Day Four
After another morning jog on the beach, and some quality alone time, I'm still not sure what I'm going to do about Malfoy. I have until tomorrow to come up with a plan, but the sooner I know my approach, the better. I prefer to be prepared.
I've decided to get some fish today, since the ordinary technique of merely fishing with a net has brought us absolutely nothing. Today, I go out in the boat with Chet and Ellen. We're slowly starting to fall into roles around camp. In her mid-forties, Ellen has fallen into something of a motherly role with the rest of us. I suspect that Pete the salesman has decided he's the leader of the group, but I don't know if anyone else would agree with that. Pete, however, feels like he can throw his opinion in on any matter, whether or not he has expertise in the area. I let him flirt with me, because that's good strategy. But personally, I find him to be one of those "pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside" people. Kind of like my good buddy Malfoy.
We trawl with the net for a while, and when Chet and Ellen both turn to look back at the shoreline, I lean over the edge (thrusting my transfigured-wand-clad breasts at the water) and whisper, "icthos proxima." A school of fish arrives underneath the boat, and two of them are caught in our net. We all laugh and cheer ourselves for our superior fishing skills.
Over a lunch of fish and rice, we tell tales of our families and upbringing. I have to be careful about the lies I tell -- I can't very well regale them with stories of my escapades at Hogwarts. At least I have a nice, common Muggle job to describe, and nice, common Muggle parents to praise. I talk about my low pay and mediocre flat, just to emphasize to these people, should they eventually end up on the jury, that I really need and deserve the money. Even though I promised myself I wouldn't make any friends, I find myself liking young Kiki. With her shocking red hair and enthusiasm, I can't help but think of Ginny. Kiki's only a year younger than Ginny, and two years younger than me. It's a personal challenge to keep from liking her too much. Geoff the architect is easier to distance myself from; he and Ellen are our only team-mates in their 40s, and while Ellen has gone into mothering mode, Geoff acts standoffish. Even though we're all adults, I get the feeling he thinks he's superior to all of us "young people." He's not exactly a popular favorite, but he puts in his fair share of work, so at this point there's not too much to complain about. Bob and Chet make up the 30s contingent, but since Chet's an aspiring artist at 32 and Bob's a pudgy family man at 38, they don't have very much in common. That leaves us twentysomethings: Kiki, Pete and myself. It's a fascinating sociological mix you'd probably never find anywhere else, and when I get back, I'm going to owl Hogwarts and recommend viewing the show as part of Muggle Studies. See how Muggles get along without magic, even without their regular Muggle innovations like electricity! Marvel at how Muggles meet and greet other Muggles they don't know! And hopefully, watch the witch as she beats the Muggles at their own game!
The afternoon chores go by uneventfully. The absence of Anna doesn't weigh too heavily on the group; in this game, we don't have time to mourn those who have left. Now that the shelter is finished, the food-gathering and fire-tending can be more easily spread around the seven of us, giving us all more time to lay in the sun, swim in the sea and explore. There's a water run in the late afternoon, and we all have a fun time jumping off the short waterfall into the pool. Even Geoff takes a turn; maybe he feels he needs to ingratiate himself into the group a bit more.
After dinner, we sit around in relative silence. After such a fun day, it's hard to not put thought into the fact that we're still in a competition, and we may well be voting someone out in two nights. But none of these people also has to think about the most challenging competitor: Malfoy. As I lay in the shelter with my head on my wonderful pillow, I can't help but remember what a complete ass he was in school. Never a nice word or a kind act. Always trying to get Ron or Harry or me in trouble. I thought about the war between Light and Dark, and realized I hadn't heard anything about Malfoy during the entire war. He was probably just another of Voldy's minions, faithfully Death-Eating in his Death-Eater way. Heck, he was probably driven out of the wizarding world after Voldemort's defeat, homeless and Knutless, and that's why he's stuck here with the Muggles. I'm smiling in the dark, and as I drift off, I realize what approach I should take with Malfoy at tomorrow's reward challenge.
After another morning jog on the beach, and some quality alone time, I'm still not sure what I'm going to do about Malfoy. I have until tomorrow to come up with a plan, but the sooner I know my approach, the better. I prefer to be prepared.
I've decided to get some fish today, since the ordinary technique of merely fishing with a net has brought us absolutely nothing. Today, I go out in the boat with Chet and Ellen. We're slowly starting to fall into roles around camp. In her mid-forties, Ellen has fallen into something of a motherly role with the rest of us. I suspect that Pete the salesman has decided he's the leader of the group, but I don't know if anyone else would agree with that. Pete, however, feels like he can throw his opinion in on any matter, whether or not he has expertise in the area. I let him flirt with me, because that's good strategy. But personally, I find him to be one of those "pretty on the outside, ugly on the inside" people. Kind of like my good buddy Malfoy.
We trawl with the net for a while, and when Chet and Ellen both turn to look back at the shoreline, I lean over the edge (thrusting my transfigured-wand-clad breasts at the water) and whisper, "icthos proxima." A school of fish arrives underneath the boat, and two of them are caught in our net. We all laugh and cheer ourselves for our superior fishing skills.
Over a lunch of fish and rice, we tell tales of our families and upbringing. I have to be careful about the lies I tell -- I can't very well regale them with stories of my escapades at Hogwarts. At least I have a nice, common Muggle job to describe, and nice, common Muggle parents to praise. I talk about my low pay and mediocre flat, just to emphasize to these people, should they eventually end up on the jury, that I really need and deserve the money. Even though I promised myself I wouldn't make any friends, I find myself liking young Kiki. With her shocking red hair and enthusiasm, I can't help but think of Ginny. Kiki's only a year younger than Ginny, and two years younger than me. It's a personal challenge to keep from liking her too much. Geoff the architect is easier to distance myself from; he and Ellen are our only team-mates in their 40s, and while Ellen has gone into mothering mode, Geoff acts standoffish. Even though we're all adults, I get the feeling he thinks he's superior to all of us "young people." He's not exactly a popular favorite, but he puts in his fair share of work, so at this point there's not too much to complain about. Bob and Chet make up the 30s contingent, but since Chet's an aspiring artist at 32 and Bob's a pudgy family man at 38, they don't have very much in common. That leaves us twentysomethings: Kiki, Pete and myself. It's a fascinating sociological mix you'd probably never find anywhere else, and when I get back, I'm going to owl Hogwarts and recommend viewing the show as part of Muggle Studies. See how Muggles get along without magic, even without their regular Muggle innovations like electricity! Marvel at how Muggles meet and greet other Muggles they don't know! And hopefully, watch the witch as she beats the Muggles at their own game!
The afternoon chores go by uneventfully. The absence of Anna doesn't weigh too heavily on the group; in this game, we don't have time to mourn those who have left. Now that the shelter is finished, the food-gathering and fire-tending can be more easily spread around the seven of us, giving us all more time to lay in the sun, swim in the sea and explore. There's a water run in the late afternoon, and we all have a fun time jumping off the short waterfall into the pool. Even Geoff takes a turn; maybe he feels he needs to ingratiate himself into the group a bit more.
After dinner, we sit around in relative silence. After such a fun day, it's hard to not put thought into the fact that we're still in a competition, and we may well be voting someone out in two nights. But none of these people also has to think about the most challenging competitor: Malfoy. As I lay in the shelter with my head on my wonderful pillow, I can't help but remember what a complete ass he was in school. Never a nice word or a kind act. Always trying to get Ron or Harry or me in trouble. I thought about the war between Light and Dark, and realized I hadn't heard anything about Malfoy during the entire war. He was probably just another of Voldy's minions, faithfully Death-Eating in his Death-Eater way. Heck, he was probably driven out of the wizarding world after Voldemort's defeat, homeless and Knutless, and that's why he's stuck here with the Muggles. I'm smiling in the dark, and as I drift off, I realize what approach I should take with Malfoy at tomorrow's reward challenge.