The next immunity challenge was a wrestling match: a test of physical strength. We drew straws to determine the matchups: Diana would face Richie, and I would square off against Travis. The winners of those two matches would then compete against each other. To win each match, you had to either pin your opponent down for ten seconds straight or push them out of the ring.
Diana and Richie went first. I crossed my fingers, hoping Diana would win. But Richie was too heavy for her to move, and inch by inch she was backed into a corner. Finally, she was forced out of the ring.
Then it was my turn against Travis. He was taller than I was, but my anger from the day before motivated me. The second that Chase told us to start, I charged at him. I grabbed him around the waist and yanked him to the ground. Surprised at my own strength, I held him firmly in place.
While Travis flailed underneath me, Chase counted to ten. “And Ethan defeats Travis!” he called.
Too exhausted to do anything else, Travis just glared at me as he joined Diana on the sideline.
“And now, for the final round,” Chase said dramatically for the cameras, “we have . . . Ethan versus Richie!”
Crap.
Richie entered the ring, cracked his knuckles, and sneered down at me. I gulped.
“Start!” Chase yelled.
At once, Richie rushed me. I tried to dodge so he’d accidentally step outside, but he was too fast. He whirled around and grabbed my waist, then lifted me into the air. I cried out, surprised at how easily he lifted me. It was like being caught in Amanda’s trap.
Richie plopped me down on the sand, outside of the ring. Then he raised his fists into the air in triumph—he had won the challenge. Chase handed him the immunity stick. And that meant I couldn’t vote for him tonight.
I had to choose between Diana and Travis. Diana had voted for Amanda, so I was tempted to vote for her. But Travis had lied about catching the fish and humiliated me, and I didn’t want to keep him around for much longer either.
That evening, Chase came to our campsite and began the voting session.
“You have all come a long way and shown impressive wilderness skills,” he said. “But for one of you, the journey comes to an end tonight. Let’s vote.”
I went first. On the boat, staring down at the glowing buttons, my finger hovered between yellow for Diana and blue for Travis. I made my choice without hesitation.
After we all submitted our votes, Chase returned. “Now,” he said, “would anyone like to play the immunity talisman?”
The fire crackled. Richie glanced around, turning the immunity stick over and over in his hands as if to show it off. Travis and Diana looked at each other. None of them suspected me. When I stood up and pulled the pig statue out of my pocket, their jaws dropped.
“Ethan plays the immunity talisman!” Chase announced. “That means all votes cast against him are invalid. As it so happens, that means three of the four votes have been discarded.” Chase grinned mischievously. “The next person voted off of Teen Wilderness Masters is . . .”
The boat burst into blue light.
“Travis!”
Travis shot me an angry look before he stood up to leave. Richie and Diana were still dumbstruck. Travis boarded the boat, and then it was just the three of us.