Red Dead Reborn

xliv) No More Chances

12th December, 1907 

Readjusting to his second life wasn't as easy as Danny hoped it would be. The law had made a public display, as well as some humiliation to their family name - their false one under The Dupont's - so folks who were familiar with the family gave them all strange looks, in particular, Danny. 

The storm from a few days ago still hadn't passed and Danny was not at all fond of getting wet. He kept his umbrella open ever since he left the house and walking to school with his daughter was bothersome. But there were some days where he was grateful that he didn't have to ride a horse in the rain, yet at the same time he was disappointed the motor cars weren't as reliable as the ads made them out to be. 

Once Danny and Karen arrived at Galilee Catholic Primary School, he felt his daughter tug on his arm. 

"Daddy, I'm scared." Karen spoke up, addressing this only to her father once they were on school property. 

Danny knelt down and whispered to his daughter. "Everything will be fine, cupcake. Your pappy is going to sort out this mess once and for all." 

Together, they walked into the main building, all the way to Karen's first class for the day. Students in the hallways glared when Danny and Karen walked past them, everyone gave them both uncomfortable looks and glares, especially the students who wondered what sort of a crook Danny was - or as he disguised himself as his alias, Craig. 

Inside Karen's classroom, Danny let go of his daughter's hand and settled at his desk. Every voice inside the room went completely silent when he entered the room. 

Danny had to take a minute to compose himself before he addressed his students. 

"Good morning class." He swallowed dryly without breaking character. 

The two dozen students all replied all at once in a flat, monotonous voice that sounded forced. 

"Could you all please open your textbooks to page..." Danny paused to look at where he wanted his students to open up to. "Forty-eight, please? Today, we'll be revising over the... Wild West. The Wild West. Now, can anybody tell me what they might already know about the Wild West?" 

Almost immediately, one of the students in the centre of the classroom shot their hand up to answer confidently. 

"Yes, uhm, T-Tiffany?" 

"It has cowboys in it?" 

"Yes, that's correct. Anybody else want to add to this?" 

Another student answered after being picked from raising their hand up. "Gun duels!" 

"Good answer, Adam. Anyone else?" 

As expected, Karen had shot her arm up, but another girl sitting in front of her stretched her arm upwards and spoke before Karen could. The girl in front of her had pompadour-styled blonde hair, which matched the style of the generation. 

"It's about outlaws who robbed folk, robbed banks and stagecoaches, killed cops and duelled with guns." The girl in front of Karen answered proudly. 

Danny narrowed his eyes at the girl, replying slowly. "Good answer... Alice. You wanted to say something, Karen?" 

Once again, Karen was interrupted, but instead of it being by another student, it was a faculty member of the school, urging for the attention of Craig Dupont. 

"Mr Dupont, there are men here for you," the faculty member spoke breathlessly as if they'd run a marathon to reach his class. 

Furrowing his brows, Danny gave his students the order to remain inside the room while he investigated the disturbance more closely. He exited the room, quick on his heels, and promptly made his way to the front yard of the school. To make sure he wasn't seen, Danny lingered inside the hall of the main building, hiding behind the corner where he managed to take a peek at just who was there for him.