Chapter Eighteen

With everyone working together, we melted into one big culture. I learned bits of the different languages and could hold a conversation almost anywhere now. The children picked up the different languages faster than the rest of us. Now it wasn't uncommon to hear them yelling in different languages while chasing each other around. The children being so open and happy gave the hopeless hope. With everyone trying so hard to communicant with each other, things went smother. Until we could all speak and understand in all the languages. Our own forming.

I laughed the first time someone mentioned that the kids speak more of our makeshift language than their native one. Then I started hearing it too. Being together and along made it so that we began using common words instead of our own. If a word was the same in multiple languages, it often just took that form for us. Six, for example, were almost 'six' everywhere. Looking around, I started seeing more things that we just us. Gardening was forced on the people, but the gardens were turning from have to love to. There was even a yearly garden contest. Anyone could join in and see who won. Then there was the cooking contest with food from their gardens. Sharing food was a everyday thing. I saw more family style dinners with more than one family. I was even invited to one that served both Chinese dishes and Mexican ones at the same time. It didn't clash as much as one would think.

Roy, now being ten, was doing better than before. He helped come up with new ideas to help those around us. He was always rushing around, picking up things. Seiko was usually right behind him if not leading the charge. She had learned early all she had to say was "Help Roy" and point to where, and Roy would go running. Together, they were an unstoppable force. Seiko's parents and I ended up being friends, too. Her mother was a kind woman that loved to garden, so she could help support their neighbors with her garden before all this. Now she helped lead those that had a harder time with plants. While the father was working with the planning area. He counted as my boss as I clean the areas they ask me to. Both of them were kind people that I love to share a drink or two with.

With the help of everyone, I made massive moves to clean the areas and grow plants. Due to grabbing everyone to calm them down, my level had increased by 20 and I could now grow plants without focusing on them. The force field was now so large that people wouldn't be able to leave and enter it easily. So I poked holes in it. The force field being so large made it impossible for me to travel to the edge and back twice a year. So I went to the highest point and would expand it thrice a day by a foot. 

When the next time the tower entrance arrived, many of us were sad. Several people were going to leave us. The largest number to date. Many parents left with their kids, smiling and thanking us for helping them. Amanda and I shared an awkward look. We only did what we thought was the right thing to do. I still felt weird when people thanked me for it. Those that were leaving cried when saying goodbye, and telling us to find them on the other side once we went through. It wasn't the end for those of us on this side. Just harder now that they were all going away. Most of the adults had stayed longer just to make sure the kids were going to be okay. From here on, the number of people leaving would grow.

While waiting for the next year to say goodbye, I got to work helping teach the kids. I had less to do now that I didn't have to travel so much. I read the books that I had bought when I first moved into my house. When I found the letter that I got from the tower. I smiled a little, thinking of Zhen Seong, Max, and Bruna. Sometime when drinking I think about how I miss getting to have a drink with them. I wonder how much they have changed the world in the tower. I told them about Mindy, so I wasn't worried that they wouldn't be able to find her a second time. I vaguely remembered what the words looked like when Mindy taught them to me. Using them as an answer sheet, I sat down and deciphered the letter.

PING PING

"Congratulations!! You gained the skill 'Tazen Language'. This skill will make it easier to read and write in Tazen"

The letter read as a report on the completion of the tower. That Someone was working towards making it available to others. There was also a line I didn't understand. When I brought it to Amanda, she couldn't figure it out either. She said that it could be a culture saying or code. I nodded, but felt confused. I mean, what do you do with 'P.S. When the sun rises over the crest.' and nothing else. 

I kept the note and had everyone take a copy of the tower with them. I told them that one day it might help them. That even though I didn't know what it meant, others in the tower might. Telling me they would keep it safe with them.

Little Roy stayed by my side this whole time. He ended up being on the planing side of the work, along with Seiko. Just like in childhood, the two worked together to make things easier for others. They did the usual planer's job, then would run around helping the other jobs. Depending on the day and how soon you asked them, they would run over to help you. I was surprised when Seiko came out as a lesbian, but happy for her all the same.

As the years passed, more people left and we would party their goodbye away. Laughing away the sorrow of tomorrow. I saw teens waiting to leave the next year with their friends and parents leaving before or after their kids. Some parents would part ways with each other and find a new loved one. Others would stick close together. So much changed as the world turned around in the sun. With heavy hearts we said goodbye, I would release their animals so be free after they were gone. 

Before I knew it, less than 1/3 of our original group was left. We even blurred some grandparents that didn't make it all the way. Roy was almost 15 and was becoming a fine young man. He would run around helping others carry things or fix whatever they needed. I was proud of him, no I AM proud of him.

I still remember when he started calling me dad for the first time. He was six and had been with me for a few years. I smiling and waited for him to ask what he wanted. Without a rejection from me, he asked me to read to him. I, of course, complied. Now he read to the others when they asked or would let them climb him like a gym.

In the meantime, I dropped the force field and have the plants grow as much as they wanted. I didn't get to see it firsthand, but I could from the eyes of the animals that were around. Another thing I gained once my skill was strong enough. I didn't learn I could do it until I was searching for a little kid that walked away from her family. I was so desperate to find her that my vision changed and I saw her. Calling out to her, but she didn't hear me. She was in the forest a ways out, sitting on the floor. I used the animal to get closer to until she saw it. When she whispered a 'bunny?' I figured I could use it to lead her back. Now I used this skill to watch the plants grow while staying in the town. 

I grew older as time passed, many kids entered the tower. Amanda and I would celebrate every time a new group left us. It was never easy to watch them go. When Amanda passed away, I felt like she left me and the last group alone. When she passed, there were as still a hundred thousand kids left. Still so much work left to complete. I kept slowed the expansion of plants, letting me choose when and where to grow. Turning my focus onto the kids that left, left I saw for the first time just how much time had passed. 

Once the youngest turned 15, I had wrinkles. They were leaving the nest, and it devastated me. Roy stayed with me for a few extra years while helping with the younger kids. He turned 20 just a few days ago and was already so much stronger than I had ever been.

"Come with me," Roy said, standing in front of the tower. He turned into a good young man. 

Shaking my head, I looked back at the world. "I still have to make a place for you to return to," I said, looking back at him. His blue eye reminded me of Johns. The intense blue was hard to deprecate. Over the years, they looked less like his, and more like Roy's. Especially when Roy was happy. 

Roy frowned as he spoke. "I want you to come with me, dad," he said. My eye burned. I reached out and hugged him.

"Love you, kid. I'll enter the tower someday, but I need to make it safe first." I said, hugging the taller man. He was a full foot taller than me now. It made me happy that he grew up well. Even if I had to lie to him. He rested his face on my shoulder. I could feel the wet spots forming. His friends were waiting by the tower talking with their families. "It's gonna be okay, kid. I know that you've worked hard to get this far and I am so proud of you, but it's time to go.

He left with the others while I held strong until he was gone. Once his back dissipated into the tower. The tears sprang forth from my body. Alone, in a world that has been rejected by humanity. There was nothing left here but only fear of what the tower offered. The choice to stay ate at my heart. It hurt worse than when I saw them leave the kids here the first time all those years ago. 

Once I could breathe without a sob breaking its way from my chest, I walked around the place,we called home for the last 20 years. Never thought I would reach 50 years old a few years ago, but somehow I did. I walked among the old buildings and schools. We had lost some people over the years from the toxicity of the air and age. I walked among the graveyard we put up near the tower. We wanted them to see how much progress we were doing. So they would know when their loved ones joined the tower.

I lied to everyone, telling them I would enter the tower one day. None of them wanted to leave me here, and I didn't want to leave them. However, I never said I was a brave man. I wanted so much to be with them, but I'm old. If couldn't control the plants in the tower when I was young, with the reflexives to stop anything too bad from happening. Now if I saw the plants attacking someone, I'm not sure I could get to the other in time. It's better for me to stay where the plants can't cause anymore problems.

Deciding that I would not lie to Roy and the others, I got to work. I grew plants and watched wild life grow from the dwindling numbers back into full populations. It took a long time before I felt good about the plants on the planet. I had gray hair and hunched from age at this point. I would take daily walks around the settlement. Looking at anything and everything. Keeping my mind wandering as I walked. I had the plants cover the areas that fell apart. It was a last ditch effort to keep the homes and buildings around just a moment longer. I had a long-lost count of the time that passed. 

When I woke up one morning, I felt it. My breath echoed in my home, harsh and slow. It was time. With great difficulty, I got up and forced my way outside. I had set up a chair to watch the horizon a few day-years ago. As I aged, I spent more time on it. Spending my last moments here couldn't be any better. Thinking about everything, I didn't want to die. I wanted to see my son, my friends, the people that helped me in hard times one last time. I wanted to have a toast to a good job and eat good food together. Instead, I was eating a granola bar. I wanted so much and was too much of a coward to go for it.

"I miss you," I whispered towards the tower.