Saltwater sprayed against the wooden planks of the rickety dock, leaving dark, damp stains. James stood at the very edge, a sadistic grin stretching across his tanned face. His pristine white suit looked ridiculous against the wild, untamed backdrop of the jungle behind him. Beside him, Ivan lounged on a plastic beach chair, sipping coconut water through a neon straw. She didn't look like she cared about the incoming chaos at all, her eyes half-closed under her sunglasses. High above them on the cliff, Venture Hotel loomed like a gothic fortress. Its massive, dark-stone towers reached toward the gray clouds, looking more like a prison than a luxury resort. First to step off the incoming yacht was Kiro, wearing a glittering rainbow sash and a tight crop top. He struck a dramatic pose, winking at the camera crew. "Darlings, the party has officially arrived!" Right behind him, Thomas sprinted onto the dock, dropping immediately to do twenty rapid-fire push-ups. "No days off! I'm here to dominate!" Judie cackled wildly, tumbling out of the boat and landing flat on her face. She hopped up instantly, dirt covering her nose, and pointed at a passing seagull. "That bird is plotting my demise!" Dannie stepped off next, eyes darting around as she scribbled in a small leather-bound notebook. She was already calculating alliances, trying to look innocent but failing miserably. Mary complained loudly, shielding her face from the sun with a designer handbag. "This humidity is going to ruin my waterproof mascara in five minutes!" Jack hoisted three massive duffel bags over his broad shoulders without breaking a sweat. He flashed a warm smile at Mary. "Need some help there, miss?" Honey glided past them, her pale face completely blank and her eyes wide. She stared straight at James, making the host actually take a step back. "I like the smell of decay here," she whispered. Xhai blew kisses to the camera, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I hope there are cute boys on this island!" Amber stumbled, dropping her suitcase into the water with a loud splash. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I'm such an idiot!" Rosee pushed past her, knocking Amber's shoulder with a sneer. "Get out of the way, loser. Some of us actually belong in a five-star hotel." Kaleb growled, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he glared at everyone. "I hate all of you already. Don't look at me." Samantha stared up at the sky, ignoring the noise. "Mercury is in retrograde. This journey will end in tears for most of us." Rick stepped off, smiling warmly. At forty years old, he looked like a friendly uncle, but his sharp eyes cataloged everyone's weaknesses instantly. "Good afternoon, kids. Let's have a clean game." Joe dragged his feet, bangs covering his eyes as he sighed heavily. "Whatever. Life is pain anyway." Sabbie clutched her wooden crucifix, whispering a quiet prayer. "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." Oreo smiled warmly, helping Amber fish her wet suitcase out of the shallow water. "Don't worry, I've got you. We're all in this together." --- James clapped his hands together, the sharp sound echoing like a gunshot. "Welcome, victims—I mean, contestants! You are standing on Venture Island, home to the most dangerous resort on earth." Ivan waved lazily from her chair. "Hey guys. Try not to die, okay? James went overboard with the traps this year." James smirked, pointing to the massive hotel towering behind them. "You'll be sleeping in luxury... if you survive the daily challenges. Let's split you into your teams." Using a megaphone, James barked out the names. "Kiro, Thomas, Judie, Dannie, Mary, Jack, Honey, and Xhai. You are the Jungle Jaguars!" Jaguars cheered, though Mary groaned at the team name, claiming orange wasn't her color. Kiro tried to comfort her by offering to redesign the uniform. James continued, "Amber, Rosee, Kaleb, Samantha, Rick, Joe, Sabbie, and Oreo. You are the Low-key Eagles!" Rosee sneered at her teammates. "Great. I'm stuck with the rejects, the old guy, and a nun." Sabbie crossed herself again, refusing to look at Rosee, while Oreo gently offered a supportive smile to Amber. --- An hour later, both teams stood at the edge of a massive, bubbling mud pit. High above the mud hung a series of swinging, grease-covered ropes. At the end of the ropes was a towering wall of sheer rock. James grinned, holding up two golden keys. "Your first challenge is simple. One by one, you must swing across the mud pit, climb the rock wall, and retrieve a key. But beware—the mud is electrified. Fall in, and you get a nasty shock." Ivan yawned. "Yeah, it's about fifty volts. It hurts. A lot." Thomas stepped forward for the Jaguars, muscles flexing. "I'll go first! I'm built for this!" He grabbed the rope, leaped across with a loud grunt, and cleared the mud easily. He scrambled up the rock wall like a mountain goat, securing the first point for the Jaguars. Amber trembled at the edge for the Eagles. "I... I don't think I can do this." Rosee shoved her forward. "Go, you useless waste of space!" Screaming, Amber grabbed the rope but slipped instantly. She plummeted into the mud pit. A bright blue spark crackled, and Amber shrieked as the electricity jolted through her. She dragged herself out, shivering and crying. Rick patted Amber's shoulder, his voice dripping with faux sympathy. "You did your best, kiddo. Don't worry about it." Behind his back, Rick caught Kaleb's eye and gave a subtle nod. He was already planning. Jack sailed across the pit next for the Jaguars, his farm-boy strength making it look effortless. He climbed the wall in seconds. Joe stood at the edge of the pit for the Eagles, staring blankly at the swinging rope. "Maybe getting shocked will make me feel alive." He jumped, didn't even try to hold on, and fell straight into the mud. He didn't even scream when the electricity hit him, just sighed. Rosee rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me? We are losing to a bunch of circus freaks!" Kaleb refused to even grab the rope. He sat on a rock, crossing his arms. "I'm not jumping into electrified mud for a cheap reality show." Samantha stared at the mud pit. "This pit is a portal of negative cosmic energy. I will not tempt the alignment of the stars." Dannie watched the Eagles struggle, a sly smile forming on her lips. She approached Mary. "You know, if we win, we should target Thomas next. He's too strong. We need to get him out before he merges." Mary shrugged, touching up her lipstick. "Whatever. Just don't let him get mud on my outfit." Jaguars took a massive lead as Honey literally crawled across the rope upside down like a spider, giving everyone a terrifying glare. Judie didn't even use the rope. She just sprinted headfirst into the mud, got shocked, laughed hysterically, and climbed the wall anyway. By the time Oreo made a successful attempt for the Eagles, the Jaguars had already secured all their keys. James blew a loud air horn. "Jaguars win! Safe from elimination and gets the penthouse suite tonight. Eagles, I'll see you at the tribal campfire tonight. Someone is going home." --- Sunset painted the sky in angry shades of crimson and orange. Inside the dusty, lower-tier cabins, the Eagles scrambled to figure out who to vote for. Rosee cornered Amber in the bathroom. "You're voting for Joe. He literally threw his turn. If you vote for anyone else, I will make your life a living hell." Amber nodded frantically, tears welling in her eyes. "Okay! I promise!" Meanwhile, Rick sat with Kaleb and Sabbie near the lake. He maintained his friendly, uncle-like smile, but his eyes were cold. "Joe is a liability, sure. But Rosee is toxic. She's going to tear this team apart. If we vote out Joe, we keep a bully. If we vote out Rosee, we have peace." Kaleb grunted. "I hate both of them. But Rosee's voice makes my ears bleed. I'm in." Sabbie nodded gently. "Peace is always the righteous path." Rick smiled, patting Sabbie's hand. "Excellent." But Rick wasn't done. He walked over to Joe, who was sitting under a tree, drawing in the dirt with a stick. "Joe, buddy. I know you're tired. But Rosee is gunning for you. If you want to stay and prove her wrong, we have the numbers to kick her out." Joe looked up, his dark eyes squinting. "I don't care. But I hate her face. I'll vote for her." Rick walked away, his smile widening. He had successfully set up a blindside. But who was he actually going to vote for? Dannie sat nearby in the bushes, trying to eavesdrop on the Eagles. She wanted to know who was going, hoping to use the information later. Kiro walked past, catching her in the act. "Spying already, darling?" Kiro laughed, tossing his hair. Dannie flushed, quickly scrambling to her feet. "I was just... looking for my earring!" --- Night fell, and the Eagles gathered around a burning fire pit. James sat on a wooden throne, holding a wooden tray of marshmallows. "Welcome to your first Tribal Council. Here, fire represents your life in this game. Once your fire is gone, so are you." Ivan stood by a massive, high-tech drone floating quietly in the dark. "This is the Drone of Elimination. It will carry the loser to Loser Island. No coming back." James gestured to the voting booth. "It's time to vote. Amber, you're up." One by one, the contestants walked behind the wooden screen to cast their votes. Rosee smirked as she wrote Joe's name. "Easiest vote of my life." Joe wrote Rosee's name without a word. Rick walked up, staring at the parchment. He smirked, writing a name that would shock everyone. James retrieved the urn and stood before the group. "Once the votes are read, the decision is final. I'll read the votes." "First vote... Joe." Joe didn't even blink. "Second vote... Rosee." Rosee gasped, looking around. "Who dared?!" "Third vote... Joe." "Fourth vote... Rosee." "Fifth vote... Joe." "Sixth vote... Rosee." James grinned, enjoying the tension. "That's three votes Joe, three votes Rosee. Two votes left." "Seventh vote... Rosee." Rosee stood up, her face turning bright red. "Are you idiots serious? I am the star of this show!" James raised his hand. "Sit down, Rosee. The final vote..." He pulled the last slip of paper from the urn. "First person voted out of Venture Hotel... Amber." Amber's jaw dropped. "What? Me?!" Rosee gasped, then burst into a wicked laugh. "Oh, that is hilarious!" James chuckled. "Amber, the tribe has spoken." Screaching loudly, the Drone of Elimination hovered forward, its metallic claws dropping down. Amber screamed as the claws clamped around her waist, lifting her high into the night sky. "No! Please! I didn't do anything!" Oreo looked devastated, looking at Rick. "How did this happen? We had the votes for Rosee!" Rick let out a heavy sigh, looking incredibly sad. "Someone must have betrayed us. This is terrible." Inside, Rick was ecstatic. He had voted for Amber to keep the chaotic Rosee in the game as a shield, while letting everyone think someone else was the traitor. James stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with a dark, twisted excitement. "One down, fifteen to go. But before you get too comfortable..." Suddenly, a loud siren began to wail across the entire island, flashing red lights illuminating the dark jungle. James grinned. "I forgot to mention... the hotel is locked down at night. And we just released the wolves."

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Resort of Nightmares