Surveyor Cave

Episode 6

Julie was the first to wake. She felt strangely happy and rested as she lay on the dirt, enjoying the darkness and the sound of the stream gurgling in the distance. The peace was eventually broken by the sound of…raccoons fighting? No, it couldn't be... She hurriedly turned on her light to discover that the sound was coming from the twins Sally and Jennifer, fighting over a rock they were using as a pillow. Of course, that woke the rest of the group, and the question of the day (or night?) was voiced by Roger: "So what's next?" Maria remembered the envelope given to her by the host, produced it from a pocket, opened it and read the instructions:

Proceed down the stream to a metal gate, where you will face your next immunity contest, a mental test of endurance. Contestants will gather in a 1-foot high stream passage that we have drained with a pump. We will then allow the water to return to its normal level, and the person who lasts the longest wins immunity from the next elimination.

The trip to the gate was like a funeral march; everyone kept their thoughts to themselves. In 30 minutes they reached the gate, and Tobias kindly helped Roger set and measure a survey station. The group lined up in a rather orderly fashion, and laid on their backs, mentally preparing for the event. The hosts, waiting on the other side of the gate, opened it and said "OK everyone; lights out!" to which Cassie objected with a flurry of profanity. However, the hosts insisted that the contest would not continue until the passage was dark. And so it began: the hosts removed the dam, and the water slowly crept up their backs. As it dribbled into their ears, sounds became suddenly muffled, and this accelerated the creeping claustrophobia in almost everyone. The small lapping waves crept slowly upward as the water approached its natural level, teasing the corners of their mouths and their eyes. The group looked rather comically like a bunch of algae eaters stuck to the side of an aquarium as they pressed their faces to the ceiling and pursed their lips to breath the air.

This continued for 40 minutes until suddenly a high nasal sound filled the chamber… through a set of loudspeakers came music from the Hollies: "…some-times--ALL I NEED IS THE AIR--THAT I BREATH…" and at that point Cassie took a deep breath, turned on her stomach, and bolted for the gate. That stirred up larger waves, causing all of them except for Roger to give into panic and leave. Roger had thus won immunity, and emerged from the passage with a calm, matter-of-fact expression on his face. "Jeez, you're surprisingly tough" complimented Tobias, and Roger merely replied "it's just like maintaining databases and spreadsheets… discipline, pure mental discipline."

Cassie, failing to appreciate the analogy, and still suffering from claustrophobic panic, lashed out with criticism of the contest. She cited that it was cruel, dangerous, and that all the contestants were crazy to continue with this madness. Some of the group agreed, while others were feeling rather proud of themselves for enduring the ordeal as long as they had.

The hosts informed the contestants that they could exit the cave for a short time to vote and to refresh themselves before continuing their adventure. Since they had spent countless days and nights in the cave, they excitedly sloshed downstream another 100 yards, only to emerge into the pouring rain on a dark night. This depressing anticlimax set a somber mood for the voting. Because of her outburst, Cassie was narrowly voted out of the contest, leaving seven to continue with Surveyor Cave.

Click on the Oztotle water passage for the next episode or on a number to go to that episode

*Episode 6*

Julie was the first to wake. She felt strangely happy and rested as she lay on the dirt, enjoying the darkness and the sound of the stream gurgling in the distance. The peace was eventually broken by the sound of…raccoons fighting? No, it couldn't be... She hurriedly turned on her light to discover that the sound was coming from the twins Sally and Jennifer, fighting over a rock they were using as a pillow. Of course, that woke the rest of the group, and the question of the day (or night?) was voiced by Roger: "So what's next?" Maria remembered the envelope given to her by the host, produced it from a pocket, opened it and read the instructions:
	Proceed down the stream to a metal gate, where you will face your next immunity contest, a mental test of endurance. Contestants will gather in a 1-foot high stream passage that we have drained with a pump. We will then allow the water to return to its normal level, and the person who lasts the longest wins immunity from the next elimination.
The trip to the gate was like a funeral march; everyone kept their thoughts to themselves. In 30 minutes they reached the gate, and Tobias kindly helped Roger set and measure a survey station. The group lined up in a rather orderly fashion, and laid on their backs, mentally preparing for the event. The hosts, waiting on the other side of the gate, opened it and said "OK everyone; lights out!" to which Cassie objected with a flurry of profanity. However, the hosts insisted that the contest would not continue until the passage was dark. And so it began: the hosts removed the dam, and the water slowly crept up their backs. As it dribbled into their ears, sounds became suddenly muffled, and this accelerated the creeping claustrophobia in almost everyone. The small lapping waves crept slowly upward as the water approached its natural level, teasing the corners of their mouths and their eyes. The group looked rather comically like a bunch of algae eaters stuck to the side of an aquarium as they pressed their faces to the ceiling and pursed their lips to breath the air. This continued for 40 minutes until suddenly a high nasal sound filled the chamber… through a set of loudspeakers came music from the Hollies: "…some-times--ALL I NEED IS THE AIR--THAT I BREATH…" and at that point Cassie took a deep breath, turned on her stomach, and bolted for the gate. That stirred up larger waves, causing all of them except for Roger to give into panic and leave. Roger had thus won immunity, and emerged from the passage with a calm, matter-of-fact expression on his face. "Jeez, you're surprisingly tough" complimented Tobias, and Roger merely replied "it's just like maintaining databases and spreadsheets… discipline, pure mental discipline." Cassie, failing to appreciate the analogy, and still suffering from claustrophobic panic, lashed out with criticism of the contest. She cited that it was cruel, dangerous, and that all the contestants were crazy to continue with this madness. Some of the group agreed, while others were feeling rather proud of themselves for enduring the ordeal as long as they had. The hosts informed the contestants that they could exit the cave for a short time to vote and to refresh themselves before continuing their adventure. Since they had spent countless days and nights in the cave, they excitedly sloshed downstream another 100 yards, only to emerge into the pouring rain on a dark night. This depressing anticlimax set a somber mood for the voting. Because of her outburst, Cassie was narrowly voted out of the contest, leaving seven to continue with Surveyor Cave.