Choc-Ices & 4th Place

"Three!" Fleur laughs, grabbing our hands and running forward. Sliding along on our stomachs, flailing across and finally being submerged into the water, I emerge on the surface, being pulled into a group hug by the people I've come to adore.


The boy and the girl that I love absolutely endlessly.


*****


Emma P.O.V


"That was amazing!" I squall, running up to John and engulfing his body in my arms. "Wasn't that fun!"


"Eww, I'm soaking." He cackles.


We all make our way back to Holly and Dec. My hair feels heavy on my head, weighing down my shoulders. My clothes stick to my skin as nail glue does, and my shoes are soggy and squelchy.


"Well done!" Holly smiles. "You got all three stars on the markers, meaning that you have all four meals for camp tonight."


That was one of the most exhilarating experiences. "Fancy a hug," I laugh, nudging towards Dec.


"No thank you." He cackles. "You guys get back to camp and enjoy the time you have left."


Back at camp...


"Ohhh," John drags out in pantomime form as we all walk back into camp, a little drier now. I hold James' hand and follow Fleur into our second home. "There's a laminate on the throne!"


"I've got it," Fleur grabs it. "Celebrities. There are four choc-ices hidden around camp. You must find them before they melt."


"Shut up!" James' jaw drops. I can feel the excitement building in the air, ready to burst out like a cork from a bottle of champagne. "I'll check the treehouse."


I yell, "I'll check the shower!"


I belt it up the ever so familiar pathway, past the creek to the dunny/shower area. Searching through overturned leaves, bramble bushes and in the dunny (which is gross), I scout over the slates behind the shower. Rested on one of the slates in a plastic colourless bag is a choc-ice, sweet ice cream covered in slightly melted chocolate.


"Got one!" I scream, ripping the ziplock open. I grab the wooden handle and put the ice-cream in my mouth. "Oh my gosh." I moan to myself.


James runs up to me. "I found one in the treehouse," he stares at my hand and at the ice-cream around my mouth. "You're eating yours now?"


"Yeah," I giggle. "Aren't you?"


"No. I just thought we had to wait."


"Why?"


"So everyone can find there's so we can eat together?"


"But won't it melt?"


"... Ok, I'm eating it now."


With two more to find and two mouth-watering choc-ices consumed, Fleur manages to find one in the telephone box, leaving a final choc-ice. "I can't find one!" John wails, throwing the camp about. "I can't find it."


"We will, John." James comforts him. "Just take a second to sit down."


"Ugh, fine." John tosses himself into his hammock but quickly shoots back up to his feet again. "Crap!"


I frown. "What is it, John?"


John throws his sleeping bag onto the camp floor, inverts and shakes it. Out falls a polythene bag, ziplocked up with the final choc-ice. "It hasn't melted!"


It's a bit squashed now.


He forces the bag open, yanks the lolly out of the bag and shoves it in his gob. "Oh my god ... I would have sex with this if I could!"


That night ...


"Celebrities! As a result of you all winning four stars in today's trial, 'Celebrity Cyclone', you have kangaroo leg."


"How's it going to jump now?" I ask under my breath. "It's a bit mean to chop their legs off, right?"


"You're insane, Em." Fleur chuckles. "Anyway, let's get cooking."


John and James decide to treat us by cooking dinner (they were bored as hell) therefore allowing Fleur and I to use the seesaw to pump some hot water in the bath. Fleur and I relax in the water, letting our minds float away, and making our skin subtle.


"Is dinner ready?" My towel is wrapped around me and my bathing suit has absorbed half the bath water. "Because I'm starving."


"You're just in time." My boyfriend smirks. He runs up to me, wraps his arms around me and kisses my shoulder. "Throw your clothes on, we're dishing it up now."


Fleur and I use our cover-ups to put our dark-blue tops on and throw on our red baggy trousers. We make our way to the fireside, and I cosy up to James whilst we chow down on another small meal.


Just the lack of food shreds my skin away - I'm sure I've lost so much weight since coming into this jungle. "How is it?" John asks me.


"Incredible." Anything with flavour in this jungle is a rarity. "Can you believe that tomorrow is our final full day in this jungle?"


"Nope." Fleur puts her tray to her side. "I wish we could all win now."


James chuckles. "What's been your best and worst part, John?"


"Ohhh..." He ponders. "I would say ... the Dolls House was funny. I've never cried with laughter so much before." He giggles. "My worst ... definitely the trial I did with you, Emma."


"Rotten Retrieval." I shake. "That was awful, that trial. So disgusting. What about you James." I stroke his leg. "Best and worst bits?"


"The worst was I think Snake Rock to start with," He reminds me of forever ago; Anne, Emily, James, Fleur and I all camping out in Snake Rock with little food and room to fend on. "But the best was the time you, Fleur and Emily did the dance to Sax."


That was the night we revealed to everyone that we were dating.


"Mine was the Jungle Arms, definitely." Fleur giggles. "You remember the final song?"


When the boys sang the Take That song 'The Greatest Day' to us girls, topping the night off perfectly. "But the worst ... I think when the whole Malique and Emily drama kicked off. That was quite a low point."


She flicks her hair over her shoulder. "What about you, Em?"


"Huh?"


"What was your best and worst moment?"


My worst? Snake Rock? The Kirstie or Malique drama? The hunger? The trials? "I mean, I've had a few lows, and the Kirstie situation was the worst-,"


James slides his arm around my shoulder. "But I wouldn't change any of it."


My best? The initial trial where James and I had to climb up that huge structure over the cliff? The helicopters? The Outback adventure with John and James? The funny Dolls House with John and Harry? The naughty, good and flirty times with James, or the dances and sunbathing with the girls? The cooking with Nick, teaching Harry slang, the Jungle Arms, the Cyclone or the Empire (the water tank trial with Mal)? The massages, Dingo Dollar challenges, the Banquet or seeing loved ones and our letters from home?


"I couldn't pick the best bit. I mean, I didn't realise the highs would be so high, and the lows would be so low. But all I know is that my jungle experience wouldn't have been the same without you guys."


"Awhh," Fleur coos, running past the glooming fire that illuminates the dark skies.


The tears start to well in my eyes, stinging them slightly. "I couldn't ask for better friends." James strokes my head.


"Or a better boyfriend."


The next morning ...


"I'm so scared." I shudder, gripping onto James' and John's hands. "I don't want any of us to go."


I slept rubbish last night. I must have tossed and turned for hours on end at the thought of us forming a final three. "But the four of us are winners, no matter who goes." James agrees.


The dreaded sound of twigs breaking and the ground creaking sends a rush of adrenaline through my body. "Well guys," Fleur sighs. "Here we go."


Dec and Holly jump into camp, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Holly is dressed in a graphic tee and mini skirt, whilst Dec is in the usual business casual suit. "Good morning, final four."


"Morning." I try to smile. My palms begin to sweat.


"Camp seems a lot smaller now, doesn't it?"


"For sure," James nods. "It's weird. We're so used to living on top of each other, and now there is like, no one else around."


"Well, unfortunately, the camp is about to get a bit smaller." Holly shrugs. "The public have been voting for who they want to save. So, in no particular order..."


"James ... it might be you."


"John ... it might be you."


"Emma ... it might be you."


We all howl in laughter.


"And Fleur,"


"It might be me?" She giggles.


Dec confirms with a smirk. "It might be you."


My throat is dry, but the rest of my body is sweating in fear. I've never been this nervous before. Being on Strictly, you have to learn to cope in high-pressure situations. This situation is petrifying.


"So Emma, John, Fleur and James. The public has been voting, and decided that the next person to leave I'm A Celebrity is..."


It's like the whole world moves in slow motion. As Holly reveals the name, a sharp pain rings through my stomach and up to my head. I feel physically sick.


"It's James."


*****


Hey everyone! For the final three trials, would you like Emma to do A) The eating trial, B) the rat trial, or C) Fill your head with bugs trial?


Thank you to Unicorns_r_real123 for the votes and comments!


Xoxo

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