Chapter 15
I wake up to the gentle sound of the waves, the beautiful tweeting of the birds – and Ozzy, staring straight at me.
I sit up in bed, quickly, because for a second my brain can’t make sense of the world. Then I remember where I am, what’s going on – that I’m on a reality show, sleeping on the beach, in a bikini that – oh, thank God, it’s still covering all my bits and pieces.
I can just hear the voiceover now – Day three on the island, and Ozzy is watching Cleo snore.
‘Good morning,’ he says, flashing me that winning smile.
‘Morning,’ I reply, desperately trying to smooth out my hair. ‘Have you been awake long?’
‘A couple of hours,’ he says casually. ‘I like a morning run, so I did a few lengths of the beach. This place really is deserted, you know?’
Oh, I know.
He looks annoyingly fresh for someone who has been sweating back and forth across the sand. He just looks so… alive! I don’t know how I’m going to achieve that without a coffee and a shower.
‘Yikes,’ I say. ‘At least we have the cameras looking out for us.’
‘Yeah, seems kind of odd, that they’ve moved production off the island,’ he replies. ‘I saw the old studio building. That’s where the luxury suite is, right? I hope they still have that.’
I know that they do.
‘I hope so too,’ I say with a smile.
‘We’ve had a delivery for breakfast,’ he says. ‘Grapes, bananas, pineapple…’
‘Sounds great,’ I say – but it sounds like fruit. Just fruit. A waffle and some Nutella to go with it would be spot on.
Before I can move, the loudspeaker crackles to life – the voice of the island that always makes me jump. I wonder if I’ll get used to it, or if I’ll be back off dry land by then… which feels like a weird thing to say.
‘Good morning, islanders!’ it booms. ‘Just a quick update – weather conditions may not be ideal later today. If the wind picks up, you are permitted entry to the storm shelter. Please follow safety instructions if required.’
I tense up.
‘Do they have a sponsorship deal with an insurance company?’ Ozzy jokes.
I laugh but I’m worried. They’re not going to let the storm get to us, are they? Not that they can stop it but they have a duty of care to us, to protect us…
‘Here’s hoping it’s a luxury shelter,’ I say, knowing full well it isn’t.
‘Morning,’ Lockie says, placing a hand on my shoulder. ‘Are you worried about the storm?’
‘We were just having a joke about it,’ Ozzy tells him. ‘We’re good.’
Ozzy gives him a look. Not quite aggressive, but enough to say hands off my partner.
Lockie catches it, smirks, and moves the convo along.
‘I’m sure we’ll all weather the storm together,’ Lockie says.
‘I saw the shelter, on my run,’ Ozzy replies. ‘It’s basically a hole in the floor with a hatch. Not big. But I reckon it’ll do the job, if push comes to shove.’
‘Guns like that, you could punch it away, surely?’ Lockie jokes. ‘But I’m sure we’ll be fine. How bad can the weather be? We’re in paradise.’
I glance down the beach, where the sea glitters under the sun.
It’s hard to believe anything bad could happen here – but there’s something about the stillness, the heavy air, it feels…
off. It’s the kind of quiet that, on TV, is always followed by a jump scare or, on a show like this, a surprise recoupling.
‘I really hope you’re right,’ I say quietly.
Lockie grins.
‘I’m always right.’
I give him a look that says you wish.
He laughs and heads off, probably to get some water. I know I could do with a gallon.
‘He doesn’t know what he’s talking about,’ Ozzy says when he’s gone. ‘I’ve participated in enough survival shows to know you never underestimate Mother Nature.’
‘We’re lucky to have you,’ I tell him. Well, we are. It’s rare someone takes part who is into this sort of survival stuff.
‘I’ve got your back,’ he reassures me. ‘We’re a couple.’
It’s weird, to be in a couple – with Ozzy, who chose me, not Lockie, who was under orders to pick me.
I’m not here to take part, am I, so it’s not like I wanted to be chosen…
and yet, I don’t know, it’s hard not to feel something – some kind of way, as the contestants would say – about being picked first.
I’m only human, so somewhere, deep inside, I do think about what it would be like if I were actually participating, what I’d do, and if I could win. But then I remember that I wouldn’t win, how could I, up against reality stars. I’m no one – and I’d rather leave than stick around and win…
Although I do have insider info, I know how the show works, what viewers like… but I’m not here to win, I’m here to lose. And the sooner the better.