Survivor on the Net IX Episode 3

The yellow buffed Auca Pan and purple buffed Peuco made their way to the shores of the lake. In the water, there were two balance beams with circular platforms about five feet away. On each platform were tee-shirts in a pile.

Stephanie stood on the stores, with her hands behind her back, waiting patiently for the survivors to gather.

"Hello Survivors, today, you will take place in a mental and physical challenge for reward. As you have noticed, the moisture that comes with living along the lake may get pretty tiring. So, we will provide you with blankets, pillows, and 10 MREs. What are MREs? Meals, ready to eat. So, that will provide some sustenance." She watched the excitement grow on their faces.

"However, you were both told to pick someone to direct. Auca Pan, who did you pick?"

Travis took a step forward.

"Peuco?"

Dave took a step forward.

"Very well, on top of the very large reward already, the director of the tribe who wins, will get this."

Stephanie pulled her hands around to reveal a small gold trinket.

"This is the vote eraser. You may erase your past votes with this small luxury. I hope everyone's aware of the large stakes. Now, onto the challenge."

She turned and pointed out to the beams, speaking loudly.

"On each of the platforms are six tee-shirts, with a letter printed on each. You must swim out and put on one of the tee-shirts. In the tee-shirt is a blindfold. Five of you will have to wear blindfolds when you get on the balance beam. The director is the only person without a blindfold. He will both participate in making a word, and directing the tribe in the order. Everyone understand? Swim out!"

Valerie, Nichole, Lisa, Dave, Andrew, and Adam swam out and picked a tee-shirt. Valerie ended up with s, Nichole, c, Lisa, e, Dave, n, Andrew, d, and Adam, a.

All but Dave put their blindfolds, and made their way onto the balance beam.

Auca Pan made their way out to the yellow shirts. Travis ended up at s, Marie at c, Josie with e, Josh with n, Jacob with d, and Chad with a.

From the shore, Stephanie shouted out how long they had. And, with that, the
game was on.

David immediately took his post on the platform and told everyone but Lisa to turn
around, showing the blank side of their shirt. He dove into the water, climbed on the
pole and stood beside Lisa. "NE!" he shouted.

He jumped back off, and arranged himself, Andrew and Lisa into the word, "DEN."

On the Auca Pan side, Travis directed the word "SEC" "DE" "SED" "AS" and "SEA."

Peuco could hear the shouts coming from Travis, and knew they were behind. They quickly formed "SEA," but in return Auca Pan formed "SAD."

When Stephanie blew the whistle meaning one minute left, Auca Pan was up six to three. Peuco formed "DE" and "AS" before the time, but Auca Pan also formed "NE" bringing the final total to seven to five.

From the shore, both tribes heard Stephanie announce that Auca Pan had won the reward, their second in the game, but a much needed moral booster. The blindfolds came off and they all jumped into the chilly water in cheers.

--

Back at Peuco, the first loss in a few days sent a shock up the tribe. People reacted in different ways, but the loss of blankets and pillows did bring the tribe down.

Nichole and David found themselves talking about Andrew mostly, as they washed dishes at the shore.

"Andrew is very paranoid about being voted out, he sees himself as really weak. I mean, I told him not to me, but to others..." David began. "He also asked me if I was in an alliance."

"Wow," Nichole gaped, at Andrew's forwardness.

"I didn't want to say yes, of course, so I said no," Dave explained. "What do you think I should do, in the future?"

"Being honest is of course the best, don't lie if you don't have to, I guess," Nichole said, giving her opinion.

"Andrew is so eager about getting into an alliance, but I won't give him one," Dave went on. Nichole nodded in agreement."I thought about making a false alliance, by gathering you, Andi, and Luke together and proposing a tribal alliance, to keep us together, but I don't know if that would make anyone, especially Andrew, calmer."

"Well, if we have the numbers."

Andrew, Lisa, and Valerie were off doing various things when Luke gathered the rest of as he called them, " the actives" to have a quick talk.

"Dave and I were talking earlier about sitting ourselves out, so Andrew, Val, and Lisa will lose the challenge, and we can get rid of some inactivity," Luke began.

Andi piped up. "I'm willing to be the one to sit out, if need be. I agree about that."

Dave's lips pulled into a smirk.

"I'm really glad we are all in agreeance with this. I would hate them getting far, by doing nothing," Dave said.

Luke was glad that by throwing the bone, the rest of them lunged on the topic. It allowed Dave to continue to think he was in the lead, and his chat earlier where he used compliments and the word, "fine tribe leader" served that purpose well.

Adam looked around the tree, near the rear of camp. He put his ear as close to the words as he could and picked up his name in a list of "Valerie, Lisa, Adam...Andi..."

"Adam didn't take the alliance offer, so I don't trust him with this strategy, so we can keep him out of it," Luke's words were clear in Adam's ears.

Andi, seeing him, motioned for Luke to stop talking.

"I can't believe I did that today," Luke began at a later time. "I really am kicking myself for saying that, so I have to backtrack, and calm Adam down so he doesn't cause an uproar."

"You know, I am trying to play what I heard as smooth as possible. So, I talked to the group about the upcoming immunity challenge, agreeing with them and stuff, apologizing for my work ethic, just trying to get them to believe I wasn't mad about what I heard," Adam responded later.

--

The next day, scheming was continuing. Andi mainly was beginning to have issues with throwing the challenges, and brought it up with Nichole. Nichole, listened to the concerns and told her she would mention it to Luke and David, and thought she would let them decide on what to do.

While mentioning it to Luke, his dislike of David began to reveal itself.

"I keep getting closer and closer to wanting Dave gone," Luke groaned. "He is impossible to please. He always complains. It's just frustrating."

"Ok, so you want Dave gone? He's active...but Valerie is making an effort," Nichole said.

"Dave... he's plotting against me, and doesn't like me, I know he doesn't," Luke said, shaking his head.

"Who should be gone then? Valerie, or Dave?" Nichole questioned.

"I don't know, but definitely one of them."

Across camp, Dave looked over the fire wondering what they were talking about.

Lisa was the one who brought treemail back, reading once more about balance, and the danger in dropping your balls.

While the spirits of Auca Pan could not get much lower, Peuco was beginning to feel some of the stress of the game they were playing.

Peuco: Day 7

The gray haze of lake Nahuel Huapi was stronger this morning than any other, so waking to this fog, and the lack of fire grated on David's mood.

"I don't want to seem ungrateful, about winning immunities, but it is beginning to feel that the active players are dragging the lazy people with them," he began, taking a breath to blow into the fire.

"I'm really itching to vote three members of our tribe off, but mostly, Valerie. Everyone is tired of carrying her while we win challenge after challenge. It's really hard to talk to her, even when she makes herself available, so I don't think it will be a shock to her, if she is the first person to go."

Luke was still floating on air, after making himself known in the game during the Alpaca challenge. He considered himself awake, and ready to play the game. After that performance, he felt completely secure in the game.

By the lake, washing the night sleep off of his face, he spoke about David, the enigma.

"It's funny, he's my favorite, because he is a challenge, but also my least favorite, because he
is a nuisance," he explained. David's set ideas about Valerie being the first to go, weren't
exactly the same as Luke's.

"Andrew could be the first to go, definitely."

The motherly figures of the tribe, Lisa and Andi woke together and made their rounds,
saying good morning to their tribe.

Andi had a different approach to their tribe, than Lisa did. Andi considered Peuco on the verge of losing any challenge, and recognized weakness in Valerie and Lisa.

"It'll come down to who costs us the challenge, I think," Andi commented when alone.

Lisa worked to get to know everyone, hoping that a strong bond with everyone would keep her in the game. She had a good spirit, and a good attitude about all aspects of the game.

"I really love our tribe, and I can't even talk about my least favorite, because I know I don't have one!" she said, smile on her face, and pride in her tribe.

Auca Pan: Day 7

The sun was beginning to burn away the fog on the shores of the lake, and the camp of Auca Pan was beginning to get moving, after a dreadfully slow start.

The extra, or "spam" votes were on the minds of Marie and John, as they sat on a dewy log talking about the night before.

"I think Hadley voted for Travis last night, but I have no idea who voted for Jacob," Marie questioned.

"I think maybe Chad?" John asked. "I'm a little worried, Travis, Josie, and Chad could be aligned."

"We can't lose again. I don't want to vote for Josie or Travis," Marie moaned.

"Who would you vote for then? Me?" John asked, a hint of paranoia in his voice.

Marie paused for a minute, and watched John get more and more visibly nervous.

"No, I'm not a backstabber."

Travis whined about having to get up, and face another day of difficult terrain, and difficult challenges.

His strategy of flying under the radar was working just fine in his eyes. He was able to pull his weight in challenges and around camp, but alliance-wise, he was running on nothing. It was fine with him, that no one approached him, and he relied on his ability to catch on to who was the next to go, and felt confident he could do that for a while.

The six members of Auca Pan recognized the importance of the reward challenge later that day, and when word came about it, in the form of an anagramed puzzle, many of them knew what was to come. In the instructions, were orders to nominate one person to direct.

Travis was chosen.

While anticipation grew over the reward challenge, Josie was reaching a low for her time in the game. She sat on a grassy knoll, a bit away from camp depressed about the people in the game, and their losing streak.

With tears in her eyes, she tried to explain her feelings.

"I'm so frustrated with these challenges. We just can't win. Our tribe is everywhere, no one is together. I did not come out here, to work so hard, for nothing. I miss my family, and, it is only a few days into the game. I really don't know what I will do, if we keep losing. I nearly want to quit, ask to be voted out," she finished trailing off.

No longer flying under the radar, eh Travis?

~ EPISODE THREE ~