The Challenge: Fresh Meat 3

Chapter 8: Redemption and Riots

"Hello challengers. Today we are going to be playing Running Out of Time. In today's challenge only the top four teams will be safe. If you are finish outside the top four teams you will be going to the redemption challenge that will take place tonight at the backyard. Win today and you choose the stage we start the final on. The other three top teams congratulations you will be qualified to run my final. Now in running out of time we will have teams race back and forth. One swimmer and one runner to collect pieces for a giant puzzle. You will choose your runner and your swimmer now. There is a lot riding on todays challenge so be smart with who you chose to do each part. Talk with your partner and get suited up to which one you will be doing," TJ said and CT looked at me and I just nodded towards the water which told him I'd swim. We both set up in our gear and got to the starting platform so that TJ can send us off. TJ set us off and that's when I realized I was the only female swimming so I'd have my work cut out for me to get the puzzle pieces back fast so that CT could take off. I'd also have to figure out how to manage the puzzle and figure it out by communicating with each other on what we see so we can figure the puzzle out as we go. We had about half of our pieces when I realized what the puzzle was supposed to be and CT was running back to me. "CT come here. The puzzle it's the fresh meat logos from all three seasons and then the challenge logo. Match the colors up and set the blocks in piles by colors. The challenge logo should be yellow. Fresh meat are all white but have red roman numerals as part of it. Just separate by color as we go and see what happens. I'm going out for my second to last piece now and we should be even with Wes and Sophalina, and Devin and Allyson. I don't think anyone is ahead of us yet. We will see what happens," I said as I got excited and took off for my next set of swimming to grab one of my last puzzle pieces. As soon as I got back in and CT took off everyone started to try and figure out the puzzle but I don't think people had recognized the logos were there yet. I finished separating all the colors as CT came back and I went out to grab my last puzzle piece. As I made it back to the puzzle board and CT took off for the last piece I placed my piece in its place and then started to put together the challenge logo, the fresh meat logos with all the different roman numerals. I was about to start placing them in the board when CT came back with the last piece of the fresh meat III logo. We were placing the puzzle pieces in and I was double checking as we went. We heard Wes yell check but then we heard TJ tell him it was incorrect. We then as we placed our last piece and yelled check at the same time as Devin did. TJ said we were both correct but we didn't know who finished first so we are going to have to go to the tape about it. Wes and Cara Maria's teams were the other two teams to finish in the top four which was nice since it was all teams that we liked in the finals so far. "It looks like by less than a quarter of a second CT and Katalina you were the winners of this challenge. Our teams that are headed into the redemption house battle are: Bananas and Suzanne, Aneesa and Blake, Kacey and Harden, Tori and Colton, Kam and Cody or Derek and Louisa. Since CT and Katalina won todays challenge you will get to choose one team to save from the redemption. You guys will be going against the teams that have been at redemption that have outlasted the other teams that have been sent there. Why don't we show you the team that has won the redemption house so far and that will be apart of this redemption challenge. Come on out challengers," TJ said as we all looked to see who walked out and as soon as I saw who it was I smiled. "Congratulation so far to Nelson and Madeline who have battled each and every team that's been eliminated and made it back to fight for the last space in the final. I'll see you all at the backyard tonight where Katalina and CT will be picking the game for the elimination," TJ said as we all walked out. I looked at my partner and just smiled and hugged him tightly. "I think that we are going to save Derek and Louisa. Sorry everyone else," I said then looked over ot CT who nodded. "You did it little one. You've survived and qualified for a final. How does it feel to be in a final," CT asked me as we got on the bus and sat down. "I don't know whether to worry or whether to be excited. This challenge didn't seem to have as much craziness yet to it. I feel like TJ has a bunch of twist and turns to come still," I said while looking at him concerned. "Well from here on in we take each part of the final on as we go. We can't worry about challenges that we haven't come upon yet. We take every challenge as they come. Just breath and lets focus on what we want to accomplish next. Which is seeing how many part the finals will be and then surviving each part of the final as we get to them. Don't worry you are doing amazing and no one would say differently," CT said which boosted my confidence and made me realize that he was right I can only worry about what I have control over. We were all enjoying the ride back to the house when the bus stopped and TJ climbed into the bus. "I need all my losers to get off the bus and follow me as you are now going to learn what it means to go through the redemption challenges. As for my winners you will go home and I will then send the wining team back to you guys at the start of the finals," TJ said which just made this final a lot harder since we wouldn't actually know which team we would be going against and we can't watch the redemption challenge that they would have to win to come back into the house. Cara Maria's Confessional Well I made it back to another final. Got to thank my partner for actually knowing how to swim well enough to get all the puzzle pieces and being smart enough to solve the puzzle faster than anyone else. Also Katalina and CT are just stacking up the wins and I don't know whether to be worried or not. I know usually during the finals there are many different stages to it that we have not seen a daily challenge like; whatever it is Katalina seems to handle anything and everything like its not difficult. Devin's Confessional I made it back to a final. It's been a while since I can say that I made it to a final. I can't believe I made it and I can't believe I made it with my girl too. Katalina some how managed to win todays challenge. She also gets to choose what we start with for the final which is huge. I'm excited that we made it together. I definitely have to talk to her about becoming more than just friends. CT's Confessional I can't believe that we are headed to a final. Not only did she figure out the puzzle while swimming like a true legend she also made sure that we did everything we could to win. Katalina has been one of the best partners I've had on the challenge and she is doing it not just for herself but for her mother which is something I find amazing and so strong. She really has made her presence here on the challenge known. I wouldn't be surprised if she comes on more of these challenges. Derek's Confessional I can't believe my teammate and I are heading to a finals only because Katalina and CT saved us. Now the final seems like it'll be difficult. Katalina's Confessional I did it! I made it to a final and I get to be in control of the first part of the final which is stressful enough. Also the fact that I got to see Tony gives me that much more of a boost because he's my best friend and seeing him just reminded me why I came here in the first place. I came here to proof to myself that I was strong enough to do this and that I knew that I cane here for my mother. So we were all sitting back at the house waiting to see which team is going to come back. I was chilling there talking with CT, Devin, Derek, and Cara Maria when the door opened up. In walks Bananas and Suzanne. I was shocked but also that brought a little worry to me as Suzanne somehow manages to survive each elimination she is in. I was stoked for all the things that could happen. I'm worried about what is to come since I've never actually seen a final but I have faith in my partner who has seen many finals. "Hey Katalina, I got a message for you from the eliminated players," Bananas said with a sort of joking tone in his voice. "Oh yeah, what is it? They wish that I hurt myself and fail," I said with a look towards him. "No, actually they wanted to wish you luck. Told you the final would be hard but to never give up because they realized what you are fighting for. But either way you best hope that you fight like hell for this finals and know that it won't be easy," Bananas said which made me smile and laugh before waving him off and standing up to head outside by the pool. I was sitting there alone for a little while before someone came up and sat next to me. "Hey princess I didn't want you to be left alone. I know that you are probably trying to get your head ready for tomorrow which will be a hard final for sure. I just want you to know I've got your back and that I'll be there to support you. Now you'll go out there and you'll crush it tomorrow. Also if you are up for it maybe after we get back to the states we can go on an actual date," Devin said as he kissed my forehead causing me to pull back away from him and then look up at him before shoving him jokingly into the pool. "First, good luck for you tomorrow. Second, took you long enough to ask. Third, I didn't mean for you to end up in the pool I'm so sorry," I said while reaching forward to take his hand and pull him out; however, he decided to pull me in. This caused me to burst out laughing as I'm flying into the water causing other people to come out and see us fully dressed in the pool. Bananas took this as his moment to turn it into something bigger. "Pool party. One last one before we all run the final challenge," Bananas said causing everyone to go change and Devin and I to get out to go up to get our suits so we could join. It was just us in the room grabbing suits now since everyone else is already heading out to the pool. "Hey princess, you never really answered my question," Devin said matter of factly. I laughed before coming up with a response. "Sure Dev. I would really like that," I said before kissing his cheek and heading to change in the bathroom. As I came back into the room from changing there sat Devin on his bunk waiting for me I'm guessing so we can go back out to the pool. He stood up and extended his hand out to me and I took it as we walked down the stairs separating hands as we went into the backyard. "Hey look it's the couple! You guys going to make it official or still bullshit us with the 'we are just friends'," Derek yelled from the other side of the pool were people were sitting with their feet in. I decided to be extra and took off running and did a cannonball into the pool to splash them. "We aren't 'bullshitting you guys' we really aren't dating and we aren't a couple. We are just some really close friends," I said as Devin swim up next to me and joined the conversation we were having. Not even 5 minutes later I feel myself being lifted out of the water to be thrown to the deeper water and upon surfacing I see my partner laughing his ass off until he clocked eyes with me and then he looked away trying to be innocent. "Not funny you asshole," I said as I swam up to him and jumped on his back and just rested there once he realized he wouldn't be able to throw me off of him. After a while, I climbed down off of CT's back and then moved back over to the edge where the wall is. "No matter what happens tomorrow thank you guys all of you for being here with me. Thank you for showing me that I'm strong enough to do this. I appreciate all the connection that I've made here and I can't wait to keep building and becoming part of The Challenge family. I can't believe that I've never done this before because I feel like this is something I'm going to want to do to for years just to show others that they can do it. Thank you guys for also helping me find my inner strength that was hidden away when I lost my mother. I know that things aren't always easy but with you guys it feels like I can do anything," I said with a smile before getting a big group hug. "No matter what happens tomorrow we are all going to be friends and have a hang out once we get stateside. Got to figure out where we will meet up in the states and who all will be invited along with us like significant others and everything but I think it'd be cool for all of to meet up. CT, and Derek I want to see your children when we all meet up because I miss not being able to see them," Cara Maria said which made CT and Derek nod as if they were agreeing. "Why don't you all come down to Louisiana once we get state side and then you guys can meet mio padre. Also then you can stay at my place down in Louisiana or you guys can stay with Tony since he and Alyssa live right next door. Also this way I can cook you all an actually meal that is really good and southern Italian French cuisine. Something that you'll never be able to say that you've had outside of my family being completely extra. It would be really cool and we can always go bar hopping," I said which made a lot of people laugh and agree to what I was saying. "Does your invite include significant others and family members," CT asked to which I pushed him over. "Of course I want to meet the woman that was crazy enough to want to marry you and have a child with you so giant teddy bear. Also Cara Maria you are most definitely allowed to bring your boyfriend if you'd like. Derek your child is allowed to come. Bananas, and Devin you guys can bring your girlfriends with you when you come," I said to which everyone looked at me before Devin smiled at me because he caught on to what I was meaning. "Of course I'll check with Morgan and bring her along to meet you and the rest of the crew as well," Bananas said which I nodded to before looking at Devin. "I mean I guess I'll have to check with her and see what her schedule is like. I feel like she'd be so happy to meet the girl that's became my best friend while I've been away at the challenge. Hopefully she is free to join us all in Louisiana," Devin said which caused a lot of the other veterans to look at him as if he had been crazy for what he said which caused me and Devin to look at each other and then both start laughing. "I'm totally kidding guys I don't have a girlfriend. I wouldn't purposely be the way I was with Katalina while being here if I had a girl back at home. She was just joking with you guys to see your reactions. Which I might add were priceless because she laid it out perfect as if we had been talking about my girlfriend and she had known I was taken the whole time," Devin said while still laughing. We were both cracking up so much and trying not to offend the others but it was hilarious. At this point I decided to get out of the water to go inside and change and get ready for bed. I was coming back to the room when CT pulled me out to the porch to sit and talk. "Little one, I know that you are excited for the final tomorrow. I want us to do amazing tomorrow so let's get a good amount of sleep, make sure we remain positive with everything tomorrow and don't forget that no matter what happens tomorrow I'm proud of you and your mother would have been so proud of you," CT said before hugging me and kissing my forehead. I hugged him tightly before stepping away and whipping away some tears that had fallen before then walking up the stairs to our room and seeing Devin sitting on my bunk. "What's up Dev," I said as he pulled me into his lap and hugged me tightly. I just laughed and smiled and hugged him back before sitting next to him on the bunk and looking towards him. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Also I wanted to give you one final hug tonight before bed and I knew that if I waited here for you that you'd be back soon," Devin said which made me smile and kiss his cheek before laying down and puling him into a cuddle session on my bunk. "Goodnight princess," Devin said as he kissed my forehead and moved off my bunk to let me go to sleep.