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CHAPTER 3

Everybody felt pain; it was something all humans have to deal with. Pain can be physical, emotional, excruciating or just a small wound that will heal in a short matter of time. Some people have it worse than others; others have become so far from peace that they let the pain overtake them. That was the way it was.

At least that is what Thalia had always believed.

Now, the more she listened to Dalia, the more she realized how wrong she had been. Pain could be channeled into multiple ways; pain can be channeled into something useful, sometimes even beautiful.

Which is exactly what humanity has done.

The pain left from the Great Disaster was processed into an idea: the idea that to work, to live, to exist as one was vital to survival. Even the wealthy saw past their avarice.

Everybody supported each other, in the way that they could. Anyone skilled in architecture built the houses, and with that they were given the name of the Shelterers. The Nurturers provided them food grown on whatever soil was left.

Even though they tried to produce much less, they weren't going to prance around naked. They didn't create anything fancy, but the Designers provided the population with clothing. A great deal of medicinal knowledge was lost in the Great Disaster, but the Caretakers have since uncovered fragments from past generations.. They shared this information with the Rescue Teams to heal their wounded and learn to prevent illnesses. With what the Great Disaster left, the Rescue Team is the most essential element in the survival of our species. The Rescue Team may be the most essential element in the survival of mankind, but the Knowledgeables. The job was not one that you could acquire with a special talent; it is one that is acquired with wisdom. From history to the written word, Knowledgeables bestow all educational information upon people, which meant that in order to become a Knowledgeable, you must have detailed information about absolutely anything and everything. Of course that took a massive amount of time, which is also why the Knowledgeable to-be has to begin his training at the young age of six months. The child is chosen based upon his/her mental capacity. The first Knowledgeables were the oldest citizens that could be found around the world. In order to bring culture and education together to form a stronger education, each Knowledgeable came from a different part of the planet: Orginiation, Widespread, Immunity, Desert and Survival. The North Pole and the South Pole became history; the global warming melted the two ice sheets. No one had any real explanation as to why the whole world was not flooded, but they chose to be grateful and ignore it.

By the end of Dalia's tale, Thalia was at a loss for words. She stared down at the floor, unwilling to make eye contact with Dalia.

"I still don't understand what you are trying to fix, and why." Thalia finally decided to look up. "I mean the future seems horrible, why would you want to go back? Why not just stay here?"

Dalia did not answer, simply because even she did not understand.

"What happens next," Dalia decided. "The Great Disaster ruined lives, destroyed families. Now you're telling me that I go back in time, before the ruins and the destruction, and you expect me not to do anything about the future? It's not fair for me to stay here and leave those poor people in that future, it's not fair for me to get away from it while they are stuck in disaster and destruction, it just isn't."

"Alright. I'll help you. I don't know how, but I will. I know this sounds crazy, but we're going to have to skip the Grammys." Thalia mockingly weeped.

"I'm just going to act like I understood that reference."

"Alright, time to get up, Day."

"Don't call me that."

"Whatever you say, Day." Thalia winked.

Dalia rolled her eyes. "I don't think I will be able to get through this without jamming a pencil into my brain."

"Well, we'll just have to keep the pencils away from you." Thalia made her way out.

Dalia breathed in and out before following Thalia, asking herself if she didn't just make a mistake.
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Hello everyone! Sorry I literally took a month to publish that chapter, but I already started Chapter 4 so that it could be published quicker. It would mean the world if you would just take two seconds to vote, and maybe even leave a comment about your opinion!