Breakwall - 1.5 - Olivia’s Odyssey

LOST AT SEA

2099, Somewhere on the North Atlantis Ocean. This audio log belonged to Olivia (Mother of Jonny) and was taken during their pilgrimage to Neo-Atlantis aboard a smugglers ship. Follow us on Twitter for more and join us again on March 8th for Episode 2.0, Gold, Ashes and Sea. Please visit our website for transcripts and ways to support the show via merch or by becoming a patron on Patreon! Thanks for listening!

CREDITS:

Amy Newark as Olivia

Music and Sound Effects from Syrinscape & Audioblocks

TRANSCRIPT

[The clicking of a recorder, the same one that Jonny will use many years later. The sound of waves and a rocking ship.]

OLIVIA

“In my mind I see still the fires of an old world blooming over an endless sea. What will be our legacy, we who fled… if not hope and guilt. For my eyes cannot unsee that which they’ve witnessed… and my conscience weighs heavy for all who could not make it this far.

If that sounds melancholy then I suppose I’ll have to admit that it is. I fear to recall the things I’ve seen since leaving Glasgow… or whatever it is that remains of it. I wonder if I should have seen it coming. If I should have packed my little family up earlier and made for somewhere safer. Somewhere with a working economy… A place that didn’t birth the desperation that formed roving mobs of hungry labourmen with barren bank accounts and empty bellies… Angry and… just taking everything they could until they burnt out. Eating the rich. Maybe even literally at this point, I don’t know. There… I don’t think there is much left of Britain at this point. They said this was one of the last ships. They said we were the lucky ones. Unlike most refugee ships that were heading towards North America or Germany… our man had connections. That’s why he was fetching for a higher price.

We’ve been over a month on this ship and I can swear it’s been far too long. That we should have seen the walls of Neo-Atlantis already. The crew seems restless and I can’t help but wonder if these people-movers are stalling. Circling and waiting for their best chance, perhaps? Or has that contact of theirs dried up and left us all stranded together in the middle of the ocean? I suppose there's no way to tell. We’re little more then cargo to them.

My husband, Aiden… is sick. I can hear him coughing through all hours, along with the other passengers in quarantine. I sneak in, from time to time and just stay there; holding his hand. I’m trying to compartmentalize it. This life that could be mine, this life without him.

No… No. Olivia, Remember that you MUST keep a strong face if for nothing then for Heather’s sake.

[Sighs]

Oh, Heather. She asked me earlier who I was talking to when I spoke into this old box. The truth is, I’m not exactly even sure anymore. We’re leaving nothing behind us but ghosts. I just told her… just told her that it was so that there was something to remember me by. That someone would listen to it someday.

There aren’t many children on this ship, for what reason I can’t be sure but thank god there are a few at least. Heathers taken to playing with one of the younger boys.

[Mocking herself at a silly situation]

OH! Of course. That reminds me. I’ve been referring to my daughter by her old name! God awful. You see, Heather traded her name away for seven bottle caps, a roll of twine and the boys name, ‘Jonny’. She’s already corrected me three times now… I suppose there’s no harm in letting her keep it until we get off this boat. Lord only knows we need the distraction.

My little Jonny. Sleeping as if all the world is waiting for you to open your eyes back up again. Who’s to say… maybe it is. Time to fit in some sleep of my own. Perhaps tomorrow we’ll be looking up at the white walls of Neo-Atlantis; putting this nightmare behind us.