"Last time on Total Drama Island… the campers had to face their deepest, darkest fears. Some conquered them like champs. Others? Not so much. And a few… well… had full-on breakdowns that left everyone in pain. Seriously—my stomach still hurts, but hey, we got great ratings, so I'm happy."
"Ronnie Anne opened up about life as a pretty tomboy in a town full of hormonal jocks—yikes—and Leshawna and Gwen gave her the support she needed. #TotalDramaSisters. Love to see it."
"In a completely shocking twist—yeah, right—Rageholic Eva got the boot for refusing to be a team player. So once again, the Bass are sinking fast. Can they pull this one out of the water? Will Lincoln wise up and find love? Find out, right now, on…"
"TOTAL. DRAMA. ISLAND!!!"
______________________________________________________________________________
Ronnie Anne sat cross-legged on her bunk, tightening the wheels on her skateboard. She hadn't had a chance to use it once — the "skatepark" promised on the sign-up sheet turned out to be a lie — but taking care of her board was always calming. The quiet, repetitive motion helped her keep her head clear.
A sudden knock broke that rhythm. Three sharp raps against the cabin door, followed by a familiar voice.
"Yo, Ronnie Anne — me and Bridgette are getting a card game together. Wanted to invite you," Lincoln called.
Her chest tightened. The phobia challenge came rushing back, every awkward and vulnerable second of it still burned into her mind. Heat flushed across her face. Instead of answering, she hopped off her bed and made a beeline for the back window.
She pushed it open, stuck her head out — and froze halfway through, her hips refusing to follow.
"Damn butt," she muttered, wriggling until she finally popped through. She landed in the grass and took off running into the woods without looking back.
At the front of the Gopher cabin, Lincoln stood in silence, waiting for a reply that never came. He sighed and turned back toward the Bass cabin, Bridgette walking beside him.
"What happened…? God, I wish that stupid fear challenge never happened," he muttered.
Bridgette gave him a small, sympathetic smile, resting a hand on his back. "It'll be okay, Link. She just needs time."
"I know, Bridge… but we've been friends for years. I just can't handle her… hating me."
Her eyes widened a little. "Link, Ronnie Anne doesn't hate you. She's just… processing the whole phobia fiasco."
They reached the Bass cabin steps, where Lincoln dropped down to sit. "We've been close for so long… I've helped her with fears before. There was this 1080 spin she—" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "Actually, nah. Not my story to tell."
Bridgette smirked at him. "See? That proves she can't be mad at you. You're too nice, dude."
Lincoln shrugged. "Jelly girl Heather would disagree with you."
Bridgette chuckled at that and went inside the girls' side of the cabin, leaving Lincoln outside stretching his arms.
Then came the scream.
"AAHHHH!!!"
Lincoln shot to his feet and ran inside. "Are you okay?!"
Bridgette stood rigid, pointing at her pillow. Lincoln approached cautiously, half-expecting to see a snake, and slowly lifted it. What he found instead made him pause.
"A photo?" he said.
It was a heart-shaped frame with a picture of Geoff and Bridgette inside — except it was clearly two separate photos cut out and taped together. Lincoln flipped it over, only to find a message scrawled on the back: I hope you'll think of me when you drop loose… change into this.
Lincoln blinked. "…What in the world?"
Bridgette took the frame from him, staring at it like she couldn't decide whether to laugh or scream. "Geoff… why?"
Lincoln shrugged. "It's the thought that counts? Maybe this is his… cringey way of saying he likes you?"
She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I like Geoff, but we aren't at gift-giving yet. This is an anniversary thing."
"Maybe Geoff just doesn't have a slow gear," Lincoln offered. "The guy's a party animal — he's probably only at zero or a hundred percent."
Bridgette set the frame on the dresser and shook her head, but before she could say anything else, Chris's voice blared over the camp loudspeakers.
"Campers, report to the beach! Your challenge is waiting for you~!"
Both Bass members groaned.
"I'll just focus on the challenge today. Try to avoid Geoff," Bridgette muttered.
Lincoln frowned. She was his friend, and he didn't like seeing her this bothered. "Let's get this started," he said, following her out.
The door closed behind them. The heart-shaped frame sat on the dresser, still facing forward… until it slowly tipped backward and fell flat. Coincidence, or omen?
———————————————————————
The sun was already beating down on the beach by the time most of the Bass and Gophers had gathered. Sand shifted under bare feet, gulls circled overhead, and Chris stood grinning far too wide for anyone's comfort.
Only two campers were missing. Beth trudged in a moment later, adjusting her glasses, and behind her came Ronnie Anne — second to last.
Leshawna caught sight of her and raised an eyebrow. "Girl, where'd you come from?"
Ronnie Anne hesitated just a hair too long. "The woods… wanted to go… for a hike," she said, her tone uneven.
That waver was enough to stir something in Leshawna's gut.
⸻
Leshawna — Confessional
"Ronnie Anne has me worried. Ever since that fear challenge, she's been avoiding Q-Tip for a couple days now."
⸻
Flashback 1
The main lodge buzzed with chatter as Leshawna, Gwen, and Ronnie Anne sat together, talking and laughing over snacks. The door creaked open, and Lincoln walked in.
Without a word, Ronnie Anne ducked so fast her chip bag nearly slid off the table. She disappeared underneath it, hugging her knees, eyes wide with embarrassment.
Leshawna and Gwen exchanged identical what the heck? looks. Ronnie Anne didn't reemerge until Lincoln strolled out again with a bag of chips, completely unaware.
⸻
Flashback 2
The dock shimmered in the summer heat. Gwen and Ronnie Anne sat side by side, legs dangling over the edge, their feet skimming the water.
From the path, Lincoln and Bridgette appeared in swimsuits, boards tucked under their arms. Ronnie Anne spotted them, stiffened, then without a word, dove straight into the lake.
By the time Lincoln's board hit the water, she was already hauling herself onto the shore in the distance, wringing out her hair.
⸻
Flashback 3
Late afternoon found Leshawna and Ronnie Anne parked on the Gopher cabin steps, an MP3 player passing a tinny beat between them.
Lincoln's voice carried before he even rounded the corner. Ronnie Anne froze, then scrambled down the steps, vanishing into the shadowy gap underneath the cabin.
Leshawna, still bobbing her head to the music, just stared at the space where her friend had been sitting seconds ago. Lincoln walked by with a casual wave, oblivious.
————-
Chris finally strolled onto the beach, clipboard in hand and a smirk already tugging at his face.
"Bass, Gophers," he began, "today's challenge is a true summer camp experience — a canoe trip. You'll be paddling across the lake…" He lowered his voice into an ominous growl. "…to Boney Island!"
A few campers shivered at the name.
"When you get there," Chris continued, "you'll have to portage your canoes to the other side of the island — about a two-hour hike through dense, treacherous jungle."
Several faces blanched at the word treacherous. Geoff, however, just squinted in confusion.
"We've gotta pour what?" he asked.
"Portage," Chris repeated flatly.
Geoff's expression didn't change.
Lincoln stepped in, gesturing toward the lake. "He means we have to carry the canoes across the island with us."
Geoff scratched his head, still not quite connecting the dots. "Wait… how do we do that?"
Chris just stared at him. "Dude. Walk. With your canoe."
Geoff's face lit with sudden understanding. He smacked his forehead. "Oh."
Chris rolled his eyes and pushed on. "When you arrive at the far end of the island, you'll build a rescue fire that will be judged by me. The first team to paddle home and return their canoes to the beach wins invincibility! Move, campers, move!"
The campers al moved swiftly to their canoes before Chris called out to them
"Oh—wait! One more thing. Legend has it…" He dropped his voice again, drawing out each word. "…if you take anything off the island… you'll be cursed forever."
A perfectly timed rumble of thunder rolled overhead.
"Yeah, haha! A cursed island! Whoo!" Owen cheered.
Chris clapped his hands. "Now get in your canoes and let's have some fun!"
"Yes!" Owen whooped—only for a loud flush to echo from the nearby outhouse.
Beth emerged, adjusting her hair. "What'd I miss?"
Chris flatly stated. "Canoes." Before pointing to the others. To which Beth ran off to join.
——-
Cody - CONFESSIONAL
"Chris told us to pick a paddling partner. It was time for me to make my move. If I could just get Gwen alone for five minutes, I knew I could woo her with my manly charms."
———
The Gophers were pairing off for the challenge when Ronnie Anne, Gwen, and Leshawna huddled together near the waterline.
"I'll take the front," Ronnie Anne said, glancing between them. "Gwen, you cool with the middle, and Leshawna, you take the back?"
"Mm-hmm," Leshawna replied with a knowing smile. "Makes sense to put the one with the best back in the back."
She spun around and gave her hips a playful shake. Ronnie Anne and Gwen both laughed.
"You definitely have the best rear, Leshawna," Ronnie Anne teased.
"Don't sell yourself short, baby," Leshawna shot back with a grin.
Gwen rolled her eyes at the banter but couldn't keep a small smirk from tugging at her lips. Her gaze drifted toward Trent, who tilted his head in a silent invitation to pair up.
"I feel like a royal stringbean right now," Gwen began, "but I'd like to partner up with Tr—"
Before she could finish, Cody materialized at her side and slung an arm around her shoulders. "Come on, Gwen! You and me, open water! What do you say?"
There was a sharp crack as Gwen twisted his arm behind his back, making Cody's eyes bulge.
That was all the opening Lindsay and Beth needed. They dashed up to Trent.
"Trent! You have to come with us!" Lindsay squealed.
The girls tugged Trent away, and he shot Gwen an apologetic look over his shoulder. Gwen sighed and released Cody, who crumpled into the sand like a dropped sack.
She turned back to Ronnie Anne and Leshawna. "Room for one more?"
Both nodded—until Izzy popped up out of nowhere.
"I NEED A PARTNER," Izzy announced, brandishing her oar like a spear. "And I'm not afraid to steal one!"
Before things could spiral, Chris stepped in with his trademark smirk. "Leshawna, you're with Izzy. Gwen, you're with Cody. Ronnie Anne—go where you want."
Gwen stared at him, aghast. "Why don't you put Cody with Izzy and me with Ronnie and Leshawna?"
"Because this way's funnier," Chris said bluntly. "Trip back is whatever you want, but the trip there and through the island stays as I say." He strolled off looking far too pleased with himself.
Leshawna gave Gwen a sympathetic shrug before joining Izzy, who was still waving frantically.
"I'm with you, Gwen," Ronnie Anne said.
"Thanks," Gwen muttered, then turned to Cody, who was brushing sand off his shirt. "But listen, geekwad—me and Ronnie Anne are in charge. Got it?"
"That's the way I like it," Cody grinned, popping his collar.
⸻
Cody – CONFESSIONAL
"Yes! Yes! Yes! It is so on!" He strummed an imaginary guitar.
—-
Gwen – CONFESSIONAL
"Cody? He's like an annoying brother. A really annoying little brother."
——
Cody – CONFESSIONAL
[still playing air guitar]
——-
Gwen – CONFESSIONAL
"So much for hooking up with Trent."
⸻
Ronnie Anne rolled her eyes at the tech geek. "Fix your shirt back. You look like a Big Bang Theory nerd who got bit by a Twilight vampire."
Cody deflated but fixed his collar while the three of them headed toward their canoe. Ronnie Anne called out the seating order.
"To make sure wandering eyes here stays on course, I'll be in the back, Gwen's in the middle, and Cody, you're up front."
Gwen raised an eyebrow. "What's 'wandering eyes' mean?"
Ronnie Anne jabbed a thumb at Cody. "Casanova here likes to stare at my butt when he thinks I'm not looking."
Gwen's eyes narrowed. Cody threw up his hands. "Hahaha… I don't know wh—"
"Save it," Ronnie Anne cut in. "I've caught you at the cabins, main lodge, pier… and the walk up here. Today."
Cody began sweating bullets. Gwen pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I have a better idea," Gwen said. "I'll take the front, Ronnie takes the back, and ass man here sits in the middle. You leer at either of us, we knock you overboard. Got it?"
Cody nodded quickly as the two girls stalked toward the canoe.
⸻
Cody – CONFESSIONAL
"I wanna say I don't stare at her butt… all the time."
———
Izzy was struggling to shove her canoe into the water, grunting with every push. Eventually, she gave up, flopped into the canoe instead, and popped her head up wearing her life jacket like she'd been ready for this moment all along.
"Just follow my technique," she announced proudly. "I'm one-eighty-seventh Cherokee, you know? Which means, like, the tribe could totally, like, claim me at any time."
Leshawna, dragging the canoe into the shallows with ease, shot her a deadpan look. "Let's hope it's today."
On the beach steps, Bridgette made her way down toward the water with Geoff trailing behind. She smiled and waved. Geoff perked up—"Courtney! Be my partner?" until Courtney stepped out from behind him and joined Bridgette at her canoe. His face fell instantly, and as the two girls carried their canoe toward the water, Geoff smacked his forehead with a groan.
——
Geoff – CONFESSIONAL
"Man, I thought Bridge and I were tight, but suddenly… I don't know. It's like she's fadin' on me. Nah! It's all good!"
———
DJ came over and clapped a hand on his buddy's shoulder. "Hey, Geoff, need a partner?"
Geoff's mood did a complete 180. "Excellent!"
Elsewhere, Lincoln was about to approach Harold when Katie stepped in front of him, smiling way too brightly.
"Hey, Linky-poo~ wanna be with me… on the canoe?"
Lincoln blinked at her, clearly thrown off by the nickname and her sudden forwardness.
———
Lincoln – CONFESSIONAL
Lincoln rubbed his temples, eyes shut tight.
"Katie's been way too clingy lately. She's been following me like a stray puppy all day, and every time I try to talk to Ronnie Anne, she pops up to block me. I don't know if it's deliberate, but I'm getting sick of it."
———
Katie – CONFESSIONAL
"I've been making such great progress with Lincoln! We've been hanging out, spending the day together. I was worried he and Ronnie Anne were dating, but nope! I'm totally gonna be his girlfriend before the season ends."
———
Before Lincoln could answer, Duncan appeared, slinging an arm over his shoulders like they'd been best friends for years.
"Sorry, girlie," Duncan said to Katie, "but Grandpa's my partner. Unless you wanna row with me?"
His wicked grin was enough to make Katie backpedal and partner up with Harold instead.
"I can't believe I'm about to say this," Lincoln muttered, "but… thanks, Duncan."
Duncan smirked. "Don't mention it." The two of them headed for their canoe.
DJ tapped the side of his canoe with his foot, frowning. "Yo, man. Do canoes flip over a lot?"
"Nah, you're thinking kayaks," Geoff said. "Unless we hit some rough water."
DJ looked uneasy. "Water can get… rough?"
"Oh yeah," Geoff grinned. "Sometimes it gets totally radical out there!"
———
DJ – CONFESSIONAL
"When I was eight, my brothers dared me to jump off the high-dive at the pool. I was scared, but I did it. Landed on my butt. Sounds better than a belly flop, right? Wrong. My trunks went so far up my butt I had to go to the hospital to get them removed. They even made up a new word for it—the 'wedgie flop.' I've been afraid of water ever since."
———
On the shoreline, Owen shoved his canoe into the lake with such force that Heather nearly tumbled out the back.
"Woohoo!" Owen cheered.
"Oof!" Heather grunted, trying to steady herself.
Nearby, Cody was grunting and straining to push his team's canoe into the water while Ronnie Anne and Gwen looked on from on the canoe with identical expressions of mild disbelief.
"You want our help?" Gwen asked.
"Seriously, dude," Ronnie Anne added, "it looks like you're about to dislocate your spine."
"Nah, nah, I've got it—" Cody insisted, right before he pitched forward with a splash.
Out on the water, DJ and Geoff's canoe bobbed gently in place.
"Whoa!" DJ yelped.
"Dude, relax," Geoff said. "We're gonna be fine."
That peace didn't last long—Owen paddled by, intentionally rocking his canoe side-to-side and sending Heather bouncing around inside like a coin in a dryer.
"If this canoe's a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'!" Owen laughed.
Heather gripped her oar like a baseball bat and gave him a death glare.
Whack!
Owen winced. "Oh, that smarts!"
Geoff and DJ watched in horror at Owen's injury.
———
With all the teams paired off and the canoes bobbing in the water, the race was ready to start. Chris stood on the shore, grinning like a kid about to set off fireworks in a crowded parking lot.
He raised what looked like a starter pistol into the air.
"On your marks… get set… paddle!"
BANG!
The sharp crack of the gun was followed by a sickening thud as a bald eagle spiraled out of the sky and crashed into the sand.
Chris glanced at the smoking pistol in his hand, then at the unfortunate bird lying motionless nearby.
"…That's gonna provoke some angry emails," he said flatly, before waving for the campers to keep going like nothing happened.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The race was in full swing, bass and gopher canoes slicing through the lake toward the shadowy outline of Boney Island. Near the back of the pack, Gwen, Cody, and Ronnie Anne paddled in steady rhythm—well, mostly steady.
"So, Gwen, do you wanna go out sometime?" Cody asked casually, as if the middle of a race was prime dating territory.
"No," Gwen replied flatly, eyes forward.
"Strike one," Ronnie Anne muttered from behind them, smirking.
"How 'bout Friday night?" Cody pressed.
"Uh, no."
"Strike two," Ronnie Anne said without missing a stroke.
"Saturday's good for me. How 'bout Saturday?"
Gwen stopped paddling, her patience officially gone. "I'm not going out with you. Ever."
"Okay, fine. Sheesh. So, is Sunday out of the question?"
"And that's your third strike," Ronnie Anne declared.
Before Cody could fire back, Gwen twirled her oar in her hands like a baton and whack—landed it squarely between his legs.
"Got it…" Cody wheezed, curling over his paddle as Ronnie Anne clapped in mock applause.
"Home run. Gwen for the win," Ronnie Anne announced with a grin.
Gwen chuckled and went back to rowing while Cody groaned in the middle seat, trying not to pass out.
⸻
Cody – Confessional
"Okay… maybe she wasn't quite ready for the Code-meister."
——
Ronnie Anne – Confessional
"He's gonna lose one of them before Gwen says yes." She rubbed her eyes with a sigh. "It's a pity, because Cody can be a sweet guy when he acts normal… and not like a pervy Johnny Bravo wannabe."
——-
A few lengths behind Gwen, Ronnie Anne, and Cody, Izzy and Leshawna's canoe skimmed the water in erratic zigzags. Izzy was in full storyteller mode, her voice bright and animated as she paddled.
"And these bushmen taught us how to properly catch and cook crocodile," she said proudly, "as well as koala."
Leshawna blinked, her paddle slowing. "Uh, isn't killing a koala bear illegal?"
Izzy tilted her head, thinking for a fraction of a second before breaking into a laugh. "Oh, I dunno. Probably, yeah. HAHAHA Probably, it's illegal."
Leshawna's expression shifted from concerned to baffled. She glanced toward the nearest camera, deadpan.
⸻
Farther ahead, Lindsay, Beth, and Trent paddled in quiet rhythm. Or at least, two of them did. Lindsay leaned back from the middle seat, draping her head and arms across Trent's lap like she was lounging poolside.
"You don't mind if I work on my tan, do you?" she asked, already closing her eyes to the sun.
Trent smiled, clearly unbothered. "I don't mind one bit."
Beth, however, didn't share his relaxed mood. She kept paddling, her eyes flicking toward Lindsay with a series of sharp, silent glares that could have sliced through the canoe.
———
Geoff and DJ's canoe cut slowly across the lake, their paddles dipping lazily into the water. Geoff glanced over at his friend, his brow furrowed.
"Can I ask you something, dude?" he started. "I gave Bridgette an awesome gift this morning, but she's been sending me some weird vibes."
DJ tilted his head, curious, but nodded for him to continue.
⸻
A few canoes ahead, Bridgette was telling the same story to Courtney. The surfer girl's expression was animated, her voice rising with disbelief.
"Courtney, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Bridgette. What's wrong?"
"Oh my gosh, you won't believe it. It was so bad." Bridgette took a deep breath before continuing. "So, me and Lincoln were hanging out, and I tried to get him and Ronnie Anne to hang out again by starting a poker game, but she was nowhere to be found. So we came back to the cabin, When into our side, I noticed something bulging under my covers. When I lifted them—there it was. A photo frame of me and Geoff!"
Dramatic sting.
Courtney's eyes widened. "No!"
Bridgette nodded gravely. "Yes."
⸻
Back in Geoff and DJ's canoe, Geoff grinned like it was the best part of the story. "I made it in arts and crafts."
DJ gave him a flat look. "No, you didn't."
"I did."
DJ slapped a hand to his forehead as Geoff kept talking.
⸻
Bridgette's voice dropped to a horrified whisper. "It gets worse. Etched into the back was an inscription that said—"
⸻
Geoff puffed his chest proudly. "'I hope you think of me whenever you drop loose change into this.'"
DJ groaned.
⸻
Bridgette gagged, pressing a hand to her throat as if the sheer cringe might choke her. "Ugh."
Courtney could only hold her head in disbelief.
⸻
Geoff hesitated. "Not good?"
DJ shook his head. "Dang, dude. That is so bad, we need a new word for how bad that is. See, dating's like feeding a bunny—you want the bunny to come to you, so you don't make any sudden moves. Here, bunny, bunny, bunny. But you drop a heart-shaped, handmade clay bowl on a bunny, and the bunny's gonna run, man. You feelin' me?"
Geoff's shoulders slumped. "So I screwed up?"
DJ nodded. "You screwed up, dude."
Geoff smacked his oar against the water in frustration, sending up a small splash.
"I thought she'd like it," he muttered.
DJ gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Can't rush a relationship, dude. Like Lincoln and Ronnie Anne—they've been friends for years and they're still figuring out how to do it."
Geoff slouched a little. He really liked Bridgette. She was sweet, cute, clumsy, and had this laid-back, positive energy that just drew him in.
"Wait," he said suddenly. "How are Linc and Ronnie doing, anyway? I haven't seen them together since that phobia thing."
DJ rubbed his chin, the memory of Ronnie Anne's breakdown flashing in his mind—her crying, admitting she didn't want to be left alone. It had been… pretty hard to watch.
"I don't know, man," DJ admitted. "I think Linc wants to talk to her, but she's—"
⸻
"…too embarrassed about how she was after that VR nightmare thing Leshawna told me about," Bridgette was saying in her canoe.
Courtney's brows furrowed. Ronnie Anne might be a competitor, but even the CIT wasn't heartless enough to dismiss a breakdown like that.
"Why would she think Lincoln would leave her?" Courtney asked. "They seem so close together."
Bridgette rubbed the back of her head, chewing over the thought. "Ronnie Anne thinks I'm into Lincoln. And then there's Katie—she's so clingy with him it's driving Ronnie Anne mad."
Courtney nodded, then her expression shifted as an idea formed.
"Maybe you should tell Ronnie Anne that," she suggested.
Bridgette arched a brow, unsure where Courtney was going with this.
"Tell Ronnie Anne you're just friends with Lincoln," Courtney explained. "Worst-case scenario, she doesn't believe you… or hangs you in a tree by your underwear."
Bridgette's eyes went wide. "Wait—what?!"
"You know," Courtney clarified with a little smirk, "a wedgie-hang. Embarrassing? Yeah. Life-threatening? Nah. But hey, either way, you get it off your chest."
Bridgette gave her a flat, uneasy look. "That's… one way to put it."
"Trust me," Courtney said, nodding confidently. "Rip the band-aid off before this turns into a full-blown jealousy war."
Bridgette exhaled slowly. As ridiculous as it sounded… Courtney kind of had a point.
———-
Cody, Gwen, and Ronnie Anne's canoe skimmed across the water, with Cody looking unusually deep in thought. Then, like he'd just cracked the Da Vinci Code, he perked up.
"I think I know why you keep shooting me down," he announced to Gwen. "It's because of Trent, isn't it?"
Gwen's eyes went wide. Ronnie Anne narrowed hers.
"You'd better tread carefully there, Ned Declassified," she warned.
Cody raised his hands. "Easy! Look, Gwen, I'm tight with Trent, and I've definitely been getting an 'I'm into Gwen' vibe from him. I could put in a good word for you… if you want."
Gwen's expression softened into a smile. "Wow. That's actually really cool of you."
"Eh, well," Cody shrugged modestly.
"If you can get us in the same boat on the way home, I'll so owe you one."
"Funny you should say that," Cody said, leaning forward. "Because I'm in a bit of trouble myself."
Gwen tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"I… kinda bet Owen that if I got your bra, he'd do my dishes for the rest of the competition."
Gwen didn't even blink before swinging her oar straight into his kiwis. Cody folded like a lawn chair.
"Heh… right… asking too much. Got it," he wheezed.
Ronnie Anne rubbed her forehead. "Hey, Gwen, you wanna leave him on the haunted island?"
"I'd love to," Gwen said, "but remember the Bass lost because Sadie and Katie ditched?"
Ronnie Anne sighed, her irritation bubbling up. "Katie is such a flake. 'Oh, my best friend's gone, better flirt with the nearest guy.' Give me a break."
Gwen glanced sideways. "Everything good with you and Link?"
Ronnie Anne hesitated. "Yeah… just still embarrassed about that whole phobia thing. Haven't talked to him in a week."
Gwen's voice softened. "You need to. Even if you don't bring it up, he'll be glad to just hang with you. Trust me—I still regret ignoring Trent after the diary incident."
Ronnie Anne's gaze flicked down, her mind working.
"Lincoln's trying to reach out," Cody croaked from the floor of the canoe.
Ronnie Anne blinked. "What?"
"He wants to talk. I heard him telling Bridgette this morning. He misses you."
Her lips pressed together. "And I want to be in his life… but I don't—"
"—wanna get hurt," Cody finished. "Does Lincoln really seem like that guy?"
She didn't hesitate. "No. Never."
Both Cody and Gwen smiled, and Ronnie Anne felt something loosen in her chest. "Thanks, Cody." She surprised him with a hug, his face turning beet red.
Then she leaned back, narrowing her eyes. "You didn't make any other bets about girls… did you?"
Gwen raised a brow, curious.
"Wellll~" Cody stalled. "I told Owen about this rumor that girls with freckles on their face have just as many on their… uh… bottom. And since you have freckles—which are cute, by the way—I wanted to know if—AHHH!"
Another oar to the kiwis. Cody slumped over, out cold.
Gwen stared at him. "You know… I'm reconsidering leaving him on Boney Island."
Ronnie Anne kept her face blank. Gwen's eyes narrowed.
"You do, don't you?"
Ronnie Anne flipped her off, and Gwen broke into uncontrollable laughter.
———————-
n one canoe, the most unlikely pairing—Duncan and Lincoln—were making good time toward Boney Island.
"I still can't believe you, Grandpa," Duncan said with a smirk. "Punching homeschool was one thing, but tossing Heather in jelly?" He made a chef's kiss gesture. "That was beautiful."
Lincoln shrugged. "She shouldn't have insulted Ronnie Anne. You'd do it too if it was Courtney Heather was insulting."
Duncan laughed. "Oh, I would. Then again, I think I'd throw Heather just to do it most days."
"Same," Lincoln agreed with a chuckle. The two boys laughed at their shared disdain for the Queen Bee.
Duncan's expression shifted, a hint of uncertainty creeping in. "Hey… you think Courtney's been… I don't know, kinda crazy lately?"
Lincoln looked puzzled. "Yeah. It seems like every challenge—win or lose—she gets more controlling. She was weirdly hostile to poor DJ during that phobia thing."
Duncan nodded, still conflicted despite having a soft spot for her. "That girl needs to unclench. If she sat on a piece of coal, she'd make a diamond."
Lincoln laughed again, but his smile faded as he noticed something ahead. "Hey… was that fog there earlier?"
"I don't think so," Duncan said, narrowing his eyes.
The creeping haze wasn't just around their canoe—it began curling around all of them.
Then Chris's voice echoed ominously over the lake.
"You'll be paddling your canoes across the lake…" His tone shifted to mock-spooky. "…to Boney Island!"
The campers squinted through the mist as the island came into view—an expanse of deathly pale sand, sickly-looking plants, and the dominating silhouette of a jagged mountain shaped like a monstrous skull.
"Okay, did you see that skull?!" Izzy gushed, her eyes wide. "How cool is that?! It's like this place is haunted or something!"
A chorus of unsettling creature noises drifted through the fog.
"Let's just get this over with," Gwen muttered as the canoes scraped against the shore.
————
The campers finally made landfall on Boney Island. The Gophers surged ahead, portaging their canoes at breakneck speed through the island's eerie terrain. Rows of skulls mounted on pikes lined the trail, their hollow eyes seeming to follow every step.
"Jesus," Ronnie Anne muttered under her breath.
A tree crashed to the ground nearby. Cody yelped and spun around. "Gah! I think I saw something!"
Leaves rustled. Pairs of glowing yellow eyes emerged from the darkness — followed by hulking shapes. Giant beavers lumbered into view, each with long, curling tusks like prehistoric sabertooths.
"Monster beavers!" Cody shouted.
The team screamed and bolted. Somewhere off in production land, Chris's voice chimed in over a confessional clip. A remnant of the Pleistocene Era, the woolly beaver is a day-active rodent indigenous to Boney Island. Oh yeah… and they're meat-eaters.
Cue more screaming.
The Gophers tore through the undergrowth, blowing past a bear who simply watched in baffled silence before calmly putting on a pair of glasses.
The chase ended abruptly at a cliffside. A narrow river glimmered far below.
"Dead end!" Owen shouted.
"No bleep, Sherlock!" Ronnie Anne barked back.
But before they could panic further, the beavers froze, then turned tail and ran the opposite way.
"They're leaving," Trent said, surprised.
Ronnie Anne's brow furrowed. "We need to move. I don't wanna meet whatever scared them off."
The thought made everyone go still. If that was enough to scare the nightmare beavers, they wanted nothing to do with it.
"Did anybody pack a change of underwear?" Owen asked. Laughter rippled through the group—until he added, "No, seriously," and let out a loud fart.
The smell and sound startled a flock of enormous, prehistoric-looking geese nesting nearby.
"Oh, man…" Owen groaned as the geese rose in a storm of honks and screeches.
The Gophers screamed again and ran for their lives. "I am definitely gonna need new underwear!" Owen cried as the birds gained on them.
Somewhere behind them, the glasses-wearing bear watched the chase unfold, then took off his glasses and snapped them in half. There was no way he just saw that.
"Someone do something!" Gwen yelled.
"Oh, wait! Look!" Cody said, digging a loaf of bread out of his pants.
Ronnie Anne gawked. "Why do you have bread?!"
"I was gonna make Gwen a romantic picnic," Cody replied.
"With bread from your pants?!" Gwen asked, horrified.
"You are so weird?!" Ronnie Anne added.
"Just throw it already!" Trent yelled.
Cody hurled the loaf, and the geese immediately stopped their pursuit to squabble over the bread.
"It worked!" Gwen said in relief.
"Come on!" Izzy shouted, already charging ahead. "The race isn't over yet! We still have to burn stuff!"
The Gophers didn't need telling twice. They pushed onward, eager to make up for lost time.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The Bass had been lucky so far, managing to avoid most of the island's dangers.
"I hope the Gophers are okay," Lincoln said, glancing back down the trail.
"I'm sure Ronnie Anne and the rest of the Gophers are good," Geoff replied with an easy grin.
They soon reached a fork in the path.
"Which way are we gonna go?" DJ asked, eyeing both trails.
"Left. Definitely left," Courtney said firmly.
Lincoln stepped forward, lowering his end of the canoe. Duncan gave him a look. "Don't wanna hold this myself, Grandpa?"
Ignoring the jab, Lincoln closed his eyes and tilted his head, listening. The wind whispered through the trees, pulling stronger from the right. Overhead, he caught sight of a flock of birds heading the same direction.
He opened his eyes. "We go right. That's where the shoreline is."
Courtney's head snapped toward him. "How do you know that?!"
"The sound of the wind," Lincoln explained. "It's blowing stronger from the right. Plus—look at the birds overhead."
The Bass followed his gaze, spotting the flock gliding toward the right trail.
"Birds will nest next to the shoreline—especially fish-eaters like those," Lincoln continued. "So we go right."
Courtney's face tightened. If he was right, she'd be wrong… again.
"Link knows the outdoors," Geoff said. "I think we should take the one on the right."
"The right trail is wider," Bridgette added.
Courtney's eyes widened in shock at Bridgette's agreement. Before she could say anything, she noticed Geoff looking at Bridgette with a smile.
"What are you looking at?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
Geoff just walked on ahead with that same smile, leaving Bridgette to roll her eyes with a sigh.
⸻
Meanwhile, on the Gophers' side of the island, Trent's voice rang out. "I can see the other team!"
"They're taking the path on the right," Gwen said.
"Then let's go left!" Trent replied without hesitation.
"Are you sure?!" Ronnie Anne questioned the logic before Trent double downed on it.
"Trust me!!"
———————
The Gophers trudged down the left trail, the path long and winding beneath the heavy canopy.
"Yeah, we're lost," Ronnie Anne muttered. "Maybe we've got enough time to double back?"
Before Trent could answer, the ground beneath his feet gave way. His eyes widened as he began to sink.
"Whoa. Guys, uh… don't wanna panic here, but I'm shrinking!"
Trent was waist-deep in quicksand before anyone could react.
⸻
Trent – Confessional
"Right. How am I supposed to know what quicksand looks like? It looks just like sand."
⸻
Chris – Confessional
"HAHA, Can you believe they fell for that?! I set it up, but I didn't think anyone would actually walk into it! That's just great!"
⸻
Back on the trail, Trent was sinking fast.
"Uh-oh."
"Trent's stuck! I'm coming, Trent!" Lindsay cried, leaping forward.
"No, don't—!" Trent's warning was cut short as Lindsay splashed into the pit beside him.
"I'm stuck too! I so didn't see that coming!"
Ronnie Anne groaned under her breath. "Her boobs are bigger than her brain…"
"Help! Somebody help us!" Trent yelled.
Ronnie Anne sprinted into the woods and returned with what looked like a rope, tossing one end to Trent.
"Grab on!"
Trent seized it and but before he could haul himself free, he gasp. But when she threw wasn't a rope.
"It's a snake!"
Ronnie Anne tightened her grip on the wriggling body. "It's a rat snake. Not even poisonous. Now grab on!"
"Maybe I can touch the bottom?" Lindsay whimpered.
"There's no bottom!" Gwen shouted. "Just grab it!"
"Stop calling it that!" Lindsay cried.
Ronnie Anne glared. "It's a snake! What do you want me to call it?"
"Say 'rope!'" Lindsay pleaded.
Ronnie Anne pinched the bridge of her nose. "…Fine. Grab the rope!"
"Grab the rope!" Gwen echoed.
Lindsay reached forward, but the snake gave a sudden hiss that sent her recoiling in terror.
Before she could panic further, Cody came swinging out of nowhere on a vine, aiming for Trent's hand. Instead, he sailed right past her and slammed into a tree with a dull thud.
"CODY!" Gwen shouted—only to notice the vine now dangled within Lindsay's reach. Gritting her teeth, the blonde grabbed hold and pulled herself free.
"Booyah!" Owen hollered.
The others erupted in cheers, even as Cody staggered to his feet, wheezing.
"Whoa. Hey, thanks, Man," Trent said to Cody trying to pat the boy on the back only for him to fall forward, Trent then turned to Ronnie giving her a relieved smile. "Thanks for trying to help, sorry about the freak out."
"No problem," Ronnie Anne replied, offering her fist. Trent bumped it without hesitation.
"But Cody deserves more credit. You're awesome, dude."
"…I am?" Cody blinked.
Before he knew it, Lindsay flung her arms around him. "My hero! Where did you learn to do that?"
Cody blushed furiously, the blonde's embrace short-circuiting his brain. "Uh—I watch a lot of movies."
Gwen crossed her arms, unimpressed. "This is very touching, guys, but we've still got a challenge to win!"
—————-
The Killer Bass trudged along the right trail, their canoes balanced awkwardly on their shoulders.
Chris – Voiceover
"Just when things were looking up for the Bass…"
Geoff's sandal slipped on a root, and he staggered sideways. His leg brushed against a leafy stalk covered in white flowers and tiny spikes.
Chris – Voiceover
"…disaster struck."
"Ahhh! My leg!" Geoff cried, collapsing to the ground and clutching his calf. He rolled in the dirt dramatically. "I'm down! I'm down! Oh, it's so unfair! Why did this have to happen now? Why? Whyyyyy?!"
The Bass froze, wide-eyed.
"Geoff!" Bridgette gasped.
"You've gotta go on without me!" Geoff wailed.
Courtney crouched nearby, panic in her voice. "What happened?!"
Lincoln dropped to his knees and grabbed Geoff's arm. "Where does it hurt?"
Geoff pointed helplessly at his leg, where tiny welts and little green spikes covered his skin.
Lincoln frowned. "Geoff… did you brush up against any plants?"
"Yeah, it was—" Geoff weakly pointed at the culprit a few feet away, its jagged leaves bristling with stingers.
Lincoln's eyes narrowed. "Crap. That's stinging nettle."
"AM I GONNA DIE?!" Geoff shouted, sending everyone into fresh panic.
Lincoln tightened his grip on Geoff's arms. "You're fine. Your leg's just gonna be numb for a few hours. You got stung a lot, but it's not deadly."
Geoff slumped onto his back, groaning. "Just leave me here… save yourselves, bros."
DJ shook his head fiercely. "We're not leaving any man behind. Not on my watch!"
He hoisted Geoff up in his massive arms, canoe and all, the party boy groaning like he'd just survived a shark attack.
⸻
Geoff – CONFESSIONAL
"I didn't know if I was gonna make it. [inhales] It was touch-and-go."
Lincoln - CONFESSIONAL.
"Stinging nettle sucks to deal with, it's not the worst but if left untreated it can hurt really good.
Bridgette – CONFESSIONAL
"I've seen surfers get eaten by sharks before, but this? This was horrifying."
DJ – CONFESSIONAL
"The man just… kept going. Dude's got heart."
⸻
With Geoff cradled like a wounded soldier, DJ marched forward at full strength, showing once again why he was the brick house of the Bass.
———
The Killer Bass hit the beach first, their canoes crashing against the sand as the team scrambled to unload. They wasted no time, hauling driftwood and stacking rocks into a crude fire pit.
Not long after, the Gophers arrived, tired but determined. Gwen's eyes widened at the sight of their rivals already setting up.
"Crap. They beat us," she muttered.
Lincoln crouched low, striking flint against steel, sparks flying as he tried to coax the fire to life.
Heather narrowed her eyes, barking orders. "The guppies are still building the fire. Let's move, people!"
The Gophers scattered, gathering twigs and branches. Ronnie Anne, lugging an armful of sticks, froze when she noticed smoke rising from the Bass's pit.
"The heck?" she called out.
All eyes turned as Courtney leaned over the Bass's fire, blowing gently on the embers until the flames licked higher.
Heather's jaw dropped. "How did they do that so fast?!"
The answer came in a smug flick of metal. Duncan, leaning casually against a log, snapped open a lighter with a grin. The flame danced in the air, and he held it up for everyone to see.
From his helicopter Chris's voice cut in with mock enthusiasm. "No rule against carrying lighters. Edge: Killer Bass."
The Bass whooped in celebration while the Gophers glared, stuck scrambling to catch up.
——
The Bass and Gophers scurried around the beach, hauling driftwood and snapping off branches to fuel their rescue fires. Beth stumbled across a dense bush and began rummaging through it for more kindling. Instead of twigs, her hand brushed against something hard and strange—a small, grey tiki idol, no more than six inches tall.
The feed cuts back to earlier when Chris was giving the warning.
If you take anything off the island… you'll be cursed forever!
Beth came running up, tilting her head.
What'd I miss?
Canoes, Chris's chimed in.
Beth shrugged. With no clue what she had really found, she stuffed the idol into her pocket and continued gathering branches.
⸻
On the shoreline, Trent was resting after the quicksand ordeal, still brushing sand from his clothes. Cody approached, soda can in hand.
"Thanks for saving my butt, man," Trent said, offering a tired smile.
"Just lookin' out for a fellow Gopher," Cody replied proudly. He cracked the can open with a hiss. "Want a sip?"
Trent eyed the soda warily. "Where'd you even get that?"
Cody grinned sheepishly. "…From my pants. It was part of the picnic thing for Gwen."
Trent grimaced. "Yeah, I'll pass."
Trying to shake off the awkwardness, Cody leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Trent, let's talk. Mano y mano."
Trent raised an eyebrow, but leaned back against the rock. "O-kay. What about?"
"Gwen," Cody said simply. "Look, I've hit on her a bunch of times, but… she's not into me. She's into you."
Trent's face hardened in an instant. He shoved forward, nose-to-nose with Cody, his easy-going persona gone. "If you're lying, I could rearrange your face. You know that, right?"
Cody flinched, holding up his free hand in defense. "Whoa! Dude, buddy, think about it—what do I have to gain from lying to you?"
Trent studied him carefully. Cody wasn't bluffing. His shoulders relaxed and he slumped back against the rock. "…Alright. So what do you think I should do?"
Cody's eyes lit up. "Here's how I'd play it—"
"Ladies," Heather's sharp voice cut through like nails on a chalkboard. She marched up with arms crossed and an annoyed glare. "Are you almost done with your tea party? We're in the middle of a challenge here!"
Both boys glanced at her in annoyance, the fragile moment instantly shattered.
————-
Lincoln pushed through the underbrush, arms already stacked with branches, when he spotted a thick piece of kindling poking out of a bush. He reached forward—only for his hand to close around something soft and warm instead of wood.
"What the—?" Lincoln muttered.
"Huh?" a voice answered.
The two teens froze as Lincoln pulled back the leaves and found Ronnie Anne on the other side of the bush, gathering sticks of her own. Their hands were clasped together. For one long, awkward second, neither of them let go. Then, realizing what happened, they both jerked back with identical blushes.
"Ronnie!" Lincoln stammered.
"Link!" she fired back, her face just as red.
The silence that followed was unbearable. Ronnie Anne scrambled up with her bundle of branches and marched off, too embarrassed to look back.
"Wait—Ronnie!" Lincoln called, but she ignored him, disappearing deeper into the woods.
Lincoln let his arms fall to his sides, his face falling with them. "…Dammit."
From a distance, DJ had seen the whole thing. He walked over carefully, concern written all over his face.
⸻
DJ – Confessional
"Lincoln's been a solid bro since day one, but man… he's going through it. That boy's got major girl problems. Maybe I can help him out."
⸻
"You good, man?" DJ asked gently.
Lincoln sighed, staring at the dirt. "I don't know, dude. Ever since that challenge… she's been distant."
DJ gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't take it personal. She's just processing what Chris put her through."
Lincoln shook his head, frustration flashing in his eyes. "I just… I wanna be there for her. I don't want to be away from her. My last girlfriend, Christina—she was toxic, DJ. She played with me, broke me down. I can't go through that again. And I can't lose Ronnie Anne, either."
The words hit DJ hard. His usual easy smile softened. "You just gotta give it time, man. Girls are like bunnies."
Lincoln blinked, thrown off. "Bunnies?"
"Yeah," DJ explained. "If you're calm, patient, they'll warm up to you. But if you spook 'em, they run. Doesn't mean they don't care—it's just nerves. But they'll always circle back to the ones they really trust."
Lincoln thought on it and, slowly, nodded. "…Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense." He straightened up, gripping his bundle of branches tighter. "Let's get back to work."
The two headed back toward camp, unaware of the figure lurking in the shadows. Heather leaned against a tree, a sly smile curling on her lips. She'd heard every word. And if there was one thing the queen bee loved more than a good scheme—it was fresh ammo.
———
Ronnie Anne trekked back toward the beach, glancing over her shoulder every few steps. Part of her worried Lincoln might be right behind her. Part of her… kind of hoped he would be. She didn't know which was worse.
Too distracted, she wasn't watching her footing.
BUMP.
"Crap. Sor—" Ronnie Anne stopped mid-apology when she saw who she'd run into.
"Uh… h-hey, Ronnie." Bridgette waved meekly, trying to sound casual.
Ronnie Anne stiffened, her shoulders tightening. "…Heyyy, Bridgette. Sorry about the…"
"It's cool," Bridgette interrupted quickly, though her voice wavered. "Just—can we talk?"
Ronnie Anne sighed and set her bundle of sticks down. "About what?"
Bridgette swallowed hard, nerves twisting her stomach. This was the moment. No backing out. "…About Link."
Ronnie Anne's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing, her tone sharpening. "What do you want to say?"
The edge in her voice made Bridgette instinctively reach behind to the waistband of her shorts, remembering Courtney's "hanging wedgie" joke a little too vividly. But she forced herself to breathe deep and pressed on.
"I know you've been mad at Katie for, y'know, clinging all over him," Bridgette said. "But me? I only care about Link as a brother. That's it."
Ronnie Anne's glare softened. She rubbed her eyes, then ran her hands through her hair with a heavy sigh. "…I can't be mad at you."
Bridgette's lips curved into a relieved smile.
"BUT," Ronnie Anne groaned, pacing a few steps, "I just—ugh, this is so stupid."
Bridgette braced herself.
"I'm jealous, okay? Of how much you and Link hang out, how good you two get along. And here I am—acting like some kind of freaking idiot."
With hesitation, Bridgette reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. Ronnie Anne froze, eyes widening at the gentle gesture.
"It's confusing, liking someone," Bridgette said softly. "They might be sweet and caring, but part of your brain makes you think of the worst possibilities. All you can really do is… follow what your heart says."
Ronnie Anne stared at her, searching her face for any trace of sarcasm or trickery. She found none.
"…Follow your heart," she repeated quietly.
Scooping up her bundle of sticks again, she turned and walked back toward the beach, leaving Bridgette watching with worried eyes.
"At least she doesn't hate me," Bridgette muttered under her breath.
———
Ronnie Anne - CONFESSIONAL
Ronnie Anne slouched in the booth, running her hands through her hair with a groan.
"Ugh, this is so dumb. I'm not supposed to get jealous like this, right? But I do. Every time I see Lincoln with Bridgette—or Katie, or whoever—I feel like my chest is gonna explode. He's my best friend. And I don't… I don't wanna lose him over some stupid crush."
She covered her face with both hands and peeked out between her fingers. "I'm such an idiot."
Ronnie Anne grabs her head violently before she kicks her foot forward breaking the camera… again.
⸻
Bridgette - CONFESSIONAL
Bridgette leaned toward the new camera, shoulders still tense.
"That could've gone way worse. Like… way worse. I hate to admit but Ronnie Anne's kinda scary when she's mad, but I think she actually listened to me. At least she knows I'm not trying to steal Lincoln from her. That's the last thing I'd want."
She sighed, shaking her head with a weak smile. "Now, whether she actually talks to him? That's on her."
———
Geoff staggered back to the Bass fire pit with only a couple of thin sticks clutched in his arms. He dropped them onto the pile with a groan, looking exhausted, while the rest of his teammates hauled in much larger branches.
"Got… wood…" he muttered, before collapsing back onto the sand. The fire popped and crackled beside him.
DJ crouched down at once, panic flashing across his face. "Bridgette! You've got first aid training, right? Maybe you could check out Geoff's wounds. He might have gangrene."
Geoff groaned louder, clutching his leg. "Or jungle rot!"
DJ's eyes went wide as he added, "Or athlete's foot!"
Bridgette just stared at the two of them, somewhere between concern and disbelief, as Geoff rolled around dramatically in the sand like a dying soldier.
⸻
DJ - CONFESSIONAL
DJ sat forward in the booth, his massive hands folded like he was sharing a serious secret. "I owed Geoff big time. He helped me get over my fear of water. When I saw him drowning with the ladies earlier, I had to help the dude out."
A small smile broke across his face as he shook his head. "Still… he does play it up a little too much sometimes."
———
Even with the Bass piling on more branches, the fire stubbornly sputtered, its glow barely enough to cast shadows across the sand. From above, Chris's helicopter circled lazily, the faint chop of its blades mocking them.
Courtney wiped sweat from her brow, frustration dripping off every word. "I don't think this is going to be big enough."
DJ's head snapped up like a soldier given orders. "You heard the woman! We need more wood, guys! Come on, let's go!"
The Bass scrambled in all directions, tearing at the undergrowth and grabbing whatever scraps of wood they could. The chaos made Harold panic. His eyes darted around wildly, until they landed on the team's canoe oars.
"Wood's wood!" he blurted, and before anyone could stop him, he snatched up the paddles and tossed them straight into the flames.
The fire flared briefly, spitting sparks into the air. The team froze in stunned silence, jaws dropping in unison as the reality of what Harold had just done sank in.
"Harold!" Bridgette shrieked, clutching her head. "How are we supposed to get home now?!"
Lincoln lunged forward, his face twisted with disbelief as he pointed at the burning oars. "What in the actual hell, dude?!"
The whole team could only stare in horror as the oars crackled and burned, the fire greedily devouring their only way back across the water.
———
On the Gophers' side of the beach, Izzy bounded forward like an eager child, proudly holding something that looked like a glowing lump of amber sap.
"This ought to do the trick!" she announced, her eyes wide and manic. "It's a handmade fire starter I made from some tree sap and saved!"
Across the beach, Lincoln caught sight of the blob and his blood ran cold. He jumped to his feet, shouting before she could move.
"Izzy, don't use that!"
Heather's lip curled in a mocking smirk. "Scared you'll lose the challenge, albino?"
Lincoln's eyes were frantic as he shook his head. "I'm scared of that fire starter! They only need to be the size of a golf ball — one big enough would have the blast radius of a bomb!"
Both teams froze. The Gophers collectively backed away from Izzy, who grinned like she'd just been handed a microphone at a rock concert.
"You best believe that, sweet six-pack of yours, Linky," Izzy chirped. "Stand back, guys. This is gonna be big."
Nobody needed to be told twice. Bass and Gophers alike scrambled away, ducking behind whatever they could find as Izzy hurled the massive fire starter onto the pile of kindling.
Everyone dove for cover.
KA-THOOOOOOOOM!!!
A thunderous boom rocked the beach, sending everyone sprawling into the sand. Chris's voice echoed cheerfully over the chaos in his helicopter "Whee-hee-hee! We have our fire-building winner! Point for the Gophers!"
Izzy stood in the middle of the smoldering fire pit, her face and hair blackened with soot, grinning proudly.
Heather blinked at her. "Where did you learn to do that?"
"Oh, you know," Izzy said breezily, brushing ash from her tank top. "I spent a summer training with the reserves. Yeah, I got into some trouble there and, like, blew up the kitchen by accident, which is why the RCMP is, like, still all over my butt. I am so totally AWOL!"
Her frantic story left most of the Gophers staring at her like she was a live grenade. Ronnie Anne muttered under her breath, "Eres un psicópata."
Izzy's soot-streaked grin widened. "Haha. Suenas igual que mi terapeuta."
Ronnie Anne's eyes went wide, the blood draining from her face.
⸻
Ronnie Anne – CONFESSIONAL
"If I die or go missing on this island… safe to say Izzy is responsible."
———-
At the canoes, the Gophers began boarding for the return trip. Cody, still buzzing with pride over his earlier rescue stunt, stepped forward with a plan.
"Guys, since you're both a bit shaken from the whole quicksand thing, we should split you up," he said with uncharacteristic confidence. "How 'bout I go with Lindsay and Beth, Ronnie Anne can partner with Leshawna and Izzy, and Gwen can paddle back with Trent?"
Trent's face lit up at the suggestion, his usual laid-back grin turning grateful. "Sounds cool."
Gwen followed him to their canoe, shooting Cody a big smile — the kind of genuine, thankful look that made him stand a little taller.
Ronnie Anne, surprised but impressed, gave Cody a light punch to the shoulder. "Not bad, dude."
Cody puffed up with pride, grinning like he'd just pulled off the best play of the season. For once, he wasn't just the geek chasing girls — he'd been a real teammate.
——-
Over on the Bass side, things were looking grim.
"What are we gonna do without paddles?" Bridgette asked, panic edging into her voice.
No one had an answer — until Izzy piped up from the Gophers' canoe. She, Ronnie Anne and Leshawna were shoving their boat into the water when Izzy turned with a manic grin.
"You guys could just get someone to swim behind the boats and push them!" she chirped. "I did that once for this huge, like, sixty-foot yacht. The whole crew had to flutter-kick for, like, eight days to get to shore. And, like, four of us got eaten by sharks." She laughed brightly, eyes wide. "Not me, though. Totally insane! Okay, later! AHH!"
Leshawna shoved their canoe off quickly, muttering under her breath to shut Izzy up before she could help the other team even more.
But the idea stuck. Geoff's eyes lit up. "That might work!"
Bridgette turned to her teammates, latching onto the desperate spark of hope. "We need someone big enough to push all the canoes back. DJ, you're the only one strong enough!"
Geoff's expression dropped instantly. "You can't ask him to do that! Dude can't swim!"
"Geoff, I know you're friends, but DJ's the only chance we've got!" Bridgette pressed.
Courtney folded her arms, sharp as ever. "She's right. Those skinny arms aren't going to cut it." She grabbed Harold's arm for emphasis, and the poor guy shrank back, staring at the sand.
"I'll do it," Geoff blurted, trying to stand tall despite the sting in his leg.
Bridgette gasped. "You can't swim with that kind of injury! You're— you're horribly disfigured!"
Lincoln crouched down beside DJ, who was frozen with uncertainty. Lincoln met his eyes, steady and calm. "I'll do it," he said, peeling off his shirt in one smooth motion. Katie practically swooned, eyes locked on his torso until he tossed the shirt aside.
"I can get us across," Lincoln promised.
Courtney stepped forward, refusing to even look at Lincoln's muscles. "We don't need definition, we need raw power — and DJ's the only one who's got it."
DJ's hands clenched into fists. His chest rose with a deep breath as he finally stepped forward, his expression hardening with resolve. "I can do this," he said. "I have to."
⸻
DJ — Confessional
"It was all up to me. I needed to swim like a Killer Bass should. No wedgie flop was gonna stand in my way this time."
⸻
Geoff wrapped an arm around him, grinning with pride. "That is one brave man."
DJ smiled back, more determined than ever. Katie clapped from the sidelines — though her eyes lingered on Lincoln's abs until he pulled his shirt back on, snapping her out of it.
——-
All the Bass piled into the top canoe, stacking two more beneath it as DJ pushed them across the lake with every ounce of strength he had. The sight left the Gophers wide-eyed as Geoff pumped his fist in the air.
"DJ! DJ! DJ! DJ!" Geoff chanted, with the rest of the Bass joining in.
Chris squinted from the dock, trying to process what he was seeing. "You've gotta be kidding me…"
With one last massive push, DJ rocketed the canoes straight onto the beach. Unfortunately, the momentum launched both boats — and the campers — flying over Chris's head in a spectacular crash. But they had made it to shore first, canoes intact.
"The Bass are the winners!" Chris shouted.
The Killer Bass erupted in cheers while the Gophers dragged themselves to shore, sore and defeated. Leshawna's face twisted with rage.
"You cost us the game! You are dead!" she roared at Izzy.
Izzy grinned cockily. "You're so lucky my license to kill is expired."
Her grin faded fast when Leshawna brandished an oar and gave chase, Izzy shrieking as she bolted down the beach.
Ronnie Anne slipped off her life jacket, chuckling at the chaos, but her eyes wandered until they landed on Lincoln. He looked dazed from the crash, but as his gaze found hers, he smiled. Ronnie Anne waved. Lincoln waved back.
She started to walk toward him… only for Katie to bound into frame, wrapping her arms around him.
"That island was, like, soooo scary," Katie gushed. "You should totally hang out with me~!"
Ronnie Anne's jaw clenched. "Estúpida perra cabeza airsa… lo voy a hacer…" she muttered under her breath.
Nearby, Cody had been watching. This went against every code he lived by — but some things called for exceptions. He grabbed an oar, angled it just right, and "tripped" over a rock.
"Whoops!"
The oar flew in a perfect arc, clonking Katie on the head. She toppled forward with a squeal.
"Oh my gosh, Katie! I'm so sorry!" Cody rushed over dramatically. "Let me take you to the infirmary." He shot Ronnie Anne a discreet thumbs up behind Katie's back.
⸻
Cody — Confessional
"A man should never hurt a girl." He pressed a hand over his heart, eyes solemn. "But always help a friend. And homewreckers…" His lips curled into a smirk. "…get wrecked."
⸻
Ronnie Anne — Confessional
"Cody has officially gone from total dork to cool dork." She smirked. "But I'm not confirming that rumor for him. Ever."
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Ronnie Anne finally reached Lincoln. He blinked, still confused by the Katie situation, but turned to her with a small smile.
"H-hey, Ronnie," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "How are you doing?"
"Better than I was," she admitted, cheeks pink. "How about you?"
"I'm good… actually, hey, do you wanna hang out later? I, uh… snuck a couple of 3DS's. I've got Ruby and Sapphire."
Ronnie Anne's eyes lit up. "Dude! We've been here, like, a month, and you're only telling me now? Yes!"
The two walked off together, side by side, while Trent, Gwen, Bridgette, and DJ watched from the sidelines, all smiles.
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Bridgette — Confessional
"They are so cute together."
DJ — Confessional
"Now to wait and see. Hey, Momma, I'm like Cupid out here. Ha!"
————
Night had fallen once again. Ten campers sat on the stumps, but by the end of the night, only nine would remain.
Awooooo!
a wolf's howl echoed across the island, a grim omen of the night.
Chris strolled out with his usual smug grin. "And now, the always anxiety-inducing Marshmallow Ceremony. When I call your name, come and get a marshmallow."
The Gophers sat in tense silence—everyone except Heather, who lounged casually on her stump like she owned the place.
"Beth."
Beth gasped in relief and bounded up for her marshmallow.
"Trent."
The guitarist clutched his chest, exhaling hard before walking up.
"Gwen."
The goth girl sighed and rose. Trent gave her a grateful look as she joined him.
"Cody."
The tech geek practically collapsed in relief, clutching his marshmallow like it was treasure.
"Ronnie Anne."
She got up smoothly, tossing her marshmallow into her mouth without hesitation.
"Owen."
The big guy peeked out from behind his hands, then cheered when he realized he was safe.
"Heather."
The queen bee sauntered up, plucking her marshmallow with a smug smirk.
"Leshawna."
The sister with attitude smirked in triumph and strutted up to claim hers.
Chris looked down at the last marshmallow. "One left. One of you will not return. One of you will walk the Dock of Shame… and take a ride on the Boat of Losers. Who's it gonna be—"
Before he could finish, the heavy whirl of helicopter blades thundered overhead. Searchlights swept across camp.
RCMP Guard (megaphone): "Izzy! We know you're down there! You are under arrest!"
The campers all stared in shock. Chris's jaw actually dropped. Leshawna was the first to break the silence.
"You mean all that trash you were talking was true?"
Izzy grinned ear to ear. "No. Just the RCMP part. See ya! You'll never take me alive!"
She bolted for the woods, laughing maniacally as the helicopters swung around and gave chase.
Chris blinked, completely thrown off. "Well. That wraps that up. Night, everyone."
The Gophers just sat in stunned silence. No one could process what they'd just seen.
Ronnie Anne rubbed her temple. "This island keeps getting weirder."
The rest of the team nodded in unison. On that, there was no argument.
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The night had settled over Camp Wawanakwa, calm and still—at least until the sound of rustling came from inside the Gopher cabin.
Cody sat up, fluffing his old, lumpy pillow, when his hand brushed against something smooth and unfamiliar. He pulled it out, blinking at the black fabric hanging between his fingers.
A bra.
He stared at it for a beat, then grinned.
"Nice."
Across the room, Owen peeked over from his bunk, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Is that… a bra?" he asked, a sleepy chuckle in his voice.
"You know it!" Cody declared proudly, holding it up like a trophy. "And you know what that means. Enjoy dish duty, my good man."
Owen tilted his head, realizing the implication. "Wait… you mean it belongs to—?"
But Cody just smirked, wagging a finger. "A gentleman never kisses and tells."
Cut to the dock.
The moonlight shimmered across the quiet lake, painting silver streaks over the water. Gwen sat beside Trent at the edge of the dock, their legs dangling just above the surface. Neither said a word, simply soaking in the peaceful night.
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Inside the Bass cabin, the peaceful night was broken by the sharp crash of shattering glass.
Bridgette winced as she knelt beside the mess. "Ugh… anyone got glue?"
Courtney glanced up from her bunk with a smirk. "Please. I wouldn't waste my time trying to fix that."
Bridgette gathered the pieces carefully, turning the broken frame over in her hands. "Maybe I would."
Despite everything, she found herself smiling faintly. The picture — Geoff's dorky handmade gift — had grown on her more than she wanted to admit.
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Outside, laughter drifted through the night.
Lincoln and Ronnie Anne sat on the steps, their 3DS screens glowing faintly in the dark.
"I thought we agreed — no legendaries this round!" Lincoln protested, narrowing his eyes.
Ronnie Anne grinned. "Oh, you wanna bring that up? No mega evolutions either! You're just salty my Groudon one-shotted your Electivire. And if legendaries are off-limits, then so are pseudo-legendaries like your Salamence."
Lincoln stuck his tongue out. "Jealous that mine's a shiny."
Ronnie Anne shoved him playfully, laughing despite herself. The tension between them melted away under the quiet night sky. For a while, it was just the two of them — no drama, no fears — only the simple joy of hanging out like they used to.
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Across the camp, the mood was far less peaceful.
In the Gopher cabin, Beth flipped through a magazine, the eerie tiki idol from Boney Island resting beside her pillow.
KRRAAA-THOOOM!
A thunderclap split the sky, rattling the windows and casting a flash of white light across her face.
Beth blinked, clutching the idol a little tighter. Outside, the wind picked up, howling through the trees like a warning.
Whether it was coincidence or curse… no one could say for sure.