Prologue:

Changing the world was not a job for a single man—not a normal one at least. It was something that life, along with those around him, never failed to remind him. At some point even he used to think like that, believing that living in such a world was meaningless, having no dreams or goals to pursue. He dropped university two times, worked only enough to survive and even his family gave up on him eventually.

Thankfully, he managed to turn around his life and find a purpose.

One day he ran into a certain high school teacher. He was the kind of teacher that liked to preach about the future and wanting to change his students for society’s sake. At the time he thought it was a foolish goal, but now… now he made up his mind to pursue the same ideals, no matter how often the society seemed unwilling to change.

Devin Harrison walked home after another disappointing day.

Why doesn't anyone want a career after high school anymore? He thought.

The generational gap between him and his students seemed to be abysmal, even when there was barely more than a decade of difference. In the past all he dreamed of was getting a successful engineering career and working as a software developer, but kids nowadays only wanted to involve themselves with the biological arts.

And worse of all, he chose history to teach in a time when his students only cared for the progress in the future and totally ignored the glorious feats of the past.

He sighed, feeling like an old man.

Devin kept walking, dejected, when he saw one of his students across the road. He was with other two boys of around his age, and by all the things adorning their faces, they had to be hardcores of the bio arts. They did not seem like the kind of people a boy like him would hang with.

He was a boy with whom he identified himself quite a bit. The boy had a good brain and could do great when he was interested in something, the problem being, that he had not particular interests apart from the occasional trend and the bio arts as everyone else. The boy was just like him before meeting his teacher again, only needing someone to encourage him to invest himself in his future. And he, as his teacher, wanted to be that someone.

He walked towards his student, but as he got closer, he saw the boy turn away and run towards the road with a flustered face.

“Watch out!” He shouted. Down the road came one of those old buses, on circulation only for the sake of the extremely poor people that could not afford other means of transport. The light was green and the driver looked at who knows what in the sky.

Steeling his nerves, Devin dashed forward to push his student out of the way. The bus did not show any sign of stopping and neither did his student, but if he was fast enough, he could stop the boy before he crossed the bus and both would be safe.

But life not always goes as expected.

When he grabbed his student to push him away, the boy stopped abruptly and struggled with him for a moment. That moment would cost them both their lives if he did not do something. Without thinking, he kicked his student and threw him out of the bus’ path, but he himself stumbled backwards and fell right in front of the giant wheels.

The whole world turned bright for a moment and then darkened. He felt an immense weight crush him, but then it vanished. He could feel his body roll and bounce on something hard, but soon it also ended.

Whispers.

Voices.

Screams.

It all came to his ears little by little and then he could open his eyes. The first thing he saw was the student he just saved, crying and whimpering.

“… sorry, teacher, I’m sorry.”

Devin thought that such an accident would be devastating, but if he was still conscious and the boy could recognize him, then maybe the accident was not that bad. He did not feel pain, after all.

“…don’t worry, boy…” His voice came out softer than expected.

The boy realized that his teacher was awake, and brought his face closer to hear better. “What?” His voice trembled.

“…you’re the future of the world, I can’t let you get harmed, right?…” He felt that it was the perfect opportunity to persuade the boy to get a hold of his future. “…sorry for the cheese words…” He coughed trying to laugh. “…just stop losing your time and focus on your future. I know you can become someone great…” Now after a good performance, he could be at ease and leave everything else for the paramedics. He doubted that a small accident like that would cause him any permanent damage. Maybe he would be limping for a few months. Not that bad.

“…now let me sleep. I'm tired…remember to not slack off and be diligent…” Devin took a long breath and his consciousness began to fade. The boy surely would listen to his words. He couldn't wait to see what the boy would become in the future. “…see you later in class…” He exhaled.

“Teacher?” The boy shook his teacher’s body, but there was no response.

Devin Harrison just laid there, with his eyes open, an unmoving chest and a missing lower body.

The teacher would not see the boy in class again.

——————————

Darkness. Silence. He could only use those two words to describe what became of his world after the accident.

“...want...ther chance...?”

He thought that he had been in the darkness for a long time—an eternity—but at the moment he heard the whisper, it felt like only an instant had passed since the accident.

“What?” He couldn't hear properly what the voice said.

“Do you want another chance to live?” The voice was clearer and familiar, sounding as if it came from everywhere.

Another chance? He thought. Was he dead? Is this how death feels? Just emptiness? But the words he heard gave him hope. He was being offered another chance to live, to teach.

“Yes.” He answered without a second thought. He did not question the whys and the hows, just accepted. He wanted to continue his dream in the next life, and one day change the world through his teachings.

“You’ll have to fight for your life someday, be prepared, and never give up.” The booming voice said with a tinge of worry.

What? Fight? What was that about? He thought. Why would i need to- The shred of consciousness he gained when the voice talked to him disappeared, and he returned to the dark silence.