A Vast Solitary Confinement (Part 2)

Foreword
This is part two of A Vast Solitary Confinement, the second episode of Survivor: Dueling Desert. It was moved to a new page to avoid node count issues.

Tolmer Tribe
The camera fades back in as the Tolmer tribe are all walking into camp in dead silence, setting down their bags as they reach camp. With no one speaking yet, everyone just stands around for a while, all upset to have lost. After a while of the awkward silence, Charlotte breaks it by whistling to herself, before picking up her canteen and walking off to the well.

Grant: I'll go help Charlotte carry some canteens. Anyone want theirs filled?

Jamie: Sure mate.

Michelle: That'd be great, thanks.

Calvin: Yeah, thanks man.

(Grant takes their canteens before walking off to to catch up with Charlotte, as the camera stays focused on camp where Calvin, Opal, Michelle and Jamie are seated by the shelter, with Roger aggressively trying to light a fire, bashing the machete on the flint.)

Roger: Just warning you now, none of you stand a chance if I get voted out. One by one you'll fall and I'll be taking you all down in the duels.

(The other four look at each other.)

Roger: Food for thought.

(Unable to get the fire going, Roger tosses the machete to the side, before walking off out of camp, with the camera cutting back into camp, focused on Michelle.)"tolmer"

- For the alliance I've built to all stay safe, we need to get Roger out of this tribe. His empty threats of being a challenge threat in the duels are just that; empty, and if we don't take him out, we're losing someone who really deserves to hang around the tribe. The only issue is that tension that Opal and Grant have with each other. Opal staying is obviously our priority over Grant as she's right up there with Jamie for my closest allies, but if it's a question between Grant and Roger, the choice is clear; Roger. I hope we can figure out whatever's going on between Opal and Grant and resolve it, because the last thing we need is their stray votes flying around.

Jamie: So, what do you reckon we do tonight?

Michelle: I'd like for Roger to go, personally, but I'm open to any decisions you'd like to propose.

Opal: I think we really should consider Grant. I know he's stronger than Roger in challenges, but if we let him get momentum behind him, he could win his way back in and flip at the merge. As much as Roger annoys me, he's of no threat to us for now.

Michelle: I see your point. Calvin, do you have any input?

Calvin: Oh, I'm down for whatever, honestly.

Jamie: You're still on board with us, right mate?

Calvin: Without a doubt. You three are without a doubt the people I feel the closest connection to.

Opal: Great. So if that's four on Grant, are we set?

Jamie: Well did we decide on him? Roger's still a complete tosser and we're not within cooee of the end right now, so thinking that far ahead and sending Grant home will probably bite us in the ass.

Opal: I think it's our best option right now.

Michelle: Alright. If you're adamant, we'll follow your lead on this.

Opal: Awesome. Even if those other three team up we're still a majority too.

Calvin: That's true. Should we go see what they're up to just in case?

Opal: Yeah, might as well. Come on.

(Opal and Calvin head off from the group, with the camera focused on Opal, who looks calm after the decision.)"tolmer"

- It's nice that I still have some pull over this tribe, and when I look at everything going on, my game is a whole lot less messy if Grant isn't around. I don't want to end up being a villain or anything, but this is just about keeping myself in the game, and with him having the power to blow it up, I have to take whatever measures I can to get him out. Let's just hope it runs smoothly, but I don't think anyone has a reason to go against it. Does it feel bad that Grant is trying really hard to mend things and I'm still targeting him? Sure, but this is a game about self preservation, and I'm putting myself first.

Michelle: Jamie, hold up.

(Michelle and Jamie wait until the others are gone.)

Michelle: Does something seem off to you?

Jamie: Yeah mate, I feel like Opal's being mad suss.

Michelle: I still trust her, but I think we should be very careful with how this vote is handled.

Jamie: Bloody oath.

(Michelle watches them carefully as they disappear out of view, worrying.)"tolmer"

- As I figured she would, Opal's targeting Grant against the best wishes of the group. I would love for her to be able to get her wishes, because I genuinely enjoy her company and I trust her, but one thing I've always taught my nieces and nephews is that they have to be courteous to other people's wishes too. If she wants Grant gone but has to tiptoe around the reasons, it doesn't give Jamie and I an incentive to follow suit, so we might have to figure out a different course of action.

(Following Michelle's confessional, the camera cuts to the well, where Grant and Charlotte are both filling up their canteens.)

Charlotte: You just poured a mosquito in with that.

Grant: We're going to take it back to boil anyway.

Charlotte: Ok good, because otherwise that's just gross.

(Grant smiles.)

Grant: You know Charlotte, you really just say it how it is, don't you?

Charlotte: What do you mean?

Grant: Well, you don't have any reservations with saying exactly what's on your mind. I respect that. It'll probably bite you in the ass later on, but I respect it.

Charlotte: Uh, thanks?

(Charlotte slings her canteen over her shoulder as they get ready to walk back.)"tolmer"

- I'm in a weird position, because I really think Grant is cool, but the more I talk with him, the more I feel like my alliance will worry that I'm turning on them. I still trust them, but I hopefully can just find a perfect world where I can still hang out with Grant but also stay loyal to Michelle, Opal and Jamie. The other tribe will totally notice that all the men are getting picked off one by one, but we can worry about that when the merge comes. For now, I just want to stick around with Grant in tow.

(Grant and Charlotte begin walking, before they're suddenly approached by Roger, who walks up to the well, startling them both.)

Grant: Uh, hi?

Roger: I didn't ask.

(Roger fills his canteen as the silence grows awkward.)

Grant: What brings you here?

Roger: The fact I'm not a moron and know what you two are up to. So here's what's going to happen; you're going to spill your little plans, and I'm going to join you in voting for them.

Grant: That's... uh... an interesting proposal.

Roger: Go on then, spit it out. 

Grant: Well...

Charlotte: Calvin.

Roger: Done. Pleasure doing business with you. Oh, and if you forget to do this and let diseases into our water, I'll force feed it to you.

(Roger shuts the lid back on the well before walking off with his canteen.)

Grant: We're voting Calvin?

Charlotte: We don't have to, but we could with Roger. I think I could turn Michelle.

Grant: I guess that works for me. Awesome.

(Grant hugs Charlotte.)

Grant: Oh, uh, sorry.

Charlotte: Yeah please don't do that again.

(The two then start walking, with the camera focused on Grant who has a smile on his face.)"tolmer"

- I'm honestly on board with the plan to vote out Calvin. While he is one of our strongest challenge members, we're not exactly winning with him, so would we really be worse off without him? And besides, aside from Charlotte, the only person I'm formally working with is Opal, and even if things are a bit shaky between us, not voting for her means I keep that promise safe. Man, I've got to say, Charlotte really impressed me. She turned a really awkward situation into the exact thing that benefited her agenda, and that's cool. Now if Calvin leaves, it opens the whole game back up for the two of us, so we just need to hope that she can sway Michelle.

(The camera then cuts to the waterfall, where Calvin is sitting by the water, skimming some rocks across it. As he does so, Jamie comes up from behind him, sitting down next to him.)

Jamie: G'day.

Calvin: Huh, no waterfall entrance this time?

Jamie: Sorry to disappoint you.

Calvin: I'll never be able to forgive you.

(Jamie chuckles.)

Calvin: So, what brings you here.

Jamie: Look mate, I know you and Opal are close, but I was just talking with Michelle a bit, and we're worried that there's something big she's not telling us.

Calvin: I see. What makes you think that?

Jamie: Well, where does she have this sudden hatred for Grant from? I'm not saying we give her the flick or anything, but I reckon we just need to think twice about tonight's vote.

Calvin: Okay, so who would you suggest if it's not Grant?

Jamie: Probably Roger.

Calvin: Alright. I appreciate you telling me. Should we relay this back to Opal?

Jamie: Nah mate, she won't be too mad, and if she is she's kinda just showing straight up that she's got stuff going on with Grant.

Calvin: That's true. It's the perfect way to see where her head's at. Anyway, I'm going to go have something to eat before tribal.

Jamie: Fairo.

(Calvin gets up, and once he has his back turned to Jamie, he walks off with a concerned look on his face.)"tolmer"

- I honestly feel really conflicted right now. Opal's probably my closest ally out here, and this whole plan involves leaving her completely in the dark. Obviously it doesn't result in either of us going home which is good, but nevertheless, it still means that I have to betray her trust a bit. I feel like telling her, but then that shows to Michelle and Jamie that I can't be trusted, so I'm just stuck between a rock and a hard place. This really sucks honestly.

(The camera then cuts back to Jamie, who washes some mud off her clothes in the water.)"tolmer"

- If I'm being straight up, I reckon he's going to tell Opal. If he doesn't then I'm honestly flattered and he's a deadset legend because it means he trusts my call more than anyone else. I might be a bit of a bogan, and I might speak like a total yobbo sometimes, but I'm actually getting the hang of the game pretty quickly. I like Opal, but sometimes things don't go your way, and tonight is hopefully going just how Michelle and I want.

(As Jamie does this, the camera pans to behind her on the trail, where Grant and Charlotte are walking back into camp, with Michelle waving Charlotte over to her, and Grant sitting down on a log. As he sits down, Opal comes out from the opposite side of it, also sitting down, before noticing Grant next to her.)

Opal: Oh, I didn't realise you were sitting here. I'll move.

Grant: Uh, it's a long log, I think it's fine.

Opal: ...okay.

(Grant sighs.)"tolmer"

- I really don't know what more I need to offer to Opal. I've given her my trust, I've promised her that I won't tell anyone things about her, and I've kept all of that, and yet there's still this awkward tension whenever I'm around her and it's all from her end. I'm trying to be kind and cordial with her, you know, like how allies are supposed to act, but she doesn't seem at all interested in that. It's really draining.

Grant: What did I do?

Opal: What do you mean?

Grant: What I said. What did I do for you to start acting like this around me? I thought we were allies, and we made promises and everything, but you've left me out of the vote, you've avoided me like I've got the plague, and even know you're giving me nothing. Is it something I said, something I did? I would think I at least deserve to know what it is!

Opal: You didn't do anything, I thought we were allies too.

Grant: Then why are you being so vague with me? If we're allies, who are you voting tonight?

Opal: We're undecided right now.

Grant: That's complete bull and you know it.

Opal: A consensus hasn't been reached yet, it's just names being tossed around.

Grant: Okay, fine. Keep telling yourself that.

(Grant gets up and walks away, frustrated. As he does, Opal guiltily looks at the ground.)"tolmer"

- I don't enjoy lying to Grant or anything. I can tell that his heart is in the right place and that he really does trust me, but I can't leave someone hanging around in the game that has the capacity to destroy me. If you had a gun, and all of a sudden an innocent little baby picked it up, you wouldn't just leave it because the baby is harmless, because the second it accidentally leans on the trigger, you're dead. Even if Grant has no intent to expose me, one slip up could completely capsise my game, and I'm not okay with that. So while I'll feel bad sending him home tonight, it's really for the best.

(The camera pans up to the sky as the sun begins to set, with people getting ready for tribal shortly after. As they do so, the camera focuses on Michelle and Charlotte, both packing their bags by the shelter.)

Charlotte: So you know how you said to me a few days back that when the time comes for Calvin to go, you'll support fully me in it?

Michelle: Of course.

Charlotte: Would you support me in it if the time was now?

Michelle: I'm not sure Charlotte, that's a big jump to make.

Charlotte: The numbers are all there aside from you.

Michelle: Are you certain?

(Before Charlotte can answer, the others all approach, beginning to pack up their belongings to make the walk to tribal. As they do so, Michelle keeps looking to Charlotte for an answer, but can't get anything.)"tolmer"

- This sort of a bombshell is everything we didn't need right before tribal, but if anyone can stop it exploding, it's the pyrotechnics expert. I just need to take a deep breath and make the right decision here.

(The camera pans to Roger as everyone grabs their torches, who looks confident.)"tolmer"

- Tonight we're going to finally get to see that smug smile wiped off pretty boy in pink's face. It's going to be sweet, and once he's gone, these people will be putty in my hands.

(Finally, it pans over to Grant, who still looks nervous, as they make their way out of camp.)"tolmer"

- Tonight could be the last tribal I visit, but at the same time, it could finally set me up into a position that I'm not on the bottom. I'm not ready to go home yet, I just really hope that Opal doesn't do something reckless and stupid.

As everyone keeps walking, they go out of sight over the sandy hill, before the camera pans up to the sky, fading out to black.

Tribal Council
The camera fades back in as everyone begins walking into tribal, placing their torches in their respective slots. After this, everyone takes a seat, focusing on Jeff.

Probst: Here we are, back in a familiar place; tribal council. Michelle, is it demoralising to have lost all four of the challenges in this game thus far?

Michelle: For me personally, no. It motivates me to strive more to finally be able to get that win over them, and when we do, it'll be oh so sweet.

Probst: Charlotte, do you agree with Michelle that you might be losing now, but you'll eventually be able to start winning?

Charlotte: I mean, they've beat us in swimming, throwing, physical strength, endurance, and now a puzzle. If we didn't win any of those, I don't know what we can win, but maybe Michelle is holding out for a fireworks challenge or something.

(Everyone laughs.)

Probst: I find it funny that everyone would laugh at that. You're on a losing streak, and Charlotte just said it's not ending any time soon. Grant, does that sort of pessimism not worry you?

Grant: As someone who's spent a fair amount of time with Charlotte, that's just Charlotte. I wouldn't call it pessimism, but when she's got something on her mind, she'll say it.

Probst: Right, and what she's saying right now is that this tribe is doomed to always lose.

Grant: Yeah, and from our track record, I think that's looking like realism. Something drastic would have to change for that to end.

Probst: Roger, you've been fairly vocal in the past about challenge strength being important, is that what you're basing tonight's vote on?

Roger: Tonight's vote isn't about culling the weak, it's about culling the people who bring others down because they act like they're better than them.

(Calvin smirks.)

Probst: Calvin, what's tonight's vote based on for you?

Calvin: Honestly, exactly what Roger said.

Roger: Funny, I didn't know you could vote for yourself.

(Charlotte's eyes widen as Grant sighs.)

Calvin: So you're voting for me?

Roger: I might be, I might not be.

(Everyone looks around, baffled by this, with Michelle quickly taking the time to lean over to Charlotte, whispering to her.)

Michelle: (subtitled) Which one are you voting for?

(Charlotte then whispers back to Michelle who whispers back, with Charlotte then nodding. This is noticed by Jamie, who looks over at Michelle, confused. Michelle mouths to her to not worry, with Jamie skeptically looking back over at Jeff.)

Probst: Jamie, what's that about?

Jamie: Mate, this tribe's got more than a few screws loose, and I'm just trying to figure out what's going on.

Probst: Alright. Opal, do you think there's anything important everyone needs to take into account before they vote tonight?

Opal: Yeah, I think people should remember that this doesn't just impact who gets voted out, it impacts everyone. If you vote out the wrong person and go against people, you might end up losing their trust.

Probst: Okay, on that note, it is time to vote. Jamie, you're up.

(Jamie walks up to vote, casting a vote which isn't seen. Following this, a few more people vote, before Opal heads up, writing down Grant's name, holding her parchment up to the camera.)"tolmer"

- Sorry this had to be you, but I know for a fact that the longer you stay in the game, the more danger I'm in. I'm just taking the preemptive strike here. (Opal places her vote in the urn, before walking back. As she sits down, Grant heads up, casting a vote for Calvin after pondering for a moment, holding it up.)

(Removed from Quote Boxes due to Node Count)"tolmer"

- I honestly think you're a cool dude, and we probably have more in common than we realise, but you can't ride the wave of challenge strength forever. Now I've got to just hope Charlotte pulled through, or it might be going instead. (Grant places his vote in the urn, making his way back over to his seat, with Michelle then heading up as the last person to vote. She takes a deep breath, before making her decision, which isn't shown to the camera.)

(Removed from Quote Boxes due to Node Count)"tolmer"

- What this decision comes down to for Charlotte and I is what works the best for us moving forward. I didn't come out here to be cutthroat, but I know that when push comes to shove, this will help me in the long run. (Michelle places her vote in the urn, before heading back, sitting down with the others.)

Probst: I'll go tally the votes.

(There is a brief timeskip as Jeff goes to grab the urn, returning with it in hand.)

Probst: If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and would like to play it, now would be the time to do so...

(The camera focuses in on Calvin, who glances at his bag...)

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(...but doesn't move.)

Probst: Alright. Once the votes are read the decision is final, person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes. First vote...

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GRANT.

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CALVIN. (1-1)

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ROGER. (1-1-1)

(Opal looks around, confused.)

Probst: That's one vote Roger, one vote Calvin, one vote Grant...

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ROGER. (2-1-1)

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CALVIN. (2-2-1)

(Calvin now looks over to Opal, startled, with both of them feeling uneasy, as Roger smirks. The camera then focuses on Charlotte and Michelle, who seem content.)

Probst: Two votes Calvin, two votes Roger, one vote Grant, two votes left...

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ROGER. (3-2-1)

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Second person voted out of Survivor: Dueling Desert...

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ROGER. (4-2-1)

(Roger's jaw drops, as Calvin sighs in relief. Amidst this, Opal looks around at everyone, still completely confused by the vote.)

Probst: Roger, that's four, that's enough. You need to bring me your torch.

(Roger glares at Charlotte, who smiles at him. Grumbling, he heads over to grab his torch, before making his way over to Jeff.)

Probst: Roger, your tribe has spoken. Head on out to Dueling Desert, where you will have a shot to be back in this game.

Roger: You're damn [expletive]'ing right I do.

(Roger grabs his torch before walking out, with the camera focusing back on Jeff.)

Probst: Well once again, a very scattered vote. One thing's for sure, if this tribe doesn't come together, the Wangi winning streak won't be ending any time soon. Grab your stuff and head on back to camp, goodnight.

Everyone gets up, grabbing their torches, before walking out of tribal as the credits roll and the outro music plays, before the camera fades out.

Final Words
"tolmer"

- These [expletive]'ing morons are going to be picked off one by one without me there, and I couldn't be more glad. I'll be sending each and every one of them home one by one in the duels, and they won't stand a chance. Let's see who gets the last laugh when I get back into the game and they suddenly need my help.

Next Time On... Survivor
(Removed from Quote Boxes due to Node Count)

Things reach a boiling point for one Survivor who is fed up with being lied to...

Grant Kaprisa: I've given you everything you've asked for and more and you go and vote for me? Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?

While another contestant begins to feel the heat of their actions...

Opal Kawaguchi: Nobody trusts me now, and the worst part of all of it is that it's entirely my fault. What was I thinking?

And while some people are riding on the highs of safety, others aren't willing to get complacent...

Sonnie Yuka: People have begun to feel safe, but with the power I hold, that's going to be their most fatal error.