The sun beat down mercilessly on the top of the 100-foot cliff. The Killer Bass had already finished their jumps, and most of the team was gathered down on the dock, huddled in towels. Now it was the Screaming Gophers' turn. Ezekiel stood at the edge of the dock, watching his rivals intently. He knew this moment was crucial: if more of the Gophers jumped, the Bass would be at a disadvantage.
The Gophers' Jumps: Tension at the Peak
Chris McLean raised his megaphone:
– Okay, Gophers! The Bass have produced nine jumps. Bridgette, you're up first! Show your old team what they're missing!
Bridgette stepped to the very edge of the cliff. She took a deep breath, then confidently took off. She performed a graceful dive, slicing cleanly into the safety zone.
Gwen followed, falling into the depths with her arms crossed, looking bored.
Cody tried to show off, but it ended in a painful belly flop, though he still got the point.
Trent jumped in a cool and confident manner, while Noah gave a deep sigh and practically just stepped off the edge, as if he were walking out of a boring class.
Next came Justin. He took off but missed the zone and fell among the sharks. Lindsay screamed from the dock, but the sharks didn't hurt him; Justin's beauty mesmerized them, and they gently carried him to the dock.
Heather was stubborn because of her hair, but at Leshawna's threat, she finally plummeted down screaming. Leshawna followed with a cannonball, and then Lindsay arrived shrieking.
Finally, Owen closed the line. Up on the cliff, he gave Beth one last bit of encouragement, then took a running start.
– BOMBS AWAY! – he roared. His impact created a wave so massive that it simply washed everyone on the dock and in the water—including the sharks—out onto the dry land.
Beth was the second to last, but she was too afraid and retreated with the chicken hat.
Phase Two: The Haul – Strength and Stumbling
– The challenge: Hot Tub Build! – Chris announced. – Gophers, you get carts! Bass... you're left with your bare hands! Nine crates, move it!
Courtney immediately started blowing her whistle and barking orders, but Ezekiel didn't wait for her. He stepped to the crates and, all at once, picked up two massive crates. Eva also grabbed two, and DJ picked up two as well. Duncan and Geoff each carried one crate.
The last crate went to Izzy and Tyler. Tyler constantly tripped over every root and landed face-first in the mud.
– Don't worry, Izzy, I... I'm okay! – he panted, but after two steps, he wiped out again. Izzy chuckled while holding the weight of the crate, practically carrying the whole thing herself.
At the site, they used their teeth to rip off the ropes. Ezekiel's tough teeth tore through the thick ropes as if they were mere threads, so they could start building immediately.
The Build: A Recipe for Disaster
Courtney was constantly screaming:
– Ezekiel, hold that panel to the left! Duncan, nail it in!
Ezekiel endured it silently, like a professional. He placed the wood exactly where the girl pointed, as stable as a support pillar.
– Courtney, the heating unit shouldn't be placed directly against the wood, it might catch fire – Harold tried to help.
– Shut up, Harold! I'm a C.I.T.! Ezekiel, put it there!
Ezekiel complied. He lifted the heavy machine and fitted it where Courtney commanded. But the entire structure was crooked, and water was leaking. At the Gophers, Heather and Cody did a perfect job. When Chris reached the Bass, the heating unit started sparking and then belched out thick, black smoke.
– Gophers win! Bass, see you at the bonfire!
The Campfire Ceremony: The Showdown
The atmosphere at the campfire was suffocating.
Courtney, clutching her C.I.T. manual, broke the silence with a sharp, accusatory tone.
"I hope you're all happy," she snapped. "We lost because of a total lack of discipline. DJ, your cowardice at the cliff cost us the carts. And Tyler, your pathetic stumbling was an embarrassment. My instructions were perfect, but I can't build a masterpiece with broken tools."
Duncan slowly stood up, his face red with rage.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU ENTITLED BRAT!" Duncan roared.
Courtney recoiled. "How dare you—"
"No, how dare you!" Duncan stepped into the firelight. "You're blaming them? Let's look at the facts, 'Princess'. While you were blowing that stupid whistle, Eva was hauling two crates like a beast. Geoff and I each lugged one through the mud without complaining. DJ might have been scared to jump, but he made up for it by carrying two massive crates on his back. He did his part."
He turned his gaze toward Izzy and Tyler.
"Even Izzy did more than you! She carried a crate almost by herself while keeping Tyler going every time he fell. At least they were trying. And then there's Harold. The guy actually knows how to build a hot tub and tried to help, but you shut him up just to hear yourself talk!"
Duncan gestured toward Ezekiel, then back to Courtney. "And Ezekiel? He carried two crates and spent the whole build actually working. He did exactly what you told him to do, and that's why the damn thing blew up! Because you don't know what the hell you're doing. We did the heavy lifting, and you just provided the failure. You're a dead weight, Courtney."
Chris began the distribution. Ezekiel received the first marshmallow. The names went down the line until only DJ and Courtney remained.
The rest of the Killer Bass nodded in agreement. Courtney looked around, realizing she had no one left on her side.
– The final marshmallow goes to... DJ!
Courtney's face contorted:
– WHAT?! You voted for me?! You ungrateful bunch!
Chef Hatchet started dragging her toward the Dock of Shame while the girl screamed about her lawyers until the boat took her away.
Ezekiel then stepped into the confessional.
**Confessional: Ezekiel**
Ezekiel looked calmly into the camera. There was no mockery in him, only cold logic.
– On the farm, you learn one thing: if the bellwether starts in the wrong direction, the whole flock follows it into the abyss. Courtney was exactly like that. She was loud, confident, but she didn't have the knowledge for the work. It wasn't anything personal, but if I'm breaking my back working and she's ruining it with her bad instructions, then the team isn't moving forward. I knew that if I did what she asked without a word, the structure would collapse. This was the fastest way for everyone to see: "C.I.T. experience" is worth nothing without real work. Courtney wouldn't have failed if she had listened to Harold or me. I stayed, she left, and our team is stronger now. I just followed the logic, eh.
He winked at the camera and walked out confidently.