105 THE CRUEL SEA

Zoe jerked up in surprise. She has taken a longer nap than she intended!

She immediately went out of the tent and looked for the other Norfolks.

Fortunately, they were just regrouping for the tie-breaker challenge. 

"Kristie! Have you seen Mr. Gao?"

She asked her immediately as soon as she saw her. 

"Hi, Zoe! Are you feeling well now?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"But I haven't seen him around. Guys, have you seen Mr. Gao?" 

Kristie poked on Nella who was just around. She was having a good chat with Clay.

"No, we haven't," Nella answered.

"Maybe he has gone back to his country. I hope nothing bad is happening over there." 

Clay also responded as he rubbed his chin.

"That's strange. We had just…." Zoe thought out loud. 

But it's too late when she realized that she was still in front of everybody.

"Yeah?" Kristie prodded her to go on with a mischievous look on her face.

"Talked on the phone!" Zoe abruptly answered.

'Or in my dreams?' Zoe furrowed her brows.

"Oh! So when is he coming back? I would love to take a picture with him."

Kristie gleefully commented with her hands clasped in front of her.

"Me too!" Nella agreed.

"He at least could have given to us his number too."

"At least, I'm still around. I could give you mine." 

Clay blurted out as he peeked at Nella. 

"Maybe later!" Nella retorted. "I couldn't find Lily either. We're already starting. Come on, Kristie let's try to look for her."

Zoe glanced at the seats of the tribal council. There was only Mr. Fu and Mr. Qigang.

'If Raigon was really around, he must have seated over there. Is it just my hallucination then because of my fever? Or did he really go here to see me and took off to attend to some things at Terra?'

She contemplated as her fingers consciously traveled to her lips. 

'But it felt so real. And so good…'

Her cheeks reddened at her malicious thoughts. She shook her head so she could think straight.

'After this game, I have to go back to Terra!'

It felt like she was completely missing out if she wouldn't know what exactly happened to her parents. And she was also burning with curiosity about the land.

Erin's loud and commanding voice disturbed her in her thoughts as she readied everybody for the next game. 

"Our next game is called The Cruel Sea. One person from each tribe will dive into the water to retrieve a ring and bring it back. The next castaway from your tribe will do the same until you collect all five rings. Two tribe members must shoot the rings on the posts. And of course, the first tribe to finish wins the game."

"Sound like fun," Zoe cracked his knuckles.

She grouped the Norfolks in a circle.

"So here's our plan. Who among you can swim fast?" 

Clay, Nella, and Anika raised their hands.

"That's good. We'll be the swimmers then. Daphne and Kristie, you'll be the shooters. The rest of you, stay put. Just in case something happens. All right? Let's go!"

Clay, Anika, and Anika dove as fast as they could so they retrieved the rings earlier than the Tasmans.

"Go, Anika!" The Norfolks rooted for her as she was the last one before Zoe.

It was now Zoe's turn for the Norfolks tribe.

"You got this Zoe! We're counting on you!" 

Kristie shouted before Zoe plunged into the waters to search for the last ring.

"Easy as pie," Zoe thought to herself.

She has been a good swimmer since she was a teenager.

She feels like she was much closer to her parents in this way with the thought that her parents died in the waters as well.

"There it is!"

It was an improvised ring as large as a lifesaver so they could easily see it. 

Zoe stretched her hand and was about to pick it up when someone pulled her arm away. 

It was Savannah!

"What is wrong with you?!" Zoe wanted to shout at her. 

She yanked her arm away but Savannah pulled her hair instead. 

"Do you really want to have a death wish?!"

Zoe screamed in her mind. 

Her physical body was not as strong as when she was not sick. 

"Still, I cannot let you get away with this!"

Zoe mustered all her strength so she could fight back.

Her feet searched for legs. In a flash of lightning, she curled her legs against hers until her arm was now on her neck, suffocating her. 

Savannah tapped her arm as if telling her that she cannot breathe anymore.

In an instant, Zoe let her loose. 

But as she did so, Savannah bit her arm until it bled and quickly swam away.

"Aaahh!"

Zoe yelped in pain. But she didn't forget the ring.

With her able hand, she snatched it and brought it back up.

"Haa!" 

She breathed out as her head bobbed out from under the sea. 

"Kristie, catch!"

Zoe threw the ring so Kristie could shoot it at once. 

Kristie immediately opened her hands and was able to catch it and shoot it at the post.

"Norfolks!" Every Norfolk member shouted in unison as they finished the game first.

"One point for the Norfolks!" Erin announced.

"Hooray!" The Norfolks cheered.

Koby assisted Zoe as she pulled her up the deck.

"Are you okay? You're bleeding! Are you bitten?"

He immediately pulled out his medicine kit.

"Yeah, there's a rabid dog underwater. I think I need some vaccines."

She glared at Savannah who hasn't got any remorse at all as she secured herself.

"What? She almost killed me! I only defended myself!"

She showed her neck to reveal her bruises. 

Zoe was taken aback. 'Did I really do that?'

She was speechless and didn't comment any further.

Koby supported Zoe to stand up while Enzo assisted Savannah. 

"Norfolks you could rest now. Tasmans, please get ready for the tribal council." Erin concluded the game. 

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You have to go through some bad days 

To have your best days.

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