Chris:
– Welcome back to a brand new season, everyone! If you thought it was tough so far… well, this season is bigger, more dangerous, and more dramatic than anything you've experienced before!
Chris smiled broadly as the camera panned over the contestants.
Ezekiel stood there with his head down. He wasn't afraid of the challenge. His thoughts were elsewhere. His old remarks… the comments… the emails. He knew that many people still saw him that way.
Maybe this is my last chance, he thought.
My time has come, Tyler thought.
Chris:
– You see twenty-one separate starting lines in front of you. Each one is the beginning of a separate journey. The order was… completely random.
Duncan:
– Yeah. And the amount?
Chris raised an eyebrow.
– Duncan, Duncan… it's always the money. Okay. The prize is $10,000,000.
The reaction was immediate.
Gwen:
"Okay. This is serious."
Leshawna:
"This is 'back-to-the-money' money, baby."
Duncan looked around with a half-hearted smile.
"That's it. This is my turf."
Chris:
"Before you ask, Beth's not here. She's already won. Someone else has to have a chance."
Lindsay, confused:
"But… Tyler's not here either…"
Tyler was about to speak when:
Chris:
"Lindsay, let's focus. Everyone who needs to be here is here."
Courtney folded her arms impatiently.
Courtney:
"Go ahead, Chris."
Duncan:
"Don't worry, princess. The money isn't running out."
Chris:
"You can continue your romantic bickering later."
Harold nervously adjusted his glasses.
Maybe… maybe this will be different.
Chris:
– The order is as follows…
1. Courtney
2. Ezekiel
3. Gwen
4. Bridgette
5. DJ
6. Owen
7. Trent
8. Justin
9. Geoff
10. Katie
11. Duncan
12. Sadie
13. Cody
14. Eva
15.Tyler
16. Noah
17. Izzy
18. Leshawna
19. Harold
20. Lindsay
21. Heather
– Stand in this order for the maze sections!
Courtney glanced at Ezekiel.
Courtney:
– Ugh, Seriously? Should I start with him?
Chris didn't say anything. He just listened.
Ezekiel shrugged, a little tense.
Gwen:
– Courtney, that was a long time ago. And yes, he made a mistake. But that doesn't make him a loser.
Courtney:
– I'm just saying, it's interesting that you're defending him.
Gwen:
– I'm not defending him. I'm just not condemning someone forever.
Courtney stepped closer.
Courtney:
"So now I'm the bad guy, because I remember?"
Gwen:
"No. Because you're only willing to remember."
Courtney's eyes narrowed.
Courtney:
"You don't understand. You could always play the "I don't care" girl."
Gwen:
"You're wrong. I really did care. I just didn't feel strong by looking down on others."
A moment of silence.
Courtney:
"At least I fought to win."
Gwen:
"Yes. At all costs."
Courtney's voice rose.
Courtney:
"I didn't cheat!"
Gwen:
"But you manipulated. You pressured. You bent the rules until it suited you."
Courtney waved angrily.
Courtney:
"It's a competition!"
Gwen:
"No. It was a game. You turned it into a war."
Heather laughed bitterly in the background.
Courtney grabbed her head.
Courtney:
"Don't you dare mention me on the same page as Heather!"
Gwen:
"I didn't do it. You did it when winning became more important than people."
Courtney's face turned red.
Courtney:
"You're only talking because you won. It's easy to be moral from there."
Gwen's gaze hardened.
Gwen:
"I didn't win for the money. Because I haven't forgotten who you are."
Courtney fell silent.
A moment.
Then Courtney:
"So now you decide who deserves a second chance?"
Gwen:
"No. But you certainly don't give anyone one."
Ezekiel finally looked up. His voice was low.
Ezekiel:
"I'm not asking for protection. Just… stop it."
Courtney looked at him, as if she just realized he was there.
Courtney:
"This isn't about you."
Gwen:
"Yes, yes. That's what it's about."
Chris finally spoke, clapping.
Chris:
"Wow! And we haven't even started yet. I love this season."
Courtney turned away angrily.
Courtney:
"We'll talk on the field."
Gwen:
"At least there's no manipulation there."
Courtney didn't answer.
Harold's voice finally spoke softly but firmly.
Harold:
– Not everyone got an apology.
There was silence.
Owen looked at him.
– You know… I'm really sorry about that.
Harold nodded. He didn't smile, but he didn't turn away either.
Chris finally clapped his hands.
Chris:
– "Okay! That's all nice and emotional, but that's not why we called you back. It's a game. A competition. And only one person can win."
His voice was light now, his professional host.
Chris:
– The task is simple. A long, dangerous maze. Traps, dead ends, surprises.
He smiled.
– Nothing you haven't seen before.
Some weren't convinced.
Chris:
– Ready… watch out…
The camera zoomed in on the faces.
– DRAMA!
The contestants started off. As soon as the last one entered, the gates closed behind them.
Not threateningly. Not definitively.
Just… definitely.
INTERNAL REACTIONS:
Ezekiel:
– I don't like this situation, eh…
Cody:
– That was definitely not in the original rules.
Harold:
– Classic Chris. There's always a twist.
Noah:
– I'd be surprised if there wasn't.
Lindsay:
– Can someone tell me which way is the right direction?
Their voices didn't reach each other. The walls were thick.
From afar, in front of a monitor, Chris watched the first few minutes.
Not maliciously.
Not innocently either.
Simply… contentedly.