A/N: I have been kindly PMed that my story has grounds for deletion because I'm using the names of real celebrities. With that in mind, I will be making several name changes over the next couple of days. I will state them to you now:
1. Jeff Probst will now be known as Malcolm Stevenson.
2. Mark Burnett will now be known as Ryan Durkin.
I hope that this doesn't cause too much confusion. Anyway, I present to you Episode Seven!
Episode 7: Why Does This Always Happen?
"Yes! Derek and Kevin are no where to be found and everything is gone!" the phone said.
"Are you sure there wasn't a gust of wind?" Malcolm asked.
"I don't think so! I searched the perimeter of the camp and I just sent four guys out to comb the entire island! In addition, I sent Ryan out to swim out to see if anything was blown out into the ocean!"
"Alright, I'll be right over there!" Malcolm answered.
The host then hung up the phone.
"Brandon, change course. We need to head over to the Pagong camp."
"Yes, Mr. Stevenson." the driver answered.
Malcolm hung up and searched through his contacts. He then selected a button and his phone began to ring. It rang once. Silence. Twice. Silence. Thrice. Silence. Fourfold. Silence.
"Hello! You've reach the world's greatest and hottest celebrity, Chris...McLean! I cannot reach you for one of probably a couple reasons: counting my money, my awards, having a good time, or I just happened to see myself in the mirror. If you're another celeb and need a loan or some worthy advice, then leave a message at the tone. If you're one of my lawyers, then send me the news after the tone. If you're anyone else, then how did you get this number?!"
Malcolm then put down his phone and placed his hand over his forehead. He took a deep breath and looked out the window; where thin droplets slowly started to strike the ground.
Several minutes later, the car arrived at the designated point and Malcolm came out to walk the short distance to the camp. Droplets continued to fall with the same intensity as before.
The host saw the ten Jumping Seagulls, who were unsurprisingly unfazed by the minor conditions. A man in a sandy suit approached him.
"I have found no trace of anything of my tribe's supplies, Mr. Stevenson." the man reported.
"Where are we going to sleep?" another asked. This one, a brunette with glasses.
"How are we going to eat?" a small, blonde girl cried.
Malcolm was at a loss. A calamity of this scale and swiftness is unprecedented in Survivor. Safety protocol usually only covers damages with some clue of occurance. He knew all of their questions had to be answered in such a short period of time.
"Um...here's what's going to happen. Sleeping arrangements are up to you; rebuild camp, sleep in the sand, whatever. First thing in the morning, we're going to bring you guys enough rice to last until the merge. We will also send you a machete and some rope should you decide to rebuild camp. Finally, a pot will be sent to boil water."
"But the rain's going to get heavier! Can you at least send us a tarp right now?" the brunette complained.
"We can't. Unless it absolutely jeopardizes your health, then you're going to have to find a way around it. Use whatever you can right now." the host answered.
He then started to return to his car when his phone rang again.
"Hello."
"The Flying Monkeys just returned to camp and all their stuff are gone!" the voice cried.
Malcolm sighed.
"I'll be right over."
Night Four
Not much helped for the Flying Monkeys. Malcolm came over and gave the tribe a similar message to that of the opponents.
The nine reacted by seeking shelter under the canopy the jungle provided. Whether or not the home they built would provide proper protection against the inclement weather is unknown and at the tribe was certain that the answer would never become clear and it didn't seem to matter.
As an extra defense, the bodies clumped together to maintain body warmth. Not that the chill produced by the summer rain was extravagant, but any form of shelter was better than none. And it's not like the people had nothing to fret over; the rain continued to fall consistently throughout the night.
Sleep didn't come easy either. Although it is summer, someone grew colder with every strike against their body. The clattering of the individual spears onto the earth produced a sound that registered to the Flying Monkeys as anything but comforting.
Throughout the night, a dark girl complained actively. Her protests started as whispers of hate, but soon escalated into cries of agony. The others expected that as they remained still. It was certainly a long night for the nine teammates. For the dark girl, it was the longest.
Matters over at the Jumping Seagulls were similar. A small blonde girl voiced words similar to that of the dark girl. They were somewhat milder and the topic combined not only the dampness the night gave her, but also the cold that was packed into every sharded piece of water.
The storm continued into the dawn of the following day, which could only be signified by the change of light from black to dark grey. Malcolm came to each tribe as he promised with several bags of rice, a roll of rope, a machete, and a pot.
"There is Tree Mail awaiting you." he told each one.
"When's the rain gonna stop?" at least one person would ask.
"It should clear up later in the afternoon." he would say.
The rain continued to fall, but Rickie rose, practically shivering.
"Malcolm should cancel the challenge today!" Macy argued.
"There's no way he's going to do that." Rickie answered.
The dark man- practically pale- walked slowly into the jungle. Upon arriving at the Tree Mail station, he placed his hand on the wet, slippery lid and pulled out a piece of paper. He leaned over it to protect it.
"You are at the top of the clouds
and a fall you must take.
Those who are brave enough
will receive what's at stake."
Walking back to camp, the man repeated this message to the others.
The morning was slow. No one wanted to move; not even for the reward of having their ration. Talking was most certainly out of the question. It's not like they didn't yearn to, but exhaustion killed any bother.
The hours moved ever so slowly.
Luckily, the rain started to lighten up. It was still present, however the contestants noticed difference in intensity with each changing scale degree. Eventually a voice was heard by a cameraman, who had an earpiece attached to his face.
"You guys will be heading out for the reward challenge in five minutes." he said.
Hearing those words heated the spirits of many of the Flying Monkeys. The van they ride to be escorted to challenges and obligatory meetings seemed like the most tender haven in the world. They were so eager that they stood up in anticipation. They were slow due to cold insomnia, but had they just a spark of energy, they would tear the island apart in search of warmth.
A blonde decided to walk forward, toward the ocean, which was being bombarded with precipitation. He practically dragged his limbs, which were engulfed with goosebumps and had water running down all sides. He turned and faced his tribe.
"I know of a god who lives in the clouds that are hitting us hard...and I'm sure you all know whom I'm referring to..."
The drenched man gave a moment to see who could muster up the power to nod.
"...my guess is that we are being punished by Him...the rain is striking us harder and colder than the Jumping Seagulls on the other end...and there's reason...none of you deserve this horrible fate...but it was...me who brought you all down with this..."
He drew in a breath.
"...no clouds were in the sky the other day...but the night... after I lost that challenge they started forming...now I'm no man who's into religion...but this is either a bizarre coincidence or a...punishment...I'm sorry, and let's try to win today's challenge..."
"...There's nothing to be sorry for..." a dark man responded, limping his way towards the blonde.
"Besides...it's not like you would...be the only person who put us down..." a girl with black hair added.
The dark girl, who was sheltering around a tree closed her eyes with an angry look on her face.
"...Well...I'm glad for your...consolations...but mere words won't...stop the storm..." the blonde said.
"But Malcolm said that the rain should clear up." the dark man answered.
"True...but I think I speak for...all of us when I say that we want to win this next challenge..."
"Don't worry...as long as our morale is high, I know we can do it."
"Ryan, we have an emergency!" Malcolm said.
"What is it?"
"Well we have been hit with two travesties in one night. For one, all of the campers' food and shelter have vanished without a trace! Secondly, we have four missing crew members: Derek, Kevin, Paul, and Jason."
"What?! What's going on over there?!"
"I'm not entirely sure, but I have reason to believe that Chris McLean is behind it!"
"That guy? I thought he gave up Total Drama when he sold it to us."
"I would love to believe that, Ryan. But I've been getting strange vibes ever since I deported him back on Day One; phone calls, cries of vengeance, and he just might be behind the whole maze incident. I tried calling him tonight and he hasn't been picking up, which strengthens my suspicions."
"Did you at least contact the police?"
"Yes. I contacted the Los Angeles Police Department and was able to get a search party out of Bandar Papar." the host answered.
"Have they found anything?"
"No. They've only been out for an hour."
Malcolm walked about his trailer. The rain could be heard clattering against the ceiling and rushing down the windows.
"Maybe we can continue to try to get in contact with McLean. Unfortunately if he is responsible for these complications, then he won't admit it."
"Of course not!" the host answered.
"He's obviously not going to stop until he gets what he wants, so...we might have to negotiate."
"What do you mean?"
"Well I haven't seen what's been going on, what do you think?"
The aging man froze. Not even the inclement weather could make its way into his ears. The light of the room did not enter his eyes. Air had to work itself into the man's lungs.
"No..."
"Are you still there?" Ryan asked.
"...Yes. I'm not entirely sure either. I'm going to try to sleep on it." Malcolm answered.
"Alright, but you better figure it out soon! God knows when he might strike again!"
"I will..."
The man then hung up. He slowly placed his phone down on the desk and walked slowly towards the window.
He looked; trying to make out what he could from the fat streams of water.
"The police will catch him! I know it!"
Malcolm reached for his phone again and read the time: 12:43 am.
He stood up and walked over to his bed, which was really nothing more than a cot in a corner.
"Friday Night; you're sick and tired of work? You fed up with your boring boss and your bland co-workers? It's been a long week!
Well, savor in your hard-earned weekend and tune in to Monsters, Aliens, and Explosions; the hot new reality show on Spike!
Starring the world famous host: Chris McLean!
Be sure to catch McLean and all the other action this Friday at 8 on Spike TV!"
The host smiled, but it quickly faded away.
Day Five, Reward Challenge
Ramis Beach contained nothing short of wet sand. The dark brown that made it up fit with the canvas of gray about the sky. And out about thirty feet into the shore lied a structure which could still be made out despite the absence of the sun.
"Come in, guys!"
As routine, the two tribes emerged from the woods as they each received the opportunity to look upon their selected victims.
"Getting a first look at the new tribes. Skylar and Cedric were voted out at the last Tribal Council."
The nine Flying Monkeys froze in place. Some had their mouths slightly agape.
"Anyway, are you ready to get to today's Reward Challenge?" the host asked.
The nineteen castaways nodded.
"Alright, so today- one at a time- you'll go down this fifteen foot water slide."
The contestants looked through Malcolm to see the large structure.
"Upon reaching the bottom, you will race out into the water. There will be five boxes anchored to the bottom at different increments. The first one will be one feet deep, the second five, the third seven, the fourth ten, and the fifth fifteen.
As soon as you collect all five crates, you will open them up to a stash of hay. You will then dig through the hay in an effort to find a key. There will only be one key in the five crates combined, however only two people will investigate. Finally, the last two people will use the key to unlock a chest which is full of balls. You will use these balls to toss into a basket.
The first team to get all five of their balls inside the basket wins reward. Do you want to know what you will be playing for?"
The teams nodded.
"Okay, the winning tribe of today's challenge will receive a large bounty of supplies to help re-build shelter after last night's incident."
"Wait a minute?! You were the one who took all of our stuff?!" Macy demanded.
"No. I swear to you that the event was completely unexpected and I along with the rest of the crew and producers are working to get to the bottom of it. The reason we have all of this is in case of emergency."
"Well what was the other reward?" the dark girl asked.
"We were originally going to give the winning tribe a barbecue, however we will have to postpone it for the next reward challenge as the bare essentials have a higher priority."
Macy tensed the muscles in her forehead as well as sharpened the center of her eyebrows, but clearly showed restraint.
"...Jumping Seagulls. You have one extra member, so you're going to have to sit someone out. You sat out Natasha last time, therefore you cannot sit her out again. I'll give you a minute to strategize."
The ten castaways got together in a huddle.
"Guys, I don't think I can be a real asset in this challenge; I'm not a strong swimmer." Aubrey said.
"You can be one of the people to dig through the hay then." Benjamin answered.
"Well when you get down to it, anyone can be as shrewd as a mouse and find a key and swoop it up like a vulture eating its dead dinner. As you can see, it's not just the fact that I am the least competent with being a sea turtle, but a-"
"I'll do it..." a quiet voice was heard.
Although the female brunette could not hear it, others silenced her.
"I can sit out if you want...I'm not good at anything...besides, it will get you all to stop bickering..."
Most of the Jumping Seagulls looked upon the timid speaker.
"But you have not seen me when it comes to swimming, running, throwing, or even digging...whoever you are...?" Aubrey responded.
"I know I'm not good because I've never done anything...I only go swimming once a year and even then...it's just a quick dip in the ocean...I've never ran unless I was forced to in gym class...and I saw from that that I'm terrible...and as for spotting...I couldn't tell you where the... Empire State Building is...on a map...If anything...you're part of the 'anyone else'...I'm not meaning to be selfish...but you would probably lose if...I were put into any role in this challenge..."
"How do we know you're not just being lazy? We're all tired from the storm last night!" Johnny said.
The spiked-haired man remained standing small and still.
"You have more energy than me...When you're not affected by the weight of exhaustion...you could easily run around the island...climb a tree...or swim back to America...my body by nature is just not built for any of that..."
The male brunette continued to look at the man. He bit both of his lips before returning calm.
"I think your order shall be fulfilled." Simon jumped in.
"What?! You're just letting him give up!" Alexis cried.
"Well based on the circumstances, the only other option is to allow me to sit out. And I don't mean to boast, but I think I could be of use in this challenge."
"In what way?" Johnny asked.
The man tried to squeeze forward, but the lack of space made the task difficult.
"If I may ask, can you step back to give me some space?" the black-haired man asked.
The eight remaining Seagulls widened the circle he was encompassed in.
The man reached for his black bow-tie and started to untie it. Upon completion, he took the piece of fabric and placed it in his black coat pocket. He then went for the buttons on the coat and unharnessed them one at a time. Once free, he removed the coat and let it drop into the sand. Finally, the buttons of his white-collared shirt came off one by one. When all the buttons were removed, he opened the shirt.
Beneath was a worthy build. To the brunette, the man seemed to lack any will to strengthen himself.
To those who could see the man's abdomen imagined a patch of sun sprinkling down on the man; causing the muscles to sparkle. Unfortunately- to their discontent- the sky's canvas remained gray and failed to notice the man's impressive body.
"I have always been in need for physical labor, so I took it upon myself to provide my masters with the best build possible. This would mean that my services are diverse and my performance is proficient." he explained.
The brunette looked at it, nearly gasping.
"Okay, we'll have the...what's his face sit out." Benjamin said.
"Hey! Why does the ant get to sit out?" Aubrey asked.
"Relax Aubrey, you could sit out next time if you want." the redhead answered.
"But I'm not strong either!"
"You better try your hardest! We're all weak!" Johnny said.
"Have you guys come to a conclusion?" a voice shouted out.
"Um, yes. The Flying Seagulls shall excuse the man over in the corner of his duties." Simon said, pointing at the mysterious figure.
"Alright Anthony, take a spot on the bench." the host. Meanwhile, most of the Jumping Seagulls were suddenly content.
"Okay, I will allow you guys to change into your swim wear, which I assume is in your bags." Malcolm said.
Everyone opened their light luggage to reveal the appropriate attire that they personally arranged.
"Out in the jungle we have a changing room for men and women. I will give you guys ten minutes to change."
The eighteen bodies took in their host's words and made their ways into the small building split by sex. To their dismay, however, the facility was little more than thin wooden walls. The structure was roofless and was rather cramped for size. It would seem to be a miracle if only ten people could squeeze in.
Within the men's changing room, the subtle drafts that filled the air chilled their skin as they removed their soggy and sandy clothing and placed them into their personal bags.
As Johnny was getting changed, he noticed Jordan. After feeling wretched from a night of searching for sleep in the rain, the man felt an urgency to share his feelings with a foreigner.
"And besides...it...may help."
"How was last night for you?" Johnny asked Jordan.
"Miserable." the blonde simply answered.
"Things weren't much better on our camp. It didn't help that their wasn't any shelter to sleep on."
"I kind of had an idea that you guys would've also been affected by the devastation when Malcolm said that the reward would be a bounty of tools."
"Yeah, same here. But in all honesty, I'm still wondering who would do this to us." Johnny said.
Benjamin seemed to notice the two opponents discussing within the compact space and joined in.
"I don't know, maybe it was Malcolm." the redhead answered.
Jordan jerked his head and saw the other Jumping Seagulls, practically jumping at the sudden outburst.
"Oh, I didn't see you there...but...you could be right. It's already Day Five and it would make sense to mix things up." Jordan said.
"It's kind of like what Chris did a couple times on Total Drama." Benjamin added.
"Well, it's not like Malcolm is anything like Chris, but you have to do something!" Johnny said.
"Wait a minute!" the redhead intervened. He seemed frozen at this realization.
"But...it doesn't make sense...for Malcolm...to do something of this nature. The most he has ever done was tribe swaps! There's no way he could do something so cruel...unless...no, it's ridiculous!"
"You're saying that Chris could be behind it?" Jordan asked.
"That wouldn't add up! The two are such a foil that they could never agree on anything! Besides, even if Chris was working on this show, he wouldn't actually put people in danger! He wouldn't have made it two seconds on the air with a stunt like this!" Johnny said.
"While that is true, there have been cases of extreme weather on the show that single-handedly depleted a tribe's resources!" Benjamin replied.
"But this is intentional!" the brunette said.
"You have sixty seconds to complete any challenge preparations! Don't worry about your belongings, you can go fetch them after the challenge!" a voice rang out.
"Anyway, Jordan, I do believe that we share something in common." Johnny said.
"I can't quite say that, however I guess we all have something to share."
"I know that our time here was brief, but I do believe we should talk again soon."
"Maybe...it just depends on when we get the chance."
"I know...but just promise me that you'll make the merge..."
"...Um...alright...I don't have a lot to worry about considering that I'm on good terms with my tribe." the blonde said.
"Okay..."
The two started to follow the other men towards the challenge.
"Why am I so damn desperate?!"
The eighteen castaways returned to Malcolm fully changed. Remaining was Anthony, who remained in his soaked clothes from the previous night.
The Flying Monkeys congregated into a slow-moving clump.
"Okay guys, who wants to go down the slide?" Rickie asked.
"I'll do it." Melika said.
"Me as well." Lola added.
"Me three!" Riley said, exuberant.
"Why not?" Mystery said.
"Okay, and I'll go in whatever order you want, ladies." Rickie commented.
The dark man then turned to the others in his tribe.
"Now who wants to search through the crates?" he asked.
"I guess I'll take one for the team." Benny answered.
After the spiked-haired man spoke his words, silence filled the air.
"Macy...would you like to go?" Rickie asked.
The girl stood still. Goosebumps engulfed her trembling dark skin. Her hair was drenched, but yet the strands clumped into masses dangling from her scalp. It had a certain dryness to it.
"No...I can't get my arms covered...in hay..." she spoke softly.
"Well it's either that or throwing balls. Do you think you could have the strength to do something like that?"
"Well...I'm not sure."
"If you want...I could swap out of swim-"
"No!" the girl shouted with the energy she had. "No more cold water!"
Rickie expected that out of the girl whom cared so much for her appearance and well-being.
"Okay, then. You could at least try to throw the balls, but I assure you that with Jordan by your side, he can do most of the manual labor."
"Yes, it will be done." the blonde said.
Rickie and the other four girls split from the group to climb the ladder that led to the top of the slide. Benny and the silent man assumed their positions in a corner of the beach. Jordan started to march over to his station. After walking some distance, he looked back and saw Macy standing.
"Aren't you gonna come with me?"
Reluctantly, the dark girl walked slowly towards the blonde. She took a minute, but upon reaching arms-length of the man, he reached out towards her shoulder.
"Listen, I don't blame you for your reaction to last night. I'm not going to try to push you, however if we win, then things will go back to normal...and better."
Macy jerked the man's hand off.
"Whatever!" she said, slowly returning to her normal attitude and voice.
Jordan continued to walk towards his station with Macy following behind.
"Okay, it looks like Mystery will be leading things off for...the Flying Monkeys and Simon for the...Jumping Seagulls." Malcolm announced. "Survivors ready?"
The two opponents patiently waited for the official call.
"Go!"
Upon those words being fed through the humid air, Mystery and Alexis practically fell at the hands of gravity down the fifteen-foot slide.
The Seagull was the first to hit the sand.
"Alexis is the first to reach the bottom of the slide with Mystery right behind him!" Malcolm narrated.
Alexis sprinted towards the silver sea and splashed. The chest she sought was shallow; only one foot off the sandy sea floor. She quickly untied the rope accompanying it and lugged it over to the sandy mat that corresponded to her tribe.
It didn't take too long for Mystery to do the same.
When the two finished their share of the effort, Melika and Johnny took the lead.
"We are tied at one each!"
Johnny was the first down the slide and he ran as fast as he could towards the water. He grabbed the slightly deeper crate and brought it over to the sand. Melika followed shortly after.
"We are tied at two!"
Lola and Cooper were next as the two raced down the slide; evenly matched. Lola was the first to hit the water this time, but Cooper wasn't far behind. The two snatched their crates and dragged them out of the water.
The next to go were Riley and Benjamin. Similar to the last match-up, the contenders were fairly even.
The last were Rickie and Simon. The servant recognized the high stakes and the constraint with time and leisure. The Seagull raced down the slide with Rickie on his tail. The two men crashed into the water as quickly as possible before making the fifteen foot dive for their crates.
Rickie was the first to get the knot undone, but Simon was close.
The crates unearthed from the water one right after the other and the two men raced to the surface as well.
"We have a tight race between Rickie and Simon!"
The two swam back to beach and dropped their final boxes.
"Both tribes have all of their boxes! Now it's time to look for the key!"
For the Flying Monkeys, Benny and Ed rushed over to the set of crates. Aubrey and Angel did so for the Jumping Seagulls.
"Remember that there's only one key in all of those boxes combined, so you're going to have four empty ones."
The four each grabbed their own crate and started to sift through armfuls of hay.
Jordan and Macy were waiting on their teammates to give them the key that they would need to unlock the chest. While waiting, the blonde decided to talk to the dark girl.
"I got to wonder?" the blonde asked.
"What is it?" the Alpha girl said in her normal tone.
"You seemed a little off this morning. I would think that with reward on the line you would have a little energy in you."
"You sound like you don't know me."
"Well I do, and I'm just saying you would have this fierce attitude...and instead you seem just a little more distant that usual."
"So?"
"...With that in mind, I thought I could read you a poem I made up in my mind. Maybe it could...fire you up..."
"Whatever."
"Well alright."
The blonde stood still among the commotion before beginning.
"Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul."
Macy somewhat looked at the blonde with a confused look.
"Well go on!"
"In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed."
"What does this even mean?"
"You will see after I finish."
"Beyond this place of wrath and tear-"
"Both tribes have their keys, but Jordan and Macy just seem out of it!"
Jordan took the key from Benny and unlocked the chest.
The blonde took out a ball and threw it towards the basket. It hit the rim, but it bounced off into the sand.
He took another and threw it. Luckily, this one went in.
"Jordan has one for the Flying Monkeys!"
Monica looked at the blonde before landing one of her own.
"We are tied- one to one!"
Jordan grabbed another ball and landed it in the basket.
"Flying Monkeys are up, two to one!"
The blonde grew confident and landed another.
"Flying Monkeys now lead three to one!"
Natasha- after several failed attempts- scored one of her own.
"Looks like the Seagulls are not out of this!"
Jordan tossed again, but this time he missed by hitting the rim again.
"He misses! Jordan now has to go get those two balls.
Monica tosses, but misses by hitting the rim.
"The Seagulls seem to be having trouble again!"
The blonde was able to recover the two balls and get one in the basket.
"He's close! The Flying Monkeys need just one more!"
Before the host could finish, Jordan had already his ball in the air.
It went in.
"And yes! The Flying Monkeys win reward!"
The blonde cheered as he met up with the rest of his tribe.
"Flying Monkeys, there will be addition supplies waiting for you when you return to camp. Enjoy!"
The victorious tribe- still happy- marched off the set.
"Jumping Seagulls, I've got nothing for you. Grab your stuff, head back to camp.
Day Five
As stated, the Flying Monkeys were greeted to specialized carved wood, fishing gear, a sturdy black tarp, and several addition bags of rice.
"I am redeemed!"
"Okay, everybody!" Rickie spoke up. The others faced the man.
"So, I should first congratulations to all of you! Every single person went into making this possible!"
Seven of the Monkeys joined in jubilation.
"It looks like with this wood, we should get a shelter up in as little as thirty minutes. Unless someone wishes to volunteer, then I thought that I should help with construction."
"I'll join too!" Jordan added.
"I might as well help." Benny said.
"Okay! If anyone else wishes to join in, then feel free!"
Despite the commotion going on with the building of the shelter and the calming of the sky, Macy sat against the sandy bark of a tree. Unaware of anything around her, she merely stared at the fire that was still unattended. She was sure that someone would feed it later, but for now the pit was a struggling ember.
There was no fire or food...
It was just the two of us on a camping trip...
We were together...
but where was he?
It was getting cold out...
and it started to rain.
Never have I felt so betrayed...
He looked good enough in the halls...
He seemed nice enough to his friends...
Shouldn't he care for me?
He told me that he loved me...
But where was he?
When would he find me?
He did, but that was only the start.
The girl quickly got up, but not too fast. But she slowly started to lie back down and she closed her eyes.
What if this was put on the air?
Disappointment swept the Jumping Seagulls as they returned to the empty beach.
"Why do we keep on losing?!" a small blonde cried.
"You should ask them the same thing." Johnny replied.
"Guys, we all need to chill out! Look, the rain has stopped and at least we have sufficient supplies." Benjamin intervened.
The ten tribe mates rested their bags on the sand. Simon walked over and grabbed the machete.
"None of you shall be required to build our new shelter. I will complete the task." he said.
The man started to walk into the jungle.
"We're going to be up all night if only one person does it!" Johnny answered.
Simon turned back to face the brunette.
"I agree. It's not fair for you to hold such a heavy burden while we just sit on our asses." Benjamin noted.
"I don't want to be a turtle!" Aubrey screamed.
Simon stood alone as he looked at his superiors.
"I never said that nobody couldn't help."
Johnny went over and grabbed the rope. Benjamin followed behind him.
"So here's how I think things should work out: Simon, Cooper, Benjamin, and I will head out into the jungle to collect wood. Natasha, Angel, Alexis, and...Anthony will go and collect leaves to act as a tarp. Aubrey and Monica, you will be responsible for cooking and preparing our evening ration."
"Who made you the boss?!" Alexis demanded.
"Do you have a better option?"
The small blonde found Natasha and wrapped her small hand around her wrist.
"He's mean." she said softly into it.
"I'm sorry if I sound a little bitter, but unless you want to sleep in the sand tonight, then we need to take action as soon as possible!" Johnny said.
Benjamin stood in place for a moment before resuming.
"Okay, let's try to get started here!" he said.
"I'm telling you, that Johnny guy is the meanie-st meanie I have ever seen! Why don't you do something about it?!"
"Well...I wish things could be different honey, however he does have a point. We need to do this in order to have a nice rest tonight." Natasha said, kneeling down to the level of the small blonde.
"On that hard bamboo?! My back has been aching ever since I lied down on that thing! I'd rather sleep in the sand."
"But what if it rains and there's nothing to protect you?"
"Then I'll sleep in the jungle."
"And the water starts to fall from the leaves onto you?"
"Why are you being mean too?!"
The dark girl chuckled.
"Oh, aren't you adorable?" she said.
"It's not funny!"
"Now come on, let's pick off some leaves."
"You know if it's alright, I can do it alone. You two don't need to strain yourselves." a voice emitted. Natasha and Alexis turned to reveal the other girl in their group. There were only three people in the bunch.
Natasha laughed again.
"You sound just like Simon."
"Well it's not that. If you don't feel like climbing those trees then I can go in your place." she said in her sweet voice.
"I wouldn't mind climbing! I like challenges!" the dark girl answered.
Natasha approached the nearest tree and wrapped her arms around its wet bark. She lifted herself and tried to find a foot hold. Struggling, she pushed herself up. The girl shakily released breaths. She did it again with slightly more difficulty. And again. And again.
After what seemed like a while, Natasha was on top of the tree and she slowly released one of her arms and grabbed a large palm leaf. Using her force, she ripped it off and dropped it. She did the same for several others within easy reach. It seemed as though she had enough and rejoiced, however her face suddenly tensed.
"Um...how do I get down?" she asked.
"Just come down slowly the way you came up." the older blonde answered.
"I-I don't want to fall!"
The dark girl started to hyperventilate and her muscles began shaking.
"Don't panic! Just move slowly and carefully!...Start by lowering your left foot!"
The task seemed nearly impossible for the dark girl. Her foot seemed locked to the bark it rested upon. She used all her might just to undo it, however the force was greater than expected. The foot raced down and dangled. Everything else seemed harder to hold up.
"Remain calm! Just don't lose focus and remember, move slowly!"
Natasha followed the girl's advice and continued on her shaky descent. It seemed to be forever before she could feel the earth again, which she welcomed with a warm embrace.
"I'm sorry for scaring you like that." the older blonde said.
"Well...I was scared...but how did you scare me?"
"I felt like I made you panic."
"What?! If anything, you kept me from losing my marbles. Thank you, Angel."
"...You're welcome. If you'd like I can do the rest for you."
"...If you want..."
Chopping could be heard. The pounding of the machete produced a loud beat to signify its intensity. Meanwhile, a brunette with glasses and a redhead were watching.
"How much do you want me to cut, sir?"
"The whole branch!"
The servant followed the order and he detached a burly arm from the tree and hoisted it down to the brunette.
"Here you are." the servant announced.
"Thanks...do you want to take a break?"
"If you want me to, Mr. Beckford, but I can continue to do this work if you want."
"No. I'm a man of my word. I'd best get some lumber."
The servant climbed down from the tree and handed the brunette the machete. The brunette climbed the tree and continued.
"Hey Simon." he said.
"Yes, Mr. Beckford."
"You can just call me Johnny. Anyway, you know how you voted with Benjamin and my alliance at the last vote?"
"I do recall such an exchange."
"Could you possibly vote with us in the future?"
"If that is your wish, then I will see it done."
"Thank you."
The brunette had chopped down another branch and handed it to the servant on the ground. The brunette then looked to the redhead. He hadn't spoken a word since they began working.
"Hey, Benjamin! You're a little quiet down there!"
"Oh, I got a little off track."
"What for?"
There was a brief silence between the two.
"I'm still thinking about yesterday with Aubrey."
"You're still thinking about that? She's on our side and she likes you!"
"I know and I'm quite flattered...however there's still several things that won't get out of my mind."
"Like what?"
"...Hmm... well it just seems so baffling to know how much she's willing to sacrifice for me...like I said I appreciate that...but at the same time I know a thing or two about girls. My sisters often like to bring their friends over and I've gotten to know them. Some of them are nice and selfless, but then there are others that raise an eyebrow or two. Not that Aubrey would be one of them, but still...she is a double agent and something is telling me that she wouldn't be loyal to our alliance."
"You seem to know a lot about girls and in some ways you do have a point. Just talk to her some more, test the waters, and see how true to you she really is. That's the best advice I can give...I guess."
Benjamin looked up at his friend, staring into his dark green eyes.
"Alright."
"I don't mean to interrupt, but do you want me to forget everything that has just been exchanged?" the servant asked.
"It's fine, but don't tell anybody."
The redhead then reached out his hand and offered it to the servant. Taking the cue, he gladly shook it.
Day Six
Things were certainly back to normal at the Flying Monkeys tribe. The night wasn't luxurious, but they were at least somewhat protected; even if there wasn't any rain.
Business had returned to normal; everyone was refocused on their goals.
"They're over there, talking again." Jordan whispered.
"...I know..." Rickie answered.
The dark man then faced his friend.
"Say, do you think I should go talk to them?...Maybe I could...convince them to separate."
"Do you think you could do it? It's already Day Six and you did say no to them."
"I know. But maybe I can talk some sense into them. I don't want things to get ugly when they don't need to."
Rickie walked to the other side of the beach, where four girls were sitting in a circle.
"Um...hi girls."
"Hi, Rickie!" Riley greeted.
"You too. Um...listen...can we talk for a minute?"
"Okay." Mystery said.
The dark man sat down on the sand. Lola and Riley made room for him.
"I don't mean to...dampen the mood but I have noticed that you four have been hanging out. I'm fine with that, of course, but after yesterday...I...got a little concerned."
"About what?" Mystery asked.
"You see, from what I heard, the four of you are in one big alliance."
"I guess there's no reason to hide it at this point."
"Okay, I thank you for your honesty, Mystery. But...can I ask if you girls...don't...do that?"
"Why?"
The muscles in Rickie's face began to tense.
"I just think...that you may become a danger to others..."
"In what way?" Melika jumped in.
"...Well...people may want to get rid of you...they may be scared...to talk to you..."
There was a moment's silence.
"I appreciate your concern, Rickie." Mystery said. Rickie looked at the black-haired girl. "But we know what we're risking."
"...I want you to reconsider..."
"It's bound to happen at some point. We're trying to get one step ahead."
"...Please..."
"Don't worry about us. We're just playing the game."
Rickie remained frozen with his head down.
"...Okay...I understand..."
The dark man got up and walked away.
"You know...now I'm starting to get a little scared." Lola said.
"About what?" Riley asked.
"Well...maybe we shouldn't have done anything at all...just...hope to have ourselves last until we have the majority..."
Mystery thought about this for a moment.
"...Oh...shit...I think we've drawn them a little too close..." she said.
The black-haired girl then noticed two more men joining Rickie and Jordan.
"It seems like they have an alliance of their own." Melika commented.
"And they're about our size, so they're a threat. Our only option is to get Macy and use her to cut them." Mystery said.
"You do have a point, but they're probably thinking the same thing right now. We need to act quickly! I'll get her alone later on today."
"Okay, Melika. I pray that you're successful, though."
"Are you alright?" Jordan asked concerned.
"I'm fine..."
Rickie took several deep breaths.
"Get Benny and Ed...we need to talk."
Jordan was quick to walk out into the jungle where said people were.
Rickie slumped down against a tree.
Several minutes later, the three met up with him.
"What did you want to talk about?" Benny asked.
Rickie took a breath.
"It's about the alliance between Mystery, Melika, Lola, and Riley. They're a strong force that won't give in. My fear is that they will grow."
"By getting another member?" Benny asked.
"Maybe...Macy seems to be the easiest grab for them. We need to prevent her from joining this girls alliance. If she joins, then they will have the majority at five and they can pick off whoever they want. And we are the outsiders."
"But that wouldn't be the only way! Even though they would need to eliminate two to make the majority, if they survive just one vote, then we could see a tiebreaker that's too big a risk to take!" Jordan added.
"Indeed. With that said, we should vote one of them out at the next and then Macy after that."
"Could we vote out Macy next and then one of the girls?" Benny asked.
"No. If we did that, then the alliance is guaranteed the key to make a tie. Our best option is to vote out one of their own and keep a close eye on Macy until then. Promise her a spot on the alliance...and then...betray..."
Rickie couldn't finish.
"Are you alright?" Jordan asked.
"...Yeah...basically...it is the way to go..."
"I'll go talk to Macy a little later to try to convince her to vote with us."
Alexis sat on the beach, looking at the newly constructed shelter and then out to the ocean, which was brightening up again.
"Things have been getting boring!" she complained.
"Well what did you think you were signing up for?" Cooper asked. He approached the small blonde.
"A quick way to get on TV, why else?!"
"Well relax! At least we have each other!"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well...to talk to."
"But I want to play a game!"
Cooper was taken aback by the comment, but realized the necessity of the small girl. He looked around, but there wasn't much.
"Well what did you want to play?"
"...I don't know..."
Cooper sighed.
"Let's just change the subject. Remember, we are technically playing a game right now. It's called Survivor."
"So?"
"When you think about it, Survivor can be really fun! You can work together to eliminate other people. Isn't that fun enough. So let's talk strategy to help determine who we want to get out next."
The small blonde sighed and then looked into Cooper's brown eyes.
"Okay...tell me stuff."
"Well, there is something I've been picking up on. Look over there!"
The male blonde pointed to a point beyond the camp. Anthony was sitting there, alone.
"Yeah...so."
"That's the guy we wanted to get rid of the other night. Ever since we got rid of one of his allies, he's been extra careful. Look! He hasn't done sh- er...poopy since Skylar's elimination. He's become so desperate that he refused to even help build camp!"
"He's a lazy pants!"
"However, there isn't reason to celebrate yet."
Alexis stared at the man in confusion.
"Why is that?"
"In addition to taking extra caution, he probably already thought to come up with a back-up plan. You see, he probably was able to convince someone else to become a new member of his alliance."
"But who?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but I do have my suspicions..."
The man froze and thought things through.
"...Maybe...Simon!"
"Why do you think him?"
"Well it's pretty obvious if you ask me! For one, he is very easy to persuade! He's so loyal that all you need to do is ask! And as if that's not enough, Angel probably attached to that bargain! Two birds with one stone, baby!"
"...So...what does that mean?"
"It's very simple, we just need to cut off the limbs! First, we get Angel! Then we can convince Simon to become one of us! We'll keep him on a tight leash until he's no longer useful and then blam! As for Anthony, we just keep voting off the people he lures until he gets the message that he can't win with our stronghold...and then we'll get him!"
The small blonde wanted to freeze, but pushed forward.
"...Okay..."
"That is what we will do! We will be the ones who will come out on top!"
"...Um...I have to go potty."
Alexis stood up and waddled into the jungle. Shivers came down her spine as she replayed that strategy.
As she continued to walk through the jungle, she heard two voices. Instinctively, the girl crouched down behind a plant.
"Listen Natasha, the next person should either be Anthony or Alexis."
"Why them?" the dark girl asked.
"We don't know a lot about Anthony and Alexis has barely done anything around camp."
"But Alexis is so sweet and young!"
"Does that matter in a game like this? I can barely stand that girl! It's bad enough that she had to complain on our way to camp back at Day One and her actions since haven't improved that. Think of it this way: would you want to give a million dollars to a kid you just met or a hard worker that deserves it?"
Silence.
"If you won, what would you do with the money?"
"My parents told me that I should put it towards college."
"Now let's say that you were the next person voted out and you were stuck with the $15,000 consolation prize. Meanwhile, this child wins a million and she spent on...a bunch of toys. Would that be fair?"
Silence.
"Do you know how old this child is?"
"...No..."
"Me neither, but judging by her behavior she probably can't be more than ten which is weird; considering that the age requirement is thirteen...so let's start at that. Let us assume that this Alexis knows what good for her and puts her money for college. So here, she is thirteen which is about five more years until college. On the other hand, you are..."
"...Seventeen."
"Seventeen and you only have one year until college. Now let us assume that every year until you two go to college you would each get the prize money you win right here right now. If you got $15,000 and one year until college, then you only have $15,000 for college. But if the child won a million with five years until college, she would have..."
"...Five...million?"
"Exactly. Now with that in mind, is that fair?"
"...No..."
"So there you go. Now you know why Alexis is a candidate to be voted out. Now let's talk about the other...Anthony. Like I said, we know very little about this man. He could be the biggest heart or the biggest threat. In Survivor, we can only assume the worst so let's do that, shall we?
From what's been heard around camp, we can assume that Anthony secretly has an alliance. As far as we're concerned, he had a member named Skylar who was voted out and Aubrey who claims to be a 'double agent'. But he could very well have more people and it's not like he's going to treat the last Tribal Council lightly.
On another note, that could have been his plan the whole time: lure Skylar in so we could vote for her."
There was another brief silence.
"So...who do you think is worse?"
"As much as I want both of them gone, Anthony seems to be the more immediate threat. Who knows what he could do if he we let him stay!"
"Okay."
"They used to play
On the playground every day
And I didn't know what to say
But to go my own way"
A poem I wrote some time ago. I used nothing special but the old rhyming fashion. Rather simple. Just like my life. I want to change. But something makes me fine where I am. Maybe I just don't try. Or maybe that's how things are supposed to be.
"You're going to be famous!"
The man lifted his head and looked on the bracelet on his right wrist.
"I know you're going to make many friends out there, plus people will adore you back home."
He stared at the white beads that made it up, and they reminded him of what he held dear.
"Don't let this opportunity fly by. You will be a blank slate in all the contestants' eyes, so you can make the best first impression and be the coolest guy on the island! Isn't that what you want?"
"I know I can, and I want to. But...confrontation never comes to my mind. I want it all, but my muscles can never get to anyone, my voice always want to leave me alienated an-"
"Don't let that happen to you! Stand up and show the world who you are! Whenever you look at that bracelet, you are reminded of what you can accomplish!"
He took yet another look.
"Yes, Lulu...I will stand up!...
But...not today..."
"Hi James! How's your vacation?"
"Well, it started out fine, but now there's police all over town!" a deep voice uttered.
"Is it bad?"
"It's terrible! The beach is closed and they're now investigating the waters nearby!"
"What for?"
"How the hell do I know?! They won't tell nothin'!"
"Sad to hear. I do hope the pandemonium ends soon. And listen. You still with me?"
"Yeah."
"If things don't get better, then I'll give you another one on me!"
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Thank you. I gotta go now."
"Bye, James."
The man hung up his phone and retired to his living room and turned on the television. He clicked through the channels before tuning in to an evening news station.
"Good evening, Toronto. This is your anchor Frank Boggards with tonight's top stories.
In international news, four crew members on the set of Total Drama Survivor have gone missing last night. Thirty year old Jason Scuhawk, thirty-three year old Kevin Lateroy, twenty-nine year old Paul Brad, and thirty-eight year old Derek Jones were overlooking the set when they all vanished without a trace.
Local police in Bandar Papar, Malaysia are currently investigating the waters surrounding the area along with the help of some American officers as well."
The man's face then cut to an audio transmission.
"Searches are still underway after five hours. Nothing has been reported about these men's location or how they vanished."
The anchor began to speak again.
"There is little evidence right now, however as the hours go on we hope to find out more.
Malcolm Stevenson, the host and on-set producer of this project commented earlier today about it in a message on the CBS website. He claims that 'he sends out his prayers for the crew members and hopes that they will be found'. Stevenson also states that despite the investigation, production will continue without interruption."
Just you wait.
A/N: Thank you for reading! Leave a review if you want!
