Snakes and Ladders (or mâr va pele / مار و پله) is an ancient, widely popular dice game, which originated as a metaphor for the spiritual journey. This game is a recurring motif in the series, a reference to the uneven routes, risks, calculations, the misfortunes and moments of sheer luck which shape refugees’ crossings. Though the snake is an unlucky roll in mâr va pele, the shed skin in Truce does not represent danger. Instead, the reptile appears as a guide: a sly creature, moving close to the ground, sensing shifts and finding new pathways forward. It coils around her mother (or maman)’s arm, as if to whisper strategy in her ear. It offers a Truce with fate, mapping survival through observation, timing, and careful movement.