Chapter 8
"Last time on Total Drama Island… No, wait, can we get that again?" Chris rubbed his throat, "Ack, just… Caught something in my throat."
"No worries. Ashley, can you grab Mr McLean some water?"
"No, no," he waved away the notion, "I'm good, let's just… Go again."
"If you say so. Go in 3… 2…"
"Last time on Total Drama Island! From opossums to bees, the Rolling Stones to clowns, our remaining campers were forced to face their biggest fears! Some managed to overcome them. Some didn't. In the end it came down to Nate on the Gophers, who had to face his for all the marbles: fellow teammate; Ruby! He couldn't quite hack it, and the Gophers sent him packing. Now the streaks are reversed, the Bass have won two in a row and the teams are even again. Can the Killer Bass keep it up? Will the Screaming Gophers be able to cope without Nate? And will this tense cup of drama finally spill over? There's only one way to find out! Welcome to Total! Drama! Island!"
"And cut, perfect!" A producer gave Chris a thumbs up and strode towards a nearby trailer, flanked by two interns.
Chris wiped his brow with his wrist, and looked around. A rare moment of quiet for a TV host. He smiled, contented, and stretched his arms, enjoying the sun for a second. Then immediately another intern came hurrying towards him, "Mr McLean? The boats are all set up."
"Thanks Julie, do you have the time?"
"Um…" she was taken aback, blushing, "It's 10am. Ish."
"Can I have it exactly?" he smiled.
"Um… 10:03?"
"Thanks Julie. Gotta get going. All rush on this show, huh?" And with that he walked off, keeping a fast pace. Julie stood for a second, smiling, before shaking her head, and rushing back to the trailer.
"Okay campers! You have about half an hour to meet me at the beach, it's challenge time! Hehe!" Chris announced.
"Did someone say beach?" Ysabel sat up from her position, tanning on the dock.
"How did you hear with earbuds in?" Josh asked, sweating profusely.
"I get called a beach all the time, I know what it sounds like." she smiled a toothless smile, and picked up her towel, "Looks like I won't even have to get dressed at all. Beach day Joshy, let's go."
"Can I get dressed first?"
"You are dressed." she squinted.
He paused. "Changed. I mean changed. I… I've sweated a lot."
"Yeah that's cause you got dressed." she flicked her hair, lightly slapping him in his face. He spat out a hair. "Whatever, go on. I'm gonna relax on the sand." She replaced her earbuds and sashayed off.
He watched her leave, and as soon as she was out of view, he shook himself awake and sprinted back to camp.
"I mean, I assume it's a swimsuit thing." Gabriel shrugged, rummaging through his suitcase and pulling out a pair of black swim shorts.
"Would make sense." Clive shrugged, jumping off his bunk and plucking a pair out of his drawers.
"I see you've moved in." he raised an eyebrow.
"I don't plan on leaving soon. And you? Just like living out of a bag?"
"Just in case." Gabriel shook his head, wrapping a towel around him to put on his trunks in privacy.
Suddenly, Ruby shoved her head through the door, "Hey guys probably put swim stuff on okay!" At this point she noticed them, Clive holding his shorts and Gabriel in the middle of changing. "... Good." she left as quickly as she had arrived.
"Y'know other people know what a beach is!" Gabriel yelled after her.
"Don't expect me to have faith in you!" she yelled back.
He rolled his eyes, and finished getting changed, throwing his towel over his shoulder. Ajay casually strode in, "So, you think we should… Yeah okay swimsuits it is."
"Yeah… Hey where's…" Gabriel started, "Oh… There are only three guys left on this team."
"Oh are there?" Ajay looked around, "I mean… Cool?"
"I feel like this is the point where Nate would say 'Nice' or something like that." Clive offered.
"Well now I'm glad we voted him off." Gabriel nodded.
"I was already glad." he replied.
Ajay looked a little forlorn, "Don't you think we should, like, stick together? Y'know, as guys?"
"Why?" Gabriel scoffed, leaving.
"Ignore him, he's made his choice." Clive rolled his eyes, "I'll stick by you man. For what little good that'll do."
Gabriel stuck his head back into the cabin, "Hey, also, you saying that means you can't vote me out. Peace, see you at the beach."
Ajay facepalmed.
Bella was just getting up as Ruby re-entered, followed shortly by Louise, Indira and Sascia, "Man, it's nice to get some sleep now that Nate and Edwin are out."
Ruby nodded vigorously, "Can't believe we didn't do it sooner, my God, no one needs all that racket in the morning."
"I don't know," Louise sniffed, "I think I'd rather have Edwin still here." Indira put a hand on her shoulder.
"Fine, just Nate then, whatever." Ruby shrugged, "Personally, I'd rather not vote anyone else out, at least."
"Agreed," Sascia echoed, "we need to start winning again. These decisions are getting hard."
"Disagreed." Bella offered, stretching her joints.
"Okay, they will start getting hard though." she tried to convince them, "Like, there's only three boys left."
"Clive." Bella said, at the same time Ruby offered "Ajay." They turned and squinted at each other.
"Regardless!" Sascia said, exasperated, "How about we win?"
"That's what we were saying!" Ruby complained.
"Ugh." was her only response.
Josh burst into the Bass boys' cabin, "Gotta get changed, scuse me."
"Um… Why?" Elijah asked, playing cards with Oswald and Ivan. Ivan was very much winning.
"Uh, beach?" Josh argued to fullest extent of his ability.
"So?" Oswald sided with Elijah, "Draw 2 Ivan."
"Draw 7, Elijah." Ivan slapped down a black jack.
"Damn…" Elijah picked up seven cards, "It could be whatever."
"Well…" Josh reasoned, "Everyone else is doing it."
"I'll do it." Lucas shrugged, jumping off his bunk, "I do enjoy a little showing off."
"Hey Ivan." Elijah struggled to choose a card to play, "Fancy wearing your swimsuit today?"
"Da." he looked up, "Beach means water."
"So much for showing off." Lucas scowled, grabbing his swimsuit and leaving to change in the showers.
"So, swimsuits?" Oswald asked.
Elijah nodded, "Sure, why not? If we are swimming, I don't wanna do it in clothes."
"Yeah, cool, see you guys!" Josh had gotten changed, and sprinted out the doors straight to the beach.
"What's his problem?" Oswald didn't look up from his cards.
"If I knew that…" Elijah shook his head, playing a card.
"Ooh, I have you now!" Ivan grinned, chuckling lightly.
"Crap." Elijah grimaced.
Confessional
Elijah: Even cards! Even cards!
Oswald: I like Josh. I do. I think. He does worry me at times, though.
End
Over in the girls' cabin, Sabrina walked in on Lee, looking at herself in the mirror, wearing a classy, modest, white bikini. "Oh, hi!" she smiled and waved, looking through the door, "Have you seen Ysabel out there?"
"Do you want to see Ysabel?" Sabrina asked, picking a one-piece out of a drawer and beating creases out of it.
"Yeah? Why, don't you like her?"
Sabrina shrugged, "I don't know, just like… I would've thought there were more important things… Much more important things."
Lee leaned to look out the window, a concerned expression on her face, "So, what do you think's happening today?"
"Absolutely no clue. I couldn't get close to predicting what this show has to offer."
"Neither…" she sighed, "See you there."
"See ya." Sabrina raised an eyebrow as she left. "And then there was one. Talking to herself. In a cabin. Huh."
Ysabel was the first at the beach, laying down on her towel, catching the morning sun. The second to arrive was Gabriel, who noticed she was lying there all too late. "Oh, no way." he muttered, turning to go.
"Heyy, don't leave me already." came the lilting voice from behind him. He cringed and turned back to her. "That's right, come on, I don't bite."
"What if I do?" he stood his ground.
"I'd like that." she purred, patting the ground next to her.
He grimaced, looking around, "Chris?"
"Oh, no one's around to help you." She slowly got up and stepped towards him, hands on her hips.
"You know that bikini really isn't flattering."
"We both know you're lying." she softly laid a hand on his shoulder, "Now, should we have a chat, or just skip the whole talking phase?"
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but let's have a conversation." He blushed deeply. She grinned, finally under his skin. She took his hand and led him to her beach towel. She lay down on it, and he sat next to her, cross-legged, arms folded, staring out across the lake.
"Sooo… You play a sport, right? I can always tell… Baseball? Soccer? Ooh, lacrosse?" she asked, flipping onto her side.
"I dabble… Football in the fall, baseball casually, soccer in the summer." He said, emotionlessly.
"Lovely… You have a quarterback's arms." she went to grab his tricep, but he flinched away just in time.
"I play end."
"Even better."
Confessional
Gabriel: Something about her just… Gets under my skin… And she seeks me out! I swear! Like, she's totally playing games with me… It ain't gonna work I promise.
Ysabel: Hey, either he gets eliminated for being distracted and then their team falls apart, or I bag myself a football player, that's set for life baby. Or was that basketball players?
End
Unfortunately, just cresting the lip of the beach was Josh, hurriedly wiping his face down with a towel. He finished and pulled it down, spying Gabriel and Ysabel sitting together, seeing the smile on her face, but only the back of his head. He stopped dead in his tracks. His heart sank. Was Lucas lying when he said it would all work out?
"Hey Josh!" came a cheery voice behind him, as Lee made her way to the beach.
"Hey Lee…" he processed this information for a minute, "Lee… Lee! Don't look!"
Lee's stomach tightened up, "Why, is something wrong?" She craned her neck to peer behind him.
"No, it's just… Not ready yet, we should probably go back to camp." He fought back tears.
"Come on, Josh, what's up?" she looked behind him, spotting the two.
"My heart's broken."
A smile played at Lee's lips, "Don't be so dramatic, Josh, let's go say hi."
"Wait!" he cried, before immediately catching how loud he was being, before whispering "Wait…"
"Josh…" Lee looked at him with pity, trying to suppress her own emotions.
"How about we pretend to be together, to make them jealous?" he said, eyes wide, desperate.
She softened, "Sure, okay, if that will cheer you up."
"Great, let's hold hands." he said, deadly serious.
"Let's not." she smiled, pushing past him and swallowing her feelings as she stepped onto the sand. He quickly turned and hurried to get back in stride with her. "Hey guys, having fun?" she asked the two, shakily.
"No." Gabriel answered.
"Yes." Ysabel purred at the same time. A smile forced its way onto Lee's face.
"Hey, b-babe." Josh stumbled behind her, "Y-you shouldn't rush off like that while we're m-making out, you al-al-almost took my lips w-with you." He tried to grin, but ended up grimacing.
Gabriel looked back at Ysabel, who rolled her eyes, and placed a hand on his shoulder. He slapped it, and she retracted it. "Look, Josh, you really don't expect either of us to believe that, right?"
"N… No?" he squeaked.
Lee sighed, "Josh is a little... upset."
"Lee don't-!" Josh began.
"Oh, really, wanna swap?" Gabriel asked.
"Yes." Josh practically shouted.
"No!" Ysabel grabbed his sleeve at the same time.
"It's settled, Josh, keep it warm for me." Gabriel stood up, dancing out of Ysabel's reach. She sneered at him, grasping at thin air. Josh dropped to the ground, rolling towards her. She stood up, wrapping her towel around herself. "Curse you…" she hissed.
He winked, and turned to Lee, who was staring across the lake, expressionless. He sighed, "Hey… Um… How are you?"
She blinked, "This is the first time we've talked since-"
"And now, I'm gonna stand over there." he stepped away, but she grabbed his arm, before catching herself, and letting go.
"I'm sorry… I just don't know how to feel… You just-"
"It was a joke." he shrugged, "I… Look, I feel bad… About that."
"Good." she glared at him. He knit his eyebrows, looking over his shoulder. She stared for one second. Two. Before she broke, giggling through her facade. "I'm sorry, you look so... "
"Please don't say pathetic," a half-smile began to appear. "I don't think I could handle it."
"The truth hurts," she said, liltingly.
"I'm sorry." he flung his arms in the air. "I have to say it. I'm sorry. I... Never wanted to make you upset… I never want to."
"In… In retrospect, it probably wasn't that bad." she blushed.
"That's not the point, is it?" he asked, lifting her face with his hand.
"So… What…" they stared into each other's eyes, "Do… You… Um… Think the challenge is today?" she pulled away, gazing across the lake, certain she could see land.
He looked down and gave a slightly bitter laugh, "Whatever I guess, it'll be ten times stupider."
"Oh, I don't know… Dodgeball, staying awake, camping… It's pretty simple."
"Creating giant sets and soundproof pods to try and abuse kids' biggest fears…" he looked at her, "It's getting a little crazy, isn't it?"
"I just hope I get to see how crazy it gets." she shrugged.
He thought for a second, "When you put it like that… I… want $100,000."
"Is that why you're here?" She knit her brows.
"Uh… Yeah. I mean, mostly. A little. No?"
As he ran through his options, she leant into herself, giggling, and many of the other campers finally arrived, changed and raring to go. "Hey, get out of here Gopher!" Lucas yelled, slinging a sports team-branded towel over his shoulder.
"Um, we're all meant to be here." Ruby responded, folding her arms, "But still, Gabriel, get out of there."
"That's what I said!" he complained.
"Aw, is team mixing all that bad?" Indira sidled up to him..
"Yes." he answered, not a hint of humour in his voice.
"Wow..." she rolled her eyes and pushed him over, leaving him with a mouthful of sand.
"Hey," he sputtered, spitting sand, "that's assault."
"You… You're kidding me dude." Elijah arrived on the scene, flanked by Oswald and Ivan, Oswald shaking his head and Ivan waving to the other contestants.
"Whatever," he got up, wiping himself down, "shouldn't Chris be here by now?"
"I've been here the whole time." Chris said, standing at the edge of the shore. Several campers jumped. Louise screamed slightly. "Okay, just kidding, I snuck in while you were all… Doing whatever. Is this everyone?"
Lucas and Ruby counted up their teams. Ruby gave Chris a thumbs up, Lucas looked worried, "I think we're missing Josh."
"No you're not." Josh whined, hurt.
"Oh… All good, Chris!" Lucas smiled. Josh did not.
"Alrighty, it's nice to see you're all dressed for the occasion, thanks, saves us time. So, welcome to your seventh challenge! For today, you'll all be setting sail in these canoes," eight canoes were dragged ashore as he spoke, "to the infamous Boney Island!"
"Huh?" Oswald asked.
"Boney Island," Chris tried to up the atmosphere, "is the island just a few minutes from Wawanakwa, afflicted with a terrible curse! The creatures found there are like nothing found anywhere else on earth! There exists natural hazards even Saturday morning cartoons would call ridiculous! And God help you should you take anything off the island, as everything there is cursed should you remove it from its natural territory." The campers gulped collectively. "Now that you're all sufficiently terrified, you'll all be visiting, carrying your canoes across the island to the infamous Boney Island beach, where you will light a signal fire. Once that fire is big enough, you will row back. First team back wins. Simple. Any questions?"
"Um…" Josh raised a hand, "That stuff about the island… Is it true?"
Chris nodded, "It's all serious. Please do not take a single item from the island." He looked down, "Um, also you may all want to invest in footwear. Sandals… Sliders… You should all put something on." The campers looked down at their bare feet. "Alright, You all go get some footwear, and when you get back here, you can take your canoes, being careful about numbers - two or three per boat - and set sail. Your challenge starts now!"
The campers sprinted back to the cabin, with the exception of Ysabel and Gabriel. She turned to him, "Oh, what a coincidence."
His eyes went wide, "Bella! Save me a seat!"
Confessional
Indira: He does really get on my nerves sometimes… He's lucky he's cute.
Lucas: I mean, at some point this really does become bullying, right?
End
In the Gophers Boys' side of the cabin, Ajay and Clive quickly slapped some sandals on. "So, we can canoe together, right man?" Ajay asked, strapping up.
"Yeah, of course, man." Clive's eyes darted around the room, "You go claim one, I'll meet you there?"
"Why?" Ajay asked, standing up.
"I'm looking for some bug spray, give me a minute."
"Good call, you better share." he nodded, sprinting out the door, repeating "Canoe, canoe, canoe..." under his breath.
Clive half-smiled as Ajay left, then reached for Gabriel's bag, picked out two navy sliders, tossed one onto the top of a cupboard, and one under his bed. He chuckled lightly to himself, swiftly picked up a can of bug spray from his drawer and opened the door, directly into Gabriel's face. "Hey, at least it's someone else this time?"
"Hurts just as much." he grimaced, holding his reddening nose.
"Oh, by the way, there was a raccoon in there?" Clive shrugged, "Musta left a window open, it's just a bit of a mess."
"I'm sure it's been tidier than Nate." he rolled his eyes, "And smarter."
He shrugged again, "Just, like, y'know, forewarning."
"Whatever." he rolled his eyes, stepping inside.
Clive grinned to himself, and headed off.
In the girls' side, they were slightly less sneaky. Indira strapped up some leather gladiator-style sandals, "You and me, Sash?" she asked as she popped up.
"Sure, let's get going." she clapped, standing.
"Hey, can I join you guys?" Louise asked, tripping over her own feet.
"Um…" Indira looked at Ruby.
"Probably quicker if we go in three groups." Ruby figured, "3-3-2. Yeah, go ahead."
"Yes!" Louise fist pumped, and the three girls raced out, "I call the front!" she could be heard from outside.
"So…" Bella folded her arms, "Are we a three or a two?"
Ruby curled her lip, "Depends what the boys do. We can take a third if we need to. Let's just get to the beach to figure it out."
"Cool." she nodded, "Let's see how it shakes out… But if the third guy is Clive or Ajay, I don't wanna."
"I'm sure it won't be." Ruby grumbled, slamming open the door, "Damn, I hoped he'd be there. C'mon."
"Coming." she sighed.
Ysabel slowly strolled her way to the cabin, watching Gabriel enter his, and not leave. She smirked. In her cabin, however, Lee had just finished, and walked out, followed by Sabrina, "Oh, hey, Ysabel, want to be our third?" she asked, beaming. Sabrina's eyes went wide.
"Oh, I don't think so," she smiled, voice honey-thick, "I'm already all set."
Sabrina breathed, "Okay, cool, just you and me then Lee, let's get going."
"But, I want to make sure-" she began, before Sabrina grabbed her arm, and led her off.
"Cool, catch you later, see you on the island!" she babbled, leaving. Lee looked confused, but managed a half-hearted wave. Ysabel waved back, quickly grabbed a pair of sandals, and headed back outside to put them on.
The boys were leaving at this point, Ivan carrying Oswald and Elijah on his shoulders, "Higher!" Oswald cried gleefully. Josh and Lucas followed, Josh slowing as he passed Ysabel.
"Hey, y'know, like, if you want to join our boat, we have a spare…" he stumbled over his words.
"Nope." she smiled, "I've got a group, just waiting for Sabrina and Lee." She rolled her eyes playfully.
"Oh, okay…" Josh said, mopily, kicking at the ground.
"Come on, man!" Lucas grasped his shoulder, "We've gotta catch up, we can't let the Gophers get ahead.
"Oh, yeah." he was whisked away, "See you there!" he called over his shoulder. Ysabel waved her fingers as he left, and, when the coast was clear, approached the Gophers' cabin.
Confessional
Clive: I figured I should level the playing field a little. Making someone else a bigger target just makes me a smaller one. God, I hope they never find out.
Ajay: Idiot… Didn't bring bug spray! What am I like…
Louise: I wish Edwin was still here… A romantic canoe ride… Can you imagine?
Ysabel: I'm as surprised as you are that he fell for it, honestly.
Elijah: Okay, I'll admit, it's fun being up on Ivan's shoulders. Also it's fun having him do all the rowing.
End
On the shore, Clive and Ajay were pushing their canoe into the lake, but Lee and Sabrina were already sailing off, Sabrina calling out "Stroke, stroke." as they moved.
"You… You don't have to do that?" Lee suggested, her arms tiring.
"I know, I just want to…" she shrugged, "Stroke!"
The Gopher girls arrived a little before the Bass guys, as Clive and Ajay paddled off. Ruby called out to them, "Hey, is Gabriel with you?" she called across the lake.
"No!" Clive shouted back, "Is he not with you?"
"It's okay!" she replied, "We've got it, we'll meet you on the beach!"
"Alright!" he said, turning back to Ajay, shrugging. Ajay didn't notice anything wrong, but shrugged back, because it seemed appropriate.
Back on land, Ruby rolled her eyes, "Okay, we can wait a minute, I guess, you guys go ahead." she waved Sascia, Indira and Louise into the water.
Louise triumphantly hopped into the front seat, paddle held aloft, "Wee! Let's go!"
Indira struggled to move the boat, "Might be easier without you in there!" she groaned.
"Oh… But we're so close, let's go!" she squealed, as Indira gave one more strained push.
Ivan arrived and kicked a canoe out onto the open water, and placed Elijah and Oswald in the front two seats, before launching himself into the back, and rowing off.
Bella looked at Ruby, eyes wide, "He better hurry his ass up."
Josh and Lucas finally caught up, Lucas leading the way, "Come on, we have to catch up!"
"Why?" Josh complained, "The girls aren't even ready yet!" Bella's ears perked up, and she allowed a smirk to play on her lips.
"Whatever," Lucas snapped, "we've gotta get going, they'll be so far ahead." He shoved Josh into a canoe and threw a paddle to him, hitting him in the back of the head.
"Ow…" he moaned.
"Sorry," he cringed slightly, before hopping in beside him and pushing them off.
Ruby and Bella watched the boats sailing off. Ruby snarled, "If he isn't here in ten seconds, we are leaving."
"But he'll be stranded." Bella complained, half-heartedly.
"His fault." Ruby decisively crossed her arms, "Also, if Lee's not here yet, she'll definitely give him a lift… That's ten, let's get going." She jumped into the back of their canoe.
"But…" Bella began.
"He'll find his own way." she said, definitively.
She sighed, "He's on his own," and hopped into the front seat, paddling towards the mysterious island on the horizon.
But he wasn't on his own. As he dug through his clothes, growing more desperate with every shirt overturned, someone opened the door. Without looking, he said, "Sorry, Chris, I just-"
"Guess again." came a sing-song voice, from a figure posing against the doorframe.
He sighed, "While you're here, you can at least make yourself useful."
"I thought you'd never ask." Ysabel said, excitedly.
"No!" he finally turned, hands covering his face.
"Relax." she smiled cheekily, "I'll help you look. What are we looking for?"
He sighed with relief, but eyed her warily, "A pair of, like, navy sliders… Apparently a raccoon was in here, and well, they aren't in my bag anymore."
"First of all, you never unpacked? Second, you don't really believe that, do you?"
He caught himself for a second, "First, again, yeah, I never unpacked, you must find that so lazy and unorganised. Second, again, no. I don't, but I don't wanna blame anyone, either."
Ysabel smiled, "First, again, again, I actually find it very forward thinking, I like a man that lives on the edge. Second, again, again, catch!"
A slider caught him square in the temple. He turned to see her giggling to herself. "Thank you, but also, ow?"
"I'm not sorry." she said through laughs, "It was on top of the cupboard."
"Odd." he shook his head, "But there is usually a pair…"
"Let me lie down and help." she pressed her chest to the floor, and, out of the corner of her eye, noticed the pair, underneath a bed, "Hello."
"Oh, God, I'm not exposed am I?" He checked his shorts.
"I wish, no, but look at what I found under this bed." she reached under, "Sock, ew, magazine, don't want to know… Moving, Ah!" she snatched her hand back.
"What are you doing?" he was on his hands and knees, almost face-to-face with her.
"Trying to control my breathing, now." she winked. He pulled back, grimacing. "But, actually, the second one's under there." He reached under without breaking eye contact, and pulled it out. "Yeah, that does it for me." she whispered.
He shook a little dust off of it, "Ew. But, thanks. Let's go, they're probably waiting." he stood up and put the sliders on.
She slowly stretched herself upwards, "I seriously doubt it… We may have to share a canoe." She leant her head back to stretch her neck, and when she brought it back up, she sported a maniacal grin.
He went pale, "Oh… No…"
Confessional
Gabriel: Yeah, I think this is worst case scenario.
Ysabel: I know, I'm a genius. It's okay, you don't have to tell me.
End
When the two finally got to the beach it was empty, save for one single canoe, and Chris checking his watch. As they stepped on the sand he raised an eyebrow, "You the only two left?" Gabriel breathlessly nodded. Chris looked confused for a second, before shaking his head, "Alrighty. This was meant to be, y'know, a team sort of challenge, but I don't think you guys have a choice. Canoe, island, you know what to do."
"Together?" Gabriel asked incredulously.
"Together!" Ysabel whispered into his ear. He shuddered. "Let's go big boy." she stepped into the canoe's front seat, pulling her hair into a bun.
"Are you sure we can't do anything else?" he bargained, but Chris shut him down immediately.
"No can do, there needs to be two of you together at least. Health and Safety." he shrugged, "Now row your fair maiden to the land of eternal darkness." he clapped him on the shoulder, "Your chariot awaits."
"I quit."
"No you don't." Chris smiled, walking away, dusting his hands off.
"Push me!" Ysabel moaned, leaning backwards.
"I'm gonna capsize on purpose." he grumbled.
"What was that?" she batted her eyelids back at him.
"I wanna massage your shoulders." was the only thing he could come up with.
"Aw, thank you. I warn you, I'm not good at physical labour."
"You don't say…" he finally got the boat in the water, paddling in the direction of the others, disappearing over the horizon.
At the front of the pack, Lee and Sabrina began to slow down as their arms began to tire and the waters became easier to move through. But the teams of three - Elijah, Ivan, Oswald and Louise, Indira, Sascia - had picked up speed and caught up. Ivan was at the back of his canoe, casually pulling the boat along as Oswald and Elijah sat up front, playing another card game. "Snap!" Oswald slapped his hand down on a bench, rocking the boat.
"Nyet!" Ivan complained, "Please, we don't want boat to capsize."
"Sorry!" he cringed, collecting his winnings, and looking over the lake, "It is nice here though isn't it?"
Elijah looked up, "Yeah… These warm Canadian Summers." He caught a glimpse of the boat ahead of them, "Oh, hey guys!" he waved.
Lee looked back, "Hey! How's it going?"
Elijah and Oswald looked at Ivan. He shrugged mid-row, "Okay."
"Fine." the other two smiled back.
"Do you know where everyone is?" Lee asked.
"Lee, that doesn't really-" Sabrina started before Elijah answered.
"I think Ysabel, Josh and Lucas are all together?" he looked at Oswald, who shrugged. "Yeah, probably… I mean that is everyone else."
"Yeah that does make sense." Elijah nodded, turning back to the girls.
Lee thought for a second, "... Okay, cool. We should all meet on the island before we get crossing. Don't want anyone getting lost."
"Good idea." Oswald acknowledged, "Last time's plan didn't quite work out great."
"Not my fault!" Ivan defended himself.
"Trust me I know." Elijah rolled his eyes. "I reckon it'll be easier if we just knock Lucas out and carry him in a canoe this time."
"He's not that bad…" Lee said as Ivan pulled up alongside them and slowed to the same speed.
"He is." Sabrina argued.
"In some ways, you could argue he is the worst." Elijah offered.
"Come on guys, we can't be talking like that about a teammate." Lee said, not totally believing herself. Oswald nodded along with her.
"Five of us, three of them…" Elijah raised his eyebrows at Sabrina, who winked back at him.
"House divided struggles to stand." Ivan announced sternly.
"Exactly Ivan." Lee beamed, "We are a family."
"I call cool uncle!" Oswald raised his hand.
"Can we both be cool uncles?" Elijah asked. Oswald blushed slightly. Elijah thought for a second, "Like brothers."
"Oh, yeah cool, that." Oswald nodded vigorously.
"We don't always need alcoholic grandad though." Sabrina cut through the awkwardness.
"How close is the island?" Lee changed the subject.
"It's right there." Elijah leaned over the side to point out a growing mass with a skull carved into it.
"It's a little on the nose, don't you think?" Sabrina sat back, letting the boat's momentum carry them forward.
"I don't think it has a nose." Oswald observed.
At this point, Sascia, Louise and Indira rowed past the Bass, only picking up speed, although Louise wasn't rowing, merely sitting between the others and clapping along.
"Come on, Lou, we're nearly there!" Indira groaned, pushing against the waves.
"But my arms are tired…" she complained, "And we're so close."
"But we could get there faster." Sascia incentivised.
"Please…" she tried one last attempt.
"I think you guys are missing a bit of your team." Sabrina called.
Indira looked back, silently counting them, "... So are you."
"She makes a good point." Elijah admitted.
"Shut up," she hissed, then turned back to Indira, "I'm just saying you don't want to get lost. Again."
"Hey that was not my fault!" Louise jerked across to point over the side of the canoe, wobbling it.
"Hey, Lou, don't-" Sascia managed before their boat flipped, and the Gophers were sent splashing into the water.
Lee grimaced as the three came up to the surface, spitting and sputtering, "Oh my, are you guys okay, do you want some help?"
"We'll be fine." Indira said through gritted teeth. "Louise…"
"Yes?" she turned.
"That wasn't good."
"I know…" she sighed. The Bass shared some awkward glances and sped up, leaving the girls trying to find a way to get their boat working again.
Confessional
Indira: That. Was not fun.
Sascia: We had to swim the rest of the way. That wasn't in the plan. Lucky I didn't lose a shoe.
Louise: I have made better decisions…
Oswald: Meow. Cat fight. Did I do that right?
End
Slightly further behind were Lucas and Josh, Josh bent double, rowing only once or twice before taking a break. Lucas rolled his eyes, "Come on Josh, this is a two man job!"
"It's not my fault!" he said between deep breaths, "I have to wait for you to steer!"
"That's a lie and you know it." he tried to hide his frustration, rather unsuccessfully.
"Can we just… Rest… A minute…"
"Not if we want to win, Josh." Lucas moaned, pushing him in the back with his paddle, "We need to get there first."
"Why? The girls haven't even caught up with us!"
"It doesn't matter we-" Lucas began.
"Well if it isn't loser and loser-lite!" came a mocking voice from behind them as Ruby and Bella caught up.
"In what way are we losers?" Lucas smirked.
"Which one of us is loser-lite?" Josh asked.
"That's not important, man." he whispered quickly, "I mean, haven't you guys lost two in a row?"
"Yeah, now we've finally caught up with you." Ruby shot back.
"So we're equal losers." Lucas glared.
She frowned, "You're usually so bad at this."
"No I'm not." he whined.
"There it is." Bella acknowledged, eyes firmly ahead.
"Hi Bella." Josh smiled at her. She only looked back with incredulity.
"So?" Lucas probed.
Ruby shrugged, "I mostly meant that you're just massive dorks."
"And you're now level with these massive dorks." Lucas smiled, confident he'd just won.
Ruby grumbled to herself, "Can we speed up, Bella?"
"Gladly." Bella growled.
"Bye Bella!" Josh said as the girls picked up steam.
"Uh, Josh?" Lucas said, snapping him back to reality.
"Huh?"
"Why have you stopped rowing?"
"We were having a nice conversation…"
"And now we're not."
"No, we're not…"
"But we could be…" he goaded.
The cogs turned in Josh's head for a moment. Then he realised. "Oh, yeah!" He began to paddle double time.
"Woah, hold on!" Lucas struggled to keep up as they regained ground.
Confessional
Josh: Bella's cool… She reminds me of my sister. She hates me too…
Lucas: I guess the guy only needed some motivation. Mental note taken…
End
Even further back was the last boat, making very little headway as Ysabel preferred to lean back and relax beneath the midday sun then to row. Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Hey I said you could tan when we made it halfway!"
"You said that ten minutes ago!" she whined, looking back at him, upside down.
"Yeah, and we're still not halfway."
"Ugh, prove it." she rolled her eyes.
He went silent for a minute. She grinned. "You know this is a competition right?"
"In my mind I've already won."
"Please show me your $100,000."
"I thought you'd never ask." she said, leaning back to her bikini tie.
"Don't do that!" he panicked.
"Relax, I'm just teasing."
"Well consider me teased, don't try again."
"Why? It's getting me results."
"Fancy swimming the last kilometre?"
She frowned and sat up, "Even less than I fancy rowing it."
"Two options." he gave his final verdict.
She gingerly picked up a paddle, "Ugh, this is gonna be hard."
"Row." was his only response.
"Why are you so moody today?" she turned fully around.
"Oh, come on, now you're not even trying…" he gestured in front of her. She cocked her head to the side. He sighed, "Look, I'm stuck here with you."
"Not following you so far." she coaxed.
"I'm supposed to be with my team." he continued.
"Isn't a new face nice?" she held her hands beneath her chin, presenting her face.
"I want to win. A lot harder when I'm helping the other team."
She sat up straight, "I helped you."
"One good deed doesn't clean your slate."
"I've been no worse than you."
"You- I… You've harassed me!"
"Distracted." she crossed her arms, "Something you've been very good at." He said nothing. "I think you don't like someone playing you at your own game."
"I'm not playing a game."
"Oh yes you are. And I'm not talking about Lee, I'm talking Lucas, Josh, Sabrina, whatever. That's trying to distract them."
"That's three names. Your list is one long."
"Call it efficiency."
"Maybe you're smarter than I gave you credit for."
"Oh, I know I am." she smiled, stretching her arms above her head. "And don't pretend you don't like the attention."
"Validation is nice." he admitted.
"We'd be great together." she whispered.
"No chance." he laughed bitterly. "You'll have to try better than that."
She shrugged, "Worth a shot. Oh, can you imagine what it's gonna be like when this is over?"
"Cheerleaders love a BNOC." he winked.
"Everyone does. Widen your scope." she looked into the distance.
"Are you thinking manipulation or just, like, y'know, fun."
"I am always thinking both, babes."
Gabriel looked out to the horizon, "Maybe we shouldn't have said this on international TV…"
"Like anyone's gonna care with this face."
He looked up as the island began to loom before them. "I prefer that one."
"We can't have caught up to Lee already-" she whipped around. "Oh, haha. I thought we bonded."
"Call it distraction."
Confessional
Gabriel: Yeah, I knew she was smart… But still… Yowza.
Ysabel: Hook, line, and sinker.
End
On the shore, the five Bass sat waiting for the rest of the boats to appear. Oswald, Ivan, Elijah and Lee were playing cards, but Sabrina stubbornly refused to join in. "Draw two, Lee." Elijah said.
"And if I put this, Ivan draws four?" she placed down a card.
"Nyet, Oswald draws nine." Ivan placed down his.
"I just can't read this guy!" Oswald flung his arms in the air, picking up nine cards.
"It's the eyes." Elijah peered into Ivan's eyes.
"Your turn." Ivan responded, stone-faced.
"It's okay, I've got this." Lee nodded, confidently.
"Nyet." Ivan shook his head, "No more twos in the deck, no more jacks. You only have reds. I win."
"Are you cheating?"
"Nyet…" Ivan looked hurt, "Concentrating."
"Are you a supercomputer android?" Oswald asked.
"I do not think so." he replied.
"Look, a boat." Sabrina got up. The other looked out as Sascia, Indira and Louise dragged their canoe onto the shore, soaking wet.
"How's the water?" Elijah asked.
"C-c-cold…" Louise muttered, shaking herself off.
"It was not fun." Indira shook her head, droplets flying everywhere. Elijah instinctively protected his cards.
"I'm sorry guys." Sabrina looked sheepish.
"Oh, it's not your fault." Sascia grimaced.
"I said sorry…" Louise whispered.
"You did." she acknowledged.
"Hey guys!" they heard from behind as Clive and Ajay brought their canoe ashore. Clive looked them up and down, "Fancied a swim?"
"Someone got overexcited." Indira pulled her hair into a bun.
"My fault." Louise admitted.
"Sounds rough." Ajay nodded.
"Where were you guys anyway? Didn't you leave before us?" Sascia asked.
"You passed us ages ago. We waved but you didn't say hi." Ajay appeared slightly hurt.
"Oh we might have been distracted a little." Indira raised her eyebrows, discreetly indicating Louise.
Confessional
Indira: Okay, I like Louise, but remind me never to take a canoe trip with her again. So much complaining, and singing, and talking about Edwin… I feel bad for saying it but… I promise I like Louise.
Sascia: I hate group projects. People like Louise are often the reason.
Clive: I mean I thought they were just being rude. I guess this is better...
End
Ajay caught Indira's meaning and nodded, "Neato. We had a rather uneventful trip."
Clive agreed, "Yeah, I mean that was really boring."
"Hey…" Ajay moaned.
"Dude, we just like… Rowed."
"We talked… A little."
"You're right, we did, I apologise."
"Thank you." he smiled.
"What are you all standing around for?" Ruby asked, as Bella dragged their boat onto land.
"Um, a little help?" she yelled.
"Whatever," Ruby was busy counting the team, "we're all here, save Gabriel."
"Perfect." Bella rolled her eyes.
"Agreed." Clive smiled.
"Aw, man they beat us…" Lucas moaned, as he also left Josh to drag his boat ashore alone.
"Hi, Bella." he smiled, pulling up alongside her. She smiled awkwardly and ran to join Ruby.
"Lucas, finally, can we get going?" Lee asked.
"Wait, you're not supposed to be here!" said Lucas and Ruby at the same time, before looking at each other. They both did a quick head count. "Seven!" They shouted.
"Huh?" Lee asked, looking to Sabrina, who shrugged. "Where's Ysabel?"
"Shouldn't you know?" Lucas asked.
"Why?" Lee looked confused.
"Wasn't she with you?"
"And how'd you get here before us?" Josh chimed in.
"We left first." Sabrina barged into the conversation, "She said she was with you."
"We thought Gabriel would be with you…" Bella helped.
"Why?" Sabrina almost choked. Bella gestured largely to Lee.
"He wasn't with us." Ruby answered.
"Wait…" Clive put two and two together, "If we're all here… Are they on a boat together?" Josh turned pale.
"No way." Elijah said, "Chris wouldn't let that happen, right?" Oswald shrugged.
"I guess we'll just have to wait." Lee said.
"No way, we'll be behind." Lucas picked up the canoe, "Come on Josh let's get moving."
"We'll be equal." Clive said, confused.
"As good as behind." Lucas ignored him, "Come on Bass!"
"What if-" Lee began.
"She'll be fine, we need to pick up the pace!" he commanded.
Ivan, Elijah and Oswald shrugged and stood up, "Might as well." Elijah said, pretending to help Ivan lift the boat, "She'll be fine with them."
"Oh no, we're not helping her." Ruby said resolutely.
"Why not?" Josh looked on the verge of tears.
"She's your problem, we're moving too."
"Don't steal my idea!" Lucas said, waiting at the forest's edge.
"You don't own the idea of doing the challenge, Lucas." Bella joined in, "I agree, we've gotta move, we're only putting ourselves at the disadvantage."
"Thank you." Ruby said.
"Works for me." Clive shrugged, let's go guys.
"Can't we dry out a little?" Louise moaned.
"Dry while we walk." Ruby responded curtly, "We're going."
"Fine…" she sighed, and the Gophers picked up their canoes and began moving, leaving the Bass behind as Lee stayed looking out at the lake.
"Come on Lee!" Lucas jumped up and down, impatient.
"Okay…" she and Sabrina struggled to lift their canoe.
"Oh, I'll help." Oswald said, picking up the middle.
"Thank you Oswald." Lee smiled, as Elijah stood next to Ivan, holding nothing. He looked up at the large boy. Ivan looked at him.
"You good?"
"I am good." Ivan nodded.
"Works for me. Quick march, team!" he strode in front.
"Hey, I'm in front!" Lucas said.
"Gotta get in front first!" Elijah laughed, standing in his way.
Confessional
Bella: What an idiot…
Clive: I think it worked, right? That's working, isn't it?
Lucas: This can't be Ysabel, right? What is Gabriel doing? Tearing this team apart...
Ruby: I should've known, I should've seen this coming, this was a terrible challenge.
Josh: What's wrong with me? Am I not good enough? AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?
Elijah: I like this challenge, this is a good one.
End
Slightly ahead, the Gophers picked their way down a dirty, worn-down mud path, occasionally slipping in mud or scratching themselves on bushes. They were silent, resolute, concentrated. "Chris was right about this place being awful wasn't he?" Ajay offered, to no one in particular.
"Oh, I know, right?" Louise turned around, "It's a good thing we've got sandals on."
"Good point." Clive nodded, "Can't imagine doing this barefoot."
"Oh, I would totally just die." she nodded vigorously, rocking the canoe she shared with Sascia and Indira.
"Hey…" Indira complained.
"Sorry." she shrank into herself. "My arms are tired."
"No, come on, we've all gotta help." Indira reasoned, "Plus, me and Sash did most of the rowing."
"Fork in the road." Bella announced from up front.
"Left." Ruby responded immediately.
"... Why?" Clive asked.
"Why not?" Ruby hissed back.
"Jeez, okay. The last team trip we took was more fun."
"Barely." Ajay added.
"Oh I disagree." Louise giggled, "Did I tell you guys?"
"Yes. Yes you did." Indira put an end to the conversation.
"Oh. Clive do you-"
"I'm good."
"Okay…"
"Anyone know any good travelling songs?" Ajay asked.
"Don't you even dare!" Ruby shouted. There was a rumble from the undergrowth around them. Everyone's eyes widened.
"Maybe we should just stick to silence." Bella suggested.
"Fine by me." Clive grimaced, eyes darting around the darkness.
"Fork in the road!" Elijah announced to the Bass as they reached the same place.
"Left." Lucas said.
"There are footprints going left…" Elijah noted.
"Okay, then right." Lucas changed direction swiftly, causing Josh to stumble and fall headfirst into mud.
"Not again…" he complained, then, "Ouch!" as the canoe fell and hit him in the head.
"Get up Josh we're far enough behind already." Lucas hoisted the boat as he shakily got back to his feet, spitting dirt and roots.
"Why do we have to go right?" Lee asked, innocently.
"Cause if they've gone that way they'll just slow us down." Lucas said.
"Why?" Sabrina asked, less innocently.
"Because." he offered nothing more.
Josh began to reason, "If we go left we'll definitely arrive after them, but maybe if we go right, we'll arrive first?"
Elijah was dumbstruck, "Josh, did you just actually make a good point?"
"Yes?" he sounded unsure.
"Yes. Yes he did." Lucas said proudly, "Right we go." Elijah led the way.
"Good point, Josh." Lee encouraged him.
"Thanks Lee." he blushed, "I'm trying."
Elijah fell back to talk to Oswald, "And Ysabel won't even believe us if we tell her."
"A fallen soldier." he nodded solemnly.
"What are you two blabbering about?" Sabrina asked pointedly.
"Nothing." Elijah said sheepishly. "It's nice that Josh is coming out of his shell."
"Ohh…" she figured it out, "Yeah, I know right."
"We could have this Josh forever…" Elijah suggested.
"Why are you so sneaky all of a sudden?" Sabrina asked, half-smiling.
"I don't know I just feel sneaky today." he giggled.
"It's a good look." Oswald mentioned.
"Thank you, think it makes me look cool and aloof like a Gopher?"
"Ooh, yeah those Gophers are so cool, scheming and sneaking." Sabrina laughed, and started an impression, "It's a game, learn to play it."
"Feelings and friendships are for losers and they'll get you nowhere in life." Oswald continued.
"You think being nice will let you win? People are just gonna vote you out if they like you." Elijah said, hunching over and pulling his hair over his eye. The three fell into mini fits of hysterics.
Lee heard it all, slightly ahead at the front of the canoe, and tried to join in, "Yeah, like, I only pretend to care, I'm just here to manipulate you and win money and then also crush your spirit."
The laughter died down slightly. "Yeah, exactly like that." Elijah's eyes widened. Oswald looked at him incredulously.
"Oh, did I ruin it, I'm sorry." Lee apologised.
"No, I think you hit the nail on the head." Sabrina sighed.
Confessional
Lucas: My boy did it! I knew he could! Now to get him that good all the time so Ysabel will notice…
Sabrina: I'm a little worried. I think she's a little confused, and we were all a little too excited to get into this. I hope we have a long time to sort out this crush-gone-bad business.
Oswald: The ten bucks is all mine! Muahahaha!
End
"Where is everyone?" Gabriel asked, pulling the canoe ashore, Ysabel still inside.
She hopped out, "Looks like they've already moved forward. We've got some catching up to do." She cracked her knuckles and stretched her neck.
"No time to waste." he strode onward.
"Don't we have to take the canoe?"
"Why bother? Also, since when did you care?"
"How will we get back?" she folded her arms.
"We'll jump on one of our team's canoes, there's space."
"What if we're too late?"
"They won't leave without us, or they'll lose."
She considered. "True. Hey, I guess I'm not complaining."
"Perfect. On we go." he waited for her, gesturing her into the woods.
"Aw, you'll stick by me?"
"I'd rather be with you than alone in the forest I guess. Someone to push in front of a bear."
"Classy." she smiled, walking in front of him, "And don't stare at my ass."
"Wouldn't dream of it." he sighed.
"Please, everyone has." she swayed her hips confidently.
"Do you ever get bored of this?" he asked.
"Why would I?" she turned and walked backwards. "I'm tired, carry me." she jumped into his arms and he instinctively caught her. "I knew you cared."
He held her for a second, then dropped her, "Next time try walking for more than ten feet before I believe you."
She shot up, "Are you saying you would if you believed me?"
"If it got us across the island quicker."
"It will." she wiggled her eyebrows.
"That's not sexy." he pushed past her.
"Keep telling yourself that."
"I will." he put some distance between them.
"Okay, wait, i've only got little legs." she jogged to catch up, then matched his stride. "You believe all that hoodoo around this island?"
"I believe there might be bears. Beyond that? Not a chance."
"I believe it. You never know what's in the woods."
"You mean bigfoot?" he looked at her, one eyebrow raised.
"Maybe." she said absentmindedly.
"You believe in bigfoot?"
"Where's the fun in not believing in him?"
"People tend to think you're mentally stable?"
"People think what I want them to think."
"Does Josh get these sorts of philosophical lectures?"
"You know he doesn't. I don't keep him around for the conversation."
"You keep him around for that body."
She burst into laughter, "Yeah, we'll say that. Having someone willing to take a bullet for you is a fantastic ace up your sleeve."
"Fork in the road." he said, stopping dead in his tracks.
"There are footprints going both ways." she pointed out.
"Thanks Einstein."
"It's Ysabel."
"Shall we go right?"
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"A good point well made. Lead on." she graciously stepped out of his way.
"Thank you. And don't stare at my ass."
"Make me."
The Gophers trudged onwards, the path winding and seemingly never-ending. "I'm bored." Louise whispered.
"Shh!" Ruby shot back sharply, "We still don't know if we're safe."
"I mean I haven't seen anything." she pressed on.
"Shh…" Bella echoed Ruby, "We just have to keep moving and it'll all be over."
"We can't even talk?"
"No!" Ruby said as loud as she dared, "Just leave it will you?" Suddenly she stuck her foot into something deep, "Ugh, is this quicksand?" She struggled to remove her foot.
"Give me a sec."Bella gently placed her end of the canoe down and wrenched Ruby's foot free, "There."
"Everyone step around, carefully." Ruby ordered, inching around the now obvious light patch. The team did their due diligence and passed by the trap with no issue.
"Even that was boring." Louise pouted.
"She has a point there." Ajay nodded.
"Neither of you have a point." Ruby countered. "We've gotta be getting close."
Clive looked around the woods, spotting a camera nestled in a bush, "Might as well not bother, not like anything's going on."
"What was that?" Ruby asked.
"Camera." Clive offered.
"Honestly I don't even think there's anything to be worried about." Ajay yawned.
A roar shook the nearby trees. "I'm gonna tape your mouth shut Ajay!" Ruby hissed.
"Why don't we pick up the pace?" Indira's voice trembled.
Clive looked around again, "Yep, good idea… Please…"
"What now?" Ruby looked back. Behind Clive there stood a six-foot beaver, tusks protruding from its lower jaw, and inches-long claws attached to its paws.
"What is that?" Indira shook.
The beaver answered with a mighty roar. "Who cares? Cheese it!" Ajay screamed, as he and Clive bolted forward, leaving the other behind.
"Don't leave us!" Sascia shrieked as they sprinted onwards, hotly pursued by the Wooly Beaver.
Confessional
Chris: Wooly Beavers. Ice age remnants only found on Boney Island. Or animatronics. Who knows? Our legal teams, that's who.
Ajay: What was that? What was that? At least my number one fear isn't heights now…
Bella: That's not cool Chris!
End
The team kept running, even as the beaver began to lose interest and stopped chasing them. "Is it gone?" Ruby yelled.
"Does it matter?" Ajay yelled back, "Let's get outta here!"
"I think I see the beach!" Bella said, hope growing.
"Good let's get off this island." Clive panted, "Running with canoes is hard!"
Ruby and Bella burst through the treeline and collapsed onto the beach, their canoe clattering onto the sand. Sascia, Louise and Indira stumbled through, and gently dropped theirs next to it, as Clive and Ajay walked the last few steps and dropped theirs with less care. Clive reached for an inhaler in his pocket and raised it to his lips. "Dude!" Ajay stopped him.
"W-what?" he gasped.
"That's the bug spray…"
"Oh." he replaced the canister and brought out the real inhaler, "Thank you." He took a puff, held his breath then slowly let it out. "Let's get going."
"Nope." Bella said, lying down, breathing heavy.
"Why not?" Clive asked.
"Build… Fire…"
"Oh. Yeah." his eyes searched the beach, "Indira?"
"Give me a minute… We've got time…"
"I'll get sticks should I?" he asked. No one responded. "I'll get sticks."
The Bass' journey was also as exciting as the Gophers' began, but at least they could talk. "How long is this island?" Josh complained, his newfound confidence diminishing.
"We've been walking for like five minutes." Sabrina said.
"That's a lot…" he moaned again.
"Come on Josh, all we've gotta do is walk." Lucas tried to nurture his confidence back.
"Walking's hard."
"No it isn't."
"Okay, yeah, no it isn't."
"You're pretty good at it actually."
"I am?" he beamed.
"Sure. Keep it up." Lucas smiled.
Josh straightened up, a bounce in his step, "Yeah, I will."
"If… That's over with…" Sabrina looked at Lucas askance, "Weren't there meant to be like, dangers and stuff on this island?"
"Just natural terrors and a curse." Elijah shrugged, "I don't think he ever said danger."
"Curse sounds dangerous though." Oswald chipped in.
"To be fair, yeah it does." he conceded.
"Well why haven't we run into any?" Sabrina finished her original thought.
"Maybe they're all to the left." Elijah shrugged. "You see anything Ivan?"
Ivan shook his head, "I see nothing wrong."
"I trust him." he turned back to her.
"You know what that is boring." Sabrina conceded, "You were right Josh."
"Wow twice in one day." Josh was practically floating.
"I think I'd prefer boring." Lucas said, "Walking's a lot easier than fighting bears."
"Ivan?" Elijah asked.
Ivan thought for a second, "Yes, probably."
"Would you look at that?"
"At what?" Lee flinched.
"Sorry, figure of speech." Elijah said sheepishly.
"Are you okay, Lee?" Sabrina asked.
"I'm not a big fan of the scary Boney Island woods." she admitted, shivering.
"Oh, their full name." Oswald nodded, "That's how you know they're in trouble."
Lee giggled slightly, "Okay, that helped a little."
"Huh?" Oswald blinked.
"Besides, we're almost done." Sabrina noted.
"We are?"
"Da." Ivan confirmed, "You feel breeze?"
"No?" Lee said, confused.
"We are close. Very close." Ivan nodded.
"No time to waste then." Lucas called, "Pick up the pace, let's get a fire going!"
"Yee haw!" Elijah yelled, bounding ahead.
Confessional
Lee: I guess it was all in my head… And Chris really bigged it up! Nothing to be afraid of at all!
Chris: The dinosaur animatronic broke down… Waste of money, heap of junk…
End
"... And so then I said, I'm going on that island whether you like it or not, you have no say over what I do." Ysabel continued her story, waving a finger to the air in front of her.
Gabriel paid no notice, searching the woods around them for anything more interesting, "Yeah. Mmhmm."
"Are you even listening?" she turned back to him.
"You know I'm not."
"Good. At least you're honest."
"Or am I?" he raised an eyebrow.
"So what did Mark tell me?"
He knitted his brows, "Do you mean Matt?"
"Ha you were listening!" she clapped, "You are interested!"
"No…" he flailed trying to defend himself, "I… I'm just good with names."
"Outplayed, son!" she celebrated, dancing in circles.
"Fine, you win, I give." he crossed his arms.
"Don't you think the loser deserves a punishment?" she batted her eyelashes at him.
"Like what?"
"Oh… Truth or dare?"
"Dare." he responded immediately.
"Kiss me."
"Truth."
"What did your girlfriend tell you when you left for here?" she snapped back as immediately.
"You really were prepared weren't you?" he blinked.
"Is that what she said?"
"I don't have a girlfriend." he admitted.
"I don't believe you." she scoffed.
"I spent a lot of time preparing." he shrugged, "I had no time for people."
"You must've when you signed up."
"Nope." he shook his head, "This wasn't some spur of the moment thing."
"Well… That's boring."
"Yep."
"And you fell off the wagon quick."
"Huh?"
"You immediately went and got a camp girlfriend."
"Um… I…" a rosy tint touched his cheeks.
"Me." she hopped up, sensing a change of mood.
"Oh, yeah, sure." he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"And girlfriends deserve kisses."
"Are we there yet?"
"Of course we are, but no tongue."
"The beach!" he sprinted forward, bursting onto the sands.
She cursed lightly, "Oh… That are we there yet."
Both teams were busily assembling basic stick piles, the Gophers' slightly bigger but Ivan was quickly catching the Bass up. "Ah there they are!" Chris announced from a helicopter that appeared seemingly from nowhere, "The final two contestants, have a nice trip?"
Gabriel cringed. "Yes actually!" Ysabel shouted back.
"That's nice to hear!" Chris called back through his megaphone, "Get firing!"
Ruby ran up and dragged Gabriel away by the wrist, "Come on, what the hell do you think you're doing."
He was caught unawares, "There was a racoon…"
"I don't wanna hear it," she slapped his face, "get collecting."
He blinked, "Thank you." and ran off to gather sticks.
Ysabel sauntered to her team's fire, "Hey guys, how you doing?"
"Living." Elijah nodded, throwing some twigs into their fire.
"Good to hear, need some help?"
"Da." Ivan nodded, prodding the flames, rearranging the kindling.
"No worries." she turned to lazily grab some wood. Josh ran past her, carrying a giant heap. "Hey Josh, ooh, so strong." she stroked his arm lightly.
"Duhh…" Josh dropped the sticks, "Hi Ysabel."
Lucas came running over, "Get wood, no time." he told Ysabel, then replaced Josh's bundle in his arms, "Great job Josh, let's get em in."
As Lucas led Josh back to the flames, Ysabel watched them, eyes squinting, grumbling, before breaking away, more purposefully, only wood on her mind.
Confessional
Lucas: So now I know what I've gotta do with Josh. I've gotta keep him and Ysabel separate. One way or another.
Ysabel: Am I losing power over Josh? No way, right? Eh, whatever, today was so worth it.
End
"Is this big enough?" Indira called up to the helicopter.
Chris picked up a walkie talkie, then the megaphone again to answer back, "Not quite, but you're close!"
"Thanks, yeah, that helps." she muttered, throwing a few more dead leaves onto the pyre. Gabriel returned, laying a handful of leaves and a bushel of sticks by her feet. "Thanks."
"No prob." he nodded, turning to leave.
"What-" she started to ask. He sighed and turned back. "What happened so that you got… Stuck with her?"
He sighed, then rattled through it, "I couldn't find my sliders, she waited for me, we were the last two, had to be paired." he shrugged.
"Did she… Plan that?"
"Apparently it was a raccoon, but you know what I wouldn't be surprised-" he began.
"Move! More wood!" Ruby yelled, barging through him and dropping a massive pile of branches.
"Good work Ruby, this might be enough…" Indira began setting them up.
"Might be not enough!" Ruby yelled, "More wood!" And with that she sprinted off again.
"Wow, she is intense." Gabriel commented, sitting down and helping with the branches.
"Yeah… That one over there…" Indira instructed him, then, after a pause, "I don't blame you."
"Does someone?" he looked up, concerned.
"I don't know just… Just in case." she murmured, shooting a sly glance at him.
"Do you want something from me?"
"Not yet." she said airily.
"Look, I'm all full of manipulation for today." he sighed, adjusting another branch.
"That's fair, it's a tiring job."
He looked at her for a second, "Oh, can I ride back with you? We left our canoe on the other beach."
"We're all full." she did not look back at him, "You'll have to be with Ruby and Bella or Clive and Ajay."
Confessional
Gabriel: Hm, death by freezing, or by boiling?
Indira: I mean it was weird, though, right? They're on different teams.
Ruby: I… I think I blacked out there for a minute…
End
"Nearly there Gophers!" Chris announced, "Still some catching up to do, Bass!"
"I do not need to hear…" Ivan muttered under his breath, still feeding sticks into his fire.
Lucas and Josh arrived back with a pile of branches, "Are these good?" Lucas asked.
"Very." Ivan nodded, getting right to forming them into a pyramid.
"Excellent, now Josh-" Lucas started, then noticed Ysabel returning with a handful of twigs, "Stay here, help Ivan."
"I do not think-" Ivan protested.
"Don't worry, we're good." Lucas reassured him, before hurrying to intercept Ysabel.
"Hey, are you excited to hear me, or are those twigs you're hoarding?" she asked as he approached.
"No, special mission for you." he winked.
"I ain't that kind of girl." her smile faded.
"No, I mean, I want you to go to the Gophers' fire and steal some of their wood." he said, noticing the cogs turning in her head.
"I think I can do that." she said, slinking off. He punched the air and ran off into the woods once again. She stepped over to the Gophers, taking notice of the pile of branches they were hoarding and sat down next to Gabriel, undetected. "Hey." she whispered into his ear.
He jumped, "Gah, O- oh, it's only you."
"Yep. Only me." she smiled.
"What are you trying to gain this time?" he asked, not taking his eyes from the fire, and pulling the branches towards him with his foot.
She frowned, "Do you really think that's all I'm here for?"
"Ninety percent sure that's what you told me you were here for."
"You misinterpreted then. Cause what did I say?"
"Manipulation and fun?"
"No reason we can't do one now."
Unfortunately Ruby burst from the treeline, flanked by a visibly concerned Bella. She screeched towards Ysabel, "Out, away Bass! Away!"
Ysabel didn't so much as flinch, "A shame, we were getting so close."
"Gophers that fire is good you may start to row back!" Chris interrupted. Ysabel's face sank.
"To the boats!" Ruby shrieked, as Clive, Ajay, Sascia and Louise emerged from the woods.
Gabriel turned to Ysabel, "Hey, doesn't the loser deserve punishment?"
Her smile reappeared, "Dare."
"Capsize."
"Truth."
"Why are you here?"
"Bass your fire is good to go, congrats guys, final stretch!" Chris announced.
Ysabel grinned, "I'll tell you on the dock when we get back." And with that she ran back to her team, "Lee, Sabs, I've gotta go back with you.
Gabriel cursed under his breath, before his concentration was broken by a shrill "Gabriel! Come! Come! Come!" He turned to see Ruby and Bella desperately waving him onto their boat as the rest of the team pushed off. He slapped himself and ran to join them, as the Bass began their journey back too.
Bella greeted him, "Welcome back to the land of the living."
"Good to be back." he said, picking up a paddle as they sped to the head of their team.
"And good job slapping yourself this time so I didn't have to." Ruby sneered.
"You can if you want to." he shrugged. She immediately turned and cracked him across the cheek. "Thank you sir may I have another." She struck him again. "Yeah that's enough."
"I disagree. Clive, Ajay! Hurry up!" she called back as the boys fell behind.
"There's only two of us!" Clive replied, as Ivan, Oswald and Elijah overtook them.
"Just don't arrive last!" she yelled.
"We'll try!" Clive rolled his eyes, checking that Lucas and Josh were still behind them.
"So what was that all about?" Bella asked, not slowing pace.
"I don't know, I couldn't find my sliders, she appeared and helped then we both had to pair up."
"Did she take them?" Ruby asked.
"I doubt it, but y'know, that makes sense."
"Well you're here now."
"That I am."
"Now row Bass boy."
"That cannot be my nickname."
Clive and Ajay were struggling. "Come on dude, the girls are passing us!"
"There are three of them!" Ajay complained, trying his best.
"Doesn't matter, we need to move." Real panic began to creep into Clive's voice for the first time in the competition.
"Surely we're fine if we can stay ahead of Lucas and Josh?" Ajay suggested.
Clive looked back to see Josh floundering and Lucas shouting, "Stroke! Stroke! Don't quit on me we have to move!"
"I'd rather not risk it."
The groups had passed halfway and the island's beach became visible. Ivan ushering Elijah and Oswald towards a chequered finishing line. "How?" Ajay asked incredulously.
"Who cares, row!"
"Come on Josh!" Elijah hollered from safe, dry land.
"Yeah! Josh! Josh! Josh!" Oswald echoed.
"You hear that?" Lucas said, "You can do this Josh!"
"I can't!" he almost wept.
"Josh! Think of what you've done today! You were so strong!"
"I was…"
"So smart…"
"I was!"
"Let's go!"
"Let's go!" Josh yelled wildly, splashing his way forward.
Ajay and Clive looked at each other, wide-eyed, "We can not let that beat us." Clive said. They began to paddle for their lives, and soon three boats found themselves near neck-a-neck: Indira, Sascia and Louise; Clive and Ajay; and Lucas and Josh.
The others were on the shore, cheering their teams on. "Come on guys!" Bella bounced on her heels.
"You can do this Josh!" Lee encouraged, arms over her head.
"Let's go Gophers!" Ruby chanted. Gabriel joined in for a moment before the idea died down and they began to yell more generic phrases.
Indira's boat reached the shore and she dragged the boat onto the beach, before sprinting to the finish, Louise and Sascia only slightly behind. The others' landed at the same time, and the race began in earnest. Lucas sprinting ahead, and Clive and Ajay level with Josh. Josh looked around, panicking. But then, a moment of clarity. He dug deep, breathed, and ran.
"The winners! The Killer Bass!" Chris announced, as Josh and Lucas crossed the line, Josh collapsing to his knees only to be hoisted up by Lucas and Ivan. "Congrats Josh and congrats Bass, you guys are safe. For now. Gophers, I'll be seeing you this evening. One of you, for the last time."
Clive and Ajay bent double at the finishing line as the other Gophers walked up to meet them and the Bass adjourned to their cabins. "Unlucky guys." Gabriel shrugged.
"Unlucky…" Indira nodded.
Ruby sighed, "Well, luck or no luck, we lost."
"Who's going home?" Louise asked, tears in her eyes.
"I don't know." Ruby levelled with them, "I do not know. Sash let's talk."
Sascia paused, "Uh, yeah, okay. See you…" she waved to Louise and Indira as Ruby dragged her away. The rest awkwardly looked at each other, and Louise, Indira and Ajay peeled away, heads held low.
"So?" Clive asked, voice shaking.
"We'll see." Gabriel said, "I'll try and make sure it ain't you, man. Or Ajay."
"Well then who?" Bella asked, hands on her hips.
"Someone else."
"Thanks."
"You… You figure it out. I have… Something to do." Gabriel wandered off into the middle of the campgrounds. Lee stood on the Bass' porch. She waved. He smiled back, then turned towards the dock.
"What does that mean?" Clive asked Bella.
"I think he just needs a moment." she admitted.
"You won't vote for me will you?"
"If you find me someone else to vote for."
"It's a deal."
Gabriel strode onto the dock, where Ysabel sat at the edge, silhouetted by the setting sun. He stood awestruck for a second. "Oh, come on, you know how beautiful I am." she looked back.
"Hadn't even noticed." he said, truthfully, sitting next to her.
"Yeah, it is good, isn't it."
"So?" he asked.
"Straight to business." she shook her head, "You could ease me in a little at least."
"Heh… Why are you here?"
"I…" she caught herself, trying to find the right phrasing. "I didn't have many summer plans."
"Unironically, find that hard to believe."
"I know, me too. It seems… People just got sick of me."
"Unironically, don't find that hard to believe."
She laughed a humourless laugh, "Yeah, apparently I'm too shady or too hard to be around or… Whatever. They cut me off. Matt broke up with me. Left me for my best friend. This… This seemed like a fun way around facing that…"
"Wow. Okay… I'm sorry."
"I'm sure you know the feeling."
"A.., A little." he confessed.
"Don't tell anyone though, they all believe I'm popular and strong."
"You are."
"You don't need to get all sappy with me."
"Trust me I'd rather not, but you are both of those things. You've got those guys wrapped around your little finger."
"I do, don't I." she smirked.
"And me too it seems."
"Damn right. Hey, shouldn't the loser have a punishment?"
"That's a little on the nose…"
"Truth or dare?" she placed a hand on his leg. He didn't protest.
"Dare."
"Vote yourself off."
He paused. "... Truth."
"Wait would you actually do that for me?" she asked excitedly.
"Truth." he repeated, a smile playing at his lips.
"Why are you so obsessed with winning? I mean, what does this $100,000 mean to you?"
He slapped his knees and stood up, stretching, "I guess you'll have to find out tomorrow." He turned and walked back down the dock.
"See you tomorrow." she smiled, waving back. Then she turned back to the horizon, the sun falling slowly behind it. She sighed, leant back, and closed her eyes.
"Welcome back, Screaming Gophers." Chris paced across the front of the firepit, the eight remaining Gophers sat in a cluster at the front. "Unfortunately you guys are today's big losers, and will have to vote one of your teammates out. I only have seven marshmallows to give out, and if you don't receive one, you will be forced to take the Dock of Shame, board the Boat of Losers, and leave the island never to return. Ever. Please cast your votes."
There was an eerie silence over the team as Chris continued pacing, this time with a platter of marshmallows. Clive eyed them, hungrily. Chris stopped and looked out at them, "If I say your name, please, come and collect a marshmallow. Bella."
Bella breathed, and went to collect her immunity.
"Ruby… Indira… Sascia…"
Gabriel, Clive, Ajay and Louise remained seated, trembling.
"... Ajay."
"Yes!" he yelped, "Oh… Sorry…" he quickly darted to the rest of his immune teammates."
Chris looked each of them in the eyes one by one. "... Clive."
Clive opened his mouth wide, and without hesitation greedily grabbed a marshmallow, scoffing it down.
Gabriel looked at Louise and gave her a reassuring smile, reaching out his hand. Louise didn't return the smile, but gripped his hand. Tight.
"One of you will not receive a marshmallow. But one of you will, and will still be in with a chance at $100,000. The person who will receive the final marshmallow….
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He knit his brows, and pulled Louise in for a hug, who wrapped her arms around his shoulders, sobbing. "I'm sorry." he whispered, breaking the hug and leading her to the dock.
"It… It's okay…" she managed through sniffles. "I don't need $100,000 anyway."
He looked at her, "Yeah…" pulling her into another hug. The rest of the team gathered around them, wrapping their arms around the pair.
"Sorry kids, the boat is leaving the platform." Chris announced forlornly.
Louise nodded, freeing herself from the tangle, "Okay. I'm ready." She walked down the dock, stumbling, and clambered onto the boat, where Chef stood, hand on the wheel.
"You'll be aight, girl." he said, trying to be soothing, "I know a special someone that's been dying to meet ya again."
She looked up, "Really? W-who?"
"You'll find out when we get there." he chuckled, kicking the boat into gear.
Chris watched the boat depart and turned back to a camera, "No, I'm not crying… You are… Or you might not be… And I might be… That's three losses in a row for the Gophers and they're suddenly a man down. How will they recover? Can these kids continue to bond and grow as people? Or will they tear each other down and fight tooth and nail for the cash? Where can you find out? Only on the next episode of Total! Drama! Island!"
22nd: Lorelei
21st: Lisa
20th: Ophelia
19th: Ronald
18th: Edwin
17th: Nate
16th: Louise
Screaming Gophers: Bella, Edwin, Gabriel, Ajay, Louise, Indira, Lisa, Ruby, Nate, Sascia, Clive
Killer Bass: Ivan, Lee, Lorelei, Lucas, Elijah, Ophelia, Oswald, Ronald, Ysabel, Sabrina, Josh
A/N: Ooh, baby, another long one. I don't know if this is the best one, but it may very well be my favourite so far this was a lot of fun. Now I just need to focus on more characters and finding more pairings to start to diversify, make the chapters feel different. Expect the next chapter coming a little more on time, but, hey, I beat my April target. Maybe chapter 9 in April... Ooh setting targets that's a healthy person thing. Anyway, if you have anyone you like, wanna see more of, wanna see interact more with someone else the review button's always there. Getting Favourite and Follow notifications really make my day and make me want to write more so thanks for that. Reviews do too btw... This is already too long, thanks for reading, if indeed, you still are.