Betrayal Island, series 17, season finale.
Sherry’s body fell loose at the crack of a gunshot and slid to the floor, as her arms fell limp from her jubilant embrace of Carl. The live broadcast team scrambled to cope with the fast-changing sound levels.
The editor cut to a replay of Sherry’s final minute in slow motion: Sherry hopped over to Carl, beaming, wrapping him in her arms, then his elbow rose and flash-bang, her slide. “You fuc…,” the microphones picked up after the gunshot rang out, ricocheting off the thick torchlit walls of the 19th century island fortress. These days its offshore status and a system of legal waivers were its inhabitants most potent defence.
“Wow. What a finish? Just amazing,” presenter Jo Genge gushed as she backed through the black curtain onto set. “She had to be about to say, ‘You fucking something’. I would, for sure!”
An ambulance crew was already working on Sherry, fitting an oxygen mask and lifting her onto a trolley. Carl had fallen to his knees, breathing heavily, blood and gore splattered from blasting Sherry in the stomach at point blank range. He had just a few moments more freedom before entering his all expenses paid post show exile. Jo dashed in to talk to him.
“Wow, Carl. Congratulations. You’re Betrayer of the year 2033. That was a wicked Betrayal. I can see you’re pumped. How are you feeling?
“Oh, you know, Jo, I feel a real mix of emotions. I’m totally thrilled, of course. This is a dream come true, finally I achieved something I’ve been dreaming of as a kid. Betrayer of the year. It’s everything. And at the same time, in my defence, I feel a little bit sorry I had to be such a complete shit on so many levels to achieve my dream. Yeah, and most of all having to shoot Sherry there at the end, obviously.”
“Oh, Carl. I cannot hug you now for legal and hygiene reasons. But I hope you don’t feel too bad about the difficult choices you had to make. Just remember the show’s called Betrayal for a reason and you sure lived up to the name. Everyone here knows what they signed up for. We’re here to find the ultimate arsehole and I reckon tonight it is you.”
“Oh, that’s really kind of you, Jo, thanks. It’s amazing to hear that. I’m tearing up, I really am. I’m just thinking about my son Carl Jr and the wife Becky. I hope I get to see them again one day, once all this is over. And I also want to thank my parents who recognised I had the potential to be a complete c-word from a very early age. It’s been quite a journey over all them years and, in my defence, it’s impossible not to have doubts along the way. I hope I’ve done everyone proud. In the end we’re not here to make friends. It’s all about the winning.”
“That’s absolutely right, Carl. Well said. This show is all about winning, not the friends you make along the way. And you can see the medical team behind us is doing their very best for all your victims.”
“Yeah. That’s brilliant,” Carl said, turning to the medical crew behind, just as Sherry’s trolley was popped up to be wheeled off. “I just want Sherry to know that it wasn’t personal,” he said loud enough for Sherry to hear. Sherry’s right arm slowly rose to show Carl the middle finger.
“Oh, great to see that middle finger raised right there. Sherry’s a real fighter right to the end. Obviously we are all rooting for her. We will keep you updated on her condition. Be sure to follow us and on our socials. Now, Carl, take us through your competition?”
“First of all I want to wish Sherry well. No hard feelings, and that. And, high points, sure, yes, I came into this thinking it was going to be easy, but it’s anything but easy. I bided my time at the start to get through the first few rounds, before starting to take action on people.”
“But then your real asshole side really kicked in, right?”
“Yeah, it did. I think I started to find my form when I convinced Kevin that I was like his best friend, when I was not. He did so much of my dirty work for me. I was really sad to rat him out to the others and see him get topped like he was.”
“Don’t let that bother you. Like all of our contestants, Kevin waived his rights when he came on Betrayal island. And, Sherry, what about our Sherry?”
“Ah, well, that was special. As you can see at the end there, she was pretty sure there was something special between us. And maybe there was–I didn’t tell her about the wife, obviously–but in my defence there was never anything more special to me than becoming Betrayer of the year 2033.”
“Hear, hear to that, Carl. That’s a great place to end. Get yourself cleaned up, get yourself ready to be rushed off to avoid legal difficulties and enjoy your win, wherever you end up! It is time for your all expenses paid Betrayal getaway.”
“Thanks, Jo.”
Carl jogged off, leaving sticky red footprints behind, to be helicoptered to a territory without an extradition treaty for plastic surgery and a new life. Jo turned back to the roving camera.
“Wow, what a competition and what an absolute bastard! It is time to get some analysis of what we have seen from our panel of the biggest psychos and nutjobs in the business. It is back to the studio.” ■