Chemical Marriage

So, when Josh Burbank, his girlfriend Beth McCart, Scott Alan Childers, his new girlfriend Krissy Cobham, cousins Sara and Jasper Hewitt, multimillionaire Steve Thomas, journeyman music store clerk Dan Fogelbert, and two folks that none of the other knew too well, Scott Michael Chen and his boyfriend Bruce all arrived at Starbucks within ten minutes of each other, they didn't expect anything to be too out of the ordinary, apart from seeing that a large table had been set up and reserved for them all in the corner. After getting their usual orders, everyone sat down and started bullshitting. The conversation was dominated by Josh, Beth, Scott Childers, Krissy, Sara, and Jasper, with Steve and Dan getting a few words in here and there, and Scott Chen and Bruce for the most part feeling left out. They didn't really feel like they fit in with the others, so it wasn't too much of an issue.

The last thing anyone remembered was being distracted by the lights flickering on and off, followed by some cheering from the offices in the back. When our heroes finally came to, they all found themselves in strange new places.

No one really knows who the mysterious group is, or why they've orchestrated this strange new "game". They informally refer to themselves as the "Island Game Organization", or the I.G.O., and this elaborate game had been in the works for quite some time. Ten fairly remote locations were selected, all on islands. The ten localities were placed in a hat, and the names of the ten contestants were placed in another. Twenty I.G.O. members going two at a time were selected to draw one slip of paper from each hat, and this was used to determine where someone would be placed.

Each of the contestants were given a neatly typewritten sheet explaining their situation, the game's rules, a map to show exactly where in the world they had been taken to, and a copy of a contract they all signed at the coffee shop that if anything else, enforced that the contestants are willingly participating in this. The rules are fairly simple: each person has exactly six months to leave their new surroundings and make their way to Joplin, Missouri. Joplin was selected as the ultimate destination only after the head of the I.G.O. threw a dart at a large map of the United States. The catch was, all of the contestants had little to no money, and some of them were now in villages or towns where they did not speak the local language. They were also not allowed to contact their loved ones, or each other on telephones, or through the internet. The game's only losers would be those who did not make it to Joplin after the six months were up. If someone made it there before the deadline, they would be asked to stay until the final day.

Now, how are the contestants doing?

1. First contestant: Josh Burbank.

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