Don't You Work For Me?
(Zapatera)
March 9
CLICK
HERE TO READ THE HAPPENINGS AT OMETEPE
NIGHT 8 - REDEMPTION ISLAND:
HOWDY, STRANGER.
Wow...who'd'a thunk Russell
would be deep-sixed like this? The GOOD news for this third-time
Survivor is that he isn't going home...yet. He heads to Redemption
Island to await a duel. He THINKS, according to what was told to him,
that Francesca would be awaiting him...but it was actually Matt who had
won the first Challenge. Needless to say, he is PISSED that his tribe
threw a Challenge just to vote him off. But he's cool; he'll just kick
Matt out at the duel, await his tribemates to show up one by one and
pick 'em off like metal ducks at a shooting gallery!
DAY 9: THE ROOSTER CROWS...TOO
MUCH?
Stephanie and Krista, like
cult members whose leader was arrested, are scared as hell now. They
know that, after the next lost Challenge (deliberate or not), they will
be gone next. They're only hope is finding that Individual Immunity
Idol. Too bad Ralph already has it. Ralph wasn't planning on letting
anyone know he does...but, with Russell's girls sunbathing, he gathers
the Alliance of Six and lets them know he has it. Everyone seems happy
to learn this, especially Mike. He thinks that, if Russel DOES get
redeemed, the lack of a 3I will prevent him from staying longer.
DAY 10: TREE MAIL:
Again, it's time to choose who'll witness the duel.
You can draw stones or you can "Roshambeau"
Or discuss it, like civilized folks...
But do it quickly; remembering only TWO can go.
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This time we pick our
spotters, namely Ralph and Sarita. And they cannot WAIT to see if
Russell gets his at last!
REDEMPTION DUEL: DOMINO THEORY
Redemption Idol Arena awaits
us. As does Uncle Jeff. As does Matt and Russell. As does Phillip and
Kristina from Ometepe as THAT tribe's spotters.
For the Duel, both men must
stack up small bricks on a long platform that goes up and down and up
and down. There are a finite number of bricks and they all have angled
bottoms tro balance easier on the platform. The object to set the blocks
in such a way that, when knocked down from the beginning, they fall like
dominoes to a ball at the end, knocking the ball loose to roll down and
destroy a tile. First to do that stays at Redemption Island. The
other...gone for good. Oh, and watch the tripwires along the way;
tripping on one of them could rock the platform and knock the tiles down
prematurely, forcing you to start all over again.
"Survivors ready...go!"
The stacking starts. The
tripwires don't seem to be an issue as both stack without incident.
Russell sets a number and goes back for more while Matt seems to grab a
bunch, toss some ahead of him and work on the previous section
beforehand. Matt has his lined-up first and gets ready to go, Russell
stopping to watch. Matt knocks the first down...they fall about
halfway...but then stops. Matt needs to re-stack while Russell goes back
to working. Shortly, Russell gives it a go. A few close shaves
happen...but it stops on the final upswing. Both men work like crazy
now. Matt puts up another block or two, Russell scrambles to put his
blocks upright. Matt is ready to try again. Up, down, up, down, up
again......and the ball is loose! CRASH! The tile breaks! The impossible
has happened!!
MATT WINS!!!! RUSSELL IS
OUT!!!!!
And...the tears start to
flow from the fedoraed eyes of Russell. He can't believe it. But he'll
be damned if he ain't going out swingin'! He says his team threw the
last Challenge just to ditch him. He calls himself an all-pro
quarterback in a team of "pee-wee leaguers". Ralph then speaks from the
gallery, saying that Russell didn't share the clue to the 3I...even
though he had already found it. Ralph goes to show it to Russell...but
Sarita asks him not to. Ralph smiles and says he was joking. Phillip,
the so-called ex-Feddie, says that Ralph was NOT joking and he KNOWS it.
Russell then tells about the Allianc of Six, which makes Phillip smile.
Russell, despite having his Buff(TM) burnt, is now (in his words) still
in the game vicariously through Ometepe. Uncle Jeff sends us off, again
saying that what was SAID and what we choose to SAY was said is entirely
up to us.
AFTERNOON 10: WHAT TO DO, WHAT
TO DO...
Everyone is stoked about
Russell being gone...but wasn't too much when they learned Russ spilled
the beans. Stephanie and Krista...well, like cult followers whose leader
had just committed SUICIDE in jail, they feel VERY bummed. Now they KNOW
they're next on the chopping block. Steph complains about the team
throwing the Challenge, but Mike argues that the tribe's synergy is much
better now. "You have to lose one at some point," he says, "to get rid
of the plague.".
DAY 11: A CRAFTSMAN(TM) NEVER
BLAMES HIS TOOLS
More Tree-Mail:
Teamwork and ruggedness
Are the solutions to win.
Creativity and performance
Are good places to begin.
Sending a tribe mate away
Is never in your plan
What you'll need today is
Trust. In your hands.
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Well, hell, we have a GREAT
builder on our side in Ralph the Rooster! Julie is superstitious and she
fears that the "throwing" of three days before could come back to haunt
them...
REWARD/IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: TOOLS
OF THE TRADE
To Challenge Cove we go
again, watching Ometepe hand over the Idol that is back up for grabs.
Remember the Craftsman(TM) tools we got at our camp? Well, it's time to
show how well you can use them.
It's a tag-team affair with
each member having to cross a balance beam before starting on their
task. One member starts with a crowbar to open up a crate. Then another
uses the shovel IN said crate to dig up a hatchet. Another uses said
hatchet to cut through a log holding up two straight saws. Two MORE use
the saws to cut through a wooden wall to make timbers with holes on the
side. Two OTHERS use said planks to create a bridge up to a platform.
Finally, EVERYBODY runs up to the platform with their toolbox (and all
the tools used) where one unties a hammer and another hammers in three
nails on a 'bench' enough to break small tiles beneath. First tribe to
get their toolbox on the hammered 'bench' gets to relax while the other
drags their carcasses to Tribal Council.
Not only THAT...but the good
folks at Sears(TM) will ALSO give the winning tribe a complete barbecue
set, complete with a mess o' meat and fresh veggies! We sit Krista
out...but she doesn't seem particularly thrilled about it.
"Survivors ready...GO!".
Crowbar: Rob vs. Ralph. Not
even close; the "Rooster" gets it open quick, leaving Rob behind.
Shovel: Greg vs. Julie. Julie has a lead, but Greg digs like a madman.
They both find the hatchet at about the same time. Hatchet: Rob vs.
Ralph II (not everyone has to take a turn, y'know). Both do rather
well...but Ralph's a lumberjack and he's AWESOME. He drops the saws and
tags in Mike and Steve before Rob is half-way through the log. As
Zapatera start on the planks, Rob finally looses the saws and runs back.
Saws: Phillip/Grant vs.
Mike/Steve. Zapatera is through two planks before Ometepe even have
theirs untied. The two in purple move fast and hard, switching sides
when need be. The orange...not so much; quite slow and not very
effective. Do I have to say Mike & Steve finish first? Didn't think I
did. Planks: Rob/Kristina vs. Steph/Sarita. The S-girls have a HUGE head
start, but their puzzle-solving skills could be better. Still, they get
three planks in place before Ometepe even finishes SAWING the planks.
Rob, ever the puzzle-master, works things out fairly quickly, closing
the gap. Still, the ladies finish first and run to get everyone. Rob and
Kristina finish just as Zapatera climb up on the platform.
Now it's down to the
hammers. It's Ashley vs. Steph to untie the many, many knots. It looks
close...but Steph, having the head start, gets it done first. Ralph
grabs the hammer and, with a total of twelve poundings of it, break the
thee tiles with the nails! David puts the toolbox on the bench...and
ZAPATERA WINS IMMUNITY AND REWARD! Ralph, prodded by his tribe, shows
everyone WHY he's "The Rooster" with a loud crow of victory!
AFTERNOON 11: BARBECUE AND
SYMPATHY
"I haven't thought about sex
in two weeks," complains Mike. "All I've been thinking about is food!"
Everyone else seems to be the same way. Ralph, especially; he wants to
lick the justard off Steve's nose, not wanting to waste a DROP! David
says the tribal spirit is high. More importantly, he says he wouldn't
want to be Ometepe right now, wondering what do to knock their number
down to six.
And WHAT did they do?
Well...
CLICK
HERE TO READ WHAT HAPPENED WITH OMETEPE AT TRIBAL COUNCIL
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