Chapter 3 Learning
When I walked into the classroom, none of the students paid me any mind. I preferred that since I didn't want to be recognized by anyone who crowded around me earlier this morning. As I was walking deeper into the classroom, I noticed several large windows on the side of the classroom that viewed the larger part of the outside section of the school.
This place continues to amaze me with how large it is, even though I have only seen a small part of it, I thought to myself, staring at the window.
Outside, I saw the school courtyard, a large open area with some trees and benches with pathways going in all directions. It was stunning, almost too hard to put into words with how breathtaking it was.
The courtyard was mostly empty except for some lingering students, probably because it was almost time for the school day to start.
Stepping away from the window, I turned around and found myself a seat to sit in. I didn't want this morning's scene to ruin how I performed at this school or how I was looked at. I want to jump headfirst into being the best I can, I yelled in my mind to excite myself and forget the whole event even happened.
I sat in the chair when suddenly what I presumed to be the teacher entered the classroom. He was an older gentleman with no facial hair and what seemed like no hair on his head. Kind of like Grandpa, I giggled in my mind.
"All right, students, for those who know the Oath of Future Tech, please rise and say it aloud. For those who are new here, please try your best to learn it as fast as possible. Thank you."
I didn't know what he was talking about. I was starting to think Grandpa had left out so much about what I was supposed to know. Most of the students got up and took a pose with their fingers down except the index and middle finger staying up and put them to their chest.
I tried to imitate their pose because I didn't want anyone to think I was new here, even though I was pretty sure those who knew how to do it could see me struggling. Then as a classroom, everyone said, "We take upon this Oath, to the Country of Freila, stand for Eden, that we may all live indivisibly, user and non-user alike."
I did my best to mouth the words everyone was saying. What a weird way of starting the day, I thought to myself.
The teacher told us to sit down. "All right, students. As some of you may know, this year, we are holding the opportunity to undergo the TACs."
The TACs sounded like a test to me, although if it were about something I didn't know, like this country's history, then I might not be so good.
The teacher continued, "The TACs are a serious time in your life if you so choose to participate, but I'm sure the reward for completing it is more than enough to convince at least most of you." Towards the end of his sentence, he sounded a tad upset, which made me wonder what caused his displeasure. "But enough of that. It's time to start class," he finished off.
All the students did something to make a projected screen of some sort appear out of nowhere. How did they do that, the voice in my head screamed out. Was there supposed to be another thing Grandpa didn't tell me?
The panic started to set in me as I looked around to see how the other students were able to do it, but even the ones I assumed to be new to the school had them out as well.
"Now, if we are all read—" the teacher began but stopped midway through. "Miss, why don't you have your book out?" he asked.
I thought he was possibly referring to another student who was having trouble keeping up, but he was talking to me.
"I, uh," I stuttered.
The other students began to look at me, and some seemed to be holding back their laughter. The crumbling feeling I felt this morning started to boil again inside of me. I didn't want to have this feeling anymore.
But then I heard a voice beside me.
"Pssst... hey, new kid," it whispered out.
I looked towards where the voice was coming from to see a student putting his hand beside his mouth to keep his voice low. He did this thing where he put his thumb on his chest, but I didn't know what he was referring to.
"Miss, are you going to open your book, or do I have to send you to the office?" the teacher prodded.
My heart thumped faster and faster. I didn't know why the student who got my attention did that, and I didn't want to get in trouble the very first day of school. Who knew how upset Grandpa would be.
The student kept pressing his thumb on his chest, repeating the gesture with more force.
"Do this!" his whisper almost turned into a shout.
I put my thumb on my chest where the crest of the school's emblem was located, and out came a projected screen.
The student sighed in relief, having finally gotten me to successfully bring out my "book," as they called it.
"Thank you, miss," the teacher said.
Everyone in the class went back to focusing on the book and turning their heads back towards the teacher.
"Thanks," I whispered out to him.
He smiled and gave me a thumbs up.
We both looked at his thumb and held in our laughter, almost as if it were our new inside joke. It was the thumb that gave me trouble.
"Now, students, as I said before, if you are certain you want to partake in the TACs, you best be prepared. Also, I should mention that in the event of a drought, you might be chosen to participate, which you should be proud of since you are making a change in society by doing so. Please keep that in mind," the teacher explained.
In my book, the name Mr. Watkins was listed on the top-right screen. It was most likely the teacher's name.
On the first day of school, we mostly learned about the school's purpose and how it came to be. It was established not too long ago, around five years after the Fall of Mankind, as they named it. The school was meant to bring in both users and non-users alike in a variety of fields. However, a well-known fact about the school was that it had the largest attending group of users in the world. It would train anyone to become a vanguard, and they were proud of that. There were seven vanguards in this country, all of which periodically visited the school.
What was surprising to me was how they managed to get things mostly under control so shortly after the Fall happened. We were taught that ten percent of the entire population was wiped out because of what had happened. Within the country, several deserted areas now belonged to the carnivores. They all ranged in dangerousness, going from "Danger Zone," which, technically, we all lived in, considering the danger we put ourselves in every day with these creatures being here, "Dead Ends," which are areas with more carnivores. However, the Vanguards' Comp. had information on the layout and an estimate on how many carnivores were in said area. Finally, "Extinction," which were extremely dangerous areas because they didn't have much information on what went on inside them. Each time they had sent a group in to scout and to try and take out as many carnivores as they could, nobody returned alive.
Overall, though the history lesson was interesting, I couldn't wrap my head around everything. I was extremely young ten years ago, so I hadn't experienced what everyone had gone through.
Although I wanted to pay attention to what was said, I was having fun messing around with my book. I never thought something like this could be real or even exist. All I had ever seen was a scrapped computer, and that looked ancient compared to this thing.
Before I knew it, the bell had rung.
"Hey, newbie," a familiar voice spoke out.
I looked, and it was the student who helped me with my book speaking to me.
"That bell means it's lunchtime. Come on," he gestured to go with him and everyone else.
I got up from my seat. Putting my thumb on the crest logo on my uniform, I closed the book.
"I see you've gotten the hang of how to use it, and from the looks of how much you were messing with it during class, I can tell you probably know more about it than I do... just be careful when doing it during class, ok? Don't want to get in trouble," he warned me.
We started walking to the cafeteria. However, it was more me following him since I wasn't shown the way there by Corny? Carny? Something like that, I couldn't really remember.
"By the way, I never got your name," he said.
"Oh... it's Carnite", I told him.
"Carnite, huh.. cool name."
We found our way to the cafeteria entrance with students around us left and right. Some were storming the place in a way that seemed like if they didn't hurry up, they wouldn't get to the food before it ran out.
The cafeteria looked huge, with tables spread all around with one section designated for getting the food and drinks. I had never seen a cafeteria before, so I was anxious to note what the experience would be like.
"H-hey... I never got your name," I told him.
He chuckled.
"How could I ask for someone's name but not give out my own?" He gave me a thumbs up. "My name's Quint. Nice to meet you, Carnite. I hope we have a good school year together."
Chapter 3 - End
Edited by: Katepopa (Fiverr)
