Episode 8 is here!

Reminder: I do not own Total Drama

Episode 8: Mine of Mysteries

It was morning on Wawanakwa, and the eight contestants went to the main lodge for breakfast.

Mike: Hey, where's Chef?

Jo: No idea.

Lightning: But Lightning needs food!

While the others scrambled around, Jo had many thoughts going through her head.

Flashback to previous night:

Brick had brought Jo behind the Maggots' cabin.

Jo: All right, spill it, Brick for brains.

Brick: Okay, so when I got hurled off the island, I actually landed on the island again, deep in the forest. I assumed it was a mistake, but then these guys in white coats knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, I was in this really dark place… almost like, underground or something.

Jo listened in confusion as Brick went on.

Brick: I was trapped in some sort of tube-chamber thing, and the men in white were outside with some machines. But then… then I noticed…

Jo: What?

Brick: Staci's bow, and Anne Maria's hairspray, just lying on the ground! And then there were these two creatures, in cages…

Jo: Are you sure you weren't dreaming all of this?

Brick: I swear to you, I was wide awake! The creatures… one was like a beaver, and the other one was like, a lizard or something, but they were mutated!

Jo: Yeah, well this island does have those, you know.

Brick: But Jo, I think they were Staci and Anne Maria! And I think that if I wasn't able to use my quick thinking and military training, I would have gotten changed too. Those men, they were like scientists, experimenting…

Jo sighed.

Jo: Well gee, forgive me if I find it hard to believe you.

Brick: Jo please, something is going on here, something bad. I bet Dakota and B have been experimented on too!

Jo: Well, I did kinda hear you talking to Chris earlier, in the main lodge.

Brick: Oh good, so you heard me confront him! And come on, he knows that I'm on to him!

Jo: Right. Well whatever that nutcase has going on down there, we'll figure it out together.

She reached out and shook Brick's hand.

Brick: Huh, I thought you liked to do things on your own.

Jo: Yeah, well I… just shut up.

End of flashback

Cameron: Hey guys, let's check the freezer.

Zoey: Great idea, Cam!

The eight contestants walked into the freezer, but the door suddenly shut behind them and they felt like they were moving.

Mike: Whoa, what's going on?

Cameron: I don't know, but I don't like all these meat carcasses!

They felt the vehicle come to a halt, and they were then emptied out. They landed in a pile on the ground, in front of Chris.

Chris: Hey there, campers!

The campers slowly stood up and realized that they were standing in front of a large tunnel.

Chris: Welcome to the Wawanakwa Mines!

Zoey: Mines?

Chris: Yes! For today's challenge, each team will explore the depths of the toxic- I mean, totally safe- mine and try to receive a Chris statue in their team color. First team to get out of the mines with their respective statue wins! Also, you'll need to wear these heavy backpacks, simply for my amusement.

Chef tossed each of the contestants a heavy backpack, along with a chemical badge.

Scott: What the hell is this thing for?

Cameron: They're chemical badges, but why would we need to measure our exposure to chemical waste?

Chris: Ha ha, why do you think? Just like the rest of the island, the mines are loaded with toxic waste and other radioactive goodies that are sure to harm any living creature within a ten foot radius. You have exactly thirty minutes to complete the challenge. When your badge turns orange, you've got fifteen minutes to live. When it becomes red, five minutes.

Zoey: Ah, then what?

Chris: Heh heh, don't worry, it won't come to that. Now get on in there, time's a wasting!

Jo: Hey, where's Brick?

Chris: Oh yeah, he had to go home.

Jo eyed him suspiciously.

Jo: Really, so soon? Without saying goodbye?

Chris: Yep.

As the contestants entered the mine, Chris looked once more at Jo.

Chris: Maybe he should learn to keep his mouth shut.

Jo became nervous and followed the others into the mine. What had that maniacal host done with Brick?

Cameron: Look, an elevator!

Lightning pushed the bubble boy aside.

Lightning: One side! Team Rat is going first!

He ran on to the elevator, followed by Sam and Scott.

Dawn: Wait, let's all try to go together.

Scott: Come on Dawn, we wanna win this.

Dawn: Oh, okay Scott.

Cameron: But Dawn-

He watched as Dawn dreamily followed Scott onto the elevator and it plummeted down.

Jo: Great, now we've got no way down!

Zoey: Yeah, I don't think that elevator is coming back.

Svetlana: Then we'll make our own way down! Hi-ya!

"She" flipped onto the elevator cables and slid down.

Svetlana: Everybody follow me!

Cameron, Zoey, and Jo stared down the dark shaft.

Cameron: Um, ladies first?

Jo rolled her eyes.

Jo: Just go already!

She picked up Cameron by his hood and tossed him down.

Cameron: Ahhh!

Zoey spotted a jar with fireflies.

Zoey: Look, we can use these for light!

Jo: Good, now let's get moving.

Meanwhile, the Rats had landed with the crashed elevator at the bottom.

Sam: Uh, it's awfully dark down here.

Scott: Hang on, we've got some flashlights here.

He flicked on his flashlight and shined the light around the mine.

Sam: Where do we go now?

Lightning: How about down that tunnel?

Scott: All right, let's go.

As they continued down the tunnel, Sam fell behind Lightning and Scott to walk next to Dawn.

Sam: Hey, so what about finding the temple?

Dawn: Hmm?

Sam: You know, the map, the temple, our plan?

Dawn: Oh yes, of course.

Sam: Dawn, I think you need to stay away from Scott. The guy is a jerk, and he got us to vote off B.

Dawn: B was a traitor!

Sam: No he wasn't! Why do you believe Scott?

Dawn: Because, he may have a tough exterior, but on the inside, he's frightened. He's so sweet and caring, and he likes me…

Sam sighed.

Sam: Just snap out of it, will you?

Dawn glared at him.

Dawn: I can see that you are clearly jealous of my feelings for Scott.

Sam: No, I just-

Dawn: Here, take this stupid map! I want no part of it!

Sam: But Dawn-

It was too late, Dawn ran ahead to walk with Scott. Sam looked down at the map in his hands, while Lightning had stopped to tie his shoe.

Dawn: Come Scott, I can sense that this is the correct path.

Scott slyly pushed after Dawn down a tunnel, leaving Lightning and Sam alone.

Lightning: Hey, where'd they go?

Sam just sighed.

Sam: I don't know, man.

Lightning: What's wrong, dude?

He noticed the map that Sam was holding.

Lightning: Hey, what's that?

Sam: Oh, it's nothing.

He tossed the map on the ground.

Sam: Let's just try to find the statue and get out of here.

Lightning: Yeah, time to win this! Let's sha-boogie!

Meanwhile, the Maggots had finally gotten to the bottom of the elevator shaft.

Cameron: Oh…

Jo: Get up string bean; we're behind as it is.

Svetlana: Let us continue! Onward!

As "she" cart wheeled ahead, Zoey helped Cameron up.

Cameron: Thanks, Zoey.

Zoey: No problem.

The two of them followed a little ways behind Jo and Svetlana.

Zoey: Is something wrong, Cam?

Cameron: Oh, it's just that it seems things aren't right around here.

Zoey: What do you mean?

Cameron: Well for one, Brick coming back and then leaving so quickly was a little strange. Also, Jo has been acting slightly… different.

Zoey: Hmm, maybe you're right.

Cameron: And what about the Rats? Why was B voted off?

Zoey: I don't know.

Cameron: It doesn't make any sense, and now it seems like Dawn isn't herself.

Zoey: Yeah, I kinda noticed that all of the sudden she's always going after Scott. It's weird.

Cameron: Yeah.

As they continued farther into the mine, Cameron spotted something on the ground. It was the map. He gasped and picked it up.

Cameron: What's this doing here?

Zoey: Is that a map?

Cameron: Oh, yes…

Zoey: You seem like you recognize it.

Cameron: Well, that's because I do. Um Zoey, we're friends right?

Zoey: Of course we are!

Cameron: Well I'm going to tell you, even though Dawn didn't want me to.

Zoey: Dawn?

Cameron explained about the map and his plans with the three Rats members. He explained that that was why he didn't understand how B could have been voted off so suddenly.

Zoey: Oh, wow.

Cameron: I wanted to tell you and Mike, but Dawn wanted to keep things quiet.

Zoey: Well, I understand.

Cameron: But now she's acting so weird. And why would she have left the map here?

Zoey: Maybe she just dropped it.

Cameron: Maybe. Come on, let's catch up with the others.

When they reached an opening with two tunnels, they found that Mike was no longer Svetlana, but he was Manitoba Smith again.

Manitoba: There you are! We got some trouble ahead.

Zoey: What do you mean?

Manitoba: Well, we can either go ahead to the mining carts, or we can tussle with the giant rodentine.

Cameron: Rodentine?

Jo: We'll take our chances with the mine carts.

She ran ahead into the tunnel. Just then, Cameron's badge turned from green to orange.

Cameron: Oh no!

The others turned orange as well.

Zoey: We're running out of time!

Manitoba: Then what we waitin' for, Sheila? Let's get going!

Meanwhile, Lightning and Sam had gone down the other tunnel.

Lightning: Man, this tunnel is never gonna end!

Sam: Yeah, this is nothing like Mine Battlers.

Lightning: Another videogame?

Sam: Yep.

Lightning stopped short.

Lightning: Hold up. You smell anything?

Sam: Oh sorry man, I may have let one rip.

Lightning: No, it smells like… hairspray.

Sam: Hairspray? Oh yeah, it does kinda.

Suddenly their badges turned orange.

Sam: Uh oh, fifteen minutes left!

They then heard voices. One of them was Chris' voice.

Chris: Make sure that none of them come down this way. We can't let those simpletons know what's going on.

Man: But Mr. McLean, one of them escaped. It can't leave the mines, but the contestants will surely encounter it.

Chris: Ugh, can't you people do anything right? You're scientists, damn it!

Lightning and Sam looked at each other nervously.

Lightning: Uh, did you hear what Lightning just heard?

Sam: Yeah, let's get outta here!

The two guys ran back the way they came.

At the mine cart tracks, the four Maggots jumped in the carts.

Manitoba: All aboard!

Jo: Hurry it up, we've got fifteen minutes and counting!

The carts started to roll down the tracks.

Cameron: Whoa, I don't like this!

Mike finally gasped and returned to normal.

Zoey: Mike!

Mike: Ah, where are we?

Cameron: Headed who knows where in runaway mine carts.

Mike: Oh, okay then.

The carts plummeted down the sloping tracks, and then up again, twisting and turning in every possible direction.

Cameron: Oh, I'm gonna be sick!

Jo: Ugh, this is a waste of time!

She stood up and grabbed on to the edge of the cart.

Jo: Let's get off!

Zoey: Are you crazy?

Jo: Come on, if we don't get off we'll eventually die of too much chemical exposure!

She grabbed the now sick Cameron and jumped out of the cart, into the water below.

Zoey: Oh no Mike, what do we do?

Mike: Just hold on!

Zoey turned and saw that the tracks ended. She clung to Mike and they both screamed as their cart fell off the tracks and down into the water below. At the bottom, Mike surfaced and looked around desperately for Zoey.

Mike: Zoey, where are you?

He dove under the water and found Zoey stuck in the mine cart. Mike quickly swam down and pulled her free, and they both went to the surface, spitting water and gasping for air.

Mike: Zoey, are you okay?

Zoey: Ugh, yes… thank you so much, Mike. I would have died if it wasn't for you.

Mike: Yeah well, I really care about you, Zoey.

Zoey smiled.

Zoey: Well I care about you too.

Mike: Come on, let's get out of here.

The two of them swam over to the dry ground and stood up.

Zoey: We have to find Cam and Jo.

Mike: Hopefully they're back this way.

He started walking back the way they came until his foot kicked something on the ground.

Mike: Huh, what's this?

He bent down and picked up a dusty object. When he blew away some of the dust, the object sparkled green.

Zoey: Whoa, what is that?

Mike: It looks like a jewel.

Zoey: Wow, maybe this mine has more.

Mike: Yeah, but right now we should just focus on getting out of here.

He looked at the green jewel once more, then handed it to Zoey.

Mike: Here. I want you to have this.

He pulled out a piece of string from his pocket and tied the jewel to it, making a necklace.

Zoey: Wow Mike, it's beautiful! Thank you so much!

Mike: No problem, anything for you.

He put the necklace around Zoey's neck.

Mike: There, it looks good on you.

Zoey hugged him and they continued walking.

Meanwhile, Dawn and Scott had reached the end of a tunnel.

Scott: Huh, looks like a dead end. We should probably go back and try to find the other losers- I mean, our teammates.

Dawn: Hang on a minute.

She had noticed something etched into the rock wall. It was some sort of ancient writing and symbols.

Scott: What is all that crap?

Dawn: It appears to be ancient writing. I think it says something about making sacrifices… of animals… to…

Scott rolled his eyes as Dawn continued to try and translate the writing, but he figured he should continue to play it up.

Dawn: It seems that the ancient ones that wrote this believed in sacrificing animals to their gods in order to please them.

Scott: Wow, that's fascinating. How do you know all this stuff?

Dawn: I do a lot of studying. This troubles me though, as I really don't believe in sacrificing animals.

Scott: Relax, this must've been written like what, thirty years ago?

Dawn couldn't help but laugh a little at Scott's poor knowledge of history.

Dawn: Um, I believe it was much longer ago than that, Scott.

Scott: Ah, okay, whatever. Come on, let's go win this challenge before we run out of time.

As they walked away, Dawn couldn't help but wonder if the etchings somehow connected to the mysterious temple. She realized that she shouldn't have been so angry at Sam before, he really did nothing wrong. She just wished that he wasn't so against Scott. She knew that Scott was a genuinely nice guy.

Dawn: Scott, listen; your aura has always seemed very closed to me. It never reveals much, not even the fact that you have feelings for me.

Scott looked around nervously. Could Dawn tell that he was playing her?

Dawn: But one thing that your aura always shows is that you have had a troubled past, and that is why you have a tough exterior. You want to hide your emotions.

Scott: What, no way! I think that you're cute, I'm admitting that emotion, aren't I?

Dawn: Strangely, yes, but there is something else that you don't want to talk about. It's your childhood, isn't it?

Scott: Dawn, cut it out!

Dawn: But Scott, I can help you. You don't have to be afraid. You can tell me anything you want to, I am here.

She placed her hand on his arm, and for a second Scott actually felt comfort, not a thought about hurting Dawn in his head… but that moment didn't last.

Scott: Yeah, well, thanks.

Just then, their badges beeped and turned red.

Scott: Uh oh, let's go!

As luck would have it, all four pairs were headed to the same area of the mine. First to arrive were Jo and Cameron, and they saw the two Chris statues sitting on a stack of toxic waste barrels.

Jo: Yes, time to win this!

Cameron: Hurry Jo, I don't feel so good.

He sat down on the ground, weakened by both the chemical exposure and the heavy backpack. He felt in his pocket to make sure the map was still there. Jo ran over and grabbed the Chris statue with the red base.

Jo: Victory!

Just then, Lightning and Sam came running in.

Sam: Guys, something crazy is going on!

Jo: Yeah, it's called we're all going to die in less than five minutes!

Lightning: No man, we heard Chris talking with some weird guys, and they said-

Zoey and Mike ran in, followed shortly by Dawn and Scott.

Scott: Oh great, they already got their statue!

Zoey spotted Cameron lying on the ground.

Zoey: Oh no, Cam! Mike, we have to get him out of here!

Mike: I'm on it!

He ran over and picked his friend up on his back, carrying him over to the mine carts. Suddenly, Chris' voice came over the loudspeaker.

Chris: All right kids, time to get on outta there! Please head to the mine carts and discard your bombs on the way out!

Jo: Bombs?

Chris: Uh, yeah, your backpacks!

Scott: Wow, seriously McLean?

Chris: Just get out already, will you?

As the eight contestants headed for the carts, Scott managed to grab the Rats' statue. Dawn was the last one to get to the carts.

Zoey: Come on, Dawn!

Dawn was about to get on when she heard a noise from behind her. She turned around and saw a giant mutant gopher, hairless and blind, crawling towards her.

Dawn: Oh my! You poor, innocent creature!

Lightning: Come on girl, let's go already!

Dawn: But we mustn't leave it here!

Zoey: Dawn hurry, we're running out of time!

Dawn reluctantly turned back towards the carts. She could sense that the creature was frightened. It certainly didn't want to harm anybody. It almost seemed as if she knew this creature. But what she saw next shocked her. On top of the gopher's head was a red baseball cap, facing backwards.

Dawn: Wha-?

Scott: Let's go!

He reached out and pulled Dawn into the cart.

Jo: About time!

She released the brake and they were off, on their way out of the mines. Chris and Chef were waiting at the exit as the mine carts hurtled out and crashed on the ground in front of them.

Chris: Whoa, you guys really cut it close! Now, let's see who won.

Jo and Scott: I did!

They both held up their statues at the same time, and then glared at each other.

Chris: Hmm, seems it's a tie. Oh well, no one goes home tonight.

The contestants looked at each other, confused.

Chris: I guess I'm feeling nice today. You all should take showers though, just to make sure there's no permanent genetic damage.

With that, he simply walked away. Cameron was still rather sick, Lightning and Sam were shaking, and Dawn was curled up in a ball. Zoey saw and went over to her. She didn't notice that the jewel around her own neck had started glowing ever so slightly.

Zoey: Dawn, what's the matter?

Dawn: That creature…

Zoey: What about it?

Mike had joined her.

Mike: Whoa, she's really frightened, huh?

Dawn: It was… it was…

Zoey: It was what?

Dawn: It was… B.

Zoey and Mike exchanged completely confused glances.

Later that night, Cameron went to talk to Sam.

Cameron: Hey, I found the map lying on the ground.

Sam: Oh yeah, I sorta dropped it. Dawn isn't really talking to me now.

Cameron: She's not really talking to anyone right now. She kept on shivering and saying something about B.

Sam: Yeah, well down in the mines, Lightning and I overheard Chris talking to some other men. Something about not letting us see and about something escaping.

Cameron: Do you think they were referring to that giant gopher thing?

Sam: I don't know, man, but maybe it all has something to do with that temple.

Cameron thought for a moment.

Cameron: Also, I kinda showed Zoey the map.

Sam just shrugged.

Sam: Well it's just the two of us now anyway, so we could use Zoey's help.

Cameron: Yes, but what we really need to do is talk about this with everyone. We need to discuss everything that is going on here.

Sam nodded.

Sam: All right, but right now I'm gonna go play some Mario Kart before bed. I really have to get my mind off all of this.

Cameron: Okay, goodnight.

Sam: Night.

Sam went into his cabin, and Cameron sighed.

Cameron: What is going on here?

Meanwhile, Lightning caught up with Jo on the way back to the cabins.

Lightning: So Brick is gone, huh? Did he ever tell you anything?

Jo: Huh, yes…

She explained to Lightning what Brick had told her the night before.

Jo: So most likely, Chris got rid of him because he found out that Brick told me.

Lightning: So, you think it's all true?

Jo just shrugged.

Jo: Well the way Chris has been acting, maybe.

What she didn't share was that she also trusted Brick.

Lightning: Well Lightning heard something down in that mine… Sam heard too.

Jo: What?

Lightning: Chris was talking with some guys about something escaping! Lightning knows something is going on down there, and it's sha-scary!

Jo thought for a moment.

Jo: What if… what if that's where the eliminated contestants go?

Lightning: Huh?

Jo: You heard me! Think about it, Brick said it was somewhere dark, possibly underground. He said there were scientists-

Lightning: Scientists, that's right! Chris called those guys he was talking to scientists!

Jo: Really?

Lightning: Yep.

Jo: So then… there really could be something else down there.

And down in the depths of the mines, Brick was once again trapped in a tube.

Brick: Please, just let me go!

Scientist: I'm afraid we can't do that.

Next to him were cages, each containing a different mutant animal; a beaver, a lizard, and a pink flamingo. On the ground were Staci's bow, Anne Maria's hairspray, and Dakota's sunglasses.

Brick: Why are you doing this?

The scientist didn't respond, but instead continued adjusting the controls on a machine in front of him. At the same time, two more men entered, herding in a giant gopher. They put the creature in a cage next to the other animals. They then removed a red hat from its head, and tossed it in the pile on the ground.

Brick: B's hat! What did you do to him, to all of them?

Scientist: Time for transformation.

He flicked a switch and hit some buttons on the machine, and the chamber that Brick was in lit up.

Brick: What? No, noooooooo!

I know, this is turning into a mystery story, not really something that would actually happen in the show. I just felt it would be more interesting to add a little mystery and adventure to my story. I hope you're all enjoying it! Please review.