Chapter 14 - Wake Up - Getting to Know Each Other (Part 2)
The hours continued to pass, and some participants could not resist any longer.
One by one, Katie, Sadie, and Tyler were the next to fall.
Chris watched them with a mocking smile as he officially eliminated them from the challenge.
"And that's when the resistance begins to break! Who's next?" Chris said.
The others stood their ground, but exhaustion was beginning to show on their expressions.
Cody decided to change the scene and approached Bridgette, who greeted him with a genuine smile.
"Hey! Nice to see you here." Bridgette said.
Cody settled in next to her, relaxing in the warmth of the campfire.
"It was time for a dose of tranquility," Cody said.
Bridgette laughed softly before nodding.
"Well, quiet is my thing," Bridgette said.
The conversation flowed naturally, and Bridgette mentioned surfing without thinking too much.
"Maybe you shouldn't say it, but... you have to admit our day on the water was great," Bridgette said.
Cody smiled with satisfaction.
"Of course! Who knew I'd end up with a talent for this? If the competition doesn't work out, I can open a surf school," Cody said.
Bridgette laughed softly.
"Oh, of course. Cole's Surf Academy. Sounds amazing," Bridgette said.
Cody pretended to think seriously about the idea, his gaze drifting off into the campfire.
"Hmm... I could include lessons on how to make the perfect landing without falling flat on your face," Cody said.
Bridgette shook her head in amusement.
"Knowing you, I'm sure you'd add an extreme challenge," Bridgette said.
"Exactly! A combination of surfing, parkour, and surviving angry sharks." Cody said.
Bridgette covered her face with her hand, laughing.
After talking about the sea and animals, the conversation turned to Bridgette's philosophy on veganism.
"I think respect for animals is key. That's why I decided to become a vegetarian," Bridgette said.
Cody nodded, but then shook his head dramatically.
"I respect you, Bridgette. I really do. But I can't live without meat," Cody said.
Bridgette burst out laughing.
"Well, at least you admit it," Bridgette said.
"Look at these muscles. Absolute creation of animal protein. If I give up meat, my biceps will disappear into thin air." Cody said, pointing at his own body.
Bridgette laughed softly, shaking her head.
"Well, never say never," Bridgette said.
The conversation shifted to the game, strategies, and the situation with the teams.
"How do you feel about the team? You seem to be everywhere lately," Bridgette said.
"Strategy, Bridgette. You can't let anyone pigeonhole you too much. Keeping things moving helps keep everyone from knowing what you're really planning," Cody said with a shrug.
Bridgette raised an eyebrow, interested.
"Hmmm. Does that mean we should expect something unexpected from you soon?" said Bridgette.
Cody smiled, but didn't respond directly.
"Let's just say the competition still has a lot of surprises," Cody said.
Bridgette watched him with a slight smile.
After more chatter, the conversation moved toward personal styles.
Cody joked, pointing at his clothes.
"So tell me, does this look suit me or should I try something more epic?" Cody said.
Bridgette looked at him analytically before smiling.
"Mmm... I think so, but you could add some color." Bridgette said.
Cody faked a dramatic gesture.
"Color?! But I'm a chic geek style icon!" Cody said.
Bridgette laughed softly, enjoying the dynamic.
The conversation continued, moving between jokes and light confessions.
Time kept moving forward, but neither of them noticed it too much.
The campfire was still lit, the air felt colder as the night wore on, but Cody and Bridgette were still awake, deep in quiet conversation.
Cody stretched slightly, making himself more comfortable next to Bridgette.
"Okay, we've been here for hours and I still haven't asked you the essential questions. Time to do this like a TV interview. Ready?" Cody said.
Bridgette laughed, leaning towards him slightly with an amused smile.
"An interview? It sounds intense, but go ahead, I'm ready." Bridgette said.
Cody nodded, pretending to settle in like a TV host.
"Okay, first crucial question... What kind of music defines your life?" Cody said.
Bridgette thought for a second before answering.
"It depends on the moment. But in general, I've always liked relaxed music, with good chords and a vibe that flows well. Indie, reggae, something chill," Bridgette said.
Cody smiled approvingly.
"I'm not surprised. I totally see you on a beach, with your feet in the sand, a good song playing in the background," Cody said.
Bridgette nodded.
"Exactly. It's a perfect picture," Bridgette said.
Bridgette turned her body slightly towards him, resting one arm on his knee.
"And you? What music defines you?" said Bridgette.
Cody smiled, leaning back a little.
"Easy: rock, alternative pop, some jazz for the quieter days. But if I need energy, electronica is also on the list," Cody said.
Bridgette nodded, analyzing it.
"You have an interesting mix. I guess it depends on how you feel, right?" Bridgette said.
Cody laughed.
"Exactly. Music always depends on the mood," Cody said.
"If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, without limits, where would you go?" said Bridgette.
Cody looked up at the stars, thinking for a moment.
"Japan. Fascinating culture, next-level technology, anime and video games on every corner," Cody said.
Bridgette smiled.
"Japan sounds amazing. Have you been before?" Bridgette said.
Cody denied.
"No, but I'll go someday. That's for sure." Cody said.
Bridgette settled in a little more.
"I would choose some paradise island. Something quiet, pure nature, without city noise," Bridgette said.
Cody nodded.
"Definitely something that fits you," Cody said.
Cody looked at Bridgette mischievously.
"Okay, I need to know this... Do you have any weird hobbies?" Cody said.
Bridgette thought for a second before laughing.
"Maybe not strange, but... I collect pretty stones I find on the beach." Bridgette said.
Cody blinked, intrigued.
"Really?" Cody asked.
Bridgette nodded.
"Yes. I always find shapes or colors that I find interesting," Bridgette said.
Cody smiled.
"That's great. I guess if I see an interesting rock somewhere, I know who to give it to," Cody said.
Bridgette laughed softly.
"And you? Strange hobby?" said Bridgette
Cody sat back thoughtfully.
"Hmm... probably my obsession with learning combat moves just because they look cool." Cody said.
Bridgette raised an eyebrow.
"Combat moves?" said Bridgette
Cody nodded, then stood up and made an exaggerated pose as if he were in an action movie.
(I imagine him doing Baki Hanma fighting stances)
"Yeah! Every time I see a well-choreographed fight scene, I try to learn some moves. I don't know if they actually work, but at least I look awesome while doing it," Cody said.
Bridgette covered her face with her hand, laughing.
"God, it's so you," Bridgette said.
Cody slumped back into his seat, pleased with the reaction.
The 24 hours had passed, and Chris was already desperate.
"Good! Looks like some of you have too much stamina... but let's see if you can survive the next level." Chris said, crossing his arms and huffing.
The awakening has entered its final phase: hard mode.
Chef emerged from behind the bushes, dressed as a pink sheep, holding a tiny harp with absolute seriousness.
"Listen to the melody of defeat," said the chef in a deep voice but with his ridiculous outfit
The first notes began to play, a soft, heavenly music, designed to induce immediate sleep.
Meanwhile, Chris opened a book and began reading bedtime stories in a relaxed voice, mimicking the tone of a professional storyteller.
"And so, the little bear returned to his cave, wrapped in the warm moonlight..." Chris said in a calm voice.
The campers began to nod off, the psychological torture taking effect.
Cody's Confessional
Cody rubbed his eyes, exhaling tiredly.
"This isn't a challenge anymore, this is a direct psychological attack. Chef dressed as a pink sheep... bedtime stories... what's next? A lullaby sung by Duncan?" Cody said.
Cody shook his head, regaining focus.
"I won't fall. At least not without a good show," Cody said.
Gwen's Confessional
Gwen crossed her arms, her gaze wandering for a second.
"Okay... this is officially the most absurd thing I've ever experienced. But I'm not going to lose over something so ridiculous either." Gwen said.
Gwen exhaled, her tone lower.
"Though I admit the combination of music and stories is doing something to my brain. It's not fair," Gwen said.
Geoff's Confessional
Geoff blinked slowly, his energy waning.
"Brothers... this... this is dangerous. My body is telling me to give up... but my pride is telling me to hold on." Geoff said.
"No... I must... lose..." Geoff said, nodding slowly.
The method began to work.
One by one, the first to fall were Noah, Geoff and Owen.
"This is... unnecessary... absurd... impossible to resist..." Noah said before falling
"I... can't... take it anymore..." Geoff said before collapsing.
"Tell me... I was... a hero..." Owen said before falling into a deep sleep.
Chris laughed with absolute satisfaction.
"This is what I expected! They're starting to fall! Who's next?" said Chris
Just as the last remaining holdouts were trying to stand, Chef appeared again, now in an all-pink suit, ready to perform The Nutcracker.
"And now... a visual spectacle designed to confuse your minds. Enjoy the dance of chaos!" said Chris
Chef began to spin, making delicate but inexplicably intimidating movements, his pink suit gleaming in the reflection of the campfire.
The combination of ethereal music, calming stories, and a hunky man dancing ballet in a pink suit was too much for some.
Bridgette fell asleep in Cody's arms, her breathing calm as exhaustion finally overcame her.
Cody watched her for a second, making sure she was okay, before carefully picking her up and settling her into a comfortable spot.
Without missing a beat, he returned to the competition, still steadfast in his endurance.
DJ also fell, although he had inexplicably tied himself to a tree before giving up, which Cody didn't understand at all.
"Bro... how exactly did you think this was going to help you?" Cody said, looking at him in disbelief.
DJ was already asleep, unable to respond, his body hanging absurdly from the tree.
Cody sighed, shaking his head.
Beth and Lindsay also fell victim to exhaustion and fell asleep, giving up completely.
Now, only a few remained.
Cody stood up, feeling exhausted, but refusing to give in.
He turned around and noticed that, among them all, Heather was still standing.
Without hesitation, he decided to stay with her.
Heather looked at Cody with a raised eyebrow, her expression with that air of cynical amusement.
"Look at that, "Cole", looks like you're finally without your group," Heather said.
Cody shrugged with a relaxed smile.
"Yeah, well... at least I'm still here." Cody said.
Heather smirked, but didn't pass up the opportunity to tease him.
"Though it seems Gwen did find some good company. She's having a great time with Trent," Heather said.
Cody looked away, watching Gwen and Trent talking quietly.
They talked about things like their favorite song, favorite color, and favorite movie moment, completely immersed in their conversation.
Cody watched him for a moment before laughing to himself.
"What Gwen does is none of my business," Cody said.
Heather raised an eyebrow, trying to see if there was any real reaction in his expression.
But just at that moment...
Owen sleepwalked past everyone naked, ruining the moment completely.
The campers stood in silence, processing the visual disaster before reactions erupted.
Cody gave a small laugh, shaking his head.
"I don't know what's worse, Heather. Your attempt to provoke me or what I just saw," Cody said.
Heather snorted, crossing her arms in amusement.
"Tough choice. Although I must admit the first option has more style," Heather said.
Cody turned slightly toward her, his gaze relaxed.
"Well, I'm not complaining. At least I'm accompanied by a great beauty," Cody said.
Heather looked at him for a second, noticing the subtly flirtatious tone in his smile.
Instead of looking away, he just raised an eyebrow in amusement, but said nothing.
Heather's Confessional
Heather crossed her arms, her expression holding its classic mix of confidence and analysis.
"I knew Cody had resilience, but being here, alone with him, while everyone else falls... I guess it's interesting," Heather said.
Heather gave a slight nod, recalling the conversation they had.
"I didn't expect him to laugh at what Gwen was doing with Trent. I thought he'd react differently. But no, he just saw it, smiled to himself, and moved on. Something about that caught my attention," Heather said.
Heather looked at the camera with slight frustration.
"And of course, he couldn't help but flirt at the end. The worst part is, he does it so casually that it doesn't seem like he's trying. That makes it even more annoying," Heather said.
Heather sighed, her expression returning to neutral.
"Tch. I'm not going to fall for that." Heather said.
Heather was silent for a moment, before raising an eyebrow and adding mockingly:
"But I admit that if we're the last ones standing at the end of this, at least I'll have some good entertainment," Heather said.
Heather smiled faintly, but then returned to her neutral expression.
After twelve hours of talking, Gwen and Trent already knew each other better, their conversation flowing easily, moving between personal topics and light opinions.
But then...
For a moment, Gwen turned her gaze, almost without thinking, searching for something.
Or rather... looking for someone.
Her gaze fell on Cody, who was with Heather, laughing and joking with a naturalness that didn't go unnoticed by her.
It was a small moment, insignificant to anyone who wasn't watching closely.
But for Gwen, there was something disturbing about the image.
Maybe the fact that it was Heather, and not her.
Or worse... that Cody hadn't come looking for her since the last time they spoke.
Trent, being more perceptive than Gwen expected, noticed the subtle change in her expression.
Bluntly, he asked calmly:
"What are you thinking about?" Trent asked.
Gwen blinked, looking back at Trent, as if her own thought had been interrupted.
His response was short, almost automatic.
"Nothing." Gwen said.
And although Trent didn't insist, he knew it wasn't true.
Heather wasn't exactly the type of person who laughed easily.
But that wasn't going to stop Cody.
With energy still intact after the wake-up call, he settled in more comfortably and looked at Heather with a sly smile.
"Okay, Heather. We know you're tough, you don't fall for nonsense, and you have the ability to destroy anyone's self-esteem in less than thirty seconds," Cody said.
Heather raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms in amusement.
"And your point?" Heather said.
Cody smiled even wider.
"I'm going to make you laugh," Cody said.
Heather let out a small exhalation with a flash of disbelief.
"Good luck with that," Heather said.
"I'll tell you a story of pure disaster," Cody said.
Heather tilted her head curiously.
"If it's not ridiculous, I'm not interested," Heather said.
"Believe me, it's a tragedy worthy of study. First time I went to the gym, wanting to change my physique from computer geek to something more resilient," Cody said.
Heather gestured for him to continue.
"I decided to impress everyone there. You know, carry more weight than I should, look confident, absolute style," Cody said.
Heather nodded with false seriousness.
"Oh, yeah. That always ends well," Heather said.
"Exactly. Spoiler: I ended up crushed by the barbell before I could even do a single rep. The trainer had to lift it while I begged for my dignity," Cody said.
Heather let out a small laugh, but hid it behind a toss of her hair.
Cody noticed it immediately, pointing at her.
"I saw it! It was small, but it was a glimpse of laughter. We're making progress," Cody said.
Heather shook her head.
"That doesn't count," Heather said.
"Okay, another story, but this time about failed chemistry." Cody said.
Heather settled in, accepting the entertainment.
"I'll give you another chance. I'm not promising anything," Heather said.
"I went to a coffee shop that had a challenge: drink their extreme coffee without making weird faces. It was supposedly the strongest blend in town," Cody said.
Heather raised her eyebrows, interested.
"And you did it?" Heather said.
"If achieving that means my soul left my body after the first sip, then yes," Cody said.
Heather let out a small laugh, but quickly looked away to hide it.
Cody smiled victoriously.
"Don't deny it, I heard it," Cody said.
Heather turned to him with an indifferent air.
"It was just because your misery is entertaining," Heather said.
"Whatever helps me accomplish my mission," Cody said.
Cody's Confessional
" This was for you, idol," Cody said to the camera, holding a photo and pointing at it with his hand.
(Cody is holding a picture of Adam Sandler)
Time kept ticking, the campers' stamina was reaching extreme levels, and Chris was fed up with no one giving up.
During the 30 hours, Gwen and Trent noticed something strange about Justin.
Upon closer inspection, they discovered that he had eye makeup on to make it look like he was still awake.
Chris was amused by the attempt, but without hesitation, eliminated him from the challenge.
"Clever, but not enough. Out!" Chris laughed as he eliminated Justin.
Meanwhile, Duncan decided to do his thing with Harold.
Every time Harold tried to stay on his feet, Duncan would approach him with jokes and comments that unnerved him.
Until finally... Harold peed himself in the most public way possible.
Duncan burst out laughing instantly, slapping him on the back.
"Bro, it was just a joke! I didn't think you'd be traumatized," Duncan said.
Harold just stood there silently, staring into space, processing his shame.