Part VII – Boney Island (AKA: The Part that has nothing to do with the assignment)
When the exiled campers finally landed on Boney Island, they stood, shivering and terrified on the beach in the face of the looming horror of the forest before them. They couldn't imagine spending any length of time at all on such a nightmare, but what choice did they have? They had no boat, and no idea how to build a craft. But they were by no means prepared with what they then met.
The moment Heather and Saskatchanaqua had vanished into the darkness in their rowboat, an all too-familiar laugh rang out, echoing against the trees of the forest.
"It can't be . . ." Noah muttered, staring out in shock as, striding out of the shadows, came Chris, a goofy grin plastered across his face, and looking remarkably well-kept.
"I can't believe you guys!" Chris laughed, reaching them and clapping the closest camper, Trent, on the back. "This is such totally awesome TV! I don't know why I never thought of it!"
The campers gaped at him.
"What the heck are you doing here?" LeShawna said finally. "Aren't you supposed to be stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean or something?"
"Oh, that," Chris replied, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "Did you really think the producers were going to let their strikingly-handsome host die out there? Nah, they came down and took me back here. I hacked back into all the cameras back at Lake Wawanakwa and have been monitoring you guys ever since. I mean, my lord, you were so stupid to elect Heather as your leader!"
Noah's eyes narrowed. "But what incentive would the producers have to abandon their 'strikingly-handsome host' on Boney Island?"
Chris laughed. "Did you actually think Boney Island was all that dangerous? Nah, it's all props and special effects. I mean, mutant beavers? You seriously believed that?"
"But I got mauled!" Cody replied, bewildered. "How could that be a prop?"
"Yeah, man, sorry about that," Chris said. "I guess real bears weren't exactly the best idea."
The campers exchanged incredulous looks. His rule may have been better than Heather's, but this man seriously needed a therapist.
"But that's all behind us!" Chris chirped. "Come on, Chef has a feast – of real food – for you guys back at the new lodge. We were watching the cameras, so we knew you were coming."
Beth let out a nervous laugh, breaking the tension. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing to be exiled after all.
-------------------------------------
Cody splashed playfully in the lake as Noah sat on the dock, dangling his toes in the water below him. In his lap lay open a well-thumbed copy of Animal Farm, although he occasionally had to warn Cody when the splashes got a little too wild.
Suddenly, Noah looked up, an expression of dawning realization spreading across his face. "Cody, do you know what all this – the mutiny, Heather's rule, ect cetera – appears to imitate?"
Cody glanced up, cocking his head to one side. "No, what?"
"The Russian Revolution."
-------------------------
DONE! Not the best fanfiction I ever wrote, admittedly, but it works. ^.^ For the project at least. And my other TDI fanfiction, Secrets of a Matchmaker, is much better. (hint, hint).