Authors Note: Well I planned to give you all a little surprise, 2 chapters in one go. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
Most of the campers looked down the 100-foot-high cliff with either fear, or even some excitement. All of them in swimsuits as they looked at Chris who was standing next to a create with a picture of a chicken on it.
"Okay!" Chris said to make sure he had all 24 teens attention. "Today's challenge is three-fold. Your first task is to jump off this 1,00-foot-high cliff into the lake."
Bridgette looked down the cliff without fear and saw that there was indeed two areas. A large wide zone and a smaller circle area within the large zone.
"Piece of cake." Bridgette smiled and confidently said.
"Wait fooooor it." Ezekiel said to Bridgette who was going to ask until Chris decided to tell the rest of the challenge.
"If you look down, you will see two target areas." Chris explained while pointing to the different zones inside of the water. "The wider area represents the part of the lake that we have stocked with psychotic, hehehe, man-eating sharks."
Everyone looked down and flinched when they saw the fins of sharks appearing on the large zone.
"Also inside that area there is a safe zone. That's your target area, which, we're pretty sure is shark free." Chris finally gave the explanation towards the areas. Which didn't help their anxiety at all.
"Excuse me?" Leshawna said to Chris in response to the host's last words. Who seemed to take it as a signal to continue.
"For each member of your team that jumps and actually…survives, there will be a crate of supplies waiting below." Chris gestured to the beach at the bottom of the cliff where everyone could see two stakes of crates waiting below. "Inside each crate are supplies that you'll need for the second part of the challenge… building a hot tub. The team with the best one gets to have a wicked hot-tub party tonight. The losers will be sending someone home."
The group stared at each other, until Chris pointed at the Killer Bass team. "Alright, Killer Bass, you're up first.
"Hey Eva." Ezekiel who was seeing going in front of him, walked besides the bulkest woman who just raised her eyebrow to him. "Can you do me a favor and being the last?"
Eva found the favor a bit of odd, and narrowed her eyes to him.
"Why?" She asked which the boy seemed to be nervous, and even gulped.
"I'm excited to do the challenge, but I think it would be for the best if everyone gets down. Knowing Chris we must have the advantage… so in case I stale too much time or froze in one place… Can you just launch me on the safe zone?" Ezekiel decided to be polite and don't say anything which could trigger the anger of the female body builder.
Eva then looked at the boy weirdly, but also in surprise, by remaining calm, she nodded her head.
Their musings are interrupted when Owen laughs optimistically.
"Hey, don't sweat it, guys." The big guy reassured everyone over the cliff. "I heard that these shows always make the interns do the stunt first to make sure it's survivable."
"Oh yeah, we totally did that." Chris nodded, all trying to avoid his gaze from everyone.
"Was Chef wasn't it?" Ezekiel asked which Chris smiled like a kid who got caught by taking the cookie from the jar.
"Yep, it was hilarious, and I even added on the episode." Chris shamelessly replied which made the entire group stares at the host like if he was a maniac.
Now knowing what probably one of the reasons the Chef was so pissed towards them.
"It's really no big deal, just an insane dive into a circle of angry sharks." Bridgette tried to reasure herself. So she takes a dive as everyone ran up and looks at her diving into the safety zone. Bridgette come out and waved to everyone, showing that she was fine.
"AWESOME! I'm next! Cowabunga!" Tyler yells as he takes a run off the cliff with his chest puffed up with pride, and runs at the cliff before leaping off with a yell but the high dive ends with his groanings of pain. His body fell on one of the buoy's towers before he slid into the safety zone.
"Woooooo! Hahahah!" Geoff cheered and laughed as he dived down the cliff next, his hat still stuck into his head.
Duncan remained in silence with his arms crossed, ready to take the jump. Ezekiel stared at him and one scene remained similar into his mind.
"Duncan will resurrect and old favorite. A single scoop strawberry with a chocolate dip." Ezekiel thought as he could see the delinquent just stepping outside of the cliff and falling down. "JUST LOOK AT THAT CONCENTRATION."
"..." Duncan remained with his arms crossed in completely silence until he hit the safety zone.
DJ walked up trembling near the cliff as his fear of heights was finally hitting him in full force, his every instinct telling him to back out.
"Fear of heights hitting you hard?" A familiar voice spoke out as the owner walked near him to the cliff's end, and the giant jamaican stared at the small boy who was also staring at the cliff with no small degree of trepidation.
"Yeah, since I was a kid." DJ confessed, since he never liked anywhere which isn't the ground.
"It's okay to be afraid. People never understand the true meaning of courage anyway." Ezekiel calmed said it, which brought the attention of the giant.
"What you mean by that?" DJ avoided to look at the cliff and stared at the homeschooled boy who simply tried to reassure the giant.
"You remind me of Courage, the cowardly dog." Ezekiel smiled, but the name itself made DJ stares at the boy confused, and a bit offended. But Ezekiel smile got even bigger. "There isn't a dog more coward and yet the most corageous dog who have tons of heroic feats."
"I don't understand." DJ didn't forgot the fear of being nearby the cliff, but he was feeling intrigued by what the homeschooled talked so great about a dog who is a coward. "What that dog has of so much special?"
"That dog saved his family hundreds of times, even challenged more scarier than another." Ezekiel went directly to the point. And DJ got baffled from the revelation. "The first reaction was always the same as the first. Scream in fear until his lungs passes out… But all the challenges focused into trying to go after to something which was the most important of that simple little dog… His owner Muriel. And one quote that he always says when he was going to save her, even if he had to deal with whatever crap of the world was going to launch at him is… The things I do for love."
"The things I do for love." DJ seemed to be understanding little by little on what Ezekiel was saying to him.
Courtney walked a few seconds to try to warn them to go quickier to make the other teams pass or they possibly would be disqualified, but the talk of how the little boy was talking about the definition of courage by being contradictory by a coward dog… She couldn't help but also feel touched by wanting to know more about it. So Courtney remained nearby the cliff with the duo.
"Ever imagine if it was your loved one who was jumping off a cliff this high?" Ezekiel asked which made DJ stares at the situation widen open.
"Momma." DJ looked once again until he saw a hand being offered to him.
"Do you want to hold my hand while we jump together?" Ezekiel said which DJ was trembling, but reassuring himself by holding his hand.
"Okay, now let…" Ezekiel was almost convincing DJ to jump with him until he got surprised by strong hands holding his shorts.
"JUST GO YOU COWARDLY DOGS." Eva shouted until she pushed both boys towards the cliff.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Both DJ and Ezekiel screamed until they noticed a third voice shouting in fear which they have no idea who was until Ezekiel's eyes went wide open in such surprise. It was Courtney who also was falling with them and screaming in fear.
Ezekiel looked the view, and even if was the scariest butterflies on his stomach on that fall, he couldn't help but get amazed to see such a view of the fall, from the entire island, to even on the view of the safety zones approaching.
Instintictvelly the trio who were falling they decided to hold their legs with their hands, and take a deep breath doing a cannon ball. Which was enough to make a good solid dive on the water. Ezekiel who opened his eyes, noticed that DJ was was almost going in panic underwater, but seing Ezekiel doing a classic dog swimming, DJ did the same thing until the duo got out from the water.
"Ahhhhh." Both DJ and Ezekiel took a deep breath when they finally reached the surfice, both staring at each other in such frenetic rapid breath.
Until Ezekiel felt his face smiling widely, as he couldn't help but shout.
"WOOHOOOOOOOOOO. THAT WAS AWESOME." Ezekiel shouted as he never felt so alive, the adrenaline rush affecting all the parties of his body. And he felt so happy to doing a thing he never thought he was going to do it. Ever again. "DJ you did it."
"What?" DJ said confused as he was still feeling scariest as any kind of kid. But Ezekiel gave a tap on his back.
"You became courageous." Ezekiel said proudly but that made DJ stares at him like he was insane.
"We were pushed on the cliff. We didn't do it by our own decision." DJ said as he was stating a fact, but Ezekiel shook his head.
"The fact we survived. And we have to face our fears, even if we are scared as (beep) to accept and deal with the fear, even if was by accident. Makes us corageous." Ezekiel said proudly, which made DJ a bit happier. "Now let's get the boat and take our crate."
The duo was almost ready to get out, until a shout came when a person came out from the water.
"EVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA." A female pure hatred shout from Courtney was enough to be heard, which made both boys flinch, as they saw the grey swimsuited girl stares angrily at the top of the cliff. "HOW DARE YOU TO DO THAT?"
Both DJ and Ezekiel stared at that scene, and decided that it wasn't their place to ask, and neither would like to risk their lives to try to understand what happened.
(Confession Eva)
"I was aiming to push both of the tiny bean and the coward giant, I didn't tought I pushed them so strong that I accidentally pushed the tan bossy girl as well." Eva commented as she stretched herself, which seemes to be a recording from the future. "But they survived. And maybe with that we can win the challenge."
Ezekiel and DJ helped Courtney get out from the boat, since the trio got together in their fall. And when they managed to get on the beach, it seems that each crate was important, and which one they shoult take for the challenge.
"Yes!" Harold cheered as he jumped down while doing the splits.
Which made the entire group of men felt the same pain just by seeing Harold hits the water, crotch first. And Bridgette and Courtney turn their face away from the view.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Harold shout was so loud that even the birds had to fly away from the terrible pain he was feeling. Even the sharks had to wince from seeing how the pain over the nerd also took over their own bodies, it was something difficult to watch. Even making the sharks acknowledge that they wouldn't have attacked him if he was outside of the safety area, since they were sharks, not monsters to attack a man who wanted to kill his future children.
Harold got out from the boat, which made the entire group try to help him, surprisingly after another pain shot in the nuts, the nerd seemed to be totally fine.
"Dude, does your crotch is made of steel?" Ezekiel asked which made everyone stares at him. "It's the second hit in the nuts you have, and you seemed to be totally fine."
Dunca, DJ and Geoff looked at Harold and they couldn't help but nod their heads towards him, someone hurting himself on the nuts twice on the same day, and still be fine? He wasn't normal.
Harold was about to reply when a shout came down with a jump of 3 people.
"Finally they are here. I was asking myself why they are taking so long." Courtney huffed angrily, until she noticed that Izzy didn't have jumped. "What happened?"
"One of the sisters complained so much that Chris got annoyed and asked who would want to exchange with Katie… And Izzy offered herself." Eva grunted as she noticed that her entire team was down.
Courtney stared angrily at the bodybuilder, but she countained herself, as she took a deep breath, and counted the group around her.
"Wait, there is all of us down here… So that means?" Bridgette analized the situation, which made Duncan grins.
"We have all the crates, and possibly won a perfect victory on the first phase of the challenge." Duncan declared which made the whole Killer Bass team cheers in a victory, which made Chris smiles by looking down.
"Well Goophers, it seems the Killer Bass team has 11 points which now you have two options. To all of you jump to make a tie, and unabling the Killer Bass to achieve the advantage for the next challenge. Or quit and leave the advantage to the team with the possibility of a victory on their hands?" Chris was enjoying the drama around, he could see the ratings getting up from the first episode. Having a touching scene being broken by the impatience of a team member, and also pushing another member which not just make the scene more dramatic, but also por pure coincidence made the team with almost a guarantee over the advantage for the prize.
"Nice! Okay guys." Trent spoke up as he turned to his teammates. "Who's up first?"
"I'm sorry." Heather said firmly as she crossed her arms and shook her head. "There's no way I'm doing this."
"Why not?" Beth asked looking slightly worried.
"Um, hello, national tv." Heather said as if the answer of the question was too obvious. "We already lose the challenge, I'm not going to get my hair wet for nothing."
"You're kidding right?" Gwen asked while looking at Heather in disbelief.
"If she's not doing it, I'm not doing it." Lindsy said as she and Heather smirked at each other.
"Oh you're doing it." Leshawna told Heather in aggressive tone as she got right into Heather's face.
"Say's who?" Heather crossed her arms and glared back Leshawna.
"Says me." Leshawna said back as she glared into Heather's eyes. "There is no way that I'm going to let them to have the advantage and lose the entire challenge 'cause you got your hair day, you spoiled little daddy's girl."
"Back off, ghetto-glamour, too-tight-pants-wearing, rap-star wannabe." Heather insulted Leshawna right back into her face.
"Mall-shopping, ponytail-wearing, teen-girl-reading,peeking in hight school prom queen." Leshawna replied as she didn't step down either.
"..." Heather then smirked after being in a moment of silence. "Well, at least I'm popular."
Everyone watching that flinched, knowing that the tension could be cut with a butter knife, and some was even enjoying such idea of a cat fight. Except the teenager handsome boy who preferred to stare to himself over his own mirror he brought with himself.
"Do you think anyone from the Goophers will jump?" Tyler asked to his team mates, after having a good time drying himself, from the water.
"That's clearly illogical. Since we have our entire team jumped… or specially pushed towards the water." Courtney commented and streeched herself, she was feeling sore from the fall she had over the cliff, and gave an indirect to the buffed woman who remained in silence and puting her clothes on. "We have total of 11 people who did this madness, there is no way that they would make everyone to go down here."
"Well, the less people they jump, the less crates they will have, so that would give us not just the advantage, but all the needed material around here." Geoff commented as he stared at the crates and every single one looked heavy. "Man, this things are heavy. Do you think they would give some sort of carriage for us to take this with us?"
"Possibly that would be the reward." Duncan logically agreed, since he just understood what kind of the challenges would be from now on. "Knowing Chris now, we already can say that he is a creatively sadistic bastard."
Duncan, Tyler and Courtney were debatting what possibly would be their victory, while a bit far away the woman body-builder Eva was focusing on getting ready herself, until she saw from the corner of her eyes, the boy who asked the favor before the jump, and a nervous giant Jamaican nearby him.
"Hmm. Eva." The boy called her, causing her to raise her eyebrow towards the duo. "I know Courtney must have lashed out at you for pushing her off the cliff… But I came here to thank you for your help. If wasn't for your help, we could possibly must have lost the first part of the challenge, and you have no idea we would need the advantage."
Eva remained in silence, until she finally could say her answer.
"Your welcome." Eva was direct with her reply, but then she turned her back and left the duo alone. But after nobody seeing her face, the cameras showed a good smirk of happiness on the way she helped her team to the possible victory.
DJ and Ezekiel shrugged as they went back towards the crew, Sadie and Katie were both being dorks together and having a good conversion between themselves. Harold and Geoff were still looking up to see if there was someone who actually would jump from the other team, and until then nothing must have happened.
"Did we took this long to jump?" Ezekiel asked to Bridgette who just used her hand to give a more or less feeling. He was about to ask another thing until… A shout loud enoug was enough to take the attention to all the basses to stare at the top of the cliff.
"YOU'RE JUMPING!" Leshawna yelled at Heather aggressively.
"MAKE ME!" Heather didn't realize her mistake until it was too late, since Leshawna took her entire body and launched the spoiled girl off of the cliff. Heather screamed with all her lungs until she got down into the water inside of the safety zone. At the moment she came off, Heather hatefully stared above the cliff. "LESHAWNA, YOU ARE SO DEAD!"
"Hey, I threw you into the safe zone, didn't I?" Leshawna yelled downed to Heather which made the entire group of Killer Bass stares at each and other.
"Do you think they will push each other to force themselves to tie against us?" Ezekiel walked towards Courtney and Bridgette who seemed to be thinking about the same question.
"Well at least we have the entire team down here, so maybe we have a chance." Bridgette tried to act positive, which made the homeschooled buy smile.
Then after the next second, Leshawna jumped herself over the cliff, which at the successful land over the safe zone with Heather.
Then Lindsay came down and waving her limbs around frantically as she fell down the cliff. Next was Gwen who also screamed as she fell to the water who was followed by Cody. And after him Izzy was laughing hysterically as she fell down the cliff. Enjoying the experience herself.
After Izzy came, Just confidently took a dive into the water, just for the fear of everyone he landed outside of the safe zone. Which everybody yelled at Justin to swim away from the sharks, until the impossible occurred. At the moment the sharks appeared near him, they stopped swimming until they saw the water dripping of his body and his sparking eyes and smile. Which made the sharks enamorated with the teenager and helped the handsome boy to pick him up and gave him a ride to the shore.
Everyone was slaw jacked about that.
"You are wrong Duncan. It wasn't the jocks." The delinquent turned his head when he saw the homeschooled boy looking surprised and also with a bit disappointment. "They always fell for the handsome guy."
Duncan recalled his quote over the afternoon and seeing the handsome boy smiling towards all the girls who were enamorated for the eye candy idol. Duncan slapped his forehead.
"Oh I will be dammed, I stand corrected." Duncan commented which he understood that it was always an unfair competition against someone who makes all the girls enamorated.
Beth stared at the cliff, and the heigh was too big for her, she was so afraid that she backed away.
"I can't do it." Beth said as she slumped down, which made Chris smiles at her.
"Afraid of heights?" Chris commented which made Beth nods at him. Chris smiled at her. "That's alright girl, unfortunately, that also makes you a chicken. So, you'll have to wear this for the rest of the day."
Beth stared at the moment he brought a box he was standing next and pulled out a rubber chicken hat and placed it on Beth's head.
"Really? Oh no." Beth discovered that now she messed up, and with Chris finally finding a chicken he decided to rubber salt on her wound.
"Bawk bawk bawk!" Chris mocked while doing a chicken dance before pointing to an escalator that was on the cliff for some reason. "That means the chicken path down is that-a-way."
Beth stared the entire team, even the ones who feel from the cliff.
"I'M SORRY!" Beth shouted as she decided to take the cowardly escalator way.
Leshawna, Heather and Lindsay stared towards above the clif.
"She didn't it." Leshawna looked in disbelief, while Heather and Lindsay couldn't help but scoff.
"That is, like, so lame, right?" The blonde girl asked to Heather who couldn't help but agreed in both anger and disgust.
"Fully lame." Heather commented, but still she saw Leshawna and Cody doing a dance chicken to mock Beth for being a coward, she couldn't help but snicker towards that attitude. The little farm girl cousted them the tie, and now the other team would have the advantage.
"So that means?" Harold noticed that one of the team chickened out, and he stared at the other boys of the Killer Bass team.
Duncan grinned and have his fist hiting his palm, showing a great victorious smile.
"WE WON" Ezekiel and Geoff shouted as Sadie and Katie cheered and screamed by jumping happily the results of their jump happily.
Courtney and Bridgette hugged happily, while Ezekiel, Duncan, Harold, DJ and Geoff shared high fives. The first day and the first phase of the challenge as their victory.
The screaming Goophers staring at the celebration, noticed that indeed they screwed up a good part of their chances.
Chris saw the celebration of the victory towards the Killer Bass team, so he decided to give a final warning towards the Screaming Goophers boys.
"You have a choice if you guys want to quit jumping right now, but knowing that each person who does that will have one less crate to help the team to build up the hot tube for the challenge. No pressure, guys." Chris commented until he saw the relieve on their faces. Until he snickered. "Okay, there's pressure!"
"Let's do this!" Trent passed by Owen and gave him a high five. Before jumping off the cliff and landing down in the safe zone. And after him Noah came by jumping off by himself.
"Ok campers!" Chris said to everyone down below with a megaphone, Owen standing by the edge of the cliff. "The Killer Bass won the first part of the challenge. But the Goophers has one last person to jump, and the more quantities of crates they have the better."
Down below, the Screaming Gophers were all shouting to the fat boy to jump the cliff, since they would need all the materials as possible to make the challenge.
"JUMP! JUMP! JUST DO IT, OWEN. DO IT!" Heather shouted between the group who was doing their best to convince Owen, since he was with fear, and doing his best to take a deep breath before strapping his floaties around his arm and backing away a bit to give himself a running start.
(Confession - Owen)
"Oh, I was pretty darn nervous." Owen gulped as he remembered the feeling on how it went before his jump. "See, the thing is, I'm not that strong as swimmer."
(Confession - Geoff)
"I'm looking at this guy and thinking, there's no way he's gonna make it." Geoff said while looking right at camera. He was telling in disbelief and confident with himself the possibility of the largest camper to die.
(Confession - Gwen)
"I actually thought, if he jumps this…" Gwen looked sadly and in concern at the camera showing that the possibility of the worst outcome for her teammate, until her cold nature came back again and with her sarcasm finish the sentence. "He's gonna die."
(Confession - Ezekiel)
"I'm calling right now… *whistle*" Ezekiel said as he raised one hand and let the near his lap. And like a cartoonish whistle while his raised hand was slowling moving towards his other hand until both where meet and then he raised both his arms widen open like a huge explosion arc. "SPLASH. OH (BEEP) GIANT WAVE… I wouldn't be surprised if one shark would be stuck in the tree.)
"Take a good run at it buddy." Chris encouraged Owen as the big guy turned around after getting enough distance. "You got this!"
"I'm going to die now." Owen said with a resolve, looking foward on where he was going to dive. "I'm going to freaking die now."
Owen stood frozen in place for him have the last final seconds to be in peace with himself, and be ready to give his jump. His entire team looked at him in anticipation.
"Come on, big guy." Leshawna said as she hoped that the last member of Screaming Goophers would actually jump. Hoping that he would work up the courage to jump.
Finally, Owen clenched his teeth and fists and narrowed his eyes at the edge of the cliff, so he gave a battle cry surprising Chris as he passed by the host who looked shocked to see him actually jumping.
"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH." Owen shouted as he finally did it, which he could see the target on where he should aim. Trent and Noah were looking above them happily, until they realized that the big guy was going towards them like a meteor. And they realized on how screwed they were. "OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH CRAAAAAAAP."
SPLASH
At the moment Owen hit the water, it was like an explosion came towards in the air, with water reaching up almost halfway to the top of the cliff. When the water came back down, all the campers could be seen spread out throught the beach completely soaked. One shark was stuck on the beach, while the remaining one was holding itself on the tree nearby.
"Yes! Yeah!" Owen soon emerged from under the water and start pumping his fist in the air. "Oh, yeah! Who's the man?"
The entire group of Screaming Goophers cheered as the big guy managed to help them to have another crate on their teams. And even the screamer basses couldn't help but cheer up to Owen who managed to do the best dive from the day.
"Damn, this was much more fun." Ezekiel said as he now looked from another point of view, and actually being part of there, he never felt so awesome as Owen would have died if was a real world, but since it was the Total Drama universe. This was just the minimum of what would be a 8 weeks of pure madness…
"That was awesome!" Chris shouted with his megaphone, enjoying what would be the greatest first episode he ever created so far. "Now the winners! The killer Basses!"
The entire Bass team cheered as managed to see the biggest advantage they have now, the carts which would help them to travel faster to the next part of the challenge.
Trent got up on his boat but he was staring at the big guy who was looking around for something.
"What's wrong?" He asked which made the Owen continued to looking throught the water around him.
"I, uh…" Owen awkwardly began. "Think lost my bathing suit."
He said loudly enough which made the entire group of the campers shows their remarks of disgust.
"Now Goophers, since you guys have 10 courageous people who survived on the jump. You can choose 10 crates. You never know what crate you could possibly have. So be prepare to adapt with what you have." Chris had his signature smirk as he approached towards the groaning team.
"Great." Heather was already with a few names on her mind on which person she should send home on the first day. While she would have preferred to lose by her choice itself, she went to the dammed water by force and yet she still lost the game.
(Confession - Heather)
"Knowing Chris now, we already can say that he is a creative sadistic bastard."
Heather narrowed her eyes trying to find two perfect paws around her team, trying to verify who would be willing to follow her orders without any question. And by seeing a familiar chicken hat on the corner, Heather grinned.
"She is perfect." Heather commented, by walking slowly towards the farm girl who seemed to be disappointed with herself. While the other members of the Screaming Goophers are doing all the preparations to carry all their crates with their own hands. Heather already developed a great plan for her first paw. Coughing and trying to make her voice to show the utmost concern she called the farm girl who was feeling alone and outcasted. "Beth, are you okay?"
"Hu?" Beth looked around and found the black haired queen bee walking towards her. "Huh, hello Heather. Yeah, I'm doing fine. I'm just trying to have some time alone."
"Are you still upset because you have to give up from jumping?" Heather still tried to use her concern voice, and she smiled internally when she saw how vulnerable Beth was feeling on that moment. "If that would make you feel better, I also didn't want to jump from that heigh… I was forced by that brutus of Leshawna. So you don't need to be too harsh on yourself. You are not going to have my vote if we lose today."
"Really?" Beth asked in hopeful tone, which the queen bee nodded her head with all her sincerity.
"Of course? Our team was already fated to lose this challenge at the moment the other team jumped with all their members, some were even pushed against their will. But we are not like that. Don't worry, you will have my protection." Heather smiled kindly, which made the glass girl shows some tears of gratitude.
"Thank you Heather." Beth went and hugged the spoiled rich girl, which made her gulp her anger of being hugged by someone she doesn't like.
"That's fine. But now we must think of a plan. We cannot let you go away because of a choice you just had. For me you did the smartest decision." Heather gave a half compliment, which made Beth even happier. "So we need to find a way to make someone else to receive all the votes."
"But how can I avoid to being eliminated? Since most of people can possibly blame me if we lose this challenge." Beth sniffed, but tried to look hopefully to Heather, who just gave her signature smile.
"Not if you show your hard work. If they see you like a good prestative girl, willing to help. They will try to find another person to vote it out today. Don't worry, I have a plan. You just need to follow my orders, and I guarantee that you will be in the top 3 with me." Heather showed her determination and confidence to the little girl who just started looking up at her.
"Do you think so Heather? That would be so great, me and you as top 3." Beth was feeling excited, which Heather gave a smile but from the camera, they could see a smirk appearing on her face.
(Confession - Heather)
"Too easy, one down… one to go." Heather smiled as she placed her makeup on her face, and enjoying how she was having control over one of the competitors.
(Confession - Beth)
"I can't believe Heather is willing to help me out. She is so nice and great. She will save me from the problems I did today. I hope what she said is true… I don't want to go home soon." Beth smiled with hope in her eyes. Wanting so much to have a great friend by her side. "Wait, so that means Heather is my friend? THAT'S GREAT. MOM, I HAVE A NEW FRIEND."
"Heather, are you sure that carrying your crate will make the others fine of me helping you? Wouldn't that make them suspicious of you and have you to be possibly vote out from the show?" Beth asked worried, as she was doing her own best to push the crate. She was sweaty and already losing most part of her strenght while the black haired girl was using a finger nail polish to make herself more presentable on television.
"I know you are concern Beth. But you don't need to worry about me Beth, I have my ways to make sure to not be voted out today." Heather smiled trying to make sound that she was doing a favor for the poor farm girl. "Now if you excuse me, I will find a way to take you out from this situation. Now keep moving this crate. And make sure the others notice you are doing your best."
"I'm trying." Beth commented as she kept pushing the wooden crate, which was enough to make her walk around the others who were having the same difficulty.
Leaving Beth alone carrying her crate. Heather decided to act walk in the opposite direction, just for seeing most part of her team was having a terrible time using their own strength to keep moving the crates. A bit on the sidelines, the queen bee just found out a bunch of poison iv around the floor. Which gave some kind of an idea… But now she would just need a victim. From the time she was walking, it took a few minutes until she realized the 2 people having the most difficulty on moving their own heavy crates.
A skinny bookworm, who was sweating, but also having a long time complaining of every single effort he was doing on his place. And a very familiar blonde bombshell who was still trying to push her crate with extremely difficulty.
"Hmm… Hello scapegoat." Heather smiled as he approached the duo.
"AHHH." Lindsay shouted as she looked at her own fingernails. "I broke my nail, this day is the worst. Please someone take me from my suffering."
"Oh look at that, the little princess is having a problem outside from her castle?" The booksmart Noah sarcastically rolled his eyes, but still tried to figure out how to move the crate. "This crate weights appropriately 45 kilograms, so I would need to find a good way to move it, by probably making it as a backpack of sorts. But that doesn't seem plausible. If I use the elasticity effect, maybe I could move it in an one shot."
The mumblings around the bookworm wasn't something that interested to Heather, since she already gazed him as possibly her target, she just smiled and waved at the duo.
"Hello, I see that you guys are taking soo long." Heather tried to sound gentle, but then she narrowed her eyes. "I came here to say for you guys to hurry. You are way far behind."
"Ha, you asks like you had even lift your own crate. Please yoko, do me a favor and disappear, I'm going to do in my own speed." Noah wasn't going to buy it, knowing that Heather was planning something, he knew that he would probably be a target, but he need to be sure what would be her strategy. But she wasn't going to outsmart him… in the mind games, he was going to surpass that simpleton.
"Oh hey Melery. I'm still having problems to push this giant box. And now I just break a finger nail. It seems that this day couldn't get any worse." Lindsay said as she sighed already wanting the day would come to an end.
"Well, whatever I already said what I need to say. See you at the camp." Heather scoffed as she turned her back and turned to leave. And by walking a few meters away. It was the good time for she put her plan in action. "Yoko huh? Well, let's see if you are going to enjoy being the escapegoat you little insect?"
Heather stared at the bunch of Poison Ivis leaves over the ground, and by having a stick nearby her, she brought one of the leafs and placed calmly on the pourse she was using. Smiling evily, she was ready for the seat up of her strategy.
In the far ahead over the Scream Goophers side, the only people who was having a well managed way to carry their crates, was the group of boys Justin, Trent and Owen, while some who were pushing or even using ropes to help them to pull their crates with force was Izzy, Cody, Gwen and Leshawna. But still one girl who was wearing chicken hat, was sweating litters trying to keep up with everyone.
"Are you okay?" Cody asked as he wasn't also feeling alright after carrying his crate after so many minutes. "I thought you wouldn't need to carry a crate since you gave up jumping."
"I'm doing fine." Beth replied, as she tried to clean up her sweat, but her entire shirt and blouse were wet from all her sweat, and it wasn't helping her very much. "I need to carry this, and show that I can help... I don't want to go home."
"Woah, woah, woah. Take a deep breath..." Cody alarmed as he tried to help the farm girl into breathing deeply, to help her to calm her entire mind since she was too focused into trying to show her usefulness. "Calm down,"
Beth nodded her head, as her entire body was screaming for her to stop, since the crates seemed to be so heavy, and she didn't want to make the others lose because of her cowardy.
"Nobody is blaming you for giving up the challenge. The odds were already against us." Cody clarified, knowing that her entire situation was risky, and he didn't want to upset her by using the wrong words. "I mean, they really got lucky since one of their team pushed 3 of them at the same time. Can you imagine if some of them didn't actually was there when she pushed? We could have tied or even possibly won,"
"You really think so?"...
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." Suddenly a terrifying scream was enough to make the group nearby the shout stop carrying their crates by the surprise scared scream. Until the group look towards the voice, until they found who was the person who screamed. "My face, my wonderful and beautiful face...RUINED."
The entire group walked towards the model who were covering his face.
"What happened?"
"It seems that a fly just bit Justin in the eye while he was staring himself at the mirror." Trent said as he tried to see the damages done by the fly, and by seeing the eye starting to get red was already a bad signal. "This can't be good man, I recommend you go at the medic after we done the challenge."
"My beautiful face." Justin lammented as he couldn't even look at himself at the mirror. So he closed one of his eyes and gritted his teeth to continue carrying his crate and finish the challenge the fastest as possible to go take care of his beauty once again.
As the pass of the time, Chris as he promised, the Assassins Basses were giving the carts which allowed them to easily pull their crates back on the camp. And that was something that literally raised the morals of the entire team. Since the entire team was in silence but walking happily with something which helped them towards their own crates.
Ezekiel recalled how happy the Screaming Goophers were since they won the challenge, they even had started to sing.
The team Killer Bass prefered to walk as the crew started to know more about each other. Since the duos for each cart was: Bridgette and Courtney, Harold and Tyler, Katie and Sadie, Eva holding a cart by herself, DJ and Ezekiel, and Duncan and Geoff. It was a great time to have a very good talk while on the trip towards the camp.
"Zeke?" A voice called which made the boy full dressed with his usual clothing and winter hat looks to his side, just to see the big jamaican gold heart boy looks at him. "Can I call you Zeke? I forgot if that was okay to say that. I'm sorry."
"Nah, that's fine. You are free to do it. So?" Ezekiel smiled as he knew that since everyone is happy carrying their own carts, everyone is having a way easier time in comparison to what have happened on the actual episode of the show.
"I must have said, that while it was one of the most terrifying things I ever experienced in my whole life. I'm glad you were by my side and decided to help me to try to jump. If I didn't have jumped we could have tied, and who knows what Chris must have done if it was tie." DJ was honest since he felt himself almost guilt for he couldn't have helped the whole team out. "And I still wish to learn more about the story of the coward dog you were telling me this morning."
Courtney who were in the cart in the front actually decided to listen too, since she was also a few fractions of second to have giving up from the challenge, but she got interested into hearing both boys talking about what would be possibly a fantasy story created by someone, and yet it made her got curious. And that curiosity caused the accident towards their victory over the show.
"Oh, you mean Courage? Sure, I have tons of stories of his legend. If you want I can share some with you before you go to sleep." Ezekiel smiled but then he saw the frown over the big jamaican and nearby him the group of boys started snickiring from the way he told. And that made Ezekiel looks confuse to them. "What's wrong?"
"You made it sound like a bedtime story." DJ asked as he pouted at him which made Ezekiel stop his track. "I'm not 8 years old."
"Yeah, want some warm milk before sleeping with that bedtime story?" Duncan made fun of it which made Ezekiel rolls his eyes at Geoff and Harold and Tyler snickering.
"Dude, Courage stories sometimes are hardcore and could even be described as horror stories but with most of them, if not all of them ends with a happy ending." Ezekiel explained which made Duncan raise his eyebrow and Courtney looked at her behind in surprise. DJ looked at Ezekiel horrified from the revelation but also relieved. "Trust me DJ, you can learn valuable lessons with those stories."
"Oh yeah? Then give me one example of a horror story then." Duncan made a challenge which the entire group of teenagers look at the homeschooled by waiting for his answer.
"Okay…" Ezekiel accepted the challenge, and thought dozens of episodes, and which one of them would have been unforgettable from how traumatic and yet interesting plot was ever done. Then he coughed is hand, and turned to the delinquent with nothing more than a dead eyes face a deep voice which surprised everyone. "Retuuuurn the slaaab."
Duncan felt shrives on his back from the way he said it. And the entire group remained in silence at the homeschooled boy. And Ezekiel decide to give a little preview.
"It seems that I caught your attention. I may not have much time to explain until maybe a campfire, but I can give you guys a quick and short story of… Courage the Cowardly Dog against King's Ramses Curse." Ezekiel smiled, which made DJ gulped by knowing that it was a story that he would have a nightmare if he doesn't listen until the end. "In a farm, in the middle of Nowhere. There is a family of 3. The kindest old lady of the entire world, Muriel. Her husband: a grump, greedy and envious bald man with a hat named Eustace. And a little dog with Pink fur named Courage…"
And then the story has begun…
Heather passed a few minutes before returning in the direction she came, while she was in a hurry, she accidentally bumped herself over one of her own teammates, a skinny bookworm who was still forcing himself to carry a heavy crate.
The force of her bump was enough to make each of them fall over the floor. And at the time Heather got up she looked furious.
"Watch where you are going stupid." Heather snarked.
"For your information, I was going ahead, it was you who bumped behind me. You should give yourself an eye check." Noah rolled his eyes, not noticed something something being pushed inside of his T-shirt.
"Whatever, you have been a smartass for you own good way to many times. You better watchout book boy," Heather scoffed before glaring towards him with animosity, which leaves the sarcastic boy scoff at her.
"Gee, I'm really scared. Now if you excuse me, I have more things important to do, than lowering to your level." Noah rebuted, which made Heather's eyes twitch.
"Oh? Okay then." Heather narrowed her eyes and decided to ignores him and go towards the blonde bombshell. "Lindsay, it seems you are struggling a lot. Do you want me to help you to carry your crate?"
"Wow, would you really do that to help me?" Lindsay gasped as she looked surprised to see someone willing to help her to carry the heavy box on her hands. "Thank you, thank you. This has been a nightmare for me for so long."
"Don't worry about it." Heather smiled, knowing that her objective was accomplished. "Let's just hurry up and go after the others.
Heather gave a provoking smile towards the book boy, who just shrugged and ignored them both who quickly went faster by working together.
Leaving someone on behind, both Lindsay and Heather worked together for quickly comes nearby the group of Goophers who were still struggling to go in the direction of the camp.
"What took you so long?" Leshawna saw Heather approaching the group, but then she realized that the spoiled girl was actually helping someone with her own crate.
"I went far behind to help Lindsay to carry hers, what do you think?" Heather spat as she tried to hold the heavy box with the help of the blonde. Which Lindsay was still feeling tired for all that weight upon her. "The bookworm didn't want my help, so he said he would be fine."
"Well, that's actually considerate of you." Gwen asked with her eyebrows raised, but frowned when the queen bee scoffed at her.
"Please, I want to win this challenge, and if we lose because two people was far behind and unable to help us to make the hottube I would make their lives a true hell." Heather glared towards Leshawna and Gwen, but then decided to keep carrying the box with Lindsay, while all her team mates didn't know that she already placed to pieces around the game, and only the watchers would known the true scheme she developed around the game.
"And in the end… inside of the world renomaded museum. Eustace's voice screams could be heard from inside of the slab, as the final part of the curse by saying the constant nagging: WHAT IS YOUR OFFER?" Ezekiel finished which the whole group absorbed the entire story like sponge, and then Harold had to tell the truth.
"I have to go change my clothes when I get to the cabin." Harold said which made some of the campers look at Harold in disgust.
"I have too, that shit scared me good and I have forgoten to go to take a leak." Tyler commented as he was so fascinated and terrified of the story, that made Courtney and Bridgette to be away from them…
"Err… I also did in my pants." Katie said which made Sadie gasp in surprise.
"Yeah, me too." Sadie and Katie smiled to each other, while Courtney thought that her entire team must be fulfilled with bunch of weird people.
"Dude." Duncan whispered. "I have to say it would have been far more scarier if there was some gore or more scares. But that was indeed impressive and hardcore."
"I don't know what to say." DJ commented, he was trembling on his place, but holding his own fist tight. He was with mixed feelings. He was terrified of the story, he was happy that in the end Courage saved his whole family, many times… And he kinda felt cathartic since Eustace was a jerk and deserved the end he got.
"Yeah, and I have dozens of stories like that. Some are more beautiful with good messages, some are sad that would make you cry, and others are freaking terrifying." Ezekiel was proud into telling one classic story of one of his favorite shows of all time… Which he still feels the pain of being inside into a world where nobody ever heard about it, or a place that Cartoon Network never existed.
After more 5 minutes walking around they finally reached the place where they were supposed to be.
"Well we are finally here." Ezekiel said as the entire group of campers reached the middle of the camp. And from the confortable pace they walked by using the carts, it was clearly a good advantage from having more time to open the crates and develop a strategy to construct the new hot tube.
"Well, I don't see the other team nearby, how long do you think it will take for them to reach us?" Bridgette asked, making Courtney leave the cart, and walk towards to take off the crates from the cart.
"Depending from the speed we were walking, and with the possibility of them giving pauses to rest themselves before continuing to carry their crates? My guess would be 1 hour or 2." Courtney decided to take a wild guess, as she helped the surfist blonde to carry their crates and leave in the floor.
Harold tried to lift his own crate, but it was so heavy that he couldn't even life a single centimeter from the cart. Tyler who was on the other side, not seeing his teammate on the other side of the crate, he raised it with such speed and force that it hits Harold's chin, making his head raise from the impact and his body falls from the cart groaning in pain. Tyler looked around to see if he heard something, but then he just shrugged and launched one of the crates on the floor, not seeing that it was Harold's body who got smashed by the weight of the crate.
Geoff and Duncan snickered and ignored the poor nerd struggling to get out from the biggest wooden box above himself.
It didn't take long until the whole Killer Bass team to let all the crates on the floor. Which was in the right timing since Chris was smiling at them with his iconic smirk and sadism.
"Welcome at the camp Killer Bass, now that your whole team are here, I guess it's time for you open your crates." Chris decided to explain the next part of the challenge, making the whole group shrugged and place their hands over the crates. "Ah ah ah ah. You are not going to open your crates with your hands."
"Then genious, if we aren't opening the crates with our hands, how do you think we should do it then?" Duncan scoffed, like he found so absurd Chris was making them not opening their crates.
Chris smiled, and that smile was something that made the entire team Killer Bass team uneasy.
Confessional Duncan
"I remember the guard of the juvenile telling me that one day I would regret asking how I should do things... Mark, sorry for breaking your nose. You were right all along. (beep) dammit.
After what would be 10 minutes of pure strenght towards their teeth, as Chris smiled towards the camera.
"You must use your mouths to open your crates." Chris annunciated to the whole Killer Bass team, while every single one of them used all their strenght towards their mouths to be able to open every single crate they have. Chris looked towards the camera and made a whisper towards it with a wink. "I created this rule."
Every single crate was like a torture for each camper, who used all their strenght until every single one of them got opened.
"Ugh, I can feel the taste of wood in my mouth." Sadie commented while her own sister just gasped in surprise.
"Oh, me too, that's an awful taste." Katie also complained, which made the whole group roll their eyes, towards the duo.
"Yeah yeah, we know, every single one of us got taste of wood in the mouth. That's why all of us used our mouths to open the crates." Duncan said frustred, but then decided to examine the crate he had. "Huh, nice. Hey dudes, check this up."
Duncan showed the tools, as he pulled out the hammer, the pool liner. As Ezekiel opened his and showed a piece of paper and the motor and water filter. He then looked closely until his eyes went wide open.
"JACKPOT." Ezekiel shouted as he raised the piece of paper. "I got the instructions manual."
"Nice." The whole team smiled, now knowing that they wouldn't need to use their own minds to build the whole hot tube, and having the manual on their hands, the challenge would become far easier to deal on that moment.
"Great, let me have this so we can start building it." Courtney smiled as she already offered her hand to Ezekiel which he already gave the papers to her.
"Woah, woah, woah, calm down princess." Duncan said as he approached towards the duo with his unconformed situation, and from the nickname he gave towards the tan girl, he managed to annoy her sucessfully. "Who died and decided to put you in charge?"
"What did you just call me?" Courtney glared towards the delinquent, showing that she wasn't going to step down the rebelious attitude towards her .
"You heard me right, princess." Duncan smirked, knowing that he found a way to provoke the girl who was bossy towards the whole group.
"For your information. I'm the only one with C.I.T camping experience here. I'm the best possiblity to take the leadership and help this challenge." Courtney approached towards the delinquent, and she was ready to get into an argument... but at the moment they would raise their voices.
"What is C.I.T?" A single voice asked which made the duo stares on their side, and see the winter hat boyy looking at them confused.
"You kidding right?" Duncan asked, until he remembered the morning from what he was told in the boys' cabin. "Oh, right, you really don't know."
"What do you mean he doesn't know? Does he live under a rock for not knowing that?" Courtney said in disbelief, but what it shocked most was the fact that the person in front of her tilted his head.
"Actually, I was homeschooled in a farm." The sound of the inocence coming from Ezekiel indeed was enough to make the prideful C.I.T in training shut her mouth and taste it like she just managed to eat her whole foot. "I hope I haven't asking something which offends you. But initials usually makes me confuse, and I don't know what C.I.T means..."
Duncan smirked, by seing the girl who was bossy finally shutting up was a good way to have the control of everything, but then he realized that the whole team was nearby watching that scene.
"Is he telling the truth?" Eva asked, surprised to see the shrimp camper who asked her help didn't seemed to have any kind of interaction in a school.
"Yeah, from what he told us, he lived at a farm until now, and this show was the first time he had the oportunity to see outside." DJ nodded his head as he placed a good among of wood on the floor. "It was a shock to us since he was the one who was the most hyped and happy to be on here."
"Yeah, he got so impressed by my incredible skills." Harold said proudly, but then he remembered a bit of the pain over his crotch. "Well, I still need to train a bit more thought."
"But how that would work? He doesn't have someone like Katie to talk to him?" Sadie asked already showing her fear of not being able to have her sister and best friend on her side. Which was a terrifying experience to her.
"I would die if I didn't have Sadie on my side. How could he live on that way?" Katie agreed with her sister, which made Tyler facepalm. But managing to bring more materials and supplies for the hot tube.
"Guys." Geoff called the group around. "While I agree Ezekiel being homeschooled can be shocking for us. We have to focus the challenge."
"That's right," Courtney affirmed, nodding to the home-schooled boy. "C.I.T. specifically stands for 'Counselor-In-Training."
"Definitely 'in-training'," Duncan scoffed to the side.
Eyes narrowing, Courtney was about to rebuke the delinquent when Ezekiel snapped his fingers. "Ohhh, you mean that's like camp counselors from the movies?"
Courtney smiled as she turned to Ezekiel. "That's right. Counselors help the campers out with any problems they have, or if they need help."
She cast a side-eye at Duncan. "At least, with the people who admit they need help."
Duncan tsk'd. "Then you definitely need more training, if you think ordering people around makes you a counselor."
Courtney's jaw tightened, hands clenching into fists. Duncan simply rolled his eyes, amused at her anger. Ezekiel cringed at the animosity between the two but still put himself between them.
"Let's put this on the back-burner for now, okay? If we fight this out now, we'll only make it easier for the Gophers."
Courtney and Duncan's gazes met and though neither wanted to back down, Ezekiel's logic was sound. The home-schooled teen sighed with relief and turned to the rest of the Bass.
"So, what do you think we should do then?" Sadie spoke up, directing her question to Ezekiel.
He stopped in surprise at being addressed, mind already racing. Eyes flickering over the resources in front of them, a plan formed just as fast.
"Let's split into teams of two to work on each part of the hot tub. For example, me and DJ can hold the wood, you and Katie can bring water buckets, and maybe Bridget and Courtney could use the tools to fix the hot tub into place?"
The group thought it over.
"I'll take care of holding the wood in place," Eva declared. "Your arms wouldn't be able to take the strain."
"I'm pretty strong myself too! And we're gonna need muscle for this job!" Tyler declared, quickly sharing a bro-fist with Geoff.
"And that leaves me with the buckets and the twins. Could be worse." Duncan turned to the brunette, deep in thought. "Well, Counselor?"
"This… this is actually a very reasonable plan! Everyone is where their skillsets would suit them best and work with others!" Courtney's expression was open with surprise, but also relief that she hadn't been alone in planning this. She also didn't notice Duncan getting a peek at her expression with interest.
Ezekiel nodded with a thumbs up. "Then let's get to work!"
"So what about the remaining of the campers?" Katie decided to ask since the good part of the group would already be doing their parts of doing the hottub.
"Me, Harold and DJ will organize and sort the materials. Because that way we wouldn't need to be picking up randomly around the crates. And like a good jigsaw, we could place piece by piece until it's perfectly built." Ezekiel offered as he looked at both the blue shirt and green shirt guys walking nearby him.
"I like this idea. Also I bring many with me since my size will help to carry more material." DJ smiled as he already went toward the wood the other crates and started bringing the objects.
"I'm okay with that." Harold nodded his head, since it wouldn't need to be needing to make much effort, but doing a very good work together with the others will speed up the process perfectly.
"Perfect, now that everyone knows their positions focused on our skills this way we could end the challenge with a very good pace." Courtney never felt so relieved, seeming that the whole team organizing by itself indeed was a great way to start the challenge.
"ALRIGHT KILLER BASS, LET'S GO." Geoff was already excited and with a clap of hands the entire crew walked towards their stations and prepared the work.
"Finally we got here." Gwen said after reaching the camp with her teammates just for see what would be the killer Bass team already with a half hottube done. "Oh you gotta be kidding me."
"They are already with half done hottube?" Beth asked in worry since she saw the entire crew of Killer Bass working together by groups of duos, which the Screaming Goophers noticed that the entire team was using their own flow of work.
"Oh look at that, finally the Screaming Goophers arrieved the challenge. And with the other team half way done." Chris smirked which made most of the other team irks in anger.
"We know." The entire crew of screaming Goophers commented, which made Chris smiles even wider.
"Well, as the same way I explained the killer bass team, you guys must open the crates with nothing else than your own mouths." Chris got the satisfaction of seeing the anger and disbelief towards the whole participants who came with their crates with nothing else than exhaustion and impatience.
"I didn't come here to carry all this weight just for then use my mouth to open this stupid crate." Heather rolled her eyes, as both the goth girl and the big black woman stared at her uninpressed.
"That's that you didn't even lift a finger to carry your crate. You let someone else to take the crate for you." Gwen commented as she scoffed into knowing how terrible of a teammate the Heather is going to be.
"Oh hello? I went far behind to help Lindsay to carry her own crate." Heather then made a point which Lindsay was still feeling sore from carrying all that weight. Heather hated to be sweaty from all the walk just for the point to just open the crates with her mouth.
Before the group would even start get into a fight. They then heard chris coughing with his fist, which made everyone stares at him.
"Well, if you are not going to open the crates, then know that you are wasting your time, since the other team looks half way done and there just a few hours before the night and the challenge be concluded." Chris remained professional, not actually caring of the feelings of the other campers, since he usually liked the drama, but he wanted to make the others start the challenge the sooner as possible, because that way the show would must go on. "So you better hurry."
"Well guys, we have to start from somewhere." Trent decided to act as positive, and like Cody, Owen and Izzy, they decided to try to open the crates without complaining.
"If you guys want, you can use ropes to knot around the lid and then use your strength on your teeth to open the crate by pulling the rope." Izzy gave an idea as she tried to do the same. But would that be enough for them to accomplish in time?
"So that's how I managed to make part of the Kung Fu summer camp." Harold said as he managed to place another bunch of nails to DJ who was staring at him with wide eyes open.
"Dude, you went to 12 summer camps?" DJ asked in total disbelief, while Ezekiel stared at him with the utmost surprise.
"Yep, I learned a lot every single year. So I know that I can show a great bunch of skills around here." Harold said proudly as he puffed his chest.
"Well a true meaning of jack of all trades." Ezekiel said which made the brown haired nerd smile proudly. "But you know that jack off all trades is also the master of none."
And just like that his ego deflated.
"That wasn't actually bad Harold." Ezekiel said as he wanted to prove a point. "Jack of all trades is an awesome wildcard. Nobody knows what you can do next. And the no people knowing would be your best advantage."
"What do you mean by that?" Harold asked curious, while he still was upset of people saying he wasn't the master of his skills, being called a wildcard somehow still stroke his ego.
DJ nodded his head, and decided to explain.
"When you have skills that nobody knows from the other team, it means that you can surprise them all the time, so it's always good to not brag about the skills because you are also warning them of the potential defeat they are going to have." DJ choose his words carefully, but also confirmed with the homeschooled boy who nodded his head.
"Yeah, in the movies, guys who always brags themselves always has the biggest targets on their backs. So being a wildcard is awesome because if people don't know what you are going to do next. The next time you catch them by surprise, they wouldn't be able to defend." Ezekiel pointed out since he remembered that nobody likes much people who brags. But they always loves someone who surprises with unpredictable skills. "Being a wildcard is awesome, but you must know how and when to use the skills."
"Well, I can understand that." Harold nodded his head, as the trio carried more material for Eva who with all her strength remained in position and Tyler, even as he was physically adaptable was still having some struggles with his clumsy hands, but the fear by seeing Eva's anger eye made him remain on his spot rock solid.
"Do you need some water guys? I can try to bring something for you guys to drink." Ezekiel asked by seeing Tyler sweating bullets, and Eva remaining stoic but with good concentration.
Eva blinked her eyes, and with a nod she decided to acept the help.
"I accept it." Eva was using all her strength to remain with the same position for what would be like an hour, and even replacing every single wood to be sure to be stable was very difficult, and a good water would be appreciated on that moment.
"Can you bring me some too dude.?" Tyler asked which the homeschooled boy gave a thumbs up and proceed to tell DJ and Harold that he would be leaving.
By having Courtney and Bridgette using the tools, it each step of the hot tube was firmly constructed. Courtney smiled as she was seeing that everyone was working together by one simple objective. To win the first challenge.
"Courtney, let's prepare the stairs." Bridgette called the tan girl, which the C.I.T turned her head and saw Eva and Tyler already stretching themselves after a long time holding the wood. Seeing the hot tube looked solid, Sadie, Catie and Duncan started to bring the water by turns, which would help each of them to quickly place the water inside.
Harold and DJ, both helped out Geoff who was reading the instructions and placed the motor inside of the hottube and make sure that it remained well placed to make the hot tube start working.
"Alright. Team." Courtney clapped her hands as she saw Ezekiel coming with what would be bottles of water to help the team to refresh themselves. Taking one and offering a gratitude smile she looked at the entire team. "It looks perfect. We did it."
Each Killer Bass team enjoyed to see the results of their own teamworking, with a bottle of water in their hands. Since it was a good way to refresh themselves after an exhaustive challenge. Duncan and DJ gave high fives, while Katie and Sadie hugged themselves in victory on their hands.
Ezekiel being the last one with the water bottle, he gave a gulp as he cleaned up his own sweat. That day was indeed exhausting in many ways. But now, he came to a conclusion.
"Because of one accident… It lead us to the victory." Ezekiel whispered to himself, knowing that his entire being would be the actual change of the cannon, but for who would be the first to leave the show? He wouldn't dream to being on the fire, like the actual cannonic version of him did by being sexist and too naivy.
And the oposite side of the camp, there was the group of Goophers which while they were tired of pushing and carrying the crates. The group still worked together until they managed to make the whole hottub into a very good pace and time.
"Okay, it seems all the structure is halfway done. Now we just need to finish it and fill it with the water, and then place the motor to make it perfect it." Trent smiled as he saw every single one of the 10 members of the Screaming Goophers working together as one to try to win the challenge. Wait a second… wasn't them supposed to be 11? "Err… guys? Does anyone has seen Noah?"
"Oh you mean, Noir? I saw him scratching himself a lot behind us. I think he is still scratching himself." Lindsay blinked her eyes, and placed her finger on her lips trying to remember the details, and from the expression of everyone on the camp looking at her strangely, she couldn't help but ask. "What?"
"Great, now we have to go back, if he was still on the back, he must still have one crate with him. Why didn't you guys find out about it sooner?" Heather asked angrily as she was placing blame to Owen and Trent who were doing their best to avoid gazes with her.
"It seems that you are taking a bit of problem. WOAHHH, what happened to your eye?" Chris was happily approaching the Goophers until he found a deformation in one of the eyes of the handsome Justin who seemed still afflicted with his self image being damaged like that.
"Please, don't look at me, I'm a monster." Justin looked away, trying to look away from the camera.
"Justin got a fly hitting on his eye, and bite him. He still need to take care of it." Trent commented which made Chris nods his head towards him.
"Geee, I turned my back for a few hours and this is what happens…that's AWESOME." Chris smiled widely as he saw the closes the camera was giving towards the eye candy dismantle himself. "Anyway, I gotta say that your hottube is looking fine, but now that the Basses managed to finish theirs firstly, you have 20 minutes to finish yours or they win the challenge today."
Chris smiled as the groaning sound of the Goophers who seemed annoyed by the fact that their time is running out. And with that he moved his ATV in the direction of the beach trying to find the last camper and why it took him so long.
"Great. Now we better finish this before Chris comes back to end the challenge." Gwen pointed out, as the boys decided to go together to go after the skinny bookworm who was still far back. And the time of hours was getting shorter and shorter.
At the moment the group of boys ran in the direction towards on where the last camper was, they found something very confusing, the crate unmoved and Chris Maclaine on the floor laughing with his back on the sand. At the moment the group turned around to see in the water, there was a person who was taking a bath on the water. And surprisingly the same boy seemed to be with his entire body scratched with insufferable pain and torture itchy.
"What's going on?" Cody asked as he approached the boy, who was clearly annoyed by what happened.
"I tell you what happened. Toxicodendron Radicans is what happened." The skinny boy replied as he came outside of the water, while his entire body was red of all the scratches he gave to himself, and any kind of movement would be like a torture for him to move.
"Err… what?" Owen commented, which made the nerd boy rolls his eyes.
"Poison Ivy." Noah angrily stated as he even with all his pain, couldn't help but still scratch.
The boys gapped at Noah, not able to know what to do on that moment, but Chris was still laughing and having a great time.
"Hehehe, I can't believe that happened. Well gophers, you better hurry up, or you all are going to lose the challenge, and have to send someone home." Chris smirked as he could see the annoying look of the bookworm Noah.
"Dude, I think you should try to check it out later." Trent tried to make sure Noah would need some kind of help, but the annoying face from the bookworm it seems that the guy in front of him knew about that.
"I know, I specifically gave a note about my potencial allergies who can be fatal for me, but it seems nothing will change… Let's just go and end this challenge." Noah knew that something was up at the moment he found his back was itching, but then when he found a poison ivy leaf left on his t-shirt, he knew someone played him. And he just dropped his guard.
"So what do you think is going to happen now?" Dj asked after passing a good time watching the whole group of Goophers working together as they tried to finish the hottube the quickest as possible. Still failing to correct some little details from placing the wood into the wrong place, and at the same time fulfilling the inside of the said hottube.
"I don't know." Duncan shrugged, as he himself cleaned his own sweat from all the work the Killer Bass did in their own time.
"We did the best we could everyone." Courtney seeing that their hottube was actually perfect, she couldn't help but felt nervous and anxious but she tried to remain confident and show to the whole team of Basses that they did their best. "Everyone did their parts correctly, and while I believe there is a hight chance of unlikely them to win. We did a calculed risk."
Harold sat on the stairs while he gave himself inside of his own tiredness and sleepless. Ezekiel remained on his own spot, and while there is a high chance of their victory, his nervousness was so extreme, that he couldn't help it but scratch his hair.
The whole Killer Bass team, kept in their positions as they keep watching the Screaming Goophers doing their own work. Even if some of them went far back to recover one of the crates.
Now it was a matter of time, Katie and Sadie watched all the movement of the whole team approaching, as the final crate finally reached the camp.
"Quickly, before the time is over?" Trent commented, as the whole group of boys used their mouths to try to open the crate. And at the moment the entire group managed to open the crate… One unfortunate guest finally arrived again.
"Alright everyone, times to evaluate the hot tubes." Chris smiled as the entire group of Goophers stopped, and then noticed there was the most important part of the hot tube wasn't able to be accopled towards the wood… The motor which can make the water warm.
The look on the Goophers face was enough to make the Killer Bass has some kind of hope towards their victory.
As the moment Chris appeared in the middle between the hot tubs… It was the time…
Firstly he went in the direction of the Goopher's team, and gave a deep inspection… Trent, Beth, Leshawna was looking anxiously, while Noah was still scratching himself, Heather also had a bit of itchy towards in one of her hands, but she wasn't scratching for many obvious reasons.
Chris narrowed his eyes, and decided to click his tongue.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. Well it looks solid. But the water could be warmer." Chris gave an impression of moving his hand to side to side, making the Goophers disappointed with themselves.
Chris turned his back and went in the direction of the Bass, and went to check every single detail. Bridgette, Geoff, DJ, Harold and Courtney, gulped their saliva as Chris narrowed his eyes and noticed the bubbles passing with the steam around the hot tub.
"This hottube looks sensational… It seems we already have a winner." Chris smiled as he looked both of the teams, until he raised his left arm raising in the direction of the bass. "The Killer Bass."
The moment Chris said their team name, all the Killer Bass team raised their arms in a happy cheer. They did it. While the Goophers couldn't help but feel disappointed with themselves.
"The Bass, you are safe from the elimination and you will be able to enjoy this awesome hottube for the rest of the summer, bonus." Chris pointed on the camera while the whole Killer Bass team couldn't help but give hugs and high fives to each other. Then Chris turned his head in disappointment towards the Goophers. "Goophers, what can I say? I wouldn't like to be in your place. After this disappointment, I will see you on the campfire this night."
"We did it guys." Geoff said it as raised his hand which every single member of the Bass gave a high five and got finally a bit of air to breath in relief. "We survived for 3 days."
Duncan and Eva grinned, DJ raised both of his fists in happy victory, Tyler tried to do a back flip, but ended up with his face planted on the ground. Ezekiel smiled in relief, Harold gave a victory pose by doing a karate kid parody. Courtney smiled proudly, Katie and Sadie hugged Brigdette who seemed to be also happy for their victory.
Heather looking towards the group, every single one of them seemed bothered for not being able to have the victory. Beth looked sadly that it was her fault for not being able to win the game and be free from the elimination. But even if her hand itching like a hell, Heather still have a plan in motion for make her have a solid position on the Goophers.
(Main Lodge)
The moment the group was back on the main lodge, Chef already prepared a porridge with unknown substances for them, but gladly Bridgette found something she could eat without knowing it was meat or something that looked like meat. Sometimes ignorance was a blessing in disguise.
The side of the bass had with the moral high, since they becomes the winners of the challenge by a perfect score, while the other side of the lodge, the Goophers were in silence staring towards their food.
"Well who do you think they will vote it off?" Katie asked to the Bass, and the only responde she received was a shrug from everyone of her table.
"We don't actually know. It can be possibly anyone." Courtney commented as she tried to eat the terrible food Chef did for them.
"Hello? We appreciate that if we decide this by ourselves, we don't want you basses interfering with our decisions." Heather called out the group since they were on the other side of the table.
"Pfff… I just wish that this Heather would leave this show the sooner as possible." Bridgette was already annoyed by how the other team nagging was consistently from the queen bee, and every single hour she was grateful of not being on the same team as her.
"Don't even try Bridgette, in television usually the villains always find a way to remain in the game until the final three." Ezekiel commented as he forced himself to eat his porridget, a disgusting food, but something he always wanted to have a taste just to see if was that terrible, he wasn't disappointed.
"Well at least I know someoneh as a faith in me. Especially the weirdo." Heather called them from the other side, which made Ezekiel notice something… And he wasn't the only one.
"Okay guys…" Courtney whispered as she called the entire group. "This is a terrible place to talk just between us with the whole Goophers hearing us… for us to have a good strategies for the next challenges, I think it would be for the best if we just find a place just for us to talk and be doing our meetings."
Ezekiel nodded his head, but then he noticed a point that he need to tell.
"I think that's a great idea, but just to make sure the show would approve, we must ask for some interns to actually place a camera on the same place for the watchers can see us talking and having our time over there. If public can see us talking, then I think Chris woud allow us to do that." Ezekiel pointed out, since many reality shows loved when teams have leaks over the public, while the groups plans around the game, the viewers always have the perspective of knowing the truth in every single day. Because the cameras.
As the ideas both made by Courtney and Ezekiel seemed really appealing, every single member of the group decided to give some idea for help themselves to find a place which can allow them to make their plans as a team while not being heard for unwanted people.
Like a personal place for the entire group chill, excluding their cabins since mostly of the time boys and girls cannot be at the said cabin, so creating somewhere for the Killer Basses would be a start of a big strategy which can probably will make a difference in the future. Nobody knows for sure.
As the Killer Basses moral seemed high from the ideas they are developing, the other side of main lodge, the Screaming Goophers seemed to still be tensed and with only one girl who seemed annoyed by having to hear the loudly happy team.
"Can you believe this group?" Heather commented, as she rolled her eyes annoyed by the group who couldn't stop talking about things that aren't their business.
"So who do we vote for anyway?" Beth gulped as she tried to go straight to the point, knowing that she possibly was on the possible way of elimination.
"Well I would vote in the white chick brat." Leshawna said as she pointed to the queen bee who narrowed her eyes dangerously.
"And why pray tell I should be voted off?" Heather crossed her arms knowing that she was already seeing a possible target in the future.
"I think at the moment you go away, everything will be calmer in our group." Leshawna didn't beat around the bush and stared angrily towards Heather.
"Well, I can say the same about you." Heather glared back as duo of angry girls was already to jump into each other's throaths.
"Guys I think we should be reasonable over about this issue of voting off." Trent tried to aplacate the fight between the girls, who seemed to cross their arms and huff away from each other.
"I don't know why this issue. It's obvious that we should vote for the one who couldn't jump over the first phase of the challenge." Noah as he was still recovering with his entire body being red from all the itchy and scratch he did on his entire body, acused the farm girl who was the primary reason of the team must have losed.
Beth wanted to protest and tried to open her mouth, but thankfully not just one, but 2 team mates managed to raised their heads towards the bookworm direction.
"Hey, even if she didn't jump, she managed to help to carry the entire crate quickly to the camp." Cody was the first who defended Beth, knowing that she literally did her best to make up from not jumping. "She helped all that she could."
"I have to agreed with the geek." Heather pointed out at the farm girl who seemed relieved of having a backup. "She not just carried my own crate, but she didn't complain it, and managed to do way faster than what you did, Mr. I got so itchy that I didn't carry my crate at all. We lost the second part of the challenge since your crate had the motor to make the hottube actually works."
Noah narrowed his eyes, something didn't ad up on that accusation, but still he gritted his teeth because of the itchy body he was having on that moment.
"So you are saying this my entire fault?" Noah asked which he was starting to get suspicious over the queen bee did something on him.
"Well duh, I offered my help to carry the crates, and you just dismissed me. It wasn't my fault since I helped Lindsay carry her own crate." Heather scoffed, while she hid one of her hands which the itchiness was starting to take the best of her, but she gritted her teeth, not wanting the boy in front of her notice that.
"So just because I was the last, and I didn't receive any help. I should be the first to be voted off?" Noah asked in disbelief, as he tried to look around to the entire group of Goophers who seemed to be unsure on what to do.
"Well that's obvious." Heather said as she mocked the bookworm. "In case future challenges would be more phisical, we would preffer a person who actually can carry things on their own.
"And in case of intelectual challenges? I know that I can outsmart any of you, from any possible inteligence challenge in the future." Noah rebuted but then he noticed something he understood and it was too late. He saw the afronted look from the other campers, while the queen bee seemed to be happy that her trap finally got him. "Oh crap."
Noah realized that he was being played all the time. And nothing he could say would avoid being voted off on the same day... he just lose.
Night has fallen on Camp Wawanakwa. All the members of The Screaming Goophers were sitting on the stumps at the campfire site with Chris in front of the metal barrel. Many members of the team looked at each other nervously, and not knowing which would happen next.
Noah knew that right now he must have fallen into a trap, and Beth gulped her saliva, as she hoped that someone who defended her would have helped her to not get voted off on this day.
"Screaming Goophers." Chris got everyones attention as he spoke in a serious tone. In Chri's hand was a plate holding 11 marshmallows. "Marshmallows represente a tasty treat that you enjoy roasting by the fire. At this camp, marshmallows represente life."
Gwen and Trent looked at each other, unsure on how the things would go after seeing that it could be anyone who could leave on that night.
"You've all cast your votes and made your decision." Chris said while holding up his plate of marshmallows. "There are only ten marshmallows on this plate. When I call your name come up and claim your marshmallow. The camper who does not receive a marshmallow tonight must immediately return to the dock of shame to catch the boat of losers. That means you're out of the contest and you can't come back… ever."
Most of the Screaming Goophers tensed up as Chris said that. "The first marshmallow goes to… Owen." Owen smiled gave a big smile as he walked up to Chris who pierced a marshmallow onto the party dudes stick.
"YEAH BABY." Owen cheered as he was pretty happy to be safe on that time. Chris enjoying the tension decided to continue saying the names.
"Trent, Gwen, Cody, Leshawna." Chris called out the next four who were all happy and walked up to Chris with sticks with the host attaching marshmallows to them.
"Justin, Izzy, Lindsay, Heather." Chris called the next four campers who eagerly went to get their marshmallows.
And just like that, there was left only one marshmallow. And two campers. Beth and Noah.
"Campers, this is the final marshmallow of the evening." Chris said which made both Beth and Noah incredibly tensed up. The farm girl's face started to sweat as her heart was racing like a speed of a car, while the bookworm was indeed worried, specially with this itchiness still taking better of him, he couldn't help but to continue scratching himself on that moment. Chris rose his hand up causing both of the remaining campers to drop their sticks as both their eyes focused on who the host would point at.
After what would be like an eternity, Chris was enjoying the suspense he was creating until he decided it was enough to mess around with the campers.
"Beth." Beth didn't believed at the moment she was called, but she smiled so widely that she actually jumped from her place and quickly grabbed her stick and went to go to get her marshmallow as Noah discovered the reason of why he was leaving, until he saw something…
Heather was scratching her hand, as her own hand was starting to become red.
Noah's eyes went wide open until he discovered all the pieces of the puzzle.
"You…" Noah said as he narrowed his eyes, earning a smirk from the queen bee while the whole group have no idea of what happened. "You know what? see if I care. Good luck because it seems I was her first victim… well played…let's see if you are able to do that with everyone from now on."
The whole screaming Goophers looked at each other trying to understand his words, while Heather smirked and rolled her eyes. She managed to have a loyal pawn, and that was what matter.
Noah took his own things and walked to the dock of shame and stepped into the boat before leaving the place.
"I can't say I was outsmarted, but they just lost the one with brains on the team… But I swear that this is going to have a payback… you just messed with someone who actually thinks Heather… You better hope I don't have a chance to get you back, because if I do… you are going to regret to ever mess with me." The bookworm said to himself as the boat drove him away to the unknown.
Chris watching Noah leaving the island, couldn't help but say to the rest of the team.
"The rest of you, enjoy your marshmallows." Chris told the remaining member of the Screaming Goophers as they started to roast their marshmallows over the fire. "You're all safe… for tonight."
(Outside of the camp)
Ezekiel finally got out from his cabin, while he was using his usual shorts that he used to jump from the cliff, and now that he walked towards the only thing that he never thought he ever had an opportunity to actually get inside of a hottube.
He usually always saw it in the movies or even in the cartoons, and now it was the first time he was actually going to enjoy a hottube with the other winners of the Killer Bass.
"I wanted to make almost equal like the first episode, with only a tie to make sure that we wouldn't lose badly… but who knew that by an accident we actually won the whole challenge and we have our own hottube. " Ezequiel smiled, as he pondered on how the cannon was screwed up because he refused to follow the example of the cannon Ezekiel who was voted off by his terrible mistake… It was lucky that Eva managed to launch him, DJ and even Courtney over the cliff… It was a reason for what he should be grateful.
"Hey Zeke, are you going to get inside of the hottube too?" Suddenly a voice came nearby him, and it was Geoff who firstly called him by a nickname like that.
"Yeah, it's actually the first time I ever got inside of a hotube, so I'm actually nervous and excited." Ezekiel couldn't help, but he was telling the truth since he never in both his lives would ever got inside of a hottube like that.
"Duuuuude, we need to make you get out more often of your farm." Geoff whistled… now knowing that it was time to show the ways of the party for the smallest boy of the island. "Well, since is your first time, why don't you take the honors?"
"Really? Are you sure?" Ezekiel looked surprised, but seeing the big smile of the hat party boy, Ezekiel didn't think twice. "Alright."
And from going slowly, the homeschooled boy never thought he would have an experience like that, enjoying for the first time something he always saw on the television… And since the start of his first day… He never thought that he would both loves and hates the experience he had today. It was a pure addiction of adrenaline with causes and consequences. One thing was from watching on television and knowing they were cartoon… Other thing was about they live on the island and knows that indeed all of this was real and you have to survive and play the game until you become the winner.
But still… Ezekiel never felt so alive than that moment… And seeing the teams approaching him for cheer their victory with him… He can say… it was the best day of his life.