Chosen.

Chosen. Chapter 20

Chapter TWENTY

Heath

Barloc Cabin, Sunday, 01/11, 10:58 P.M.

Well, if we thought we were getting a break before Trial 3 started, that has been flushed down the toilet. A message has been playing continuously on the Congregation Room ranking screen since 5:00 p.m. when Trial 2 officially ended that we all need to be in our cabins for the portal announcement and the start of Trial 3 at 11:00 p.m. tonight. So, yeah, by the time we showered (I skipped this part, since I figured the swim today was good enough), ate dinner, checked the latest rankings and got our stuff organized, it's already time for the next Trial to begin: Here...We...Go!! I didn't even have time to ask Autumn about what happened at the waterfall earlier, plus I really didn't even want to bring it up around the others and risk Kyle getting all stressed out again before the next round. I'll have to find a way to talk to her later. Not to mention that she's been pretty quiet since she got back, which isn't like her.

Hannah, on the other hand, has been Miss Chatty Cathy all night. I know part of this is because she is extra happy that the Walkers made it through Trial 2 and got back to the main beach with their chest. They cut it close, but Hethyre and Terra--with Alexus and Ryker not far behind--got there. They looked really really tired. We only managed a few minutes to talk, but I guess they had a pretty crazy couple of days, too.

I also saw the Langdons in the dining hall at dinner, so they obviously made it with their chest as well. I thought about pointing them out to my family, but everyone seemed busy chowing down and in their own thoughts, so I decided I'd just tell them later on.

Myself, I haven't really been too hungry since we've been here, so I took the opportunity to scope out some of the remaining competition. There's still a lot of families here and some look stronger than others, but, then again, I know looks can be deceiving. It's funny, because I've noticed the longer we're here, the more most of the families have started grouping up like the cliques in high school or something.

There's the jock table with families that look like they could be on some sort of sports team. Everyone is pretty athletic, and they look not only comfortable, but seem to be thriving in this competition. (Lance and his family the Steeles....most definitely in this category).

Then there's the group I've nicknamed the drama club, mostly because they all tend to be overdramatic and loud about everything. I'm betting that quite a few of those families will be favorites on the outside because they are such big personalities. It's like they're always on stage at an audition or performing for the 'World's Next Top Family,' or something.

Another group that's formed are what I would call the rebels and the troublemakers. These are the families that I've heard (and witnessed) are willing to do anything they have to to survive. The three 'criminals' that we had our tug-of-war over our chest with are in this crowd (what a surprise, right?) They, unfortunately, have also made it through to Trial 3. I don't even want to think about what they did get to here or what family they stole from, I know it easily could have been us.

Then, finally, there are the misfits that don't really fall into any one certain group. I've decided this is pretty much where our family fits in. It's not like we're physically intimidating or crazy ruthless or anything specific, but we do use our strengths and have some kind of special bond that makes us stand out; just something you can't really put your finger on.

Earlier on the beach I heard that some of the other families actually considered us a threat in this thing from our rankings in the first two Trials. First we got 38th and now finished 30th, both times finishing in the top 50. Secretly, I feel proud. I hope we can keep moving up in the rankings during the rest of these Trials. I mean, I'm now realizing that this could really happen. At the end of this thing, we could literally be preparing to leave planet Earth!....just the thought gives me goosebumps.