35.19-Standing around

In the last episode,

Monique: "We should both go back."

Morris: "I can't."

Monique: "Why not?"

Morris: "I have a game to play. I'm not leaving. Not at this juncture. You can leave if you want to but not me."

Monique: "But this is serious. This is work. Our lives after the Smole."

Morris: "The thing is, I have a contract with the producers."

Monique: "Contract? With the producers? Why didn't you tell me anything about this? I need to read through that contract."

Morris: "I can't disclose any more than that. I'm sorry but I can't go back."

***

Hykel: "This is it. This quiz could make or break just as much as the final quiz would. Oh boy. Hoo."

***

Douglas: "I'm scared. I couldn't control myself and I tried to hit Ryenn. And I couldn't explain things to her before she left."

Monique: "I can tell you right now that you are not like your parents."

Monique: "At least you feel guilty. That shows you have a conscience. You're fighting hard not to end up like them. So that's where the distinction lies. You don't have to worry so much."

***

"Unfortunately, you are the last to be executed. Please pack your bags and leave."

Morris: "No way. I made it in!"

Morris: "But I'm sorry you didn't make it to the end with me. We've been together for so long, I just know it'll feel empty without you by my side."

Monique: "You're a very good actor, Morris. That's all I can say."

Monique: "I won't make any excuses for myself. I just want to congratulate these three gentlemen here. I had a bad feeling when I made it to the final four despite not having a clear suspect. It is a shame, yes, but there is nothing I can do about it. I just hope that Morris can take care of himself and not get into trouble in the period that I won't be around to protect him. And Morris, the business is fine. I lied, to test you."

***

"Hykel Asrulfi, Douglas Chip, Morris Delven, you three have made it to the finale! Congratulations! Right in front of you is either the winner, the runner-up or the Mole. And very soon, we will know who assumes which role."

600/1250 points in the pot. One winner to walk home with it. One Mole to walk off with the rest. And one who walks home with neither. Only on the Smole will we know who walks home with what.

***

As the finale approaches, some cook up a storm...

...some enjoy their last moments...

...while some just want to wake up when it's over.

Hykel: "This is an unlikely cast of finalists. There's a 40-year-old man, a Bridgeporter with the X-factor and a dimwitted boy in the mix. But that's how the game goes. It's full of surprises."

Morris: "I feel so bad for doubting Monique now. And she must have started doubting me. I planted those ideas in her mind. I caused her execution. It turns out that I was wrong about her all this while. So who is the Mole?"

***

Hykel: "I'm in the finale. I seriously cannot believe this. I didn't even dare to dream about being here but here I am. Does this mean I'm right? Or will I end up being the fool?"

Morris: "My lucky red underwear has brought me far. I'm sure it can work its magic one last time."

***

Morris: "My, what a spread today."

Hykel: "Indeed. It's amazing. I still can't believe that I made it. I'm just an average taxi driver in a backwards, messed up country. And I'm here, with you guys."

Douglas: "I get this feeling that it's a practical joke and that I...er...may become the stupid one who gets it all wrong."

Hykel: "I have that worry too. But we shouldn't think so much about it. We did make it here, after all."

"Good morning, you three finalists, and congratulations on making it to the finale. Today marks the day of your final mission. You will be put in separate rooms. The goal: get out. However, the doors work a little strangely. When one room is entered, some doors will be locked while some will be unlocked. All three of you need to get out by the end of 70 minutes to earn the last 250 points, all or nothing. Good luck."

Contestants are in their positions and ready to begin.

Morris: "I'll go through this door."

Douglas: "I'm left all alone again."

Douglas: "All the doors are locked. I can't get out."

Douglas: "Why do this to me?"

Douglas: "Please, I beg you, set me free. I'll be good. I promise."

Hykel: "Hmm, how about this one?"

Morris: "All the rooms are so bare."

Hykel: "It appears that the doors got locked."

Douglas: "Oh my goodness, I heard a click. I can finally get out!"

Morris: "Which door should I go through?"

Douglas: "Now what?"

Morris: "What an interesting take on the maze concept."

Morris: "Oh, hey. Shall we work together?"

Douglas: "Yes please."

Hykel: "Finally. Do they have timers on the doors?"

Douglas: "All the doors are locked all of a sudden! How do we get out?"

Morris: "Take a deep breath and relax. Look. There's still one door left unlocked."

Morris: "I've been here before."

Hykel: "Open up."

Hykel: "Why won't it open up?"

Morris: "This is my starting location."

Douglas: "That's not good. We're going in circles."

Morris: "I think it's very good. This means we can now figure out which doors to enter and exit."

Douglas: "I'm so glad that you're here. Now I'm less afraid to try my best to escape."

Morris: "You should be doing that regardless."

Morris: "Did you cry?"

Morris: "You know what? I'm not interested in the answer. Let's take this door."

Douglas: "Which door?"

Morris: "The one I just went through."

Morris: "Oh, it's locked."

Douglas: "Where the hell are we? I'm lost."

Hykel: "A new room. At last. I was going crazy."

Douglas: "I can't remember which door opens and which closes. I'm very confused right now."

Morris: "Don't worry. It's a good thing you've got me."

Hykel: "This is the only open door."

Hykel: "Oh...wow."

Hykel: "And now I'm stuck. Breathe..."

Morris: "Hey, this door can finally open."

Douglas: "Wait for me!"

Douglas: "I was so scared it would close before I got in."

Morris: "Let's try that other door then."

Douglas: "I don't even know how I can contribute in this mission."

Douglas: "I feel so useless. Do you think I'm useless?"

Morris: "There there now...I'll always have a shoulder for you to lean on."

Douglas: "Thank you..." *sniffles*

Morris: "I didn't mean that literally."

Douglas: "Oh...sorry."

Morris: "Yucks."

Hykel: "It's opened. I'll take that door in front of me."

Hykel: "I'm trapped again. I'm getting fed up."

Morris: "Let's get out of that room. It's better than just standing around."

Hykel: "URGH! Ow, my hand! This wall is harder than I thought."

Douglas: "Which way do we go now? There are so many doors."

Morris: "I don't know. Which one do you suggest?"

Douglas: "Er...that one, maybe? Please don't blame me if I'm wrong."

Morris: "He's such an emotional wreck today."

Hykel: "About time."

Douglas: "Aah! Did that door just close behind me? And lock? Morris, are you there? Morris?"

Morris: "Looks like we got separated."

Douglas: "Morris, can you hear me? How do I open this? It won't open."

Morris: "This door is open. I'll try this one."

Hykel: "This is getting boring."

Douglas: "Staying here is pointless. It's shut tight."

Douglas: "I should work on getting out first. That way we have a higher chance of earning the points."

Douglas: "It's open!"

Douglas: "A ladder? Is this my way out?"

Douglas: "I hope so."

Douglas: "Another room? Oh, my sweater. Why is it here?"

Douglas: "This door is open. I'm freed!"

Time elapsed: 24 minutes 33 seconds.

Morris: "None of the doors will open. Hopefully Hykel and Douglas are still around, or I'll be stuck here for good."

Hykel: "Wow, what a big room."

Morris: "Yes. It's open. That means at least one of them is still around. Maybe I should try looking for him."

Hykel: "This entire area is smaller than I thought."

Morris: "And another open door."

Morris: "Oh. I'm back out."

Morris: "Douglas must still be waiting for me."

Morris: "Oh, he's not here. But there's a door that I didn't see before."

Morris: "It's open."

Morris: "He must have escaped through the ladder."

Morris: "This mission doesn't really involve logic or anything. All it needs is a whole lot of luck."

Morris: "Oh. It's not over."

Morris: "Oh wait. It is."

Time elapsed: 47 minutes 51 seconds.

Hykel: "That door is locked, I came from that door and that door is also lock...wait, it's open now."

Hykel: "I'm here again."

Hykel: "This is like some hallway."

Hykel: "I'll take that door in front of me."

Hykel: "I wonder why I haven't seen the other two yet. Have they left already?"

Hykel: "Oh no."

Hykel: "They're all locked."

Hykel: "Oh thank Allah that this isn't locked."

Hykel: "Oh, there's a door there."

Hykel: "It's locked. Now which way?"

Hykel: "Here again?"

Hykel: "I'm going crazy in here!"

Hykel: "Oh gosh...don't lose it."

Hykel: "Breathe...breathe..."

Hykel: "I'll just go back in for now and catch myself."

Hykel: "Hmm? Wasn't this door locked just now? Or did I imagine things?"

Hykel: "This must be the way out."

Hykel: "Thank Allah."

Time elapsed: 69 minutes 00 seconds.

Douglas: "I can't believe we actually did it. It was so scary inside there and I just ran out the moment I could. It wasn't until later that I realised that I may be needed to help open some doors to allow the others to escape. Thankfully they did so on their own. I'm so happy. But please never do that again."

All three of them successfully escaped in time, so 250/250 points have been earned, making the pot 850/1500 points. They managed to catch up to the Mole. The question is: who will win the money? And who is the Mole? Find out in the next episode.

***

In the final episode of the Smole,

Douglas: "Do I love them? Maybe...but I have wanted to make them proud. They just never seemed to appreciate it. But now they're gone so it's not like it matters. Like I'm here now just to make me proud. I'm sorry. That must sound stupid. It doesn't make sense."

Morris: "Actually it does. I get what you mean."

Hykel: "It's good that you're thinking that way. Just remember that you can never be a replica of someone else. You will never be a shadow of them because each one of us is unique. You might change but you will always be you. So there is no need to fear or worry. That's something I learned from my 40 years of experience."

Morris: "Anyway, good luck."

Hykel: "I will miss all of you when this is over. I'm glad to have been able to meet you."

Douglas: "Funny enough, I feel the same way, even though at the start I was so afraid of you two."

***

Q7: Describe the Mole.

A: A young city slicker who's got a lot to learn about the dark side of the world

B: A modest man who is trying to live life despite his anxieties

C: A young man who has been scarred by his past and hopes to walk out of this shadow

Q8: In what order was the Mole introduced in Episode 1?

A: 1st

B: 2nd

C: 3rd

Q9: Is the Mole bespectacled?

A: Yes

B: No

Q10: Name a coalition the Mole had this season.

A: A coalition with Monique Plaita

B: The Mole did not have a coalition

Q11: Before Mission 10, what did the Mole eat for breakfast?

A: Apple Pancakes

B: Goopy Carbonara

C: Mac and Cheese

Q12: Before Mission 10, during breakfast, what did the Mole wear that nobody else wore?

A: Socks

B: Slippers

C: Nothing but red underwear

***

"Welcome to the finale ceremony for the 35th season of the Smole. We are currently expecting our former contestants this season to return for a reunion."

***

"It is now time to see how many of you are correct. The Mole is currently walking here right now. Who is the Mole?"