Disclaimer : I don't own anything except for the characters I've made up lol.
Chapter 4
"Your votes have been counted on who you would like to do the bush tucker trial. Voting is now CLOSED! However please let me remind you, that if you want YOUR say, please do vote. The celebrity will be revealed later on in the show". Sarah told the readers.
ADAM'S P.O.V
Our first night in the camp was a long and treacherous one. Getting used to our new surroundings had taken quite some time. Normally I was a pretty deep sleeper, but I seemed to have been waking up every few minutes, upon hearing suspicious noises. Half way through the night, I decided, that I wasn't going to get much sleep so got up and sat by the fire, concentrating on the flickering flames. I threw another log on, sending a few sparks flying.
"You couldn't sleep either, huh"? A voice asked from behind me, making be physically jump. "Oh sorry". They mumbled their apology.
"It's ok. So, what's keeping you up"? I asked, scooting over to make room on the fallen down tree that we were to use as a makeshift seat.
"Everything, it's weird, coming straight from home comforts to, open wilderness".
"It isn't exactly open wilderness now is it". I chuckled.
"It isn't exactly a 5 star hotel either".
"God have I missed you". I nudged her gently.
"Glad to hear it". She answered solemnly. "Ok, ok, I missed you too".
"Mind if I join ya"? Someone else asked.
"Sure, why not". Connie answered.
"Thanks". Megan sat, allowing the gentle light of the fire show her face.
I chatted with these two for a few more hours, until finally deciding to lay down on my cot, to try and sleep. I can't have gotten more than a few hours until the sun was rising, awakening just about everyone. Connie was bounding around the camp, wanting to go off exploring, but only receiving unclear mumblings as responses. In fact the only person that she got a proper reply from was, Amber, who was more energetic than Connie. And here I was, thinking it morning were bad enough, with one Connie, but two, well that was unimaginable. Julie the first one to declare hunger, picked up one of the bags of rice, and began cooking it, the only way she knew how – boiling it. I suppose it tasted ok, well, we didn't have much choice, but to eat it anyway. After only half a bowl full, I felt stuffed, no wonder they gave us rice, a filling meal.
"Since the only two of you that is awake enough, is Connie and Amber, you will be the first two to go into the bush and retrieve the treasure chest". Sarah told us through a microphone as a basket was dropped into the middle of the camp, that contained directions and clues.
CONNIE'S P.O.V
I couldn't believe I was one of the first to go and retrieve the treasure chest. I began bouncing around through excitement, as I watched Amber, get the directions. Amber was pretty cool, she was a lot like me, really loud and bubbly, and I could tell this was going to be some week.
"Right, you ready"? Amber asked.
"Yep". I replied.
"Let's get going". She told me, before we both picked our water bottles up.
"Good luck you guys". Most of the camp shouted, as we prepared to leave.
"HI HO, HI HO, IT'S OFF TO WORK WE GO, HI HO, HI HO". We began to sing as we almost skipped out of the camp.
When we got into the bush, we began following the arrows that had been stuck to the trees and the map we had been given. I couldn't help, but feel like Amber was trying to be the leader. But I kept my mouth shut, knowing the cameras were probably watching us.
"This way". She told me, before walking briskly up the steep hill.
"Can we not slow down, let's pace ourselves". I said.
"Oh yeah sure thing, I do tend to speed off". She made me feel like I wasn't as good as her at this. I think she sensed this slightly. "So, you got some pretty good friends back at camp"?
"Yeah, at one time we were inseparable, but we haven't seen each other in years, well not since high school".
"So, Adam, he's quite a cutie, what's wrong with him"?
"What do you mean, what's wrong with him"?
"C'mon, he's good looking AND single, there's something wrong there". She laughed.
"There isn't anything wrong with him. He's just shy, but if you hang around long enough, you'd find out that he's sweet, caring, loving"...
"Sounds to me like someone's got the hots for him".
"I have not. God, I grew up with the guy, course I'd know what he's like".
"Oh look, we're here". She dropped the subject at a pretty weird point.
To get the chest, we had to pull on this rope, that after going through like a million mechanisms, lowered the chest to floor. Though, on our first attempts, we realised that we had to secure the rope to a boulder or something to stop the chest from floating back up into the air. We finally got hold of the chest and began walking back. It was quite a weight, and carrying it was difficult enough, but Amber didn't exactly help, as she walked briskly, leaving me to simply skip after her. After 2 attempts at trying to get her to slow down, I resigned myself to simply trying to keep up with her. When we were about 5 minutes away from the camp, she seemed to pick her pace up further.
"Amber, do you wanna slow do"... I began. "Whoa". I suddenly fell, landing into a tree.
"Oh, Connie are you"? Amber asked me, dropping her half of the chest and rushing toward me.
"I think so". I began climbing to my feet with her help. "OW, make that a no". I felt a almighty pain erupt from my ankle.
"What hurts"? She asked.
"My ankle". I replied.
"Can you make it back to camp"? She sounded genuinely worried.
"I think so". I limped toward the chest. "Just go extremely slow". I told her.
We picked up the chest and began walking, or should I say in my case limping. Eventually making it back to camp, I dumped the chest and limped as fast as I could to my bunk. The pain took over most of my leg and I was beginning to feel ill. Everyone seemed to crowd around me, pushing things such as bottles of water in my face. I wasn't focusing on anything but the pain, and could just barely hear Amber telling them all what had happened. Suddenly I felt someone lift my leg into their lap and slowly take my boot and sock off. After much questioning, they told me I had just sprained my ankle, gave me some pain relief and left. For the rest of the morning, we all sat around quietly, trying to find something to rid the boredom that had already taken over.
"Out of all the votes, the hockey player to take on, the first bush tucker trail will be"... Sarah the presenter said suddenly. We all sat up and listened carefully. "Lester Averman. Please make your way across the bridge". She told us.
Almost immediately Averman jumped up and grabbed his bottle of water. I think it was more anxiety than excitement, but he managed to plaster a smile on his face.
"Good luck Aves". I shouted as he walked out of the camp, accompanied by most of the camp.
AVERMAN'S P.O.V
Oh my god, I couldn't believe the viewers had chosen me. I mean what was so special about me, I hadn't exactly started being the funny old me yet. I suppose I was to see this as a compliment, but yet it could be because the viewers didn't like me. Most of my camp mates, walked me to the bridge, where they left me to seal my fate. I walked across, feeling more serious than I had in my whole life.
"Averman, how does it feel to be the first to do the bush tucker trial"? Sarah asked me as soon as I reached them.
"Oh yes, it's an honour". I replied, sarcastically.
"Right, we'll waste no time. Your bush tucker trail is as follows. There are 13 boxes floating on the water, all of which carry creatures such as snakes, spiders, rats etc, your task is to find the 12 stars that is in each of them in 2 minutes. None of the animals are poisonous and you don't have to under any circumstances put your hand in any of the boxes. Do you want to accept this challenge"?
"Yeah, why not, I'm hungry, I'll do anything". I answered.
The stunt guy, had a quick chat with me, to tell me exactly what to expect, blah blah blah. I wasn't too bothered about most of the 'creatures' in the boxes, but spiders, god they petrified me. How could something have 8 legs and be able to walk like they do, they weren't normal.
"Right, your challenge starts in 5-4-3-2-1". Sarah told me and I dove quickly onto the dock like pieces of wood that were to support me whilst running from one box to another pulling out these stars.
The first few were ok, only containing snails and stick insects. I had no problem retrieving the stars from those. Then came the fourth box, containing snakes. I wasn't particularly in love with these either, but knowing my camp were depending on me, I closed my eyes and dug my hand in.
"Ew, ew, ew". I squirmed as I felt the slithery bodies move against my hand.
I finally grabbed the star and yanked my hand out, proud of my achievement. I rushed back to the box that I was to put all the stars in, then back to the fifth box. This one contained frogs. Again no trouble. The 6th box contained eels, the 7th had baby crocodiles, but was empty, but I however didn't manage to get away unscaved, I had a few tiny teeth marks on my hand. I paid no attention to what was in the 8th and 9th boxes, only happy in the knowledge that they weren't' anything gruesome. Now the real challenge appeared. In the 10th box was a box full of spiders. I felt unprepared and quickly passed it, leaving it until last. The last 3 boxes contained rats, which didn't bother me at all and in fact I enjoyed that box, sucker fish and worms. I had 11 stars and one box full of spiders left. With 30 seconds left on the clock, I headed back to the spiders. I really didn't want to do this, but something inside told me I had to. Without even thinking about it, I dove my hand in, found the star and quickly yanked it back out again. Feeling rather proud of myself, I plonked the last star in the box just as the clock hit 5 seconds left. I headed over to where Sarah was patiently waiting, with what I can only guess was a proud smile on my face. Just as I reached her, I could feel a tickling feeling on my upper arm. I looked to see what it was and found myself face to face with this huge spider.
"ARGH, get it off, get it off". I ran around in circles screaming my head off, until one of the stunt men came and swiped the spider away.
"Wow, Averman, you did so well there, you got all 12 stars". Sarah told me, once I'd finished running around like a mad man. "I think I'd be right in saying, the spiders were the worst for you"? She told me.
"Not half". I caught my breath.
"How did it feel, to conquer a fear like that"?
"Horrible, never again". I answered.
"Ok, you may return to camp now, your meals will be delivered shortly". She told me, as I headed back the way I had come.
I returned to camp a hero, and although I could still feel that spider crawling all over me, the meal consisting of chicken and potatoes, washed down well.
"Ok, so did you all like seeing Averman win those 12 stars. Now is the time to vote on which 2 hockey players you would like to see eat a gourmet meal consisting of fish eyes, live insects amongst other things. You vote, and I'll see you next time on 'I'm a hockey player, get me outta here'". Sarah told the readers.