So this is awkward.
I mean, it's great for my game because what I wanted to happen actually happened. Jessica is gone, Tyler is still here, and it sounds like the former Crete players are panicking because, on paper, the old Rhodes game has the majority.
But it's awkward because there are people I'm really interested in working with - namely Jacob and Jay - who I just blindsided. For the second time in three votes.
I feel justified in what happened because of how strong the reaction was to Jessica. Like, our side had it right - Jessica was definitely connected to a lot of people. Apparently she's an emotional player who wanted to play with her heart... and that's never good to hear when you're not ingrained with someone at the beginning. I also didn't know this until Jacob mentioned it at Tribal Council, but apparently Bret, Taylor, Jessica, Jay, and Rachel ALL began on the same starting tribe. And we were just supposed to leave that potential group of five in the game (or four minus Rachel)? No fucking way.
But I still value my position of being a guy in the middle - so I tried to explain what happened after to Jacob and Jay, because I think I (or we - Genie, Erika, and myself) will need them down the line to get some other people (namely Tyler) out. Understandably, they were upset. I feel terrible because I really like Jacob as a person, and you could tell he was really shocked that Jessica was the one sent home... but I have to keep reminding myself that he was shocked because he was close to her, and this was a good game move. Listen, if a group of people blindsided Genie out of the game tomorrow, I would be BEYOND upset. And once I think about it that way, I know it was a good move to knock out Jessica.
But now my guard is up, because I know the movement in the game is going to begin. You have five people who just discovered they're on the bottom, and they're all going to find a way to not be on the bottom. You've got eight people who voted together once, but might not agree on the next target. I'm just trying to survive here, so I really have to keep my ear to the ground to see where allegiances are shifting, and who wants to do what next.
So now the hunt begins for the idol, because I feel like that's going to be my only way to guarantee safety for the next few rounds here.
Rachel gave me this clue:
So the "lyric deity" is Apollo, and the woman who "bore" him is Leto, so I'm thinking the idol has to have something to do with a temple to Leto. I've tried a lot of things I can find online - bout Lycia, about the temples dedicated to her, etc. - and so far, no dice. So I'm hoping I can sleep on it and magically something will come to me tomorrow morning, because I really, really, really want to find this idol.