The morning air was sharp and cold, the kind that woke you up faster than any alarm. The talent show drama still hung over the camp like smoke that refused to clear. Geoff's exit left the Killer Bass quieter than usual, and the Gophers were riding the high of their narrow victory. But Chris McLean didn't care about yesterday's feelings. He cared about today's ratings.
Chris stood in the clearing, microphone in hand, grin sharp as a knife.
"Good morning, campers! Today's challenge: camping overnight in the forest with supplies provided. You get a tent, sleeping bags, flashlight, matches, a map, and a small amount of food. The goal? Survive the night. Race back to camp in the morning. First team to return with all members wins immunity. Last team votes someone off. And yes… the forest is full of surprises. Each team picks a leader. The leader gets a special map with bonus clues. Choose wisely!"
Two backpacks lay on the ground. Blue for the Screaming Gophers, red for the Killer Bass.
**Screaming Gophers – Choosing the leader**
Heather stepped forward immediately, arms crossed, ready to claim command.
Heather: "Obviously it's me. I plan. I win. End of discussion."
Leshawna crossed her arms right back.
Leshawna: "Hold up. Zeke knows the outdoors. Prairie boy, remember? He grew up on a farm. He knows forests, tracking, fire, all that."
Owen nodded so hard his whole body shook.
Owen: "Yeah! Zeke can find food! He can make fire with sticks! He's like a real survival guy!"
Trent looked at me.
Trent: "She's right. Zeke… you've got this."
Gwen met my eyes for a second – quick, but long enough to make my stomach flip.
Gwen: "I agree. Zeke should lead."
Cody: "Yeah, man. You're the guy for this."
Justin shrugged.
Justin: "Fine by me. As long as my hair stays perfect."
Heather's eyes narrowed. She hated not being in control, but she saw the logic. And she hated losing more than she hated not being in charge.
Heather (tsundere tone, arms still crossed, looking away): "Fine. Zeke leads. But I'm second-in-command. And you listen to my advice. Got it? Don't screw this up, prairie boy."
I nodded.
Me: "Got it. I won't let us down."
Heather huffed.
Heather: "You better not. Or I'll make sure you regret it."
**The supplies**
Blue pack for Gophers:
- 1 tent (for 9 people – tight)
- 8 sleeping bags (one short)
- 1 flashlight
- Matches
- Map
- Small bag of granola, jerky, water purification tablets
- Bonus: Zeke's special map (Heather insisted on reading it first)
Heather (looking at the bonus map): "This path leads to a river. Good for water. But there's a ravine marked. Avoid it. And there's a 'bear warning' zone. We stay away from that."
Me: "I know how to read animal tracks. If we see bear signs, we circle wide."
Heather (tsundere): "Obviously. Don't act like I didn't think of that."
**The hike – Ezekiel leads**
We started walking. The sun was high, but the forest swallowed light fast. I took point, checking the map, listening to the trees, feeling the ground. Heather walked right behind me, "advising" every step.
Heather: "Don't step there – roots. You'll trip. And slow down. Owen's already panting."
Me: "Owen's fine. We need to find a flat spot for the tent before dark."
Heather: "I know that. I'm just making sure you don't mess up."
Leshawna laughed from behind.
Leshawna: "Heather, chill. Zeke knows what he's doing."
Trent walked beside Gwen, guitar on his back. Cody kept glancing at Gwen. I kept glancing at Gwen glancing at Trent. The tension was thick.
I knew a shortcut – an old animal trail that cut through the ridge. I led us off the main path.
Heather: "Where are you going? The map says straight."
Me: "This trail is faster. Deer use it. Less underbrush. We'll save twenty minutes."
Heather paused, then nodded – reluctantly.
Heather (tsundere, looking away): "Fine. It's… not bad. Don't get cocky."
We reached the clearing by the river faster than anyone expected. The group cheered quietly.
Owen: "Zeke! You're a genius!"
Lindsay: "Yeah! You're like a forest superhero!"
Lindsay stepped closer, batting her eyelashes playfully.
Lindsay: "Zeke… you're so good at this. If I get lost in the woods, can I call you my knight in shining armor?"
She giggled, tilting her head.
I froze. My face heated up. I had no idea what to say.
Me: "Uh… I… um… I guess? I mean… sure?"
Lindsay laughed and touched my arm.
Lindsay: "You're cute when you're flustered."
Gwen's eyes narrowed for a second – just a flicker of irritation. Heather's eyes narrowed too – sharper, more possessive. She turned away quickly, pretending she didn't care, but her cheeks were pink.
Heather (muttering): "Lindsay… focus on the tent."
**Setting up camp**
I gave out tasks.
Me: "Cody, Justin, Lindsay – you set up the tent. Make it stable. Use the rocks for anchors."
Cody: "Got it, boss!"
Justin: "As long as the dirt doesn't touch my hair."
Lindsay: "Yay! Tent time!"
I turned to Gwen and Trent.
Me: "You two go gather berries, edible mushrooms, and herbs. I'll explain what to look for."
Gwen: "Okay… show us."
Me: "Edible berries: red raspberries, blackberries – shiny, no thorns. Avoid white berries – they're poisonous. Edible mushrooms: brown button mushrooms, smooth cap, ring on the stem. Avoid red or yellow ones. Herbs: mint – sharp smell, heart-shaped leaves. Sage – grayish leaves, strong scent. If you're not sure, bring everything back. I'll check."
Trent: "Got it. Thanks, Zeke."
Gwen smiled – small, real.
Gwen: "You're good at this."
Me (inside): "Thanks… I'm just trying."
I turned to Leshawna and Owen.
Me: "You two watch for tracks. Bear or wolf signs: big paw prints, claw marks, scat, broken branches at waist height. If you see any, yell. We avoid that area."
Leshawna: "Got it, boss. Owen, don't eat anything unless I say so."
Owen: "But if it looks edible…"
Leshawna: "No!"
I looked at Heather – on instinct.
Me: "Heather… you handle cooking. I trust you."
Heather (tsundere, looking away): "Obviously. Don't think I'm doing it because you asked. I'm the best at it."
Me: "I know."
**Fishing – 10 minutes**
I went to the river. I knew where the fish hid – slow pools behind rocks. I sharpened a stick, made a spear, and in 10 minutes I caught 20 fish – trout, chub, perch. Owen joined me and caught 15 with his bare hands, laughing the whole time.
Owen: "This is awesome! Dinner is on!"
Heather already had the fire going, pot ready.
Heather: "Zeke… the fish are good. Not bad choice putting me in charge of cooking."
Me: "Thanks."
Heather (blushing, looking away): "Don't thank me. It's just facts."
**Killer Bass – Izzy leads**
Izzy led her team – Surprisingly, she did it well. The red backpack bounced on her back as she skipped ahead, singing off-key.
Izzy: "Left! No, right! Wait, that tree looks familiar! Come on!"
Katie and Sadie got lost halfway.
Izzy (grabbing her head comically): "Of course! They always get lost! Like two cute little puppies!"
Duncan growled.
Duncan: "If we lose, one of them is going tonight. I can't deal with this."
Izzy grinned mischievously.
Izzy: "DJ! You're the best tracker! Go find them! They're by the big oak tree, right of the stream. Hurry!"
DJ nodded and ran off.
Izzy sent Harold and Bridgette for berries, herbs, mushrooms.
Izzy: "Harold, Bridgette! Edible berries, herbs, mushrooms! Look for red and black, avoid white! Go!"
Izzy sent Eva and Tyler fishing.
Izzy: "Eva, Tyler! Catch fish! Lots of fish! Hurry!"
Izzy set up the tents herself – fast, chaotic, but solid.
Duncan watched the tracks – Izzy had explained earlier.
Izzy: "Big paws, claw marks, scat, broken branches at waist height. If you see any, yell!"
**Night in the forest – Both camps**
At the Gophers camp the fire burned steady. Heather cooked – fish, berries, mushrooms, herbs. Everyone ate. Owen was happy. Leshawna and Harold sat close, whispering. Gwen and Trent sat on the other side of the fire, quiet. I sat by the flames, staring at the map.
Heather (tsundere): "Not bad, prairie boy. You shortened the route. I admit it. But don't think this means anything."
Me: "Thanks… Heather."
Heather (blushing, looking away): "Don't thank me. It's just facts."
At the Bass camp Izzy's fire crackled. DJ brought back Katie and Sadie – they were laughing, tired. Eva and Tyler caught 10 fish. Harold and Bridgette brought berries and mushrooms. Duncan watched for tracks – no bear.
Izzy: "See? Told you! I'm the best leader!"
Duncan: "Not bad, Izzy. Not bad."
**Morning – The race back**
Dawn broke. I led the Gophers back – shortcut along the stream, avoiding the ravine Heather warned about.
Heather: "Don't go too fast! Owen's lagging! But… good route. Don't think I'm praising you."
Me: "I don't."
Heather (blushing): "Good. Then good."
The Bass arrived minutes later. Katie and Sadie got lost again. Izzy laughed.
Izzy: "Again! DJ, find them!"
The Gophers reached camp first – everyone together, tired but proud.
Chris: "Screaming Gophers win immunity! Killer Bass… see you at the campfire tonight!"
The atmosphere at the Elimination Ceremony was suffocating. The remaining Killer Bass sat on the logs, glancing sideways at one another. The campfire flickered, casting long, eerie shadows over Chris McLean's face as he held a tray with only five marshmallows.
"Tonight," Chris began, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper, "was a disaster. Not only did you lose the challenge to a homeschool kid, but your voting process was... well, a hot mess."
He tossed the first few marshmallows with his usual flair.
"Izzy, Eva, Bridgette, DJ, and Tyler. You're safe."
That left Duncan, Katie, and Sadie standing in the center. The tension was thick enough to cut with a combat knife.
"Here's the deal, campers," Chris grinned, enjoying their suffering. "We have a three-way tie. Three votes for Duncan, three for Katie, and three for Sadie. Normally, I'd just pick the one I like the least, but the producers want to see some blood in the water. So, we're going to a Sudden Death Tiebreaker!"
The Challenge: The Wall of Woe
Chris pointed to a nearly vertical, muddy cliffside just behind the elimination area.
"The rules are simple: The first two to reach the top of that cliff stay in the game. The last one to summit is heading home on the Boat of Losers immediately. No packing, no goodbyes, just gone!"
"This is a joke, right?" Duncan growled, cracking his knuckles. "I'm not losing to the 'Powerpuff Girls' over a rock climb."
"Start climbing!" Chris barked.
The Race:
Duncan took off like a shot, digging his boots into the soft earth and using his raw strength to haul himself up. But the mud was slick from the evening dew, making every foot of progress a struggle.
Behind him, Katie and Sadie were doing exactly what they always did: holding hands.
"Come on, Sadie! If we go together, we can do it!" Katie squealed.
"I'm trying, Katie! But my leggings are getting ruined!" Sadie wailed back.
For a moment, it looked like Duncan would breeze through, but he hit a patch of loose shale and slid back down several feet, nearly landing on the girls.
"Get out of the way, sparkles!" he snapped, scrambling back up.
Near the top, the cliff became even steeper. Duncan grabbed a sturdy root and hauled himself over the edge first, collapsing on the grass, panting.
"I'm... in," he wheezed.
It came down to the two best friends. They reached the final ledge at the exact same time. They both reached out their hands, but as they struggled to pull themselves up, Sadie's grip slipped on a mossy rock.
"Katie! Help!" Sadie screamed.
Katie instinctively reached back to grab Sadie's hand, but the shift in weight caused Katie to slide too. In a desperate scramble, Katie managed to hook her elbow over a rock and pull herself up just one second before Sadie could gain her footing.
The Elimination:
Chris stood at the top, checking his stopwatch with a smirk. He looked down at Sadie, who was still half-hanging off the ledge, sobbing.
"Sadie... you were the last one to top the cliff. That means no marshmallow for you."
"NOOOO!" Katie screamed, throwing herself onto her friend. "This is so unfair! We were supposed to be the final two! We were going to share the million dollars and buy a mall!"
Sadie sniffled, wiping mud from her cheek. "It's okay, Katie. You have to win now. For us! For the friendship!" She glared at Duncan. "And don't let him win! He's the one who started this!"
Duncan just rolled his eyes and started walking back to the cabins. "Whatever. Enjoy the boat ride."
As the Boat of Losers pulled away from the dock, Sadie waved frantically until she was just a small speck in the moonlight. Katie stood on the shore, sobbing uncontrollably, while the rest of the Killer Bass watched in awkward silence.
Chris turned to the camera, his signature grin back in place.
"One down, one half of a duo left, and a whole lot of bitterness brewing. Who will survive the next night in the woods? Find out next time on Total! Drama! Island!"