Make a Wish

Chapter 1: The Wish Ceremony

Clunk.

That was my head hitting my bedside table.

"Ow!"

That was me in pain.

I roll over on to my back and lay there, rubbing my head. I hope I didn't get a concussion. That's the last thing I need today.

Usually I would be up and getting ready to go to school, High Town Acadamy, but since it's Wish Day, when they choose the contestants for the all-popular competition show, Make a Wish, the academy has the day off. So does Lila's workplace. My older sister works for the High Town Bank.

After all, the Wish Ceremony is one of the most important events we hold.

Every year, sixteen boys and girls - eight of each - are chosen to compete in sixteen different landscapes, all made up of someone in the group's worst nightmare or fear, and each landscape has one or more challenges to complete.

As you play the competition, the outsiders - people of High Town who are watching the show - can vote for their favourite player.

You complete the challenges and get the votes, and you stand a chance at winning the ultimate prize, three wishes. Fail the challenges, and not get enough votes, and you're out.

And you don't want to know what happens when you get out.

All of this - the landscapes, everything - mostly takes place at the High Town Wish Centre, a large building with lots of electronic devices, and several teleports - the reason for the 'mostly' - that can take you to a magical place where your fears are conjured into reality.

Where the teleport actually takes you is a High Town secret. Only the High Town princess, Genevieve, knows.

I guess that's one of the perks of living in a town called High Town. Almost everything here begins with High Town.

My phone starts singing "Style" (must be at least seventy years old, that song, but my bestie loves it), and I look at it where it sits on my - cursed - bedside table. It's Taya, my fellow student at High Town Academy and 16 year old. She's also my best friend.

I look at my phone for a few seconds before picking it up and answering it.

"Hullo?"

"Hola. You up yet? It's time to get ready for the Wish Ceremony! Do you want me to come over and we can help each other get ready? Oh! I think I know just the outfit for you to wear! And you could have your hair curled with it! Oh, that will look so good! What time can I come over? Actually, that's a stupid question. I'm five minutes away."

Taya giggles.

I groan and roll out of bed.

"'Kay, then. I'll be in the shower. Don't barge in. I give you permission to raid my closet."

"Thank you. Permission accepted. Though, I hope you know that I would have raided it anyway, just saying."

I roll my eyes.

"See you soon, Tay." She also like being called Tay Tay, since she admires Taylor Swift so much. Maybe just because her nickname is like hers, or because she likes her music.