I have been so fricking excited to deliver this chapter to you guys. Like, it's been hard to contain myself from just spoiling this chapter's contents.
I hope you all thoroughly enjoy this chapter.
The camera opens up on a mid-afternoon shot of the summer camp.
Sitting on the lawn on a beach blanket was Harold and Ezekiel, who are playing a game of Magic: The Gathering.
Ezekiel suddenly yells in triumph as he slams two cards down.
"I really wish I hadn't taught you this game.", said Harold, bitterly.
Across the way, Cody and Ezekiel are reading in twin lawn chairs.
At the beach, Duncan, Geoff, and DJ are playing a small game of football.
The only times the popular and unpopular kids acknowledge one another is with awkward glances.
(Cody): It's been a week since the three girls went on that cruise. Duncan's still mad at us for losing us the trip, so he's been playing pranks on all of us. Well, just me and Noah. Strangely, he hasn't touched Harold or Ezekiel.
(Harold): I feel a little guilty not getting pranked like Cody and Noah are. Duncan still considers me and Zeke part of his alliance, so that's why he hasn't humiliated us.
The sound of a boat horn interrupted the boys rec time, as a large cruise ship pulled up to the dock.
Gwen, Beth, and Sadie slid down the railing of the ship onto the dock.
"Wow, I've never been on a cruise before.", said Beth. "That was amazing!"
"OMG, this was your first time?", asked Sadie. "You should've told me; I would've made it extra special for you."
"I have to admit, that was kind of fun.", said Gwen.
The boys walked over to the dock as the cruise ship pulled away, looking unamused at the girls' fanfare.
"Hey, there were choco-diles on the cruise ship.", said Beth, walking up to the boys with a tray of said treats. "You guys want some?"
The boys shared glances, then (somewhat reluctantly) took a treat for each.
The intercom screeched into life, as Chris' voice filtered into the camp. "Welcome back, female competitors, from your luxurious cruise. As for all of you, I have a special announcement to make. You have all reached the merge of the season. There are now no more teams; it's every camper for themselves!"
The campers traded awkward, suspicious glances at each other.
"And, as a special surprise for reaching the merge, returning to the competition are..."
"Wait, returning? What do you mean by...", began Ezekiel, but the words clogged in his throat at the sight across the water.
"That's not possible; that's totally not fair!", said Harold.
"It, like, can't be...", said Sadie, shocked beyond all comprehension.
"But... we got rid of them!", said Duncan, looking to Harold and Ezekiel.
But there they were. With a large blast from their boat's horn, Eva and Courtney both jumped off to land with a thud on the dock.
"Hello, fellow campers.", said Courtney, in a slightly sing-song voice. "Did you miss us?"
"That's right, we're back.", said Eva, more gruffly. "And more than that, we've joined forces."
The campers all gasped.
"That's right, we're in an alliance.", said Courtney. "After reviewing the footage from all the episodes, we figured it was the best way to win."
The two returning campers bumped their fists, much to the shock of Duncan.
(Duncan): Well... bleep.
"We've put all our differences aside, so we can kick the butt of the three people who voted us off.", growled Eva, getting in Duncan, Harold, and Ezekiel's faces.
"Wait, what are they talking about, Zeke?", said Sadie.
"Oh, haven't you figured it out yet?", said Courtney. "Use your brains people; Duncan and the two Bass dorks were in a secret alliance."
The other campers gasped.
"Really, Duncan? Harold and Ezekiel?", said Gwen, slightly cheekily.
"Zeke, how could you keep this from me?", said Sadie to a speechless Ezekiel.
"While all this potential drama is what I was going for, we have another returning contestant!", said Chris. "Please welcome back..."
"Hey, guys!", came another voice from the boat. A red streak flashed on the boat, tripped over the handrail, and fell on his face on the dock.
"It's Tyler!", said Chris, as Tyler moaned from his position on the dock.
"Tyler? Really?", snarked Noah. "You could've picked any camper to bring back, and you picked Tyler?"
"Hey!", said Tyler, as he got up and brushed himself off.
"Yeah, we sent out a poll to our fans to see who they want to come back.", explained Chris.
"Courtney and Eva got the most votes, but we still needed another contestant. And since Tyler kept begging and begging for another try from Playa des Losers, we decided to bring him back."
"So, yay, Tyler's back.", finished Chris, unenthusiastically.
"Playa des what?", said Geoff to DJ, scratching his head. DJ just shrugged.
"Last time was just a fluke everyone.", Tyler hastily explained. "This time I'm going to dominate this competition, and make it all the way to the finish..."
Tyler looked around, only to notice everyone else had dispersed. "Wait up, you guys!", he yelled out, running into camp.
Cut to the girls' cabin, where Gwen, Beth, and Sadie are hanging around.
Suddenly, the door swung open to reveal Eva and Courtney.
"Oh, hey, you guys.", said Beth, somewhat hesitantly. "Which bunks do you two want?"
Eva marched up to Sadie's bunk. "I'm taking this one.", she growled at the wonder twin.
Eva got up into Sadie's face, causing the chubby girl's eyes to go wide. "I know you voted with Duncan and his cronies for me.", she hissed.
"Woah, woah, woah.", said Gwen, getting in between the two girls. "Let's just all chill for a moment."
"And why should she?", said Courtney, snidely. "If it wasn't for our team backstabbing us, we wouldn't have been voted off. We have every right to be angry."
"Sure, you do.", said Gwen, cautiously. "But Chris probably wouldn't like it if you outright injured one of the contestants."
Courtney thought this over. "That could get us disqualified. Fine, Eva, back off."
Eva pointed in Sadie's face. "You got off lucky, chubs." The two returning women left the cabin, causing the other three competitors to let out an involuntary breath of air.
"Thanks.", said Sadie, gratefully.
"Don't mention it.", said Gwen, shrugging. "If you ever need help again, you can just tell me."
(Gwen): I know, I never thought I'd be friends with any of the wonder twins, but I got to say, after spending three days on a cruise with her, she's pretty cool.
"Feels good to be back, you guys!", said Tyler, looking around at the still just as trashy cabin.
"I still can't believe I was chosen to come back to the show!"
"Didn't Chris say you begged multiple times to come back?", said Duncan, clearly already tired of the jock.
"Oh, well, Chris was kind of... over-exaggerating.", sniffed Tyler, chuckling nervously.
"Whatever you say, jockstrap for brains...", muttered Duncan.
The punk then turned his gaze to Ezekiel and Harold, and motioned towards the door. The three then discreetly walked outside...
Though, not discreetly enough, as Geoff and DJ noticed.
"So, do you think Duncan was just using us for our votes?", blurted out Geoff, after a moment's pause.
"I don't know, man.", responded DJ. "I've been thinking a lot about that ever since Courtney told the whole camp that Duncan was actually in an alliance."
Outside the cabin, Duncan is leaning against the cabin, while Harold stands nearby and Ezekiel sits on a tree stump.
"All right, so we gotta get rid of Courtney and Eva, preferably tonight.", said Duncan.
"Duh, tell us something we don't know.", said Harold, irritably.
"Watch it, nerd! It may be easier than we think; not a lot of campers are really happy that they're back, which we can use. If we make sure that they definitely lose, most everyone will vote for either of them."
"Like, what, eh? You mean... cheat?", said Ezekiel.
"Oh, you know, just... nudge them into a loss."
"I don't know about that.", said Harold, uncertainly.
Duncan grunted in frustration. "Look do you want to win or not? Because I surely do, and if it means just slightly cheating someone off this island, then I'll do it. I'm not going back to juvie with empty hands."
Duncan put his hand out. "So, who's with me?"
It look quite a bit of reluctance, but Harold and Ezekiel finally put their hands onto Duncan's.
The loudspeakers blared into life. "All campers please report to the amphitheater for your first challenge of the merge!"
"C'mon, let's go.", said Duncan. The threesome moved past a wooded section of the camp on their way to the amphitheater.
Suddenly, a pair of eyes opens in the darkness of the woods. Courtney steps out, chuckling like mad.
The camera pans left to show another pair of eyes watching. Noah, still in the boys' cabin, watched out the window, before closing the ratty curtains.
The amphitheater had been decked out in a stand of seats and podiums for each of the campers.
Chris directed them to sit in the seats, as he walked in front of them all. Eva, who was sitting behind Ezekiel, suddenly smacked the homeschooled kid on the back of the head.
"Ow, hey!", said Ezekiel.
"Quiet down, Zeke! Welcome to the classic game of... Say Uncle!", announced Chris.
Chef came onstage, wheeling a giant wheel like ones used on game shows.
"The rules are simple: when I call your name, come up and spin the wheel of pain. The challenge you land on will be two things: 'very' and 'painful'. You can either complete the challenge or say uncle and take a penalty. Last person left standing will receive immunity from tonight's vote. Now, up first is..."
Before Chris could read from a cue card, Tyler suddenly stood up in his seat, shouting, "Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!"
"Fine, Tyler.", said Chris, irritably. "Come up and spin the dang wheel."
Tyler practically ran towards the wheel of pain, and spun it. It landed on a picture of a snapping turtle.
"Oh, hate to see that.", said Chris. "Your challenge is to stand in the goalie's net right over there, while Chef pelts you with hungry snapping turtles."
"Woo-hoo!", yelled Tyler. "Bring it, McLean!" He then ran to the goalie net, charged up.
Chris rolled his eyes in response, and held up a stopwatch, which he clicked.
Tyler successfully managed to dodge the first few turtles; quite skillfully, actually, much to the shock of his fellow campers.
(Tyler): Yeah, I've been training a lot at the resort the eliminated campers are at. I'm even more shredded than I was before.
However, the old Tyler bad luck soon kicked in, with him tripping over his own feet during one dodge, and falling to the hard ground.
Chef, seeing his victim in a vulnerable position, began shooting turtles at him at high speed.
Tyler's screams soon filled the theater.
"Time's up!", said Chris, stopping the stopwatch. "And Tyler wins the first round!"
Tyler, from his position on the ground, raised a shaky thumbs up.
Chris walked over, and brought Tyler to his feet. "Tyler, since you completed the challenge, you get to choose who goes next."
"Um, I choose, um, I choose...", began Tyler, looking at each contestant.
Although literally everyone was motioning to either Courtney or Eva, Tyler said confidently, "Duncan."
"What? Why'd you pick me, you dumb lug?", said Duncan, hopping down from his podium.
"I don't know, maybe it's because I was eliminated when you should've been."
"Dude, you were eliminated because you're terrible at sports!!!"
Tyler gasped at this statement, looking like he'd been slapped.
"All right, let's quiet it down, folks!", said Chris, warningly. "Duncan, you're up."
Duncan and Tyler glared at each other as they passed. Duncan walked up to the wheel of pain, and spun it, eventually landing on a symbol of a marshmallow.
"A marshmallow? Bring it on, McLean!", said Duncan.
"Oh, not just one marshmallow.", said Chris, sneakily. "Several marshmallows, melted into a fine waxy substance spread on your face."
Duncan gulped.
Cut to Duncan tied up in a chair, as Chef holds a barrel of the marshmallow paste above him.
Slower than necessary, Chef spreads the scalding hot paste over Duncan's face, causing his screams to grow more and more muffled.
Chris starts a timer. "If he can stay under for a total of thirty seconds, he wins."
Close-up on Duncan's fist clenching and unclenching... until he breaks from his bonds, jumps up onto his feet, and scratches at the paste.
Chris starts the timer, and snaps his fingers, signaling Chef to rip the paste off. Chef does so, more violently then necessary. At the sight of Duncan's face, everyone gasps.
"What? What is it?", said Duncan, as everyone stared at his dark red face, with missing piercings and unibrow.
"Dude, looks like your face got a little... messed up.", said Chris, holding back laughter, as he passed Duncan a mirror.
Duncan screamed in shock. "My piercings! My eyebrows! You ripped too hard, you freak!!!", said Duncan to Chef.
"Duncan, you failed to complete your challenge, which means you're out. Ezekiel, you're up, man.", said Chris.
Duncan passed Ezekiel on the way to his seat, then grabbed his arm, pulling him closer. "Whatever you do, win the challenge, then pick either Eva or Courtney to go next.", hissed Duncan.
Ezekiel nodded his head.
Duncan went back to his seat, only for it to be replaced by a stock. Duncan groaned, then put his head and hands through the stock.
Courtney, who was beside him, leaned in. "So, what were you and Zeke talking about?"
"None of your business, princess.", said Duncan.
"I heard you talking behind your cabin. You and your pet nerds are trying to get rid of us... again!"
Duncan just growled in response.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel had already spun the wheel, which landed on a picture of a leech.
Chris soon guided the nervous teen to a barrel filled with leeches.
"OK, all you have to do is stay in this barrel of starving leeches for ten seconds then you win.", said Chris.
Ezekiel nodded shakily, then jumped up into the barrel.
Ezekiel groaned in both pain and discomfort, but eventually Chris' timer went off.
"Wow, a whole ten seconds! You continue to surprise me, homeschool.", said Chris, as Zeke hopped out of the barrel, covered in leeches.
"Get them off! Get them off!!!", yelled Ezekiel, desperately rubbing the leeches off.
Once he was done, Chris walked up, saying, "Now, you can choose who goes next, Zeke."
Ezekiel looked between Eva and Courtney. Eva growled at him, while Courtney just looked sour.
"Courtney.", he said, causing the latino girl to smile dastardly.
She went up to the wheel of pain, and spun it.
As the episode continues, the camera dissolves into a montage of Eva and Courtney performing several of the challenges.
Eva grappled with a large python, Courtney hopped on tree stumps to avoid skunks, Eva was shocked by electric eels, etc.
Eventually, everyone is in stocks except for Eva Courtney, and Tyler.
Duncan growled to himself. "How can they keep doing all these crazy stuff? Why can't one of them lose? Pretty soon it's just going to be them in the challenge."
Suddenly, a devilish smirk goes across Duncan's face. Harold, who was directly below Duncan, asked, "Why are you smirking, Duncan, we're getting creamed."
"Just wait, once it's just the two of them, they'll go back to their competitive, bickering selves."
A scream from offscreen told them that Tyler had failed his latest challenge.
Tyler walked back to the booths, pulling a bear trap off his rear end, then got into his stocks.
"And it looks like Eva and Courtney are tonight's winners!", said Chris, clapping at the still free women.
Duncan's swagger suddenly vanished. "Wait, Chris, don't we have to decide which of them wins or not."
"Nope.", said Chris. "Eva and Courtney have both talked to me, and it seems that from now on, if they both make it to the end of a challenge, then they'll split immunity."
Most of the other campers began complaining against this.
"Hey, it's not anywhere in the rulebooks that they can't do that.", said Chris, mock apologetically.
The stocks soon opened by themselves, and the campers began to disperse away from the theater.
Noah was about to leave with Cody, when an arm pulled him back.
It was Eva, who with with Courtney. "So, tonight we are both going to vote off Duncan."
"And?", said Noah, after a short pause.
Eva rolled her eyes. "We want you to join in our alliance as a secret member. We know you hold some sway with Cody, so that gives us four votes."
"And that's four against nine? What else you got?"
Courtney smirked, and leaned in closer to Noah, whispering something.
"Wow, that's how you're going to get them to vote Duncan?", said Noah. "That's evil."
"So, are you in?", said Eva.
Noah scratched his chin, then said, "Deal."
Cut to Geoff and DJ playing basketball on the camp's dilapidated court.
DJ is about to score the finishing basket, when Courtney appears on the sidelines, calling them over.
"What's up, Courtney?", said Geoff, apparently the only camper willing to be nice to her.
"Oh, nothing. I just thought you two should know something important.", said Courtney, putting on a fake worried look.
Geoff and DJ both looked at each other, then back at Courtney.
"Well, I know you two have been worried that Duncan has just been using you for your vote, so I thought I'd tell you the truth of the matter..."
Cut to late that night, where the campfire ceremony is occurring.
DJ and Geoff are both glaring at Duncan, who wasn't paying attention, as he was looking in a mirror at his still unfamiliar face.
"Campers, I've reviewed the confessionals, and tallied up your votes.", said Chris, somberly. "And I've got to tell you all... the drama is definitely at full force tonight! So much so, that I'm broadcasting your voting confessionals live, right now!"
Everyone gasped at that. "Um, Chris, maybe that's not the wisest course.", said Noah, nervous for once.
Chris ignored him, as a TV screen appeared from behind the sign...
(Beth): Since I can't vote for either Courtney or Eva, I'll vote for... Noah. He just seems so... untrustworthy.
(DJ): I vote for Duncan. Backstabber.
(Gwen): I talked it out with Beth and Sadie, and we're voting for Noah.
(Geoff): I thought we were friends Duncan. I vote for you.
(Duncan): Well, I feel my goose is just about cooked. Who do I vote for? Eh, let's just say... Tyler.
(Tyler): I vote for Duncan, no one calls me terrible at my life's passion.
(Harold): Duncan fells that our days are numbered, so he just told us to vote Tyler. Waste of a vote if you ask me.
(Noah): Brilliant. I've got Eva and Courtney as powerful allies, and Cody will vote with me no matter what. I vote Duncan.
(Sadie): I vote Noah.
(Ezekiel): Too bad Eva and Courtney outed my alliance with Duncan. I just hope they don't say that I was the one who got Katie eliminated. I vote Tyler.
(Cody): I vote Duncan, I guess...
(Eva): I vote Duncan.
(Courtney): It was so easy to get Geoff and DJ to vote Duncan; they'll believe anything you tell them. Anyway, I vote Duncan.
"And with seven votes against him, Duncan is the one leaving the island for good.", said Chris,
Duncan growled at him, as everyone was still in shock at the video clips.
"Wait, I thought you said Duncan was just using us for our votes?", said Geoff, uncharacteristically angry.
"Oops, sorry, did I say that?", said Courtney, in mock sincerity.
"You... you got Katie eliminated.", said Sadie, in shock, to Ezekiel. She then ran off, sobbing her eyes out.
"Wait, Sadie, come back!", yelled Ezekiel, running after her.
"You were using me?", said Cody, darkly, to a clearly cringing Noah.
Cut to the Dock of Shame, where Duncan was walking to the boat.
Duncan looked back at the camp, where the sounds of arguments rent the air.
"Just take me back to juvie.", sighed Duncan to Chef.
Chef grinned wickedly. "With pleasure."
Merged Contestants: Beth, DJ, Gwen, Geoff, Tyler, Harold, Noah, Sadie, Ezekiel, Cody, Eva, and Courtney
Eliminated: Owen, Izzy, Bridgette, Justin, Leshawna, Katie, Lindsay, Heather, Trent, and Duncan
Votes
Duncan (7)
Tyler (3)
Noah (3)
For those of you who are wondering why I brought back three contestants instead of two, all will be revealed later.
Though, if you've read Fangren's Total Shuffled series of fanfiction, you'll understand why.
Aside from that, I have been ecstatic to get this chapter out to you guys, as it was really surprise after surprise.
I'm expecting tons of reviews for this chapter, so don't disappoint me.
Also, please check out my other fanfiction, 'The Breach'. It is an epic length trilogy crossing over Star Wars, Star Trek, and Doctor Who.
You can find it on the section of 'Star Wars' and 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' series of crossovers, or on my profile.
Have a great day!