1 00:00:00,260 --> 00:00:16,740 Speaker 1: Allegiance. 2 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,820 Speaker 1: Chapter One: The Souls of Things. 3 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,900 Speaker 1: His bedroom door told Elm that someone was coming before the man even reached the 4 00:00:26,940 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 1: top of the stairs. "Go away." "I'm coming in." "No, 5 00:00:33,260 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 1: you aren't." Elm worked at the wire housing of the lantern with a pair of pliers. It 6 00:00:38,620 --> 00:00:43,220 Speaker 1: was a mess. Whoever owned this thing before him clearly didn't understand the souls 7 00:00:43,300 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: of things. He had no idea how to fix the lantern, but the pliers guided his hands. 8 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: "Elm?" And the lantern guided the pliers. The doorknob wiggled, but the door didn't 9 00:00:54,300 --> 00:00:59,940 Speaker 1: open. "Elm, unlock the door." The door wasn't locked. His 10 00:01:00,020 --> 00:01:05,300 Speaker 1: father knew that, but sometimes he didn't want to know things like that. He didn't 11 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: know what Elm was. Actually, come to think of it, Elm didn't know what he was. 12 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:17,020 Speaker 1: Maybe the pliers knew. The pliers didn't understand the question. Elm was the holder 13 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:22,700 Speaker 1: of pliers. Maybe the desk knew. But the desk wasn't paying attention and told him to 14 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 1: ask again. "Oh, never mind." The banging on the door continued. "Do not 15 00:01:28,420 --> 00:01:34,060 Speaker 1: ignore me. Open this door right now." Elm turned the brass lantern over in his 16 00:01:34,100 --> 00:01:38,780 Speaker 1: hands. There was a dent on the bottom that pierced where the oil was supposed to go. 17 00:01:39,460 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: What, had they thrown this thing? That wasn't how you used a lantern. "Open this 18 00:01:43,940 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: door right now or I will get rid of every last piece of your 19 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:54,900 Speaker 1: junk in this house." The bedroom door swung open so suddenly that Elm's father 20 00:01:55,020 --> 00:02:00,060 Speaker 1: stumbled inward. He crashed into a soggy pile of books that Elm had rescued from the 21 00:02:00,140 --> 00:02:04,980 Speaker 1: storm drain last month. As if they hadn't already been through enough. "Don't give 22 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:10,580 Speaker 1: me that look. I don't know why you always make me out to be the bad guy. This isn't 23 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: the end. It's a new beginning." "For who?" "For you, 24 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:22,340 Speaker 1: son." Elm spun around and faced his father. The man looked torn between screaming 25 00:02:22,460 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: again or apologizing. He weaved a path through neat piles of objects, carefully 26 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: placing each step. There was a path there if you knew where to look. When he finally 27 00:02:32,780 --> 00:02:37,900 Speaker 1: reached Elm, he put his hands on his shoulders. They felt large and warm. The stare 28 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:43,820 Speaker 1: he leveled made Elm shrink backward in his seat. "You are getting a job." 29 00:02:43,820 --> 00:02:49,780 Speaker 1: "Why can't I just sell things?" His father returned a 30 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: flat look. "When is the last time you sold something?" "Okay, 31 00:02:55,980 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 1: then I could open a repair shop." "Could you? Could you open a 32 00:03:01,860 --> 00:03:07,540 Speaker 1: repair shop?" Elm felt his father's words more than he heard them. Why not just come 33 00:03:07,580 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: right out and say it? He was useless. He was worse than useless, a man 34 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:18,300 Speaker 1: without a purpose, because he actually was a man now, at least that's what he'd been 35 00:03:18,340 --> 00:03:24,260 Speaker 1: told at dinner. "I'm just being realistic. You just don't have what 36 00:03:24,300 --> 00:03:30,100 Speaker 1: it takes. I need you to know that comes from a place of love. We 37 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:36,180 Speaker 1: just need to find something that, that, uh..." "That I won't screw up?" 38 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:42,060 Speaker 1: [sighs] "I didn't say that." Elm 39 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: turned his back to his father and picked up the lantern again. He had no idea how to 40 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,900 Speaker 1: seal the broken lantern container. He picked up each of his tools in turn just in 41 00:03:50,940 --> 00:03:56,940 Speaker 1: case they had any idea. "No, you don't get to shut me out. Not this 42 00:03:56,980 --> 00:04:01,380 Speaker 1: time." "I don't wanna talk." "Too bad." 43 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,260 Speaker 1: His father walked right over a ragged hill of clothes towards the door. He paused 44 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: before leaving the room. "Your first day is tomorrow. I traded every favor I'm owed 45 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: to get you this job. You're working the yard at a sawmill. Early shift." 46 00:04:18,860 --> 00:04:23,540 Speaker 1: His father didn't say the rest of the threat out loud. He simply waved a hand over 47 00:04:23,580 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: the things that covered the floor, the walls, then leveled a serious gaze at Elm. 48 00:04:28,780 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: "Tomorrow, 5:00 AM, the sawmill. Bring the saw by the door. 49 00:04:35,100 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: Don't forget." Then he watched, unsettled as the bedroom door slowly closed in his 50 00:04:41,020 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: face. It was quite perceptive for a door. Elm was done talking. In fact, he was 51 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: completely done with the world outside this room. He set down his tools and put his 52 00:04:52,580 --> 00:04:58,060 Speaker 1: face in his hands. But apparently, the world was not done with him. 53 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: Elm walked down the street with his head bowed. Maybe if he looked at the ground, 54 00:05:02,740 --> 00:05:07,060 Speaker 1: people would leave him alone. It was an old tactic, and for the most part it worked, 55 00:05:07,580 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: except on a certain type of person. With any luck, that type of person wouldn't be 56 00:05:13,580 --> 00:05:18,820 Speaker 1: outside at a time like this, in weather like this. It was a long walk to the 57 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:23,060 Speaker 1: sawmill. There was an electric trolley, but it wouldn't start running until 7:00 AM. 58 00:05:23,860 --> 00:05:27,420 Speaker 1: A wicked breeze tried to cut through the weave of his coat, and the coat pulled 59 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: tighter around him. The coat dared the wind to try that again. Elm smiled to 60 00:05:32,700 --> 00:05:37,540 Speaker 1: himself. His coat had belonged to his father before him. It should have sagged on 61 00:05:37,580 --> 00:05:42,340 Speaker 1: his slight frame. It should have made him look ridiculous, and yet somehow it fit 62 00:05:42,380 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 1: him perfectly. The sound of voices nearby forced him to look up. 63 00:05:49,620 --> 00:05:54,500 Speaker 1: Unfortunately, the cold had not turned away the type of person who would politely 64 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 1: ignore him. Two young men argued with a traveling merchant parked on the side of the 65 00:05:59,420 --> 00:06:05,140 Speaker 1: street. The first man was mostly eyebrows and biceps. He alternated waving his hands 66 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,716 Speaker 1: around in an exaggerated fashion and pointing at his friend's feet. The other man 67 00:06:09,776 --> 00:06:15,496 Speaker 1: stood silently with his arms crossed. Elm started walking faster. The 68 00:06:15,576 --> 00:06:20,716 Speaker 1: evil one nudged the dumb one, then pointed at Elm and said something. Elm walked 69 00:06:20,936 --> 00:06:26,496 Speaker 1: even faster. They waved an annoyed dismissal at the traveling merchant, a woman with 70 00:06:26,556 --> 00:06:31,976 Speaker 1: dark, wrinkled skin and dusty gray hair. She stared at them with bleary eyes. Had 71 00:06:32,016 --> 00:06:37,476 Speaker 1: they woken her up just to argue? The two men jogged to catch up to Elm. 72 00:06:38,216 --> 00:06:42,096 Speaker 1: It seemed impossible that his day could get any worse, but he was learning new pain 73 00:06:42,156 --> 00:06:47,756 Speaker 1: by the moment. The evil one spoke first. "Hey, weirdo. Don't buy 74 00:06:47,796 --> 00:06:52,636 Speaker 1: anything from that junker. She'll rip you off like she did me and Kel." The dumb one 75 00:06:52,816 --> 00:06:58,536 Speaker 1: spoke next. "Yeah, we oughta kick out her wagon wheels tonight, right Luke?" "Shh. 76 00:06:59,036 --> 00:07:04,516 Speaker 1: Shut up. You can't say things like that out loud, Kel." "Well, she deserves it. 77 00:07:04,936 --> 00:07:10,616 Speaker 1: City junkers think they can rip off good small-town people." Luke put a friendly arm 78 00:07:10,696 --> 00:07:16,456 Speaker 1: around Elm. "So where you going, Elm? Awful early." "Work." "What a 79 00:07:16,516 --> 00:07:22,276 Speaker 1: coincidence. Us, too. Mind if we join you? We've gotta stick together. 80 00:07:22,636 --> 00:07:27,816 Speaker 1: This place'll be overrun with foreigners before too long." Elm shriveled under the 81 00:07:27,876 --> 00:07:32,996 Speaker 1: man's touch. It would be easier if they just hit him. When they were done hitting 82 00:07:33,016 --> 00:07:37,576 Speaker 1: him, at least he could leave. It was so much worse when they pretended to be his 83 00:07:37,636 --> 00:07:42,996 Speaker 1: friend. "Are you gonna listen to this blowhard?" Elm stopped walking. Had that voice 84 00:07:43,076 --> 00:07:48,956 Speaker 1: just come from... No. He was hearing things. He looked down at 85 00:07:49,016 --> 00:07:54,416 Speaker 1: Luke's shoes. "Yeah, it's me, the shoes. Ignore this walking trash heap. His feet 86 00:07:54,436 --> 00:08:00,036 Speaker 1: are disgusting. I'm great, the best shoes you'll ever wear. Just take me." 87 00:08:01,856 --> 00:08:07,476 Speaker 1: Everyone knew Elm was strange. He knew he was strange. Weird things 88 00:08:07,556 --> 00:08:12,536 Speaker 1: happened around him. He had a kind of kinship with man-made things that was 89 00:08:13,376 --> 00:08:19,096 Speaker 1: difficult to describe. But they didn't actually talk to him. This was 90 00:08:19,196 --> 00:08:23,996 Speaker 1: strange, even for him. "Take me." "I don't wanna take you." 91 00:08:25,096 --> 00:08:30,916 Speaker 1: Luke looked over in confusion at Elm. "What'd you say?" "He's crazy, Luke." 92 00:08:30,996 --> 00:08:36,996 Speaker 1: "Did you just say you could take me?" Elm was even more surprised the 93 00:08:37,076 --> 00:08:42,776 Speaker 1: second time the shoes spoke. "Yes, yes. You can take him. I'll help you. 94 00:08:42,956 --> 00:08:48,456 Speaker 1: Watch." Luke fell to the ground, grasping frantically at Elm as he went down. He 95 00:08:48,536 --> 00:08:51,956 Speaker 1: tried to keep him upright, but the other man face-planted on the gravel street 96 00:08:52,016 --> 00:08:57,536 Speaker 1: anyway. As he scrambled to get back up, Elm realized it had looked an awful lot like 97 00:08:57,556 --> 00:09:02,496 Speaker 1: he'd tripped him on purpose. And what would he say? The shoes did it? 98 00:09:02,496 --> 00:09:07,676 Speaker 1: "Freak!" Elm pulled out of his grip and backpedaled all the way back to the building 99 00:09:07,736 --> 00:09:12,396 Speaker 1: behind him. He put his hands up in front of him, warding off the inevitable. He 100 00:09:12,436 --> 00:09:17,856 Speaker 1: looked frantically between the two men, boxing him against the wall. This is what 101 00:09:17,896 --> 00:09:23,876 Speaker 1: the world outside his room held for him. Kel loomed over him, violence 102 00:09:23,936 --> 00:09:29,776 Speaker 1: backlit his eyes. It was the only thing the man truly understood. "It wasn't me. It 103 00:09:29,836 --> 00:09:35,496 Speaker 1: was his shoes. I don't know. They hate him or something." Kel slammed him once 104 00:09:35,556 --> 00:09:39,996 Speaker 1: against the wall with a casual shove, an opening play to see if Elm would fight 105 00:09:40,056 --> 00:09:45,936 Speaker 1: back. He wouldn't. It would end faster that way. Put the bruises 106 00:09:45,976 --> 00:09:50,636 Speaker 1: where they won't show, Kel. He'll snitch. "No, no, I won't plea-" The first punch 107 00:09:50,736 --> 00:09:56,276 Speaker 1: hit him, fast and efficient, right below the ribs. Elm buckled immediately, but Kel 108 00:09:56,316 --> 00:10:01,096 Speaker 1: propped him up, like a friend helping him walk home after drinking. He kept Elm 109 00:10:01,156 --> 00:10:05,836 Speaker 1: pressed against the brick wall while he hammered his guts with the other arm. Kel 110 00:10:06,196 --> 00:10:11,876 Speaker 1: did his work quietly, without passion. Finally, he let Elm crumple to the 111 00:10:11,936 --> 00:10:17,696 Speaker 1: ground to spew his breakfast. "You wanna go, Luke?" "Yeah, why not?" 112 00:10:18,296 --> 00:10:23,436 Speaker 1: Luke rolled up his sleeves and walked over. Elm shriveled into a little ball. As 113 00:10:23,556 --> 00:10:28,756 Speaker 1: long as Luke didn't kick him too hard, he could take it. He... Luke squatted down 114 00:10:29,016 --> 00:10:34,016 Speaker 1: and slapped him across the face. It was hard enough to hurt, but only barely. 115 00:10:34,016 --> 00:10:39,796 Speaker 1: "Didn't realize you had a spine. Leave it at home next time." Luke stood back 116 00:10:39,916 --> 00:10:44,556 Speaker 1: up and looked around to make sure no one had been watching. There was no one on the 117 00:10:44,616 --> 00:10:50,076 Speaker 1: street at this hour, though. Except... The junk trader they had been talking to. 118 00:10:50,796 --> 00:10:54,696 Speaker 1: She looked out a little window in her wagon. The wagon was pulled into a little 119 00:10:54,756 --> 00:10:59,156 Speaker 1: clearing of gravel near the road. She was parked in a place meant for merchants like 120 00:10:59,176 --> 00:11:04,076 Speaker 1: her, though she was the only one there now. She lit a pipe and looked out the little 121 00:11:04,116 --> 00:11:09,756 Speaker 1: window. She blew smoke and casually watched the three men. "What do we do, Luke?" 122 00:11:09,776 --> 00:11:15,716 Speaker 1: "Nothing. Let's go." The two of them walked off in the 123 00:11:15,756 --> 00:11:21,176 Speaker 1: direction Elm had been walking. They watched the trader as they went. Surely, 124 00:11:22,036 --> 00:11:27,996 Speaker 1: surely they couldn't be going to the sawmill. Elm pulled himself up into a 125 00:11:28,076 --> 00:11:32,656 Speaker 1: seated position against the wall. His guts wrenched again and he gagged, but there 126 00:11:32,676 --> 00:11:36,976 Speaker 1: was nothing left to puke. He took deep breaths until he was sure he could stand 127 00:11:37,016 --> 00:11:42,976 Speaker 1: again. "Excuse me. I could use some help." Elm turned to find the 128 00:11:43,076 --> 00:11:48,456 Speaker 1: old trader standing in the street next to him. She was short, almost grandmotherly. 129 00:11:49,016 --> 00:11:53,716 Speaker 1: That probably explained why Luke and Kel had gone out of their way to hurt him. Even 130 00:11:53,776 --> 00:11:58,036 Speaker 1: they couldn't beat up someone like that. It went against whatever twisted code of 131 00:11:58,116 --> 00:12:03,616 Speaker 1: ethics they operated by. Well, that's what people like Elm were good for, punching 132 00:12:03,676 --> 00:12:09,316 Speaker 1: bags for all the problems they weren't allowed to punch. "I can't. I have to get to 133 00:12:09,376 --> 00:12:15,300 Speaker 1: work." He chose to be hurt? What did that mean? She tapped the ash 134 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:19,860 Speaker 1: out of her pipe and put the other end back in her mouth. He took a closer look. 135 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:26,340 Speaker 1: There really was something strange about this person. "It'll only take a moment. 136 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 1: I'm looking for someone, someone you might know." "I don't know anyone. 137 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 1: Ask at the mayor's office when it opens." Seriously, she was asking him? 138 00:12:38,580 --> 00:12:43,700 Speaker 1: He was the last person who would know anyone in this town. Still, she stood there 139 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: smoking her pipe and watched him intently. What was with that look? Was she really 140 00:12:49,060 --> 00:12:54,460 Speaker 1: just going to ignore the beating he'd taken? "You could have helped me." 141 00:12:54,840 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: "Me? You were the one who chose to be hurt." What did that mean? He 142 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:06,100 Speaker 1: looked more closely at the stranger. "I'm looking for someone. I don't know their 143 00:13:06,180 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: name. They have a knack for fixing or building things. They might be 144 00:13:11,700 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: unusually skilled in a trade. Perhaps they see the world a 145 00:13:17,580 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: little differently than everyone else." 146 00:13:21,260 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: Elm's mouth went dry, and he took a step back. The old trader looked directly into 147 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: his eyes, unblinking. "Do you know this person?" "No." 148 00:13:31,820 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: "Hmm. What's your name, then?" "Elm." 149 00:13:38,460 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: He really needed to get to work now. The look in his father's eyes said it all. If 150 00:13:44,260 --> 00:13:49,540 Speaker 1: he couldn't keep this job, he'd lose everything, the whole collection. 151 00:13:50,180 --> 00:13:55,900 Speaker 1: Where would it go? What would he do with all those things? "Don't you wonder why 152 00:13:55,960 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: they can't feel what you feel, why no one else can hear their 153 00:14:01,420 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: possessions, only you?" "I don't know you, 154 00:14:07,260 --> 00:14:12,860 Speaker 1: and I don't know what you're talking about." Then he realized what was so odd about 155 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: this person. All of her clothes were lifeless. Even the pipe was 156 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 1: lifeless. Everyone had cherished possessions. It was natural. It was normal. 157 00:14:25,220 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: To use a thing was to make it a part of your life, to give it a sort of life of its 158 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:35,340 Speaker 1: own. You would have to go out of your way to avoid giving things life. 159 00:14:36,420 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: You would have to feel the souls of things like he did and then kill 160 00:14:42,460 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: them somehow. He didn't wanna know a person like that. It was the worst kind 161 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:54,300 Speaker 1: of person he could imagine, his opposite in every way. Elm started 162 00:14:54,420 --> 00:15:00,020 Speaker 1: running. His guts screamed in pain, but he pushed through. He had always wondered if 163 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: he'd meet another person who understood the souls of things, someone who could truly 164 00:15:05,460 --> 00:15:10,940 Speaker 1: understand him. He'd never imagined he would regret it. Chapter Two: 165 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 1: The Bet. "You're late." Elm tried not to look winded, hoping he could put 166 00:15:17,700 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: on a convincing facade of strength. "Sorry, I, um, I got distracted." 167 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: The sawmill foreman looked like someone his father would know, unshaven, tired, and 168 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:37,460 Speaker 1: generally displeased with everyone and everything. The man scratched his ch- "You're 169 00:15:37,500 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: Elias' boy then?" "Yes, I'm, I'm here for my job." 170 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:47,260 Speaker 1: [laughs] "Tough. I just had two guys walk up, and I offered the spots 171 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:52,300 Speaker 1: to them." He began to walk away, leaving Elm at the front gate. 172 00:15:52,300 --> 00:15:54,020 Speaker 1: "Please." 173 00:15:55,740 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: The foreman turned around and pointed. "You see that pile of rough logs? I need that 174 00:16:01,540 --> 00:16:07,500 Speaker 1: turned into planks by Tuesday." Elm still wheezed to catch his breath, trying to 175 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:13,540 Speaker 1: follow what the man was saying. "What happens on Tuesday?" "I get another pile of 176 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: logs that size." "Okay." Where was he going with this? 177 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:25,580 Speaker 1: "Now, you tell me how a toothpick like you can help me make 178 00:16:25,620 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: that problem go away." "I, um, I'm good with tools, machines." 179 00:16:31,499 --> 00:16:37,180 Speaker 1: "Walk-ons don't get machines. Too expensive. And where's your saw? 180 00:16:37,500 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: Didn't you bring one?" "I..." Was he supposed to bring a saw? 181 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:47,940 Speaker 1: [sighs] "Sorry, kid, this isn't charity. Tell your old man I'll see him for cards on 182 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:53,420 Speaker 1: Saturday." Then he walked away, taking Elm's entire world with him. 183 00:16:54,420 --> 00:17:00,180 Speaker 1: He couldn't. He couldn't take his things. They didn't understand. They weren't 184 00:17:00,460 --> 00:17:06,420 Speaker 1: things. They were, they were... "No!" The foreman turned around and 185 00:17:06,500 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: looked at Elm. Elm felt his face turn red. Say something, Elm. Say something. 186 00:17:12,220 --> 00:17:18,120 Speaker 1: "Okay, let me prove it. One day. Just give me one day to prove how hard I can 187 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: work." The foreman shook his head slowly, and he felt his hopes slipping 188 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: away. "If you knew how many times I'd heard that empty promise." So Elm tried to 189 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:34,420 Speaker 1: give him the same stare the trader had given him, a confident, knowing, 190 00:17:35,060 --> 00:17:40,780 Speaker 1: piercing stare. [sighs] "Fine, but you're gonna have to work real hard. 191 00:17:41,340 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: Guy who took your spot was twice your size." Wait, did that mean it worked? 192 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: "There wasn't supposed to be an opening at all, but we lost a good guy last week to 193 00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:58,360 Speaker 1: an accident. I guess Gus' loss is your fortune." Then the foreman 194 00:17:58,420 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: put out his hand for, for what? [clears throat] "It's a 195 00:18:04,220 --> 00:18:08,820 Speaker 1: handshake, son." "Oh." Elm shook the man's hand. 196 00:18:08,820 --> 00:18:14,648 Speaker 1: "I'm Wilton, and you're?" He knew this one. My 197 00:18:14,708 --> 00:18:20,028 Speaker 1: name's Elm. Wilton nodded approvingly. Good name for this business. 198 00:18:21,088 --> 00:18:26,548 Speaker 1: Wilton tilted his head toward a shed on the other end of the yard. Since you don't 199 00:18:26,608 --> 00:18:32,268 Speaker 1: have a saw, Gus's saw is still in his old locker, I reckon. Doesn't seem right to 200 00:18:32,328 --> 00:18:38,248 Speaker 1: use another man's tools, but I suppose it's easier than using your hands. For what? 201 00:18:39,228 --> 00:18:44,528 Speaker 1: For, for what? For Lords above, for cutting logs. This is a sawmill. 202 00:18:46,008 --> 00:18:50,468 Speaker 1: Apparently, Elm had missed something important. Eh, that happened when he was 203 00:18:50,528 --> 00:18:54,948 Speaker 1: talking to people sometimes. They said things without saying things, and somehow he 204 00:18:54,988 --> 00:19:00,928 Speaker 1: was supposed to understand. So he had to make up for that. Maybe if he worked 205 00:19:01,028 --> 00:19:05,988 Speaker 1: really hard. Either the sawmill would keep him on and he'd get paid, which would be 206 00:19:06,188 --> 00:19:11,228 Speaker 1: really weird. What would it be like to have his own money? Or his father would see 207 00:19:11,288 --> 00:19:17,288 Speaker 1: how hard he'd tried and wouldn't clean out his room. Or the shed. Or the guest 208 00:19:17,328 --> 00:19:23,308 Speaker 1: room. Or, okay, maybe Elm had been a little unfair to his father. You won't 209 00:19:23,368 --> 00:19:29,248 Speaker 1: regret it. The job itself was fairly simple. Take a huge, uncut log from 210 00:19:29,308 --> 00:19:33,768 Speaker 1: the mountain of logs, and then cut it down to the size the yard foreman had asked 211 00:19:33,828 --> 00:19:39,808 Speaker 1: for. Then you dragged the smaller, but still heavy pieces into neat rows so that the 212 00:19:39,848 --> 00:19:44,488 Speaker 1: workers inside could pull them in and cut them on electric saws. Simple. 213 00:19:45,628 --> 00:19:50,608 Speaker 1: Simple and utterly backbreaking. There were six other men hauling and cutting in the 214 00:19:50,648 --> 00:19:55,088 Speaker 1: yard like him. That was generous, actually, because they were like him in a way that 215 00:19:55,128 --> 00:20:00,428 Speaker 1: an ox was like a puppy. Kel had started the same day as Elm had feared, 216 00:20:01,048 --> 00:20:05,228 Speaker 1: and though Elm had always thought the bully was frighteningly strong, he still 217 00:20:05,268 --> 00:20:09,648 Speaker 1: looked small compared to the older men in the crew. It was nearly lunchtime, and Elm 218 00:20:09,688 --> 00:20:14,288 Speaker 1: had managed to drag almost sixteen pieces into the row of logs ready to be cut for 219 00:20:14,328 --> 00:20:19,308 Speaker 1: the next day. He dragged a cut piece and buckled over, hands on knees, heaving from 220 00:20:19,348 --> 00:20:24,148 Speaker 1: the effort. When he recovered, he walked over to the paper stapled to a nearby post 221 00:20:24,188 --> 00:20:27,928 Speaker 1: and marked a tally next to his name. Sixteen. 222 00:20:29,508 --> 00:20:33,788 Speaker 1: He looked at the other names on the sheet. They had a lot more tally marks than him, 223 00:20:34,108 --> 00:20:39,448 Speaker 1: but the day was only halfway through. No one had spoken to him. That was okay. He 224 00:20:39,468 --> 00:20:43,468 Speaker 1: didn't need to make friends. He was here to prove a point to his father, and that 225 00:20:43,528 --> 00:20:48,328 Speaker 1: was it. He flipped up the sheet of paper to see the tallies from weeks prior, and 226 00:20:48,368 --> 00:20:54,368 Speaker 1: his heart sank. Renfro, five hundred and thirteen pieces. Will B, 227 00:20:54,808 --> 00:21:00,808 Speaker 1: four hundred and eighty-two. Arnie, six hundred and forty-three. Taliki, eight 228 00:21:00,848 --> 00:21:06,728 Speaker 1: hundred and two. Gus, nine hundred seven pieces. This 229 00:21:07,688 --> 00:21:12,708 Speaker 1: couldn't be real. There were red marks through some of the days for Renfro and Will. 230 00:21:12,948 --> 00:21:18,928 Speaker 1: Had they taken days off that week? And nine hundred seven? Elm ran 231 00:21:18,968 --> 00:21:23,168 Speaker 1: the numbers through his head. He thought he'd been moving at a pretty good pace, but 232 00:21:23,248 --> 00:21:27,968 Speaker 1: if he really went all out for the rest of the week, he might move two hundred 233 00:21:28,048 --> 00:21:33,808 Speaker 1: pieces. The person he had replaced had more than four times that amount. He 234 00:21:33,888 --> 00:21:39,768 Speaker 1: was doomed. Elm trudged back to the log pile. Just a hill at this point, since it 235 00:21:39,808 --> 00:21:44,248 Speaker 1: was the day before the next load arrived. He rolled over a thick log and started 236 00:21:44,328 --> 00:21:49,488 Speaker 1: sawing, but his heart wasn't in it anymore. Besides, the saw seemed to pull away 237 00:21:49,548 --> 00:21:53,928 Speaker 1: from him at bizarre angles or lodge itself in the log so that he'd have to use all 238 00:21:53,988 --> 00:21:59,488 Speaker 1: of his strength to get it free again. It was almost like the thing wanted him to 239 00:21:59,588 --> 00:22:04,748 Speaker 1: fail. He'd tried to talk to it, in the way he spoke to everything that felt alive, 240 00:22:05,008 --> 00:22:10,208 Speaker 1: but it didn't respond. He felt like there was something there, though. Not 241 00:22:10,288 --> 00:22:14,948 Speaker 1: everything had a soul. Most things didn't even have more than a glimmer of life to 242 00:22:14,988 --> 00:22:20,928 Speaker 1: them. The trader's clothes, for instance, didn't even have that much. They were like 243 00:22:21,008 --> 00:22:26,828 Speaker 1: corpses. He tried to forget the encounter. He sat down to lunch, only to realize 244 00:22:27,348 --> 00:22:32,188 Speaker 1: he hadn't brought a lunch. Of course. Why would they make lunch for him? 245 00:22:33,267 --> 00:22:39,208 Speaker 1: Stupid. He'd forgotten. He forgot everything. There was a reason he was 246 00:22:39,308 --> 00:22:44,688 Speaker 1: useless. Lots of reasons. Why should he expect this job to go any differently? 247 00:22:46,008 --> 00:22:50,868 Speaker 1: Someone sat down on the stool next to him. Elm tensed, prepared to endure a lashing 248 00:22:50,928 --> 00:22:56,048 Speaker 1: from Kel, or Luke, wherever he was. They wouldn't actually hurt him here, though. 249 00:22:56,368 --> 00:23:01,528 Speaker 1: Not physically, anyway. So how's life as a lumberjack? The man was probably ten 250 00:23:01,568 --> 00:23:06,188 Speaker 1: years older than Elm. He wasn't muscled like the other outer yard workers, but his 251 00:23:06,248 --> 00:23:11,688 Speaker 1: rough hands and bulging forearms told the story of a seasoned laborer. Elm felt his 252 00:23:11,748 --> 00:23:12,948 Speaker 1: positivity fading. 253 00:23:15,308 --> 00:23:21,068 Speaker 1: It hurts. Yeah. We've been taking bets on how many days you'll last. The 254 00:23:21,108 --> 00:23:26,128 Speaker 1: man pushed a small loaf of bread in front of Elm. I bet three, so eat up. 255 00:23:27,368 --> 00:23:28,608 Speaker 1: I don't think I can do it. 256 00:23:30,608 --> 00:23:35,988 Speaker 1: You can't do three? Anyone can do three. Just, uh, keep smiling when you see Wilton. 257 00:23:36,168 --> 00:23:40,368 Speaker 1: He's a big softie. I guarantee he won't fire you until the end of the week if he 258 00:23:40,388 --> 00:23:46,108 Speaker 1: doesn't see you pouting like this. I'm not pouting. Hmm. Could have fooled me. 259 00:23:46,848 --> 00:23:52,708 Speaker 1: Why are you talking to me? Hey, nice to meet you, too. The 260 00:23:52,748 --> 00:23:54,648 Speaker 1: man got up and started to walk away. 261 00:23:56,888 --> 00:24:02,508 Speaker 1: Thank you for the bread. He nodded and grinned. Just two more days, kid. 262 00:24:03,068 --> 00:24:03,908 Speaker 1: It gets easier. 263 00:24:05,428 --> 00:24:05,788 Speaker 1: Really? 264 00:24:07,548 --> 00:24:13,328 Speaker 1: He shrugged. I don't know. Maybe. Yard workers are crazy. See you, 265 00:24:13,388 --> 00:24:13,608 Speaker 1: kid. 266 00:24:15,192 --> 00:24:19,372 Speaker 1: Elm watched him go sit down with another group of men with similar builds. They 267 00:24:19,412 --> 00:24:23,472 Speaker 1: pointed back at Elm and, though he couldn't hear the words, they seemed upset. 268 00:24:23,992 --> 00:24:28,712 Speaker 1: Apparently, giving Elm lunch had changed the betting odds. A whistle blew and 269 00:24:28,772 --> 00:24:33,192 Speaker 1: everyone shuffled out of the break room. Elm sat on his stool, willing his aching 270 00:24:33,252 --> 00:24:39,052 Speaker 1: legs to move, begging his broken back to bend. When he finally made it back to the 271 00:24:39,112 --> 00:24:43,892 Speaker 1: outer yard, everyone else was already hard at work. Kel spared him an unfriendly 272 00:24:43,952 --> 00:24:49,452 Speaker 1: smile as he dragged his pieces, two at a time, to the stockpile. Elm pulled his saw 273 00:24:49,532 --> 00:24:55,532 Speaker 1: out of the locker. Gus's locker, technically. Gus's saw, too. Then 274 00:24:55,592 --> 00:24:59,532 Speaker 1: he looked down at his hands, already covered in blisters that threatened to pop. 275 00:25:01,432 --> 00:25:07,312 Speaker 1: I can't do it. I can't. He was going to lose it 276 00:25:07,412 --> 00:25:12,692 Speaker 1: all. Maybe it was just junk to everyone else, but it was the entire world to him. 277 00:25:13,452 --> 00:25:19,132 Speaker 1: In his room, with his things, that was the only place he truly felt at ease. His 278 00:25:19,192 --> 00:25:24,212 Speaker 1: father loved him, but he didn't understand him. This most recent shove was just more 279 00:25:24,272 --> 00:25:29,532 Speaker 1: proof. He gripped the saw tighter, thinking about how it resisted his every move. 280 00:25:30,212 --> 00:25:35,992 Speaker 1: Help me, you stupid thing. The saw was inert. Let 281 00:25:36,052 --> 00:25:37,392 Speaker 1: me use you. 282 00:25:39,272 --> 00:25:40,092 Speaker 1: No response. 283 00:25:43,052 --> 00:25:48,692 Speaker 1: I'm sorry Gus is gone. I'm not trying to replace him. I don't know what 284 00:25:48,752 --> 00:25:51,312 Speaker 1: happened, but I need you to work. 285 00:25:52,992 --> 00:25:57,672 Speaker 1: But the saw in his hands was simply a saw, and even though he understood the souls 286 00:25:57,732 --> 00:26:03,552 Speaker 1: of things, he felt silly for talking to himself. Then he remembered Luke's shoes. 287 00:26:04,072 --> 00:26:08,492 Speaker 1: They had talked to him. Maybe he could do that. 288 00:26:09,192 --> 00:26:15,072 Speaker 1: Somehow. But how did you talk to a saw? Elm went back out to the yard and 289 00:26:15,152 --> 00:26:20,912 Speaker 1: rolled a log away from the pile. You are going to cut this log like 290 00:26:21,052 --> 00:26:26,312 Speaker 1: you mean it. The first stroke bounced off the top of the log, barely scratching the 291 00:26:26,352 --> 00:26:32,332 Speaker 1: surface. Cut the log. The other men looked up from their work at him. He 292 00:26:32,392 --> 00:26:37,192 Speaker 1: ignored them. He was weird. He spent his whole life being weird. Why bother hiding 293 00:26:37,232 --> 00:26:43,192 Speaker 1: it? The next stroke dug into the log, then the saw caught and refused to be pulled 294 00:26:43,252 --> 00:26:48,412 Speaker 1: free. Cut the log. You okay? 295 00:26:49,652 --> 00:26:55,152 Speaker 1: Someone was talking to him. Renfro, maybe. It didn't matter. Elm was staring 296 00:26:55,252 --> 00:27:01,192 Speaker 1: single-mindedly at the saw. Cut. He pulled the saw free 297 00:27:01,232 --> 00:27:07,032 Speaker 1: and drove it back into the log. The. It started to pull off at a wild angle, 298 00:27:07,252 --> 00:27:11,652 Speaker 1: as if somebody were deliberately yanking it sideways. He ignored the buck and 299 00:27:11,832 --> 00:27:17,752 Speaker 1: forcibly kept it centered. Log. At last, the saw dug into the wood. 300 00:27:18,172 --> 00:27:23,392 Speaker 1: He willed it to dig deeper, not just with his tired arms, but with his mind. He 301 00:27:23,452 --> 00:27:28,432 Speaker 1: imagined the saw gliding effortlessly through the wood. He did his best to feel the 302 00:27:28,492 --> 00:27:34,032 Speaker 1: joy of a hard day's work, wanting to go home and rest, but also wanting to get back 303 00:27:34,132 --> 00:27:40,072 Speaker 1: to that simple pleasure of working with his body. That basic satisfaction of doing 304 00:27:40,132 --> 00:27:45,472 Speaker 1: work that mattered to people, even though his part was small, even though each 305 00:27:45,572 --> 00:27:51,432 Speaker 1: stroke of the saw was smaller still. Each stroke mattered. When he broke 306 00:27:51,492 --> 00:27:56,312 Speaker 1: free of the trance, it took a moment to understand what he was looking at. Sawdust 307 00:27:56,352 --> 00:28:01,712 Speaker 1: covered the ground before him. The huge log had been cut clean through in what must 308 00:28:01,752 --> 00:28:07,572 Speaker 1: have only been seconds. He couldn't remember. Lords above. There were 309 00:28:07,632 --> 00:28:13,152 Speaker 1: people standing around him, staring at him. Elm staggered backwards and almost 310 00:28:13,212 --> 00:28:18,652 Speaker 1: dropped the saw. It was happy? It hadn't spoken to him, 311 00:28:19,092 --> 00:28:24,392 Speaker 1: but he felt the satisfaction emanating from the saw like the sound of a tuning fork. 312 00:28:25,112 --> 00:28:28,852 Speaker 1: It positively hummed with joy. I 313 00:28:30,452 --> 00:28:36,451 Speaker 1: The other men wore expressions of awe, confusion, or in Kel's case, distrust. 314 00:28:37,212 --> 00:28:42,972 Speaker 1: I, um, I sharpened it. It makes a big difference. Taliki walked over and felt the 315 00:28:43,012 --> 00:28:48,152 Speaker 1: teeth of the saw, moving his hands slowly as if it might bite him. It feels 316 00:28:48,992 --> 00:28:54,172 Speaker 1: normal, like any saw. Elm shrugged and started another cut. 317 00:28:54,992 --> 00:28:59,832 Speaker 1: He felt the saw sink deep into the wood on the very first stroke. He quickly pulled 318 00:28:59,892 --> 00:29:03,952 Speaker 1: back on it so the others wouldn't notice. With deliberate effort, he cut through the 319 00:29:04,012 --> 00:29:09,812 Speaker 1: log at a slower pace. It felt like holding back a wall of water. The saw 320 00:29:09,892 --> 00:29:15,272 Speaker 1: wanted to cut now. Why was he holding it back? He promised it purpose. 321 00:29:15,752 --> 00:29:21,652 Speaker 1: Wasn't it supposed to cut? He could sense its confusion. He cut through the log at a 322 00:29:21,712 --> 00:29:25,932 Speaker 1: fraction of the speed as the first time, although it was still significantly faster 323 00:29:25,992 --> 00:29:31,772 Speaker 1: than anyone else on the crew. Then he started the final cut on his log. At times, he 324 00:29:31,832 --> 00:29:36,312 Speaker 1: had to remind himself just to use two hands and to make it look like he was actually 325 00:29:36,392 --> 00:29:40,692 Speaker 1: struggling, when in reality, he had to do little more than just hold the thing. 326 00:29:42,012 --> 00:29:46,072 Speaker 1: Eventually, the rest of the crew went back to work, but they looked over at Elm 327 00:29:46,132 --> 00:29:50,792 Speaker 1: frequently. He might be cutting faster now, but the logs were still incredibly 328 00:29:50,852 --> 00:29:56,752 Speaker 1: heavy. He spent most of his afternoon shift just hauling the things around. By 329 00:29:56,792 --> 00:30:01,812 Speaker 1: the time the closing whistle blew, he was ready to collapse. He should have been 330 00:30:01,872 --> 00:30:03,492 Speaker 1: ready to collapse hours ago. 331 00:30:05,152 --> 00:30:09,652 Speaker 1: Something had changed when they all put their equipment away. Renfro looked 332 00:30:09,712 --> 00:30:14,732 Speaker 1: quizzically at the locker and then back at Elm. Then he grinned. We'll make sure to 333 00:30:14,772 --> 00:30:19,112 Speaker 1: put your name on that locker tomorrow. Then the crew cleared out of the equipment 334 00:30:19,172 --> 00:30:24,752 Speaker 1: shed, except for one other person. Kel stood in the doorway, blocking Elm's exit. 335 00:30:25,312 --> 00:30:30,812 Speaker 1: You won't ruin this for me, Elm. Don't make me hurt you. I'm not doing 336 00:30:30,872 --> 00:30:36,772 Speaker 1: anything. Kel shook his head slowly, dismissing his words. I don't know what you're 337 00:30:36,832 --> 00:30:42,712 Speaker 1: doing, and I don't care. Don't come back to work tomorrow. Then he left Elm 338 00:30:42,792 --> 00:30:47,552 Speaker 1: alone in the equipment shed. And just like that, his hopes withered. 339 00:30:48,592 --> 00:30:54,072 Speaker 1: Things brought him joy, but people, people only brought him pain.