Chapter 3The Boy Who Finally Smiled

The next morning, a blood-curdling shriek shattered the quiet of the camp.

"Get it off! Get them away from me!"

Mallory tumbled out of her tent, scrambling through the dirt on her hands and knees.

Three brightly banded coral snakes were coiled near the entrance of her tent, their small heads swaying, tongues tasting the humid air.

Cyrus was the first to act.

Armed with a thick branch, he stepped between Mallory and the snakes, keeping his voice steady and calm as he guided her back and coaxed the serpents into the thick brush.

"Don't panic. I've got you. Just move slowly."

He looked like a hero straight out of a classic adventure film.

Mallory threw her arms around him, sobbing into his chest. "Cyrus, thank god. Thank god you were here."

The livestream chat erupted.

"Oh my god, he's literally a prince! Look at how he protected her!"

"My heart is beating so fast. He is so brave."

"Where is that useless dark cloud Beck? Is he still sleeping?"

All eyes turned toward my tent.

The flap was zipped shut. No sound came from inside.

Gideon marched over, slamming his fist against the fabric.

"Beck! Are you dead in there? Something this massive happens and you can't even bother to step out? Where is your team spirit?"

I unzipped the flap and stepped out, entirely unbothered.

I was wearing full-coverage, snake-resistant gaiters and thick canvas sleeves. In my hand, I held a small glass vial.

"I'm not dead," I said, scanning the crowd. "But if I hadn't stepped out, you might be."

I walked over to Mallory's tent, crouching down.

I pointed to a faint, greasy white residue smeared along the bottom seam of the nylon.

"This is snake-attractant paste."

I looked up at Cyrus, my gaze freezing him in place.

"Last night, someone went out of their way to paint this around the campsite."

The clearing went dead silent.

Cyrus’s expression faltered for a microsecond before smoothing back into his trademark innocence.

"Beck, what are you talking about? Attractant paste? This is a rainforest. Snakes live here." He laughed softly, looking around for support. "You can't just make up wild conspiracy theories because you're terrified of the dark."

Mallory chimed in, her voice shrill with indignation. "Exactly! You didn't do a single thing to help, and now you're trying to scare everyone! If someone put paste out, why didn't they get bitten?"

I ignored them both. I held up the glass vial.

"Because of this."

Inside the vial was a crushed green weed I had harvested from the deep brush during my midnight walk.

"This is viper-grass, a plant whose natural oils neutralize the paste's scent. Unfortunately for the person who smeared the paste, the wind shifted last night. They ended up spreading the scent onto Mallory’s tent—and mine."

I kept my eyes locked on Cyrus's twitching gaze.

"If I hadn't anticipated this and coated my tent with the crushed viper-grass, the snakes would have been inside my sleeping bag by midnight."

The weight of my words sat heavily in the damp air.

Gideon stepped in, red-faced and shouting.

"Beck, you are officially losing your mind! Cyrus was exhausted yesterday. He slept like a log. Where would he even get snake paste? You need professional help!"

Cyrus took a step back, his eyes swimming with tears.

"Beck... if you hate me this much, just say it. But don't accuse me of trying to kill people. I just wanted to keep everyone safe."

His trembling voice rallied the other male contestants. They stepped forward, closing ranks around him.

"Apologize to him, Beck!"

"Seriously, he's a toxic element in this camp. We need to kick him out."

I looked at the group of easily manipulated fools.

No anger. No disappointment. Just cold evaluation.

Apologize?

I'd send him a wreath for his funeral.

"Believe whatever you want," I said, turning back to my tent to pack my gear. "I'm leaving the group. I'll survive on my own."

This was always my preferred path. Staying with these people only increased the variables of my eighteenth trial.

"Good! Go! Nobody wants you here!" Mallory yelled.

But Cyrus took a step forward, blocking my path.

"Beck, no." He looked deeply concerned, his eyes wide with noble responsibility. "It’s too dangerous out there alone. You won't make it. We’re a team. I can't just let you go off to die." He looked at the camera lens, his expression resolute. "Even if you hate me, I'm responsible for you."

I looked at the disgusting display.

"Move," I said.