Chapter 25 – Third Day of Rest
The cabin was in complete darkness when Cody opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling for a moment before letting out a sigh.
There was still time before sunrise, but he wasn't sleepy anymore. Without thinking too much, he slid out of bed, stretched his numb muscles, and changed quickly.
Training before dawn always carried a different energy.
Without making a sound, he pushed the door open and stepped outside, feeling the icy air hit his face like a warning that the night wasn't over yet.
The camp was immersed in stillness, the cabins remained motionless, and the lake reflected the first traces of light on the horizon.
With firm steps, he headed into the forest.
The rocks were large, rough, and cold, scattered across an area with little vegetation—perfect for what he needed.
Wasting no time, Cody began his training, letting rhythm and intensity be the only things on his mind.
• Shadowboxing – fast movements, rehearsed strikes, precise dodges in a confined space.
• Martial arts – combinations of kicks and spins, making sure to keep his breathing controlled.
• Push-ups – quick repetitions, the damp ground beneath his hands making each movement feel heavier.
• Running – a short stretch, but enough to make the morning cold burn deeper into his skin.
• Rock lifting – raw strength, the weight challenging his muscles until sweat began to mark his back.
After a good while, he finally stopped, exhaling forcefully.
Without hurry, Cody dropped onto the largest rock, feeling its rough texture beneath his hands as he watched the sunrise slowly stretch across the horizon.
The peace was absolute, the cold still lingered, but the heat from training kept him steady.
"This is what I wanted…" he thought, letting his breath return to its normal rhythm.
He didn't care about winning. He'd get the money some other way. What he truly wanted was to live this experience to the fullest.
A great adventure.
As the light grew stronger, Cody recalled recent moments.
• The challenges were interesting.
• He'd made good friends like Noah and Owen.
• The girls were divine… Gwen, Lindsay… each had her own charm.
Suddenly, another memory surfaced.
Izzy.
He smiled to himself, remembering her overflowing energy, her unfiltered way of speaking, her way of moving with an intensity impossible to ignore.
Beautiful, but completely unpredictable.
If he had to place her on a scale, Izzy would fit perfectly into Barney's "crazy hot" matrix—right on the Vicky Mendoza diagonal.
"Pure fire… absolute explosiveness," he thought, letting out a light laugh.
Definitely, this world was full of madness, and the best part was that there was still so much left to see.
Cody finally stood up, stretching his arms as he prepared to walk for a while.
But then… something moved in the bushes.
Fast. Precise. Almost silent.
His muscles tensed instinctively, turning his head to identify the source of the noise.
And then, Izzy emerged from the bushes, her energy intact, her eyes shining with absolute intensity.
"Bingo! I knew you'd be here," said Izzy, with a completely satisfied smile.
Cody relaxed, shaking his head with amusement.
"Were you looking for me?" Cody asked.
Izzy leaned slightly forward, with a playful expression.
"Nah, I was exploring. But if finding you was part of the journey… I'm not complaining," said Izzy.
Cody let out a small laugh, crossing his arms.
"I guess we could explore together," said Cody.
Izzy blinked quickly before flashing a wider smile.
"So now we're an expedition team? I like it," said Izzy.
Without further ado, Cody and Izzy began walking through the forest, not knowing what they'd find along the way.
As they walked, Izzy quickly noticed something.
"Hey, Cody… you've been staring at me for a while," said Izzy, with a sly tone.
Cody raised an eyebrow, exhaling softly.
"You're provoking me. Don't fall into your own trap," said Cody, keeping his expression relaxed.
Izzy laughed loudly, shaking her head.
"Mmm… maybe. But I still saw you looking at me," said Izzy, jumping over a fallen log with ease.
The chemistry was obvious.
The chemistry was obvious.
They saw a bear, though they didn't get too close.
They found Bigfoot tracks, though Izzy insisted they were completely real.
Izzy examined the damage on the rocks from Cody's training, impressed by the force applied.
The exploration was entertaining, full of unexpected moments and fluid conversations.
At some point, Cody decided to ask.
"What do you think of the other campers?" Cody said.
Izzy looked at him with interest before shrugging.
"Mmm… some are smart, others not so much. Gwen's strong, Trent's weird, Heather's restrained… but not for long," said Izzy, offering her analysis casually.
Each answer had a touch of chaos, but also observation.
As they moved along the trail, Izzy moved with agility, jumping over fallen logs with ease, while Cody kept a more relaxed pace, enjoying the fresh air and the calm of the forest.
But the calm didn't last long.
Izzy turned sharply toward him, with a smile too sly not to mean trouble.
"Hey, Cody… I have a theory," said Izzy, with a playful tone that immediately put him on alert.
Cody raised an eyebrow, exhaling softly.
"Should I be worried?" Cody asked, measuring her carefully.
Izzy laughed loudly, shaking her head before leaning toward him with energy.
"Nah, I just want to know something… what's your strategy with the girls?" Izzy asked, raising her eyebrows with absolute amusement.
Cody blinked slowly before shaking his head.
"I don't have a strategy," said Cody, keeping his expression calm.
Izzy raised an eyebrow in disbelief, crossing her arms with a mocking expression.
"Mmm… sure? Because I saw you with Gwen. With Lindsay. And with Bridgette," said Izzy, her smile widening with each name.
Cody let out a small laugh, shaking his head.
"And what's wrong with that?" Cody asked.
Izzy gave him a light shove on the shoulder, keeping her challenging energy.
"Nothing, just that you like being surrounded by pretty girls," said Izzy, in an exaggeratedly casual tone.
Cody exhaled with amusement, looking at her calmly.
"Are you jealous?" Cody asked, with a sly look.
Izzy stayed silent for a second before bursting into laughter.
"Ha! Jealous? Please, Cody, don't make me laugh," said Izzy, but her smile didn't fade.
After a long stretch, they finally returned to camp before breakfast.
The dining hall was already buzzing with activity, the clatter of dishes and conversations among campers creating a lively atmosphere.
Cody and Izzy entered together, without much fuss, but still caught the attention of several people.
It wasn't common for them to disappear before dawn and return together.
As they walked toward the tables, Cody saw Gwen giving him an inquisitive look, raising an eyebrow slightly upon seeing who he'd arrived with.
Gwen already knew they'd been out before anyone else woke up.
Without hesitation, Cody sat next to her, letting Izzy go her own way without issue.
"Since when do you have secret meetings before sunrise?" Gwen asked, looking at him with a mix of interest and slight annoyance.
Cody let out a small laugh, shaking his head.
"It wasn't secret. Izzy was exploring, found me, and we decided to walk together," Cody explained, serving himself some juice.
Gwen stared at him for a second before rolling her eyes slightly.
"Uh-huh. Exploring together. Very convenient," said Gwen, with a tone that sounded more suspicious than casual.
Cody raised an eyebrow, watching her with amusement.
"Are you jealous?" Cody asked, in a relaxed tone.
Gwen paused for a second before sighing and quickly denying it.
"Please, Cody. Don't make me laugh," said Gwen, but her expression wasn't entirely convincing.
Gracias por compartir otro fragmento, Charly. Aquí tienes la traducción al inglés, manteniendo el formato original, los cortes de escena, los confesionales y el tono narrativo:
Gwen's Confessional
The camera turned on, capturing Gwen in her usual laid-back tone.
"Okay, I'm not jealous. But come on, Izzy?" said Gwen, crossing her arms with a critical expression.
"I mean, Cody's not exactly the most stable guy, but Izzy is pure chaos. I don't know… something weird is going on there," she added, glancing sideways as if still analyzing the situation.
Definitely not jealousy… but not total indifference either.
The image cut out, returning to the dining hall.
The image cut out, returning to the dining hall.
Breakfast continued without further tension, but at some point, Cody finished quickly and decided to leave before Gwen could say anything else.
As he walked, he had the feeling he was forgetting something.
For a moment, he paused, until the memory hit him hard.
His reward.
He still hadn't claimed it.
He'd earned something and hadn't asked for it yet.
Wasting no time, he headed to Chris's luxurious cabin, determined to settle it.
Cody arrived at the cabin and knocked firmly, waiting patiently until the door opened and Chris appeared with his classic smug smile.
"Well, if it isn't the tough guy. Here for your reward?" asked Chris, leaning against the doorframe with absolute ease.
Cody nodded, crossing his arms confidently.
"Yeah. And I have something in mind," said Cody.
Chris raised an eyebrow with interest before signaling him to speak.
"What do you want?" asked Chris, expecting a conventional answer.
Cody thought for a second, reviewing everything he'd experienced—the interactions, the camp's atmosphere.
And then, he asked for something different.
"I want to organize another event. And some items to make it happen," said Cody, standing firm in his decision.
Chris blinked slowly, surprised by the request.
"Another event? Don't you want something more classic? Extra food, privileges…?" asked Chris, with a skeptical expression.
Cody smiled calmly before shaking his head.
"I want to do something fun," said Cody, letting the answer float in the air with total confidence.
Chris watched him for a second before letting out a small laugh.
"Interesting. You have permission to organize something. And what you need, you'll discuss with an intern," said Chris, nodding slowly.
Cody didn't hesitate, turning immediately to find the right person.
Now that he had authorization, everything else was just preparation.
The camp was about to get a surprise.
Scene change.
The sun was already filtering through the treetops, bathing the camp in soft light.
Gwen was outside her cabin, sitting on a log, her notebook open on her lap as the pen moved calmly across the page.
A moment of peace. A break from the chaos.
But the peace didn't last long.
Soft, precise footsteps approached, stopping right in front of her.
Gwen looked up, finding Bridgette, who wore a relaxed expression with a spark of curiosity in her eyes.
"Have you seen Cody?" asked Bridgette, in a light tone.
Gwen frowned slightly, letting out a sigh before answering.
"No. I don't know where he went," said Gwen, her voice sounding drier than usual.
Bridgette raised an eyebrow, observing her more closely.
Something didn't add up in her tone.
And then, she got it.
Gwen was jealous.
Without saying anything, Bridgette sat beside her, crossing her arms calmly.
"So, what are you writing?" asked Bridgette, trying to break the ice.
Gwen glanced sideways at her, somewhat surprised by the sudden company, but eventually closed the notebook and shrugged.
"Nothing important. Just loose thoughts," Gwen replied.
Bridgette nodded slowly before letting out a small smile.
"Thoughts about camp… or about someone in particular?" asked Bridgette, with a sly tone.
Gwen looked at her in disbelief before shaking her head.
"Don't start," said Gwen.
But Bridgette wasn't going to drop the subject so easily.
Despite the unexpected encounter, the conversation flowed.
• They talked about camp, how each challenge pushed their limits.
• They criticized Chris, how his sadism was becoming more obvious.
• They commented on the challenges, from the most exciting to the most absurd.
But inevitably, the topic turned to Cody.
Bridgette smiled playfully, watching her closely before asking with absolute calm.
"So… you and Cody?" said Bridgette.
Gwen exhaled loudly, rolling her eyes.
"There's nothing between Cody and me," said Gwen, crossing her arms.
Bridgette raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced.
"Mmm. But it bothered you seeing him with Izzy," Bridgette pointed out.
Gwen stayed silent for a second before quickly denying it.
"Izzy is chaos. I don't want Cody getting into unnecessary trouble," said Gwen.
Bridgette smiled more, leaning toward her with a perceptive expression.
"Or maybe you don't want Cody getting into trouble with someone who isn't you," said Bridgette.
Gwen looked at her in disbelief, but her expression shifted to a mix of annoyance and resignation.
Bridgette had hit the exact nerve.
Gwen's Confessional
"Do I like Bridgette? Yeah. Do I enjoy talking about Cody with her? No. But I admit she's good company," said Gwen, in a casual tone.
Bridgette's Confessional
"Gwen and I never talked much before, but honestly, we get along. Though… come on, Cody's in her head more than she wants to admit," said Bridgette, with a playful smile.
The camp continued its morning activity, but from their respective cabins, two gazes analyzed what was happening outside.
Heather, from her cabin, leaning against the doorframe with crossed arms.
Courtney, from hers, watching with a critical look as she adjusted her watch strap.
Both were watching the conversation between Gwen and Bridgette, unaware that they shared the same thought.
What were those two doing talking to someone from the other team?
Heather scoffed softly, watching the scene with a mix of disbelief and calculation.
"Gwen playing nice with Bridgette? Interesting… but stupid," muttered Heather, glancing sideways at Lindsay, who was still distracted chatting with Beth.
From her cabin, Courtney also analyzed the situation, crossing her arms with a serious expression.
"It's not a good idea to trust someone from another team," she thought, though deep down she knew Gwen didn't usually make moves without thinking.
Still, something didn't add up. And sooner or later, this would have consequences.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in camp, Owen and Noah were finishing breakfast, but something felt off.
"Hey, have you seen Cody?" asked Owen, finishing his juice in one gulp.
Noah looked up for a second before calmly shaking his head.
"No. I saw him this morning, but after breakfast he disappeared," Noah replied, raising an eyebrow with suspicion.
Owen frowned, resting his elbows on the table.
"That's weird, right? He's not usually this discreet," said Owen, thoughtfully.
Noah exhaled softly, sipping his coffee without much interest.
"Pfft. If he's up to something, we'll find out soon enough. Though… wouldn't hurt to investigate," said Noah, glancing toward Chris's cabin.
If Cody was making moves, it probably had to do with his reward.