A/N: And its time for one of my favorite episodes! Seriously I love this one and I loved writing it.
With respect to the reviewers:
Gucci Mane LaFlare: Noah always has some kind of plan.
Crosshot: Yeah I admit it can feel dry when you're not enjoying the episode. Yeah, Sammy's in quite the predicament.
The recap begins with clips of the ambulance dropping off the gurney outside the trailers, Topher grabbing part of a Frakenchris from the green slime, and Gwen burping. "Last time on Total Drama Action!"
Clips of Noah, Duncan, and Alejandro discussing the disease and Noah popping Gwen's are shown, "Some boys, some boys with vision, vision that took them past everyday thinking, but when the chips were down," A clip of Amy puking was shown," and even when the chips came back up again," clips of the three guys bursting in though the double doors to where everyone lay sick, Duncan rushing to the toilet and all the sick contestants questioning how this had happened. "they were the only ones who could rescue the others. Searching for a cure, for the disease that was afflicting their dearest friends."
Alejandro is shown peeling off the label on the 'cheese,' then Noah and Duncan flipping for the prize, then Alejandro confronting Sammy about her involvement and Sammy telling him about Chef. "A cure was found, a challenge won, and a secret revealed, but can Alejandro even help her?"
The very last sentence is garbled as we return to the present where Chris is sitting on the amphitheater bleachers eating popcorn. "Hey, what can I say? Gross disease movies make me crave a little corn." Chris threw the bag over his shoulder, wiggling his fingers in a spooky manner, and returned to outside the trailers to finish the recap. "but it's time to put the snacks away, kiddies because after this totally terrifying episode, there won't be a stomach left unturned. Hold on to your buckets, it's time for some Total. Drama. Action!"
(intro)
{A standing light pops up on a set with skyscrapers in the background. A hanging light swoops in front of a set with houses in the background, then a camera pops out of a sewer with a rat on it, and another camera pops out of a hole in a tree scaring the raccoon inside. A masculine hand raises up a clapboard and sets it off.}
Dear Mom and Dad, I'm doin' fine;
{The camera's point of view shows a film lot with the two trailers, city background, water tower, and fake hill. Chris drives by in a golf cart, and the camera flies through to the warehouses as crew members push a couple backdrops through, follows by the costume rack. )
You guys are on my mind!
{The camera goes up the fake hill and down into a small pool where Jo is swimming, a shark is behind her. Jo notices it and turns around to punch it in the nose.)
Ya asked me what I wanted to be,
And now I think the answer is plain to see!
(The camera moves out of the water to show Scott on a surfboard held up by machinery. He desperately tries to dodge several seagulls being shot at him. One finally hits him and he falls over.)
I wanna be...famous!
(The camera moves left to show Duncan as the one shooting the gulls from a gull cannon with Gwen right beside, laughing along with him. Duncan turns and Gwen looks at her feet, rubbing her left arm nervously. The camera moves on to show the sastchwawanakwa in a pink dress, matching boa, and straw hat. The door slides open and the camera goes through)
I wanna live close to the sun!
(A beach set is shown with Alejandro and Amber lounging on a beach chair together, a shark sits in a beach chair to either side of them wearing sunglasses.)
Well pack your bags, 'cause I've already won!
(Topher is shown in the make-up confessional having it applied. A hand sprays something in his eye accidentally)
Everythin' to prove, nothin' in my way;
(Trent and Amy are standing on rock pillars with padded poles. Amy hits Trent several times before he hits her back sending some of her hair down.)
I'll get there one day.
(The hair lands in a pot of sludge Chef is cooking. He shrugs and turns to Sammy who looks nervous but determinedly back at him.)
'Cause I wanna be...famous!
(Harold and Ellody are shown standing in front of a set of screens in the security room. Harold presses a random button and causes an explosion. )
(Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
(We focus in on one screen where a grizzly bear is growling towards Ella. The princess wannabe smiles at him sweetly, the bear smiles back and the two dance. )
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (N a-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
(They dance their way past the lame-o-sine and the back window lowers to show Noah and Crimson inside. The camera continues through the window as camera flashes go off. Chris is shown standing at a podium in a powder blue tux. He opens an envelope.)
I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous! (Na-na nanananaa, nanana-nanaa, na-nananananaa)
(The scene moves out to show Chef is in a sparkly hot pink dress and matching Chef's hat, along with sliver earrings and necklace. Chris looks a little weirded out. The camera moves back through a large screen then pans down to Geoff and Kitty sitting on a couch about to make out.)
*The sound of the theme being whistled goes through the air *
(They notice the camera and decide not to kiss, the scene moves back to show a small studio with two couches to either side of the one the couple is sitting at. The rest of the cast in sitting on them as the large screen above flashes to the Total Drama action logo. )
(end of intro)
Duncan, Gwen, and Trent are in front of the boys trailer kicking a soccer ball back and forth while Ellody watches them, occasionally making a note in her notebook. The focus shifted to Noah, Amy, Amber, Topher, Sammy, and Harold all sitting at a picnic table playing cards. Noah smirked. "Harold, do you have any twos?"
"Yes," The nerd sighed, handing over his last card.
"And once again Harold's the first out of cards." Amy smirked.
(confessional)
Harold: Noah must think he's so great just because he's won the last three rounds. But did he spend three whole entire summers at magic steves magic camp? Allow me to demonstrate mad magic skills by producing the ace of spades! (Harold shows the camera a picture of himself nude, covering his shame with a pillow. He chuckled nervously.) "Hey, how did that get in there?
Static
"Not that it matters." Topher smirked, "It's not like being good at go fish will help in the actual game."
"In case you didn't notice Einstein, I got your man crush out of the game last season." The cynic deadpanned.
Topher cleared his throat nervously. "I don't know what you're talking about ,besides you didn't beat Alejandro by much."
"Yeah, you got voted out right after." Amber reminded him.
"My point stands." Noah replied.
"Speaking of which, has anyone seen Alejandro?" Harold asked.
Sammy hid her face in her cards. "I'm sure he's around."
/
The focus is on the crafts and servaes tent, it flash cuts inside the kitchen where Chef is working. The swinging door behind him opens and Alejandro steps through. "This is my kitchen! Get out!"
"Not until we have a little discussion about Sammy." The Spaniard said lowly.
"What about her?" Chef scoffed.
"Don't be coy with me. She told me all about your attempts to intimidate her into making an illegal alliance with you." Alejandro hissed warningly. "And she wants no part of it."
Chef smirked. "Oh really? Well if she's so against it, then why isn't she telling me herself?"
"She's scared of you so I told her I'd do it." The charmer explained.
The cook turned to him. "Listen kid, might be that you're telling the truth, but you could be lying through your teeth. You do that as easily as breathing. So unless Sammy herself tells me, face to face she doesn't want an alliance, I'm not stopping. Now get out of my kitchen."
Alejandro clenched his fist in rage. "Very well then.
/
Back at the trailers the group playing go fish are tallying up their matches. Noah smirks. "And that's four in a row."
"Seriously?! How are you so good at this?!" Amy huffed.
"Maybe karma's just paying me back for all the misery." The cynic said.
(confessional)
Noah: Actually it's because their poker faces suck. Seriously Amy tucks her hair behind her ear when she's feeling confident, Harold adjusts his glasses, Topher's mouth twitches up, and Amber rubs her arm. The only person I don't have a tell for is Sammy.
Static
The loudspeaker is shown as Chris speaks. "Attention all Total Drama victims, please meet me in the northeast corner of the studio palooza. Bring lozenges, the screaming's gonna hurt."
/
All the contestants are shown by some scaffolding, a small cliff is above them in the background, with a set of hanging lights above it.
"Ugh, Chris is the one making us come here and he's late?" Amy huffed.
Alejandro is shown leaning against a standing light. "Perhaps he got caught up in something?"
Amy and Alejandro's eyes widen as Chris' scream rings through the air. He's shown falling backwards through the air and a red fluid flies up from off screen. When the focus shifted it shows Chris has been impaled on the standing light Alejandro was just leaning against.
Everyone screamed in shock as they all ended up splashed by 'blood'.
Noah walked over to Chris' corpse. "Well I guess the show's canceled now. Think we can find where he left the million?"
"You're not getting it unless you win." Chris replied as he sat up.
"Aw man, I was just gonna call dibs on your boat." Duncan complained.
"It's the magic of cinema boys and girls, I'm absolutely, perfectly, Chrisly fine." The host said and he removed the top of the standing light. "Wanna see how it's done?"
"No!" The contestants said.
Blood drips down the screen to transition to Chris' explanation. "Our crackerjack effects team seals fake blood into a thin membrane of plastic." Chris' fingers are shown holding up a small packet full of fake blood. " called a squib." Chris is shown falling from the cliff onto the fake standing light and blood spattering as the packet hits the prop. "This little baby bursts on impact." Chris is shown hitting the cushion while another platform raises with Chris on the fake standing light. "And old fashioned optical illusion helps sell that I've been impaled. "
Back in the present Duncan complains. "Can we just get on with this?"
The focus shifted to Sammy and Alejandro. "I tried to talk to with Chef."
"And?" Sammy said hopefully.
"He won't listen to me. He said unless you tell him face to face you don't want an alliance, he's not gonna stop." The Spaniard whispered.
"Wait? You're saying I have to stand up to Chef?! I don't know if I can." Sammy swallowed. "I'm barely able to stand up to Amy."
The focus shifted to Trent, whose eyes narrowed at Sammy's scared face as the two talked.
"You think Alejandro's up to something?" He asked Noah.
"I'd like to know when he isn't." The cynic replied.
"Time for today's totally terrifying blood curdling horror movie challenge." Chris announced. " To figure out which team gets which challenge: A Scream off! Think of every great horror movie you've ever seen."
"Like the one where the protagonist sees ghosts with that amazing ending twist?" Amber asked.
"All horror movies have one thing in common: Fantastic screaming from actors. And the killers who snuff them. Each team picks a serial killer. The rest of you will be the screamers. If your serial killer can make you scream the loudest your team wins!" Chris explained, the screen was once again covered in blood as a way of transitioning to the next scene.
/
The Gaffers are shown discussing who should be the killer. "Well it can't be Harold or Ellody. " Topher said
Harold raised a finger to argue but was cut off by Amber. "It can't be you either. The only thing scary about you is your hair."
"Seriously? Lay off the hair! Besides, you're not scary either." The blonde said.
"I guess that leaves Alejandro and Sammy?" Ellody said.
"Alejandro did well in the acting challenge." Sammy said, holding out the hockey mask and fake blood.
"I'm flattered, amiga, but I think you should be the killer." Alejandro told her, handing the items back.
"What?! Me?!" Sammy gasped.
(confessional)
Alejandro: Sammy needs a confidence boost if she's going to stand up to Chef. What better way than to have her play the killer?
Static
Alejandro placed a hand on Sammy's shoulder. "You are our leader after all. I have full confidence you can do this."
"Well...I guess if you think I can..." Sammy trailed.
"I'm not sure about this, but I also don't care enough to argue." Amber shrugged.
Meanwhile with the Grips things were a lot more straightforward. "Duncan's our killer." Trent said.
"He certainly comes across as sociopathic enough." Noah agreed.
"Plus he's a total freak!" Amy smirked.
"True, even if I'd like to be the killer, Duncan would probably do a better job." Gwen admitted. "I remember in season one he scared most of his team during the camping challenge."
"Thanks pasty, it's kinda cool you remembered." Duncan smiled.
"Of course I remembered. It was like the best part of that entire episode. The moment you pulled that hook prop out at the end," the goth laughed. "Classic."
"I know my horror classics. Like Bloodbath 2: Summer camp Reign of Terror!" Duncan said in an announcer voice.
"No way! That's my favorite movie! I love when the killer jams that guy's hand into the lawnmower!" Gwen said.
"Ha! Or when he pushes the chick off the dock and then she lands on a propeller blade that slices her in half?" The punk replied.
" Or when he shoves that big dude's head inside the wood chipper!" They said at the same time, laughing.
The focus shifted back to the other Grips. "Right, so this should be no problem for Duncan." Trent blinked.
/
It is 'night' on the forest set as a cricket chirps in the background. Trent can be seen in the foreground. "Well they've got the spooky atmosphere down." The guitarist remarked.
Amber sighed as she approached him. "Let's hope its enough to make me scream."
"Trent and Amber, prepare yourselves for your killer to enter." Chris announced as the two contestants moved to their respective sets. "and then I want huge massive ginormous screams!" The host continued as he was shown in the directors chair. "We'll be measuring the volume on our scream O' meter. A canned scream went off as a meter was shown over Chris' head. It is a speaker symbol with a large soundwave that got bigger as it moved right. It started out green before transitioning to yellow and ending on red.
"Lights," Chris announced as a light lowered. "Camera." A video camera started to roll. "Action!" A clapboard came down over the scream transitioning to Amber in her forest scene. Sammy is seen sneaking up to the bushes in her mask.
She jumped out with a loud growl. Amber attempted to scream but the meter just barely moved, not even going past the green waves. "I'm sorry Sammy. I'm just not scared of you, and I'm really bad at pretending to scream."
Sammy sighed and the focus shifted to show Chef and Alejandro watching. Alejandro looks annoyed while Chef face palms. "How is she gonna win like this?" The cook complained.
"I don't know Chef, you seem to think you can encourage her better than I. Figure it out." The Spaniard goaded. Chef growled.
Meanwhile Trent is out in the forest when Duncan jumps out of a fake tree wearing the hockey mask. "When I'm done with you, they'll have to scoop up the pieces!" Duncan said with a guttural roar. Trent screamed loudly. The meter filled all the way up.
With a solid fifty on the scream o' meter, let's notch one up for Duncan, Trent, and the killer grips!" Chris declared.
/
A blue porta potty is shown as the focus zooms in before cutting inside. Gwen is sitting on the toilet. "I'll be honest, I'm not sure how well this'll go. I love horror movies, but I get more of an adrenaline rush from them than actually being scared. So I might have to phone it in."
/
A flash transition shows Topher is sitting on the another toilet. "Sammy might not be scary but I can sell that she is. Just watch Fanphers. You think that's a good name for my fans? I've been working on-"
Sammy burst through the door and growled loudly. Topher screamed loudly, sending the meter flying up.
/
Another flash transition takes us to the other potty. Duncan jumps in brandishing a hook prop. "Prepare to meet your demise!" He growled in a low guttural voice.
Gwen let out a very unconvincing scream that barely went three or four waves up. She sighed.
/
Back in the other potty Topher is still screaming as the meter reaches the end of the screen. Sammy lifts her mask. "Wow, am I really that scary?"
(Confessional)
Topher: No, not really, I'm just a great actor.
Static
Topher stopped screaming. "So how much longer is this scene? I can't risk straining my voice by screaming much longer. "
/
Back with Duncan and Gwen the goth frowns. "Sorry Duncan, as a horror aficionado it takes a lot more than a simple jump scare to get me."
"Honestly, I probably wouldn't do much better." Duncan admitted.
The focus transitioned outside as Chris announced, "That's round two to Topher, Samey and the Screaming Gaffers with an impressive 85 on the scream O' meter."
The focus shifted to Alejandro and Chef watching. "Seriously? If it wasn't for that Topher kid being such a good actor Sammy would have already lost the challenge for her team." Chef complained.
"Hmm, then perhaps you should help her? You certainly haven't done much so far." Alejandro smirked. Chef looked thoughtful.
/
The focus is on a set of a cabin room with ragged curtains on the window, a potbelly stove with a kettle on top, and a blue couch in front of said stove. Ellody and Harold are sitting on the couch with Chris standing in front of them. "Alright guys, this is the tiebreaker scene, you're gonna have to act your faces off."
Harold's eyes widened as he looked at the script. Ellody's face flushed as she did the same. "Oh my." She whispered.
"Yeah!" Harold said excitedly.
"So, I suppose we must engage in the act of kissing. I'll be honest it has crossed my mind." Ellody admitted.
"Really?" Harold gasped.
"Yes, I really like you Harold, but I'm a little nervous. I've never…" The genius trailed.
"Wow. I get to give you your first kiss?" The geek said. "In that case I'll make sure it's memorable."
/
The Grips are on an identical set of a cabin room, save for the fact the couch is red. Amy and Noah are on said couch and immediately protest. "Eww! You want to kiss a nerd?!"
"Well I'm not exactly thrilled to kiss you either." The cynic blanched.
Chris peeked out from behind the couch before popping into full view. "Don't forget kiddies! It's a million bucks!" The host reminded them before ducking back behind the couch.
They both shuddered. "For the million." Noah groaned.
"Only for the million." Amy agreed. The two of them leaned forward, their lips barely touched before they pulled away gagging.
"That was the worst experience of my life!" The blonde screamed.
"Does anyone have mouthwash, so I can wash the taste of vapid narcissist out of my mouth?" Noah deadpanned.
"Here." A guttural voice said from behind the couch, handing Noah a bottle of mouthwash which he used immediately. He tossed to Amy who proceeded to gargle as well. They spit onto the floor of the set.
"That was oddly nice of Chris." Noah frowned.
"Wasn't me." The host replied from off screen.
Noah and Amy's eyes widened in realization. "Then that means-" Duncan jumped out from behind the couch and growled loudly brandishing the knife. Amy and Noah both screamed, sending the meter flying to the end of the screen in an instant.
/
Back with the Gaffers Harold cupped Ellody's face and began to kiss her gently. Samey appeared from behind the couch with a knife. "I'm gonna chop you to bits!" The two nerds had no reaction, too lost in their kiss.
That was when a familiar shadow settled over the three of them the focus shifted to the doorway as Chef revved a chainsaw, causing the two nerds to scream loudly. Sammy literally fainted.
Chris entered the scene. "Well it looks like you lost Gaffers."
"What?!" Ellody and Harold protested. Chef looked mad too.
"Sorry but the challenge was for Samey to scare you two not Chef. So The Grips win!" Chris smirked, looking pointedly at Chef. He turned to face the screen. "Join us after the break to see if Samey's still alive. Samey, Come in Samey."
/
All of the remain contestants are shown in a circle looking down."Sammy?! Sammy are you okay?!" Trent cried.
"I think she's saying something." Alejandro noted. The focus shifted to Sammy lying on the couch and a ripple effect took the screen. Sammy is a dark void. "Where am I?"
A low red glow appears ahead of Sammy to her left. Chef steps into the light. "Sammy, I can help you find your way out."
A low blue glow appears ahead of Sammy to her right. Alejandro steps into it. "Sammy, he's just trying to use you."
"Says the most manipulative player in the game!" Chef barked. "Sammy come here!"
"No, come here instead." Alejandro said gently.
Sammy looked back and forth between the two as they continued to call her name. "Sammy!"
"Sammy,"
"Sammy,"
"Sammy"
The ripple effect takes us back to the present where Trent is shaking her gently. "Sammy, Sammy wake up!"
The blonde opened her eyes. "Trent? What happened to Chef?"
"Chef's in a meeting with the producers." Chris said. "A disciplinary meeting. He's in trouble. He's not allowed to mess with the challenges."
"You don't say." Alejandro smirked.
Trent's eyes narrowed at the Spaniard.
"Moving right along." Chris continued. "It's time to pack up those overnight bags loser Gaffers. You and your sleeping bags are spending the night in the dining hall. Grip Winners, back to the comfort of the trailers for a little R & R. I'll see you there in half an hour."
/
The dining hall is shown before we cut inside to see Harold bragging. "This won't be so bad. I learned to sleep in much worse conditions in the Possum scouts.
"Great Harold, we were just wondering how we'd make it through the night. Whatever would we do without you." Amber deadpanned.
"Be as sarcastic as you will Amber. I will prove my mad skills!" Harold declared.
"Guys, you mind joining us here?" Chris asked as the focus shifted to show all the other Gaffers sitting around a dull teal chair. Amber and Harold sat down too. "I'm about to tell you… why this film lot was abandoned and closed."
"Because of rampant OSHA violations?" Ellody asked.
"Hush, my child." Chris told her. "This film lot is perfectly safe on this plane. But on the other dimension…" The host trailed, pulling out a flashlight and using it to light his face up in a spooky manner.. Amber is shown rolling her eyes as the host continues. "Ronnie the Rent-a-cop, a designated security guard who worked here for twenty-five loyal years until her mysterious death right here… " Chris raised his voice and pointed at the floor as the focus moved out to show the Grips. "on this very spot!" Of the Grips only Harold,Topher, and Sammy seemed scared. The other three remained unmoved.
The focus zoomed in on Chris talking to an enraptured Topher. "Now, her desperate and uneasy spirit walks the lot." Chris shines his flashlight along the outer wall of the tent, revealing the silhouette of a skeletal tree. "No one has ever managed to spend a whole night in this craft service tent."
"Because it was liable to cave in on them?" Ellody said.
Chris got in the genius' face as he shined the flashlight on his own. "'Cause… of the haunting!" The group is shown in full as Chris turns off his flashlight. "Your task? Spend the whole night here without leaving this tent." The host walked to the right as he continued to explain stopping before one of the tables which had several clunky devices on them. "If you manage to do so, your team gets invincibility and nobody goes home."
The focus moves in on the three devices one looks a lot like a calculator with five buttons on it and a meter where the screen would be. Another looks like a speed gun with a green light on top. The third looks like a walkie talkie, with a screen that had two bars on it as several small buttons beneath it. "Track any psychic phenomenon using these ghost meters. And just in case…"
Amber reached for the flashlight Chris was holding and the host whipped it away, holding out a small keychain flashlight instead. Amber too. "Thanks for the concern." The bookworm remarked sarcastically.
/
The focus is on the trailers as the Grips are gathered around a fire outside it. Chris joins them. "The Screaming Gaffers are sitting in the craft services tent like sitting ducks. Your task is to make like special effects gurus, and frighten the pants off them." The focus panned over the Grips showing them all to be Smirking. The host chuckled. " Or at least scare them enough to get them out of the tent before dawn."
"Any requirements on how we scare them?" Noah asked.
"Nope! It's your call. But if you get them out, your team wins invincibility and nobody goes home. Oh, just so you know, I told them some cockamamie story about a security guard who died on set. " Chris chuckles once more and walks off.
"Okay, does anyone have any ideas?" Trent asked.
"Please Samey will be easy to scare. I've done it all the time." Amy bragged.
"Sure but we also have to scare Alejandro and Ellody. No way will that be easy." Noah pointed out.
"Ooh! Chainsaws! I love a good chainsaw!" Duncan said.
"I think we should take advantage of the tent's fabric walls to use silhouettes." Gwen said.
/
The Grips are all shown outside the tent now. Gwen smirked as she draped a sheet over Duncan.. "All I need you to do is strike your scariest pose while standing right outside the front wall. They have the lights on, so you won't show up quite as well as I'd like, but I'm sure you can make up for it." The goth turned to the other Grips. "As for the rest of you I need you to make the most haunting wails you can manage, and I'll speak for the ghost."
The scene cut inside where the Gaffers are doing their own things. Topher is combing his hair, Alejandro is studying the devices Chris left for them. Amber is reading, and Ellody and Harold are attempting to build a card house.
"Steady. Steady," Harold gently placed a card on the third level of the house. It falls apart. Topher laughs. "I'd like to see you do better! Gosh!"
Topher's eyes widened as he looked out. "Look!"
The Gaffers turn to face the front wall where a ghost like silhouette stands menacingly. Horrorifc wails fill the air as the ghost speaks. "You who have trespassed on my territory! You will pay for your transgressions. Begone from this place!"
Topher, Sammy, and Harold are all heading for the door. Amber has her arms wrapped around Alejandro in fear. The Spaniard remarks. "The ghost meter isn't going off."
"And thus far we have no proof that this is an actual spirit." Ellody reminded them. She turned to face the silhouette on the wall. "If you are truly a ghost then show yourself before us!"
There was silence followed by the 'ghost' replying. "You dare to doubt my existence?! Fine, I'll rest on my laurels for now, but I will return!" With that the silhouette retreated.
Ellody smirked. "Clearly this 'ghost' is nothing but an illusion meant to frighten us out of the tent."
Harold joined her. "You're so brave. Of course I totally knew it wasn't real."
(Confessional)
Ellody: It's simply logical. Even if such a spirit were to exist it would surely do more than vaguely threaten us from outside the tent. Fear is only in the mind. Simply apply logic and you will be unaffected.
Static
Outside the tent Duncan no longer has a sheet on him. Amy scoffed. "Nice job scaring them gothie."
"I don't see you offering any ideas." Gwen huffed.
"Zip it you two." Duncan interrupted, "I'm taking charge now."
/
The Grips are in the kitchen. Bottles of Corn Syrup and Ketchup as shown before the focus moves left to show Duncan mixing a bowl of red fluid. He dips his finger in and tastes it. "Hm, needs more corn syrup. It's not quite scabby enough."
"I'll look for some." Trent told him as he walked off.
Gwen smirked as she looked at the bowl. "Gotta hand it to you, it really looks like blood."
"Devil's night, my brothers and I used to wait outside kindergarten with this goop dripping off us. Ha, one year, I gave a dozen five-year-olds seizures." Duncan chuckled.
"Because scaring children is really hard." Noah rolled his eyes.
"Seriously? That is so gross." Amy told him.
Trent returned with the corn syrup and handed it to Duncan. "Sorry it took a bit to find it. This kitchen's a mess."
/
Amy was holding the bowl of fake blood with a smirk on her face. She glanced at Duncan who peered through the fabric at the Gaffer. The focus moves inside where the Gaffers are once more doing their own thing. Harold and Ellody are still attempting to build a house of card. "Careful Harold, the slightest bit of extra force will throw the house's equilibrium off."
"I know what I'm doing." Harold replied. Sammy screamed and pushed her hands against the table, knocking the entire house over. "My house!"
The wooden panel blocking the kitchen pick up area was dripping with what looked like blood.
"The walls are bleeding!" Sammy shrieked. She, Topher, and Harold all headed for the door. Alejandro raises an eyebrow. "The meter still isn't going off."
"Not only that, but using my Olfactory sensors, I have deduced that this is not blood. Allow me to confirm with my taste buds." Ellody said. She walked over to the dripping blood and swiped some on to her finger before tasting it. "As I suspected, this is merely a concoction of ketchup and corn syrup."
Topher walked over to the blood and tasted it as well. "She's right."
The focus moved back to Duncan looking through the curtains with a frown as he closed them.
/
Amy is still balancing on the other side of the board with the bowl of fake blood as she complains. "Great. Any other brilliant ideas people?!"
"It's not like you've come up with anything Amy." Trent glared.
"Fine, I'll do it myself!" The twin declared.
A montage began of the Grips trying to scare the Gaffers. First they are all shown outside the tent banging pots and pans. Harold, Sammy, and Topher run for the exit when Alejandro shows them the ghost meter. They calm down.
Next Amy and Noah are shown on a rafter above the dining area. Amy has a bucket full of some green jelly. Noah counts down with his finger and Amy pours it over the rafter where it lands on Sammy. The blonde screams and runs for the door but Ellody takes the slime off of Sammy and eats it. She smiles and hands it to Sammy who smiles and she realizes what it actually is.
The third and final clip shown starts with Harold accidentally making his tower fall he points at the far wall where light keeps flickering on and off outside. Ellody rolls her eyes and walks over to the wall, lifting the fabric up to reveal Trent's feet. The guitarist runs off quickly.
/
"Ugh! It's only thirty minutes until sunrise! We need a plan!" Amy snapped.
"I have one." Noah smirked.
"Well let's hear it then brainiac." Amy huffed.
"The problem is that we're doing scares in isolation.." The cynic told them. "Good horror is about building an atmosphere. We wanna scare them, we gotta prime them for it."
/
The Gaffers are once again doing their own thing. Amber's reading, Topher's primping, Alejandro looking at the meters, and Harold and Ellody are still trying to build the card house. As everyone is distracted a masculine arm with a long cream colored sleeve reaches up from under the table and steals a pile of cards from next to Ellody.
"I think we're ready to add the next cards." Harold said." Hand me some?"
"Certainly Harold," Ellody moved to hand Harold the cards but they are not there. "Strange? I know they were there."
Topher briefly puts his nail file down. The same arm from before snatches this too. Topher reaches for it. "Hey! Who took my file!"
"Maybe you just dropped it?" Amber noted.
"I know I didn't! It just vanished!" Topher snapped. That was when the lights went out.
"A power outage? Now?!" Sammy gasped.
The focus showed Trent at the breaker. Back inside the tent Ellody turned on the keychain flashlight they were given. "It's fine. We only have a bit until daybreak. The flashlight should last that long."
The sound of footsteps makes Harold lean closer to Ellody and Sammy jump. "Where are those coming from?"
Ellody shines the flashlight around but sees nothing. "I don't know, the light doesn't cast far enough."
The focus shows Gwen in the kitchen, carefully stepping down in her clunky boots to make her footsteps sound.
Next the long scratching sound can be heard. At this point Amber has grabbed onto Alejandro anxiously. "An animal?" She asked.
The focus shifted to show Noah on the beam holding up the tent running his fingernails along the beam. He nodded to his left where Amy stood. With a smirk the blonde let out a high pitched, bloodcurdling scream.
Down with the Gaffers, Harold and Topher start heading for the exit Amber and Ellody both look highly concerned. Sammy on the other hand calms down immediately. "This is just the Grips trying to scare us!" She smirked. "I'd recognize that scream anywhere! It's Amy!"
As if Sammy's realization brought it on, the sun peeked over the horizon. The Grips were out of time.
Chris stepped into the tent. "Congratulations Gaffers! You made it!" The Gaffers cheered. "Which means our loser grips can come out." Gwen stepped out from the kitchen. Duncan got out from under the table. Trent entered the front door, and both Noah and Amy climbed down from the beam. " I'll see you all at elimination." The host smirked.
(Confessional)
Amy: Great! Just great. We lost again, and just know Trent's gonna try to get me out. (From outside Noah's voice comes)
Noah: You're right about that. Trent's Already asked both Gwen and I.
Amy: Are you listening in you freak?!
Noah: Look, I can try to convince Duncan to help us vote out Trent. You know, if you wanted to take me up on that alliance offer?
Amy: (Grits her teeth and sighs.) Fine.
Static
Trent is confronting Sammy in the crafts and service tent. "Look, I've been watching you all day. What's Alejandro doing to you?"
"Nothing! He's trying to help actually!" Sammy told him.
"Then why have you looked so scared around him lately?" Trent asked.
"Well…" Sammy looks to see Chef glaring at her from the kitchen down. She blanches. "You know how sometimes it feels like everyone wants to tell you what to do, and you don't know who to trust?"
"Yeah? Is that what's happening?" Trent asked.
"I'm just caught between some people right now. I'm not sure how to solve it." Sammy sighed.
/
The stage with the two giant Chris statues is shown as spotlights wave in front of it. A series of clips featuring Chris from last season ,several of them just him talking, roll over the screen in two parallel lines, a vertical line of clips include one where Chris is dress as a pirate rolls down between them, as two more clips, one of Chris in a helicopter and one of him with a clapboard, move out to either side, the focus zooms out to show a giant gilded Chris as fireworks go for in the background.
The Grips are shown in the bleachers, Noah, Trent, and Duncan on top. Gwen, and Amy on bottom.
"And now failure Grips, it's time to announce who will not win a gilded Chris this evening." Chris said as he stepped to the podium in his blue tux. " Who deserves to go home brutally disappointed, tears in their eyes?"
Chef walks on stage in his hot pink dress with the Gilded Chris' in his arms, an irate look on his face. He handed Chris the envelope. "And the Gilded Chris' go to… Noah, Gwen, and Duncan." The three teens are shown as they catch their trophies. "Still on the chopping block, Trent and Amy."
The two rivals are shown glaring at each other as Chris continues. "And the final gilded Chris goes to…
…
…
…
…
Amy." The twin caught her Chris with a smirk. Trent's wide eyes narrow. "So that's it huh? I hope you like having someone so untrustworthy on your team."
Trent is shown walking down the red carpet of shame when Sammy runs to him and hugs him. "You can't be leaving!"
"Hey, it's okay-" Trent began.
"No it isn't." Sammy whispered. "I wanted to tell you earlier but Chef was listening. Chef's been trying to make an alliance with me. The only way he'll back off is if I directly tell him I don't want one, and now when I need you most, you're leaving." The blonde said, tears in her eyes.
Trent cupped her face. "Is that what you were talking with Alejandro about?" She nodded. "Hey, I know you have it in you somewhere. You'll find the courage to do it."
"But without you I-" Sammy began.
"You can." Trent cut her off. He leaned forward and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him tightly. Shortly afterward Chris pushed the two of them apart.
"Trent the Lame-o-sine awaits." Chris gestured. Sammy followed as the guitarist climbed into the vehicle and it drove off. The blonde looked devastated. The host turned to the audience. "Well folks, looks like Samey's boyfriend has just hightailed it out of here. Now that she's survived this week's fright fest," The host draped an arm over the twin's shoulders. " She'll have to do the most horrific stomach churning challenge yet. Standing up to Chef." Chris chuckled. "I love this game."
Bonus clip.
Trent is in the lame-o-sine. He sighed. "I can't believe my team voted me out over Amy, and I can't believe Sammy's going through such a struggle and I'm not there for her. I mean I guess it could be a good thing. I won't always be there for her, but man I wish I could be. Still, I know she can do it, and I'll be cheering for her from home." Trent's eyes widen as someone speaks from off screen. "Wait? There's an aftermath show now?"
A/N: And so Trent leaves. He got further than canon and never became a wreck of his former self. I'm proud of what I've done with him. The thing is, Sammy's arc is about learning to stand up for herself and confront things head on. Kind of hard for her to do that if Trent is there. So he had to leave. As for the challenge, I knew whoever ended up in the dining hall would win. Since Trent needed to go here I had to have the Grips do the scaring. I hope you enjoy how harolldy is coming along.
I'll also admit I had way more fun writing the Amy/Noah kiss scene than I had any right to.