Episode 35
“Beya, thank you.” Steph Rhodes says my name, and for the first time, my brain clicks that I actually made it to The Final Summit. I’m sitting next to Paya and Celeste. We’ve finished our opening statements and have answered multiple jury questions so far, but we’re not finished.
I glance at Arlie, sitting in the corner in black leather pants, a tight top, and stilettos.
I can’t help my smile, feeling an overwhelming rush of love come over me.
She really is my cat woman. Now, I’m facing the jury.
Where truths come out. Next: win that fun bet I made against my daughter.
After forty long days of hard work and tears, it’s almost over.
Steph points her Summit Staff at the bench across from me. “Lex, you’re up.”
My chest warms at the sight of Lex’s toothy grin as she approaches. Dressed in a maroon suit and brown wingtips, she looks entirely different than she did on the island. Although we were ruthless competitors out here, I truly consider her and Celeste to be my closest friends.
“Hello, beautiful people.” Lex playfully shimmies her shoulders, making us all giggle.
“It was an honor to play by each of your sides, but I have to be honest here.” She points an open palm toward me.
“Congratulations. Jungle Cat, I was most impressed by your gameplay. I’d name my kid after you if we didn’t already have the name picked out.
” She smiles. She crosses her arms over her chest. “Some might say you’ve been a great underdog story.
Others might argue that you hid the entire game and got lucky.
Tell us, how did you plot, persist, and prevail in this game? ”
I take a much needed pause to think before answering. All eyes are on me.
“I plotted. Jury management doesn’t start post merge. For me, it started day one. I sustained multiple alliances. I had an alliance with Celeste and you. I also had one with Paya, Saffron, and Arlie which was established pre-merge.”
Next to me, Celeste flashes me a surprised face and whispers, “You dog.”
I smile. “I know it may seem like I was invisible sometimes, but that’s not true at all.
Like a cat, I was stealthy. I played a major role in getting people voted out without it being their names leaving my mouth first. Atlas, Bo, and Saffron are only a few.
My hand was in every food dish. To reach the final four, I planted the seed for division between Paya and Saffron which led to Saffron going home with an immunity relic in her pocket.
Ultimately, my social strategy played a key role in this game. ”
My mind goes back to the day my game changed for the better. After making it to the final six, I knew I was a target and I needed to keep Arlie and me safe. After all, feeding the village only goes so far.
Cluck and I went searching for Celeste to make sure she wouldn’t find a relic.
Suddenly Cluck grabbed something shiny and took off running.
I tried calling him, but my cat whispering skills don’t work well on chickens.
I chased him and when he finally stopped, I stumbled into something much more valuable than a relic.
Claudia yelling at Paya. I overheard Paya’s secret that she’s a production plant.
And if I’ve learned anything from owning a cat cafe with over twenty cats, especially my tabbies, CC and Tig, it’s this: if Paya shenans once, she’ll shenan-igan.
I continue. “I persisted by channeling my inner feline and stepped up as a provider after Bo kept coming up with nothing. I foraged, fished, and tried my best to ensure everyone had full bellies to keep our team strong for challenges. I helped nurse the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on back to health.
I even caught a giant tuna. I wasn’t afraid to ask for help.
Arlie taught me how to love and make fire.
Celeste taught me a new approach on puzzles for challenges.
I learned breathwork from Saffron. Bo taught me what not to do.
” Everyone laughs, even Bo. “I’m truly grateful for each of you. ”
Arlie smiles and gives me a wink. I really love my camp wife.
“I prevailed when I married Arlie. Not only that, but I was able to divert my name from being written down by staying underestimated as a strategy. I’m not the most athletic person here—ask Atlas—but I didn’t need to be.
I won challenges when they mattered. I made fire after not being able to most of the season.
I gave my entire heart to this game and I hope you all see that.
I joined The Final Summit to support my children.
All of them. My cats and my trans daughter.
” A wave of emotion hits me unexpectedly.
I’m barely able to keep my voice steady.
“I know we had a bet. But the real reason I’m here is I wanted to sit here at The Final Summit and tell the world how much I love her.
I hope she’s as proud of me as I am of her. ”
Lex is nodding, smiling like a proud friend. I know she’ll be a great parent.
I stop the tear from falling. “I have a big heart and I did my best to share that with each of you, while also pushing mine to the limit. That’s how I plotted, persisted, and prevailed.”
With this litter of fierce competitors, I knew I needed to step up. Be valuable, stay under the radar just enough. I hold my head up high and thank the jury. I hope it’s enough to win Sole Champion.