Chapter Three: The Old Man in School

Children did not thrive in the End. I had seen many of them being torn apart or killed without a single show of compassion or pity. In a world where the strong ruled, there was no food for weak mouths. Maybe if you were an overlord or the tyrant of a small survivor fortified camp you culd have the luxury of having children, but being honest the bastards who reach that position did not care about others nd just used women as toys and objects to satisfy their desires. They rarely bonded with anyone and although I am sure there were rare cases, most just cared about themselves.

Being honest, anyone would be crazy to think the End was somewhat near to be the best environment to raise a family. In that world betrayal and deception were the common rule. You could simply not rule out the possibility of having your partner stabbing you in your sleep while you slept or even while having a good time in bed. You could never be sure if the person really was attracted to you or if they had another plan. They could be assassins in the worst cases, or scammers in the best. You did not kow if they had a secret vendetta against you or if had been paid by someone to seduce you and kidnap you or kill you. Brothels were booming since at least you knew what the other person wanted.

- "Please I want food… take her… you can do whatever you want with her!!!"

Of course, there were children and in most case they came from por women who had not had any choice about having them after being assaulted by savages. The life expectancy was extremely low and I had seen many times hungry women literally selling their children, eve babies in exchange of food or any other other necessary object. The poor children wold be used as slaves or worse, I prefer not to mention it.

- "You said it's mine but you've slept with half of the men here so I don't think it's my child"- had said one of those when I was living one of those fortresses in a mission I was doing.

He simply denied the fact and after she had shouted at him to take responsibility, the savage had stabbed her in the belly killing her and the baby inside. This showed the state of people in that era. There was not a shred of the natural love a father would feel for his child. Maybe he did not really cared, or he believed she had slkept with others or simply he knew he did not have the resources nor the patient to raise a child. Point is, he preferred to get rid of the problem and nobody blamed him for that. Some hours later, he had three other women in his bed and they knew very well what would happen if they dared test that man.

- "Show me your wares old man"- had said one of those rare children when I had passed for another camp.

As Children were rare, they were wild, daring and ruthless. The child who had demanded to see my wares had an AKM rifle and was ready to use it. He was a good client and I was very disappointed when I heard tht later his camp had been raided and he had been killed along with all his gang. Why am I talking about this right now, you ask? Well, because now I'm completely surrounded by dozens of children and young men and women. This sight would make anyone from the End be in absolute shock and awe.

- "Seriously my parents don't want to buy me the console… my life is ruined…"

I heard one child complain. I had forgotten how stupid we were in those times worrying about silly things and thinking it was the end of the world. When the real End came, people really changed their priorities. But again, I was once one of those stupid kids so I have not moral to criticize. So I just follow the path to the central yard where all students were formed and took my place in the grup that I belonged to.

- "Good morning and welcome to another year where we expect all of you will learn about…"

As usual, We started with by singing the national anthem followed by the inauguration speech by the principal who seemed to love the sound of his voice. I had forgotten how boring and pointless these endless speeches were. Worse is that since I am the tallest student, I was formed on the first line which made it very obvious if I yawned or got distracted

- "Seriously man, stop this already"- I said thinking that it would be funny if the principal were to faint right now.

After a long and tortuous time, the old man finally freed us and we clapped, more for the fact that he finally ended than the content of it. After that, other teachers speak until finally we are sent to our classroom which is the same I remember. I went to my assigned seat and immediately took out a notebook to start organizing my ideas. Many of my classmates looked at me with curiosity due to the fact that even though we should be able to write and read already, most did not do it very well and very rarely they had the custom of taking notes which they only learned to do in higher levels.

- "Seriously, kids. Stop looking at me as if I were the strange one"- I said to them in my mind- "you will do this a lot in the future… or maybe not… in a few years we will have smart phones and tablets… anyways"

I ignored them and continue writing. I find it surprising that my wrist started to get tired. It seemed these tiny muscles need more training and I massaged the area as I check my work.

1. I somehow returned in time to when I was 9 years old and 4th grade in elementary school. In about a year I will be transferred to a school with a much better education level.

2. I managed to retain my memories from all these years. This also include fresh memories which I had already forgotten in my old self. Maybe it was because my old and future me combined memories.

3. I have around 30 years before the event which had received many names like "the great calamity," "The Red Era," or simply "The end" which is how I referred to it. I need to prepare for it and accumulate resources since around 15 years in the future there will be a scientific revolution in nuclear energy which will allow a tremendous leap in technology that will be used to save and protect my mother and family.

4. The end will arrive in the year…

- "Eh?"- I stopped writing since I noticed that I do not remember the yar that the End will arrive- "strange…"

I can easily retell the evets that occurred before and during the End , but for some reason I can't recall dates… not even the general year. I know how old I was somehow, but even that seemed to be foggy in my memory. Maybe it was a side effect of the time travel, and those details would return with time. It still left a sour taste in my mouth since one of the things I have always been proud of is my mental capacity and attention to detail. So having these memory problems were really annoying.

- "Anyway… let's continue"- I said and wrote dopwn everything I could remember with most details I could remember. By the time I had finished, I had written three pages and still had many more things to do ,but I considered that it was enough for the moment and ended with some objectives that I had set up in general.

Objectives:

- Save mom from sickness: Around 20 years

- Reach my top level of strength and intelligence before the End arrives.

- Accumulate resources and connections to be able to get enhancements and equipment until the things calm down and we can live somehow in peace and comfort,

I know they were just to general ideas, but at least I knew where to go, I could think in the details later. "A man without objectives is klike a boat in the middle of the storm being moved from here to there without any control nor destination." I still don't know why I am here or how it is possible, I don't even know if I can alter the future as I'm planning to do. However, there is one thing I am absolutely sure about. This is an opportunity I will definitely take advantage of and will not waste.

- "Good morning, everybody"- said a voice which was potent and decisive- "take a seat, please."

The man standing in front of the class has a tall and slim built. He has short and wavy hair and his clothes are formal. He inspired respect and his look is honest but piercing as if he could see through all of us easily. I did not notice in my past life, butnow that I see him, I realized this man is someone who knows his way around. His walking and way opf moving indicated that he had military training. His steps are not too long nor too short which saved energy and did not waste energy unnecessarily. Even though he was surrounded by children, whom he very essily could deal with if necessary, he was in constant guard and ready to react in case of any kind of attack.

- "Good morning, Young ones. My name is Nelson Iturri and I will be your tutor for this year"- he said very confidently and using simple language so that everyone could undesrtand him- "Follow the rules and we will be friends. Break the rules and you will be punished. However, it will be nothing personal, I am doing just my job. Any questions?

I smiled at this especially seeing that many students seemed scared of this teacher. To be honest, I liked this teacher. He was always straight forward and did not like to beat around the bush. He always told you the things as they were and I had sen him lecturing not only students but even parents who had originally come to complain. His mere presence was enough to shut up the most reellious brats in school and there was not friendship nor favors that could stop hium from doing what he considered correect. As far as I remembered, he was the perfect example of integrity and morality. I wonder what happened to him during the end. He seemed in his late 30's so by the time of the End he would hvav eben old. I just hope he had a pleasant and uneventful passing since the End was a harsh reality for old people. This I knew better than anyone.

- "Good"- he said after none of the students made any questions- "we will review the rules of the class and then we will decide the objectives of this year."

-"Profesor...erm..."- said a timid voice from on of my classmates.

-" Yes?"

-"¿Erm… why do we need an objective?"- the small student said witha low voice- "last year we only had class rules."

- "I'm glad you asked"- said Nelson smiling approvingly- "if anyone have any doubt, I implore you to follow your classmate example and ask. I do not dislike question, quite the opposite since it indicates you are paying attention and you want to learn."

Whisoer iof surprise and good attitude rose in all the class. Nelson always encouraged his students to ask and undertsnad the reasons behinda rules instead of just follow it blindly. This helped me developed critical thinking and analysis.

- "And answering to your question, the answer is simple…"- said Teacher Iturri- "it's because a man without objectives is like a boat left adrift that will never reach a port…"

I simply smiled, to be honest I had forgotten who I had heard this from. It had been a phrase that had helped me through all my life and made me very active and during the End when being idle could lead to have dangerous thoughts, it helped me to literally survive by setting goals in order to keep myself busy.

- "A boat…?"

Most of my classmates did not understand the example, and to be honest I did not either until later in life. Why would 9 year-old children understand something like this? However, teacher Iturri did not try to immediately explain and just sat down for a moment letting the children absorb and contemplate his words. He did not rush them and just le tus enjoy the silence.

- "What does it mean?"- finally someone said after a while.

- "what do you think it means?"- asked back Iturri with a relaxed voice while smiling.

- "I… erm… maybe…"- the child doubted since as any typical student, he was afraid of giving the wrong answer.

- "Just tell me your opinion…"- said Iturri encouraging the boy- "the fact you had the bravery to express yourself is already a victory. If you are wrong, so what? Even your teachers are wrong from time to time… so why can't you? If you already knew everything, what would be the point in coming to school? So what do you think?"

My classmate, who I don't remember the name, seemed to relax and got some confidence to answer. Iturri was strict but he was always fair. He had this natural abilitiy to make students relax and have the confidence to speak. He also tried to mix some life teachings along with his normal subect since according to him a teacher should also teach moral and principles and not only calculations. If I did not become a complete degenerate during the End, it was due to the principles he ingrained in me during this time even though it was just three years.

- "If we don't have objectives, we will be lost and without control?"- said my classmate

- "That's a nice point"- said Iturri approving the answer- "but it also means…"

- "We would waste time and energy…"- I mumbled remembering other lesson he had said later. He immediately looked in my direction.

- "What was that?"- he asked me and I just noticed he heard me. He did not look bothered, but curious due to my answer.

-"If a person does not have clear objectives, he will wander blindly wasting time and energy he could use in better things"- I explained myself knowing that it would be useless to pretend I said nothing.

Iturri looked at me with a big grin. His eyes lokked at me intensely as if trying to read my houghts and understand how a nine-year-old boy could give such eloquent answer.

- "Cristian, right?"- he asked and for some reason I detect something in his look. I felt like a rabbit being eyes by a tiger and for some reason, my instinct, well trained during the End, alerted me that this person was someone dangerous- "excellent answer… just raise your hand next time."

- "Yes, sir"- I said as I tried to return to the safety of my isolation.

I knew very well it was better not to stand out. I was supposed to be a shy nine-year-old who did not know better. It was better this way, the only thing that standing out would bring were problems. To confirm this, I already feel the nasty and angry look of someone on my neck. I know who it is, but I just ignore it. I know I will have to deal with it later, so for now just focus in the classes.

- "Please open your book on page…"- the classes continued and I am surprised of how easy the topics are. Of course, there is nothing extraordinary abut an old man like me to do activities for elementary school children. I ried not to call much attention to myself and just make others believe I am just a little more intelligent than the rest.

Even so, many teachers call me to the front of the class to solve some activities or to answer a question when others can't. Seriously teachers! I just want to chill and not standing out here! Why are you calling me out so much? Once again, I felt the piercing look of someone who has bad intentions. In comparison with the deadly and bloodthirst auras I had to deal with in the End, this leel of threat was just annoying. I looked at the source and found a brat who was looking at me with great hatred.

- "I supposed there are things that are unavoidable"- I said as I sat down after returning to my seat.

The ring of the bell marked the start of the break in the morning. I took out my lunchbox with great expectations. If it is as delicious as in the morning, I would really feel in the heaven. You could choose to eat in the yard, but I preferred eating inside the class to avoid accidents. I tried to ignore the brat who was showing hostility to me but I noticed he was already approaching me along with four of his lackeys. His name was Luis, but he preferred to be call "Kori," I really don't know why, and to be honest, I could not care less. He was a dimwit who had repeated the year twice so he was older than the rest. His circle was formed by bullies who loved to abuse the weak. I remembered what happened in my previous life and I immediately hid my lunchbox, knowing he would try to make me react by throwing it into the floor.

- "What are you going to eat today, Chrissy?"- Kori asked mentioning the nickname I detested so much.

- "I do not know…"- I answered casually moving my position to one in which I could react in case things went South.- "I was about to discover it when you interrupted me."

This response which was totally different to what he expected, sent his brain to a chaotic confusion. This brat was used to intimidate others with his wide physique and most of the time, his victims would cower in fear while trying to avoid his look. However, here I was, one of his victims, daring not only talk back, but looking directly into his eyes as if daring him to act. He must have been thinking that I was crazy, but at the same time, as your typical coward, he did not know what to do in a situation like this.

- "The Sun must have risen up from the East"- he said recovering from the initial confusion and stepping forward to assert dominance- "the little girl grew a mouth!"

The fool did not know he had just positioned himself to receive a kick in the groin, something I was totally ready to give him. However, I decided to see how much I could push his buttons.

- "First of all, Lucienne…"- I said returning the favor and using a nickname he disliked- "the Sun rises up in the East, the point of the phrase you use is to mentioned any other point, and second I always had a mouth, and I can use it to speak owr language correctly and not sound like an absolute caveman like you."

This comment made the people who were still in the class turned to us and paid more attention. It was as if I had sworn or something since all students around just stopped talking and looked in shock. They started to look at me as if I was a dead man and many started to move to the exit in order not to be involved.

- "You… son of a…"- he started moving and rising his fist but then I just block his view with my hand.

- "Are you sure you want to do that, Lucienne?"- I said and used a cold voice which had an effect on the poor child- "after what happened to Nico, I don't think even your daddy could help you."

My words stopped him in situ as if I had used a spell. Just a few months ago during the closure of the previous year he had beaten a classmate called Nico, who had tried to defend himself. The result was that Nico had been sent to the hospital with some broken bones by emergency. The event was a great scandal, especially since Kori's father was a recognized syndicate leader who always tried to create the reputation of a social fighter who always defended the weak against the powerful and evil companies. However, imagine the news of his own son beaten a child who was younger than him. His father had moved all his connections in order shove this event under the rug. Some people even said that he had paid a lot of money to the school and the family of the victim to have a "private settlement."

- "I wonder what your father would say if he had to pay another sum of money in order to clean your mess…"- I said grinning at him as I stood up and place myself on his level. I had always been tall in comparison with the rest of my classmates so Kori and me were almost the same height. The problem in my past life was that I did not know how to fight and that Kori was heavier than me- "I heard he was not very happy last time…"

"Not happy" was an understatement, since according to the rumors, the beater had been beaten so badly by his father that Kori himself had passed some days in the hospital. Maybe it was not as badly as the rumors said, but the look of horror in his ugly face told me it was not an exaggeration either.

- "Now, if your monkey brain understood your situation, I suggest you to get the hell away from me and study so you don't have to repeat the year again"- I said placing my hand on his shoulder and talking to him with a clear condescending tone- "you don't want to still be in school after getting married and being the classmate of your own son, do you?"

This last comment caused many giggles and laughs from some classmates who tried to hid very quickly. Kori's face was extremely red and looked like the rear of a baboon, even though I should say the baboon's rear would look better. Sheesh, he was ugly! I enjoyed all the facial expressions that was making, trying to decide if the expulsion and the beating of his father was worth attacking me. I simply watch confidently. He did not notice, but my posture and hands position were in guard to react to any type of attack he could send my way. Being honest, a part of me really wanted him to do it.

- "Student Cristian, I need to talk to you"- said the voice of a senior student which had a special cord added to his uniform, indicating he was an "Overseer," which was a special student with authority over the rest of his classmates given by the teachers.

- "Of course"- I said giving a final look of disdain to Kori with a grin as I walked toward the overseer.

I must confess that my behavior was extremely childish, and it would hve been easy to find a more peaceful and mature solution. However, once again it seemed this body was affecting my mind also. Also, I knew Kori was just too stupid to let this go and I would have to deal with him permanently sooner or later. So, in that case I did not see the point in trying to smooth talk the situation. Return good will with triple the favor, return bad will with ten times the revenge. I have always done that during the End, and it was something I was not planning on changing now.

- "Someone saying it was your relative sent this to you"- the senior said as he passed me an envelope- "I must remind you that this type of messages are not permitted and I will ask you to inform that to your family. This will be the last time since the person said it was extremely urgent and the teacher in charge considered it to be an exception. This is not the norm, Am I clear?"

- "Of course, senior"- I said lowering my head in sign of gratitude- "I apologize for the inconvenience"

After that, the overseer just left and I observed the envelope. He was right, this type of private messaging was not permitted in the school. In case of emergency the most logical would have been to call me to the principal office or eve letting me meet my relative. This was utterly suspicious, but it was not a good idea to ignore either, so I carefully open the envelope making sure there was no suspicious ingredients. It contained a letter with a small message.

"Mr. Cristian Mireillos:

Your first misión will commence tomorrow after clases. You must defeat Luis Ferandis. You must not cause any permanent injury nor kill the target. The other individuals are negligible and can be ignored, but there will be additional rewards depending on the way, the mission is executed.

Mission Rank: G

Base reward: Genetic booster F3 Class.

Best Regards

C.K