Tribal council chapters are pretty short so I thought I'd do a lot of interviews for space and fun.

Octavia's interview: There's at least one big alliance in Ellekoner. I'm not sure if all the votes that are bunched up are from the same alliance. That could have been a coincidence where two alliances targeted the same person. I'm working on figuring out who's in it. I know Cactus is, since he used to be super nervous at tribal councils but started being totally nonchalant the same week the votes started to cluster up. And I'm pretty sure Lana's not, since she's still super jumpy.

Octavia's interview, edited: There's a big alliance in Ellekoner. I'm working on figuring out who's in it. I know Cactus is and I'm pretty sure Lana's not.

Val's interview, unedited: I have faith in Octavia but she's definitely the target. It's almost merge time and they're not going to want us to be able to help each other. Fingers crossed for you, Tav.

Leo's interview, unaired: Uhhhh… I don't have much to say. It's a really nice day. It got warm enough I went swimming. I saw a bluebird a while ago.

Lana's interview, unedited: Persi gave me some of her beads to make friendship bracelets. I know I'm a bit old for that, but it's not like it hurts anything. Maybe once we merge I can see who might like one. Maybe Persi, I guess, since she must like me if she gave me the beads.

Persi's interview, unedited: Sure, I'd take a bracelet from Lana. We don't hang out much but she's nice. I think some people think I'm mean, but I'm really not. I've just been really stressed pretty much my entire life. But anyway I bet Lana can find someone else to give it to- maybe Rowena or Enzo? They're more friend-y than I am.

Persi's interview, edited: I bet Lana can find someone else to give it to- maybe Rowena or Enzo? They're more friend-y than I am.

Enzo Charmont- District Twelve male (18)

"No one's going to know who we vote for, right?"

I wasn't really asking anyone, though I'd said the same thing a few times already today. I was more of just repeating it, like if I said it enough times it would be true. Most of us were having a great time doing all this, but I didn't think the Gamemakers knew how hard it was for us to vote people out. We'd really become friends. Also, it was life-changing how much money we were going to bring home to our communities- except Cactus and Octavia, since they were already rich. That especially weighed heavily on us. If we voted out one of our poorer tribemates, it wasn't our fault we had to follow the rules, but it was rough cutting someone off from the increased prize money we got depending on how long we stayed. Like Persi, for example- she was caring for five siblings and she so often gave away her food that it had visibly stunted her growth. Was it really worth staying another week if that was the cost?

I couldn't honestly say that was why I was so worried about staying anonymous. If I was hypothetically part of an alliance, I had to vote with my allies. It could mean voting for someone I was friends with beyond just the camaraderie we all had. Amberlynn had had a lot of friends on the tribe, like Rowena. I didn't know if Rowena had voted for her, but if she had, it must have been hard. Someday I was going to have to vote for someone I cared about, and I was coward enough to hope they wouldn't know.

"I know who some people vote for since I figured out their handwriting," Dorian said, which didn't help my upset stomach. We were all sitting on the tribal council benches, chatting while we waited as the crew worked on a faulty camera. It was honestly a relief when they gave the signal to start filming.

"Any thoughts on your tribe this week?" Isabella opened the floor.

"Looks like we're the Huldra now," Rowena said about our recent slump.

"I think the merge is on most of our minds," Alara said. "Knowing that's coming has a big effect on our strategy and who we vote for."

"How so?" Isabella fished for more sound bites.

"We were keeping our strongest people so we'd win challenges. With the merge coming, we'll want to get them out of the way since they're a threat."

"Were we keeping our strongest, though?" Persi said with a hint of snark, not so much at Alara as at Robbie and Amberlynn, if I guessed.

"Some of them," Cactus preened.

Isabella shifted behind the jar of votes. We all tensed at what was coming.

"If anyone has an immunity idol they want to play, now would be the time to use it."

Someone had to have it by now. Sure would be a problem if it was whoever the alliance was voting for. But it didn't matter, since whoever it was didn't play it. When my time came, I wrote my vote and slunk back to my seat, wishing Ellekoner had won the shower.

Isabella opened a vote. "Rowena."

Rowena looked at me with alarm. I weakly returned the look.

"Rowena. That's two votes Rowena."

There was still hope in her eyes. So often Isabella put the minority votes first for suspense.

"Dorian. That's two votes Rowena, one vote Dorian."

My stomach clenched at the next one. It was the one I'd been dreading. My own handwriting looked back at me.

"Rowena. That's three votes Rowena, one vote Dorian."

Maybe she won't maybe she won't.

"Gunnar."

I wish she'd yelled at me instead of the tiny whisper. When I finally raised my head, she wasn't looking at me. Isabella read out the rest of the votes. Except for one stray shot at Cactus- probably Rowena's vote- they were all for her.

"Ninth person eliminated from Survivor is Rowena."

She didn't look at me once, not all the way until she was out of sight.

Rowena's exit interview: I didn't think I'd be this sad. I would have thought I'd be angry. I guess I will be eventually. I just really thought we were friends. Vikings don't betray their friends. And ifhe's part of the alliance, that means he betrayed Sigrid too.

Ninth eliminated: Rowena Aspen

Kinda eerie for me knowing what the alliance is and foreseeing who's going next. It's also interesting knowing the alliance situation on Huldra as well. Rowena was one of the younger and more impulsive contestants, so she did well for herself making it this far. It's sad it ended here but she has memories and stories for a lifetime.