Chapter 21 #2
I hesitate before I respond. The correct answer is yes, I had no idea he was going home, and if this were any other situation, I’d just say that.
But here, I can’t afford to appear like I was completely out of the loop, or the jury might hold it against me should I make it to the end.
“I didn’t think Cole was going home last time,” I say, studiously avoiding looking in his direction.
“But there really is nowhere to hide at this point, and the only person who’s safe is the person with the immunity necklace around their neck. ”
Alex turns to Tamika, asking her a question, then Katie, while I continue to avoid looking at Cole.
I wish I could tell him that I’m sorry I didn’t play the idol for him, that I still want to be with him when all this is over.
But then the other competitors and the jury would know everything, not to mention the millions of people who will watch the show when it airs.
Besides, even if I could figure out a coded way to say it to him, he wouldn’t be allowed to respond.
Better to wait until we can speak in private.
Once again, my attention snaps back to Alex as he points to Rhonda. “With that, it is time to vote,” he says. “Rhonda, you’re up.”
Rhonda gets up to go vote, then Katie, then me. When I get to the voting booth, I write down Tamika’s name once again before holding up the parchment to the camera. “This is for Cole,” I say. “I just hope it’s you tonight, not me.”
It takes less time than usual to rearrange the votes, probably because there are only four of them. Hopefully, it’s a sign that there won’t be much drama tonight. That could still mean a unanimous vote against either Tamika or me.
My heart is pounding by the time Alex returns with the urn. “Once the votes are read,” he repeats, “the decision is final, and the person voted out will be asked to leave immediately. I’ll read the votes.”
He opens the urn, pulling out a parchment and turning it to reveal a name written in my handwriting. “First vote: Tamika.
“Ryan.
“Tamika. That’s two votes Tamika, one vote Ryan, one vote left.”
He reaches into the urn and pulls out the last vote. “The fifteenth person voted out, and the sixth member of our jury …” He turns the parchment around. “Tamika. Please hand me your insignia.”
I breathe a quiet sigh of relief as Tamika stands up and walks over to Alex, handing him her necklace.
Alex takes it from her and snaps the red token in half. “Tamika,” he says, “your time in this game has come to an end. It’s time for you to go.”
Tamika nods and turns to face the rest of us. “It’s been fun,” she says. “I’m rooting for all of you.”
Then she walks past Alex, down the ramp, and out of the game once and for all.
Day 32
We make our way to the challenge area for the last time on the morning of day thirty-two, our second-to-last day in this game.
The three of us file in and stand on the red mat, with Alex waiting for us, as always.
I had an idea of what this challenge might be before I even got here, and what I see behind Alex, namely a pole about six feet high with the tribal immunity idol on top of it and three smaller poles surrounding it, confirms my guess. At least I have a chance.
“Welcome to your final immunity challenge,” Alex says. “First things first, I’ll take back the immunity necklace.”
Katie walks over to him, and he unclips the necklace from her neck before putting it in its usual place on the podium.
“For the last time, you are once again playing for immunity,” he continues.
“Today’s challenge is exceedingly simple.
Each of you will stand on one of the three footholds you see behind me and hold on to the immunity idol with one hand for as long as you can.
If at any point you touch the ground or let go of the idol, you will be eliminated.
The last person left standing wins immunity and a guaranteed spot in the final two, which means you’ll have a chance to plead your case to the jury.
You’ll also get to choose who sits next to you at the final tribal council.
This is probably the most consequential decision in this game, and only one of you will have the chance to make it.
” He pauses to let it sink in. “I’ll give you a moment to prepare, and then we’ll get to it. ”
There’s no walkthrough this time—the challenge is brutally straightforward, unlike some of the others we’ve had—and shortly we’re all in position. Neema stands behind me, just off camera, watching to see if my hand or feet slip, while Steve stands behind Rhonda, and Alex stands behind Katie.
Once everyone’s ready, Neema signals to Alex, who nods. “I’ll count you in, and then this challenge will officially begin,” Alex says. “Three … two … one … this challenge is on.”
As soon as he’s done talking, there’s near-complete silence, only broken by the sound of the wind rustling in the trees and the dull roar of the ocean.
I do my best to ignore even those, blocking everything from my mind except the idol in front of me and the pole beneath my feet.
All my focus, all my concentration, is on my feet and my hands.
A single slip, an inadvertent motion, or even just reaching up to scratch my nose could lose me the game.
Time stretches on into eternity as I stand there, as still as I can, afraid to make even the slightest movement. I wouldn’t know how much time has elapsed if Alex didn’t occasionally let us know, each minute feeling like a full hour.
The sun beats down, making me sweat, and the pole I’m standing on is narrow and rough, eating into the soles of my feet, but I still don’t move.
A half-hour in, my right arm starts to hurt from holding it in an unnatural position for so long, and I carefully switch hands, making sure to grab the idol with my left hand before removing my right.
Fifteen minutes later, my legs start to cramp up, then my left arm, until my limbs feel like they’re all on fire.
I don’t know how much longer I can do this.
I grit my teeth and force that thought away as best I can.
You have to do this. Arielle is counting on you.
Just after Alex lets us know that an hour and a half has elapsed—that can’t be right, I’ve been up here for days—Rhonda steps off her pole and plops down heavily in the sand.
“I can’t do it anymore,” she groans, her voice ringing in the silence.
“It’s up to y’all.” She goes over and sits on the bench, leaving Katie and me to battle it out.
I take my attention away from the idol for a bare second to glance over at Katie. She looks like a statue, not moving at all. It isn’t going to be easy to beat her, but I have to. If I lose, there’s no guarantee she’ll take me to the end, and I did not come this far just to come in third place.
Another half-hour passes, then another, then another.
My entire body is consumed by pain, like I’m burning to a crisp, but I don’t move, no matter how much I want to just end this and sit down.
One thought, and one thought alone, keeps me going: Do it for Arielle.
It runs through my mind, again and again and again, in an endless loop, giving me the courage to stand there for another second, another minute, another hour, as long as it takes to win.
Do it for Arielle. Do it for Arielle. Do it for Arielle.
And then, without warning, more than three and a half hours into the challenge, Katie groans and half steps, half falls off her pole.
I wait until I hear Alex shout “Ryan! Wins individual immunity!” before I collapse onto the sand, and even though I’m in more pain than I’ve probably ever been in my life, a wave of relief washes over me, so strong I could cry. I did it.