Okay, time for hunting. Thanks for reviewing, Gage the Hedgehog and SuperKitty4789.

We had another break, the next day. Two days again, in fact, except we didn't have a nighttime challenge, this time. The next challenge would be the last challenge of the week. Six weeks here, and only eight of us remained. Wow.

On the second day of the break, the day I'd been waiting for arrived. It was Duncan's turn to drag me to that clearing we'd talked in.

"Okay, I've decided on something." he said. "I've got a condition for this. If I make this decision, you have to do something for me."

I shrugged. "Okay. What is it?"

"Well, I know reality shows, and I know that everyone on the cast will be back at some point. I want you to try to be friendly to Courtney."

I gave him a weird look. "Why? If one of us is losing you to the other, why should either of us try to be friends?"

"Because I know you dislike each other. Look, do you need a reason? Maybe I just want you to make a sacrifice."

I gave a sigh. "You are so weird. If I agree, will you tell me your decision? What the heck, I'll do it. If she's nice back."

Duncan grinned. "Cool. I've decided – I think you and me should give it a try. For now, at least. But keep it hidden from the cameras. If if doesn't work out by the time one of us gets kicked off, Courtney and I can go back to how we were just before she left. If we do work out, I can let her down easy, since the cameras won't have seen us."

"Well, aren't you a gentleman?" I teased. "Have you been in this situation before?"
"Actually, no. I know that's hard to believe."

"Actually, what's hard to believe is your giant ego, delinquent."

"Are you going to say that when I stun you with my...skills?" I didn't get to answer, because by that time, his lips were on mine.

I folded my arms. "I can still say that."

Duncan smirked. "Keep teasing me and I'll start calling you by a name I know you hate."

I smirked "Oh yeah? What name do I hate?"

"Don't lie, you flinched when Lindsay called you Stephie." Duncan said. "I'd call you that." But when he said it, the name didn't feel annoying any more. It felt kind of special, hearing it from a guy who I knew actually liked me.

I gave a sigh. "I hate that name from Mom. Or my friends. But I don't hate it when it comes from you. I actually kind of like it. If I stop teasing you, will you call me that?"

Duncan put an arm around me before planting another quick kiss on my lips. "Sure, Stephie." he said, his voice noncommittal.

Maybe I shouldn't have let him keep calling me that, but no one else started, so that was okay. The days passed slowly. Everyone was doing something different.

Since the cameras weren't on Duncan and I, we did do some stuff together, but nothing serious. We kept it light. And it was also in the back of my mind that he was Canadian and I was going to go back to the United States at the end of the summer. Courtney was probably an easier choice as a girlfriend. But dammit, I was going to enjoy it while I could!

Owen was having big love life trouble. I'd managed to get out of him that he and Izzy had something going on, but now she was mad at him. Apparently when Chef had terrorized them as the psycho murderer, Owen pushed Izzy at him and ran. Now she was mad at him and he was trying mega-hard to make things up to her.

Luckily, Leshawna, Geoff, Gwen and Heather had no love life trouble. Everyone they were into had been kicked off, and they were focusing on the game..not that Heather was ever into anyone (until later, in a different season). Well, I knew that Gwen still missed Trent and Geoff still missed Bridgette, but Gwen kept her mind off it and Geoff didn't lock himself in the confessional and cry every day any more, so that was fine.

On the day of the challenge, we were all walking to the mess hall when Owen tried to offer Izzy flowers, again trying to get her forgiveness. She refused, and then, suddenly, Owen was gone.

Gwen turned. "Wasn't that just a three-hundred pound bag of joy talking to you?" she asked Izzy.

"I'm only two ninety-six!" Owen was hanging from a rope above us. "Someone set a trap." The next moment, a cage fell, trapping the rest of us. "Or two."

Chris finally put in an appearance to let us know why he'd decided to have traps set up for us. "Good morning, campers! Or should I say, trappers! Ready for today's challenge? Excellent! Let's chat about it over chow, shall we?"

After freeing us, we were given paste for breakfast while Chris reminded us how far we were in the competition, how it was the final eight. "We're nearing the end, people. So look alive."

I made a confessional just before the challenge about that. "My chances of winning? Hm, they're pretty good. I mean, if I end up in the final two with Heather, everyone will support me, right? My biggest threats for the votes would probably be Geoff, because he's friends with everyone, Owen, because he seems to like everyone, and maybe Gwen and Leshawna." I shrugged. "Duncan is probably a threat, mainly because he'd threaten everyone who doesn't vote for him, but that's all. Izzy's not really a major problem at this point, either. I need to focus on getting some of the more likable people out next. I don't think I'll boot Geoff or Owen just yet, though. I need to get through the challenges first, and that means booting the strongest people first. They can wait until the final...five, maybe?"

Chris explained that today's challenge was to trap an animal in eight hours.

Duncan grabbed one of Owen's wrists. "Got one!"

"A wild animal." Chris frowned at him.

I tried to force some more paste down my throat as Gwen spoke up. "I may have to barbecue my animal. I'm starving to death."

"Funny you should mention that, Gwen." Chris grinned. "Reward for winning today's challenge is a meal of all your favourite foods."

Well, that was good incentive. Heather didn't even try to eat any more of her paste. And speaking of Heather, she went into the confessional before me that morning, and she was just after Owen. When she knocked on the door, calling "Are you almost finished in there?", we heard Owen scream before he answered. Interesting – did he really find Heather that scary?

We all stood outside the fish cabin as we picked an animal. I had a squirrel, but I didn't hear what most of the others had – only Izzy and Heather.

Izzy because she exclaimed "Deer! Yes! Bagging a doe!"

Heather was shocked at her animal. "Bear? Are you kidding me?"

I couldn't help making a remark. "I guess we get them based on personality. You're just as aggressive and probably have just as much hair." I smirked. "And no, I'm not talking about head hair."

We got a minute in the boathouse to grab whatever we had. The only reason why Heather tried was because if she lost and didn't get eliminated, she'd have to clean the communal bathrooms. And after Owen was in there...

I figured I'd have to climb trees, so I grabbed one of the burlap sacks from one of the crates (Geoff had found them and taken one) and a hook that Izzy rejected from the box of stuff she grabbed (she found a tranquilzer gun). So when Chris gave us the signal, I zoomed into the woods, looking around.

I instantly found a grey squirrel, but I'd have to use the hook to get up there. Sadly, squirrels are pretty shy, so it took me a whole two hours to get the squirrel close enough so I could trap it. Then I got it into the burlap sack, and strolled back to camp. But I'd already lost the dinner. Duncan was just ahead of me, pulling a raccoon off his head, and there was already a duck in the cage.

"Reopen the cage!" I yelled as he closed it. Again, it was open and I put the sack down, leaving the opening so the squirrel could get out. Then I ran out.

"Who got the duck?" I asked.

"Me." Gwen grinned. "Hey, host-man, bring on the chow!" Boy, was she lucky.

I would've focused more on Gwen, if it wasn't for Duncan trying to make an alliance with Heather. I dragged him aside. "You're going to team up with her?" I hissed. "What is wrong with you?"

Duncan shrugged. "She's my competition, Stephie. I figure I'll team up with her for now."

Well, it paid off. Izzy saw Heather wearing deer antlers as part of the plan to get the bear, thought she was a deer and shot her with a tranquilizer dart. That night, she had to be propped up at the campfire pit. Oh yeah, and she had the communal bathrooms to clean, since Geoff, Leshawna and Owen eventually got their animals.

And as for who went home...Izzy, of course. She didn't seem bothered, though. "Oh well, we all gotta go sometime, right?"

"You could make out with me first, if that'd cushion the blow." Owen offered.

I didn't ask for permission, and just hugged Izzy goodbye. In spite of her weirdness, I liked her. "Goodnight, everybody!" she finished. "Thanks for coming out!" And literally, she was gone in a puff of smoke.

The final seven. Wow.

I don't like this episode much. It's okay, but pretty boring in comparison to the other ones this season.