Choose Your Own Adventure The Dumping Ground

It's quiet.

It's too quiet.

Sorry, what?

It's 9.30 in the morning.

Full house. And it's dead quiet cos they're all zombified.

You're wasting your life.

Hello!

Anyone?

-SHOUTS:

-Fire!

Fire in the house!

Right!

That's it.

This house is now officially offline.

There will be no tech for a week.

No phones, no TV, no music, no internet.

No!

In the box, please. Come on.

Thank you very much. Turn it off.

That's it. We're done.

Yes.

But I was about to evoke the Fairy King.

I have max out XP.

Blah, blah, blah! I literally have no idea what you just said.

Fablescape. It's my life.

It's not life.

It's a computer game!

Life is for living.

For adventuring, for experimenting.

Sounds boring.

No, this stuff is boring.

It's making YOU boring.

I am not boring.

Right. The new mural was finished two days ago

and none of you have been out to see it. Not one of you.

No need. Finn sent us a picture of it.

See.

Honestly.

Back in my day, we made our own fun.

You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes.

Yeah, cos "back in your day" there was, like, man-eating dinosaurs.

No, you're wrong.

We don't need tech to have fun.

Yeah!

-Yeah?

-If I can rule at Fablescape, then I can rule at being...

-What's the word?

-Analogue?

Yeah, we all can.

Good.

Cos now's your chance to prove it.

No!

Go on, then.

You've never played snakes and ladders.

No. How do you play?

Roll the dice, move the counter, climb up the ladders,

slide down the snakes.

And that's it?

Get out of my way!

-Oi!

-Alex, where you going?

-I don't have to tell ya.

-I think you do.

-The library.

Didn't put you down as a bookworm.

Ryan.

Take this phone so we can find you.

-And leave it on.

-Hang on.

You have a go at us but then give him a phone.

Didn't you know? You get preferential treatment

for vandalising murals and burning things.

Does Mike actually mean a whole week without Wi-Fi?

How did the world even work before the internet?

There's got to be something else to do.

So...

How long before you trash this one?

-I thought Mike banned phones.

-20 quid or I tell them.

You don't want to be here. And we don't want you here.

Everything was so much better before you came.

So why don't you just run away?

I'll go when I'm ready. 20 quid.

What would it take to make you ready?

To go and never come back.

50 quid. And that phone.

I'm not paying you anything. And you're definitely not getting this.

As today showed, it's always good to have a spare.

It's a pity Mike's about to take it off you, then.

What if I could get you loads of phones?

Tablets, a laptop or two.

-Mike!

-What?

You're not expecting us to go without e-mails, are you?

Of course not. We'll turn the router back on when we need it.

Oh.

Oh, come on, May-Li.

It's character building.

-Yeah?

-I'm so bored.

-Proper bursting with character, they are.

There's nothing to do.

Who'd like to play a game of charades?

May-Li, you've got to help me.

I can't take any more games.

You must have done something else in the olden days.

Hey! I wasn't around in the olden days.

You know what I mean.

Please, May-Li!

Here. Why don't you try this?

It was one of my favourites when I was your age.

-A book?

-Mm.

That cabinet, hundreds of quid's worth, maybe more.

-Isn't it locked?

-Well, the key's in Mike's top drawer.

Tomorrow afternoon he always goes jogging,

leaving May-Li to do the shopping delivery.

Candy from a baby.

Which, knowing you, you have probably done.

-Joke.

-You don't know me.

I'm happy to keep it that way.

Hand over the one with the skateboard, yeah?

And the one with the red cover with the flowers inside.

Flowers, nice.

-How many phones have you got?

-It's not mine, it's Chloe's.

Right, yeah, yeah. You act so tough.

No, I just help the people I care about.

Maybe you should try it.

-Where are yous going?

-Mike wanted us to play Tiddlywinks.

I don't care how bored I am, I ain't Tiddlywinking.

So we are going to try and watch TV through the Umbleby's window.

Library.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Ross, lights out.

OK.

HAPPY MUSIC PLAYS

That's it!

I need an adventure.

Exactly what it is you're hoping to find on this adventure?

The usual,

tunnels, passageways, smugglers.

Smugglers?

-Ready?

-Ready.

Do you know what? Maybe some of you are a bit young

to be going out without an adult.

This is all because of you, remember.

Yeah, we are actually going on an adventure because of tech ban.

-Technically.

-I mean you could just give our phones back.

Sounds good to me.

Or you could put your money where your mouth is.

-Bye, Mike.

-Bye!

So you're not even going to follow them in the car?

Did you have a grown-up following you around when you were a kid?

No.

Well, then.

Put your money where your mouth is.

We're going on an adventure, not a picnic.

OK, fine, I'll just throw away these chicken and ketchup sarnies then.

Whoa, I didn't say that.

Hungry work, this adventuring.

I reckon you're overdoing it.

Washing-up, I mean...

I know you're trying to make them less suspicious but...

Keep your mouth shut.

So, where are we going?

Yeah, have you a particular adventure in mind?

Well, first we'll find a castle or an island.

Then we'll find secret passageways, smugglers, pirates' gold.

Adventures, ahoy!

Oh, no.

What now? Cos I'm pretty sure there ain't no islands near here.

Well, maybe it's closed for smuggling.

Come on. Move.

There, a smuggler.

Oh, my gosh.

You're right.

Wait.

It's Mike spying on us.

-SHOUTS:

-So much for putting your mouth where your money is!

Nothing, no smugglers, no pirate gold...

-SHOUTS:

-..and we can all see you, Mike.

What?

No, no, I was...

I was just...

I was just bird-watching.

You kids just carry on, it's fine.

No, really,

I'll go talk to the birds.

Hello, birdies.

You didn't actually expect to find any of that, did you?

We haven't been places yet.

Valleys, ships, the circus.

Well, good luck with that.

Come on, Floss, today has been ace.

Yeah, and sort of an adventure.

It has NOT been an adventure.

Where is the excitement, the danger, the flipping secret passageways?

You can't all quit.

It's getting a bit chilly.

You two will stay, won't you?

I know there's a secret tunnel here somewhere.

I know it. You lot are rubbish, I don't need you for an adventure.

I can have an adventure on my own.

Floss.

Leave her, come on.

I like that bit...

Find your adventures, then?

No, they're all a bunch of quitters.

I thought you lot were mates.

No, they don't really care about anyone but themselves.

Really? I thought you lot looked out for each other.

Maybe if you've got a brother or sister, but if not, you're stuffed.

Once I've grown up, I'm out of here like a shot.

-I'm surprised you're still here.

-Yeah.

MOBILE PINGS

-Illegal tech?

-Shh!

Where's Floss?

Sulking outside because we didn't find a "real" adventure.

Tyler, could you make sure

she doesn't stay out there too long, please.

Yeah, cool.

May-Li, the delivery van is here.

Are you all right to sort it?

METAL CLANGS

Crikey!

METAL CREAKS

No way!

Come on, Jess, let's do this.

Hello?

Oh, I've found this.

I hope that's OK.

I wasn't doing anything.

What were you looking in there for then?

-Stationery?

-Calm down, calm down!

It was him, he set us up!

-What? That's ridiculous.

-Just stop it.

-Ryan, just go, please.

-I'm the one who's going.

-Alex, you can't.

You can't stop me. Go ahead, call the police,

I'll be gone before they get here.

And this time, I'm not coming back.

Whoa!

It's so cool.

Oh, ginger beer!

-MUFFLED:

-Guys.

Help, help!

So you are saying you had nothing to do with it?

No, why don't you believe me?

Why do you think, Ryan? Because you lie.

If you want people to start believing you,

stop lying all the time.

He's not answering his phone.

-I'll check the usual haunts.

-OK.

Help!

OK, Jess,

this is no time to panic.

Yes, I know, we're trapped here and no-one knows where I am.

But I need to figure out what people in the book would do.

There's definitely no secret passageways in here.

The radio!

If the lights are on...

Yes!

Now, how do you think this works?

WHITE NOISE

So that's what's inside of a radio.

Told you it's going to be fun.

I am so bored.

Maybe we should try one of Floss's books.

Where is Floss?

Tyler?

Tyler?

Tyler.

Hand it over.

-And where's Floss?

-I don't know.

Mike asked you to get her in from the garden.

Did he? All right, I'm going.

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.

Can anyone hear me?

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.

I'm in a big hole, near Ashdene Ridge.

I thought it would be fun, but turns out it's not.

It's cold and a bit smelly.

And lonely.

But being lonely isn't the worst thing.

The worst thing since I've read the manual

is knowing what that red flashing light means.

It means that the generator's nearly running out of fuel...

..and I won't be able to use the radio or any of the lights.

Over.

-Nothing?

-No.

No-one's seen him.

Guys, Floss isn't out there, or anywhere else.

She's, like, properly missing.

Stop looking at me like that, Jeff.

It's not scary.

It's an adventure.

An adventure!

Definitely not scary.

What? She's skipped out before.

Everyone take a phone...

Never for this long.

Try anyone you can think of, friends, people from school.

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.

Listen, listen!

-Floss?

-Just a sec.

I'm in a big hole.

I think it's an old wartime bunker.

The hatch is jammed.

Oh, no!

Has it run out of battery?

No, maybe she has.

This means that she can't be far, though.

Yes! If that's picking it up, it's going to be...

What's it called? A CB radio.

-Short range.

-She has to be fairly close.

All right...

Jody, Tyler, go door to door,

see if anyone has a CB radio or any way she can be tracked.

Well, that's that, then, Jeff.

Back to Plan B.

Help! Help!

MOBILE RINGS

Alex! Don't hang up, please.

Alex, are you there?

-Yeah.

-Is Floss with you?

-No, why would she be?

-Nobody knows where she is.

No, Alex!

-ANNOUNCEMENT:

-The next train to Manchester

will be leaving from Platform A.

I don't see why we couldn't be out there looking for her now.

After this, I don't think Mike's ever going to let us out again.

Ha! Look!

Maybe someone will find her.

Anyone check the garden?

Alex?

Alex!

We've already looked. This is a waste of time.

She came in here when she was upset,

so she's not going to come out until she's ready, is she?

I'm sorry, I don't follow.

If you think everybody hates you,

then you're going to run away until you're hungry or...

..you realise that running away is pointless.

Or you get trapped down a big hole.

-Floss!

-Hello?

Guys?

-Thank you! Thank you!

-It's OK.

So, hurling yourself down a hole in the ground, eh?

Surprisingly, not such a great idea.

Especially as no-one knew it was there.

No, absolutely not.

Don't worry. It'll be padlocked from now on.

Was it pitch-black?

No. It was pretty scary though, until Alex saved me.

I've had a word with Ryan. He's still not admitting anything.

Look, I don't believe him, so I'm putting him on report anyway.

And you're on your last chance...

..if I can convince you to stay.

Good lad.

Right, and after today, I think you lot deserve

your tech back full-time.

THEY CHEER

Actually, we've decided it's quite nice to be without it.

-Sometimes.

-We are proposing tech-free Tuesdays!

Wow! Brilliant idea.

Oh, I love that!

Yeah, but no tiddlywinks.

Alex, Alex!

What?

I don't know if you know, but my best friends let me down recently

and there's a spot open for a new BFF.

And, since you saved my life...

-What?

-I decided it should be you.

-I don't think so.

-You're not the one who decides.

I do. And you should know, I'm pretty persistent.

HE SIGHS

So, tell me a bit about yourself, BFF.

OK! I'll go first.

I'm Floss. My favourite colour's magenta...

Can't decide what I want to be when I grow up.

A ballerina...

..a weight lifter...

..a pirate?

Have you had adventures?

I bet you have.

I bet you've had loads.

I might try the mountains next time.

Floss, seriously!

What?

Oh, I left you a present.

He's called Jeff. A best friend gave him to me once, so now,

I'm giving him to you. Night!