Day Twenty-Five
This morning is already uncomfortably warm, and I'm sure it will only get hotter throughout the day. Once again, the morning also brings us notification of a challenge. After sitting around for most of yesterday in a conversational gulag, it's actually going to be a pleasure to get away from camp and interact with the other players, even if it involves getting sweaty.
As I shake out the sand from my tennis shoes, Malfoy comes up to me. He takes a seat next to me and starts adjusting his own shoelaces, and quietly mutters, "what's going on?"
I lower my head to take a closer look inside one of my shoes. "Pete's watching me."
His eyes flick quickly my way, then over to where Pete is helping wash the breakfast dishes. I use my hair as a convenient curtain again, and can look at Pete without him noticing. Surprise of surprises, Pete is looking directly at us. Even though three feet of space separates me from Malfoy, Pete is glaring as if we were caught in a clinching embrace.
Malfoy turns and looks at the sky behind my head, so his mouth can't be seen by Pete. "What's up with him?"
"Long story. Tell you later." I see Pete finish up and start stalking toward us. I tie my shoes and stand up, walking directly away from Malfoy. Almost comically, Pete stops and stands motionless, his eyes flicking back and forth between us, as if he can't decide which of us he should approach. Fortunately, Chet passes by Pete and gives him a manly fake punch in the shoulder, encouraging him to get ready for the challenge.
* * * * * * * * * *
As usual, it's a sweaty walk through the jungle to the challenge site. We emerge onto one of the large beaches we've used before to find an obstacle course. Marcus greets us as usual, looking exceptionally tidy in clean khaki shorts and a white shirt.
"Today's challenge is an obstacle course that will not only depend on your island survival abilities, but will also depend on another member of your team. There are four stations along the course. You and a randomly-chosen partner will take turns completing the stations. First, one of you will swim out to a platform and retrieve a flag. Bring it back here and put it in this flag holder. Once that flag is in place, the other partner will light a fire under these ropes." He holds out a flint and a magnifying glass. "You may only use these traditional fire-starting tools. Once the rope is burned through, another flag will be released. That flag goes into the holder, then the first partner will dig in this marked-off area in the sand until they find the third flag. Finally, the second partner will climb one of these twenty-foot vertical ropes to retrieve the flag at the top. The first pair with all four flags in their holder and all four hands ON the holder will win this reward challenge." He smiles widely at us. "Do you want to know what you're playing for?"
Everyone murmurs their assent. Marcus points to a hut behind him. "Tomorrow night away from the team, here at our own little bed-and-breakfast. Or more accurately, a shower-and-dinner-and-bed-and-breakfast. The water is hot, the mattresses are soft, and it's all for you and your partner for the whole night." Most of the players are grinning by this point, because we'd all love a soft bed and two meals and a hot shower. I steal a glance at Pete and find him looking frustrated. I can well imagine his problem -- I bet he desperately wants to win the challenge, yet wants to stay at camp to make sure we're all under his iron rule.
Marcus pairs us up. Thank goodness for random partner assignments, so I don't end up with Pete. He's paired with Sheryl. The other pairings are Ellen and Kiki, Malfoy and Carla, and I'm teamed up with Chet.
I realize that I really want Pete to win this challenge. A night without him watching over me like a hawk would be worth ten times more than a shower at this point. Chet and I line up at our starting point, and we quickly decide that I should take the first and third stations so he can climb the rope at the end. As I'm shucking my shoes, I see that the other two teams with men have made the same decision; there's just something about rope climbing that always falls to the menfolk.
Marcus tells us to go, and we're off. It's four women swimming like mad out to the floating platform for the first flag. Well, truth be told, I'm not really pushing myself. Ellen and Carla are right ahead of me, and Sheryl is out in front. She's the first to grab her flag and head back, with the two older women right behind her, and I'm right behind the two older women. I manage to lose a little more ground on the return trip. I plant our first flag, and Chet races off to start his fire. He's the last one to begin gathering kindling, and I see that Pete already has a great stack of wood and is managing to angle his magnifying glass with one hand while striking flint with the other. Malfoy and Kiki are the other two firestarters. I see Malfoy hold the magnifying glass up, then blow on his kindling. I'm sure I'm the only one who catches the subtle movements of his lips as he casts a fire spell, sparking his kindling just moments before Pete.
Damn it all, Malfoy wants to win.
I raise my hand up to my face as if to wipe my nose, and whisper a quick spell. Pete's fire starts flaring higher and higher, the flames licking eagerly at the rope suspended above. Despite Malfoy's subtle work on his own fire, mine is quicker. Pete's rope snaps and he's able to retrieve the second flag. Malfoy is only a minute behind with his own flag, and they send Carla and Sheryl to begin digging. Kiki is having trouble with her fire, but Chet's is burning merrily, and in another minute, I'm off to dig as well. The plot we've each been given is about ten feet by ten feet, and we only have our own hands to dig. As I halfheartedly cast around in the sand to find my flag, I whisper another spell toward Sheryl. She pauses for a moment, then turns and digs a few feet away from where she had been looking. She comes up with the flag and gives a shriek of happiness. I'm sure Malfoy is using similar spells on Carla, because she's found her flag as well. Going to the ropes, Pete and Malfoy are nearly equal, with Pete just slightly ahead. With a muttered "accio flag," I uncover our own flag and send Chet to the ropes, just far enough behind the other two that he won't win.
Pete is climbing quickly, but Malfoy may be climbing slightly faster. I need to do something.
"GO, DRACO!"
It's enough. Malfoy hesitates for a moment, surprised to hear me shout his first name in such an obviously supportive manner. And Pete, upon hearing me cheer for his competitor, puts on a burst of speed most likely fueled by anger. He reaches the flag at the top and descends the rope so quickly he almost gets burns on his hands. Over to his flag holder, and he and Sheryl are declared the winners.
We gather around to congratulate them, and Marcus approaches. "Way to go, Pete and Sheryl. Tomorrow night you'll have a relaxing time away from the game. We'll send for you. Everyone else, you'll have tomorrow off from any challenges, and I'll see you again for the immunity challenge the day after tomorrow. Great job, everybody. Now head back to camp."
We return slowly, sapped from the heat of the day and the exertion of the challenge. We all take a dip in the cool waters under the waterfall, then have a plain dinner of rice and coconut meat. Chet jokes with Pete about how tonight's dinner will compare with tomorrow's reward dinner. Pete laughs along, but his features are very tight. He wanted to win, but it's going to kill him to spend a night away from the rest of us. I'm sure he thinks we'll all talk about him behind his back, and he's right.
Once the sun goes down the beach grows a bit cooler, and we're all in bed relatively early. I feel practically giddy with the thought of a night without Pete around. Maybe I can find out more about Malfoy's plans. Certainly, I can talk to the rest of the old Miti Matai team to find out what they all think of the Pete situation. So much to do, so little time. I never would have guessed that the game would be this complicated.
Hugging my pillow tight, with a slight smile on my face, I drift off to sleep.
This morning is already uncomfortably warm, and I'm sure it will only get hotter throughout the day. Once again, the morning also brings us notification of a challenge. After sitting around for most of yesterday in a conversational gulag, it's actually going to be a pleasure to get away from camp and interact with the other players, even if it involves getting sweaty.
As I shake out the sand from my tennis shoes, Malfoy comes up to me. He takes a seat next to me and starts adjusting his own shoelaces, and quietly mutters, "what's going on?"
I lower my head to take a closer look inside one of my shoes. "Pete's watching me."
His eyes flick quickly my way, then over to where Pete is helping wash the breakfast dishes. I use my hair as a convenient curtain again, and can look at Pete without him noticing. Surprise of surprises, Pete is looking directly at us. Even though three feet of space separates me from Malfoy, Pete is glaring as if we were caught in a clinching embrace.
Malfoy turns and looks at the sky behind my head, so his mouth can't be seen by Pete. "What's up with him?"
"Long story. Tell you later." I see Pete finish up and start stalking toward us. I tie my shoes and stand up, walking directly away from Malfoy. Almost comically, Pete stops and stands motionless, his eyes flicking back and forth between us, as if he can't decide which of us he should approach. Fortunately, Chet passes by Pete and gives him a manly fake punch in the shoulder, encouraging him to get ready for the challenge.
* * * * * * * * * *
As usual, it's a sweaty walk through the jungle to the challenge site. We emerge onto one of the large beaches we've used before to find an obstacle course. Marcus greets us as usual, looking exceptionally tidy in clean khaki shorts and a white shirt.
"Today's challenge is an obstacle course that will not only depend on your island survival abilities, but will also depend on another member of your team. There are four stations along the course. You and a randomly-chosen partner will take turns completing the stations. First, one of you will swim out to a platform and retrieve a flag. Bring it back here and put it in this flag holder. Once that flag is in place, the other partner will light a fire under these ropes." He holds out a flint and a magnifying glass. "You may only use these traditional fire-starting tools. Once the rope is burned through, another flag will be released. That flag goes into the holder, then the first partner will dig in this marked-off area in the sand until they find the third flag. Finally, the second partner will climb one of these twenty-foot vertical ropes to retrieve the flag at the top. The first pair with all four flags in their holder and all four hands ON the holder will win this reward challenge." He smiles widely at us. "Do you want to know what you're playing for?"
Everyone murmurs their assent. Marcus points to a hut behind him. "Tomorrow night away from the team, here at our own little bed-and-breakfast. Or more accurately, a shower-and-dinner-and-bed-and-breakfast. The water is hot, the mattresses are soft, and it's all for you and your partner for the whole night." Most of the players are grinning by this point, because we'd all love a soft bed and two meals and a hot shower. I steal a glance at Pete and find him looking frustrated. I can well imagine his problem -- I bet he desperately wants to win the challenge, yet wants to stay at camp to make sure we're all under his iron rule.
Marcus pairs us up. Thank goodness for random partner assignments, so I don't end up with Pete. He's paired with Sheryl. The other pairings are Ellen and Kiki, Malfoy and Carla, and I'm teamed up with Chet.
I realize that I really want Pete to win this challenge. A night without him watching over me like a hawk would be worth ten times more than a shower at this point. Chet and I line up at our starting point, and we quickly decide that I should take the first and third stations so he can climb the rope at the end. As I'm shucking my shoes, I see that the other two teams with men have made the same decision; there's just something about rope climbing that always falls to the menfolk.
Marcus tells us to go, and we're off. It's four women swimming like mad out to the floating platform for the first flag. Well, truth be told, I'm not really pushing myself. Ellen and Carla are right ahead of me, and Sheryl is out in front. She's the first to grab her flag and head back, with the two older women right behind her, and I'm right behind the two older women. I manage to lose a little more ground on the return trip. I plant our first flag, and Chet races off to start his fire. He's the last one to begin gathering kindling, and I see that Pete already has a great stack of wood and is managing to angle his magnifying glass with one hand while striking flint with the other. Malfoy and Kiki are the other two firestarters. I see Malfoy hold the magnifying glass up, then blow on his kindling. I'm sure I'm the only one who catches the subtle movements of his lips as he casts a fire spell, sparking his kindling just moments before Pete.
Damn it all, Malfoy wants to win.
I raise my hand up to my face as if to wipe my nose, and whisper a quick spell. Pete's fire starts flaring higher and higher, the flames licking eagerly at the rope suspended above. Despite Malfoy's subtle work on his own fire, mine is quicker. Pete's rope snaps and he's able to retrieve the second flag. Malfoy is only a minute behind with his own flag, and they send Carla and Sheryl to begin digging. Kiki is having trouble with her fire, but Chet's is burning merrily, and in another minute, I'm off to dig as well. The plot we've each been given is about ten feet by ten feet, and we only have our own hands to dig. As I halfheartedly cast around in the sand to find my flag, I whisper another spell toward Sheryl. She pauses for a moment, then turns and digs a few feet away from where she had been looking. She comes up with the flag and gives a shriek of happiness. I'm sure Malfoy is using similar spells on Carla, because she's found her flag as well. Going to the ropes, Pete and Malfoy are nearly equal, with Pete just slightly ahead. With a muttered "accio flag," I uncover our own flag and send Chet to the ropes, just far enough behind the other two that he won't win.
Pete is climbing quickly, but Malfoy may be climbing slightly faster. I need to do something.
"GO, DRACO!"
It's enough. Malfoy hesitates for a moment, surprised to hear me shout his first name in such an obviously supportive manner. And Pete, upon hearing me cheer for his competitor, puts on a burst of speed most likely fueled by anger. He reaches the flag at the top and descends the rope so quickly he almost gets burns on his hands. Over to his flag holder, and he and Sheryl are declared the winners.
We gather around to congratulate them, and Marcus approaches. "Way to go, Pete and Sheryl. Tomorrow night you'll have a relaxing time away from the game. We'll send for you. Everyone else, you'll have tomorrow off from any challenges, and I'll see you again for the immunity challenge the day after tomorrow. Great job, everybody. Now head back to camp."
We return slowly, sapped from the heat of the day and the exertion of the challenge. We all take a dip in the cool waters under the waterfall, then have a plain dinner of rice and coconut meat. Chet jokes with Pete about how tonight's dinner will compare with tomorrow's reward dinner. Pete laughs along, but his features are very tight. He wanted to win, but it's going to kill him to spend a night away from the rest of us. I'm sure he thinks we'll all talk about him behind his back, and he's right.
Once the sun goes down the beach grows a bit cooler, and we're all in bed relatively early. I feel practically giddy with the thought of a night without Pete around. Maybe I can find out more about Malfoy's plans. Certainly, I can talk to the rest of the old Miti Matai team to find out what they all think of the Pete situation. So much to do, so little time. I never would have guessed that the game would be this complicated.
Hugging my pillow tight, with a slight smile on my face, I drift off to sleep.