The Survivor - Twelve/Thirteen (866 hits)
Category: GeneralLabels: The_Survivor
Rating: 2 on 16 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <brdn_nkd.at.yahoo.com> (View user info) at 2004-10-17 10:07:35 EDT
Part 1 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/47397
Part 2 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/47534
Part 3 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/47688
Part 4 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/47784
Part 5 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/47955
Part 6 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/48120
Part 7/8 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/48263
Part 9 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/48399
Part 10/11 - http://www.ubersite.com/m/48513
Twelve
I cried for a few minutes after the TV blinked off and found that I had to turn it back on. I have to see how they present the murder of fifteen innocent people. Having finished the introduction, there were now scenes of us working to build our shelter. This quickly changed to show our various "teams" working on their tasks. I see Paulette and I walking along a beautiful stretch of beach, if I hadn't been there I would think it the most perfect setting to be with a woman shaped like her. I see myself catching Paulette as she jumps into my arms. Now we're surveying the landscape below us from the peak in the middle of the island. As the scene changes to me walking back to camp by myself Jeff's voice comes on and says; "Paulette was disqualified from the competition for attacking the crew."
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thirteen
I returned to camp that night alone, scared, and tired. I haven't walked so far in one stretch in a very long time. I joined the remainder of the group around the fire pit Dane and Chris built. Everyone wanted to know where Paulette was. I told them about our day, everything we found and what happened. I told them I didn't think Paulette would be coming back. Nobody reacted very strongly; I think we'd all built some wall against our emotions to prevent a full breakdown. One by one our group crept into our shelter to sleep for the night until just Gina and I were sitting there. She came around the pit and sat next to me putting one arm around me. I leaned closer to her and fought, unsuccessfully, against the tears in my eyes. She held me until I fell asleep right there, exhaustion overcoming me.
I woke the next morning wrapped in blankets with Gina lying next to me. No one else was awake yet so I quietly got up and walked out to the beach. Half an hour later I walked back to camp and discovered that we had "tree mail". A cute phrase that wasn't all that cute given our situation. I pulled the scroll out of our mailbox, sat down next to the fire again, and waited for everyone else to come out of their slumber.
"You've been through a lot in these past few days,
strength and intelligence will take you a long ways.
Today starts with a challenge most extreme,
Come to the cliffs and come as a team."
Todd pipes up with "screw that! I am not their bitch to order around, I refuse to play their game anymore!"
We all knew where that would get Todd and all of us clamored to talk him out of his rebellious attitude. He came with us reluctantly as we made our way to the cliffs on the map below the poem.
We arrived at the cliffs and saw Jeff and the camera crew waiting for us. They were filming us as we walked toward them and when we were close enough changed the view of the camera to include Jeff. He began his introduction to the challenge:
"Good morning! I hope you're all rested because today's challenge will be a tough one. You'll notice that a boundary has been marked on this side of the river; you will not be able to leave this boundary while the challenge is under way. You're job is to get everyone to the other side of the river using only what you have with you or what you can find within the boundary. Completing the challenge will earn each of you a hot shower and a catered meal, if you fail to complete the challenge all of the blankets in your camp will be removed. Good luck"
The boundary was very small. It was about ten feet deep from the edge of the cliffs, and about fifteen feet wide. The divide from one side of the river to the other was about twelve feet with about a thirty-foot drop to the rocky river below. The other side was slightly lower in elevation and like this side was open and clear of obstruction. There were no materials on this side that would be of much use, small vegetation and loose rocky soil. Dane suggested that we all sit down and talk out the problem, so we sat in a loose circle and began our deliberations.
Todd: "I don't want to do this guys, let's just forfeit, this is stupid and dangerous."
Denny: "Look, none of us wants to do this but I don't think we have a choice, you have to stow that attitude so we can overcome this challenge, we can't go without the blankets, the nights are too cool."
Gina: "He's right Todd, besides this shouldn't be too difficult, we can figure it out."
So we did, we came up with a plan to get everyone across relatively safely. The first part would be the riskiest, most dangerous and, for those that were part of it, the scariest part of our plan. Those first four to cross would run at the edge of the cliffs and jump. As they neared the edge they had to reach out both arms so that Denny and I, the strongest members of the group, could grab their arms and catapult them as they jumped. We tried a few dry runs and it seemed like it should work pretty well.
Gina was the first to cross, she was the smallest of the group so Denny and I could almost have thrown her across without her own momentum helping her along. She ran to us, reached out and then jumped. We grabbed her arms and swung forward to propel her out over the divide. She landed on the other side in a roll and then was on her feet. She stood up; "Woo! That was fun! No problem!"
Rachel was next and although she was not as entertained and excited as Gina when she reached the other side it went well and she was over safely. Dane went next, as he ran towards the edge, arms outstretched, he stumbled, Denny and I slung him forward as hard as we could. He hit the edge of the cliffs on the other side with his legs hung out over the ledge. He scrambled for something to grab onto but only came up with rocks and dirt. Gina and Rachel Dove for him immediately and each grabbed an arm. The three of them working together were able to pull Dane up over the ledge and onto safe ground.
Chris was supposed to go next but after Dane's near miss we all decided we would see if the next part of our plan could be accomplished by the three that had already made it. As we sat and planned we noted that the boundary on that side of the river was far more generous in size and included a lot of deadfall. Dane, Rachel, and Gina went in search of a log long enough to span the divide, strong enough to support our weight, and light enough for them to move. Just a few minutes later we could hear them talking, and grunting with effort before we saw them rolling a log out into the clearing. It looked perfect. They cleared all the branches to leave about a fourteen-foot log about eight inches in diameter. What might have been obvious to others became apparent to all then, they had had a hard time getting this log into the clearing, now we had to try to position it across the divide. Their end was lower so sliding it across, assuming they could support the weight, was definitely not going to work. Chris suggested we make a rope to help pull it across and to make the elevation change. The five of us still needing to cross took off our belts and started connecting them using the buckles to interlock and tying the remained of the tail end around the belt adjacent to it. Overlapping this way our belts only made about nine feet, Dane threw his belt across so we were able to add another two feet but we were still short. Rachel wasn't wearing a belt and when Amy threw hers across it didn't quite make it, tumbling into the water below. We needed at least another five feet so that when we threw it back to them there would be enough extra to catch then tie onto the end of the log. I gave up the sweatshirt I was wearing and Amy gave hers. When we had everything tied together we tried throwing it across. The first few times we came up short but on the fourth throw Dane was able to catch the end of it. Dane added his jacket to the end of our chain and tied it around the log. Dane, Rachel, and Gina started pushing the log out across the span and we pulled. Our rope of belts and clothes was stretching but otherwise seemed to be holding fine. We pulled the log out and up until we could rest about a foot of it on our edge of the cliff. We regained our miscellaneous belts and clothing and then prepared to move the rest of the group across. Gina, Rachel and Dane held their side of the log to keep it steady and I held our end until everyone but me was across. With Denny and Dane holding the log down on their end I began to cross. The log tried to roll a couple of times but Denny and Dane held tight, being the largest member of the group I was the only one the log protested under. I could hear the wood creaking and groaning and just as I reached for the edge of the cliff could feel it slipping out from under me as the opposite end of the log began to slide off the cliff. Denny and Dane grabbed me, and pull me forward as the log tumbled into the ravine.
Jeff: "Congratulations on completing the first challenge. The Outback Steakhouse will provide dinner, and you will each be allowed a ten-minute shower. Go back to camp and wait for me to come get you."
We walked back to camp proud that we had conquered their challenge and looking forward to a dinner more substantial than what we'd been eating the last few days.
User Reviews
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2007-09-22 10:44:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by FilthyAssistant (user info) at 2006-09-26 16:05:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It pisses me off that I keep forgetting to finish this series because I'm really enjoying it. I wish I had it printed out in one continuous stream. I don't suppose you've got it in one big text file, have you?
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-04-19 05:57:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
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Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2005-12-15 02:48:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
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Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2005-11-03 16:57:10 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Sweet, the first 13 parts got me to 5 o'clock! I might take a break from Noir to read up on your stuff.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-11-03 16:51:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
RyuFu, Glad you decided to read now. Any constructive criticism is welcome. I know there are definately problems in a few places but overall I'm pretty happy with the way this came out. Now I just wish I could start another.
What kind of band are you in? What instrument? I miss my band every day, such a great time in my life.
Thanks for reading. B
Submitted by Wrightcopy (user info) at 2005-09-08 13:08:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
A part of me is anxious, thinking that they aren't actually going to get their dinner and shower or something awful.
I'm anxious from reading this, yes. It's that good.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-06-29 19:48:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
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Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2005-03-01 13:46:09 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
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Submitted by Ed_0150 (user info) at 2005-01-20 22:25:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
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Submitted by Fleury75 (user info) at 2005-01-09 14:57:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
excellent; keep it coming
Submitted by jack11058 (user info) at 2004-11-26 11:56:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
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Submitted by JinkyWilliams (user info) at 2004-11-02 14:50:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Stay orange.
--JW
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2004-11-01 06:59:47 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You get the idea...
Submitted by wookie (user info) at 2004-10-18 10:41:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
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Submitted by zakalwe (user info) at 2004-10-17 10:38:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
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