
It all began when a boat arrived, announcing we had to pair up. But with thirteen of us, someone was bound to be left out, and we all knew it. Immediately, we started guessing who would be the ‘odd man out,’ figuring they’d be targeted for some kind of advantage. They put slips of paper with names into a bag, and unfortunately, Cirie was chosen. Then came the pairings: Jonathan and Christian, Chrissy and Coach, Ozzy and Stephenie, Joe and Tiffany, Emily and… well, a really long name, and Aubry and Devens. What I love about this is how deliberate everything feels. Sure, who was left out seemed random, but even that was a result of the way we decided to do things. Everything from that point on felt completely planned; every choice had serious consequences within the game, and nothing felt accidental. It’s amazing how much control we had, even when it seemed like luck was involved.