22.07-Woo! Not dead!

The last time on the Smole, the final 5 had to explore 9 rooms and find out which object was out of place in that room. 5/9 objects were correctly identified, earning 100/180, or 210/400 points. Theresa Jeanette Parker took it within her stride when she found out that she had been executed. With only four left, who is the winner and who is the Mole?

***

Ruby: “I feel compassion for Blair. I want to help him, but how?”

Ingrid: “I found my shades! Better keep them safe in case I lose them again. Not going to wear it again this season.”

Ulysses: “Alright, time to add some base here, and touch up on the eyeliner too.”

Ulysses: “Is there anything wrong with a guy putting on makeup? No. Does that make him any more effeminate? No. Does it mean he’s insecure? Nada. It just means that he actually bothers to look good on camera and in public.”

 

Ingrid: “What did you find out about Blair?”

Ruby: “He’s had a rough childhood.”

Ingrid: “That doesn’t explain his cockiness.”

Ruby: “It’s probably a front, or a self-defence mechanism. In his heart, there is no love; there is only hate.”

Ingrid: “That explains why he used poor Theresa! I must teach him a lesson later. But did oyu find anything pertaining to the Smole?”

Ruby: “That I didn’t.”

Ingrid: “Shh, someone’s coming. Go clean your dishes.”

Ulysses: “Oh yummy! Pancakes!”

 ***

Blair: “Ruby said you wanted to talk to me about something?”

Ingrid: “I am disgusted by your behaviour.”

Blair: “Oh brother.”

Ingrid: “You knew she was married, you knew she was sick, you knew her husband was away, but you took advantage of that. You’re such a love cheat.”

Blair: “Please. Spare me the bore.”

Ingrid: “You think you’re all that great, that you can pen an epic saga and twist us to your liking. Sorry to burst your bubble, but you’re just a pathetic ballad.”

Blair: “Whaa--?”

Blair: “You know what? I’ll be the better man and just walk away.”

Ingrid: “Go ahead, coward. You know the pen is mightier than the sword. And this lady knows how to wield it.”

***

Contestants are going to their next mission.

Ingrid: “Isn’t this where our first mission was?”

“Yes but there are now mines on the front lawn. Each of you will stand on one of the left edge tiles. By moving one tile at a time in the four compass directions, you have to find a way to the other side without landing on a mine. When you step on a tile, it will change colour. Green means there are no mines within the immediate adjacency, including diagonals. If it is yellow, there is at least one mine near you, in one of the surrounding 8 tiles. If it is red, you landed on a mine. If there is only one contestant who makes it to the end safely, that player earns an exemption. For every player that makes it across safely, 30 points are earned. This is worth 120 points. Good luck.”

They have chosen their starting positions.

Blair: “That exemption must be mine!”

Ingrid: “Oh dear.”

Blair: “I think there’s a mine in between us, Ulysses. What do you think?”

Ulysses: “You are probably right.”

Ruby: “So we just move forward then?”

Ruby: “Now all of us are in the danger zone.”

Blair: “I’ve got a brilliant plan to get rid of the others!”

Ulysses: “What did you say? What plan?”

Blair: “Oh…I said that I am thinking of a plan to get us across safely. We don’t have to move all at once, right?”

Ulysses: “So you’re suggesting someone be a guinea pig and move across first?”

Blair: “That’s an excellent idea! But who will do it?”

Ingrid: “No volunteers? I’ll do it then.”

Ruby: “You’re so brave, Ingrid!”

Ingrid: “Which way do I go?”

Ulysses: “There’s only one way, and that is forward.”

 

Ingrid: “Still not in the clear.”

Ingrid: “But at least I’m not dead!”

Blair: “Yay for you.”

Ruby: “Let me think here. Going by the numerous yellow, I would say that the first mine is either in front of me or Ulysses.”

Ruby: “I’ll take a stab and side-step. Wish me luck.”

Ruby: “Yes! I’m still alive! That means the mine is over there!”

Ingrid: “Good work! We’re making good progress.”

Ingrid: “I’m going to move forward then.”

Ulysses: “Hey, come to our side! We need to check our area too!”

Ruby: “If we find one clear path then all we need to do is just use the same path.”

Blair: “Going well so far…sigh.”

Ingrid: “I’ve been yellowing all the way!”

Ruby: “I’m going to move here. Wish me luck.”

Ingrid: “Dare to try! Now, where is that pesky mine?”

Ruby: “Darn, it’s red.”

Ruby: “That’s the mine I’ve been trying to avoid earlier, wasn’t it?”

Ulysses: “I think so.”

Ruby: “Why didn’t anybody warn me?”

Ruby: “Ouch!”

Ulysses: “They mean serious business.”

Ulysses: “I’m going this way..,safe!”

Blair: “Come on…run into a mine…”

 

Ingrid: “Forward I go!”

Ingrid: “I’m moving forward!”

Blair: “So am I.”

Ingrid: “Oh boy. Which way now?”

Blair: “Just keep going forward!”

Ingrid: “Okay. Woo! Not dead!”

Ingrid: “So close…I don’t trust this tile in front of me. I think the mine must be there. I’m going to my left.”

Ingrid: “Alright. Wish me luck guys.”

Ingrid: “Please don’t fail me now.”

Ingrid: “It’s green!”

Ingrid: “I’m out of the danger zone!”

Ingrid: “I did it, guys! Just follow my path and you’ll be safe!”

Ulysses: “Alright. Here I go.”

Ulysses: “Which way did she go after that?”

Blair: “Oh great.”

Blair: “Hot! Come and save me!”

Ulysses: “I would, but what if there’s a mine between you and me? I don’t want to get caught and cost us points too!”

Ulysses: “You won’t die. See?”

Ulysses: “Alright. I’m the only one left.”

 

Ingrid: “It was a hard choice. Should I help Ulysses and earn points, or let him figure it out for a chance at the exemption? I decided to reach a compromise and help him halfway. He can’t keep depending on me.”

Ingrid: “Go there! Yes!”

Ulysses: “Here?”

Ingrid: “Yes!”

Ulysses: “Okay, now where?”

Ingrid: “Over…okay, I can’t really remember.”

 

Ulysses: “Was it this way?”

Ulysses: “This doesn’t look right.”

Ulysses: “Here goes nothing.”

Ulysses: “Another tile to victory.”

Ingrid: “Go Ulysses!”

Ulysses: “Green!”

Ulysses: “Yeah!”

“Congratulations to both of you! You have earned 60/120 points, or 270/520 points! For being the first to make it, Ingrid earns a hidden exemption! She’s cruising to the final 3!”

The green tiles are where the inactivated mines are, while the red tiles are where the triggered mines are.

Blair: “I was too greedy. I wanted the others to be bombed so that I’m the sole survivor, but karma, I guess. Ingrid is going in, so I can only hope that someone is still fooled. Unless she really is the Mole, but that wouldn’t make sense for her to pave the way to victory.”