Endurance Bora Bora

Bora Bora, the legendary island of the pacific.

20 Kids, one island, one prize

"For Years Endurance kids have been competing in many different exotic wild locations, but will this year's location change it all?"

First inhabited by Polynesian settlers around the 4th century, Bora Bora became a home. Thousands of years later our group of twenty kids from Endurance has made the trip too. The island lives and thrives on tourism, but what these kids will face won't be a relaxing boat ride. As they travel further from their home and into the beautiful island will they learn and achieve their goals? Or will they go home with much less? Who will make it, who will survive?

These strangers will have to form an extraordinary bond as they dig deep to uncover courage, strength, and perseverance. Because the only way they can win is by pushing themselves to the limit and overcoming all weaknesses until one team proves that they have the ultimate ENDURANCE.

Chapter One: Arrival

"Welcome," J.D. said, "To Bora Bora. Take a look around you guys. This place is going to be your home while you're here. Although some of you are probably going to be here longer than others. Endurance is all about your ability to survive, and to help you do that there's a few things you're going to need. Just over there you're going to find your huts, that's where you're going to live. No shower, no power, and bare minimum to sleep on. Sounds great right?"

"Sure does." Anne rolled her eyes smiling. As long as I stay it's just fine.

A guy named Shay beside her snorted, she giggled along with a few others in excitement.

"Now for today you guys will take it easy, settle in, and get to know each other, have fun. I'll see you all later." J.D. strode off into the forest leaving us alone.

"Bye!" "See ya!" "Adios!"

Anne called her farewell only to sprint with the others to the huts J.D. had mentioned.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" a girl named Kelsey screamed.

Just as Anne was about to ask what was wrong she came to a dead halt as the 'so called hut' was actually a cabin up in a tree, a tree house to be exact.

Wow… she thought

But halting so suddenly wasn't Anne's best move. BAM! Anne flew forward as another body slammed into her back.

"Oof!" she cried out.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry!"

The muffled voice came from on top of her, but seeing that she had just body slammed into the somewhat dusty soil she couldn't really respond.

The weight was quickly lifted off of her and the voice which had spoken before was now muttering apologies to her as she rolled over and sat up.

"Hey is she going to be okay?"

Anne recognized the voice, it was LeAnn. Anne defiantly thought that she was the kind of girl that ate nails for breakfast lunch and dinner. This girl had muscles!

"Anne! What's happened? Who did that?"

Anne blinked, and started laughing at what had happened.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "Only minutes in and someone tries to take me down!" She coughed trying to laugh.

"Alright, who am I going to beat up?" Alex had sauntered over to the small group smiling.

Everyone laughed, well almost Anne was still coughing out the dust she had taken in when hitting the ground.

"Hey it's Anne right?" asked the mysterious guy who had tackled Anne.

Anne nodded trying to breathe properly again.

"Hey!" Kelsey whined. "What's going on!" Obviously not satisfied with being ignored.

"Nothing much, we're just practicing for the first temple challenge by knocking each other over. Wanna join?" asked Alex standing up patting Anne on the back.

"Ha ha ha that's sooo funny Aleex!" crowed Kelsey.

"How fake can you get?" Anne muttered.

"As fake as chicken bake." Muttered back the mysterious guy.

What's his name again? She wondered.

Giggling she brushed herself off as he smiled back pulling a twig out of her hair.

"Weeeell I don't see anything here to get so wound up about anyways." Kelsey sneered not pleased that everyone had shifted back to helping Anne back up so they all could check out their new home.

"Not if it's about you!" Shay whispered loudly as he climbed down the stairs.

Everyone burst out laughing as Kelsey stocked away up the stairs muttering "She's such an attention grabber geese…"

As if I could really help it Anne thought.

"Hey it's not your fault you were kinda forced into it." LeAnn stood up for her rolling her eyes in Kelsey's direction.

"Yeah someone just had to tackle you…" Alex taunted the mysterious guy.

"I said I was sorry! I didn't know she would stop." He couldn't help but smile.

"What's your name anyway?" Anne exclaimed. "I don't even know who tackled me!" she laughed.

"Yeah John aren't you gonna introduce yourself?" Shay laughed socking John in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered smiling. Turning to her he asked "and I think that you're Anne right?"

"Ha ha very funny you just asked me that a minute ago." Anne smiled.

"Yeah I know, but you're okay right? I just slammed you into the dirt."

The rest of the group made their way toward the stairs as he helped her up.

"Of course, I'm standing aren't I?"

"Not for long you aren't!"

"Wha-?"

But before she could say a word he grabbed her by the waist and lugged her up the stairs Anne laughing all the way.

"Hey!" she protested. "I'm not crippled! I can walk you know."

"Yeah, I know," he laughed. "Sorry for hitting you again."

"No problem, I'm fine really." She answered glancing towards the girl's cabin, where loud squeals emitted from the open doorway. Alexa's to be exact.

"There you are! Anne I was wondering…" Alexa stopped walking her eyes in bewilderment. "What's…?"

"Um yeah John you can set me down." She blushed.

"Oh yeah sorry."

"Well I'm not even going ask!" Alexa stated confused.

Nice Alexa nice…Anne thought.

"Ask later dude! John you have to see this!" yelled a guy who ran across the bridge connecting the two cabins. Approaching he grabbed John's arm and began pulling him across the bridge and to his cabin.

"See you later Anne!" John yelled already half way across the bridge running to the guy's cabin.

"See you!" she yelled back smiling again.

"Come on cutie cut the flirting you just have to see the cabin we're staying in. I got you a good bunk and there's even shelves!" Alexa talked on in excitement as she literally dragged Anne into the cabin as she laughed.

Alexa and Anne had quickly become friends on the plane ride over to the island, both finding much in common. They both wanted to win Endurance badly and had agreed to make it to the final two teams together.

"On the ground again I see?" Kelsey sneered.

A few of the girls inside stopped to see who had come in, and they, to Anne's relief, smiled in her direction.

"Hey Anne what's up?" Julie asked helping her up.

"Oh nothing really." She smiled, "just Alexa really, dragging me in here."

"Really? Necessary much?" Julie laughed.

"Well sorry," countered Alexa. "I just wanted her to see were she's staying for the next few months!"

"This place is amazing though, right Anne?" called Julie who was now perched on her top bunk.

"Yeah! I know it's so crazy that we get to stay here."

Everyone nodded in agreement, this was defiantly beyond awesome.

"So what are we doing tonight?" Nellie called from her bunk.

"Um I think we have dinner sometime in the next few hours and then we hang out till dark or something." said Allie who was lying on the floor claiming it comfortable.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Anne hopped up on her top bunk that was next to Julie and Alexa's.

The group of girls talked and explored till they met up with the guys across the bridge and checked out their cabin too.

Dinner was a funny event for everyone, all the guys pulled out their best blond jokes. The laughter got especially loud when Isabeli kept asking what they meant; she had not grown up in an American environment seeing that most of her family was strictly proper French people.

"Okay so how do you drown a blond?" Ricky asked.

The rest of the group asked 'what?' in anticipating a good answer.

"You glue a mirror to the bottom of a pool!"

Anne rolled her eyes smiling as the others chuckled at Isabeli's bewildered expression.

"What? I don't understand this joke, why do they put a mirror in the pool?" Isabeli

Allie giggled and put an arm around Isabeli.

"Don't worry I'll explain it to you later."

"Fine but if it's about me someone is going to pay…" her eyes trailing off towards Ricky who had made numerous jokes and a few cheap shots at her during the evening.

Ricky was starting to fit title of the local jerk of the group, and too soon would he become the one nobody wanted as a partner.

The rest of the evening flew by as the sky grew darker and everyone ran up to see the sunset on the bridge of their new homes.

The sunset in Bora Bora was as breath taking as any exotic location should be. The sight was something to be remembered as it was their first night there together as a group.

"Wow this is amazing!" These words chorused from almost every girl's lips, they couldn't help it; the sunsets were too beautiful to pass up.

"Incredible..." she whispered.

Anne had always had a thing for sunsets, and this was no exception.

"Pretty cool eh?"

John slipped down beside her on the bridge where she was sitting between the slates.

"Words can hardly describe this" she smiled, "it's just so…amazing."

"Yeah it is." He agreed.

As they sat in silence bouts of laughter came from the group standing beside them.

"So what are they talking about?" she asked.

"I wasn't really paying attention, but I think it had something to do with J.D. in one of those sumo wrestler inflated costumes." he laughed.

Anne could hardly talk for laughing. "J.D.-with a-sumo costume?" just picturing that made her crack up.

"Yeah, I know we have some pretty weird conversations." he smiled looking at her.

"We sure do." She replied nodding.

"So ah...you ready for tomorrow?"

After thinking a moment she answered "I guess so, I'm just so nervous. I really want to make it and stay here and...yeah" her voice trailed off, smile disappearing face as she stared at the beautiful scenery.

"Hey," he pulled a strand of hair from her face and smiled."I know for a fact you'll make it through the first challenge and stay."

"It'll probably have something to do with strength, it always has."

"You play any sports?"

"Softball and volleyball. I've played volleyball for years but am actually better at softball." her smile returning.

"Well hey that's good. It'll help tomorrow."

"Yeah I hope so." she paused thinking, "what about you?"

"What? Oh sports?" Anne nodded.

"Well..."

"What is it?" she teased pushing his shoulder with her own.

"Um I run mostly...but a little of everything I guess."

"Mhmm" I have feeling that he's not saying something but she let it go only wanting to enjoy the evening and not think of what tomorrow would bring.

After dark had started to settle in the group separated to grab warmer clothes and rejoin at the fire pit below their cabins. There they would be briefed by J.D. what would happen the next day.

"Ok you guys here's the deal. Tomorrow is the Right to Stay Challenge and while I know you all want to know what it is I can't tell you right now. But what I can say is that like many challenges here on Endurance they are held by over or near the water, and with that I hope all twenty of you will be ready tomorrow for this. It's your way into this game, and your only chance to stay on the show. I wish good luck to you all and good night's rest. I'll see you on the beach tomorrow."

With those parting Words J.D. disappeared into the darkness leaving everybody with many questions and confused thoughts.

"Wait! What did he mean by only chance? Wasn't there a second time around where the 4 people got another try at a different game?" asked Ariana.

"Yeah that's what I thought." Chance put in.

"Oh! I can't leave tomorrow! I just can't!" cried Allie.

"Don't worry about it honey." Nellie rubbed her back.

"So does anyone have an idea?" asked Jordan.

"It'll probably going to be something physical or that tests your strength." Mike answered.

A few of the girls groaned not liking the sound of it.

"Can we please not talk about this anymore?" Julie pleaded after what seemed like an hour or so of talking strategy.

"Yeah," Anne agreed "there's no point getting worked up about if there's no avoiding it. We're all going to face it tomorrow whether we like it or not."

Alexa and Alex both nodded their heads, and Anne noticed, were sitting quite close together.

"Well I don't like being a party pooper and all but if any of us are going to survive tomorrow we might want to get some sleep." Mike announced.

No one argued being exhausted from the day's travel and events. Saying their goodnights and even a few hugs given the group split in two as they climbed the stairs up to their cabins.