Chapter Nine #2
“And what is that, Isla?” Vivian asked, turning to Isla, as she could somehow sense her motive for being out here this season.
Unfortunately for Vivian and all the thousands of viewers out there, Isla wasn’t ready to share her redemption story just yet, or that she was no longer doing it to shove the win in Mallory’s smug face and impress her family who acted like they couldn’t be proud of a daughter who modeled for a living.
“To win that title and a million dollars,” Isla said with a polite smile that hopefully ended the question. “Same as everyone else.”
Vivian seemed satisfied, if not a little intrigued by the way Isla was smiling, but she didn’t push.
Isla couldn’t help it that she’d never been a good liar.
Instead, she focused on the plump mom of twins, Josie.
Isla had learned that Josie and her partner had done reciprocal IVF two years ago, and although the doctor had only implanted one embryo, the egg had split, and voila, two identical twin boys called Nick and Bobby arrived.
“How’s this season feeling so far compared to what you’ve seen on TV?”
Josie laughed. She had a silent laugh, so only her shoulders moved.
Once she stopped laughing, she said, “Honestly? Way harder than I expected. The heat is one thing, but I didn’t realize how on edge I’d feel all the time.
And it’s not even about spiders or snakes.
It’s people. You walk to the creek to wash the pot, and you feel like everyone is talking behind your back. ”
There were a few murmurs of agreement, including Isla, who had discovered that paranoia was basically like a free gift card in this game.
The secret looks, the hushed whispers, and quick shushes when someone walked nearby were enough to make anyone lose their mind.
After Isla got home from Season One, it had taken her at least two weeks before she stopped instinctively lowering her voice while talking on the phone. And that was even in her own apartment.
“Do you think alliances have formed already?” Vivian asked, her voice as serene as it had been in Season One.
Josie hesitated just a fraction, then nodded. “I think so.”
Isla felt relieved that Josie hadn’t said yes outright. Subtlety was always safer in this game. Even if it were common knowledge that people who enjoyed a reward together were at least ten times more likely to form an alliance.
“Or at least there are groups forming,” Josie added. “It’s still early days. I think we’re still learning who we can trust and who we can’t.”
Vivian seemed to consider this, then she smiled and turned to Tamsyn. “Is there anyone out there you feel you can trust with your life?”
Tamsyn cleared her throat. Her hands were in her lap, her thumbs rubbing together once before going still. Isla couldn’t help herself from staring at Tamsyn’s hands. Six months ago her nails were polished a deep, glossy red. Tonight her nails were bare and trimmed down to practicality.
“Yes,” Tamsyn said. “I think we automatically trust the person we get paired with. The rest takes time, but there are women out here who I think I could grow to trust.”
“Being a high school biology teacher,” Vivian said, changing the topic smoothly.
“You’re probably used to managing complex social environments every day,” Vivian went on despite Isla’s massive urge to end the conversation altogether and start an entirely new one.
She desperately wanted to know why Tamsyn hadn’t told her that she was a teacher.
Isla blinked and felt what could only be described as an embarrassing sting beneath her ribs.
Did anyone else know that Tamsyn was a teacher?
A high school biology teacher, no less. For some reason Isla had thought Tamsyn worked behind the bar at a rodeo or at one of those beachfront surf shops where the staff wore cowboy boots and called everyone darling.
What kind of friend didn’t know what someone did for a living?
But Isla kept her lips shut and her eyes forward as Vivian said, “Hormones, hierarchies, survival of the fittest. How does that compare to being out here?”
Tamsyn exhaled through her nose. “I don’t think it’s wildly different,” she said.
“In high school, everyone’s figuring out where they fit.
They are trying to figure out who has power and who thinks they have power.
Out here we don’t have lockers to slam or group chats to hide behind, but our instincts are the same.
We observe first and speak second. I think the only difference out here is that we never underestimate the quiet ones. ”
Vivian seemed satisfied with the answer, as she should have been. Isla had never considered it before, but yes, Outlast Her was basically the adult version of high school.
Vivian then turned toward the table holding six stone cups, each as dark as the night itself.
They were deeper than they were wide, with a bottom that seemed endless.
In Season One, Isla had tried to glimpse into them to try to find out who had voted for whom, but it was impossible.
She hadn’t considered this cheating, just curiosity.
“As always, The Sending is where you decide who no longer continues this journey. Each pair will step forward and cast a vote for the pair whom you believe should leave Outlast Her by placing a stone in the respective cup. Your vote is private. The bottom pair will then have to decide whether they will go home together, or face The Sending, where the rest of you will re-vote and send only one home,” Vivian said.
Silence dropped over them like a curtain. Then a sudden gust of wind tore through the space, rattling the globes and lanterns above their heads.
Vivian nodded toward the front row. “Janelle and Frankie. You two are up first.”