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The production crew provided the contestants with new food and batteries, and the announced that
two groups were to continue downstream, adding that the passage would give them a hint at what the next contest
would be like. Everyone reluctantly got back into the water, the carbide lamps around the dry rim were extinguished,
and the journey continued. The ceiling immediately dropped so everyone had to stoop, and the water remained waist
deep. This continued for a rather boring three miles, but the surveying was delightfully easy with several 50'
shots. The easy boredom then started to gradually give way to lower ceilings and deeper water. After another three
miles Maria was bouncing along on the tips of her toes to keep her nose in the 8" of air space. Tobias could
not bear to see her suffer so, and offered her some zip-lock bags to blow up and place under her clothes so she
could float. Preferring to remain independent, Maria thanked him but refused. Fortunately for her, the water became
less deep, but the ceiling dropped still farther, until all were crawling as they kissed the wet ceiling to carefully
pull in each breath.
"Slow!…(breathe)…Don't move…(breathe)…so much……water!" someone cried with a gurgling gasps. The desperate
voice continued, "the waves…make it…hard to…get a good…compass reading! The voice belonged to Roger, who pursued
meticulous detail to the bitter end. Everyone took extra care to minimize the waves to make breathing easier. This
continued for 200 feet until the ceiling lifted to a refreshing 12 inches, the stream took a turn, and they slithered
up onto a sloppy muddy bank. All eight contestants looked miserable but comical, lined up in a row on their stomachs,
faces turned sideways in the mud, thankful for the precious ability to breathe normally. George was the last one
up, and as he flopped into the mud he exclaimed "hey, you mud puppies, I forgot to write down the back site
on that first survey shot out of that pool room where we voted. Who wants to go back with me to re-do it? At last,
George's absurd humor prompted the entire group to groan and laugh, some hysterically as they released loads of
accumulated stress.
After a few minutes, they all slithered then crawled up the mud bank, which became drier and
larger as they proceeded. They came to a dry, flat plateau, and all but one lay down and fell into a deep slumber
within minutes. After two hours, Maria awoke to find Siu sitting in a yoga position, quietly chanting a mantra,
"Sol-Oz-Omm… Sol-Oz-Ommm-Sol-Oz…"
Maria queried, "You sing of Sol, the sun, and of Oztotl, a Mexican cave god; but what is Om?"
Siu answered, "Om I learn from the Moody Blues, In Search of the Lost Chord. Om is harmony we seek, when our
karma is in resonance with the universe. Here we live with Yin and Yang. Good and Evil. Light and Darkness. Each
exists because of the other, ever revolving, ever exchanging places, but never co-existing. Oz now gives way to
Om for me. There is no need for an elimination vote this time. My time in the darkness is to end…" and she
lapsed back into her deep meditation. Maria, usually the short-tempered, fiery little woman, silently acknowledged
with an understanding nod.
At that moment, someone appeared, handed Maria an envelope, and said softly "You are now eight in number.
These are your instructions. You should rest with the others." He then took Siu gently by the arm and they
walked away into the darkness.
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