Radio Line Part 3 - echos

And we're back. So as me and Sam were coming of age, there were Notable differences between us. For one thing, the carriers were, you know, deciding for the carriers Sorry, for one thing, the couriers were, we were deciding for ourselves I had the vague idea that I wanted to become a caretaker since I Slowly realized that I enjoyed taking care of others and being there for support. For Sam though He was struggling to decide or I guess it was more that he had no interest in picking a job for himself See Sam always had a streak where he'd rather do things his own way and he never really enjoyed being told what to do I Asked him why he was, you know, not deciding his future for himself And he told me that it's an unconventional future but it's a future he wanted for himself and he wanted to dedicate himself to learning about the world and And because the world was too big for him to, you know Sorry, because the world was too big for him and to keep his life small and nothing that our community offered For him fit that job description it was fair enough and I wished nothing but the best for him Another thing that separated us was the fact that I wasn't much of an adventurer anymore. I mean don't get me wrong I still had a thirst for adventure for new things and stuff, but I was just Yeah a bit, you know more laid-back now and I was more mindful and respectful of the laws and policies that were laid out I wasn't running around that much anymore and I was losing my interest in constantly doing aimless exploration So I explored as much as I could for years now and nothing was new for discovery anymore I mean why continue if I'm satisfied? For Sam though, there was nothing stopping him I mean actually I think he became a little bit more reckless about it because I'd overhear him getting in trouble with the council Getting warnings and scoldings and I remember one day. I told him that he needed to tone it down, but Sam's always art headed. He argued that there was still a lot of things with exploring and just continued to do his thing But by the time we were 16 I had my life in order I started my training for my job and I had never been happier spending time helping everyone with their needs every single day I mainly help with children, but I also took shifts that where I can check on the elderly, too I'm not gonna lie. It was really weird having to bathe old people, but you know, hey Just as long as you don't think about it. It was alright One day after a long day of dealing with people Sam came up to me and asked if we could hang out which was Weirded me out a little I mean Sam wasn't the type to ask he'd just do you know if he wanted to do something he'd do it and Including hanging around me I would have mentioned that but There was something different about him that day. I don't know what but his eyes were more intense than usual So, you know I said yes, and he led me to a familiar spot the same tree that we climbed up on we're 12 you know that same stakeout point as before and he Climbed and I naturally just followed till we sat on a tree branch high up men as we're sitting He suddenly asked me a question of the hour if a tree falls and no one's around to hear it Did you never make a sound? Out of all the things he could have said I was not expecting it to be a question and much less the question like that I I was caught off guard so much that I started to laugh and I I would have continued my laughter if it wasn't for his piercing stare. He was just staring his eyes not showing any glint of his usual light-heartedness and It was as if he wasn't looking at me. He was looking Through me that the moment was the first time in forever is that I was scared to look at him I mean, well, I mean, yeah, there's it's like Anything on earth it's gonna make a sound, you know, that's that's my answer to the tree question for earlier I mean unless you're like somewhere else like Pluto man, or maybe I Answered hoping that my answer would lighten things up. I Don't know if that's what you wanted to hear, but he just responds with a simple Before asking another question Do you think we could scale the wall and check out what's out there? Instantly I told him that he was insane and that He shook his head back at me like no Hear me out. Remember that first carrier sighting years back. There's been much more Apparently, there's a growing colony out there, but nobody's talking about it much That was my first time hearing that there's a growing carrier colony I asked him how he knew that and he told me that there they found out by eavesdropping on his mom So when she talked to security guard who told only told her that So he could keep an eye on the children just in case anything happens, you know but he just asked me again if I want to go out there with him and I'm struggling to answer because of how extremely Risky that was everything about it was Dangerous and as much as I was really curious about was out there now. I couldn't I Couldn't see how it was worth it. I I tried to tell him I couldn't do it and I Asked him why he's wanting to do something out there. And finally he smiles at me, but There was something different about this smile. It was it wasn't bright. It was more Sad than anything I He said, you know, I don't like staying in this place and At that night while everyone was asleep Sam managed to leave looking back on it maybe I Shouldn't have been so shocked that he did I always wondered how he managed given the amount of employed security guards patrolling at night, but I'm Sure that he recognized that there was a blind spot somewhere to get scale up without being caught. Honestly Sometimes I sit back and wonder what it would be like if I did agree with him to go out there like What kind of adventure would we have would we collect weird stuff? We found out there this keepsakes would we stumble across things that we had never seen before and freaked out together Would we walk as far as we could before the Sun came up? So so many questions, but I'll never be able to answer them as Sam walked out of the community for the first time. I would have my last peaceful dream Before reality crashed down on me. It was my dad who opened up I remember him shaking and calling my name and when I looked up at his forehead see so many creases his His eyes were hard to read. I couldn't tell if he was panicking or he was angry beyond belief Did you know that your friend went outside? He asked me when he saw that I was awake enough and suddenly a huge wave of fear slapped me awake I Didn't I don't want to lie to my dad I never lied to my dad even when I got in trouble for messing with things too much, but something about How he was staring at me and asking me that big question. I told him that It told me if I answered yes, I could potentially be in trouble Serious trouble I I didn't want to risk it and get my ass kicked. So I chose to lie. I think that the right answer because I witnessed a wave of relief Fresh relief on my dad's face to slowly wash over. It was Brief because the next thing I knew he was grabbing my shoulder and pulling me into a hug He started whispering my ear like he was can comforting me for some reason. I Would cut him trying to come back in I'm sorry The thing is I didn't understand why he was saying it to me even even As we were walking out. I didn't understand why the world was lagging behind with every step I took I didn't understand why faces blurred everywhere. I turned to look how every word muffled and hushed Every action numb to the touch I I couldn't properly registered how my mom suddenly appeared and latched on to me So tightly as we walked towards a crowd of people and surrounded a single person with a bag over their head Their hands tied and a gun pointed at their head. She Held me like I was the one in the center holding me for dear life. And even when we just stood there honestly Yeah, maybe there's a reason I why I couldn't register or understand everything around me it's It was almost surreal to witness at all I'm seeing a trigger being pulled then how how to bang then how I'm body slumping over my eyes burned when I saw Red pooling down from the hole that was shot into the bag staining the concrete and forming a small tiny puddle And you know, what's even more surreal? the day after Everything just carried on Everyone treated that day like it was any other day as if someone didn't get shot and died within our safe little haven Even my parents didn't seem bothered by it when they came home from work They only greeted me with their usual tired smiles and not a single moment Did they act like they had you know, what happened happened yesterday? I I worked and took care of people I hung out with people talk to people and No one seemed bothered not even the man who owned the TV around or the caretaker. I grew up with a missing son no one acted like they were grieving or remotely affected by anything Life just went on never saying a single word about anything It was as if I was the only one who dreamt of anything But I knew I didn't it wasn't a bad dream bad dreams Don't actually don't have actual people ending up missing and they don't they don't stain the ground with blood They shouldn't at least I I couldn't stop thinking about the day that day Couldn't I couldn't stop thinking about that day after a couple of You know after time passed I wondered where Sam was because he was the only person I knew That could help me figure out what the hell was going on I couldn't get why he hadn't been around to see what had transpired or why I haven't seen him in days I needed to talk to him. I needed to but I had no idea where he was I I figured that it'd be good to you know retrace my steps and think back to the last time I saw him so I did He wasn't there in the trees he wasn't sitting on a branch or climbing anything so where else could he be could he be out Outside he had to be at this point. It was the only place he could be but I couldn't just walk out No one was allowed to there was no exception to anything if I got caught I could get into serious trouble I had a I didn't think smart on this and Well, it was a good thing that I always knew my way around the area and that I had security card for dad I see my dad always came home when the Sun was beginning to rise Switching out with the day shift security guards when he came home He sometimes mentioned that the areas that they guarded and patrolled I knew the spots that he kept an eye on and I knew a couple of blind spots that I could take advantage of When the cards were switching out one of these blind spots spots with the the fruit tree area You know the last area that Sam was seen in Technically Technically it wasn't a blind spot. However, it could be if you're hiding in the trees The leaves give you some leeway and to avoid being seen and when the guards were leaving I couldn't make my escape anywhere When the guards in their shifts, there's a small gap of time in which things might be left unguarded. So and So I made my plan and I followed through with my plan when the Sun was rising and the guards returns their families I would hide up in a tree until I could use some makeshift grappling hook Tying some object that I'd Said some kind of an edge to some rope to pull myself up and you know, I didn't think I'd actually be a little successful. It was It was weird being outside for the first time everything was How do I put it empty looking? Honestly, I was kind of hoping for more than just grass and lots of trees Like More vacant buildings or some wild animals or something I don't know, but I didn't know even where to begin looking for Sam I I didn't even know how far away he could be from there. I mean, maybe that maybe Maybe I should have been a sign that I should head back Except I couldn't now not until I found Sam. So I walked and I walked and I walked I Let my legs take me wherever they were wherever they pleased any guests at Any guests they had was more as good as mine Just as long as we were going somewhere my legs decided that it would be a good idea to go into the woods Going deeper and deeper Until we finally found something. I Don't know why the woods it just felt something like Sam would explore it and well, I Did find Sam after Hours of walking I did find him, but he was on top of other people Unmoving like time frozen his skin was discolored Rotting and his eyes were glazed over and there's this smell that makes my eyes water there there was a dot in the middle of his forehead and I Realized why my legs took me here when you're a Caretaker you take care of people sometimes people die and well, you're not the ones You're not the one who takes care of the dead you learn a vague idea about where they discard the bodies and they Discard them here a good distance away from the community and the heart of the forest I I don't know how long I stood there Nothing was feeling real. Honestly, it was just like a week ago. I couldn't understand anything Happening and the body was shot except now I do understand I understood everything Sam Sam Sam was dead All my emotions all my thoughts everything rushed through me. It hit me so hard that my nerves felt like they were fried I was just comprehending everything when when when it got dark and I just see Sam being Lifted up slowly carefully Gently something was lifting him up some Sam staring at Me the entire time his dead intense eyes never leaving my body as his is I I was scared to look because I knew what was going on. I I didn't want to look But I did anyways and for the first time in my life, I never felt so Afraid long legs her rotting skin masses of potty designs back I I Never thought that the side of a carrier to make me cry it never never looks back at me Completely ignoring me as if I wasn't even there in the first place. It's just takes Sam takes Everyone else on its back and then when there are no more bodies to turn to lift it turns and slowly strides away carefully Walking to avoid bothering the dead as it carries it some somewhere else. It's somewhere far far away where they will never be Seen again Sorry, I I don't really care about carriers all that much it's just Yeah Haha Funny what death can do right just taking things away and then keeping them until there's nothing left anymore the only thing from death are our memories, but what are memories if No one wants to remember. It's all It's all nothing so To To answer the question well if no one was ever around Maybe it really didn't make a sound maybe it was nonexistent after all if one tree falls It's only one tree the world won't notice it probably won't care, but but you You you can care. That's that's why to me the tree the tree did make a sound Every tree that falls Ultimately make a sound because out there every tree has someone Well Dear listeners it it seems like our time with each other is just about wraps up I Say stay tuned for our next episode where Where we ask if daylight can dream at night I'm your host Stay frosty until we meet the next time folks