Five Survive

Oliver warns Reyna not to say anything, but now that everyone knows that Reyna and Oliver have a secret, they eventually reveal it. Maddy asks Oliver what he did, and Oliver says that it was an accident. When Reyna starts the story, Oliver interjects and says that she won’t be able to say it right.

Oliver tells Red to keep checking the channels and begins the story. He and Reyna went to a bar one afternoon, and Oliver noticed another man looking at Reyna. After they left, Oliver went back inside to get his scarf, and when he came out, the man was harassing Reyna. Oliver pulled her away from the man, and he punched Oliver. Oliver then punched the man hard, and he fell, passing out. While Oliver and Reyna discussed calling an ambulance, they noticed that the man was gaining consciousness, so they left him there because he was “[f]ine.” However, two days later, Reyna learned that the man died from bleeding in his brain.

When Oliver finishes his story, Simon reasons, “You killed him” (240). Oliver shouts that he didn’t because he was defending himself and Reyna. Arthur asks if Oliver told anyone else about this, and Oliver says he didn’t because it was self-defense, and no one asked him anything. Arthur asks if someone the guy knew could be after them, and Oliver admits he doesn’t know. He continues to deny being at fault. Red tries to sympathize with him since she understands this kind of guilt, but Oliver insists he is not guilty. Maddy asks how old the man he killed was, and Reyna replies 22.

Surprised, Oliver asks Reyna how she knows this since she had not told him this before. Reyna admits that he wasn’t a random man but someone she knew.

Reyna explains that the guy’s name was Jack Harvey, and she knew him because they had been dating behind Oliver’s back for four months. She had known him for some years. Reyna cries and apologizes for cheating on Oliver and says that she wishes she had broken up with Oliver instead. Red notes how the atmosphere in the RV changes: “A primal instinct telling her to keep out of Oliver’s way. There was danger outside the RV, and now there was danger inside it” (246).

Oliver is incredulous that Reyna would choose Jack over him, and Reyna confesses that she loved Jack because it was comfortable to be with him, even though she was dating Oliver longer. Reyna continues, saying Jack felt guilty and wanted Reyna to choose between them. When Reyna saw Jack in the parking lot, she panicked and denied knowing him. Reyna was struggling because, though she loved Jack, Oliver was the logical choice since Jack worked in a bar and Oliver was more successful. She says that Jack’s death is her fault, and Oliver agrees that she is at fault.

Having confessed, Reyna now wants to confess to the sniper, but Oliver won’t let her since it affects him too. Reyna asks for the walkie-talkie, but Oliver forbids Red from handing it to Reyna. Suddenly, Red has to choose between them.

Red ultimately chooses to give the walkie-talkie to Reyna. Oliver tries to come after her, but Simon and Arthur block his way. Arthur points out that it’s Reyna’s decision, and Oliver argues that since he is the leader, everything should be his decision.

Reyna talks to the sniper and shares her secret. However, the sniper says that this is not the secret he wants. Oliver becomes confident again since the secret is not about him and Reyna. He looks at Red, Arthur, and Simon again, noting that the secret is about one of them. Red feels claustrophobic.

The sniper tells them he has 24 rounds of bullets, and he is getting impatient. He fires a warning shot, shattering the microwave, and another shot near the stove. Everyone takes cover. The sniper gives them a parting clue: The secret is about a killing that took place in Philadelphia.

Oliver asks Simon if the secret could be about his uncle, and when Simon denies this, Oliver turns to Arthur. He points out that Arthur is the newest member of the group and says it is suspicious that Arthur does not have friends at his own school. Oliver asks if Arthur has a secret, and Arthur says no. Oliver gets aggressive, asking him about killing someone or drugs, and chokes him. Everyone tells Oliver to stop, and finally, Arthur chokes out that the secret could be about his brother. Oliver continues to choke him.

Concerned about Arthur, Red screams at Oliver to stop, confessing that the sniper wants her secret.