"The next part of the challenge will focus on building a hot tub. What does that mean? Well, you guys can use crates...which you have to push or carry to the cabins. Then, once you get there, you have about 2 hours to build the hot tub. Whoever likes their hot tub better wins...period. And the losers meet me at the campfire celebration. Now, since the Screaming Grounders won, they have extra tools to pull and push the crates. And...since all the Screaming Grounders jumped in, they have a five-minute advantage," Chris said.
The gophers cheered as they saw several carts loaded with various crates, and Ezekiel was one of the few who helped push the large cart toward the cabins. Beth was there, helping Ezekiel out, and Cody was helping out.
"Dude, I can't believe we're winning right now. This is so cool, dude," Cody said.
"Well, it sure is, eh," Ezekiel said.
"Hey, does anyone have a song they want to sing?" Owen suddenly suggested.
"How about… 99 bottles of soda on the wall, 99 bottles of soda," Trent began.
Suddenly, the entire gopher team started singing, and Ezekiel was enjoying it.
Thirty minutes later…
The Screaming Grounders reached the huts, and Ezekiel was panting from the hard work he'd put into the team. But now they had more work to do, since they still had to build the hot tub to win the challenge.
"Okay, that's how we're going to do it," Heather began.
"Excuse me? Who asked you to do this?" Leshawna asked.
"Because I know how to do it. I've been leading people longer than you can count."
"Oh, shit, no, I didn't follow some two-faced, backstabbing figure like him."
"Leshawna… maybe this is the right move. Sure, I know it's bad for people, but she might be our best chance at winning," Noah said.
"I don't know…" Trent said.
"Well, I don't think she should. It's not like she's done anything to help," Gwen said.
"But Holly is confident… and that means she knows," Lindsay said.
"Yeah, exactly what she said," Beth said.
"Hey, relax, ladies, it's not the end of the world," Cody said.
Ezekiel was in a tough spot… should he let Heather lead the group… or should someone else take over?
Ezekiel sighed and walked over.
"Um, maybe Heather should run this… I mean, if she says she knows what she's doing, then she should run it," Ezekiel said.
Heather smiled as Ezekiel looked at her nervously.
"Okay, first we need the drawings for the hot tub. Goth girl and Leshawna can go over it to make sure everything is in order. Then we need people to put the hot tub together properly. Owen, Beth, and Ezekiel will do that. Next we need to put water in; everyone can line up so we can add it in an organized manner. Finally, the electronics to heat the hot tub are coming up—Cody and Noah will handle that. Everyone else can help if needed. Okay? Let's go then," Heather said firmly.
Ezekiel went over to help Beth and Owen, noticing Heather standing over the others, watching for any trouble.
"Um, she's the leader, right?" Ezekiel asked.
"Yeah, I guess… but I don't really mind, at least it gives us something to do," Beth said.
"Dreamy…" Owen sighed.
"Dude, are you staring at Justin?" Ezekiel asked.
"What? Oh, no… just… doing my job, putting things together, that's all. It's just… so cool," Owen replied.
"Um… I don't see the appeal in it."
As Ezekiel worked with Owen and Beth, he noticed the Killer Cichlid walking toward the cabins. They looked much worse than their team. He saw Sadie and Katie scratching their behinds, discovered rashes on them, and noticed that Courtney's eyes were almost swollen shut as she glared at him. Ezekiel tried to ignore her and continued to help Beth and Owen.
Two hours later…
Both the Killer Bass and the Screaming Grubs had been working on the hot tub for hours, and they were finally finished. Ezekiel looked at his team's hot tub… and was amazed at how well it had turned out. The bubbles were coming quickly, showing off Noah and Cody's skill and knowledge. He then glanced at the Killer Bass' hot tub… and it didn't look so good. The planks didn't fit in several places, there were leaks, and Ezekiel saw Chris inspecting both hot tubs.
"Well… it's obvious that the Screaming Grubs won. You're safe from today's vote. As for the Killer Bass…" Chris said.
As he spoke, the Killer Bass' hot tub collapsed, the planks breaking off, and water gushing out onto the grass, accompanied by disgruntled expressions on the faces of several of the team members.
"Yeah… I'll see you tonight," Chris said, then walked away.
The Screaming Gophers all started celebrating. Ezekiel looked at Noah, who nodded in approval. Lindsay looked happy, hugging Beth excitedly. But looking at the Bass team, she could see that they were all upset. Ezekiel felt bad about having to vote someone out… but he understood that it was a game. In the end, everyone was minding their own business.
Ezekiel was about to go back to his cabin when Katie stopped him.
"Again… thanks for standing with me in the election. I don't know what I would have done without Sadie."
"Hey, don't even mention it. I was just doing what I thought was right," Ezekiel said.
They stood in silence for a few seconds, exchanging awkward glances.
"Well… I hope you're safe," Ezekiel said.
"Um, yeah… me too. Well, uh… we'll catch you next time," Katie said.
"Yeah, you definitely will," Ezekiel replied.
Katie laughed softly, then walked back to Sadie.
Ezekiel was about to head to his cabin when DJ approached him.
"Hey, Ezekiel… I just wanted to say… thanks for helping me jump off the cliff. Seriously… I couldn't have done it without you," DJ said.
"Um… well, I'm glad I could help," Ezekiel said, embarrassed but smiling.
DJ smiled too, then went back to the group. Ezekiel decided to take a nap in his cabin… he opened the door, lay down on his bunk bed, and closed his eyes. He soon fell into a completely absurd dream.
He was standing on a huge, old ship that looked like it had escaped from a cartoon. The sails were painted with gigantic, funny serious faces. On the deck stood Tom, with a huge sword, but something was strange: Tom was wearing a Roronoa Zoro-like cosplay, with three swords in his hands, as if he was about to cut anything… or anyone at any moment.
But he wasn't alone. Jerry was standing right at the other end, wearing a Luffy-like pirate outfit, a big hat, and using his outstretched arms to try to dodge Tom's attacks. The two figures engaged in a completely comical sword duel without speaking.
Tom overdramatized every swing, sometimes almost falling into the giant chickens lying on the deck, but he always stayed balanced. Jerry dodged Tom's every move in his usual cunning, cunning way, his arms sometimes reaching up to the sky, sometimes reaching for the ship's railing.
Ezekiel just stood there, watching the scene in wonder, "This... is this really happening? What the hell?" he thought as the ship bobbed ridiculously on the waves. Then Tom hit a huge sail, which capsized, and Jerry made a turn over the rope, stepping on a banana peel, and Tom fell into the water, only his swords sticking out of the foam.
Ezekiel laughed at his own imagination, it was so absurd.
Then, before the next crazy scene could begin—perhaps Tom and Jerry were now fighting a pirate parrot with a dragon—Owen shouted outside the cabin: "Hey, Zeke! We're out of the hot tub! Come on, man, let's party!"
Then Ezekiel opened his eyes in fright, still smiling at the completely absurd dream.
"Um… what's going on, buddy?" Ezekiel asked, he always trying to process the absurd dream .
"Dude, we're going to the hot tub. Don't you want to join us?" Owen asked again.
Ezekiel didn't say anything at first, then he smiled.
"Well, why not, buddy?" Ezekiel got up, put on his swimsuit, and went outside to see the other Screaming Gophers hanging out around the hot tub. He was enjoying the atmosphere, the party in the dark.
Lindsay walked over to him.
"Hey, that was pretty cool, what you did with Evan. I thought it was romantic… Yeah, so cool," Lindsay said.
"Um… thanks?" Ezekiel replied.
Soon, music was playing on the stereo, everyone was having a good time, the campers were partying. Ezekiel was having a good time… then he noticed the other team returning. He saw Katie, DJ, Sadie, Tyler, Harold, Eva, Bridgette, Geoff, Duncan, and Izzy… but Courtney was nowhere to be found. Ezekiel realized then that she had been voted out. But at least he could say for himself that he wasn't the first to leave.