Chapter 11: Flow

Ella seemed upset with herself for being deemed a liar. I was upset with myself for being deemed a liar. Funny thing was that both of us told the truth. But, because that chicken lies out of its feathers better than everyone here, McLean only pointed Ella. How annoying. But, this challenge was still going. Surely our team could turn it around and win it...somehow.

McLean got all excited, and put the zappers back down on the ground so the vile creature could hit us with it. "At this point, anything could happen," he told us, "it's on to the lightning round!" Ugh, that was annoying. That meant that we'd be doing these challenges faster, and that we'd have to get shocked more often, as more truths would pop up. I could already feel the earlier shocks coming back and combining with the ones I was bound to get.

The first one was Sky again, doing another scare. This time, we went down to the lake for this one. Sky was told to put braces on a beaver, and while that seemed impossible, she actually managed to do it. If she could do it, I probably could have. Too bad that meant we were down by four now.

Next up, Rodney got hit with another truth. "If you could only save one teammate," McLean asked him, who would it be?" Of course I was the right answer, I was the strong and powerful leader of this team, no matter what that chicken said. Maybe Rodney forgot my name or something, because he stammered with the question for a little bit before eventually stammering one too many times. The shock hurt as it always did.

Scarlett got the next one, and our team finally got its first scare. Her task was to beautify a bear, which was essentially throwing some makeup on it. The bear was asleep for most of the time she did it, but what really surprised me was that she actually understood makeup. I figured someone as nerdy as her would never understand it. The bear was satisfied with the work, and that meant McLean was too. Thankfully we got our first point from that, and everyone was happy with Scarlett for that, myself included. That was also the first scare and the first point. Not a coincidence.

The next one was a scare for Jasmine, which was an excellent chance to get our next point. Her scare was to feed an iguana with her mouth, and I was pretty certain iguanas existed in Australia. She stuck the bug in her mouth before the iguana decided to take the food, swinging its gigantic tongue around her. Luckily, it ate the bug and McLean called that satisfactory. That meant we were only down by two. The comeback was actually happening.

Rodney got hit with a third truth. To further prove my theory, Rodney simply let out a sigh of defeat, and we were once again hit with the shock. Not even a chance. That truth portion was a complete load.

Once again, Sugar received the scare, which easily proved that this challenge was against us. Chef approached her holding a tarantula on a plate. "Okay, Sugar," McLean told her, "to get a point, you take this live tarantula and-" McLean's words were stopped by Sugar fully consuming and swallowing the spider. It was nasty, like, really nasty. My rival was the grosses thing on the planet. "Woah!" he shouted, before gagging a bit. "All you had to do was pet it!"

Ugh, what another easy challenge for them. I couldn't believe how much this place hated me. "Oh," Sugar responded, rubbing her stomach. "Does this count?"

McLean was at a loss for words. He eventually coughed up a "...yeah, close enough," and the bears had another point. Just perfect. "Well, the bears are now still up by three," McLean said. "Makes it seem like that whole lightning round was for nothing, right?" We all stared at him blankly. "Well, I would like to feel something still, so we're moving on to the sudden death round!" A few people gasped.

"A player from each team will go head-to-head in a dual challenge," McLean told us. Yep, it was all based on scares. It always was. How ridiculous. "Winner's team gets immunity. Loser's team gets shocked, and sends someone home."

The wheel spun for us first, and it landed on Rodney. "Not again!" Max called out.

"Oh, please," I scoffed at the purple boy. "Like you did any better than him today!" I got that it was hypocritical, but it needed to be said.

"She's right," Jasmine added, "this is for the game, probably, let's show some support."

Max rolled his eyes and huffed. "Fine. We believe in you, you blubbering buffoon!" Okay, that was a little funny. I was never going to tell him that, but credit where it's due.

Rodney, on the other hand, clearly didn't get the message that this was going to be a challenge. "Please, not another truth question!" he cried out. It was a little sad. "Please!"

McLean went over to comfort the giant buffoon. "Rodney," he explained, "in the sudden death round, there are no truths, only scares."

Rodney got ready to celebrate, but I wanted to give McLean another piece of my mind first. "Because the truths never mattered to begin with!" I shouted at him. "They've all been bogus and wrong."

The chicken eyed me up again, and started clucking, but it didn't matter to me. I never wanted to see that chicken again. Once the commotion died down, the spinner started going again to decide Rodney's opponent. Eventually, it landed on my best ally over there, Ella. "Bring on the scares!" Rodney cheered with enthusiasm as Ella walked up. She seemed pretty dejected about earlier, but ready enough to be able to handle a challenge. She muttered something poorly and got ready.

"The game is simple," McLean instructed. "In each of these bags you'll find the opposing team's shock remote. First to untie the tightly knotted string, get the remote, and shock the opposition, wins the day. Go!" I knew it. If all those truths cancelled each other out, then we'd be tied up. Those truths were worthless and now everyone knew.

It quickly came to my realization that this challenge would be tough for both of the losers up there. Rodney's much less quick and nimble than Ella, so it would make sense that she could untie the ropes easier. As I watched them, I noticed just that. However, I didn't think Ella had it in her to actually shock us, and if Rodney could untie the ropes before someone like Sugar convinced her, then we'd win.

My thoughts were quickly proven to be accurate. Ella easily undid her ropes as Rodney struggled to undo a single piece of string. It was sad to say the least. Ella was now standing with the remote in her hand, and was about to press it before giving up. "I can't!" she cried out. "It's just too mean. Honestly, who could do such a thing?" Eh, I agreed with her. It was unnecessary.

Right before Ella was about to give up, the stupid chicken stole the remote from her and began to press it. We all felt the shocks coursing through us for hopefully the last time. Unfortunately, McLean was in no rush to stop the chicken, and that electricity kept going through us. It hurt a lot this time.

Well, that ended this horrifically long challenge. The bears got some horse meat, or something. I wasn't really able to hear with all the electricity still going through me. I was probably going to feel all of this for a day or two, and so would the rest of us. McLean also reminded us that it was time for one of us to go.

Even if I was in the scheming mood, I wouldn't be able to think straight. I had too much pain from this challenge. On the way back to our campsite, I stammered a bit before deciding to go to the confessional first. Not only would it let me vent my frustrations with the challenge, but then I'd have more of my head together as we made it back.

As I got in, I let out a sigh that was both of annoyance and anger. "Out of all the challenges, this was by far the most bogus," I shared. "The chicken was worthless, and it only brought me pain. Might I add, it was wrong! I hate Samey more than anyone, and the chicken should have felt that energy from me! Also, McLean was super biased against Ella and me today. It made me want to bite his head off!"

Once I was done shouting, I let out a sigh. "Unfortunately, now I'm probably on the chopping block. The only person I could really think of getting rid of instead is Rodney. Jasmine or Scarlett would be smart, but for now I have to lay low, not only because Sugar's on to me, but because anyone besides the two of us would be suspicious. Ah, what a shame. He would have been a useful pawn."

I left the confessional, and was able to think a bit more straight. Before I made it back, Topher was waiting for me outside the fort. "Wanna talk about it?" he asked me.

I let out a huff. "You wouldn't understand how angry I am right now." He wouldn't. He knew nothing about what was going on, and it was up to me to figure out how I was going to defeat Sugar and McLean.

"But, I do understand how Chris works," he told me. "You're angry, but also probably confused, right?" Shoot, he got me again. I figured it couldn't hurt to at least hear him out. "But first, we need to save your butt from elimination." Ew, don't talk about my butt. "I hate to invade on your little plots, but Rodney has to go to lay low."

"I already figured that much," I told him. Topher and I were two votes, and Jasmine would easily vote for us to be the strongest member of the team. Rodney wouldn't work to get me out, but I really wanted to play it safe. Honestly, if I could get Max alone, I could convince him. "We just need Max," I explained to Topher. "I can handle Jasmine easily."

Topher nodded. "Let's make this work again then," he agreed. "I can get Max. How do you plan on convincing Jasmine?"

"By doing nothing," I explained with a wink. "This is why you should pay attention to me and not McLean when making connections," I bragged. "She's already my friend, and she would never vote me out."

"If you say so," Topher agreed warily, "but you can't go into tomorrow angry," he reminded me. "Beach, after the elimination." Yeah, yeah, I was pretty much used to going there after every challenge anyway. Ugh, I should never have eliminated Dave. He'd probably have dug his own grave anyway. I should have just gone for Sky like I planned. I'd be in the same spot, but they'd be worse.

The wait for elimination was slow and painful. Each minute was me hoping we could get it over with faster. Topher spoke with Max quickly, and I spent my time gossiping with Jasmine to maintain our friendship despite my poor performance in the challenge. I was still counting on Rodney's screw-ups to be enough, but I could never really be sure.

If I was being honest, I was very appreciative of Topher. For one reason or another, he seemed to actually have my best interest at heart. Maybe he was just keeping me around because I was a vote, or because I'd help him steal the crazy host's job, but in the end he was still an ally who I could trust and wanted me in the game.

As time went on, I was becoming more bored than I was nervous. I began to feel more and more safe, and was just excited to actually get on with the game. I had the votes, and I always have had the votes. Nothing was different tonight than the night I took out Samey. I didn't even have to scout out this elimination, since I got a free pass there. Perfect.

"All losers, up to the firepit!" McLean called out finally. "It's time to put someone in a cannon!" Ah, the cannon. I didn't really expect to ever go in that myself, but I did wonder what it was like being shot all the way out of sight. Plus, where did they even go at that point? So many questions that hopefully I'd never have to figure out.

We silently walked over to the western edge of the island, ready to sit around a fire and decide our fates. Topher plopped himself next to me again, while Max and Scarlett were near each other. Those two were constantly evading me, and it was beginning to bug me. However, I didn't think that it was smart to approach them, so for now I'd just have to be wary.

We began with our voting again. I was still first, and got in to the confessional. "This is annoying," I told the camera, "but Rodney has to go now, or else I'm in trouble. It would have been nice to dump bigger competition, but tonight I just have to go with the flow." I quickly voted and got out. One by one, the other five also voted, and as we kept moving to the fire, someone was already assigned to that cannon.

Once we sat down, McLean approached us with five marshmallows. Ugh, we'd be even with those bear dorks now. Our numbers advantage was nice for a whole day. "The following team Kinosewak members are safe." Kinosewak. Okay, I think I've got it now. McLean began rapidly throwing out the safety measures, the first going right to Topher. "Topher, Jasmine, Max, and Scarlett."

Oh. That was unexpected. That left me out to dry. I shot a glance over at Topher, who looked much less worried than I was. McLean first turned to Rodney, with only one marshmallow left on the plate. "Rodney, you could be going home because you caused your team to be shocked repeatedly by failing to tell the simple truth."

"Hoax," I muttered under my breath.

McLean then turned to me. Oh, I hope he didn't hear that. "Amy, you could be going home because your cry for justice earned the other team a point, and your truth skills were pretty bad as well."

"Thank you," I responded. "Your chicken was terrible."

McLean shrugged. "Whatever," he said with a glance, and picking up the final marshmallow. Ugh, I was getting nervous now, which shouldn't have been happing. I was fine, and I had the votes, which no one could convince me otherwise. "Tonight's cannon food is..." Oh no, surely I had the votes...right? Topher didn't betray me...right?

"Rodney!" McLean tossed his final marshmallow to me. Ah, naturally. I succeeded again. Nothing to fear. Rodney let out a sigh. Something told me that he saw this coming, which he should have. After all, his opponent was none other than the master strategist of the season. "Well, no time to waste," McLean reminded us as we walked down to the cannon.

Once he was in and loaded, Rodney spoke to us. "Not surprised I'm the one leaving," he admitted, "after playing with people's hearts the way I did." You did, and it hurt today.

"If you mean by restarting them several times," McLean corrected, "then yes."

"But since I'm leaving, I may as well come clean." Clean about what? "Jasmine, Scarlett, Amy-" Oh. Scarlett was in on it too? I didn't remember that. Good for her. "Please understand." I did not understand. He began making his final mumble, and it was just as unclear as all the others.

"Hold that thought," McLean said to Rodney, after shooting him our of the cannon. So long, mumbles. McLean closed out the show and we walked back to the campsite. Topher nudged me in the direction of the beach, which I did follow him to.

Once we got there, I let out a sigh of relief. "Not going to lie," I admitted, "I was a bit nervous you betrayed me."

Topher chuckled as he shook his head. "You have no trust," he reminded me. "I get it. Just like how you didn't trust that chicken."

"Because it was fake!" I reminded him. "The whole truth gag, everything was just filler to shock us more! Haven't you seen how that man works?"

Topher remained calm in my constant yelling. "I have," he reminded me, "and I was on board with you until the very end."

"What happened?" I asked. "Clearly he did something that only massive McLean fans like yourself would have found." I added that last part to tease him about his ridiculous choice of an idol.

"It's more of what didn't happen," he explained. "He's done bogus stuff before, but he never told us that the chicken was bogus. If it was actually just for his own amusement, he would have admitted it at the end." He pointed at me. "Do you remember when Ella did her truth? The chicken didn't shock them, Chris did for Sugar's outburst. I'm inclined to believe that chicken is truthful."

I laughed at him. "You forgot one thing though," I told him. "I told the truth, and the chicken still shocked us."

Topher shrugged. "The best reason for that I have is that you lied," he said bluntly. "Maybe you didn't realize it. Maybe you hate someone more."

"Impossible," I told him. "Samey has ruined my life."

Topher nodded off toward the bears' campsite. "Sugar? She's been on your nerves lately." I shook my head. Sugar was annoying and my biggest threat to success, but there was no way I hated her more than Samey. Eh, it didn't matter. I could still survive just easily enough.

But if Topher was right, then there was a lot more about myself that I still didn't know. How annoying.