Salt air burned Phern’s throat as he stood at the edge of the rotting dock. His neon-green suit clashed violently with the gray, overcast sky. Beside him, Zen sat perched on a rusted barrel, chewing pink bubblegum and scrolling through her phone, completely ignoring the humid breeze. A battered yacht chugged through the murky water, its engine sputtering and coughing. Black smoke billowed from its funnel, staining the air with the smell of diesel and rot. 'Listen up, losers!' Pher yelled, his voice echoing over the quiet waves. 'Welcome to Tension Island! Fifty-two weeks of pure agony. Fourteen of you will play, but only one walks away with a hundred thousand dollars.' Zen didn't look up from her screen, her voice flat. 'Or lives to spend it.' Tristan leaped from the boat before it even touched the dock. He hit the wooden planks in a perfect roll, instantly popping up and dropping into a set of rapid push-ups. Sweat beaded on his forehead, dripping onto the weathered wood. 'First one here! This is my island!' Tristan shouted, his chest puffing out as he bounced on his toes. Calle stepped off next, rolling his eyes so hard his neon-pink sunglasses slid down his nose. He nudged Tristan with the toe of his boot. 'Get up, try-hard. You’re embarrassing us, and we haven't even been divided into teams yet.' Screaming cut through the humid air. Ella tumbled off the gangplank, dragging three massive designer suitcases. She tripped over her own platform boots, landing face-first in a deep puddle of mud. 'I love it here!' Ella shrieked, sitting up with thick mud smeared across her forehead. She giggled wildly, scoop up handfuls of dirt and throwing them onto her own hair. Cory stepped over her, a sleek black notebook tucked firmly under his arm. He adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses, his eyes darting across the dock, calculating. He whispered under his breath, noting down names and perceived weaknesses. May Anne squealed, jumping back as Ella’s mud splashed near her pristine white sneakers. She immediately pulled out a gold-plated compact mirror, applying another thick layer of lip gloss with trembling fingers. 'If my skin breaks out because of this swamp air, I'm suing every single producer on this show,' May Anne muttered, glaring at the cameras. Ralph followed her, carrying a massive wooden crate under each arm like they were filled with feathers. His red flannel shirt was torn at the shoulders, revealing thick, muscular arms earned from years of farm work. He nodded politely at Zen. 'Afternoon, ma'am,' Ralph said, his voice deep and warm. Silence settled over the dock as Aiah stepped off the boat. She wore a tattered black dress that trailed in the mud. She stopped right in front of Pher, staring at him with unblinking, glassy eyes. 'I brought my own shovel,' Aiah whispered, pulling a small, rusty spade from her bag. 'For the bodies.' Pher’s grin widened, showing too many teeth. 'Excellent. You might need to dig fast.' Valentine pushed past her, blowing glittery kisses to the camera crew. Her pink heart-shaped earrings bounced against her neck. 'Hello, world! I'm here to find my soulmate and win some cash!' Kira stumbled behind her, clutching a worn-out stuffed rabbit to her chest. 'Sorry! Excuse me! I didn't mean to crowd you,' she squeaked, shrinking away when Emma shoved her aside. 'Out of my way, peasant,' Emma snapped. She strutted down the dock like it was a Parisian runway, her designer sunglasses catching the pale sunlight. Tarah walked off next, her arms crossed tight, a permanent scowl etched onto her face. 'I hate this boat. I hate this island. I hate all of you.' Star checked her tarot cards as she walked, nearly tripping over a loose plank. 'The stars warn of a great betrayal today. Mars is dominant. Death is in the cards.' Donnie, the oldest contestant at forty, stepped off with a warm, grandfatherly smile. He patted Tristan on the back. 'Great form on those push-ups, kid. Keep that energy up.' Guy dragged his feet at the very back of the group. His long black bangs completely covered his eyes, and his hands were shoved deep into his oversized black hoodie. He sighed, looking like he wished the earth would swallow him. 'Alright, meat bags!' Pher clapped his hands, the sharp sound echoing like a gunshot. 'No time to unpack. We are splitting you into two teams.' Zen spat her gum into the dark water below. 'Team one, you’re the Bouncy Goopers. Calle, Tristan, Ella, Cory, May Anne, Ralph, and Aiah.' Tristan cheered, high-fiving Calle, who grinned back. 'Team two,' Pher continued, 'you are the Sideward Hunters. Valentine, Kira, Emma, Tarah, Star, Donnie, and Guy.' Emma groaned, pointing a manicured finger at Donnie and Guy. 'I have to be on a team with an old man and a walking hot-topic ad? This is a joke.' Donnie smiled warmly at her, his voice soothing. 'We'll make a great team, Emma. Don't worry.' Underneath his gentle expression, Donnie’s eyes gleamed with cold calculation. He had already identified Emma as his first shield. --- Deep in the island's jungle, the two teams stood facing each other across a clearing. Pher stood on a raised wooden platform, holding a heavy-duty, military-grade paintball rifle. 'Your first challenge is simple. A paintball fight. But these aren't normal paintballs.' Zen held up a blue sphere, tapping it against a metal pole. It made a hard, metallic clink. 'They are frozen solid. They will break bones if you get hit in the wrong spot.' 'Each team has a flag,' Pher explained. 'Get hit once, and you are out. Eliminate the entire other team, or capture their flag to win safety.' Red paintballs were loaded into the Bouncy Goopers' guns. Blue paintballs went to the Sideward Hunters. 'Go!' Pher screamed, firing a flare gun into the sky. Gunfire erupted instantly, filling the forest with sharp pops. Tristan charged forward, firing wildly. 'For victory!' Emma ducked behind a thick mahogany tree, pulling Kira in front of her as a human shield. 'Block for me, rabbit girl!' A red paintball slammed into Kira's shoulder with a sickening thud. She gasped, falling into the dirt. 'I'm out! Sorry!' 'Useless,' Emma hissed, firing back over the trunk. Over on the left flank, Ralph moved like a tank. He ignored the paintballs bouncing off his thick canvas jacket, lifting a fallen log to shield himself and May Anne. 'Keep moving!' Ralph grunted, his boots sinking into the wet mud. May Anne stayed behind him, shooting blindly over his shoulder. She managed to hit Star, who was too busy reading her cards to duck. 'My aura has been compromised!' Star cried, looking at the red splatter on her chest. Donnie watched the chaos from behind a large boulder. He noticed Guy sitting on a log, head down, completely ignoring the battle around him. 'Guy, my boy,' Donnie said, running over to him with a worried look. 'You need to help us. If we lose, you're the target.' Guy shrugged, staring at his boots. 'Whatever. Life is pain anyway.' Donnie’s eyes narrowed. He grabbed Guy's gun, firing it into the bushes to draw attention. 'Hey, over here!' Donnie shouted, waving his arms. Ella came bursting through the underbrush, cackling like a maniac. She had a paintball gun in each hand, firing rapidly in every direction. Donnie leaped out of the way, leaving Guy completely exposed. Red paintballs pelted Guy's chest and face, leaving deep red stains. He didn't even flinch, just stared blankly as the red paint dripped down his black hoodie. 'Out!' Pher’s voice boomed through the speakers. With Guy down, the Sideward Hunters' defense collapsed. Tristan and Calle flanked Emma, pelting her with a barrage of red paint. 'My hair!' Emma screamed, falling to her knees in defeat. Bouncy Goopers cheered as the final buzzer sounded. 'Goopers win safety!' Pher announced. 'Hunters, I'll see you at the campfire tonight. Someone is going home.' --- Night fell over Tension Island, bringing a heavy, humid chill. Flames crackled in the center of the stone amphitheater. The Sideward Hunters sat on wooden logs, looking beaten and bruised. Pher stood at the podium, holding a tray of black marshmallows. 'Welcome to your first elimination. You have all cast your votes.' Donnie sat with his hands folded, looking sympathetic. He had spent the last two hours whispering in Emma and Valentine's ears, convincing them that Guy was dead weight. Guy sat at the end of the log, staring into the fire. 'When I call your name, you get a marshmallow,' Pher said. 'If you don't get one, your time on Tension Island is over.' Zen tossed the first marshmallow. 'Emma.' Emma caught it with a smug smirk. 'Donnie.' 'Valentine.' 'Tarah.' 'Star.' Only one marshmallow remained on the tray. Pher looked between Kira and Guy. Kira whimpered, clutching her stuffed rabbit tighter. 'Please, I want to stay.' Pher tossed the last black marshmallow. 'Kira.' Kira gasped, catching the marshmallow and bursting into tears of relief. Guy didn't look surprised. He stood up, brushing some dirt off his pants. 'Figures.' 'Step up to the Dock of Shame, Guy,' Pher said, his voice dropping to a low, sinister tone. Guy walked down the wooden path toward the edge of the water. The rest of the team followed to watch. A massive, iron cage hung from a crane over the dark, swirling water. 'Wait,' Guy said, his eyes widening slightly as he saw the cage. 'Where is the boat?' Pher chuckled, pulling a lever on the control panel. 'Oh, there is no boat for the losers. We call this the Cage of Plunge.' Before Guy could react, two heavy-set guards grabbed him, shoving him inside the iron cage and locking the door. 'You can't do this!' Tarah shouted, taking a step forward. 'That's kidnapping!' Donnie held her back, his face suddenly devoid of his usual warmth. 'Quiet, Tarah. Let's see what happens.' Pher pressed a red button. Heavy gears of the crane screamed as it dropped the cage instantly into the pitch-black ocean. Bubbles burst to the surface. The water went completely still. Everyone stared at the water, waiting for the cage to come back up. It didn't. Pher turned to the remaining contestants, his face illuminated by the eerie glow of the campfire. 'One down. Thirteen to go. Sleep tight, campers... if you can.'

Episode 1: Nicess Of Scam