A Bitter Pill To Swallow

A Bitter Pill To Swallow is the ninth episode of Survivor: Africa.

Day 24 (Night)
The final eight return to camp having just blindsided Phillis from the game, with Abbas, Don and Soledad now the ones on the outs, with the tribal dynamics completely shifting from the previous tribal.

Day 25
After all sleeping in on day twenty five, the majority of the tribe begin to worry for Don, who appears to be shutting down, no longer holding an interest in the game.

Adela, Ingrid and Marsha walk together outside the shelter under the rouse that they are collecting water. The three gloat somewhat at being firmly in the majority, knowing that they now hold power over David and Luigino. The girls discuss the fact that David is playing hard, knowing that if he suspects anything he will flip to the ex-Boran alliance along with Luigino.

Adela and Marsha fall on the floor laughing at Ingrid's sudden impressions of Luigino, both finding it extremely amusing.

The other five members of the tribe hear the three girls laughing outside the shelter.

David pulls Abbas off to one side, deciding that he should make a deal with one of the three Boran members. With Don incapable of playing the game, and Soledad fickle with her loyalty, David has selected Abbas as the member he'd like to work with.

Abbas and David shake hands, both smiling at their new deal, hopeful that it will prevent the girls from taking over the game at the final five.

Day 26
The tribe is informed that they will be facing their next reward challenge, and that they must all pair up as the challenge will be a reward for two individuals. After discussing the fairest way to form the pairs, the group unanimously agree to pull names from a hat. The final pairs are David and Ingrid, Adela and Don, Abbas and Soledad, and Luigino and Marsha.

Challenge: Obstacle Course The castaways will compete in an two-round, double-elimination obstacle course in four teams of two. The two leading teams will go to the final round. First pair to finish wins. Reward: A movie night-out, with an eat-all-you can feast''' Winner:''' Abbas and Soledad After winning the reward, Abbas and Soledad are taken off to enjoy a movie and a feast, leaving the remaining six members at camp alone. All having expected Abbas and Soledad to win the reward, the tribe remain in high spirits, with the exception of Don, who immediately goes to lie down, continuing to feel unwell in the conditions. Luigino offers to make the tribe a dinner of rice and beans, with Ingrid helping him add seasoning left over from a previous reward.

Ingrid goes first, attempting to act out "The Grinch who stole Christmas", pointing at Luigino for the word "Grinch", much to everyone's amusement.

Despite the tribe getting together and having fun, Don decides to opt out, remaining alone for the entire evening.

At the reward challenge, Abbas and Soledad eat their fill, enjoying the array of food laid out before them, before settling down to watch a movie. The two stay silent throughout the film, enjoying the release from the game and their paranoia, feeling relaxed for the first time in twenty six days.

Day 27
The final eight get ready to face their next individual immunity challenge, with Soledad and Abbas both desperate to win in order to keep themselves safe, knowing that they are both on the chopping block after the previous tribal council.

Challenge: Light it Up Castaways must create fire using a magnifying glass and some twigs. If the fire that grew high enough would burn a thin cord strung across each firepit. When the cord snapped, it would drop a weight, which hoisted a flag announcing the winner. There was only one rule: if anything other than the flame touched the cord, that person would be disqualified.

Winner: David

The tribe return to camp with David wearing the immunity necklace, once again safe at tribal council. Both Soledad and Abbas, although disappointed at not winning immunity, feel some confidence knowing that the other is as vulnerable as they are, giving them a better shot at staying in the game. Before anyone can break up to strategize, Don calls the group together in order to make an announcement.

David pulls the Samburu alliance together, with the group feeling somewhat weary about following Don's request so eagerly.

Before tribal council David goes and speaks with Abbas, telling him that he has made sure he will be safe at the vote, and that tonight he doesn't need him to vote any way, as he isn't planning on shaking up the game, but promises to do so at a future tribal council.

At tribal council the group discuss the clear divide since the previous tribal council, with everyone speaking as if the groups wont shift, and that Abbas, Soledad and Don will be the next three out of the game. Abbas tells Jeff that he did warn his tribe members that the Samburu members would team up if they didn't take one of them out, and that he is displeased to learn his worries were correct. Don tells Jeff that he is going home, and that he asked the group to send him on his way, not having the will to continue playing the game. With a seemingly easy vote ahead, Jeff ends tribal council early, having the tribe vote after Don finishes speaking. However, the vote is far from simple, with David convincing his alliance to keep the weakened Don in the game, instead blindsiding Soledad out of fear that she could join the "all girl alliance" that Abbas had warned David about. Soledad seems shocked as she leaves the tribal council area, with Don muttering swears at the ex-Samburu members, telling the group that they're "scum". Phillis laughs at the site, winking at Abbas and Don as they head back to camp with the dominant Samburu alliance still holding a firm majority.