THE CAPTURED

CHAPTER 2

Had Gwenieth sat here, maybe in this same room, listening to this same Introductory speech? Allixon wished she'd paid more attention to her sister's last phone call, but it had just been one more of Gweniethnie's crazy adventures.

She must join in and bring certain devices that may be of help to her if she is accepted into the program.

She'd landed a spot on a new reality TV program under WIC company and she hope she would launch her into the acting career she'd envisioned since her first taste of the stage. back when I was in high school And it had nothing to do with housewives, cocktail parties, or the rich and famous lifestyles.

No, this was some sort of wilderness survival competition. At first Allison had been appalled. The only survival reality show she'd heard about in recent years was one where the contestants were dropped off naked in a jungle and ate bugs and rotting parrot heads for twenty-one days before catching malaria or some other disease and spending the next three months in a hospital.

And this show is a mix of that. There are several tasks that contestants need to do.

But no, her sister had assured her it was nothing like that; it was a revival of the kind of survival show they'd watched as kids. Totally retro. Campfires and

beaches and silly contests and maybe a little romance with a hot guy. These shows might be passé here in America, Gweniethnie insisted, but there was a huge foreign market for it in direct to video streaming. And there was a good chance it would get picked up in the U.S. by one of the more obscure networks.

Allixon had tuned out while Gwenieth rattled off the names of all the reality show participants who had gone on to careers in film and television. She'd been dealing with the day-to-day issues of running her New York HT Club health club and wasn't in the mood to hear about her younger sister's plans to frolic in the sunlit coves of a tropical island for what appeared to be an all-expenses-paid six-week vacation.

Logan was still talking, giving what sounded like a well-rehearsed speech.

"First, is there anyone here who would have a problem dropping all their other commitments on short notice if you were selected for the next six-week segment?" The room was silent.

"Not at all," an unknown women said, “Is it true that this reality program is being managed by WIC? If the answer is yes, This is where I should come in. Because I am deserving of being here. By the way, my name is Kiara. Kiara Smith," she murmured, her hair was blond and her face shaped like a Barbie doll. She's like a real-life Barbie doll.

"I'd spend a lot of money to be ready to be a barbie. Why not take Barbie to the island? " She replied, her voice full of confidence.

"KIARA SMITH? Actually," Logan exclaims, inhaling deeply, "you're not qualified to be here. On the basis of your x-ray. Following your butt operation, your bone has been severely damaged."

“Whattt!”

“Yes. So. I called your manager back and told her that an actress like you, who is obsessed with looking like a want tobe, is not qualified for this position. It would be ideal. But to be fair, you can go back next time. But first fix what’s wrong to your bone.”

Girl beside me laugh silently. But when the blond guy, with masculin body laugh. They all started to laugh.

“Okay, Please.” logan signaled his two body guard to let them assist Barbie wanna be out of the building.

“Is anybody want to tell something?”

A moment of silent came…

“Seems like no one.” He waited 30 more seconds before speaking, "Good. At your personal interviews we'll be asking each of you to sign a confidentiality pledge. If you are selected you'll be given advance

information about the program.

Any leaks about the show's content, location or other details could be very detrimental to the success of the entire production and program is grounds for immediate disqualification."

Probably that was why her sister had sworn her to secrecy, Allixon thought. Don't expect to hear from me for six weeks, she'd said. I shouldn't even be

calling now, but I was afraid you'd worry. But it didn't explain why now, more than two months later, she'd still heard no word from Gwenieth. Or why it had been impossible to find out anything about the producers of the show and when-or-if- it was going to air.

She could understand keeping the actual episodes of a reality show under wraps, but even the existence of the show? In the end, it was only through sheer luck and perseverance that she'd found the ad, sandwiched between the personals and job listings in one of the free weekly trade papers. And she'd felt her first glimmer of hope when one of Gwenieth's roommates had recognized the ad.

WELCOME SURVIVORS, Unattached and looking for adventure? Alternative producers seek free spirits for reality-based programming. Exotic location. Cash prize awarded. Call 1-6699-REALITY NOW AND JOIN OUR PRIZE POOL OF SURPRISED. She fingered the worn slip of the newsprint and listened anxiously as Logan continued.

"Win a $100,000 cash prize for the last remaining contestant and extensive media exposure and contact opportunities for all eight of you who are

selected today, I'm sure no one wants to risk being disqualified for the sake of a little advance bragging to your friends or family. But the loser will never

going to be promoted since the program promotes the best of the best. Which is the winner of the show.”

A man in the back spoke up. "Are you casting more than one episode today? Seems like it took a lot more time to shoot the show.”

"No. Assuming things go as planned on our first

shoot.Just the initial taping. Although, as I said, we'll be calling some of you back later for future casting.”

His words fell on somber ears, as everyone looked around the room and gauged their own odds of being selected as one of eight from the group of

forty or so hopeful contestants.

"Excuse me," Allixon said, "does 'first shoot' mean this is the first episode to be taped? I mean right now.”

"That's right." Logan smiled. "So I guess you would be our guinea pigs. You seem smart to know it. People see their chicken will be a success.”

A chicken? Did he just call us chicken? Everytime I hear the word chicken I remember food. And we are not food.

Allixon shifted uneasily. What could have happened or before the first taping to cause the production company to scrap it altogether? Had Gwenieth

ever made it to Reality Island? And if the taping had been canceled, why had she disappeared? Did they really care about their cast? To their people? Why does no one make statements about this?

Maybe it was just Gwenieth's embarrassment at the fact that her big TV debut plans were cancelled before they ever got off the ground. Gwenieth's behavior had changed, according to some of their cast. But who the hell believes that?

Allixon didn't believe it. Even if that had happened, Gwenieth would have resurfaced by now, with her own humorous spin on the reality TV show that wasn't. Her sister is bubbly and kind. She only wanted the fame she wanted. She wants to be a good actress.

And yes she believes something has happened.

However, no one else seemed to be concerned about her sister's disappearance. Gwenieth had only provided vague reasons to her roommates and two other aspiring actors when she prepaid her portion of the rent for two months and left, refusing to tell them if she received the part she'd auditioned for or had been cast. There are alternative plans. To know the answer about her sister, she decided to take a risk. To join the contest where her sister suddenly went.