𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁... 𝗽𝘂𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲. [roman kemp]

𝑽𝑰𝑰𝑰

𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒑, 𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕. Lana felt she could bask in the warm glow of their success forever, and the jungle suddenly seemed like a friendly place again, with its sweet flowery scents and warm Australian sunshine.

The pair gave a short interview to the camera before returning to camp, wide smiles fixed permanently on their faces.

"We did it! Ten out of ten!" Lana beamed. "I can still taste vomit and testicles and uterus, but you know what? Not even that can ruin my mood."

"I'm so proud of both of us," said Roman, pulling Lana in for a sideways hug. "We absolutely smashed that trial, and I couldn't have had a better partner."

"Neither could I," Lana grinned, hoping the hot blush she could feel in her cheeks wasn't visible. "I can't believe we got 10! Ian's gonna be chuffed."

At this, a mischievous grin spread across Roman's face as he had an idea. "You know what we should do," he said impishly to Lana.

"No, what?"

"Let's go in there and tell them we got three. And as soon as Ian's face properly drops, we'll tell them we got ten."

As Lana followed Roman down the trail towards camp, she wondered how on earth she'd ever be able to wipe the elated grin off her face. But she forced her expression to harden, twitching her mouth into a straight line as she and Roman emerged into camp.

"Oh, hey!" cried Nadine as she spotted them. Everybody followed her gaze and rushed to their feet in anticipation, watching Roman and Lana's sullen faces for any hints as to what they'd be eating tonight.

"How was it?" asked Kate, as Roman gave a defeated sigh. Lana had to focus all her energy on keeping a straight face as he ambled sadly towards the others.

"It was... horrible," he said, and Lana had to hand it to him, he was a good actor. "I only got one, Lana got two, so, I mean, we've got three."

"Oh, well done," said Kate, her voice thick with genuine fondness and concern. Everybody looked sincerely proud of them, their faces solemn but sympathetic, and Lana felt a twinge of guilt as they all applauded.

Roman went in to hug Ian, and Lana wondered how much longer she'd be able to last without laughing. Already she'd come dangerously close to grinning.

"Ian, Ian," said Roman, looking into the older man's worn out face. "Waitwaitwait. Because the thing is... we got 10."

A fierce cheer swept all across camp, echoing high up in the canopy. Nadine grabbed Lana in a choking hug, while Ian leapt into Roman's arms like a little child. Everybody was ecstatic, and Lana received multiple hugs and high-fives from everybody.

"So- so what was it?" asked Andrew, flopping back down onto his hammock as everybody sat around the firepit.

"They had us in this icecream parlour and they were bringing out, er, one meal each. The worst thing I've ever had in my life was the fish eye. When I put it in my mouth - and then I hit this crunch - it was the lens."

Everybody groaned in horror and shock as the pair recounted the trial. Lana couldn't remember much of it now - it all seemed like a blur of fear and disgust and horrible dishes, and then an overwhelming feeling of victory.

"My worst one was definitely the pig uterus," she thought aloud, and Kate gagged audibly amongst disgusted noises from the others.

"Well, I'm sorry you had to go through that," began Caitlyn with a cheeky grin, "but thank you!"