Day Eighteen
Kiki and I are resting in the shelter, out of the sun. It's another scorching hot day, and we've already made the water run, so the entire tribe is trying to stay cool and conserve energy for the upcoming immunity challenge. We're sharing my pillow, so we can chat with each other and not be overheard. I am also playing my new favorite game, Count Your Ribs. Not a very exciting game -- the answer is the same every time. But it's amazing to feel how much weight I've lost, and to see how much the rest of the tribe is losing. Since I've charmed myself to not feel the hunger as much, I worry about the rest of the tribe, who must be feeling it much more.
"I think my stomach has sunk even further," I mutter to her.
"Lucky. And you were so thin to begin with. I'm glad of the starvation, I could always stand to lose a few more pounds." I reach over and lightly smack her on the arm, causing her to giggle.
"Don't say that, you were never overweight, not even on Day One."
"Even if I wasn't, I've probably dropped at least ten pounds. I'm glad they didn't let us wear jewelry, my watch and rings would have fallen off somewhere." She stretches her arms above her head, then drops to a whisper. "So, tonight, we may lose immunity again."
"Yeah. I figure same plan as last time, unless something unforeseen happens." Since Fetia Rai went to Tribal Council three days ago, we haven't been for six days. But we'd planned for our Day Fifteen votes, in case we lost the challenge. I raise my head to make sure no tribe members are around. "We'll talk again after the challenge, if we lose. But right now, I'm sticking with our previous decision."
"Ok. I'll go let Ellen know." Kiki rises and exits the shelter, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
* * * * *
Eighteen days down. Five Tribal Councils, with a sixth to happen tonight. Right now we're ahead six to five, so if we lose immunity today, we'll still be even entering the merge.
The Merge.
It's taken on such an importance in my head, both words are now capitalized. Tomorrow our two tribes will become one, and the moment I've both anticipated and dreaded will come. I'll have a chance to speak to Malfoy. I'll have to be extremely careful, of course. We can't let any of the camera men, staff or players know that we're already well acquainted. There would just be too many questions. I can only hope that Malfoy has come to the same conclusion, or that I can get him to understand the need for secrecy. It's been easy to hide our glances, winks and smirks so far, but it will be a great deal harder to have conversations with no cameras watching.
I know Malfoy's thinking about it a lot too -- at yesterday's reward challenge it felt like he was constantly looking at me. I didn't want to give him too much feedback. His change to friendliness is still weighing on my mind, and I don't quite understand why he'd take that particular tack. Until I can find out why, I'd rather not feed whatever game he's playing.
I make sure that we catch three fish in our net for lunch. If I'm going to be heading into the most difficult part of the game, I want all the strength I can get.
* * * * *
Our mailbox contains the standard rhyming note, as well as a bow and arrow. Obviously it's going to be a challenge involving our shooting skills. For a couple of hours, we pass the bow around and practice shooting. It's a pretty pitiful performance all around, and I'm going to have to restrain myself from using too much magic. These people are terrible archers.
We take the bow with us to the challenge site. Marcus is standing dramatically in front of a wall covered with various pieces of fruit. He explains that this is a combination of reward and immunity. Both teams will get to keep whatever fruit they manage to impale with arrows, but the first team to pierce ten pieces of fruit wins immunity.
As the sides are unbalanced, we sit out our worst archer, Ellen. The rest of us are handed our arrows. One by one we step up to the firing line and try to shoot straight. The Fetia Rai team is made up of either very good archers or very lucky archers, because they quickly build up a lead. I'm trying to help guide arrows when I can, but I'm not given much opportunity. If a pitiful shot is aimed ten feet above the target, a sudden curve in its trajectory would be suspicious. I check out Malfoy and find him giving me The Smirk as another Fetia Rai arrow hits a fruit. I overhear one of them tell another that they never thought they'd be this good at archery.
I could just hit myself upside the head.
He's been controlling their shots the entire time, and doubtless has been all throughout the practice time back at camp. I foolishly let my tribe try on their own, and now they all know how terrible they are with a bow and arrow. Malfoy's team has been surprisingly good since they picked up the bow, so they expect their shots to be good. As the tenth fruit is struck on their side, I know that just as I won the team immunity last time, I've lost it for us this time. And Malfoy, looking at me while smiling and stroking his chin in thought, knows it too.
* * * * *
Our four fruits aren't much compensation for losing the challenge. We eat them all for dinner, agreeing that it would be unfair to save them until after someone is voted out. Kiki and I sit at the corner of our dining area. I lean back and casually draw a question mark in the sand behind me, then nudge her. She sees the note, then brushes the sand flat and writes a single letter. I nod to acknowledge I've seen it, then she erases the conversation away.
It's been six days since we've been to Tribal Council, and it feels like forever. Marcus is there waiting for us, and we put our torches in their places and sit on the stools in front of him. The usual question-and-answer session begins, and Marcus points questions to several people. Then he surprises me.
"You guys know that starting tomorrow, your tribe will merge with the five remaining members of Fetia Rai. Hermione, what do you think of that? What do you make of the other tribe?"
I feel like I pause for ten minutes, but in reality it's probably more like ten seconds. "Well, um, I don't really know them at all. They're all strangers. But I'm sure they're nice people. I hope we can all get along, and maybe we'll feel like family, just like we already do at Miti Matai."
What a load. But he seems to accept it, and announces that it's time to vote. I'm pretty sure that Kiki, Pete, Ellen and I are all voting the same way. I don't feel terribly nervous, but there's always the lingering doubt that everyone's been lying to me, and that I'm going to hear my name read off all the slips of paper.
Marcus brings the vote container over and begins to read. Geoff, Ellen, Geoff, Ellen, Geoff. Please, let Pete have voted with us. The final vote: Geoff. Four to two. Sorry, it's time for you to go.
It's late when we get back to camp. I should be tired. But I can't sleep at all.
Kiki and I are resting in the shelter, out of the sun. It's another scorching hot day, and we've already made the water run, so the entire tribe is trying to stay cool and conserve energy for the upcoming immunity challenge. We're sharing my pillow, so we can chat with each other and not be overheard. I am also playing my new favorite game, Count Your Ribs. Not a very exciting game -- the answer is the same every time. But it's amazing to feel how much weight I've lost, and to see how much the rest of the tribe is losing. Since I've charmed myself to not feel the hunger as much, I worry about the rest of the tribe, who must be feeling it much more.
"I think my stomach has sunk even further," I mutter to her.
"Lucky. And you were so thin to begin with. I'm glad of the starvation, I could always stand to lose a few more pounds." I reach over and lightly smack her on the arm, causing her to giggle.
"Don't say that, you were never overweight, not even on Day One."
"Even if I wasn't, I've probably dropped at least ten pounds. I'm glad they didn't let us wear jewelry, my watch and rings would have fallen off somewhere." She stretches her arms above her head, then drops to a whisper. "So, tonight, we may lose immunity again."
"Yeah. I figure same plan as last time, unless something unforeseen happens." Since Fetia Rai went to Tribal Council three days ago, we haven't been for six days. But we'd planned for our Day Fifteen votes, in case we lost the challenge. I raise my head to make sure no tribe members are around. "We'll talk again after the challenge, if we lose. But right now, I'm sticking with our previous decision."
"Ok. I'll go let Ellen know." Kiki rises and exits the shelter, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
* * * * *
Eighteen days down. Five Tribal Councils, with a sixth to happen tonight. Right now we're ahead six to five, so if we lose immunity today, we'll still be even entering the merge.
The Merge.
It's taken on such an importance in my head, both words are now capitalized. Tomorrow our two tribes will become one, and the moment I've both anticipated and dreaded will come. I'll have a chance to speak to Malfoy. I'll have to be extremely careful, of course. We can't let any of the camera men, staff or players know that we're already well acquainted. There would just be too many questions. I can only hope that Malfoy has come to the same conclusion, or that I can get him to understand the need for secrecy. It's been easy to hide our glances, winks and smirks so far, but it will be a great deal harder to have conversations with no cameras watching.
I know Malfoy's thinking about it a lot too -- at yesterday's reward challenge it felt like he was constantly looking at me. I didn't want to give him too much feedback. His change to friendliness is still weighing on my mind, and I don't quite understand why he'd take that particular tack. Until I can find out why, I'd rather not feed whatever game he's playing.
I make sure that we catch three fish in our net for lunch. If I'm going to be heading into the most difficult part of the game, I want all the strength I can get.
* * * * *
Our mailbox contains the standard rhyming note, as well as a bow and arrow. Obviously it's going to be a challenge involving our shooting skills. For a couple of hours, we pass the bow around and practice shooting. It's a pretty pitiful performance all around, and I'm going to have to restrain myself from using too much magic. These people are terrible archers.
We take the bow with us to the challenge site. Marcus is standing dramatically in front of a wall covered with various pieces of fruit. He explains that this is a combination of reward and immunity. Both teams will get to keep whatever fruit they manage to impale with arrows, but the first team to pierce ten pieces of fruit wins immunity.
As the sides are unbalanced, we sit out our worst archer, Ellen. The rest of us are handed our arrows. One by one we step up to the firing line and try to shoot straight. The Fetia Rai team is made up of either very good archers or very lucky archers, because they quickly build up a lead. I'm trying to help guide arrows when I can, but I'm not given much opportunity. If a pitiful shot is aimed ten feet above the target, a sudden curve in its trajectory would be suspicious. I check out Malfoy and find him giving me The Smirk as another Fetia Rai arrow hits a fruit. I overhear one of them tell another that they never thought they'd be this good at archery.
I could just hit myself upside the head.
He's been controlling their shots the entire time, and doubtless has been all throughout the practice time back at camp. I foolishly let my tribe try on their own, and now they all know how terrible they are with a bow and arrow. Malfoy's team has been surprisingly good since they picked up the bow, so they expect their shots to be good. As the tenth fruit is struck on their side, I know that just as I won the team immunity last time, I've lost it for us this time. And Malfoy, looking at me while smiling and stroking his chin in thought, knows it too.
* * * * *
Our four fruits aren't much compensation for losing the challenge. We eat them all for dinner, agreeing that it would be unfair to save them until after someone is voted out. Kiki and I sit at the corner of our dining area. I lean back and casually draw a question mark in the sand behind me, then nudge her. She sees the note, then brushes the sand flat and writes a single letter. I nod to acknowledge I've seen it, then she erases the conversation away.
It's been six days since we've been to Tribal Council, and it feels like forever. Marcus is there waiting for us, and we put our torches in their places and sit on the stools in front of him. The usual question-and-answer session begins, and Marcus points questions to several people. Then he surprises me.
"You guys know that starting tomorrow, your tribe will merge with the five remaining members of Fetia Rai. Hermione, what do you think of that? What do you make of the other tribe?"
I feel like I pause for ten minutes, but in reality it's probably more like ten seconds. "Well, um, I don't really know them at all. They're all strangers. But I'm sure they're nice people. I hope we can all get along, and maybe we'll feel like family, just like we already do at Miti Matai."
What a load. But he seems to accept it, and announces that it's time to vote. I'm pretty sure that Kiki, Pete, Ellen and I are all voting the same way. I don't feel terribly nervous, but there's always the lingering doubt that everyone's been lying to me, and that I'm going to hear my name read off all the slips of paper.
Marcus brings the vote container over and begins to read. Geoff, Ellen, Geoff, Ellen, Geoff. Please, let Pete have voted with us. The final vote: Geoff. Four to two. Sorry, it's time for you to go.
It's late when we get back to camp. I should be tired. But I can't sleep at all.