The Challenge: Fresh Meat 3

Chapter 2: Fighting Figures

"Alright challengers. Are we ready for the first challenge of the season? This year there is a format for the challenges. With these challenges you want to be the winner for the daily challenges because anyone who doesn't win isn't safe. My first-place team for each daily challenge is the only way you will be safe from the elimination. Today's challenge is called Diving Deep. For today diving deep is exactly what you need to do. For today's challenge yourself and your partner will be free diving as far as long as you can. The team that stays under the longest wins. Now you both don't have to stay down long but it's a combination of the two times. We will be dropping you down fifteen feet under the water and seeing how long you can stay under. Now the team that stays under the shortest will be going straight into the elimination. The team that stays under the longest will be the power team," TJ said to which CT turned to me and gave me a questioning look before asking me,

"how are you with water, Katalina?"

"I love being in the water. I've swam a good portion of my life. Don't worry about this challenge," I said with a smile as we were getting geared up and someone bumped into me. I turned to see Devin there smiling and putting his fist up as if to show a fist bump. I gave him a fist bump before TJ all called us down to our places.

"Three...... two.......... one........ drop them," TJ said, and I took in my breath as we were submerged. I was counting in my head while looking around at everyone to some people had already went back up to the surface. I just continued to stay down there and look at the fish and count them as they were swimming around. After about 30 seconds I looked to my left and CT was headed towards the surface.

"The only people still submerged are rookie Katalina, Laurel, Wes and rookie Harden. There comes up rookie Harden and Laurel. Let's see who can stay down there longer," TJ said which caused all the veterans to look around and then people coming over to talk to CT.

"Hey CT, did you know that your partner kicks ass in water competitions. I'm very surprised by her underwater time. Like who can take on Wes the underwater merman," Cara Maria was saying when she was cut off by TJ.

"That leaves only the rookie Katalina under water. I'm sending divers down to make sure that she is still doing okay; however, this is a time event so I can't force her to come up because then her teams time might not be as good as she wants it," TJ said to which CT turned towards Wes.

"Was she still conscious when you were done there," CT asked Wes.

"Yes, she was counting the fish and waving hello, and goodbye to all the fish that were swimming by her. She was cracking me up," Wes was interrupted by TJ announcing that Katalina has surfaced.

"Katalina you are the last one to surface. We are calculating team times right now to see who will be in the bottom and who is the top team. It looks like it was a close one of who was the worst place team; however, Nelson and Suzanna you guys stayed down the least amount of time. The real show was to see who stayed down there the longest and man in all my years of the challenge I've never seen this happen before. One person's time single handily beat all but one teams score where they had help from their partner. To put it into perspective Wes and Sophalina scored a time of 2 minutes 45 seconds. Our winning team had a score of 3 minutes and 5 seconds. Which was CT and Katalina. Katalina you alone stayed under water for 2 minutes and 35 seconds. That is absolutely impressive, congratulations to you two for winning the first challenge. Veterans it looks like this rookie isn't here to mess around," TJ said which caused everyone to clap and for CT to smile and pull me into a hug.

"Alright little fish what's your secret about being underwater," CT asked me with a lot of the teams standing by us.

"Well, I've been scuba certified since I was 8 years old and we were taught never to panic and to always just count the fish or the rocks or the water plants," I said which got a smile and a chuckle out of people around us.