After what felt like an endless morning of traveling- first the rickety ferry ride, then the cramped motorboat- you’re finally sitting around a smoky campfire on the island. The place looks far less habitable than you imagined.

Chris McLean, grinning like a man who takes pleasure in your misery, sweeps his arm toward the tree line and rocky shoreline.

“Welcome to Camp Wawanakwa, your home for the next eight weeks!” His voice is too cheerful for the mosquito-infested swamp behind him. “The campers sitting around you will be your cabin-mates, your competition, and maybe- if you’re lucky- your friends!”

Some of the girls exchange wary glances. Mari is already swatting at a bug the size of a nickel.

“The camper who manages to survive on this island without getting voted off,” Chris continues, letting the silence hang before dropping the hook, “will win one hundred thousand dollars.”

The money. That’s why you’re all here. That’s the weight pressing down on every one of you already.

Chris claps his hands together. “So, here’s the deal- we’re splitting you into two teams! If I call your name out, go stand over there. From now on, you’re Team Yellow!”

He rattles off names: Gen, Mari, Melissa, Shauna, Lottie, Misty, Crystal.

“And the rest of you- Jackie, Natalie, Van, Taissa, Laura Lee, Akilah- you’re Team Blue!”

Shauna’s eyes flick to Jackie, her brows knitting tight. She’s barely set foot on the island and already she’s being separated from her best friend. Jackie, for her part, offers a reassuring smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Alright, campers!” Chris beams. “You’ll be on camera at all times in public spaces, so be on your best- and worst- behavior. You’ll also have access to the Confessional Booth! Anytime you want to vent, gossip, or stab your teammates in the back- figuratively speaking- you can do it there. Trust me, the audience loves it.”

The “Confessional Booth” appears to be... an outhouse? You frown.

Chris just jerks a thumb toward the trees. “Now, let’s get you settled. Team Yellow, east cabins. Team Blue, west.”

The short hike to the cabins is enough to remind you how isolated this place is. The cabins loom ahead, rough wood and peeling paint. Inside, it’s worse- musty air, tattered curtains riddled with holes, and a cockroach darting across the splintered floorboards. Your eyes land on the bunk beds. There aren’t enough good ones to go around. You’d better move fast if you want the top bunk before someone else calls dibs.

Chris’s voice cuts in from outside, sharp and gleeful:

“Oh, by the way- your first challenge starts in exactly one hour! You’ve got that long to unpack, scope out your competition, and meet me at the main lodge. Starting... now!”

And just like that, the game begins.