Five Survive

Oliver takes charge of the planning, noting where all the windows are and how they can try to track the sniper. Reyna points out that the RV has a rearview camera, and Oliver praises her contribution since whoever is observing the front window can also track the rearview camera.

Oliver declares he will press the horn, keeping track of the rearview camera, while Reyna looks out the windshield. He assigns the front left window to Maddy, the back left to Simon, the front right to Arthur, and the back right to Red. Red observes that at least her window has glass, while Arthur’s window doesn’t.

Oliver says he is taking the most dangerous job, and the narrator asks, “[Is] he?” (136). Oliver explains that he needs protection, to which Simon asks if Oliver expects one of them to be his shield. Red snorts. While she knows the situation is not funny, the unpredictability of the future makes her want to savor every little moment.

Oliver suddenly has the idea of using the closet door as his shield, and he asks Arthur to help him unhinge it. Red continues to fiddle with the walkie-talkie and think about her mom. Still working on the closet door, Oliver tells everyone that the lights need to be turned off for them to see the flash produced by the gun, and they should be ready for his signal. Simon says, “Aye aye, Captain” (139). Red and Simon both notice that Reyna has a strange look on her face, and Simon whispers to Red that Oliver and Reyna have a secret they are not sharing.

Oliver tells everyone to turn on their flashlights while Arthur turns off the lights and Reyna turns off the headlights. Finally, he tells everyone to take their positions and goes to the front. He angles the door as a shield, and Red, from her vantage point, wonders if will be effective. Red thinks about her mom again and how she died. She hopes that her mom died too fast to feel fear or pain but knows that she died on her knees and probably begged for her life.

Once all the flashlights are off as well, Oliver tells everyone to press their faces against the windows. Simon does not want to do it, and Maddy comes up with the idea of using their phones like Arthur did when retrieving the walkie-talkie. Everyone puts their phone cameras against the windows and starts recording, and Oliver pushes the car horn. However, the sniper does not take a shot.

Everyone wonders why the sniper didn’t take a shot, and the sniper asks on the walkie-talkie if the horn was for him. Reyna sighs and wonders if the sniper will only shoot at them if he sees one of them leaving, and Simon complains that he is not willing to get shot at. Oliver reaffirms Reyna’s thoughts, and Maddy tells everyone that they have to make it look like someone is leaving. Simon asks how that is possible, and Oliver assures him that he will find a way, then asks Red to turn on the lights.

Reyna asks how Oliver is going to make a fake human, and Oliver says that he will put his hoodie over the closet door to create the body. Simon says that they can use the mop as the arms, and Maddy says that the beach ball she packed could be the head. Red thinks that this will not look realistic but does not want to say anything. Arthur and Reyna also say nothing.

Maddy asks Red to accompany her, and Red tells Maddy it won’t work, but Maddy insists it might. Maddy bends down in front of the mirror, and, seeing the reflection, Red realizes they can use the mirror to make a double of someone, which is more realistic. Maddy says that it is a brilliant idea.

Maddy congratulates Red on her idea and calls everyone to attention, explaining the plan succinctly. Red thinks about how Maddy put her plan into words better than she could. Oliver thinks about it and affirms that it will work, asking Simon to give him the screwdriver. He praises Maddy, and when she tries to explain that Red came up with the idea, he notes that “Mom will be proud” (150) of her. Maddy looks down and says thanks, and Red feels conflicted about Maddy’s behavior. She walks out of the room, Arthur behind her. He compliments her plan, and she tries to deflect his compliment, but he says that she is smarter than Maddy, which makes her smile. They engage in playful banter.

Oliver and Reyna bring the mirror around, and Oliver tries to figure out the details of the plan. Reyna, often ignoring his interruptions, explains where the mirror needs to be situated to fool the sniper into thinking that someone is leaving the RV. Oliver agrees with Reyna, but questions how the mirror will stand. Carrying the mop and duct tape, Simon tells them they can turn it into a handle. Reyna and Maddy do this while Oliver asks how they can slide the mirror to capture motion. Oliver suggests the closet door, but Arthur points out the door won’t slide easily. Simon points out they can use beer cans, and Oliver tests sliding the mirror on them.

Reyna, Maddy, Oliver, Arthur, and Simon test their theory and the angles of the mirror. Two people will make the reflections, and the rest will record. Arthur explains that the two people will have to control the mirror and be in a more vulnerable position, noting that it cannot be him or Maddy since the sniper will not shoot them. Simon and Arthur complain but ultimately agree. Simon asks how he will close the door without getting shot, and Red suggests they need a rope. Maddy says they can make a rope out of clothes, and Arthur tells her to use his sweatshirts.

Red admires Arthur’s sweatshirts and thinks about the one he lent her. While Arthur, Oliver, and Simon figure out the mirrors and the angles, Red and Maddy make the rope. Maddy apologizes for taking credit for Red’s idea, but Red replies that she does not care.

They leave the lights on, and everyone takes position. Oliver gets on his knees, and Red thinks about her mom, who also died on her knees. Everyone gets into position, and Oliver asks if they are ready.

Arthur is not ready, but Oliver screams at him to open the door. As soon as he has the door open, Simon pretends to run, his reflection making it seem like he is running out of the RV, and the sniper shoots. The mirror cracks and Arthur yells at Simon to close the door, which Simon does.

Oliver demands to know who got a video of the shot firing, and they all check their phone. Red sees a tiny flash on her screen and announces she has the location. Oliver demands to see it and asks the direction of her phone angle. Red points at a diagonal at the back of the RV. Oliver notes the sniper should still be there and celebrates: “Come on, guys! We did it, we’re getting out of here. Alive!” (164).

Oliver explains that if they get out of the driver’s side, the sniper won’t see them, and Red notes the sniper cannot run after them and shoot at the same time. Red asks if they should take the walkie-talkie, and Oliver says to leave it. He volunteers to go first, asking them to keep their phones ready but not turn on their flashlights and to run as soon as they are out of the RV.

However, just as Oliver is getting ready to leave, the sniper speaks through the walkie-talkie, asking Oliver to not step out. He explains that there are two of them, implying none of them can escape.

Reyna screams at Oliver to get in, and there is chaos in the RV. Reyna tells them to close the curtains, and Maddy cries because they were almost out. Oliver screams “Fuck” again and again and starts smashing things. Reyna and Maddy ask him to stop.

Red notices that Arthur looks defeated and tries to soothe him by resting her hand on his head. Looking around, she sees that everyone looks defeated. Reyna cleans up since they will be there for a while and asks Maddy to help her. Simon says this is the worst day of his life, and Red has a flashback to her worst day, which was February 6, 2017, when her mom died. She told her mom she hated her during their last phone call because of an argument they had the previous day.

Oliver calls her name, and Red comes back to the present. He tells her to keep cycling through the channels, and she stops at channel six and thinks about how her mother’s death is her fault because she has no one else to blame for it.

Having finished cleaning, Reyna hands everyone a glass of water. While everyone is wondering what they should do, they hear a metallic whirring, and Oliver realizes it’s a helicopter. They wonder how to get the helicopter’s attention, and Simon suggests using the headlights to signal SOS. Oliver tells Simon to do it, but everyone else notices the helicopter sounds farther away than before. Reyna tries to tell Oliver that the helicopter is gone, but Oliver encourages Simon to keep flashing the SOS. The helicopter’s sound fades away, and Maddy and Oliver cling to hope, pointing out that it could return and their mom might have sent it for them.

Arthur asks Simon how he knows Morse code, and Simon says he only knows SOS from the movie Panic Room. Oliver tries to come up with more ideas to get help, wondering if he can light the leaked gas on fire, but Reyna and Arthur point out that no one would see the signal in the middle of nowhere, and he would also set the RV on fire. Simon eats some chips, and Maddy wonders how he can eat at a time like this.

Reyna calls everyone to attention, pointing out that headlights are heading their way.