Savin walks between Cheipar and Weatherbird, arms slung over their shoulders as they walk out of tribal council. Strongbow and Crescent hang back. Tyleet is conspicuous at the rear of the party.
Tyleet: I’ve lost Mother. I’ve lost my alliance with Crescent. And Strongbow is probably just biding his time before he makes a new alliance somewhere else. I’m alone. If only Pool were here. Or Little Patch...Day 37 dawns as Strongbow is doing Klingon tai-chi on the beach. **I have to stay focused,** he sends to the camera. **I’m still in this game. I’m still good.**
“Strongbow’s going to want to make an alliance,” Savin whispers to Weatherbird as they laze about under their shelter.
Weatherbird: We’re doing well. But I’m afraid Grandmother is getting too confident. Yep, we’ve got an unshakeable alliance of three. But there are three Warp elves left. And if one of them wins immunity... well, that’s going to dictate how the last few days of the game go. And we have to figure out who we want for our fourth.“Crescent,” Cheipar murmurs to the sky behind Weatherbird. “Crescent... Crescent...”
Weatherbird: Yeah, what he said.
But
Crescent meanwhile is trying to mend fences with Tyleet. “I know what you’re
going through, Tyleet. This... this isn’t the sort of game you should be
playing with people you know. No matter how many times you parrot ‘It’s
just a game’ people are going to get hurt. I don’t want to hurt anyone.
But I’m here to win. I hope you are too. There are only six of us left,
you know. It’s getting down to the wire.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Tyleet snaps irritably as she fishes the tree-mail out of the mailbox. “And I’m playing to win, Crescent. I am. Look at me. One of the last three Warp elves! And I didn’t have to stab anyone in the back to do it!”
They bring the tree-mail back to the beach. The cryptic verse seem to indicate a scavenger hunt is in the works. **As long as it’s dry land,** Strongbow grumbles. **I’m sick of trying to swim.**
The six elves join Winnowill on the designated beach. They scowl when they see the trolls stagehands holding large manacles. “What’s going on, Winnowill?” Savin demands.
“Today’s reward challenge is a favorite of eight-year-old birthday parties,” Winnowill announces gleefully. “Yes, that’s right, it’s a scavenger hunt. I have here a list of twenty common objects you are likely to find ont he shores of this enchanted isle. I also have a burlap sack, a compass, and a waterproof wristwatch. You have three hours to find as many items as you can and return to the beach. But there’s a twist.”
Strongbow:(muttering into hand)txzighnifivit..
Winnowill: (pause) That’s right, Strongbow. You’re all going to have to work in teams of two. And to make sure there’s no splitting up – (brandishes manacles) a little something from my baby boy’s toy chest. So you’d better pair off and –Before she can finish, Weatherbird and Cheipar have glommed onto each other. Crescent immediately wraps her spiritual tendrils around Strongbow. Tyleet and Savin are left the odd ones out.
Savin: Merciful trolls in hell...They are swiftly manacled together. Crescent keeps slipping out of her manacle, and an infuriated troll industrial-staples her spirit to Strongbow’s headband – to the mortification of both. Tyleet and Savin eye each other suspiciously. Cheipar and Weatherbird eye their set of chains with a curiousity that verges on an R rating.
“Want to know what you’re playing for?” Winnowill asks. “Well, the winners of this challenge get a very special three hours on Cam Triompe’s Soucoupe Volante with the celebrity outcast guest star of their choice. Come on out, bitches.”
Cutter and Swift stride out onto the stage, to the gasps of their tribemates.
Swift:(through smiling clenched teeth) That awed hush was for me, you know.
Cutter:(through smiling clenched teeth) Bite me, peroxide.“That’s right, three hours to plot and scheme with your very own Blood of Ten Chiefs,” Winnowill grins. “And if... Tyleet and Savin win... well... we’ll figure something out. Survivors ready? The game starts... wait for it.... now!
The Survivors scatter, maps and burlap sacks in hand. Weatherbird and Cheipar pick up their first item: a coconut husk, lying just under a palm frond. Strongbow and Crescent head into the jungle, in search of a hibicus bloom. Savin and Tyleet frown at the list, trying to imagine where they’re going to find a hair from the head of a pink elephant.
At the half-hour mark, Strongbow is trying to shimmy up a palm tree to keep up with Crescent, who has levitated her ghost within reach of the priceless deflated lost “Children of the World” balloon which was released from Cleveland, Ohio seventeen years before. Savin and Tyleet are wading through a bog in search of skunk cabbage. Weatherbird and Cheipar have just caught a small lizard and are now in search of human bones. The soundtrack plays inspiration string quartets over the moans of exertion and liberal troll curses.
With nothing else to do, Cutter and Swift sit down and play Battleship.
At the hour mark, Weatherbird and Cheipar have found a leftover wrapper from McDonalds, and are now desperately in search of the pink elephant hair. Strongbow is getting repeatedly scratched in a thick bramble. Crescent curses his slow progress repeatedly, as he can never quite keep up with her frantic spirit pace. Savin and Tyleet are hunting for eggshells along the game trail. “I found one, I found one!” Tyleet exclaims. Savin inspects it. “That’s a chicken egg. It’s just from some stagehand’s lunch.”
“It never said what kind of egg,” Tyleet said. “Let’s go, let’s go!”
Savin: I’ve got to admit, Tyleet wasn’t half as useless as I figured. She really pulled her own weight in this one.The soundtrack tempo increases as the Survivors reach the hour-and-a-half mark. Strongbow yanks Crescent back telepathically as he notices an easier path down the lava rock towards their destination – the black sand beach. He seizes a piece of lava rock and throws it into the bag, then runs on. Crescent stumbles to keep up. It seems her father has gotten his second wind.
Strongbow:(manic crazy) **We’re gonna win this! We’re gonna win this!**After three destructive ties at Battleship, Cutter and Swift begin a game of Clue.
The overdubbed soundtrack is now a sprited rendition of “Tension-filled String Quartet.” The camera follow the contestants closely. Strongbow slips in the red mud and falls on his face. Weatherbird is bitten by a horsefly on the beach as she retrieves a lava rock. Savin secures the fragment of nuclear waste and turns to the list for the next item. Tyleet is already on it, and she nearly wrenches Savin’s arm from his socket as she races back down the way they came in search of the pebble in the shape of Elvis’s pompadour.
Two hours pass. Cheipar and Weatherbird are lost a thicket of briars. Savin and Tyleet get their manacles tangled around a bush. Time is running out. All three bags are bursting with supplies. All three teams stink of elfin sweat.
Strongbow:(Gollum crazy) I can see through time.The music quickens pace to “Psycho-level tension” as the cameras catch fleeting glimpses of the contestants. Cheipar finding a seed pod. Savin looking about helplessly. Crescent looking picturesque and resolute. Strongbow punching a troll cameraman in mid-shot.
Only twenty minutes remain. Weatherbird and Cheipar abandon their hunt and begin running north-by-northwest to reach the starting point. Savin and Tyleet quarrel about searching for the final item. The music has now reached “High-Hitchcock-Symphony-level panic.”
With ten minutes to go, Strongbow and Crescent crash onto the beach and race across the finish line with their bag full of supplies. Crescent looks pale. Strongbow looks like death warmed over. Cutter and Swift are sporting noticeable bruises as they wait with Winnowill under the shade.
Crescent: Cutter? Why are you wearing the Sorry! board around your neck.
Cutter: Just. Don’t. Ask.Savin and Tyleet stagger in a few moments later. At one minute past the deadline Cheipar and Weatherbird arrive, out of breath. Winnowill grins and disqualifies them for tardiness. They are both too exhausted to care.
The music shifts to “Pained Intermission” as Winnowill laboriously sorts through the two bags, counting up the items. “Hm... fifteen of the twenty items from the Savin-Tyleet alliance,” she murmurs. “What about the fresh insect bite?”
“Right here,” Savin hitches up her skirt to show off a red welt on her thigh.
“And... who’s got the sunburn? Ahh... we’ll credit Tyleet with that,” Winnowill decides, looking at Tyleet’s red cheeks. “Okay, that’s seventeen out of twenty. Strongbow and Crescent, you’ll be hardpressed to beat that.”
Strongbow proudly shows off his fresh insect bite, his sunburn, and the contents of his bag. Winnowill murmurs and clucks her tongue. “My.. my... well, I see seventeen as well... so I’m afraid we might have to–”
Strongbow fishes out a little hair from his belt and holds it out to Winnowill. “The pink elephant,” she nods. “Very nice.”
Savin: How the hell did you find the pink elephant?Strongbow and Crescent are pronounced the winners with a whopping eighteen out of twenty items, and stagger over to be unshackled. The motor launch arrives to take them and Cutter out to the waiting yacht, while the four losing elves must face a humiliating trek back to camp, accompanied by a mournful strings section.Strongbow: (Gary Oldman crazy) It wasn’t easy!
On
the yacht, Cutter congratulates father and daughter. “And it wasn’t easy,
mind you,” he tells them as he applies a fresh beefsteak to his black eye.
“I mean... did you see who’s writing this thing? We’ve been at a disadvantage
from Day 1. But you made it. You’re almost at Final Four. Hell, you got
rid of Swift–”
Strongbow: **Well... that was Brightmetal.**“You got rid of Brightmetal...”
Strongbow: **I... was in an alliance with Brightmetal, actually.**“You got rid of Coppersky...”
Strongbow: **Um... also... an alliance.**“The point,” Cutter growls, “is that you’ve come this close. And I swear, kids, I’ll do everything in my power to help you out. Even if... you were in an alliance with the unholy Alternaverse to overthrow me....”
Strongbow: **Heh... yeah...**“But that doesn’t matter,” Cutter dismisses. “The important thing is that you clean their collective clocks! And I know you can do it. You have to get rid of Cheipar. You have to get rid of Savin. That means, immunity, immunity, immunity! I’ve been watching you, Strongbow. You’ve been cleaning up at immunity. You win again – you and Crescent Tyleet can knock another Alternaverse elf down.”
Crescent shakes her head. “It’ll be three against three. Another tie.”
Cutter smiles wolfishly. “You need to find one of those Alt elves to break. What about Savin? Cheipar and What’s-her-name are lovemates, right? Savin’s been their den mother for a long time. Maybe they’re getting a little sick of her playing Mommy, huh?”
Strongbow:**Food for thought... really food for thought...**
Crescent: I don’t think Cutter realizes how close those three are. The day may come when they’ll turn on each other. But not until Final Four. No... we can’t play that card yet.At the end of the three hours, the launch comes to take the Survivors back to the island. Cutter hugs Strongbow farewell. “Forgive me, my chief...” Strongbow whispers horsely.
“It’s all right,” Cutter whispers back. “If I have to lose Sole Survivor to someone, I’d want to be you. You go back there and destroy those Alternaverses, all right?”
That evening, Strongbow is seen prowling by Savin, observing her closely as she cooks the tribe’s dinner. “All right, I’ll bite,” Savin asks. “What are you doing?”
**Trying to see which way the wind blows.**
In the middle of the night, the Survivors are roused by the sound of Tyleet retching. The night vision camera catch her doubled over in the bushes, fighting back sobs. “I’m fine! I’m fine! It was just a bad prawn,” she insists when the camera press too closely around her. But Weatherbird is not convinced. “That’s stress, right there,” she observes as the sun slowly rises on Day 38, revealing a clamly-hued Tyleet. “Tyleet’s been bottling it in too long, pretending everything is fine.”
Crescent ties to cheer Tyleet, but Tyleet rebuffs her and retreats into the shade of the woods to sleep off her stomach cramps. Strongbow watches her withdraw, and broods on the latest development. **Tyleet’s weakening. She’s losing focus. She’s losing strength. Now would be the right time to get rid of her. Even Crescent can see that. On the other hand... we drop Tyleet, and Crescent and I are alone against the Alternaverse wall. No. I’d rather concentrate on Savin.**
“We have to take care of Strongbow,” Savin tells Weatherbird and Cheipar. “I’ll be damned if he wins immunity again!”
Weatherbird: Grandma’s nerves aren’t doing to well either. But I wouldn’t be too chirpy if I had Strongbow stalking me like that.Sure enough, “Showdown at the OK Corral” music starts playing as Strongbow and Savin eye each other warily across the beach. Slowly they advance towards each other. The camera even catches Strongbow’s hand tensing as he passes Savin.
Strongbow:**Savin.**“I could make an alliance with the Alternaverse,” Tyleet tells the cameras. “I could, you know. No would blame me for it. It’s not like I owe anything to Strongbow or Crescent. Oh High Ones,” she moans softly, a hand clutched across her belly. “I hate this game. I hate this place. I miss the Wild Hunt.”Savin: Strongbow.
Later in the day, Savin is spotted talking to Tyleet. “If Strongbow doesn’t get immunity, we’re going after him,” she whispers. “If he does get immunity... we’re thinking of Crescent. Just thought you’d like to know.”
On the morning of Day 39, Tyleet goes in search of tree-mail alone. Crescent and Cheipar sit on the rocks, sending prompts to Weatherbird, who is wading out in the submerged tidal pools, in search of shellfish. “I have eaten more fish now than I did when I was alive,” Crescent remarks. Cheipar nods. “Not too fond of it m’self.”
Tyleet returns with tree-mail and directions to their next challenge. It turns out to be the hoary old find-the-rungs-of-the-ladder-hidden-in-the-underbrush- and-build-yourself-a-stairway-to-freedom routine. Winnowill gleefully explains the rules as she reclaims the immunity necklace from Strongbow. “For one of you – another three days on the island and a one-in-five chance at the title of Sole Survivor. For the rest of you – another night of heartburn and gray hairs at tribal council. Remember, Survivors. You’re looking for the rungs that match your individual colour.”
Strongbow:**And why do I get stuck with pink?**The elves hunt through the underbrush, searching for the bundles of wood and painted cloth. Strongbow finds the first pink rung. Weatherbird digs out a blue rung. Cheipar is already running back to camp with his purple rung. He drops it by his ladder shelf, then turns and sprints back into the undergrowth. Strongbow is close behind him.Winnowill: ‘Cause being the host rules. Survivors ready? Go!
Winnowill
unfolds her lawn chair and watches the chaos unfold. Strongbow and Cheipar
have two rungs each. Savin, Weatherbird and Crescent have one rung each
and are going back for more. Tyleet is struggling to carry her first rung
– one of the heavier pieces of wood – back towards the ladder shelf.
Winnowill adjusts her sunglasses. Strongbow has four rungs on the ground in front of his shelf. Cheipar has three and is running for his fourth. The others are lagging behind. Once again, it appears to be a race between the alpha males.
Strongbow has five. Cheipar gets his fifth rung. Strongbow has six. Cheipar finds his sixth piece. Strongbow finds his seventh piece and rushes back to start building. Cheipar is still hunting for his seventh.
Strongbow unwraps all his pieces and starts ordering them from largest to smallest. Tyleet is stumbling with her fifth piece. “Keep going! You’re all still in this!” Winnowill lies cheerfully.
Strongbow is assembling his pieces, largest rungs on the bottom of the shelf. Cheipar returns with his final piece. But Strongbow has a clear lead. Cheipar is still unwrapping the last of his pieces when Strongbow completes the ladder and scrambles to the top.
“Immunity, Strongbow!” Winnowill shouts. “Again!”
She hangs the immunity necklace around Strongbow’s neck. “Your tribemates must be pretty sick of seeing you win this,” she remarks. Savin and Tyleet are not amused.
“I want to make a deal with you,” Tyleet whispers to Savin on the march back to camp. “Look, we can’t touch Strongbow. But what about Crescent. You and me, and Weatherbird and Cheipar – we can vote her out.”
“I’ll think about it,” Savin murmurs evasively.
At camp, Tyleet sits under the shade of a palm tree and flips through photos of her family and friends. Savin and Cheipar go for water, and Weatherbird joins them in the jungle halfway to the waterhole.
“Tyleet wants to make an alliance with us,” she tells them. “We go after Crescent with four votes.”
Cheipar shakes his head. “I like Crescent.”
Weatherbird flicks the back of his ear. “You’re lucky I’m not the jealous type, lifemate.”
Cheipar shrugs bashfully. “She doesn’t vote by tribal lines, or by blood... or even by alliances. She votes by her conscience.”
“She wasn’t always like that,” Savin points out. “Didn’t she follow Cutter and Strongbow’s lead back at the beginning?”
Cheipar shrugs again. “I’d rather her in Final Four that Tyleet.”
Savin: I don’t think I’d really trust Tyleet. She acts all sweet and candy-coated, but there’s something about her... something... kinda Spar-like. She takes things personally. Crescent... it’s not personal with her. And I respect that. I don’t know. The chance to break up the Crescent-Strongbow alliance is tempting... but the idea of letting Tyleet slip into Final Four is not one that appeals to me, you know?The sun is beginning to set as the elves ready themselves for tribal council. Savin approaches Strongbow as he picks his teeth with a sliver of shell. “Not packing your bags, hey?” she asks. Strongbow shrugs. **I hardly need to tonight,** he sends.
Savin leans forward conspiratorially. **Want to make a deal?**
Strongbow
smiles.
The elves trek into tribal council to find Winnowill in festive mumu and flower lei. “I’ll bring in the Jury,” Winnowill says. Littlefire, Nightfall, and Coppersky walk in to take their places. Coppersky is conspicuous in wearing nothing but very toy-boy cut-off shorts.
“So... we’re down to six,” Winnowill says. “Do we have the possibility of another ugly little tie-game? Tyleet?”
Tyleet hangs her head. “I don’t know, Winnowill. You’d think you could trust... your family... your tribe... I just don’t know anymore. I don’t know.”
Winnowill: Cheipar. You and Strongbow have been leading the pack at the challenges. You had a very nice winning streak going before Strongbow got his second wind. That must be hard to take, huh?
Cheipar:(shrugs)The six elves go to vote one by one. Savin holds up her piece of paper with Tyleet’s name and says, “Sorry, Red. I was starting to like you. But I can’t trust you. And I can’t afford to let you get into Final Four.”Winnowill: Savin. You’ve been a power player from Day 1. Getting this close to the Final Four, you have to start seeing that success as a liability.
Savin: Oh, I do, Winnowill. And I know I won’t get a good night’s sleep until I’ve won the game, or been kicked out of it.
Winnowill: And with that, it is time to vote.
Winnowill collects the votes and reads them out. “First vote: Tyleet. Second vote: Tyleet. Third vote: Crescent. Fourth vote: Tyleet.” She takes out the fifth vote and unfolds it. “And the fourth member of our Jury: Tyleet. That’s four votes. That’s enough. Tyleet, I need you to bring me your torch.”
Tyleet nods reluctantly, and gets to her feet. She avoids eye-contact with anyone, even Winnowill. When Winnowill extinguishes her torch, it seems she sighs with relief.
“Tyleet, the tribe has spoken.”
Tyleet slings her bag on her shoulder and walks off into the night,
her head held high.
TYLEET’S LAST WORDS
I’m glad it’s over. That’s... that’s all I have to say. I... I’m tired. And I’m hungry. And it’s over. But I will remember everything that happened here. And when it comes down to final tribal council... well, we'll see. |