Groom Wars

36. Hold Your Breath

After a short bus ride at two in the afternoon, the contestants gathered in a glade and separated into five ranks; the smallest players were placed in the front row. Though there were so many of us, we were all quiet, watchful before a challenge began. Van stood between what resembled two manholes. On our left, piles of black clothes rested on plastic tables, separated by their sizes. Van smiled; a spark claimed his dark brown eyes as he surveyed us.

He announced, "Gentlemen, this is your eleventh challenge. Twenty-two competitors have been sent home and the contest will only get fiercer as time passes.

"Today's challenge is 'Hold Your Breath'. Eighteen people will have to form two teams of nine; they will be chosen from among those who take the longest to form their teams.

"So, how will today's challenge work? First, you'll change into your uniforms and put on the headlamps provided. You will jump into a manhole and fall seventeen feet into cold water. There will be ten puzzle pieces placed at odd points along the course (nine for the smaller teams). Each team member will be responsible for unlocking one piece and swimming one kilometre from the starting point to a ladder. Once you climb out, you will run a hundred metres to a podium where you'll arrange the puzzle, and when the puzzle is complete, you will press the red button to detonate your opponent's bomb, ending their run and sealing your victory."

I was surrounded by players with tense demeanours. Behind me, Cadmus adjusted the strap of his prescription safety goggles and shifted as if he wanted to speak but held his thought for the moment.

Van raised his hand. "Make teams now." His hand sliced the air and returned to his side.

Cadmus said, "So, I guess we will partner with Leandro and the others?"

I glanced at Leandro. He and Steven had already gathered four others, including the strong partnership of Luke and Mike, bringing their total to six. Cadmus and I needed to form a resilient team to win the challenge and avoid elimination. As much as I wanted to avoid Leandro, we needed this win, or we would lose out on a lot of money.

Leandro met my gaze and smiled the smile of a confident man who felt perfectly at ease with the situation. My fingers splayed and clenched.

Cadmus said, "Juliet... we're running out of time."

I bit my lower lip. "I know."

People buzzed around us. Yelling and chaos ensued as teams formed and dissolved when a better player appeared. Another pair was let into Leandro's group. Leandro's gaze asked me, 'When will you come over here?'

Surrendering, I sprinted towards them, Cadmus jogging behind me. Another team followed us. We raced; Cadmus and I turned our speed up and blazed a trail across the grass. The other team didn't give up, and we appeared before Leandro's group simultaneously. I recognized the pair next to us, a redhead named Charlie, and Junho, a tall Asian man with a dark, piercing gaze and thick, muscular build. Leandro's group huddled together to decide which of our two teams would join them. "He's so small," someone said.

I stayed quiet since I wanted to be on their good side for the time being.

Junho, Charlie, Cadmus, and I waited by the side, our apprehensiveness written on our faces.

Someone said, "He's a good runner."

"He's nothing great. He hasn't won anything, has he?" another interjected.

"Neither have you," Leandro told Jet, a boy who sported his hair in a black pompadour.

They were definitely talking about me. My thumb rubbed the palm of my opposite hand; I didn't speak out of fear of making my situation worse.