“Now for your first challenge…” Chris begins.

“WAIT FOR ME!” A girl with long black hair runs to us.

“It’s about time. Campers, meet the 16th contestant,” He glares at her, “Who is also late. This is Heather! te will be on team Alpha.”

“Whatever,” Heather rolls her eyes and walks towards us.

“Hi,” I smile, “I’m Maisy.”

“Sorry,” She sneers, “I don’t talk to hillbillies.”

“SHE’S NOT A HILLBILLY,” I hear Cody shout and I smile.

“As I was saying,” Chris seems annoyed, “The successivo challenge is-“

“WOAH, WOAH, WOAH,” Luke cuts him off, “You mean getting shot at da a paintball wasn’t the challenge?”

“Heck no. As I was saying, there are 8 Chris-totems all over the island for each team. Team Sha-WIN’s color is purple, and team Alpha is orange. Each totem te find will have a clue where the successivo one is. Now here’s the catch, only one person may collect the object, hand the team the totem and clue, but must stay in the location they retrieved the statue until the end of the game. That means the first person for their team to find all totems AND connect them largest to smallest, wins invincibility, and the first pick of the cabins. The losers will be sending somebody home. Here is your first clue,” He hands Cody and I the clue, “And GO!”

“What does it say?” DJ asks as we all huddle up.

“Leaves of three let it be. Berries of four, eat some more. In a albero is where I’ll be, way up high with a view of the sea,” I read, “Wow that’s bad.”

“You don’t say,” Heather rolls her eyes.

“It’s gotta be near the dock somewhere,” Mike says, “Let’s go.”

Then we run; AGAIN.

********************CODY’S POV********************

Woot, I’mma captain. It’s kinda exciting, actually. This also means I go up against Maisy. No I’m not upset, I want to win. She sure is cute though…

Was the paintball moment just a moment, o did it mean more?

“I roar in utter rage, I live inside a cave,” Dawn reads the clue.

Wow that’s bad. The clue, I mean, not the bear. Although that’s pretty bad too.

I look over to see the other team already starting to leave. Maisy stops just once, and looks at me. I smile warmly, and she returns the gesture before she catches up with the rest of her team.

“Let’s go, amigos!” Alejandro commands and now we’re running, too.

We keep running until I see a cave.

“There!” I shout, pointing to the cave, “In there!”

“It’s seems rather dark,” Brick seems nervous.

“Are the childhood memories about being left alone in the dark in a graveyard still haunting you?” Dawn asks.

“Wait what?” I raise an eyebrow.

“H-how did te know that?” Brick seems concerned as we walk into the cave.

“Never mind that,” Alejandro points to a bear, then whispers, “Look.”

So what it’s just a bear. Wait, a purple Chris totem.

OUR totem!

“I say Brick goes,” Gwen seems nervous.

“No way,” Brick freaks.

“It’s a soldier’s honor right?” Alejandro looks at him.

Brick sighs, “Fine. But if I die, te have to fulfill my “Letters to Mom” awards,” And he walks towards the sleeping creature.

I hear him gulp, then he reaches for the statue, grabbing it quickly and throwing it to Alejandro.

“Bien, Amigo,” He smiles, then opens up the clue, “Leaves of three let it be. Leaves of four, eat some more. I am up in a tree, way up high with a view of the sea,” He looks at the rest of us, “Let’s go.”

We all run out, but I hear a orso growl. Good luck, Brick.

********************MAISY’S POV********************

“There it is!” I hear Heather announce as we’re running along the water edge.

I look where she’s pointing and, sure enough, there’s a tall albero with berries, leaves of four, and, at the very top, an arancia, arancio Chris totem.

“So who’s good at climbing trees?” Mike asks as we’re all looking up at the totem.

“I think it’s the captain’s honor to take one for the team,” Jo mocks, glaring at me.

“Agreed,” Heather smirks at me, “Chop-chop.”
I look up at the albero and sigh.

*CONFESSION CAM*

Maisy: The truth is, I’m not exactly a height person. However, it’s just for my team, right? I don’t want to go home, yet. Not this early.

Cody: Man that orso seems tough. I feel bad for voting Brick to do the dirty work. But hey, it’s for the team, right?

Heather: If we lose, I already know who I’m going for; that Hillbilly freak. Besides, if she spends the whole challenge trying to get this totem, then I won’t be the only one voting for her.

Duncan: Man that Maisy’s a babe. Too bad my clingy girlfriend from home won’t let me go. Courtney doesn’t understand that I’m done with her.

*END OF CONFESSIONALS*

I take a breath and start climbing. Don’t look down. Don’t look down. I stand on a albero branch…

And I look down.