THE COB BOOK: PART ONE
Geoff stared silently into space oblivious to the drone of the dial tone while Bridgette and Courtney attempted to knock him out of his daze. The other teenagers were torn between watching the duo reassure the party boy and what was now happening on the other side of the room.
Hearing the muffled snort of laughter coming from the corner decided it. Most of the teens gravitated towards the other couch where Noah, Cody and Harold were gathered around Cody's lap top with the returned letters and a notebook.
Noah smirked. "He keeps this up and I might get to like him." Cody shook his head as his fingers flew rapidly over the keys. "You have to admit when Ezekiel doesn't want to be found he doesn't want to be found!"
Harold nodded his own hands busy scribbling down the information in the notebook. "Considering the information gathered from the various sites, it certainly answers the question on why Duncan received an answer from Ezekiel while no one else did."
"Alright then doofus enlighten us." Harold glared at the delinquent before explaining. "Ezekiel being homeschooled received all sorts of packages in the mail. Everything from Giantess Online to Cuisine Monthly."
"Ezekiel also used a green marker to decorate the boxes not just for holiday purposes, but to cover up the remnants of where his real address used to be. He then made a new label and substituted the phony one in its place to ensure that the packages could not be sent back." Cody added.
"As careful as Ezekiel was he did make a minor mistake." Noah commented drolly fixing his gaze on the punk. "Unlike the others, YOUR package came from a public school in Northern Canada. Also when you wrote back to the school not only was the letter addressed to the proper place, you also put it to Ezekiel's attention."
"So it's like the time I ordered these two different shades of limited addition nail polish and only one came." Lindsay nodded in understanding. The other teenagers looked at each other. Noah sighed. "Yes Lindsay it's like that."
Gwen shook her head, but she couldn't help the hint of a smile that touched her lips. Turning her head the smile instantly turned to shock as she noticed that Heather was pulling a small book out of her purse. The goth had only caught a glimpse of the cover, but it was enough.
"How did you get that?!" Gwen shouted earning confused looks from most of the others at least until they recognized the infamous Crushing on Bridgette book. Heather rolled her eyes. "Homeschool crashed into me right before the wrap up party. I found it after he left the island."
Duncan scoffed. "So what's the big deal? It's just Homeschool's dumb spying book." The contempt on his face disappeared when he noticed LeShawna fixing him with a pointed look. "Actually it's Ezekiel's journal. That white boy told me he got it as a gift from someone named Marabella."
Confessional Can
Bridgette-You mean this whole time-
Geoff-The Crushing on Bridge book-
Bridgette-Was Ezekiel's journal?!!
Geoff-Man…I really don't like where this is heading.
Bridgette-Ezekiel's journal is in Heather's hands. And knowing Heather she's going to read it out loud… Oh god! He must really hate me…
Beth-Hey isn'th Marabella that housekeeper from the resort?
Ignoring the shocked looks, Heather opened the COB book and studied the cover in confusion which was written in very shaky English. "The waves of knowledge are shaky. To quit would to allow yourself to be dragged under?! What kind of garbage is this?!"
Katie sniffed. "That is sooo beautiful." Lindsay and Beth were similarly overcome. Gwen frowned. "That's enough Heather!" DJ was similarly displeased. "That's like a serious breech of privacy."
"They have a point. Contained within are Ezekiel's inner most thoughts and feelings at the resort. Which undoubtedly will be filled with pain." The nerd looked from teen to teen silently judging the different emotions. Heather however was smirking.
"Then it's settled then. If we want answers from a prairie boy we first need to know the prairie boy." Ignoring the looks of incredulity, the queen bee turned the page and let out a huff. "I see the accent carried over." Heather turned to another page and she scowled. "Oh come on! Hasn't he heard of dating things?!"
Despite themselves the queen bee's cries of frustration over Ezekiel's journal was slowly igniting the flames of curiosity. Finally they could no longer take it. "Would you just read it already!" Courtney snapped only to have the pages of the book abruptly in her face.
"Go ahead Miss CIT…read!" Courtney's scowl turned to confusion as she stared in disbelief at the book. "Okay even I have to admit that's a little unusual." Duncan grabbed the book away ignoring his girlfriend's complaint.
"A little? On one page is just the word TRY and the other is a giant spiral of tiny words!" In emphasis Duncan passed the book around the room. Several of the ex-campers turned the book repeatedly in attempt to decipher the page.
Finally it reached Noah's hands. "Oh by all means let me do the honors!" The know it-all raised an eyebrow as he flipped through a few pages before he closed the book again. "Keep any interruptions at a minimum, I'm only doing this once and I do intend to sleep in my own bed tonight."
Without waiting for a response, Noah opened the book and started to read, the cynicism for once gone from his voice.
Marabella gave me this thing called a journal today after the surfer girl goot here eh. She said each day I gotta write in it to unboodle my feelings. And she said it's important to start from the beginning or what I remember from each day. So here it goes eh.
Right before I goot on that big white boat, My dad had pulled me aside and told me some good advice. Or I thought it was at the time. The girls on my team didn't seem to think so eh. I think I still goot scars from where that ponytail girl grabbed me! Wot was her name again? Kathy? Emerald? Bethany?
He didn't even know our names?
Wow…poor Ethan...Even I know that their names are Ava, Beth and Kitty.
Shh!!
I still doon't knoo why I got vooted off when I jumped eh! I guess what I said must have been pretty awful. I joost didn't knoo until the red head from the island surprised me from behind and we fell into the water. I still doon't knoo how she got on board eh.
It's Izzy! Who knows what goes on in that head of hers!
Hate to say it but I actually have to agree with Heather here.
Noah groaned. "At this rate it will be midnight before we finish the first page."
If I remember right from the island she's supposed to be the crazy girl. True she's really different then anyone I've seen in my entire life, boot she's also really smart. I mean she came right out and asked if I watched Loving Heartbreak, Teen Town and the Real life of teens. Wow she's a good guesser eh.
Soap Operas and those junk teenage shows? (Laughs)
Especially when you've got those teeny little girls who can't do a darn thing without someone helping them blow their nose!
Wow this explains so much…
Oh my gosh I looove Loving Heartbreak! Especially when-
Moving on!
She asked me what it was like to be homeschooled so I told her eh. When your folks are your teachers you learn real quick to pay attention. Otherwise you get the silent treatment and that's noot fun eh!
Izzy told me aboot detents and being grounded. I mean what does taking down a tent and walking on the ground have to do with school anyway? Come to think aboot it she never did tell that answer eh….she was laughing too…
Yeah…that boy is clueless.
Give him a break! I mean he's never been to a public school before so how should he know what detentions are?!
He should at the very least know what groundings are…
Now that I think aboot it I'm glad she snuck onto the boat. Boot now comes the tricky part getting her back to the island when the boat was gone eh. "Too bad I don't have powers like that LIAR does! Then I could get a condor, or a pterodactyl to fly me into camp!" I remember her saying. Since dinosaurs are extinct and I didn't know where we could find a giant condor I suggested trying to bride the sharks eh. It took a loot of steaks but it worked! Izzy gets to ride on a shark unharmed back to the island.
Oh great. Crazy girl's craziness is contagious!
Will you hush already?! SHEESH!
I watched the Awakathon at the resort today. Izzy made it back safe and unnoticed. I'm glad boot I miss her already eh. Noot that I would want her voted off next, it joost can be kinda lonely here eh. It never used to soo why now?
I think I'm ripped in half between emotions. On one side I feel soory for the Killer Bass. On the other other I'm still upset and a little full of hot air…especially over the Awakeathon. I mean why are they having so much trouble eh?!
Jogging around the campground…
Turkey dinner after nothing but slop…
And then having to stay awake?! Dude has no idea how tough that was!
Truth be written I should have been there instead of the chicken hat CIT girl.
That's one opinion. Under MY leadership we were successful in accomplishing our goals…at least until I was CHEATED OFF!
Will you get over it!
Yeah!
Seriously!
Especially after I goot the girls all boiling. Last time I was attacked by a girl was in this spelling bee a long time ago and I couldn't sleep for over a week. And after seeing Chef in that giant lamb suit and that pink tip toe dress I knoo I'd be up foor even longer then that eh!
(Scoffs) Now he tells us.
I might not knoo a lot aboot teens, but I do knoo that taking someone's stuff isn't nice and moost of the time the one returning it was the one who took it in the first place. I can't believe they fell foor it! And then vooted off the really scary ponytail girl. I joost knoo there gonna regret it in the future.
Eva glared darkly at the group of ex Bass. While most winced in discomfort, Bridgette buried herself deeply into Geoff's arms in remembrance.
And knoo she's coming here! I…I…I'm joost gonna get this over with and then I'm hiding!
Wow…the guy actually learned.
DUNCAN!!!
What??
Okay that had to be one of the hardest things I've ever done, boot I did it…I told the girl…Eva what I saw on the TV and I managed to apologize, boot I'm noot taking chances eh! I moved all my stuff to another floor…she might noot want to kill me on the dot anymore, but the less I see of her all the better eh!
I joost hope that its noot the other ponytail girl on the Killer Bass ends up here next...I doon't think I would survive.
Bridgette whimpered as she buried herself even deeper.
Confessional Can
Eva-(smirks)
Bridgette-He was that terrified? Oh god…
Okay so the next person here is a guy named Noah. He's real jaded and quiet and he likes to read. And he's happy when people don't put an insect on him...or something like that. I'm still trying to learn teenspeak eh.
Confessional Can
Tyler-Ezekiel-Dude…its bug him not put an insect on him.
Noah-I reiterate. I could get to like Ezekiel. (Noah suddenly frowned) As a friend not as a romantic interest! So get your minds out of that gutter people!
Marabella finally caught me ignoring my doctor's orders eh. I think she's like one of those hotel mom's who watch you if you do something bad. And I'm noot going through another lecture aboot not going outside again eh!
I heard there's a pool outdoors so I decided to try that eh. Noah wasn't too pleased. Especially after I panicked from the how did he phrase it? Oh! Death by Hot Tub Monster! That's it.
Death by… (snickers) Hot Tub Monster?!!!
(Snickers)
Wow…inanimate fear. This is getting interesting…
I know I shouldn'th find thisth funny but I can't help it!
So since Noah was nice enough explaining aboot hot tubs I wanted to return the favor. He seemed really surprised aboot the amount and types of books I had. He was really happy though.
I decided to sit in the hot tub the next day to read one of my books and I was surprised when Noah did the same! I wanted to say something, boot I didn't want to have someone else mad at me so I didn't eh.
(smirks) Wise Man.
I think I finally did something right. Noah mentioned something about me liking this author, before going back to his book.
The day after that was more of an improvement and the next day too. I'm really starting to enjoy these moments of peace. Of course then the next camper got voted off. And she was a real mess eh! I joost didn't knoo how bad it was until she jumped off the dock!
Yada yada yada…everyone knows this already so let's move on…
I think the next guy here Justin has calmed Katie down some, but it's caused a new problem. Every single female at the resort practically falls at his feet every time he walks by!
Confessional Can
Justin just smiles at the camera.
Noah's has also started to call him the "Anti Me." More and more I look forward to the early mornings and late afternoons in the hot tub joost reading eh. I think Noah does too. I doon't see him as tied up as he is when Justin's nearby.
Confessional Can
Noah-Behind the pretty face of Anti me a master strategist lies in waiting. Had I in fact made it to the Talent round I would have voted whole heartedly for Justin to go. Without a doubt he is the true threat…next to Heather that is.
As with anything good it came crashing down. Tyler the next camper, I tried staying away from after he tackled me into the water screaming aboot a Chicken Lord. And like the noot fun encounters with Eva it was the same with Tyler.
The worst was when he decided to jog around the pool to keep in shape as he called it. Somehow he tripped and crashed right into the hot tub splashing Noah and me and the books with a loot of water. It might have been an accident, but I loost two things…I'll never knoo what happened next in the book until after the show is over and I loost the minor peace I had with Noah. According to him I seem to attract Tyler.
I just…wanted to apologize.
Save it jock boy.
Hey! Don't talk to my Tiger Ty like that Hanna!
After what happened with Tyler I started to dread the next camper's arrival…
Owen dumped his things carelessly on the floor of the bedroom before he flopped eagerly onto the other bed. The loud explosion of gas created by the action caused Ezekiel to open the window.
"Oops! Sorry dude!" Owen laughed. Ezekiel smiled back weakly. "It was an accident eh." The prairie boy said simply as he set down the remainder of the other boy's things down neatly in the corner.
The happy go lucky teen winced. The actions of the homeschooler showed he wasn't very comfortable with his presence though he halfheartedly attempted to hide his discomfort. Glancing quickly around the room he looked around for a distraction. He found it in a neatly framed picture above Ezekiel's bed.
"Hey that's the camp picture! AWESOME!!!! There's Izzy, and Noah and Gwen and-" As Owen continued to announce the names of all 22 campers he was oblivious to the bittersweet smile on the other boy's face. At least until he spoke.
"To move forward you need to knoo where you were eh. I actually did enjoo myself at first on that island." Ezekiel sighed before shaking his head violently to clear the memory. Owen nodded absently as his attention fell on a book that was lying on the prairie boy's bed.
Seeing the words Playa des Losers, the cuddly cubby wasted no time in opening it. The happy smile on his face faded as he took in the first picture. Izzy was grinning happily at the camera hugging Ezekiel who had a sheepish smile on his face.
Both his girlfriend and the prairie boy were soaking wet and Izzy was covered in soot. Next to them also posing was one of the infamous man-eating sharks. Ezekiel noticed what Owen was looking at and a smile touched his lips.
"Marabella took that after I saved Izzy and brought her to shore after the helicopter blew up. Izzy was right riding sharks is fun, boot I doon't want to do that again eh. And the hotel ran out of steaks that day so Izzy suggested spa treatments instead as payment foor noot eating us. Oh... that was the first time Izzy goot voted off eh."
Owen nodded though he was clearly uncomfortable over the picture. Flipping through the book he noticed a few more odd pictures. Noah and Ezekiel reading in the hot tub, Ezekiel posing next to a few staff workers, scenes in the kitchen, Courtney and Harold suspended in the air while Izzy and Ezekiel grinned from the balcony…all too soon it ended.
"The hotel staff gave it to me foor a gift on the last day and Marabella put in the pictures eh." Ezekiel explained. Owen stared back in disbelief. "But there's only 3 pages filled! And only Izzy, Noah, Harold and those people at the hotel are in them! Well except Courtney."
Ezekiel nodded. "Hey! So what was it like with the paintballs in the woods eh?"
In the end I think that mean girl Heather shoould have been the next to go since she asked for the chips in the first place eh. Injured or noot Cody shoould have stayed especially after the next challenge the cooking one. He could have been the team captain…I think he'd at least listen to the others instead of running for the face paint and barking oot orders eh.
Cody beamed with pride, Heather scowled and the others snickered.
I think that's the challenge that bites me the most eh since I knoo how to cook. And also the amount of errors both teams made. Chris is lucky he choked when the pineapple cake was charred to a crisp. He'd have woorse problems since the pineapple was chunked. You doon't chunk pineapple you crush it eh!
Ohhhhhhh!
You mean you DIDN'T crush the pineapple?!
Traveling Cam
Chris's House
Chef- (scoffs) Even I knew that one. You down one of those whole and you're in trouble. I remember this old private of mine did that back in the day and his throat swelled like this big bullfrog. Eventually he had to go the infirmary and they had to cut it out of him-Chris? You feeling alright man?
The TDI host's eyes are large as dinner plates and he babbles incoherently as he twitches violently on the floor. Chef grins.
Chef-Heh Heh. Serves him right. In Chef's kitchen he is the king! Not some Home Ec High School Wannabees!
And that "pastry" as Courtney called it is a cannoli. For someone who's never done one befoor its noot bad, boot even from here the consistency and texture is off.
Okay…that boy has skills in the kitchen.
Which is like a good thing. I love my dad dearly but he will burn even water. And Sadie's mom is the same way! We each have a parent that can't cook worth beans! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
Chris shoould have given it a foor instead of a six eh.
I told you! You crushed the pastry!
And you curdled the filling!
I think the biggest mistake was the jookes that…Geoff…Duncan and BJ are playing on the other guy…Harry? Anyway when you step foot in a kitchen you leave the war at the door eh! It doesn't involve cooking it does noot matter!
The trio snickers from the memory, Courtney smirked and Harold scowled.
And homeschooled or noot when it comes to cooking, you doo noot wanna cross me on that eh! Continuing it was the ponytail girl on the Screaming Gophers Beth who goot vooted off because of a tiki doll I saw on Giantess Online. And they call me the clueless one.
So this curse thing…wasn't real?!
And it was fake too! (gasp) I am soooo sorry for voting you off Beth!
Another thing we got played at.
Gah! I hate that man!
Izzy discovered the note from my doctor aboot the Vitamin D deficiency. Even though I have been good aboot spending time outdoors she wanted to help and insisted I play something called Chicken. She never told me you play it in the water against killer sharks!
Disturbing.
But not unexpected.
True.
So after time in the infirmary we watched the next episode of the shoo on the television with the others. Is it joost me or is the Gophers noot the only one with an alliance eh? And the CIT girl Courtney is at the head.
That is an unfounded accusation.
Actually the guy makes sense! Sure I didn't confront my fear, but you didn't either and it was for triple points!
Shut up Tyler!
"When I say people go down they go down." At least the girl…Sadie tried eh! And she wasn't the one who blew it eh! And Harold should have got the marshmallow first since he caught the surfer girl! Moore and more there's an alliance there eh.
Ezekiel brings up a valid point.
Shut up Harold!
No he's like sooo right. He caught Bridgette and Sadie tried hard to hit the arrow!
That goes for you too Katie!
And wot aboot that marshmallow thing eh?! And they say I doon't have any manners. If I had stayed instead of Chicken girl I would have been nice aboot it and I knoo I would noot do that snide smirking and waving she was doing. Is it rude of me to wish she chooked on it? Maybe Sadie would have stayed instead then eh.
That little sexist CREEP!!!! How dare he! And you! Stop laughing! I mean it!!!
Another day another challenge and Geoff and Duncan still haven't learned eh. While I'm glad the CIT is off the island finally I doon't approve of the way Harold did it eh. So she comes to the resort and she practically forced me to shoo her where her room was. And in the elevator she changes her mind! I wouldn't have minded so much if it wasn't for her answer. "Yoo've already proven it."
Joost cause I happen to be homeschooled I am unable to do anything right? That was what I asked her. Who is the biased one now eh?
Hence the irony. The only smarts Ezekiel lacked were in communication.
Dang girl…the dude's got a point there. Both of them.
WHAT?!! Are you kidding me?! I was CHEATED OFF and now you agree with Mr. Sexist?!
Train to catch in one hour. No time for incessant lectures.
(gasp) How DARE you! I am a CI-
Imagi's Ramblings: Yeah this was getting really really long so I divided it into two parts. Here is Ezekiel's thoughts up to the first eleven campers voted off for good or bad. And ironically it took eleven pages.
As for the interruptions between each memory…yeeeahh…I'll let you guys figure out who is who. ;)
Torturing Chris is fun, but Chef's details are a guess...didn't really care to do the research on that one this time since it would have more then likely given me nightmares. ;)
In the meantime I'll work on the second half of eleven now that I'm feeling better and the swelling in my fingers has gone down. ;) Fingers slammed in the trunk…perfect end to a lousy week. *rolls eyes*
Thanks always for the reviews guys! :D
Imagi
