Chapter 29: Trust and Bonds
Sam was unsure of how to handle the delicate matter that was Carl.
He was undecided and indecisive about it.
Yes Carl was his best friend, in an entire timeline they stood together shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm, they were brothers even without blood purely out of bond.
He could recite hundreds and thousands of reasons why he would be extremely stupid not to trust his friend but it ultimately boiled down to two points.
The first being that the Carl of that timeline and this timeline despite being the same were two different people that had two very different experiences in life.
One was harder and more in tune with what Sam himself had experienced while the other was the current Carl who was still quite wet behind the ears.
The second being that he was still nursing a wound of broken trust one that followed him from his past life. In the world of cultivation betrayal could come from the very womb you crawled out of or the very man you idolized as your hero.
It could come from your blood brother who taught you everything you know or the little sister you adored and protected with all your might. It could come from the lover whom you placed on a pedestal within your heart.
His trust had been broken way yo many times, his heart was crushed way too many times, he had experienced pain way too many times but for the fool that he was he tried time and time again to find the good in all the bad.
This foolish act, this adamant quest of finding light in the noir darkness off a humans heart was what brought his death when he was at the most important stage of his life as a cultivator.
He was ultimately afraid that the Carl he inherited memories from, and the one who existed with him in their current timeline would become another one of his foolish endeavours.
This one he knew that if it failed would turn him into something he hoped he would never become, a man unfeeling and uncaring of the world one unshackled by morality purely because his heart and trust had been broken way too many times.
He hoped that this time, this time he wouldn't be wrong and that the brotherhood he saw in the memories of future Carl would truly be reality. He hoped that his brother by bond would remain his brother until the day he breathed his last and carried his corpse to his grave.
Sam soon reached Carl's house, he sighed and knocked at the wooden door before inviting himself in. He had been coming here for years that he felt at home rather than feeling like a guest.
He and some were friends since their diapers, their parents knew each other from university and kept in touch over the years.
They coincidentally had kids around the same year with a difference of five months between their births. Sam was born first his birthday being on the twenty fifth of February while Carl was born on the twenty first of july.
They naturally grew up together, played together, were babysat together, got into trouble together, fought together and with each other.
Even when their parents went through their own upside downs amd their families parted they stilled remained friends and brothers even though both had siblings the bond had never been broken the love was never lost.
Valmus climbed the stairs as ge headed upto Carl's room. Ethan was out doing God knows what and Clara was currently still at school. Mr Valerian was currently at his construction company making ends meet leaving Carl the only inhabitant in their home.
"Yohh Sam what's up." Carl greeted with a smile, it always was a pleasure to meet his friend.
"I'm good, you?" Sam asked back, he was still stiff over his monologue of thoughts.
Carl stopped what he was doing and focused his attention on Sam, he couldn't quite place it but Sam seemed out of it.
Carl sat down and offered his friend a seat, his room wasn't overly large but it wasn't small either. It had enough space for a working desk and chair, a bed, closet and and extra seat.
"You know ever since you came here to borrow clothes the other night, you've been acting weird. Too weird even for you, are you alright?" He asked his concern was vivid as he was genuinely worried about him.
Sam sighed inwardly, he had a choice to make one that would decide his friendship and brotherhood with Carl.
To be honest and risk being asked sensitive questions about his past life or be deceitful and risk his friendship due to his own trust issues.
He closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts, there are alot of bad choices a man could make some worse than others. As of that moment Sam was willing to make this bad choice and hope that it wouldn't unfold how he imagined it would.
"I haven't been alright Carl. For the past few days I've been working overtime trying to salvage whatever I can. And it's been hard man, it's been tiring and stressful.
It's like I've been moving with a scythe over my neck where any mistake would cause irredeemable damage or worse have a severe backlash that would affect my family, your included as collateral."
"I can't have that happen man, to have either of your blood on my hands. But I'm not sure I carry on like this, I'm only one person and sooner or later despite my experiences I will reach my limit, I'm just not sure if I'm ready for that day." Sam opened up and let his thoughts be bear, he confided in a friend he knew and trusted.
He refused to let his past mistakes dictate his future actions and so he took a leap of faith no matter where he lands be it a field of roses or a field of dandelions or a field of thorns only time would tell.