Page 97 of Dream Chaser
“Can’t believe I’m saying this,” I groan like it’s killing me, “but Izzy’s right.”
Thinking that would help was a fucking mistake, because if silence could get any quieter, that’s the level we’re at.
“Holy shit.” Mags springs up and rushes to the window. “Did you see that?” She runs to another.
“What?” Syd asks in near panic.
Mags turns and looks at us, most half-out of our seats. “Pigs flying.”
Lauren throws a napkin at her. “You’re an asshole.”
“I mean”—she takes her seat—“so?”
“It’ll work out good for you when you’re on that show.” I chuckle. “Which, by the way, I stand by what I said when we were all grounded. You should be onLove VillaorCatfight Cabins. Not that shit show.”
I nearly choke on my salted potato when Oz leans back in his chair and smirks across the table at Mags. “So, what’s this wilderness show all about? You gonna be surviving off pinecones and sass?”
She wipes her mouth and sits up straighter, already half-grinning. “It’s calledWilderness Warrior,thank you very much, and it’s not all pinecones and sass. Although, I willabsolutelybe packing both.”
“You’ve seenHunger Games, right, Oz?” I ask.
“This year’s different,” Mags starts. “They’re doing a younger cohort—seventeen to twenty. Usually, it’s a bunch of gritty thirty-somethings who’ve spent half their lives scaling ice walls and boiling pine needles for tea. But this time, it’s the ‘next generation of outdoor leaders,’ or whatever the casting call said.”
I cough around my water. “So … Gen Z Survivor with more glitter and less liability insurance?”
“Basically.” She smiles sweetly. “It’s four weeks, in the middle of the Cascade Mountains. Think lush forests, glacial lakes, and enough rain to drown a duck.”
“How many people?” I ask.
“Sixteen contestants. We get dropped in, no phones, no outside contact, just a single GoPro each and the camera crew lurking like creepy trolls.”
“They let you keep the GoPro?” Oz asks.
“They say it’s for ‘personal perspective.’” She air quotes. “But mostly so they can use all our breakdowns for dramatic montages.”
Izzy laughs into her wine. “I’ll be waiting for your slow-mo cry-face in the teaser trailer.”
Mags grins. “There are team challenges and solo ones—fire building, shelter making, orienteering, meal prepping, and these leadership things where you have to convince your group not to mutiny on you. We all live together in base camps—two big canvas tents, guys and girls separate—but if you win certain challenges, you can earn private rest days, better rations, even gear upgrades.”
“And how do they vote people off?” Boone asks, genuinely curious now.
She takes a long sip of cider. “Every few days, we have elimination councils. Your team can nominate someone, or the bottom performers go into a sudden death challenge. Whoever tanks it, goes home.”
“Damn,” Grimes mutters. “That’s brutal.”
“Yep,” Mags say brightly. “Which is why I’m training, planning, and fully ready to dominate.”
I shake my head. “Still think you’d be better off onLove Villa- Chainsaws Edition.”
“I’d win that, too.” She smiles. “But I’m going toWilderness Warriorto show them what a field hockey captain slash co-op farm girl slash cottagecore baddie canreallydo with a survival knife and zero sleep.”
Oz leans in again, mock serious. “Promise us one thing.”
“Name it.”
“If you have to eat bugs on camera, at least wink first.”
“I’ll blow a kiss,” she deadpans, “with cricket legs stuck in my teeth.”
