Survivor: Chaos Cove
Day One
Once again, the greatest social experiment in the world is back! In just moments, twenty strangers are going to set foot on one of the few remaining uninhabited corners of the Earth, for the adventure of a lifetime. For the next thirty-nine days, these castaways will be living on the Chaos Cove, a little-known archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, named for its unpredictable weather. Here, they will be playing one of the most intense, grueling games ever devised for a million dollars, all while battling the elements and pushing their bodies to the limit. This is: Survivor: Chaos Cove!
The Marooning
Two speed boats - one orange, one green - sped through the Atlantic Ocean at a breakneck speed. Each one carried ten people embarking on their Survivor experience.
On the orange boat, a well-built middle-aged man with dark skin looked around in awe at the views around them, the endless ocean on one side and the beautifully pristine island on the other.
Anthony: (He sighs deeply.) I still can't believe I'm here. Just a few days ago I was back at home teaching and, suddenly, here I am living out my Survivor dream. I can't describe how badly I needed this. No matter what happens, I'll treasure this experience forever.
The boat suddenly hit a wave, crashing back down on the water and spraying the castaways with ocean water. Across from Anthony, one young woman, clad in a pink hoodie and skirt, was gripping the boat's handles so hard her knuckles were going pale.
Britney: I'm pretty sure I'm the youngest person here at nineteen years old. (She gulps.) I know that's a big disadvantage on Survivor, but who knows? People tell me I'm mature for my age, so what I'm missing in experience I'll make up for with my smarts.
The boat hit another wave, making Britney yelp. A tall and tan man wearing a camo jacket and baseball cap, on the other hand, cheered. He spoke in a strong Australian accent and had a huge smile on his face.
Mike: Yeah, baby! This sorta thing is exactly what I live for. Some of you might actually recognize me from Mike's Hikes, another one of these survival shows. Well, they call this one the adventure of a lifetime! Should be right up my alley!
At the front of the green boat a woman with long black hair posed, staring out at sea. The boat turned and the wind picked up, blowing her hair into her face and, given that she was wearing nothing but a bikini, freezing her. She got up, frustrated.
Miriam: You could say I'm uniquely qualified to play the flirt card in this game. We've all seen it in action, you know it works. It's been a while since Survivor's had a real master take a crack at this though. Or should I say mistress? Enjoy the show!
Miriam sat down in a seat protected from the wind, shivering, next to an older man with short greyed hair. He looked good for his age. He took a glance at her and facepalmed.
Victor: You know, it's funny. Around the time this show started, I was a top CIA agent, I'd gotten the girl, life was good. Now I've got a family, I'm retired, I've almost done it all. Yet here I am… and I want the title of Sole Survivor more than anything.
The boats approached the island. Most of the castaways on the boat craned their necks excitedly to get a glimpse of the beach. Another woman, sitting across from Victor, showed no such excitement. She was noticeably well-built and had frizzy brown hair.
Stella: For me, getting the paycheck at the end is all that matters. The other people ain't nothing but an obstacle between me and winning. And everyone else here is the same even if they don't admit it. The sooner you get that the better you play.
The boats arrived at the beach. Jeff Probst was waiting a short walk up the sand, next to a table. Opposite Jeff were two mats, one green and one orange. One by one, the castaways lined up in front of Jeff. When everybody was gathered, Jeff began.
"Welcome," he said, "to Survivor: Chaos Cove."
The castaways cheered.
Jeff grinned. "Alright! I can sense the excitement from here. Shall we get to it?"
More cheers.
"Perfect." Jeff put his hands on his hips. "Good news, you've already been separated into tribes. If you arrived on the green boat, you're on the green tribe. Same thing if you were on the orange boat." Jeff let the castaways take their positions. Once they did, Jeff tossed a bag to each tribe. "Green tribe, these are your buffs. From here on out you will be known as Nuara."
A young man, relatively short and of Japanese descent, celebrated to himself when he got his. He tried his buff in a few different configurations before he settled on a headband. "Man, I'm so glad I get to wear one of these," he announced to his new tribemates.
Miriam nudged him with her elbow. "Nice choice, it looks good on you," she whispered, standing beside him. He didn't turn to face her, but he tried his hardest to stay cool.
Ryan: Being a sales student, I've picked up a lot of useful interpersonal skills. Stuff like negotiation, public speaking, and so on. The trick is to make the other party want the same thing I want. Skills like that are what'll get me to day thirty-nine and hopefully win the jury.
Jeff continued the marooning. "Orange, you guys will hereby be known as the Te Dei tribe."
"I love it!" a middle-aged woman laughed to her new tribe. She was small, skinny and had long red hair.
Jeff pointed her out. "Redheaded woman in the front, what's your name?"
"Vanessa! What's up Jeffrey?"
Jeff chuckled, as did some of the other players. "I'm good. So, Vanessa, why are you here?"
Vanessa thought for a second. "Me? Honestly, Jeff… I think I need this. Life is so hectic, and I can finally get away from it. And maybe kick some butt while I'm at it," she added with a little flourish.
Vanessa: Ever since my divorce, life's been completely up in the air. I've been so preoccupied with just keeping myself afloat that I haven't done anything for myself. Why not give Survivor a shot, I figured? The adventure of a lifetime is just what I need!
The rest of her tribe laughed along with her, and some even cheered. There were a few derisive reactions from the other side though.
Jeff pointed to an athletic woman on the other tribe. She had jet-black hair to her shoulders. "You, with the tennis hat. What's your name?"
"Ruby," she replied.
"You rolled your eyes at that. Why the big reaction?"
"I just don't believe her." Ruby crossed her arms. "If you seriously came out here to treat it like a vacation, you've got another thing coming. In a game like this, you have to earn every single day. If you can't keep up, you're gone." She drew her finger across her neck.
Jeff's jaw dropped at Ruby's words, as it does for most things.
Vanessa was also taken aback. "Nice to meet you too," she replied, glancing at her nervously.
Ruby: Since I was a kid, my parents raised me on the philosophy 'hard work trumps everything,' and as a pro athlete I live by that. It's how I got this. (She flashes her gold medal.) Hopefully everyone here is the same way - I only want to play against the best.
Cheers rose from the Nuara side. A few of Te Dei's members threw out comebacks.
Jeff, on the other hand, looked flabbergasted. "Wow! Just a few minutes into the game and you guys are already so competitive!" He gestured toward a stocky Te Dei member with a beard. "Guy with the glasses, what's your name?"
"Uh, Greg." Greg stiffened.
"Greg, what do you think this competitiveness right out of the gate says about everyone here?"
Greg chuckled nervously. "Not gonna lie, it's a little intimidating, I mean, look at me. I won't be the fastest guy on the tribe. If I'm not at my A-game these people are just gonna blast past me." He punctuated his words with wild hand gestures.
Greg: Man, I was so pumped to come out on those mats and stand in front of Jeff himself. It's literally my dream. But when I saw the kinda people out here with me... There're a couple Hulk-looking guys on my team. How am I supposed to stack up to that?
The rest of the cast joined in his awkward laughter.
"Well, it's a long game." Jeff revealed two maps and tossed one to each of the tribes. "But for now, those are maps to your new homes. From this point on you'll be fending for yourselves."
The castaways looked up to see a helicopter descending in the field next to Jeff.
Jeff boarded the helicopter. "I'll see you all on day three for your first Immunity challenge of the season. Good luck!"
The helicopter lifted off. Jeff watched with satisfaction as the two tribes trekked away in different directions. The helicopter whisked around, facing Jeff away from the castaways and into the sky.
"Thirty-nine days, twenty people, one Survivor!"
Nuara Tribe
The ten members of Nuara marched across the sandy beach as the waves licked at their feet, clad in their new green buffs. They dropped their stuff off at their tribe flag, which overlooked a large clearing. Roads snaked in and out of the clearing through the jungle, plenty of room to scheme.
Ryan took in his surroundings. "Welcome home, everybody!"
"So, this is it, huh?" Miriam said.
Miriam: Once the initial rush of island life wore off, I wasn't very impressed with the living conditions. Camp is wet and dirty - I can't sit anywhere without getting mud on my ass. Ugh, at least the beach is nice. Hopefully the company is, too.
"Whaddaya mean, 'this is it'?" Victor snapped. "It's what you signed up for, and it's amazing."
"Okay, I get it," Miriam said. "I was just joking."
Another young woman stared across the ocean in awe. She wore a light sundress and her silver-blonde hair shimmered in the sun. "Home sweet home," she agreed.
"Excuse me miss," the fifth Nuara woman said to the blonde woman. She was a middle-aged Hispanic woman with an accent. "What's your name? Do I know you from somewhere?"
The woman broke from her sightseeing trance. "Oh, my name is Isabelle Astrea. Does that help?"
"Astrea, like the bank?" Ryan cut in.
Isabelle nodded. "Yes, my father is Gregory Astrea, the CEO. I've been in Astrea Banks commercials before."
Isabelle: As the heiress to the Astrea fortune, I was rarely allowed to go out. As such, I have yet to truly experience the world. Well, how better to change that than out here? I am meeting so many kinds of people, people whom I would never cross paths with back home.
The tribe broke out in murmurs at this news.
"Wow," The other woman said. "That'd explain it. I'm Marta, stay-at-home mom of five. Maybe in another life I'd get to live like you," she said, laughing. "And you are?" she said to the woman next to her, Stella.
"The name's Stella," she said through grit teeth, suppressing her disdain for Isabelle. "Hey."
"No need to be so hostile," the tall man beside her said. He had a beard and wore glasses. "My name is Godfrey, and I'm a professor. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Stella leered at Godfrey. "Excuse me? I ain't being hostile. Don't be trippin' on day one."
Stella: You know what grinds my gears most of all? It's people takin' things they don't need. Isabelle is gonna be fine without the money. I know it, she knows it, everyone here knows it. It's wack she's even out here playin' this game at all!
Godfrey stepped back, his hands raised. "Sorry, geez. Don't mind me, just attempting to keep the peace."
"Aaaanyway," Miriam said, "I am Miriam Waverley, Fire Field streamer extraordinaire, and top five player. You've probably heard of me. Nice to meet you!"
"Oh, awesome," another man, somewhat older than Ryan, said in a deep voice that didn't fit his tall and lanky frame. "My name is Alexander, and I'm a game dev. Fun fact, I worked on Fire Field!"
Miriam nodded slowly, inching away. "Riiight. Good for you."
"Thanks!" he replied with pride on his face, oblivious to Miriam's disinterest. "What'd you think of-"
"Yo, you stream?" the last man asked Miriam, interrupting Alexander. He had blond hair and wore an open shirt to show off his well-toned body. "I'm Lukas, and I'm a vlogger. 'Sup?"
"You guys are so cool," Ryan said. "I'm Ryan and I'm just a college student. Nothing special."
Victor laughed lightheartedly. "Well, you've got time to learn some useful skills. Your guys'es social media stuff isn't gonna help anyone out here! Name's Victor, and I'm a retired veteran. Pleased to meetcha."
A few tribe members gave impressed reactions to Victor.
Victor: One of the first things I noticed about this tribe was that us older folks were outnumbered by the younger players by a lot, but I'm not too worried. Maybe I'm a dead man walking, but maybe… (he grins mischievously) ...they'll be that much easier to control.
"And I'm Ruby, pro tennis player." Ruby waved. "I'm impressed, our team ain't half bad."
Marta belly laughed. "Could've done much worse!"
"So, who's taking which jobs?" Ruby asked. "We're gonna need all hands on deck to get camp up before nightfall. I'll go collect som-"
"Who wants to chill with me in the ocean?" Lukas interrupted. He'd already stripped down to his swimming trunks. "We've only got a month of this rockin' island, so let's enjoy it while it lasts."
"That's more my style," Miriam said, joining Lukas.
"Are you guys serious?" Ruby asked, incredulous.
"I will join!" Isabelle said. "I do not get to swim very often."
"Same here," Alexander said. "I'll come too."
Nobody else joined, so the four of them left for the ocean.
"Well, we know who's goin' home first," Stella said. "I'll go get bamboo. Come with me if you feel like it." She left before anyone could reply.
Godfrey excused himself to follow Stella, while Victor and Marta joined Ruby. Ryan hesitated, but eventually followed Godfrey.
Ryan: I wanted so badly to kick back on the beach, but it would've been a mistake. The most basic rule of early Survivor is to stay with the biggest group in camp and be sociable. (He rolls his eyes.) I didn't expect everyone to split off right after.
"So, you're a professor?" Ryan asked Godfrey, making conversation. "What do you teach?"
"I teach English. In particular, I enjoy a good murder mystery," Godfrey replied. "What classes are you taking?"
Stella hacked at a nearby bamboo shoot, ignoring the boys.
"I take sales at a local college," Ryan said. "It's neat."
Godfrey nodded. "It certainly is. It's also useful, for a competition like this."
Ryan paused before responding, playing dumb. "Really now?"
"It definitely is, which compels me even more to say this: I want to form an alliance with you two."
Godfrey: "The early bird gets the worm" is a cliché, but it's one that has always rung true for me. By forming the tribe's first alliance, it'll be easier to ensure I can swing circumstances in my favor when the need arises. And the need will arise.
Stella stopped cutting. "That's why you followed me here?"
"Indeed, it is," Godfrey said. "What say you?"
"I'm in." Ryan grinned. "That's kinda what I was hoping for."
"Might as well." Stella held her fist out. "You're on."
Godfrey returned the fist bump. "Marvelous."
Te Dei Tribe
The morning sun shone through the treetops onto the members of Te Dei. Their orange buffs contrasted brightly against the thick Chaos Cove foliage as they traipsed through the jungle. The castaways could see their tribe flag through the trees, their hike nearing its end.
A woman wearing glasses and an annoyed expression was preoccupied, slapping the many mosquitos buzzing around her. Eventually she gave up and rushed to rejoin her tribemates.
Kristen: Every second since this game started has been hell. It's only been half an hour since we got to camp, and I'm already covered in bug bites and bruises! I shouldn't be out here... I wish I was still in my comfy pajamas and under a blanket.
The tribe entered the clearing and dropped their bags off. "We made it!" Anthony said.
"Not bad," Vanessa said. "You guys want to get straight to introductions?"
"I don't see why not," Greg said. "I'll go first. I'm Greg, and I'm just a writer. Mystery novels." He shrugged, adding nothing else.
"That's really awesome, Greg! I'm Vanessa, an accountant. I'm looking forward to this, you all seem a lot more pleasant than the other tribe."
"Just be glad you ain't got a job like mine," another man said. He was relatively short and stocky, and had messy stubble. "Name's Steve and I'm a factory operator. It's a dirty job but someone's gotta do it."
"Don't be too full a' yourself." The tribe looked down at the woman beside Steve. She was Steve's height, had blonde hair and wore a hat. She spoke with a strong southern drawl. "I'm Kat and I'm a mechanic. I can get down and dirty too!"
Kat: The hardest challenge out here for me is gonna be playin' down my superfan-ness. I live and breathe this show, and I'm so excited to finally be out here! I'm just gonna have to bite my tongue when it comes to strategy. Maybe playin' up the accent will help?
"That's good to hear!" Mike gave them a thumbs-up. "I reckon there'll be plenty for you guys to do. The name's Mike Crawford, survivalist. G'day mates!"
The rest of Te Dei was impressed at Mike.
"Are you for real?" the last man said, incredulous. He was tall, sculpted and had long hair, probably the best-looking guy in the tribe. "They put a survivalist on our tribe? That can't be fair."
"I mean, take a look at yourself, mate. Pretty sure you'll be carrying us even more. Whadda they call ya?"
"Aw shucks, you'll make me blush." The man put an arm on Mike's shoulder, amused. "I'm Shawn, personal trainer. Great to meet you guys."
"Uh, hi…" Britney, the next person in the circle, was a nervous wreck. "I'm Britney and, uh, I'm a med student. Hey..."
"That's awesome, man!" Shawn said. "We'll need people like you if anyone gets hurt, y'know?"
Britney blushed. "Heh, thanks. I'll do my best, but hopefully it doesn't come to that."
Britney: Once it was my turn to introduce myself, I totally froze up. Everyone in this tribe seems to have it together… compared to them, I'm just some kid. (She sighs dejectedly.) I'm lucky this tribe is so supportive.
Kristen side eyed Britney, but nobody else noticed. "You do that. I'm Kristen, and I'm a journalist." She waved awkwardly.
"C'mon Kristen," Vanessa said. "Show some more enthusiasm! This is the adventure of a lifetime, you know?"
Kristen recoiled from Vanessa. "Sure. It's a blast."
"Savor it while you can," Anthony said. "Once the hunger starts to set in, it's gonna get bad. I'm Anthony, a high school gym teacher. Nice to meet you guys!"
Greg groaned. "Don't remind me, man. We better start looking for food soon, I'm not looking forward to being hungry all the time."
"Well, do I have baaaad news," the last member of the tribe said. She had long brown hair and wore a light cloak. "I am Madison Zeller, and I confer with spirits of all sorts. And according to the Survivor gods, it's not looking good."
The rest of the tribe stared blankly at Madison.
Madison: (She bursts out laughing.) Oh my god, you had to see the look on their faces! The truth is, I'm completely full of it. I'm actually the CEO of a certain tech company. You probably have my products in your living room. But knowing that would probably intimidate the tribe, so I went with something more outlandish. Make 'em drop their guard.
"I'm completely serious," Madison said. "I'm a spirit medium, the greatest in the nation!"
"Right," Greg said. "You talked to the Survivor gods. Uh-huh."
Madison waved him away. "No, I was kidding about that part. But I can give you an authentic palm reading if you give me your hand."
"I'm good. I'll keep my palms to myself."
Steve guffawed, startling a few birds. "That's too rich! I'm gonna hafta get a fortune from you sometime."
"I'm open for business, anytime!"
"Well you should open later, mate," Mike said. "We should get started on camp ASAP, or tonight's gonna be an ugly affair."
Mike: It didn't take long for the tribe to see me as the leader, and nobody really took issue with it. Being the leader can be iffy if ya do it wrong, but nobody here knows the great outdoors like I do. I know what I'm doing, and that'll be an asset to the tribe.
"Aussie here has a point." Anthony cracked his knuckles eagerly. "What do you suggest we do first?"
"I can answer that!" Kat said. "We get to buildin'!"
"Fair dinkum, mate!" Mike said. "We're gonna need three things off the bat." Mike counted on his fingers. "Bamboo for the shelter, palm fronds to keep the rain off our faces and smaller plants to tie 'em together. If we get to work now, we'll be sleepin' like babies."
"Please let me help!" Britney said.
"Same here!" Vanessa flexed her diminutive bicep. "I'm small but I'm a workhorse."
Vanessa: Sure, I'm not the strongest person in the tribe, but who says I can't get it done? If I show initiative and put my work ethic out there, I think I can win the respect of the tribe no matter how big I am.
"Beauty," Mike replied. "You can take Madison and get pullin' on palm fronds. Prince Charming!" he called to Shawn who, in response, turned to listen. "You're with me. Get the machete, we're choppin' bamboo."
With that, the Te Dei tribe got to work, and the game began.
Nuara Tribe
Hours passed, and the tribes got to know each other. While most of Nuara's younger tribemates relaxed on the beach, the rest worked on the shelter. Unfortunately, they didn't have much to show for it.
"On three." Ruby said. She nodded to Victor and Marta, who nodded back in turn. "One… two… three!" Victor and Ruby hoisted a log Victor's size and twice his weight against a tree. Marta rushed to prop it up, and mercifully it stayed up.
"Well, it's a start," Ruby said. "We still have time, so we can at least get a roof over our heads."
Ruby: Our start was so damn bad. I can't get over it. We've got six hours of daylight left, and we've only got a single log in place. Those beach people better hope it doesn't rain 'cuz if it does, we're using them for the roof. Maybe that'll teach 'em a lesson.
"Let's just make it big enough for us three." Marta slapped both of their backs. "We can do that in a day!"
Victor laughed but, seeing as he hadn't caught his breath yet, it came out choked. "Yeah, I wish. That's a one-way ticket home, and my pride ain't worth it."
"You need a break, man," Marta said. "Take a seat before you die."
"After today, it'd be a travesty if any of us went home first," Ruby said. "If I could have it my way, we'd all be safe 'til merge."
"With you, we probably will be," Marta said. "Didn't you win a gold medal? We're good to go. We don't need nobody else."
"I did, yeah. You're an Olympics fan?" Ruby grinned. "Don't sell yourself short. You had five kids, and that's its own feat."
"Psh." Marta waved Ruby away. "You flatter me."
Marta: Yeah, I'm a little worried about being first out. There ain't nothing special about me. Even some of the younger kids here are Internet famous. But I've got two things we all need: good heart and good humor. I can bring 'em down to earth if things get too intense.
"I'm serious though," Ruby insisted. "I want to work with you guys. You're both strong in your own ways, and I think I can trust you."
"I was thinking the same thing." Victor said. "You're on. We'll need to get a majority together, but this is a solid core."
"You're already thinking about numbers on day one?" Marta said. "Well, speaking of a majority…"
Stella, Ryan, and Godfrey returned with another load of bamboo. Ryan and Godfrey each brought a couple of shoots, while Stella dropped off more than both combined. Straight away, Victor, Ruby and Marta started lining them up on the log while the new arrivals rested.
Ryan wiped some sweat from his forehead. "They're seriously not back yet?"
"Nope, but good work guys," Ruby said. "We were actually just talking about numbers."
"Long story short," Victor cut in, "this is a ten-person tribe and there's six of us right here. Working together is a no-brainer, yeah? We've been working together all morning."
The three quickly agreed.
Godfrey: I couldn't request a better beginning to my game than this. I've infiltrated the majority in record time and within that majority I have a suitable sub-alliance… for my purposes, anyway. Stella's motivated by anger while Ryan is eager to please. They're both going to be susceptible to manipulation.
"The only question remaining is which of the beachgoers we eliminate first," Godfrey said.
Stella scoffed. "Easy. We take out Isabelle. She don't need to be here."
"Tell us how you really feel," Ruby said.
"Cool it guys," Marta said. "We don't need to be talkin' about this yet. I ain't even met some of you."
"Good point," Ryan said. "I wonder what the others are doing right now."
xxx
Miriam burst from under the ocean's surface gracefully. Alexander, Isabelle, and Lukas were still underwater.
Alexander surfaced shortly after, spitting out water.
"Already?" Miriam asked.
"I could ask you the same thing. I'm not a good swimmer."
"Whatever." Miriam returned her attention to the two underwater. " Come on Lukas! Kick her ass!"
Miriam: So far, the only person on the tribe I've vibed with is Lukas. We're cut from the same cloth, have all the same interests. Even our sub-counts are close. Isn't that crazy?
"You're lucky Isabelle can't hear you." Alexander said. Bubbles started appearing on the surface. "Someone's about to come up!"
Lukas splashed through the surface. "Did I win?"
Alexander shook his head and pointed at the mass of blonde hair floating in the water.
"Oh well." Lukas began wading back to the shore. "I'm hungry. You guys wanna grab something to eat?"
Lukas: Hey, what up guys? Lukas Rhodes here, coming at you with something a little bit different. I'm out in the great Chaos Coves to win a million bucks, and I'm gonna keep the Lukas Roadshow going all the way to the end. Welcome aboard, Rhodes bros! (He flashes finger guns.)
"Sure!" Miriam said, joining Lukas.
"Guys?" Alexander tried to get their attention. "Isabelle's still here."
They either didn't hear him or didn't care.
Alexander scowled and nudged Isabelle.
She burst to the surface, saw Miriam and Lukas leaving, and scowled. "It has definitely not been an hour yet!"
"Well, the others didn't wanna wait that long." Alexander beckoned. "Let's go with them."
Isabelle sighed. "If we must."
Alexander: Fun fact, I've never actually watched Survivor before. I auditioned for it with a superfan friend of mine, because the concept was interesting, and I guess they liked me 'cuz here I am. (He shrugs.) I still don't really know what I've gotten myself into.
Back at camp, Stella, Victor and Ruby were resting by the shelter, eating berries they'd picked. The others were still out foraging.
"'Sup guys!" Lukas called as he and the others entered the camp. "What's for dinner?"
Ruby snorted. "Whatever you can find in the jungle."
"Shall we?" Isabelle asked.
"Hell yeah!" Alexander replied.
Miriam and Lukas refused, so they left.
Isabelle: Something tells me that we made a mistake... The first thing I noticed upon returning to camp was the diminutive shelter, and we contributed nothing to it. So, Alex and I decided to spend the evening foraging for the tribe.
"You guys didn't hunt anything?" Miriam asked. "That's a bummer."
"No, it's a bummer that we had to do all this work without you," Victor said. "You're on your own."
Lukas and Miriam scoffed, and marched into the jungle after the others.
Te Dei Tribe
Contrary to the other tribe, Te Dei worked together well through the afternoon. By the time the sun started setting, they had a workable, if not comfortable, shelter.
Britney, Kristen, Madison, and Vanessa sat around fallen logs in the clearing, weaving palm fronds.
"Ow!" Britney yelped.
"You okay?" Vanessa asked.
Britney nodded. "I pricked myself on the leaf again."
Britney: Did you know that palm fronds are way sharper than they look? I didn't! This whole day has been a huge wake-up call. Everything about this game is so much harder than it looks. I've got scrapes all over my hands already… how do people survive for thirty-nine days?
"Again?" Kristen said. "Come on, Britney."
"Come on, Kristen," Vanessa mocked. "It happens," she said to Britney. "You're doing great."
Britney, pleased, got back to work.
"Here's a neat fact," Madison said. "The indigenous shamans of the Chaos Cove used palm fronds to predict everything, from crop yields to the outcomes of battles."
"Really?" Vanessa asked.
Madison: Of course not! Far as I know, we're the first people to ever set foot on this island. But it's not like anyone else on the tribe knows, so I'm not doing any harm. Britney is so fun to mess with - she's too gullible!
"Of course," Madison said. "I don't know the exact technique, but it had something to do with each strand's length relative to the others."
"That's crazy," Britney said. "Does it work?"
Madison shrugged. "They thought so. I have my own methods though," she said with a cryptic wink.
"Fascinating," Kristen said, zero sincerity in her voice.
Before anyone could retort, a deep, gruff voice filled the clearing. "'Ey, fortune teller!" Steve called. "You busy?"
Steve: The boys at the factory think I'm off on vacation in Vegas, blowin' my money and ruinin' my life. Well, they're gonna crap themselves when I come back skinny as a twig and a million bucks richer! It'll be the best vacation I ever had, anyway.
"Not at all," Madison said.
"Time fer my fortune then! What do ya have for me?"
"Well, that depends on the kind of reading you want," Madison replied.
"Don't really matter to me." Steve waved indifferently. "Keep it simple stupid, that's what I like to say."
Madison chuckled "I could give you a palm reading right now, free of charge. Tarot readings are simple too, but you'll have to wait until we get our luxury items."
"Is that offer open to everyone?" Vanessa asked.
"Of course!"
"You guys don't actually believe in this stuff, do you?" Kristen asked.
"Does it matter?" Vanessa said, with more hostility than she intended.
Vanessa: I'm doing my best to stay positive for the sake of the tribe, but some people are making that difficult. Kristen might be a nice girl, but this island's bringing out the worst in her. Her attitude is going to be really bad for morale if she doesn't turn it around.
"Miss," Madison said to Kristen, grabbing Steve's hand, "these techniques have been passed down for generations. Surely there must be some truth to them, right?"
"It makes sense to me," Britney said.
"Don't really matter to me if it's real or not," Steve said. "It ain't like I got anything better to do!"
"As it happens Steve," Madison said, "you actually have one of the best pairs of hands I've ever seen." She turned his hand at various angles, examining every detail. "So firm and strong... These hands have been through some strife and come out even tougher."
Steve nodded along, chuckling at the absurdity. "What about my fortune?"
"Nope." Kristen got up. "I can't take any more. Have fun though." She waved as she left.
Kristen: What's wrong with these people? Where I come from, people like Madison are freaks and nobody pays them any mind. But here, everyone's egging her on as if her fortunes are any more legitimate than my grade-school babysitting certificate.
Madison ignored her. "I was getting to that Steve!" She took hold of his other hand. "Yes, yes indeed…" she muttered to herself, running her fingertip along the lines of his palm.
Britney studied Madison's technique intently.
Steve shot a skeptical look to Vanessa, who simply shrugged.
"I'm getting mixed messages," Madison said, pulling Steve's attention back. "The fullness of this line indicates great triumph on the horizon, but all the little breaks represent obstacles. I can't tell where it ends."
"But can ya tell me if I win the game?"
Before Madison could reply, Mike's Australian accent called from the jungle. "Let's make a fire!" Mike emerged into the clearing with Anthony and Greg in tow.
Mike: Apparently they only give you flint after day three? Hell if I'm gonna wait that long to get some real grub in my belly. I decided to teach the rest of these peeps how to make a fire from scratch, so we don't have to rely on Probst giving us anything.
They were carrying firewood and kindling, which they set up for Mike as the tribe gathered around. For Mike's part, he took a sturdy stick and strung it into a bow with some twine.
"I'm gonna need some volunteers," Mike said. "Someone to keep the base sturdy, someone to hold the drill, and someone to bow it for me. Then I'll take the embers and make a bonfire!"
Anthony offered his help right away, followed by an eager Kat. The tribe decided Shawn would be the best bower, and he took on the role eagerly.
Shawn: I'm totally happy to take charge and show off for the tribe. Every person on this tribe is capable of anything if they set their mind to it. My job is motivating people to push themselves, and sometimes all it takes is seeing that it's possible.
The boys nodded to each other and got to work. It took them a few tries to get a rhythm going, but once they did there was no stopping them. Sweat dripped from their faces as Shawn sawed back and forth.
"I see smoke!" Anthony exclaimed.
"Mike, we've got an ember!" Shawn announced.
Mike quickly grabbed the bundle of kindling and set it inside the tipi of twigs he was building. Next, he blew on the ember. Lightly at first, then with more intensity as the flame grew. Before long, the fire spread to the wood and the survivalist had built a full-on blaze.
The tribe cheered. Vanessa poured some water into a pot and hung it over the fire, pouring in a generous amount of rice once it boiled. By the time the rice was ready, the sun was setting.
"To fire on day one!" Anthony raised a seashell full of rice.
"Cheers, mate!" Mike returned, and everyone clinked their seashells as night fell.
Anthony: (He grins, satisfied) Best day ever!
A/N: Thanks for reading! This chapter has been a long time coming, and I'm happy to have finally released it. Please, don't hesitate to let me know what you think of it, who you like and dislike and who you think might win. But this game is just getting started, so don't be too sure of yourself.
Expect a new chapter every two weeks. Until then!