Chapter 38

"So good! Yummy!"

Gwen woke up to the sound of Ezekiel eating breakfast, if you could actually call food prepared by Chef breakfast.

"I know!"

She sat up and watched Elliot have some of the food. "Elliot?"

"Oh! Hey Gwenny!" Elliot waved at her. "How's it going?"

"Fine...are you actually eating food made by Chef?" Gwen sat up on the hard rusty bench she had slept on.

"Oh! It's not so bad when you develop some tolerance to it." Elliot shrugged.

"I'll take your word for it." Gwen shook her head. "Where's everyone else?"

"Dawn is meditating in the back with the animals, Duncan's carving in the cargo hold and Cody's up in First Class with Alejandro." Elliot answered. "I can tell Alejandro might be a little upset we voted off Heather."

"Because they were so in love or because they were so in an alliance?" Gwen asked with a small grin.

"Both. Probably." Elliot shrugged. "You know when Chris brought us into this show I thought we'd just be competing for the millions, not get in stuck in some big drama soap opera show. The fights between Duncan and Courtney, Heather and Alejandro's obvious tension, and then there's you!"

"Me?" Gwen asked.

"Duncan was looking at you from time to time, Cody keeps on trying to impress you, and not to mention the glares you got from Courtney and Sierra." Elliot pointed out. "The only people who haven't been sucked into this is are me, Dawn, Zeke, Chris and Chef. And I don't think Chef is Chris's type."

Gwen held back the urge to vomit. "Elly! Don't say things like that! You're going to emotionally scar millions of people watching this stupid show!"

"What? You know it's true." Elliot pointed out.

"Attention passengers! Please prepare for landing." Chris's voice came through the PA.

"Thank you." Gwen sighed in relief.

She'd later regret that when the plane nearly crashed landed.

"Gosh darn it!" Chef shouted through the speakers.

Xxx

"And yet another piece of our world heritage has been destroyed." Dawn as she stared mournfully at the broken statue. "How long until the governments decide enough is enough?"

She had already figured out that they were on Easter Island, Rapa Nui. She could make out the numerous statues lining the beach of the island called the moai, built by early Rapa Nui people.

'The face resembles a spirit that they believed was a deity or a symbol of good luck they built statues of it to show their faith.' Dawn thought.

'Little did they know that spirits thriving off these kind of ideals can become dangerous. It was why they stopped appearing before the people of this island.' Luna replied.

"That is not the only thing that shall be destroyed today." Alejandro walked up to Dawn.

"You aura states that you are upset that Heather is no longer with us." Dawn stated. "Perhaps you should let her know how much you miss her."

"I assure you that I am only annoyed at the loss of a valued alliance team mate." Alejandro quickly replied.

"Al!"

They turned and saw Cody run up to Alejandro with chocolate all over his face.

"You have got to try this taffy!" Cody held up the taffy to Alejandro's face.

"Alejandro and I am not hungry." Alejandro pushed the taffy away.

"That's the beauty of candy! No hunger required!" Cody laughed.

"How much candy did you give him?" Dawn asked with a hint of concern. "His aura says he's probably going to collapse and become ill."

"Apparently more than I should have." Alejandro replied.

Xxx

Confessional: Alejandro

"Perhaps I was a little quick to try and forge an alliance with Cody. I know Duncan will side with Gwen and her friends. I might have had better luck with Ezekiel."

End Confessional

Xxx

The group was almost exhausted from walking up the long steep hill so much that a few of them looked ready to fall over.

That was until they saw Chris...

"Oh my God! Put on a shirt please!" Elliot covered her eyes.

"And I thought the last outfit was insane." Gwen commented.

"The birds that are flying away tell me they have never before witnesses such an abomination." Dawn commented.

"Knock it off you three!" Chris shouted.

The cause of their reactions was Chris's new outfit: what looked like a single grass skirt that was split on the sides, furry sandals going up to his knees, a strange headdress, white markings on his chest, and a stone necklace with a bone on it.

"Yeesh! Anyways, welcome to Easter Island, aka Rappa Nui. This place is old. These dudes were carved so long ago that no one knows why anymore!" Chris pointed at the statues. "Ten bucks says it started a dare."

"Twenty bucks if you just shut up and get on with it." Elliot said with her arms crossed.

"Yeah..." Chris frowned. "Today, you, our final seven are going on a traditional Easter Island Egg Hunt." Chris announced.

"For chocolate Easter eggs?" Cody asked eagerly.

"Uh no. I'm talking the old school kind of eggs. That come from birds, you know? Flying things with feathers and talons and vicious kill you in a second beaks..."

"Get on with it!" Elliot spoke up, not impressed or scared. "We know what birds are."

"All right, all right! Sheesh! Did somebody stay up late or what?" Chris shook his head. "Speaking of birds."

He knelt down and picked up headdresses resembling the one he wore.

"Traditional Rapa Nui Headdresses. Wear them with pride, chickens!" He tossed them to contestants who call caught them.

"Oh man! These things look so g-" Duncan said as he put his on.

"Just do it!" Chris cut him off.

Dawn glared at Duncan for his remark but didn't say thing anything. When they were all wearing their headdresses they followed Chris.

"Hidden in these head things are a bunch of colored eggs that match the color of your...head things." Chris pointed to his own headdress.

"Wow, you really did your research." Gwen drawled.

"Your challenge: to find three eggs in your color, then make a break for the massive underground cavern system and make it to the highest point on the island." Chris gestured to a nearby huge cave. "Reach the top with all three eggs to begin the second part of today's challenge."

"What happens if we drop an egg?" Ezekiel asked.

"You'll have to come all the way back here for a replacement. And no..." Chris said, seeing Alejandro raise his hand. "You cannot take a back-up egg."

Alejandro frowned as he lowered his hand.

"First one to the top get's a big advantage in part two. Now...scramble!" Chris pointed.

With that said they all ran off to find their eggs.

Xxx

"Uh Gwen.. you notice something about the..." Elliot started as the two stopped in front of their first pair of statues.

"I do." Gwen stared at them. "Harold and Lindsay."

She looked around at the other statues.

"LeShawna. Courtney. Tyler. Bridgette...these are statues of everyone who been voted off." Gwen realized. "I hope Chris didn't carve them out of real statues or Dawn will freak. Don't ask me how but she'll know."

Elliot climbed up the statue of Izzy and reached into its ear. In the meantime Gwen found the statue of Heather and reached into the ear. She pulled out a red egg which happened to be the same color as her headdress.

"Wow. Thanks, Heather." Gwen smiled as she hopped onto the ground. "Who knew you'd actually help me out?"

"I wish I could say the same for Lindsay." Alejandro muttered as he reached into ear of Lindsay's statue. "Oh wait is that...nothing but air." He sighed as he pulled his hand out. "How ironic."

"Here we go!" Elliot pulled out a blue egg. "Blue?! Come on Izzy, I thought we were friends!"

"Blue is my color! Thank you El-"

Elliot tossed the egg into the air and it splattered on the ground. "Oops! Sorry!"

"I'll remember that if I find one of your eggs." Alejandro glared at her.

Duncan stared at the statue of Courtney. "Even as a statue you look so bitchy."

"Bitter Duncan?" Gwen asked as she walked past him.

"Come on, Gwen. You know what she's like." Duncan retorted. "I can't wait to see the look on her face when I win again."

"I told you before I am not getting involved in this." Gwen said as she walked up to the statue of LeShawna. "Okay, LeShawna, let's see if you can help me out."

She still hadn't completely forgiven LeShawna for hurting Dawn in Germany but she wasn't angry anymore. In the meantime Duncan simply kicked the statue of Courtney and to his shock a purple egg, the same color as his headdress fell into his hands.

"Aw sweet!" Duncan laughed. "She's good for something after all!"

Gwen rolled her eyes as she stuck her hand into the LeShawna statue's ear. "Come on, Shawnie, don't let me down."

She reached in and pulled out a red egg. "Yes!"

She landed on the ground, holding both eggs carefully.

"Here you go." She turned around and saw Dawn holding a basked with...another red egg.

"Dawn?" Gwen asked, sounding surprised. "How'd you..."

"Basket weaving is a skill a child of Mother Earth must always have." Dawn answered, holding her own basket of green colored eggs. "I found this inside the statue of Sierra."

"Dawn, I know we're friends and all but we're not on the same team anymore you know." Gwen accepted the basket and put her eggs in it.

"Gwen, Gwen, it's not about winning that matters to me. I am here simply to enjoy the wonders of civilization, even if they are being damaged beyond repair by that foul mop head of a host." Dawn's smile turned into a dark frown.

"...Okay then." Gwen nodded.

Xxx

Confessional: Gwen

"Oh boy. Something tells me bad is going to happen to Chris. Trust me when I say this you do not want to anger Dawn. She may look nice but she's as vindictive as both Heather and Courtney and even then her methods of revenge have...last a lot longer." Gwen smiled at the camera. "I can't wait to see what she'll pull on Chris."

Xxx

Confessional: Dawn

"Gwen has no need to fear me. My wrath is a simply an extension of Mother Earth's wish to inflict revenge on Chris and his heartless contempt for our planet. There's really no need to be afraid of me."

That was when a crack formed on the camera, completely without warning.

"Oh dear. The equipment must be wearing out!"

End Confessional

Xxx

Gwen and Dawn were now walking through the cavern to reach the top point of the island.

"You know that we're on Alejandro's hit list for voting off Heather and costing him an ally. He'll be gunning for us." Gwen started.

"I am aware of Alejandro's anger and his desire to see Heather again." Dawn replied.

Both stopped when they heard a rumbling sound.

"Dawn?"

"Yes, Gwen?"

"I really hope that was your stomach."

Before Dawn could reply both girls were greeted with the sight of a boulder rolling down towards them.

"Oh s(beep)!" Gwen's curse was later edited out to prevent children from hearing it.

They found a small wedge in the wall and pushed themselves inside, barely moving out of the way of the fast moving boulder.

"Where did that come from?" Dawn asked as they peeked out of the wedge.

"You really need to ask?"

Xxx

Confessional: Gwen

"Okay. I've put up with a lot of crap from this show for over a year now but when I reach my breaking point Chris better hope I don't ever get my hands on him!"

End Confessional

Xxx

"Your murderous intentions towards Chris are quite...unnerving, Gwen." Dawn commented as they resumed walking through the cave.

"If you've put up with him as long as I have you'd understand." Gwen replied. "But, back to what I was saying we better hurry and vote off Alejandro the first chance we get. Worst case is we get a tie and the best case is we send him home."

"A sound strategy." Dawn nodded.

Another rumbling sound was heard.

"D(beep) it, Chris!" Gwen shouted.

Xxx

Confessional: Chris

"Is it just me or is Gwen swearing just so because she knows how much editing we have to go through with all the time and money?"

End Confessional

Xxx

They found a hole to hide in as the boulder sailed over their heads. They peeked up from the hole when the boulder passed them.

"That was close." Dawn replied, not noticing one of her eggs beginning to slip out.

"Hey!" Gwen caught it. "Careful, Dawn."

"Nice catch!"

Both girls looked up to see Cody and Alejandro run down the path, passing them, and they noticed Alejandro was covered with splattered yokes and broken pieces of eggs shells.

"That's one problem taken care of." Gwen remarked but felt something move in her hands. "Uh...Dawn? I think..."

The green colored egg began to crack.

"It's alive!" Dawn gasped in sheer happiness.

The egg shattered and out it came what looked to be a baby Condor.

"It's a Condor." Gwen gasped. "Oh boy. That explains the size of these eggs. If momma bird finds out what we have here she'll be so pissed."

"It's so adorable." Dawn cooed over the little bird.

"I don't want to interrupt you, Dawn but this means you have to go and get another egg. If there's still any left back there." Gwen replied.

"Then you must watch over the little one. It seems to have imprinted on you as its mother." Dawn replied.

"What?" Gwen asked with widened eyes.

The bird seemed to prove Dawn's point as it flew up and rested on Gwen's head, settling down in her hair.

"Oh boy." Gwen sighed. "This wasn't how I pictured when I finally became a mother."

Screams were down at the bottom of the cave and they turned to see Alejandro, Duncan, Cody, Ezekiel, and Elliot running at high speeds.

"What's going on?" Gwen asked as they ran past her and Dawn.

"Giant bird! Momma wants her eggs! Gotta go, bye!" Elliot quickly said.

"Did she just say..."

A loud screech answered Gwen's question and they all started running and screaming to the surface. They ran past a giant statue of Chef as they made it to the top where he and Chris were waiting.

"Wow. You guys are really competing!" Chris remarked.

"Close the cave! Close it! Hurry!" They all shouted.

Chef pushed the statue down, making it fall and seal up the entrance just before the Mother Condor made it. They all watched as it collided with the statue head on with a loud thud.

"Oops." Chris remarked. "Well we better move onto the next challenge. Since Alejandro was first he get this."

Chris tossed what looked like a baseball mask at Alejandro. "I have to play baseball?"

"Thankfully not." Chris answered. "You must climb this giant rock pillar," He gestured to a spiraling pillar behind the group. "All the way up to..."

"A giant Condor nest!?" Alejandro yelped when he saw what was at the top.

"You already know they can get pretty crabby. But did you know that female Condors are even bigger than the dude birds."

Everyone just glared at him. A screech however made them look up to see...

"Oh crap." Gwen and Elliot whispered.

"She's..." Cody started.

"Really big." Duncan finished.

"That's like two Alejandros wide." Alejandro commented.

"Big...eh." Ezekiel said.

Xxx

Confessional: Dawn

"I should make a complaint to all the animal organizations about Chris's action. No mother deserves to have her children taken from her!"

End Confessional

Xxx

"You see, Momma bird's kind of peeved you all took her eggs." Chris continued.

"NO!" Cody yelped and pointed at Chris. "It was him!"

"Now you have to shimmy up to nest and give them back in the order which you arrived here." Chris continued. "Of course, Momma Bird's got a few more eggs up there so she's bound to be a...tad protective."

A loud screech echoed throughout the island to prove Chris's point.

"Gracious." Alejandro said as he slipped the mask on. "The giant Condor has been known to peck the eyes balls of predators."

"Deposit all three eggs and you win. And if nobody makes it, we'll try it again. It's going to be that much fun." Chris grinned at them.

"Just one shot..." Elliot pulled out one of her eggs.

"No, Elly." Dawn quickly grabbed her arm. "Let's not bring the hatchlings into this mess."

Cody was about to hand his basket to Alejandro when Chris stopped him. "Sure you want to give up the basket completely? No returnsies."

"Have you ever even heard of grammar?" Elliot asked.

"I-I still have some licorice in here!" Cody quickly answered.

Alejandro narrowed his eyes as he simply took his eggs and juggled them as he began walking.

"Oh and one more thing." Chris spoke up.

Alejandro grumbled something in Spanish."What else could you-"

That was when signature bell for the music challenge rang.

"It's for your own protection. Keeps the birds calm." Chris simply said.

"No it doesn't." Gwen replied.

"I'm lying...or I'm not. You choose." Chris shrugged.

That was when the music started.

Alejandro: I'm tall
I'm tanned
I'm young
I'm handsome

Alejandro climbed up the stone pillar to the next.

Alejandro: I'm coming to bring back your wee ones
So hush my sweet Condor

He made it to the top and the Condor let out a shriek.

Alejandro: Let me win this one please
So try. Attack me!

The Condor tried to peck at his face.

Alejandro: But I got protection!
I don't feel that pecking!
So save your objections.
Hush now Condor and let me in the final six

The Condor figured out pecking him wouldn't so it slapped him with wings and sent him falling down to the ground below. He let out a groan as he hit the ground and another as his last egg splattered itself all over his face.

"Next." Chris called out.

Cody: I... Oh I-I-I.
I've got problems with Condors.
Problems with Condors.

Cody climbed up to the nest with his basket of eggs.

Cody: Why?
Oh why, am I not at home?
I ponder.

The Condor noticed him and glared fiercely at the small boy that intruded in her nest.

Cody: Trust me.
I'm your best friend and I'll...
Never at eggs again.

The Condor head butted him off her nest and he fell to the ground.

"My licorice! Oof!" Luckily for Cody his eggs were kept safe by the basket.

"Good news. You can have another chance later. But first..." Chris looked to the next climber.

Ezekiel: I'm so scared, eh.
I really like birds.
But only before desert.
When they are going to make me feel hurt-

The second he was at the nest the Condor knocked him down with head but like Cody. His eggs all shattered when they fell out of his hands and landed on the ground.

"Duncan, you're up." Chris said. "And to save time, Elliot can join you."

Duncan: How I really hate these birdies.
And I really want to see my thirties.

Elliot: I'm here too so don't give me flak!
I'm carrying eggs too in this sack!

They both made it to the top and the Condor was glaring daggers at both intruders.

Duncan and Elliot: So hush my sweet!
And let me win!

The Condor screeched and easily knocked Duncan off the nest while Elliot tossed her basket into the nest.

"Yes!" Elliot shouted.

However the Condor interrupted her victory celebration by slapping her out of the nest with her wing. Elliot screamed as she fell and landed on the ground with a loud thud.

"Elliot!" Dawn and Gwen ran up and knelt next to the downed girl. "Are you okay?"

"...I...win." Elliot smiled.

"Yeah. You won." Gwen smirked as she shook her head. "Now...can someone tell this bird that its mommy is waiting for her?"

The Condor screeching answered Gwen's question.

"Maybe we should leave Gwen to figure that out." Chris laughed as he ran into the cave. "Good luck!"

"Chris, you son of a-"

"LOOK OUT!" Cody screamed.

Gwen looked up to see the Mother Condor coming for the baby sitting in her hair.

"...Crap."

Xxx

Ten minutes later

"Well that was fun." Chris laughed as he walked into the elimination hall.

Everyone, especially Gwen, were covered in scratches and dirt and they were all glaring at Chris.

"I should let you all know that this challenge was not an elimination, it was an reward!" Chris announced.

'Crap!' Gwen thought.

"So if anyone thought of eliminating anyone today, sorry. Not today." Chris laughed.

Xxx

Confessional: Alejandro

"Gwen along with Elliot and Dawn make her formidable. Cody would never vote her off and would rather vote Duncan off. If I wish to take away her advantage I believe I should target her two friends."

Xxx

Confessional: Duncan

"You know, as much as I like Gwen, I like winning better. Right now it looks like she or her friends will be in the finals. It'd be cool if we could all go the finals but I might have to work out a deal with the others."

Xxx

Confessional: Cody

"If I manage to outlast Alejandro and take Duncan and Zeke out it'll just be me and Gwen. She might be mad if I vote her friends out behind her back...Besides me and three ladies. Who wouldn't want that?"

Xxx

Confessional: Ezekiel

"Yo-yo-yo! The Zeke is winning! I'm going all the way!"

Xxx

Confessional: Gwen

"So much for taking Alejandro out today. He'll just make alliances with Duncan and Zeke. I don't know about Cody but it wouldn't put it past him to play dirty."

Xxx

Confessional: Elliot

"WHOO-HOO! This has been so fun! Except for all the torture but I'm going all the way to the finals! The million is mine!"

Xxx

Confessional: Dawn

"All these locations we have visited and Chris has yet to suffer for damaging the history and culture of the sacred grounds he made us compete on."

End Confessional

Xxx

Elliot had decided to invite Dawn up to first class. She would have invited Gwen too but Chris was adamant that only one could join her. Gwen was fine with that, she didn't mind sleeping in the Economy Class. She could keep a better eye on everyone here for signs of suspicious activity.

'It's been so quiet on the Spirit front. I'm actually scared because it makes me think that something big is going to happen.' Gwen thought.

'Perhaps you should consult with Kurt or the others then. Find out if they know anything that has been happening during your time on this show.'

'I guess.' Gwen looked out the window. 'I just want this show to be over.'