The next morning, Richie and I paced along the shore without a word. Our feet squeaked in the sand. The ocean roared as its waves licked at the beach. Above us, seagulls called out to each other. Despite my growing anticipation, the sounds were beautiful. I bet Richie doesn’t even appreciate them, I thought bitterly.
When Chase finally arrived, he jumped off the boat and waded to shore holding a huge wooden treasure chest. The lock was solid gold. It sparkled in the sunlight.
Richie’s face broke into a horrible grin. “What’s that you’ve got there, Chase?”
“This here,” Chase said, “is the grand prize. Inside this chest is fifty thousand dollars for one lucky, talented competitor.”
“Can’t wait to get my hands on it,” Richie replied. He winked at me. I wanted to throw up. On him, preferably.
“You’ll notice, of course, that the prize is locked inside of this chest. For the final round, your task is to find a key to unlock it before your opponent does. There are five keys hidden in special golden supply boxes scattered around the island. Each of them will unlock the chest, so you only need to find one. The first one to unlock the chest gets to take home what’s inside.
“Most importantly, this round only ends when this chest opens.” Chase patted the chest. “That means the round can last anywhere from hours to days. I hope you two are prepared to survive in the wilderness for as long as needed.”
This was the ultimate test—one of physical strength, endurance, and strategy.
“Put your hands on the top of the chest here,” Chase commanded. We walked over and did as we were told. “Now, on my count, the final round of this season of Teen Wilderness Masters begins. Are you ready?”
I stared out into the trees, trying not to smirk. I already knew where to look—I’d hidden that golden supply box by my shelter in the first round. The problem was going to be remembering where the shelter was. I hadn’t revisited it since that round ended.
“On my mark, get set—go!” Chase cried.
I tore away from the chest, stumbling in the sand toward the jungle. Richie was close on my heels. Panicking, I thought, I have to lose him. He can’t follow me to the box!
I ducked through the trees, slowed to a walk, and then quietly circled back to the edge of the jungle. Richie had vanished. Now I could hunt for the stream, which would lead me to my old shelter, and from there I could get the box.
The air was humid, and birdcalls filled my ears. Everything was so still, including me as I drifted along, my footsteps silent. I listened for Richie in the distance but heard no sign of him. Good.
I searched for hour after hour to no avail. I found some familiar places, including the two trees where I had outsmarted Peter and the camp where I was caught by Amanda. But, as I kept wandering, I ended up in the middle of nowhere in the jungle, surrounded on all sides by huge flowers and draping vines. The sun was beginning to set, and I was exhausted. I curled up at the base of a tree and went to sleep.
***
I woke up to snorting.
My eyes opened in alarm and there, sniffing at my face, was a wild pig. When it noticed me moving, it squeaked and disappeared into the underbrush.
I sat up, blinking away sleep. The sun was just about to rise, and the sky was a calm gray.
With a rustle, the pig returned, poking its head out of the bushes to stare at me. Is this the same pig from before?
I stood up and went over to it, but it darted into the trees. I decided to follow it. Maybe it would lead me to the stream. With every step I took, hope swelled in my chest.
I chased the pig through the jungle until we reached a familiar place—the clearing full of berry bushes and the pile of rocks where the pig lived. The pig ducked into the cave at the base of the pile.
I looked around and grinned. I knew how to find my way from here. The stream was close by. And that meant the box was too. Sure enough, after a few minutes of walking, I heard the telltale sign of water rumbling over rocks. The stream!
When I reached it, I knelt down beside it and refiled my canteen. Then, I walked upstream to the rocky overhang.
I sat down in my old camp to rest for a moment. The sticks I had used for a campfire were still here. In the soft dirt around me, there were only my footprints. No sign of Richie.
I stood up and crossed the stream. I found the box where I had buried it during the first round. Glittering. Unopened. The lock gone. This is it!
I yanked the box from its hiding place. It practically sprang open on its own, revealing a beautiful golden skeleton key. I picked it up gingerly, as if it might break if I squeezed too hard. My heart pounded and my fingers tingled with excitement. I’m going to win. I’m going to take home the prize!
Suddenly, the sun was blocked by a huge shadow. I turned around and my excitement vanished. My heart thudded to a complete stop. I nearly dropped the key.
Standing on top of the rocky overhang, looking down at me with a triumphant grin was Richie.