TRANSCRIPT OF CASSETTE TAPE 01
You hear the rustling of fabric, as if this was recorded from the inside of a pocket. You can make out a man’s voice above the rustle.
“Only natural death is worth worship,” he says “And these deaths are not natural. They bastardize the great cycle, the balance.”
A female voice chimes in. “These deaths provide for your life. Maybe as a Whelve worshiper you wouldn’t understand what it means to provide. Neo and her gifts saved you from ruin. I saved you from ruin. We provided you with a life, a family. You do nothing but take. And you dare criticize me?” Her voice grows louder as she speaks, accompanied by heeled footsteps.
The man takes a shaky breath. “A family? This is no family. We are bound only by blood. There is no love here, and you know that as well as I. To worship Whelve means to honor the life we get, to savor it. Our testaments speak nothing of senseless destruction. We take only when necessary. That is not Neo’s place.”
You hear the impact sound of a body against a wall. The female voice grows much louder now, practically a shout.
“You dare cast judgment on a god? You are as ignorant to the divine compass as I am. You know nothing of their balance. It is beyond us all. Impious blasphemers like you are to blame for the end of the saints, the prophets, true worship. You let your insignificant morality cloud their divine decrees.” Her voice trails off at the end, as if she has stepped further away.
You hear the sound of stumbling shoes followed by the opening of a door.
“The judgment cast upon you at your end will be well deserved, my dear.”
The door slams, shattering glass along with it. You hear nothing but footsteps for about a minute. Then, the chirp of a car being unlocked. Finally, as the owner of the tape steps inside and closes the door, he issues one final statement.
“A god of life has no place manufacturing death. I pray for my family, my true family can see the truth in that. I will be waiting.”
TRANSCRIPT OF CASSETTE TAPE 02
You hear the sound of dirt being thrown against the earth and the soft trickle of rain. The same voice from the previous tape begins to speak. This voice now sounds weary and hoarse.
Hickory, my dear, you must understand why I had to leave. You know that you are that which waters the ever-parched leaves of my heart. I am begging you to protect the children, protect them from their mother. From the future she wants for them. Once they are old enough to understand, tell them all that I know. Direct them towards our tree. Tell them to follow the roots. Tell them that, whatever lies their mother feeds them, I am NOT dead.
Then you hear a door opening. And a female voice begin to call out into the rain.
Gabriel? What are you doing in the garden? That’s what we have Hickory for! Come inside.
You hear a series of muffled “shits” and “fucks” and then, finally, a “I love you, Hickory. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
The recorder clicks off.