Chapter 11-School

As I lay in bed that night, streaming movies and playing video games, I couldn't help but continue to think about what Dan said. I did not come to work here to put my life at risk, but I also didn't want to fail my mission and lose my job. Hopefully, there weren't even any agents here, as he said it was only a theory that could bring a possibility of the event happening. It still sent chills down my spine, however. Looking at the time, it was now midnight. I turned the lights off, shut my eyes, and thought about what this day might bring.

Bleep, bleep, bleep. That was the sound of my iHolo' s alarm that I set for 7 in the morning. I grudgingly got up and groaned as I did so. I walked into the tiny bathroom and took a quick shower before joining Rob and Susan for breakfast. Today was my first day of school. Because I was still under 18, I could join the town's school without raising any questions. As I walked out of my tiny room, Susan and Rob were there, sitting at the table with theirs and my breakfast already made. It put a smile on my face, but it also brought back a sad memory: on my first day of school in Kansas when I was 5, I was sent to school without breakfast because my mother and father were both hungover and in bed after being drunk all night. They didn't even care to get up and at least tell me goodbye as I walked out the door to experience the only first day of a pivotal moment in my life. I already knew to wait for the bus, but I went to school without having my hair brushed, presentable clothes laid out for me, or the sufficient nutrition for the day, as no kindergartener can quite take care of themselves. As I sat down to join my new "parents," I was trying to hold back my happy tears, but unfortunately, they noticed. "What's wrong, Elijah?" Susan said, "Oh, nothing, I have something in my eye, and it won't come out," I chuckled, trying to hide my emotional self. Thankfully, they bought it, and I finished up my cereal and headed to the door. Most kids walked alone to school in this time period, so I went ahead of Rob and Susan while they finished up a few things in our mobile home. "Phew, okay. You got this, Eli," I said to myself. I hadn't been alone yet in 1856, so I had better hope I didn't screw up.

As I walked along the dirt road, I practiced in my head what I would do when I first walked into the school building. "Hi, I'm Elijah," no, people didn't often say "hi" in 1856. I'll just walk in without saying anything until someone notices me. I was so nervous about messing up that I tried to soak in every last minute of walking to this school alone. Unfortunately, after a 10 minute walk, I was facing my worst fear at the moment: there it was, a building jointly used as a church and a school.

I saw many towns children running to the schoolhouse together, laughing and playing. The younger boys threw dirt at each other while some chased the girls around. Because of past trauma, I did have a slight social anxiety, and seeing lots of children who already knew each other made my stomach hurt and my face sweat. I took a deep breath and walked up the stairs to the building. The smell of the wood was something I had never smelled before, as most buildings I had been in were made of anything but wood due to high timber prices. Alas, I walked into the room, which was a series of pews and children sitting in various locations. I received many stares. There were very young children there as well as some who looked as old as me.

"Alright, settle down, class!" The teacher said. She was a young, small, frail woman who seemed like she would have no control over such energetic children, but she was more confident and stern than I had perceived her to be. "Today, we have a new student with us! Please be kind to him, as he is not from around here. Let's welcome Elijah!" The class was silent as everyone stared at me. The teacher, recognizing the awkwardness, asked where I was from originally. Remembering my training, I said, "I'm from farther north in Mississippi, and my father is down here for a few months to take care of some loggin' business." I nailed that accent! As most of the children displayed little interest, I noticed three girls my age looking back at me from the front whispering and giggling as they glanced back and forth at each other and I. Oh, dear. I would do my best to avoid them because I really didn't want to form relationships, as I was told not to. After a few hours of a very boring and ridiculously easy lesson, I received my books and homework and bolted out the door, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. Just as I thought I was home free, I heard rapid footsteps behind me and a tap on the shoulder. I turned around to see one of the teen girls, smiling at me with a blushed face. A good 20 feet behind her were her friends watching her and giggling. I swear, they acted like they were 12. Now, the one who tapped me on the shoulder seemed much more mature than the other two, and she was quite beautiful as well. Her blue eyes twinkled in the sunshine, and her long, wavy hair riddled in the slight breeze. I couldn't lie, she was highly attractive, and I was frozen in awe. "Hey," she said in a charming southern accent, "I see that you're new here. If you ever need help findin' things or help with your schoolwork, just let me know! You'll find that this little ole town isn't too complicated." "Uh, uh, thanks! I'll be sure to let ya know!" I gave a weak smile and quickly turned around to rush home. I hated to seem like some antisocial guy and passively turn her away like that, but I had to remember that she didn't even exist in 2108.