over at Cass, wondering what he was talking about. But he was acting like he hadn't said anything at all. Alright, now that's weird even for Cass. Cause that ain't suspicious...
I turned my attention back to Gerad, fixing him with a questioning look. "Did he say a tunnel...?" I crossed my arms as I spoke, "Now, what're you two hidin'?" Normally I wouldn't care too much, if it's a secret between them, then that'd be fine. But if they knew a safe place that the teachers didn't, then I wanted in.

Gerad looked at Cass, who looked back at Gerad, then both looked at Isaac. Gerad glanced out in the hall and closed the door as Cass turned to face Isaac. "There's a tunnel that leads under the school and to an abandoned house type thing. You know, like the kind you see in the construction books."
Gerad gave a small nod and glanced at Cass before looking at Isaac. "We've been there a few times, but that's all. There's another door that leads somewhere else, but we haven't really explored it yet. Don't want to be missed by Mr. B."




Tanya-

I looked at her thoughtfully then gave a small nod. "Well...we might not be able to get that one on fire...I doubt we'd be able to find it under all that skin." Mrs. Red was a little on the...larger side of life. When she moved one way, her hips moved the opposite and took at least a good minute before they reached the place they were suppose to be. Not to mention those flaps of skin under her arms that I could swear she used for wings at night. How else did she get around so fast? "But I bet I could knick one of hers from her room."

Ivy

I couldn't hold back a small smile. Now that very well might be worth a lashing or two. Which is saying something, since I hardly can bare those. "Alright, sounds like a plan. But do we really have to wait so long? I mean, why let the bruises fade? They look cooler overlapping."
That was a joke... kinda. Alright, so I had a slight fascination with colors and art. Sue me. Or hit me. Your choice.

Tanya-

I glanced at her again and raised a brow. She had a point. If you're gonna be sore, might as well be sore all at once. "Tonight we knick it, tomorrow we burn it," I said decidedly. "I bet, if we do it right, we could probably get away with it...course she might punish everyone..but." I shrugged. "I guess it's a risk we could take."

Ivy
I didn't meet her gaze, determined to seem nonchalant and not draw attention to us. Mrs.Flake was already in the court yard and she had the keenest eye for mischief. Can't have us caught before the fun even began.
Still though, I couldn't help my smile from spreading.
"It's a plan. Midnight, the girls bathroom," I breathed under my breath.

Name: Amber
Age: 17
Personality: ....I have no clue at the moment. I usually develop a characters personality after using them for some time, and it will come to me eventually.
Looks:

Name: Shinon
Age: Also 17
Personality: I will figure it out after some time.
Looks:

All right. I have to go to church soon, but when I get back I will work on first posts.

Isaac

"Mr. B can kiss my ass," I said, smirking, "besides, he'd probably like it. Now, about this tunnel. You boys've been holdin' out on me. Secret tunnels, Abandoned houses, how'd you guys find this place anyhow?" I stuck the cigarette in my mouth, crossed my arms, and stuck them both with a look. This place honestly seemed perfect. If the teachers didn't know about it, that meant it was safe. Safety is a hard thing to come by in this school.

Tanya-

I gave a slight smirk and turned to Ivy as Mrs. Flake started to near us. I gave her the "just go with it" look and began to make meaningless small talk with her so that no one would really catch on to us. Once she had passed, I let the subject of Bethany and her determination to kiss me drop. I gave an involuntary shudder at the conversation topic and turned back to looking out at the court yard. "I suggest we go exploring right....about...now." I grabbed her hand and tugged her up and towards the hall, narrowly missing Bethany who had come looking for me. One of these days I was just going to lay it out for her.





Gerad and Cass looked at each other then back to Isaac.
"Midnight snack run," Cass said casually, no emotion in the statement.
"Gotta have snack man." Gerad said with a nod.
"Mr. B was comin' down the hall,"
"So we ducked into the bathroom."
"Low and behold, he followed us."
"We backed up into that extra space by the stalls."
"And the wall gave out."
"Landed in the tunnel,"
"and closed the door."
They both shrugged. If it wasn't for their bit of age difference, the boys could have been twins in the way they talked.

Ivy
I animatedly chatted along with her then happily dropped the act as Mrs.Flake passed. Then I was up and being tugged away. Not that I minded, except she had me up so fast my book got left on the stone wall. Merh. Oh well. I'll leave it there. It might serve well as an excuse for being out of bed if we get caught tonight.
I ignored Bethany's pointed glare at my head, finally realizing why Tanya was hauling ass out of there so fast. With a huff, I picked up skirts and walked faster so I wasn't being dragged anymore.
"I see you actually love this girl. I'm happy for you." I breathed, clearly teasing her. I personally didn't get the added relationships some of the girls formed. Don't get me wrong, I'm no 'prude' as they call it. I've kissed another girl before. Just... it felt weird. It felt pointless and frankly a tad gross.
What was the point anyway? It only seemed to cause more drama for the place. Silent companionship like Tanya and I served me just fine, no need to exchange saliva or hold hands. Who wants to be bound to someone anyway? This place was bad enough without the added drama.

Isaac

I gave them a sort of incredulous look, "Y'know, it's sorta freaky when you two do that..." It really was... but kinda cool at the same time. How they tend to finish eachother's sentences, and when they do things in sync... kinda cool... but still freaky at times.
"So anyways, you're saying the entrance to the tunnel hidden in the bathroom? And the teachers don't know about it? And that this tunnel leads to an abandoned house. Now, don't think I'm an idiot or something, I'm just trying to get the story straight here." I really wasn't an idiot, despite what others might think. I'm not saying I'm the brightest guy, but I'm definitely not an idiot.

Tanya-

I growled slightly but shook if off. "Ya, like someone loves a leech," I muttered. "I'm done, Iv." I slowed my pace as we got far enough down the hall that Bethany couldn't catch us or tell where we were. "Go out with her, they all said. She's really nice, they all said. Maybe you won't feel so weird when you're with her, they all said. Puh. Idiots. She's as nice as the sixth circle of hell and wants to kiss me every five seconds. As if that doesn't make a person feel weird." I shuddered and turned the corner of the hall to the abandoned wing that was almost never used.




"Correct," Cass said as he watched Isaac.
"Exactly." They looked at the chess board as if only just noticing that Isaac had put Gerad in checkmate. They then turned back to look at him.
C-"We could show you."
G-"But we can't draw attention to ourselves."

Ivy
I pursed my lips,understanding completely what she meant. "Well, give it another year and you'll be out of here." Whether or not that was a good thing, we weren't sure. But despite the less than optimistic rumors of being drowned in the lake, I couldn't help but to hope there was something more out there. Not that I'd ever dare to vocalize that. "Where exactly are we going?"

Isaac

I gave them another questioning look. "What? Right now?" Not that I was complaining. The sooner I could light up, the better. I stuck the cigarette back in my shoe, and looked to them expectantly.
Seriously though, this place seemed perfect. Secret tunnel hidden in a place nobody would think to looks. Leads to an old building nobody knows exists. Best part is that the teachers didn't know anything about it.