Survivor: Myanmar

Shin Maw • Day 8

The rain was, unfortunately, still going, even into the next day—just as several members of Shin Maw didn't want. "Kalyani, why don't you manifest that the rain keeps going?" Liam asked. "Like, reverse psychology or something."

"I don't want to manifest ever again," Kalyani said. "Ever. Not in a million years."

"Good," Lauren laughed. 

"It's gonna be like this at the challenge, probably," John said.

"I never even thought about that," Jonah interjected. "It's never rained during a challenge before."

"I guess there's a first time for everything," Kalyani said.

"At least it's calmed down?" Emmanuel exclaimed. This was true; the rain wasn't downright pouring, as much as it was simply sprinkling now. It was no longer enough to confine the entire tribe to the shelter, as only Emmanuel, John, Jonah, Kalyani, Lauren, and Liam were at the shelter.

Lauren (Shin Maw Tribe): I'm starting to get used to the rain a little bit, in a weird way. It's not like I want it to rain all the time—hell no—but it's not as bad when it does rain, I guess. But I'm not gonna expect it to always be that way. It's Day 8...we've got a month of this left. I wish Survivor had a pause button or something, you know?

"What do you guys think the challenge is gonna be?" John asked.

"Why don't we check?" Lauren said. "Isn't there like a mail box or something..."

"Oh my god, tree mail," John exclaimed. "You're right!"

John and Lauren went together to find the tree mail. "I just hope there's nothing in the mud," Lauren exclaimed. "I literally hate the mud so much... you don't understand."

"Mud's not that bad for me, I guess," said John. "My main worry is anything physical."

"Just, anything that requires effort? Or actual physical challenges?" Lauren asked.

John paused.

"Both," he laughed.

John (Shin Maw Tribe): I dunno, I feel like I've actually been holding my own in the challenges so far this season. And let me tell you, that feels so weird to say. It feels like a sin. Me? Good at challenges? Oh, please. But it's true! I think I've done a good job at challenges, and I would love to continue to do that. Have I been the sole driving force behind all these wins? Not really... but the spirit is there!

"Is the tree mail there?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah," John said, pulling it out of the mail box. "Wanna read it here?"

"We should take it back to camp," Lauren suggested. John agreed, and the two of them walked back to where everyone else was.

-

Upon their arrival, everyone was now around what remained of the fire that Alex had started in the early morning during a very short dry period. "Tree mail?" Brianna asked.

"Right here," John said. 

"I'm assuming it's about the challenge?" Kalyani asked.

"Probably," Liam agreed. "It's today, isn't it?"

"In this weather?" Emmanuel asked. "That's not fun..."

"What are they supposed to do, cancel the challenge?" Liam asked. 

"Fair enough," Emmanuel said.

Kalyani (Shin Maw Tribe): I really would rather not do a challenge in the rain today, especially one for immunity... but it's not gonna stop me from trying my hardest. I'm just not ready to go to another tribal, right after our first one split the entire tribe in half.

"Open it," Alex suggested.

Lauren did exactly that, and read the parchment aloud. It said:

"Teamwork and leadership are important in this tribe,
And both must come into use today.
Put on your blindfolds, it's time for a classic,
Because once again, immunity is at stake."

"It's the blindfold challenge," John said. "That sounds kinda fun!"

"I'm really scared," Alex exclaimed. "I've seen blindfold challenges before, they hurt..."

"There's gonna be a caller," Jonah interjected. "Is there anyone here who wants to step up and potentially do that?"

"I could, maybe," Lauren said. "I can project my voice."

"I can, also," John suggested. "But Lauren might be better for that, because I can't see myself being that great at actually calling people."

Alex (Shin Maw Tribe): Today's immunity challenge is going to have us be blindfolded... and that sucks, because I hate being blindfolded, and now I have to do a challenge with that. I'm not really the best caller, either, so I don't have a choice but to be one of the people who is blindfolded, so I'm kind of just forced to hope I do alright in the challenge today.

"Okay, we've won four challenges... they've won one... seems like pretty good odds that we'll win again," Liam said.

"Yeah, but that's what I thought last time, when Pyin Sa came out of nowhere and won it," Brianna disagreed. "It's best to not be cocky about it."

"Well, at the very least, it's statistically in our favor to win this today," Liam said.

Brianna (Shin Maw Tribe): It's a little boring to be on the tribe that wins everything, but that's NOT to say that I'd rather be on the tribe that loses everything. Is it great TV? Maybe not. But we're living pretty comfortably right now, and I would like to keep it that way if I can. Plus, if we win immunity, that gives myself and Kalyani more time to properly re-integrate ourselves back into the tribe without the impending doom of tribal council, and that's very important for me.

"Do you think we're gonna have to use our buffs to blindfold ourselves?" Jonah asked.

Victoria pulled her buff over her eyes and nose. "I can't see a thing. I guess it would work?" she said.

"What about the smell?" Kalyani asked. "I can't imagine it smells too good."

"Yeah, they smell pretty bad," Victoria laughed, pulling her buff back down to be around her neck.

"They've been collecting our sweat for over a week," John interjected. "And we've been outside with them for this whole game, and—"

"I really don't think we should be worrying about that," Brianna interrupted. "It makes the challenge sound grosser than it actually is."

"It's Survivor, everything is gross!" Alex laughed.

"I just hope no one hurts themselves at the challenge," John said. "It's happened before, because you're blindfolded and you can't see a thing... I remember this one girl got hit in the head by this pulley, and she was bleeding for the whole challenge..."

"That sounds awful," Kalyani said. "I really hope that doesn't happen..."

"We just have to be careful, I guess," Liam exclaimed. "As careful as we can, without being able to see."