“I understand the game, Kyle. You think you’re so young and hip, but I was running wild years before you were even born. So close your mouth and move on.”
“Actually, it’s your turn,” Kenzie directed.
Marsha took a moment to think about her contribution to the game, and then, with her eyes fixed on Kenzie, said, “Never have I ever fallen in love with someone who only thinks of me as a friend.”
Silence flooded the stale, humid air around us. Kenzie’s face dropped in horror. I saw her hands actually shake. Carl seemed to pick up on her distress and he lowered a finger. She caught his eye, and I saw tears in hers.
“This is a stupid game!” she proclaimed, and then scooted out of the shelter and stomped off into the woods.
Marsha’s face twisted into a smug leer. “Was it something I said?”
Marooned Rule #6
Once the two tribes merge as one, team play is finished and it becomes an individual game. All challenges are played for individual immunity, and the winner will be safe from elimination.
The merge came the following day, and we moved our sorry asses to the other tribe’s camp. It was clear the moment we stepped foot on their beach that we were a bunch of losers. Their camp was like a Sandals resort in comparison to ours. They had clotheslines and hammocks and log chairs and blankets, all won in reward challenges. They had even designed their own water system. We walked around admiring their offerings in embarrassment. How had we let things get so bad at our camp? After eliminating Gene and all his rules, we’d become a tribe of slackers. And I had a terrible feeling I was their beloved leader.
Dale, for one, was in heaven at the organization and structure of our new digs. I realized how far he would have had to sink as a productive member of society in order to be content living the life I led on an everyday basis. The other tribe had five energetic, robust go-getters, and Dale was the perfect addition to their group. What would be his motivation to stay with us? I mean, we’d been forced together on day one because we had no other choice. I felt like we’d formed real bonds, but it was still a game, and Dale wanted to win it, for no other reason than that he hated to lose. If he could get ahead with another group, would he dump our lazy butts and move on?
I glanced at Kenzie, who was watching the scene unfold before her. It was obvious she shared my apprehension by the way she was chewing on her bottom lip. Her eyes caught mine but then hastily looked away. Things had gone back to being awkward after her overly emotional reaction to Marsha’s game question. Not knowing what to say to her, I just kept my distance. But that was before the Dale issue. I needed her now. If the Easties were trying to tempt Dale into a life of luxury, I needed her help to remind him that he loved our squalor.
In addition to our five, the East tribe had Fergus, Amir, Lena, Carol and Eugene. Although they seemed nice enough, I had no idea who any of them were. Our contact with them had been limited to the challenges. As a peace offering, the production staff presented us with an overflowing basket of food and drink. The other five seemed more interested in getting to know us than actually eating. Apparently they’d been catching fish the entire time we’d been eating slugs. So as they stood around chatting, we five dropped to our knees and started shoveling food in our mouths like the barbarians we’d become. I could hear them giggling at our animalistic behavior. Dale tried to explain away our manners by detailing how Bobby had dumped our rice before exiting the game, but evenhehad to do that through mouthfuls of chicken legs. I’m pretty sure I grunted my way through my meal. Kenzie even elbowed me in the side at one point when my enjoyment got too aggressively boisterous.
Theoretically, this was the part of the game where we ceased team play and began competing as individuals but the reality was you needed numbers in order to stay in the game. So although we’d merged into one, we were still very much two separate groups of five. The only hope for security at the first individual council was to sway a member of the other side to flip, hence the pressure on Dale.
The minute the meal was over, the niceties were dropped and the game began. Everyone was scrambling for positions and looking for weakness. There were conversations going on all around me. I stood there dumbfounded. Clearly, backstabbing was not my strong suit. I was loyal to a fault and would not hesitate to sacrifice myself for those I cared about. And I cared about every person in the Dork Quad, even Carl, our unofficial member.
I watched as the Easties swooped down on Dale like famished vultures. My mind was screaming,No, not Dale!They can’t have him and his leg volcano!It was like my whole life was spiraling out of control, and I was frozen in place. Kenzie must have sensed my distress and swooped in.
“Are you all right?” she asked, her concern for me outweighing her unease.
“No. We’re screwed. Dale’s gone.”
“He’s not gone. You’re being paranoid. Dale’s smart and playing both sides.”
I was still looking around frantically.
“Kyle.” Kenzie placed her fingers on my face. “Look at me. We’re fine. The boxer lady, what’s her name again, Liza?”
I directed my focus to where she was indicating with her eyes. “Lena, I think.”
“Well whatever her name is, she’s an outsider in that group, and the only person I think we have a chance of swaying. I need you to go over there and charm the pants off her.”
My eyes zeroed in on the target: muscles, tattoos, and a seriously scowling face. She looked like she could break me in half with one karate chop.Really, Kenzie?I’d have a better chance with the Mormon lady, Carol. Still, she’d given me an assignment, and that allowed me to redirect my focus.
As my tension eased, I grinned and said, “Are you whoring me out?”
“I am. Now go.” She shooed me away. As I was about to leave on my mission, Kenzie whispered just loud enough for me to hear, “And don’t come back until she’s hot for you.”
“You give mewaytoo much credit,” I threw over my shoulder, as I headed straight for my surly, man-killing mark. I had some hustling to do.
“Lena, right?” I asked as I walked up to her. She straightened her back and crossed her arms in front of herself in a defensive stance. A serpent with sharp claws and jagged teeth glared at me from a colorful tattoo on her forearm. Her eyes rolled over me, and the excessively disgusted look on her face should have been my first clue that I wouldn’t be getting to first base with snake lady.
“Yep.”
“I’m Kyle.”
“McKallister, I know,” she said matter-of-factly. My eyes opened wide. I swallowed my surprise.
