TTWORBYTES PRESENTS
This Is My One Chance
“This is my one chance to prove to Ruby that I can survive absolutely anything. Unfortunately, I can't even tie a knot.”
My name is Jake Morrow. I'm twelve years old.
THE STORY
One Survival Weekend. One Television Expert. One Chance to Impress Ruby.
A funny, muddy and unexpectedly emotional adventure about courage, friendship, teamwork and discovering what being brave really means.
Jake Morrow hates camping. He cannot tie knots, he burns toast and he has been known to get lost in supermarkets. None of that matters now, because his school is heading into the woods for a survival weekend.
The trip is being led by television survival expert Ben Hunter, a man who sleeps in trees, eats strange things and makes being cold, wet and miserable look exciting. Jake sees the weekend as his one chance to show Ruby that he can be brave, capable and completely fearless.
With Jack carefully packing his rucksack, Alex carrying enough emergency food to survive a small apocalypse, and Ruby quietly proving better at almost everything, Jake soon discovers that surviving the weekend may be easier than surviving the embarrassment.
AT THE HEART OF THIS STORY
Jake Wants to Be the Hero
Ruby does not need Jake to impress her. She needs him to stop pretending and recognise the courage he already has.
“Ruby somehow manages to rescue everyone without making it look as though she is rescuing anyone.”
Jake and Ruby have been going out for weeks, but Jake is still convinced he has to prove that he deserves her. To him, that means being fearless, surviving the wild and preferably doing something impressive while Ruby is watching.
Ruby sees things differently. She is calm, practical and far more capable than Jake expects. While he worries about looking brave, Ruby quietly gets on with helping the group, solving problems and keeping everyone moving.
As the weekend becomes harder, Jake begins to understand that courage is not about showing off. It is about helping people when they need you, admitting when you are frightened and trusting the people beside you.
Meet the PeopleWHY THIS STORY MATTERS
More Than Surviving the Woods
Jake begins the weekend believing this is his one chance to prove himself. He thinks bravery means never looking frightened, never asking for help and always knowing what to do.
The woods quickly teach him otherwise. No one succeeds alone. Jack's careful thinking matters. Alex's loyalty matters. Ruby's strength matters. Even the people Jake underestimates have something valuable to offer.
The real challenge is not building shelter, carrying a heavy rucksack or surviving the mud. It is learning to trust other people and allowing them to trust him.
Jake may not become the fearless survival hero he imagined, but he comes away understanding that genuine courage is quieter, kinder and much more important.