Chapter 7 #2
The challenge area has been completely redone since we were last here a couple of days ago, to the point that I almost wonder if the motorboat took us to a different island.
Gone are all the obstacles from the last challenge; in their place are two contraptions, one painted blue and one purple.
Each setup has a net suspended from four poles, one at each corner.
Just beyond those are sixteen more poles, again half blue and half purple and about ten feet high with flat tops, in a single horizontal line.
The entire thing takes up maybe a quarter of the space that the previous challenge did.
I almost—almost—feel bad for the production crew, who must have worked all day in the rain to get everything done.
At least they could go to their base camp, eat some hot food, and sleep indoors.
As with the previous challenge, Neema and Steve have us march into the area single file, with Katie leading and holding our tribe flag.
This time, however, the other tribe goes in before us, and we wait until they’re settled before entering.
“Sika, getting your first look at the new Meru,” Alex says as we reach our mat and plant our flag.
“Ashley voted out at the last tribal council.”
There are some muted gasps and exclamations from the other tribe at Alex’s proclamation. I assume their shock is for the cameras, because it’s not like they have any idea what our dynamics are like or why we’d vote out any one person over the others.
“Let’s get to today’s challenge,” Alex continues.
“Once again, you are playing for immunity. Sika, I’ll take back the idol.
” Mustache hands the idol back to him, and he places it on a podium to his left.
“You’re also playing for reward. I’m sure you all remember the ship from the very first day, when you were divided into tribes.
The winner of today’s challenge will send two members of their tribe to ‘plunder’ that ship.
We’ve stocked the hold with some items that you might have found in a real merchant vessel that plied these waters; your choices range from food to tools to luxury items, like blankets and pillows.
Each person will be able to take either two small items or one large item.
Some will be more tempting than others, but I promise you they’re all useful.
Sound like something worth playing for?” He pauses while we clap and cheer.
“All right, then I’ll explain today’s challenge.
“First, two members of each tribe will work together to untie a series of knots, which will cause sandbags to release from the net. Then, each member of your tribe must throw a sandbag and land it on top of one of the eight poles behind me, in whatever order you like. However, if you accidentally knock another tribe member’s bag off their pole, that person must go again until they’ve landed their bag a second time.
The first team to have all eight members land their bags wins.
” He points to the other tribe. “Sika, you have one extra member, so someone will sit out. Who’s it going to be? ”
The other tribe confers for a moment, and the frizzy-haired woman raises her hand. “Alina, sitting out of the challenge,” Alex continues, gesturing for her to sit on a small bench off to the side. “The rest of you, get in position, and we’ll get started.”
As with the previous challenge, Neema and Steve walk both tribes through everything before it actually starts.
This one is fairly simple, at least compared to the last one, so it goes rather quickly.
After answering our questions, they give us a moment to choose who will untie the knots in the first part of the challenge.
Since they did a good job with that in the last challenge, we decide on Joe and Marina this time with a minimum of fuss.
Shortly, we’re all ready to start, and Alex waits for the all-clear from Neema. Once he gets it, he raises his hand and says, “Castaways: ready … set … GO!”
As soon as he says the last word, Joe and Marina sprint to the net weighed down with sandbags and begin untying knots, as do two of the Sikas.
Both groups work quickly, but it looks like they’re evenly matched.
Alex narrates and exhorts the four knot workers, but it’s more irritating than helpful, and I tune him out so I can focus on watching the challenge.
After what feels like forever, but is probably only a minute or two, Marina and Joe finish the knots, and the purple sandbags fall from the net into a wooden crate.
The two of them sprint back to the mat, and Beck runs forward, picking up a sandbag as he goes.
The other tribe follows close behind, and Green Hat goes to throw his own bag.
It only takes Beck four or five throws to land his bag on the left-most purple pole, but unfortunately, Green Hat lands his a few seconds behind.
Marina runs up to take Beck’s place, then Rhonda, then Jing.
Each of them takes a few tries to get it, with Rhonda in particular struggling a bit, but they get it done.
The other tribe matches us, bag for bag; sometimes they land it first and sometimes we do, but the lead is never more than one at any given time.
The closest we come to pulling away is when Joe lands his bag on the second try, but Katie, who follows him, has a few close misses, allowing Sika a chance to catch up.
Meanwhile, my heart beats even faster. Everyone else has done pretty well, meaning that if I mess up, it might cost us the challenge.
Finally, Katie lands her bag, giving us a six-to-five lead, and I run out there, my heart pounding. As I approach the line, Mustache lands his bag, tying us once again.
Taking a deep breath, I toss my sandbag in the air; it comes close to the top of the pole but doesn’t quite reach it.
For my second throw, I overcompensate, sending it sailing over the top of the pole and coming down the other side, costing precious seconds as I have to run around the pole to pick up the bag and come back across the line.
My third and fourth throws are closer, but not on target, and anxiety begins to close in on me.
Come on, you can do this! The fifth attempt grazes the top of the pole but falls off again almost immediately.
My teammates scream encouragement, but I tune them out.
My hands sweating, I fight down a rising feeling of panic as I pick up the sandbag and run back to the start. We can’t lose because of me!
But then, just as I’m about to make my next attempt, there are groans from the other tribe, and I quickly steal a glance over to my left.
It takes a moment to realize what I’m seeing, but when I do, it’s all I can do not to laugh out loud.
The Sikas are down to five bags again, and there are two on the ground, about five feet apart.
Their seventh thrower, the young Black woman I noticed in the previous challenge, must have hit another pole with one of her throws, knocking her teammate’s bag off.
I’d feel bad for her if I didn’t want to win so badly.
With a start, I realize that I’m wasting precious time, and that I still need to land my own bag if I want to win.
A sense of calm descends over me, and I turn back to my task.
Focus, Ryan. I take another deep breath, then throw the sandbag again.
It arcs through the air, almost seeming to move in slow motion, and lands directly on the top of the pole, right where I was aiming.
For a bare second, I almost can’t believe I did it, and I just stare at the pole, unmoving. Then I remember that we’re not quite done yet, and I turn and run back to the mat and my cheering tribemates. I did it!
As soon as my foot touches the purple, Cole sprints past me in the other direction, grabbing his sandbag and stepping up to the line.
As he does, a feeling of weightlessness starts deep within my chest, spreading out to the rest of my body, like I’m walking on the moon.
Meanwhile, Cole squares his wide shoulders, determination written like poetry in the way he stands, as though he’s a sculptor’s masterpiece come to life.
“You can do it, Cole!” I scream. “I believe in you!”
He doesn’t turn around—I don’t want him to, I’d rather he focus on winning the challenge for us—but I think he perks up just a little, stands a little straighter than before. Then he throws the sandbag underhand, and it rises in a perfect arc and lands on the very center of the pole.