Chapter 3 - Dodgebrawl
Back in the main lodge, the teams ate at their designated table in the morning, one table having a lot more fun than the other. The Screaming Gophers laughed and talked with each other, whilst the Killer Bass did more sleeping than socializing. Duncan had his head on the table.
"Duncan!" Chris leered as he came up to their table. Duncan gave him an annoyed glance. "You look like crap dude." He pointed with a grin.
"Stuff it." Duncan put his head back down.
Courtney looked up. "Harold snored all night."
Chris scratched his head and laughed. "Wow, four nights with no sleep? How far are you willing to go?"
Duncan whipped his head to him and snapped, "Wanna find out?" Chris put his hands up.
"No, no it's cool." Most of the team members have gotten under the table. "It's cool." The door opened, and everybody gasped. It was Harold, who had a scribble of markers under his nose. He beat his head up and down to the attention and began to walk down the smiling groups of teens in a strut.
They were smiling for another reason. Everyone snickered as Harold sat down. Then, his whole team burst into laughter.
"Okay- what?!" Harold asked.
Scott sniggered. "Someone messed with your face idiot." Harold held up his spoon and the laughter continued.
"Hey, sweet 'stache." Harold smiled at the reflection.
"Hey everyone!" Chris called out. "It's Emma!" The Screaming Gophers began to cheer for their victorious winner of the last challenge. Emma walked through the door, slumped over in fatigue.
"Woo-hoo! Yaaay, why are we clapping?" Lindsay asked. Courtney, from the other table, seethed. She sat down, still with her dark circles.
"I'm so tired- I can't feel my face." Emma's face fell onto the table. Kitty consoled her.
*static*
Courtney: We are so stinking right now! Okay- yes, Eva was a psycho, but at least she was an athletic psycho!
*static*
Heather turned to her new alliance members with a finger up. "So, let's go over the rules one more time. Number one: I am the captain of this alliance, so I get to make the rules. Number two...?" Heather gestured to them.
"Breaking the rules can result in getting kicked out of the alliance?" Lindsay thought.
"Good! Number three: I can borrow any of your stuff without asking, but my stuff is strictly off-limits." Heather and Beth exchanged glances.
"I dunno about that last rule." Lindsay stated.
"That's cool. I can change it." Heather shrugged and the two smiled. "I can also find someone else to take to the final three with me." The two shook their heads. "Good. Wanna have some fun?" They smiled and nodded.
Heather stood up and called to the other table. "Hey fish-heads! Way to kick out your strongest player. Why don't you just give up now?" A speeding blob of gruel shot toward Heather, but she moved to the side and let it hit Emma in the face instead.
"Missed me!"
Courtney held up the spoon, and crossed her arms, pissed at Heather.
"Okay campers listen up!" Chris clapped his hands. "Your next challenge begins in ten minutes! And be prepared to bring it!"
Soon enough, there was a court set up on the beach surrounded by glass walls. Inside were two sides divided and bordered with red tape. One side has the Screaming Gopher's logo and the other had the Killer Bass. And on each side were some bleachers. In the middle was a tall watch guard for Chef to sit on.
Duncan opened the door and slammed onto the bleachers. Everyone looked to him.
"Wake me up, and it'll be the last thing you do." He threatened before passing out. Tyler gulped as Courtney simultaneously rolled her eyes.
"This is all your fault you know?" Courtney shamed the mouth-gaping Harold. "You and your snoring- face!"
"It's called a medical condition- GOSH!" Harold shouted back. Chef blew into a whistle, wearing a black-and-white striped referee shirt. He walked over to Chris, who was standing next to a pile of red balls.
"Today's challenge, is the classic game of dodgeball." He held up one. Cameron gasped.
*static*
Cameron: Dodgeball? Dodgeball?! He hyperventilated.
*static*
"The first rule of dodgeball is-"
"Do not talk about dodgeball?" Noah deadpanned, earning a stifled chortle from Owen.
"As I was saying, if you get hit with the ball." He threw it, landing a gut punch into Courtney.
"Oof!" She threw it back with a scowl.
"You're out."
"You can't do that!"
"If you catch the ball." Chris caught it back. "The thrower gets sent out, and the catcher gets to bring in another team member out on the court." Noah sighed.
"Throwing balls, gee- another mentally challenging test." Lindsay leaned in.
"I know right?" Noah had no words.
"Okay now Trent! Try to hit me!" Chris threw the ball to Trent and he caught it. Chris was handed another one.
"If you're holding a ball, you can use it to deflect the ball. But! If it knocks the ball out *drops it* of your hands, you're out!"
"So- what do I do again when the ball comes at me?" Lindsay asked. Trent reached back and threw the ball at Chris, who deflected it with his ball.
"You dodge!" Chris said as the rickashaying ball hit Lindsay and knocked her off her feet.
"Ooh!" Chris cringed. "You were supposed to dodge!" Lindsay moaned.
"Oww, right." She withheld her hand covering her forehead and showed a purple, bruised lump on her head.
"You have one minute until game time! Gophers, you'll have to sit one person out each game."
"Okay." Heather said. "We can't get lazy. The Killer Bass are gonna be trying extra hard to catch up." Emma yawned repeatedly. Heather pointed at her. "Who wants to sit the first one out with sleeping beauty here?"
Noah pretended to give it a serious thought and smiled. "Alright, I'll volunteer." Noah walked over to the bleachers.
Cameron reached out, "W-wait!" Mike patted him on the back.
"Don't worry Cam, I won't pick you if I get hit. Cameron just shook in his seat, not calming down yet.
"Now let's see all you keeners get out there and dodge." He encouraged with a lazy finger point.
Chef looked to the teams, all lines up. On the Killer Bass, there was Courtney, D.J., Tyler, Harold, and Trent. Gwen slept on the bleachers much like Duncan.
On the Screaming Gophers, there was Owen, Heather, Lindsay, Leshawna, and Mike.
"Bring it on, fishies." Heather curled her finger. "Otherwise, winning three in a row just won't be as satisfying."
Tyler scoffed. "Oh- you're going down! We're gonna bring the dinner to the table, and then we're gonna eat it!" Courtney slapped herself.
"Both teams ready!" Chris said. "Best of five games win!" He raised a finger. "Now! Let's dodge some balls!" Chef blew into his whistle. The game has begun.
Members from each bleacher both cheered as everyone picked up their balls, getting their game on. Mike threw the first ball at Tyler. He dodged it with shock, and glared at him. Mike sheepishly smiled.
Winding back, Tyler suddenly spun around into a tornado and swiped the ball across the court... and hit Cody on his own team.
"That'll smear the make-up." Chris chided. Cody gave a muffled "Hey!".
"Nice job." Courtney fumed. "Now let's see if you can hit someone on their team!" Courtney roughly shoved the ball into Tyler's hands.
Owen ran with a ball up in his hand, each step making the court shake a little. Tyler gawked at the massive bull stampeding towards him, and froze. Soon as Owen hit Tyler with the ball, Tyler slammed flat onto the walls.
"Ow!" He held his stomach. "Darn it!" Chef whistled Tyler out. The Screaming Gophers cheered as Owen high-fived Mike. Tyler dragged himself to the bleachers, as a smiling Cody still rubbed his cheek. The whistle rang again.
"Time to unleash my wicked skill." Harold held the ball at front. Leshawna flouted.
"Yeah? Then bring it string-bean, let's see what you got!" She stepped forward. Harold got into a ninja pose and balanced the ball on his knee. With a yell he jumped up and dunked the ball to the ground in front of him with all his strength.
The ball went up high, but didn't cover much distance, and it bounced toward Leshawna's feet. She picked it up and smirked at Harold. He screeched in a shrill voice and ran away. The ball got him in the back of the head and he swept the floor before crunching into the wall. Chris cringed and Chef whistled him out.
"And that's how we roll!" Leshawna whooped and high-fived Owen. Trent held up the ball and aimed. Simultaneously, Lindsay walked in holding a ball.
"Can someone remind me what I'm supposed to do with this again?" Trent's ball hit and knocked Lindsay off her feet again, and he high-fived Courtney. Scott grimaced in the back.
*static*
Scott: Ugh- come on. How are we supposed to lose when everyone is so damn determined to win?! He crosses his arms. Well, at least Tyler and Harold both suck.
*static*
Chef whistled and pointed Lindsay out, who now had two lumps. As the other team cheered for their first out, Tyler waved at Lindsay with a grin. Lindsay wiggled her fingers back. Heather saw this, and grabbed a ball angrily. Drawing it back, she flung it and hit Tyler straight in his kiwis. Tyler bit his lip.
"Mom-mee?" He squeezed out in a helium voice.
"What the heck was that?" Courtney yelled. "Ref! He's not even on the court!"
Chef looked at Heather who just shrugged. "Oopsies, slipped!" Courtney grouched and got a ball of her own, throwing it at Heather. Heather covered her face, but Owen caught it with his hand before it could hit her. Chef whistled Courtney out. She sighed and walked out. Chef then pointed to Emma to get out there. Emma slowly got up and scratched her back. Noah looked up from his book, faintly concerned.
Owen threw a ball at Trent, who dodged. Trent then threw it to Emma who, though exhausted, twirled around and bounced off of Owen. She spun in the air like an acrobat, and Noah widened his eyes. She grabbed the ball mid-flight, and threw it at Trent. He ducked.
"Whoa..." Noah smiled in respect. Emma got on her feet, ready. Then she stifled a yawn. Trent saw this chance and threw it at her. She opened her eyes and gasped, covering her face. "Wah!" A blurred object flew and intercepted the ball's course, knocking it out and away from Emma. She looked up.
"Huh?" It was a book. She looked to Noah who had thrown his book to stop the ball, his hand was still thrown out. He shrugged and they both smiled. Trent threw another one at Owen. Owen ducked and hit the smiling Emma on the side of her head.
"Oof!" She fell. Noah cringed.
"Sorry about that." Trent apologized. Emma waved her hand.
"It's okay. Trust me." Chef whistled her out too. She got up and sat down next to Noah, who now had nothing to read.
"If I had more books, I would've stopped that too." Noah smirked. Emma looked away.
"Yeah well, you didn't did you?" She scoffed, prompting Noah to gaze at her. The camera then panned to Kitty, who was standing behind squealing. Noah looked at her and huffed.
"What." She kept staring. "What?!"
*static*
Kitty: Okay, when love is in the air- I know it. I have a super sensitive love detector. And the alarms have been going off a lot lately. She took out her phone. There are so many ships on this island already! My friends text that this show is getting really big, so I took the liberty to post some ship names. She typed something. Let's see... Emmoah? Nemma? Hmm...
*static*
Now there was only two people left on each side. Mike and Leshawna on the Screaming Gophers. D.J. and Trent on the Killer Bass. The whistle rang and both D.J. and Trent threw their ball to Leshawna. Leshawna deflected the first, but the second hit her in the stomach. Chef called her out. Now only Mike was left standing with D.J. and Trent ready. Heather yelled out to Mike,
"Hey! Why don't you do your weird Svetlana thing? Come on!" Heather yelled. Zoey added,
"Only if you're up to it!" Zoey smiled. Mike grinned back, but Heather shouted more.
"Do it- now!" Mike gulped and put his hand to head.
"I-I, oh I can't! My personality-" Cameron looked up, concerned. "I-I mean impressions are uh, hard to- um-"
"And first up on the vault." Cameron called out. "Five-time Russian champ!" Mike gasped, then spoke out,
"Ez Svetlana!" He posed and held two balls in one hand. D.J. and Trent looked at each other once, before aiming and firing their balls. Svetlana bounced once before leaping high into the chair. He flipped multiple times in the air before throwing the two balls directly at the ones coming at him. The balls bounced back at D.J. and Trent, who then got knocked out of the court. Chef whistled. Mike did one final somersault before landing on his toes.
"And zat is how Svetlana plays!" He laughed as the team cheered. Mike gasps again.
"Hahahaha- aha, what am I laughing at? Hahaha." Mike went back to himself and walked back to bleachers, receiving a high-five from everyone without knowing why.
Back at the circle in the Killer Bass, Harold motivated, "We can do this, we just have to believe in ourselves." Courtney walked up.
"Oh, I believe. I believe you SUCK!"
"Yeah!" Tyler said. "You throw like a girl." Scott laughed.
"You should talk!" Courtney then snapped towards Tyler.
"It was a warm-up throw!" Tyler defended. "Look, I can dominate this game. Just give all the balls to me." The whistle rang before Courtney could protest.
"Fine! Just try to aim for the other side, okay?" Meanwhile, Heather talked to the Gophers.
"Alright Noah, you're up!" Heather said. Noah looked to Emma, who was fast asleep on the seats.
"You know, you guys did such an awesome job on the last game that I don't wanna mess up your mojo." Heather raised an eyebrow.
"Fine. Zoey, Cameron, go." She pushed Cameron to the court where Owen, Kitty, and Lindsay waited.
"Wait what? Why me?!"
"You guys haven't gone yet. Plus, you'll be willing, unlike somebody here." She scowled at Noah, who was too distracted gazing at Emma. "Besides, you're so skinny the balls will probably just go through you."
Cameron looked at the other court where Trent, Cody, Scott, Justin and Tyler stood. He gulped and walked up. Before Zoey got off, Mike reached out and grabbed her hand.
"Be careful." Mike said. "They might have some new plan right now." He looked to Tyler who was holding all the balls, albeit confusedly.
"And you!" Zoey grinned. "Uhh, don't let Svetlana pull a hamstring! Heheh. *beat* I'm gonna go over there." She smiled before walked over to the court.
*static*
Zoey: The guys back home are gorgeous. But they're all hoggy thugs and juvie rejects with a collective IQ of ten. Mike is hot, and smart. Zoey dreamily looked up and sighs. I was really starting to think hot smart guys were imaginary, like unicorns and perfect hair!
*static*
Tyler, holding all the balls confidently, began to twirl around like he did last time and swing out the balls. One shot into Chef's stomach. One whizzed by Chris's head.
"Hey! Watch the face dude!"
Another went to the Screaming Gopher's bleachers, where everybody ducked out of the way. And the final one went and hit Lindsay on the face. Again.
She tumbled down backwards and Tyler gasped.
"Noooo!" Tyler ran over. Courtney threw her hands up.
"Finally!"
"Ohh, um... Tyler?" Lindsay asked as she gained her vision. "Oh my gosh, my face." Tyler helped her up and she removed the hand.
"How's my face?" Tyler jumped at the terrible array of lumps and bruises.
"It's really.. not that bad. You still look great!" Zoey and Cameron exchanged glances. Zoey walked over.
"Really?" Lindsay smiled.
"Yeah! Really." They held hands earnestly for a moment. Zoey tossed the ball two feet in front of her and touched Tyler. Chef whistled and Courtney gawked, hopelessly slapping her forehead.
"You wanna go for a walk?" Tyler asked. Lindsay closed her eyes. I have to say no, I have to say no...
"O-Okay!" Heather stared bewildered as they both walked out of the door.
"Hey!" Heather yelled. "Hey- get back here! You are so close to being out of the alliance!"
Cody grabbed a ball and spun it in the air once. He aimed with his thumb and threw it. The ball was dodged by Kitty. But the ball swerved behind her and curved right back, hitting Kitty on the butt. She sprang up, holding it.
"That is one tough ball to dodge!" Chris told the camera.
Cody dodged a ball thrown by Owen, and held up another one with a smirk. He rubbed it on his alligator polo shirt until it cackled with electricity and aimed the same way with his thumb, throwing it to Cameron.
Cameron jumped, running away from the ball. Even though he turned back and forth, the ball kept following him, static.
"I want my bubble, I want my bubble!" He cried, until finally he hit the wall, the ball following and hitting him on the back with a pop.
"Ow! My thoracic spine!"
The Killer Bass cheered for Cody, and he proudly shrugged.
"Great Gatsby that is it!" Owen held his fists up. "GAME OONNN!" He grabbed a ball out of Zoey's hands and threw it, hitting both Scott and Justin out in one go. She quickly tossed him another one, and he hit an unsuspecting Cody out. The Killer Bass gasped. And finally, he swung his final ball with a long "YEEAAHH!" much to Trent's dismay. The ball hurdled and hit Trent right on the cheek, and he flopped out.
"Ooww," Chris cringed and smiled. "That one's worth an instant reply." The camera went back to Trent about to get hit.
"Forward." The footage reeled as Trent got hit again. "Okay rewind- forward, rewind, forward, rewind *chuckle* and pause! Oho, that's gonna leave a mark. Haha!" The camera shot back to Leshawna.
"Ohh! He dropped it like it was hot!" Chef whistled the entire Bass team out, and the Gophers crowded Owen with cheers. Trent walked back, holding his face. Gwen put her hands up.
"Whoa, you okay?" Trent nodded.
"Yep, thanks for asking."
"Of course." Gwen then stammered and looked away. "I-I mean, whatever."
"Hahhah," Owen chortled as everyone clapped. "I dunno what got into me."
Heather put her hands on hip at the love-struck Noah. "I'm glad someone, is trying today." Noah shook his head. "Huh- what?" Then Cameron crawled up to the bleachers and grabbed Noah's knee.
"Please!" Cameron stared with puppy eyes. "Take my place!" He wailed. Noah sighed, saw Kitty nodding and nudging him too. He groaned, getting up.
"Fine, but remember, sports aren't my forte." Heather rolled her eyes, and then called out to the other side of the court.
"Hey! It's 2-0. How does it feel to suck so much?" The team glared at her. Harold looked down.
"Not very good." He said.
"It's not over yet!" Courtney pointed out with a fake smile and Heather cocked an eyebrow. Courtney sighed. "It's so over."
The Killer Bass sat on the bleachers, dejected.
"Okay." Courtney started. "This is really bad, one more game and we'll lose the whole challenge. Again! We can't let that happen people." Scott smiled.
*static*
Scott: All according to plan. Scott used his shark tooth to whittle at a thick stick. Another elimination ceremony and it's bye-bye Duncan. Or Harold- I can't decide! I'm like a kid in a candy store full of suckers! Hehehehe! And I'm gonna.. He paused um.. like break them and stuff!
*static*
Courtney stood up. "We need someone strong. "Someone mean. Someone who'll crush those stupid Gophers into the dirt!" Everybody instantly looked over to the sleeping Duncan.
"Uh-uh." D.J. shook his head. "If we wake him up, he'll kill us!"
"He won't kill us guys, he wants to win too." Courtney said.
"Courtney's right." Harold nodded. "We need Duncan's fierceness to win this."
"That's the spirit Harold! Now go wake him up."
Harold looked around at the campers staring at him. "Why me?"
"Because, other than Tyler, you're the worst at dodgeball. And if he does kill you, you're the only one we can afford to lose."
"No way." Harold protested. "I'm not doing it!"
"Well? Who's gonna wake him up?" Courtney asked grimly. No one met her eyes.
A long, trembling stick made it's way to Duncan's butt and poked it once. The gang was holding up a long piece of stick.
"We have to go higher!" Courtney ordered. The stick slowly went to Duncan's face and touched his nostril. Duncan grabbed the stick suddenly and pulled it away from them. Now up, he broke the stick in half with a growl, splinters flying. He poked Harold on the chest.
"You better have a really good reason for sticking this up my now." Courtney slipped in between them.
"Look. We are down two nothing, I can appreciate that you need a little nap time, but we need your help."
"Oh- and why should I help you darling." Duncan smirked.
"Because, I can personally guarantee you that if we lose this game, YOU'll be the one going home." She leaned in, eyeing him patronizingly. "Darling."
Duncan sighed. "Fine, I'll play. On one condition. You do what I say, when I say it." Courtney nodded. "Okay. here's a strategy I picked up during my first visit to juvie. It's called, 'Crush the new guy'." Duncan punched his open hand.
On the Killer Bass, Duncan, Courtney, Trent, Cody and Justin all walked up with a new air of certitude. On the Gopher's side, there was Owen, Leshawna, Noah, and Kitty. Heather walked up to Anne Maria, who was too busy spray tanning. She just begun to shake the hair spray.
"Oh no, you are not doing that again. You didn't go yet." Heather pointed to the court.
"I ain't risking fly-aways." She patted her hair. Heather hit her spraying can, and it rolled onto the court. Anne Maria gasped.
"Noo!" The can bounced by Kitty and Beth. Anne Maria brawled. "Ooh, this ain't over." She glared at Heather before stomping off to collect her can. Heather smirked. Chef blew into the whistle for round three.
Beth and Kitty both threw a ball, and both Duncan and Courtney dodged them. They all collected the balls, and four of them aimed. At once, the four whizzed across and hit Owen. Four stars circled Owen's head and he fell over. The whistle accompanied the Killer Bass's whoops. They all celebrated as Duncan nodded approvingly. Another whistle, another four balls hit in unison, at Leshawna, Noah, and Kitty. Anne Maria was the only one left.
The Killer Bass drew back and did the same technique. Anne Maria picked up her spray can and kissed it. "Ahaha!" The four balls whizzed at her the same time she turned to them. She yelped, but didn't get hurt thanks to her metal hair. The balls bounced off her hair like it was steel. The Killer Bass looked towards Chef for the whistle.
He shrugged. "Hair don't count." They all groaned, and the Gophers began to list off shouts and commands for Anne Maria to throw them out. Anne Maria waved her hand.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it- hold on." She blissfully sprayed her hair. Courtney whispered something into Cody's ear, and he nodded. Doing the unique move again, Cody rubbed the ball on his shirt and aimed. Anne Maria fanned the hair spray to her, and then the ball hit her right on the side of her hair, denting it. "Oof!" An electric current ran through her hair and trembled a bit before her hair suddenly spazzed out in all directions into a messy, charged up afro. She screamed.
"AAUUGGHH! MY POOF... IS POOFED!" Anne Maria frantically tried to fix it while spraying her hair again. Duncan nodded.
"Now." They threw the four balls out and struck four body hits at once. Now Chef blew the whistle. Anne Maria wailed and ran back to the bleachers.
*static*
Anne Maria: That- little PIPSQUEAK-! Oh when I get my paws on him!
*static*
"I think we should do the same thing, all over again." Courtney grinned. "So Harold, sit this one out too." Harold ogled.
"But I sat the last one out!"
"It's for the good of the team." Harold slumped and D.J. patted him on the back.
Heather stood in the middle of the bleachers. "Okay, we are NOT losing another game to these guys- GOT it?" She threw her arms up. "And where is Lindsay? Ugh!" She walked out in search of Lindsay. Heather walked outside until she reached the dock, hearing some giggles. She peered over the edge and gasped.
Lindsay and Tyler were chattering under the dock.
"This is so against the rules!" Heather scorned them. They both looked up.
"I'm sorry- I didn't mean it!" Lindsay apologized.
"Hey why don't you just chill out?" Tyler called up. Heather picked up an empty canoe.
"Why don't YOU dodge THIS." She threw it down. Tyler, now inside the canoe, shouted,
"OW!"
Dragging a sad Lindsay back, Heather propped her on the dock. "Sit down and stay there."
"Okay." Lindsay did so.
Heather looked in. "How are we doing?" Another four balls hit Beth out, making her fly backwards.
"Their new technique is pretty effective." Noah said, rubbing his arm.
"No. Really turkey?" Heather eyed him, put out. Leshawna fell down, and another whistle gave a point to the Killer Bass. They all cheered.
"This is ssso unexceptionable." Heather bit. Tyler, rubbing his head, walked by Courtney and sat down on the bleachers.
"Where were you?"
"Nowhere!" Tyler lied.
"You were with that blonde Gopher girl weren't you?"
"No..! ... Maybe." Tyler looked away. "So?"
"So, she could've been getting you to spill all of our weaknesses to her!" Lindsay was playing "puppet", nodding happily to her moving hand.
"Okay!" Chris said. "This is it! The final tie-breaking game!" The Killer Bass got into a huddle.
"Okay- who's going in?" Duncan said.
"I think it's my turn." Harold piped up.
"No way, we actually have a chance to win this." Courtney vetoed. Harold sadly nodded, and went off to the bleachers.
"Gophers, Bass!" Chris called. "Let's send this sample to the lab, and see watchyo made of!"
Chef whistled. With Heather clapping them up, the Gophers grabbed a ball and hustled around, tossing it to each other.
"Come on people!" Heather ordered. "Quick feet, fast hands!" She caught the ball and threw it to D.J., who jump dodged it. The balls went back and forth. Kitty got hit, and so did Cody. Both teams having one person go back to the bleachers and high-five someone else in. On and on, the bleachers were switched in and out with different people. Back on the right side of the bleachers, the continual cycle washed out with Harold sitting out in most of them. Trent tapped Harold on the shoulder, kindly handing him a ball. Harold grinned, nodded and hopped onto the arena.
"Back of the court princess." Duncan gestured to Harold. Harold obeyed, sagging. The team looked to Harold. Emma threw a ball and smacked Courtney in the face.
"That's, for the oatmeal." Emma smirked. Leshawna guffawed.
"Ohohoho! You messed, with the wrong lawer!" She pointed.
D.J. ducked from an incoming ball and he looked at the ball bouncing away. Another got him on the head. Leshawna got out. Duncan got out, by three balls separately hitting him in different places. He wavered and dropped to the ground. Harold looked over him. A spinning ball made its way toward Gwen, but Cody jumped in front of her, taking a ball to the crotch. He grabbed it as he flew off, the ball blocked. Emma and Trent both threw a ball, and it hit each other the same time. They were both whistled out.
Carrying the injured out, the only ones left was Harold and Owen. Harold gulped as Owen held a ball in hand. Getting this, the Screaming Gophers celebrated their presumed victory. The Bass looked aghast.
"Sorry dude. But you gotta go down." Owen picked up four balls. Hand to head, Duncan griped,
"Good-night Harold."
Harold squinted and got into his kung-fu stance. He beckoned Owen to go. Owen frowned, and ran down the court, throwing three balls at him in full speed.
With a sudden nature of grace, Harold twirled and spun past the balls, dodging them easily. Owen spun the last ball and threw it right at Harold's face. In slow motion, Harold bent backwards. He stared at the ball as it barely missed him by a hair. It hit the wall and bounced off. The Screaming Gophers froze.
"Time out!" Courtney said. "Time out!" Chef granted it with a whistle. Harold sat with D.J. cloaking a towel around his neck. Tyler held up a bucket and Izzy squirted water out of a bottle into his mouth.
"Man, that boy's got dodge." Duncan said. "Where'd you learn to do that?" Harold spit the water, missing the bucket and spraying it at Tyler instead. Harold wiped his chin.
"Figure-skating."
"Harold, that was amazing!" Trent nodded. Scott rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, fantastic."
"But dodging isn't enough."
"Trent's right." Courtney said. "To win this, you either have to throw him out-"
"Which we all know you can't do." Duncan added.
"-or catch the ball. Can you do it?"
"Definitely." Harold nodded as he accepted another stream of water. He spit it at Tyler. D.J. pat him on the back.
"Come on- now go catch that ball!" Entering back, both teams emboldened the last player. The Killer Bass both chanted.
"Harold, harold, harold, harold!" Owen winded up his arm and turned his arm around.
"Cowa-BUNGA!" The ball flew into Harold's open arms and hit him dead in the gut. His back slapped against the wall and slid down. The team stopped in suspense and Duncan got up, gasping.
Harold held in his stomach...
and then held up the ball in his hand triumphantly. Chef whistled and Chris announced,
"The Killer Bass wins!" They went wild. Owen slapped his hands to his face. "It's impossible!" He got to his knees. "WHYYYY!" He wailed.
The team (all except for Scott) carried out their victor, Harold held up by the team and they walked out. "Nice dodge skater-nerd." Duncan nearly complimented. Chris walked up to the Screaming Gophers.
"Gophers, what happened?" Ezekiel picked his nose and wiped it out. Kitty scrambled back.
"Eww! That's really gross." Beth nodded.
"This game was rigged, eh?" He waved his hand.
"Oh really?" Chris smiled. "How so?"
"They've got way more guys on their team. We only got four!" The girls in the team gasped. Leshawna snapped her fingers.
"Oh, you did NOT just do that."
Anne Maria pushed her way in. "Excuse me, what's that supposed to mean?"
"Yes, enlighten us." Emma crossed her arms.
"Well, guys are much stronger and better at sports than girls are." Ezekiel plainly said. The guys started to back off from the seething girls.
Mike whispered to Cam. "Aw man, he did not say that!" Cameron cowered back, expecting an explosion.
"It's like he has a death wish!" Cameron whispered back.
"My dad told me to look out for the girls here, eh? And help 'em in case they can't keep up." Leshawna grabbed him by the hoodie and held him up.
"You are just asking for a fight ova' here."
"Still think we need your help keeping up?" Heather growled.
"Uh.. not really." Ezekiel choked out. Mike stepped in.
"Okay, maybe we should give him a break guys." Leshawna dropped Ezekiel down.
Cameron said, "Hey, at least he doesn't think that guys are smarter than girls." Ezekiel poked his head up.
"But.. they are?"
*static*
Cameron: I'm a bubble boy, and even I know what's sociably acceptable.
*static*
Scott: We won? Ugh! Harold you're next!
*static*
Harold: I guess I'm kind of a role model now that I won the dodgeball competition. He ate some chips. People will probably all want my autograph when the show is over and stuff.
*static*
It was night, and the fire was dancing as brightly as ever during the elimination ceremony. All the girls were staring venomously at Ezekiel.
"Campers." Chris held the plate of marshmallows. "You all placed your votes and made your decision. One of you will be going home. And you can't come back. Ever. When you hear me call out your name, come pick up a marshmallow."
"Owen." He got up with a fist pump and walked over.
"Emma."
"Zoey."
"Beth."
"Mike." He went and high-fived Zoey.
"Cameron." He sighed.
"Heather."
"Leshawna."
"Anne Maria."
"Kitty." Kitty got up and held hands with Lindsay. She worriedly looked over at Heather.
"Lindsay." She whooped and grabbed a marshmallow, kissing it.
There was only two left, Noah and Ezekiel. Ezekiel looked considerably more nervous than Noah, but he wasn't 100% calm either.
*static*
Noah: Okay- fine, so I can see why I was in the last two. But come on! I joined afterwards Heather.
*static*
Chris grinned, waiting in an unnecessary beat. "... Noah." Noah smirked and went up to claim his marshmallow. Ezekiel looked down.
"Can't say I'm shocked. You were picking your nose dude, not cool." Chris shook his head. "Dock of Shame is that way bro." Ezekiel got up, hands in his pocket, and walked down the dock. Leshawna called out,
"You need to learn a little thing called, respect."
"Alright!" Chris said. "So it wasn't the most dramatic campfire ceremony ever. But I still get paid, haha! Bonus!" He pointed to the camera and grinned.