Survivor: Percabeth AU✔️

the maze

Video reference above, the exact challenge. Only difference is there are four people, not three and 3 stations for the medallions. 

It's called the maze. I've watched it for many, many seasons and have always declared it an iconic challenge. I take it in, the sheer massiveness of it all. You can see over it all, but the number of bars in the vast landscape of it all is too confusing to find a way through by looking at it.

I turn to Jeff with bright eyes, so excitedly. He speaks, sensing our lifted, eager moods, "Welcome to your final challenge." Wow. "Annabeth, I'll take the necklace back."

I reluctantly step forward and allow him to unclasp the immunity necklace from me. I feel the weight of it lifted off, but it's not the kind of stress-relief feeling. It's like taking off a blanket at night when you think there are monsters under the bed. I feel exposed, my security blanket off.

"Once again, immunity is back up for grabs. But this time, it's more important than ever," Jeff's words hang in the air as he voices alongside our speeding thoughts. "For today's challenge, you are going to race each other through a maze of rotators, some will turn and some won't permit you past. You are to collect three medallions in the maze and will be used to open a chest with spinning puzzle pieces. These, arranged properly, spun, will raise your flag."

"Wow," Barry whistles.

Jeff goes on, "First person to raise their flag wins immunity and is guaranteed a spot in the final three where you must plead your case to the jury of people you voted out."

I look over the maze - my eyes tracing the bars, trying to figure my way through. Not really possible, but the act of trying comforts me. The camera crew around us position the lens and adjust their stands. I follow a crew member to my designated, violet coloured, spot. My feet shift my weight as I wring my hands out nervously.

Jeff looks at each of us in turn before yelling, "Survivor's ready?" Pause. "GO!"

The first rotating bars to my left don't move and I ram my ribs into it painfully. The right one, luckily, spins and I jog to the next corner, dodging bars, trying rotators - going through them or receiving more bruises. I do not pay attention to the others, only focusing on getting my way to the first section to the right of me.

"These darn bars," I mutter, a little frustrated when I hit another stubborn rotator.

"Lee! The first to arrive at one of the three sections!" Jeff calls out.

My pace quickens and I push against the bars with more urgency, my feet shuffling around the posts holding up the bars. The first section is literally two feet from me but I can't get there. I'm trapped in this stupid dead end.

"Barry is in the middle section while Lee makes her way to it! Looks like Annabeth and Hazel are struggling a little!"

"Yeah, yeah," I grumble, pivoting around to push through an opposite rotating bar than the one I just tried.

"Once you've got a medallion untied, bring it back to your spot before searching for the next one!" Jeff says, clearly correcting someone.

I finally reach the first medallion section, my fingers fumbling on the small rope to untie it. Let's just say knots aren't quite my expertise. After an embarrassing thirty or so seconds of trying to get the knot undone, I finally do so. Jeff commentates on my new advancement but I only hear the cursings of everyone else running into stubborn rotators.

It is easy to make it back to my spot as I remember the exact route for taking it. When I see the medallion drop onto the violet mat I spin around to quickly pick out my next target. The middle section is the same distance for everyone. I just did the section closest to me. Which means I should eat the frog - meaning, go to the hardest and furthest section before the middle.