Chapter 6 #2
“Who’s to say that the tribe challenges will all turn on physical strength?
You and the other two did a good job with that puzzle.
You could probably have won the whole challenge for us if Joe hadn’t fallen off the balance beam!
” He sighs and leans back. “Look, you obviously don’t have to decide right this second.
But this is an opportunity to make a really strong alliance, and at the same time get rid of one of the biggest threats in the game.
Just think about it for a little while, and I’m sure you’ll come around. ”
I spend the entire rest of the time before tribal council doing as Beck suggested and thinking about who I want to side with—and, more importantly, who I want to send home.
Jing and Katie both approach me at different points, but their pitches are pretty much the same as Beck’s and Rhonda’s.
Just like before, I do my best to make them think I’m on their side without actually committing one way or the other.
In a perfect world, I’d be decisive and make up my mind quickly, because the longer I wait before I pick one side or the other, the more chance there is that both sides just decide to take me out instead of waiting to see which way I jump.
But I have a feeling that what I do tonight could define the rest of my game, for better or worse, and every time I think I’ve settled on a name, I start to wonder whether I’m doing the right thing and just spiral back into overthinking the whole thing again.
There’s just so much riding on the outcome of this vote, for me and for my sister, and so many factors to consider.
On a personal level, I’m closer to Rhonda and her alliance than I am to Beck’s.
I mean, Beck and Jing seem nice enough, but I’ve barely talked to Joe or Ashley, and that’s not a good sign for working with them long-term.
Plus, I appreciate Beck’s honesty in telling me that he doesn’t trust me just yet, but if I join his alliance, I’ll definitely be on the bottom, and I could easily see them cutting me loose later on without shedding a tear.
Rhonda, on the other hand, seems like she genuinely wants to work with me, and I get along well with her, Marina, and Katie. I could easily see the four of us and Cole getting to the merge, and maybe even further, if I’m lucky.
But I don’t just want to get to the merge, I want to win.
If I get to the final tribal council and I’m sitting next to the wrong person, it would be just as bad as if I were to be voted out tonight.
In fact, it would be worse, because it would mean starving and freezing and getting no sleep for the next month, only to come up just short.
And Cole is a threat, both to get to the end and win.
If I’m sitting next to him at the final tribal council, I might not get a single vote.
Then again, I won’t need to worry about getting to the end if my tribe loses the remaining immunity challenges.
At least if I get to the final tribal, I have a chance to convince the jury, but if I get voted out before that, I’m guaranteed to leave with nothing.
That absolutely cannot happen. Also, Cole being such an obvious threat could actually help me—once he’s gone, people might start to see me as a threat.
As long as he’s in the game, he’ll draw everyone’s eyes, and that might give me the freedom I need to make some big moves down the line.
But then, if I know how big a threat he is and don’t get rid of him, will the jury hold that against me, assuming I can even get to the end?
I sprawl back onto the sand, pressing my hands against my temples, as though I can quiet the incessant thoughts. This is why people hate lawyers, I think to myself. We can argue both sides until we’re blue in the face, even if the people we’re arguing against are ourselves.
By the time the sun begins to sink below the horizon and the producers tell us to get ready for tribal council, I’m still undecided between voting for Cole or Ashley.
There are strong arguments on either side, and making the wrong decision could mess up my entire game before I really have a chance to start playing.
I won’t let that happen, not if I can avoid it.
The motorboat ride from our beach to the tribal council set is blessedly short, and it seems like no time at all before we’re lined up, mic’ed, and ready to go.
At a signal from Neema, Joe—the first in line—walks forward, and soon enough we’re all walking up a wooden ramp with rope handrails towards a well-lit area.
My first impression of the set is that it’s bigger than it looks on TV.
The ramp leads up to an open space with a fire pit in the middle; on the near side of the pit are nine stools, and on the other is a single stool and a podium, with another walkway stretching off into the distance next to the podium.
In the background stands a thatched hut; I’m guessing that’s where we’ll go to cast our votes.
The producers appear to have decided on a pirate theme for this season, since there’s a skull-and-crossbones motif to the decorations, with a pair of cutlasses hanging over the entrance to the voting hut and the podium being carved to look like a treasure chest. The only things that spoil the effect are the cameras set up around the perimeter and the LED floodlights, making sure everything is visible on the average TV screen.
Alex waits for us standing in front of the single stool, wearing his typical tribal council outfit: a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, this time in seafoam green, and full-length khaki pants. Once we’re all seated, he sits down as well.
“Welcome to tribal council,” he intones.
“Even though nine of you walked in, only eight will walk out with a chance to win this game, because somebody will be voted out tonight. But first, I’m going to ask you a few questions.
” He points to Beck. “Beck, I’ll start with you.
What are you feeling being here at tribal? ”
“Well, to be honest, part of me is super excited,” Beck says, a gleam in his eyes.
“I mean, I’ve been watching Marooned for nearly two decades, and I always dreamed about being here with you.
But on the other hand, I think I speak for all of us when I say I’d much rather be spending tonight on our beach, not worrying about voting someone out.
And there’s some disappointment, too—if we’d just done a little bit better in the challenge, the other tribe would be here instead of us. ”
“Let’s talk about that immunity challenge,” Alex says. “Ashley, it seemed like you had a bit of trouble carrying that box. Are you afraid that the tribe might see you as a liability because of that?”
To her credit, Ashley doesn’t wilt under the pressure; if anything, she sits up straighter.
“I can’t speak for the rest of the tribe, but I don’t think I’m a liability.
I admit that I struggled in the challenge, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that I’m not ripped like Cole is.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a lot to offer. ”
Alex turns to Rhonda next; I wouldn’t be surprised if the producers filled him in on all the drama from our beach, so he knows where the fault lines in our tribe are. “Rhonda, do you agree with what Ashley said?”
“Oh, of course,” Rhonda says smoothly. “I’m sure Ashley brings quite a bit to this tribe. The problem is that everyone else does too. And that’s why tonight’s vote—and probably every vote from here on out—is going to be difficult, because there ain’t no benchwarmers on the Meru tribe.”
Alex nods. “What about you, Marina?” he asks. “What were your first impressions of your fellow tribemates?”
I tune out Marina as she begins to answer Alex’s question.
I know I really should pay attention, but I also need to decide who I’m going to vote for tonight.
Normally, in a situation like this, I’d just listen to what my brain is trying to tell me.
But tonight my mind is truly split—there are arguments for and against both Ashley and Cole, and so many unknowns.
If only my gut would chime in, then it would be a real party.
My reverie is interrupted when Alex points at me. “Ryan, what are you basing your vote on tonight?”
I grin internally at his question. As though I haven’t been debating that with myself for the last six hours.
“Well, there are a lot of factors,” I say, getting ready to give him my best lawyer answer.
“Who I get along with, who I trust, who I think can help win us challenges. But really, they all boil down to the same thing: who can best help me get to the end and win? That’s all that matters, and the person I’m voting for tonight will be the one that I think benefits my chances of winning the least.”
Alex nods sagely. “I think you’ve summed it up better than I can,” he says. “And with that, it is time to vote. Jing, you’re up.”
Jing gets up and walks over to the hut while the rest of us sit in silence, coming back a minute later with an inscrutable expression on her face.
Alex works his way down the line from left to right, sending Cole to vote next, then Marina, and so on.
I’m sixth to vote, and as I get up, my mind is racing even faster than before. Cole or Ashley?
I take a deep breath as I walk into the hut, getting my first look at the voting setup.
Opposite me is a table with several pieces of parchment and a marker, as well as a large urn that holds the votes that have already been cast. Behind the table is a camera.
Earlier, Neema told us that after we write down the name of the person we’re voting out, we should show the vote to the camera, say the name out loud, and briefly explain why we’re voting for that person.
I walk over to the table, looking down at the parchment, and slowly open the marker. It’s now or never, Ryan. Who can help you win this game?
And just like that, I finally, finally decide who I’m going to vote for—and, more importantly, who I’m going to keep. My heart thuds in my ears, but my hand is steady as I put the marker to the parchment and write down a single name.
Once we’ve all voted, Alex goes and confers with Neema and Steve in the hut where we voted.
Presumably, they’re rearranging the votes in the urn to ensure maximum drama when they reveal them to us, and by extension, the viewing audience.
Now that I’ve made my choice, my heart has returned to its normal pace.
I’m sure I’ll find out whether I made the right decision sooner or later, but for right now, there’s not much I can do other than try to relax.
After a few minutes, Alex comes over to the podium and places the urn on it, waiting until he has our full attention before speaking.
“Once the votes are read, the decision is final, and the person voted out will be asked to leave immediately,” he says gravely, the same way I’ve heard a thousand times before on TV. “I’ll read the votes.”
He opens the urn and takes out a parchment, revealing it to us. “First vote, Ashley.” She nods, clearly expecting this.
“Next vote, Cole.” Unlike Ashley, Cole frowns and shakes his head, as though he’s surprised to see his name written down.
“Ashley.
“Cole.
“Ashley.
“Cole.
“Cole.
“Ashley. We’re tied: four votes Ashley, four votes Cole, one vote left.”
Alex pauses for a moment to heighten the drama, then takes the final vote out of the urn. “The first person voted out of season nineteen of Marooned is …”
Seeming to move as slowly as he can, he turns the parchment to reveal a name written in my handwriting: “Ashley.” He gestures to her, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Cole breathe a huge sigh of relief. “Please hand me your insignia.”
She stands up immediately and walks over to Alex, taking off her necklace as she does. Once she gets there, she hands the insignia to Alex, her expression resolute.
“Ashley,” he says. “Your time in this game has come to an end.”
As he speaks, he snaps the token on her necklace in half, symbolizing her exit from this game—the first person voted out, but far from the last.