TDZ Chapter 2

The sounds of sticks breaking and grass crunching can be heard as Noah trekked through the forest. He simply followed the trail forward, trying to make sure that he doesn't go in circles.

He rummaged through his pockets and got out his phone. He tried to use it and to his dismay, it was completely dead. He gave his phone a little glare.

Of course, it's dead. Just my luck.

He put his phone back in his pocket and looked around at the foliage surrounding him trying to find any indication of where he could be.

As he observed the leaves nearby he went into deep thought.

'So what exactly happened back there… Ok, Noah. Think. I was reading my book and some intern came over and looked a bit crazy. I mean they always looked a bit weird and crazy already but this one especially looked crazy.'

'She was going towards that weird device. I remember she got right up to it and just touched it, after that it's just fuzzy. I don't remember anything, I just woke up here. What happened to that intern exactly. I don't imagine they just disappeared right?''

He started constantly tapping his foot lightly and paced a little.

'This is feeling way too weird to be real now. This is probably an eerie final challenge by Chris. Yeah, it definitely is Chris' doing' He blinked then looked up into the sky.

"Hey, Chris! You can't trick me with this stupid challenge! You might as well reveal yourself!" the only reply to his shouts being silence.

He stands there for a good minute convincing himself that Chris or an intern will pop their head out from a tree at any minute.

"Wait why would the camera be in the sky exactly?" He asked himself as he sighed and frowned.

'Bet I look idiotic to the audience right now. Good going Noah, make your siblings proud.'

"Hello?" said an extremely quiet voice in the distance.

Noah looked around. "I swear I just heard someone," he stated to himself questioning if he is going crazy.

"Is… is someone there?" said the voice again.

Noah looked around swiftly. "Hey! Where are you?" he shouted.

"I'm over here!" The voice sounded a little raspy and old.

He dashed trying to figure out where the voice was coming from, as he went through dodging multiple branches and nettles he made it to a little opening in the forest.

He stopped, exhausted and looked around hoping to find the source of the voice. "Where… Where is h-he…?" He blinked.

"I'm here up here," the voice replied. Noah then glanced up to see a middle-aged man hanging from a hole in his shirt, he swung lightly back and forth. "Hey there lad, erm could you do a father a favour and help me down please?"

Noah blinked and stared at the man. "You're that dad from The Ridonculous Race, right? The Father & Son team?"

"I am yes, the name's Dwayne and you?" He smiled to himself.

Noah raised an eyebrow as he observed more of his situation. "Noah. Uh...How did you even get up there?" he asked.

"Well…my boy it's a long story. I can tell you once I get down if that's ok?" He said with a hopeful look on his face.

Noah then crosses his arms with a small smirk on his face. "Sure I'll let you down, but first I want to hear this"

Dwayne blinked. "Ok ok, well I woke up nearby and I saw an apple on the tree. I was hungry so I decided to climb it and then some weird squirrel-like creature walked on top of me as I climbed and tried to grab the apple. I reached really hard to get that apple and I fell getting my shirt stuck in a nearby branch and well… here I am" he said chuckling to himself nervously.

Noah looked down with a frown and sighed "Really feels like I'm with an older Owen... " he whispered to himself before looking back at Dwayne "alright, just let me catch my breath and ill get you down"

"Thank you thank you thank you!" He smiled brightly as he heard the news. He moved quite heavily in happiness before suddenly his shirt ripped, he crashed down on top of Noah.

"Umph!" Noah gasped for air as he felt Dwayne fall on him. "G-get off" Noah grumbled.

"Oh! Yeah sorry, lad" Dwayne proceeds to get up and looks down at him. "Thanks for breaking my fall though, I doubt my back would've been able to take the full hit" he started chuckling to himself.

Noah got up, pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed as he continued to watch Dwayne chuckle for much longer than he should be. "Alright alright… do you know where we are?"

Dwayne stopped chuckling and looked at him with a small smile. "Not a clue, I was hoping you knew."

Noah frowned. "Why are you smiling so much, you know we're lost, right?"

"Oh I know, but it's fun, isn't it? I mean I'd prefer if Junior was here instead but any company is nice'' he continued to smile at him.

"Right." Noah then proceeded to start walking.

"Oh uh where are you going?" Dwayne started to follow behind.

"No idea, just forward I guess. Better than staying here." He stated as he continued on his trek.

"Well can I come with?" Dwayne asked with a smile on his face.

"Fine. Do whatever, I could use someone anyway so I didn't go insane in here" Noah spoke with a little sigh, not looking back at his new companion.

"Yawee!" Dwayne jumped up excitedly. "This is going to be fun, boy" he then sped up and started walking side by side with Noah.

"Yes…soooo much fun." He rolled his eyes.

So they started their trek through the forest, 3 hours of silence followed between the two as they stepped over every root and walked through any accessible path. The sky was starting to get darker as the sun started to set, it became increasingly cold for the duo.

"Brr... Hey Noah my boy, can we set up camp somewhere? It's getting a bit dark and chilly don't you think?" Dwayne asked, his skin looking a little pale.

Noah glanced at him and saw his demeanour. "Well. Fine. I guess you have a point there let's see if we can find a little spot for us then" he proceeded to look around and found a small open area of grassland with a tree stump and leaves covering a good majority of the sky above it.

Noah pointed to the area. "That's the spot" he proceeded to walk to the area while Dwayne lingered behind. He then sat on the tree stump and relaxed a bit. Dwayne on the other hand stays standing for the time being. Noah looked up at Dwayne and asks "Guess we need like a fire or something huh?"

"Oh oh! I know about fires! I saw this documentary once and showed that if you rub two sticks together you can make a great big fire" Dwayne shouted as he grabbed two sticks.

"I have a feeling it isn't that easy" Noah frowned.

"Oh oh it was easy on there, let's just see!" Dwayne then proceeded to rub the two sticks together frantically.

"Right… well good luck with that I guess. Do tell me when you make a breakthrough." Noah proceeds to relax more before going into deep thought.

Right… So now I found this Dwayne person and now despite walking for probably hours. Still no sign of an exit anywhere. I knew I should've taken those survival courses my father suggested to me.

He then took a quick peek at Dwayne who was currently still rubbing the sticks together.

I mean if Dwayne is here that means that the other contestants on the island are probably somewhere random as well right? Which means… Emma… Owen… hm. I hope they are ok...

He then gave Dwayne his full attention.

"Oh don't worry boy. I'm sure I've almost got it now!" He's looked a little exhausted as he continued to rub the sticks.

"You know you don't have to continue, I don't think they are going to work." Noah simply kept a deadpan expression.

"Oh trust me, this will work." Dwayne continued looking as eager as ever.

"So Dwayne. Where were you before this all happened anyway? I imagine with the others in the mess hall?" Noah asked, putting a hand on his chin.

"Oh yeah, I was there. I was with Junior talking to this nice short fellow called Cameron and suddenly this blinding light happened and well that was it really. Did the same thing to you?" Dwayne looked at him as his fire-starting slowed down.

"Hm Yeah, but I was pretty much at ground zero," Noah answered.

"Oh? What happened?" Dwayne completely stopped his fire-starting as he concentrated on Noah.

"Well there was this intern and they tried to touch this weird device, stone, thing in the middle of the forest nearby and I was nearby and before I knew it. White light and some random other stuff happened and well, you know the rest."

Dwayne raised his eyebrows a little. "Very weird stuff eh boy? Never in my years has this ever happened before."

"Yeah, some wild effects Chris had there. I guess I can applaud him for whatever this is." Noah gave a little yawn.

"Oh? Do you think Chris did this? Why?" Dwayne looked at Noah with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh it's soooo obvious like, this seems like the type of thing Chris would do. Blind us then knock us out and dump us somewhere for like some unusual challenge for the finals. I'm just expecting eventually the final 3 will be running through here and we have to do something." Noah simply grumbled a bit in annoyance.

"Hmm, I think it's bigger than this. Call me crazy but it feels a bit too off to be Chris' doing. But hey, I'm not as knowledgable of Chris as you are so I may be wrong" Dwayne raised his hands a bit as he said.

"Ehh... I mean I'm not 100% sure on whether it's Chris or not. I'd give it 70/30 for Chris. Guess we'll have to see." Noah proceeded to get off the stump and just lay down.

"Either way, I feel it's going to be wild regardless," Dwayne said with a smile before going back to trying to start the fire.

"That thing won't start you know, the sticks are too wet," Noah stated.

"You just got to believe a little Noah." He continued to rub them together.

A few minutes of silence occurred between the two, the only sound being the constant grinding of the sticks.

"Hey, Dwayne can I ask you something?" Noah asked tiredly.

"Sure little man, ask away" He answered with a smile.

"How are you still smiling and such while not knowing the current state of your son?" Noah questioned as he adjusted himself to look at Dwayne directly.

"Well, my boy. I learnt a lot during my time on The Ridonculous Race. I realise that Junior is an independent person just like me and that I believe that he is safe out there wherever and that I'll see him again." Dwayne's smile became softer and he closed his eyes a little.

"How can you be sure of that?" Noah frowned a little.

"Well. Of course, I can't be 100% sure but…There's always that major feeling that you know everything will be ok in the long run. The thing that keeps me going is knowing that moment will come eventually." Noah's expression got softer before suddenly a spark occurred between the sticks and it created a fire. "Wowee! There we go!"

Noah raised his eyebrows. "Wow, I guess you did do it."

"Haha some warmth for us! I'm going to go find us some more firewood if that's ok with you. I'll see you in a bit Noah, just rest here ok?" Dwayne put the sticks down to create a little fire and started to walk away.

"Hey, Dwayne?"

"Yeah?" He looked back at a sleepy Noah.

"Thanks." Noah gave a small smile at him.

"For what?" Dwayne asked.

"For giving me some hope."

Dwayne then smiled and nodded before shuffling away.