Bridges Of Time

Chapter 11

2004
Idris High, Cooperstown

(History project presentation day)

Magnus exhales a shallow breath nervously, passing by rows of students who have their attention entirely on him and Alec. The hardest part of a presentation preparation has to be the presentation itself. He hates public-speaking. "We got this, right?" Magnus mumbles, on his way to the podium.

Alec is walking a step ahead of him, but he hears him, "Yes, we do."

They reach the podium where Alec walks further ahead to set up their laptop and connect it to the projector, meanwhile Magnus readies their speaker notes. He turns off the lights in the classroom once Alec is ready, and soon, the cold white light from the projector flashes in front of their eyes, casting a blue-white hue on the white board.

Mr Dieudonné settles in his chair with his assessment notes, "Ready when you are."

The presentation pops up, titled: Silk Road: A Pathway of Cultural Exchange and Commerce.

Alec takes the centre stage, clearing his throat to grab everyone's attention. "Good morning, everyone," he begins. "For our history project, Magnus and I will be discussing the Silk Road, not just as a trade route, but as a significant channel of cultural exchange and economic development between the East and the West." He hovers the laser pointer over the presentation title. Alec is a confident speaker, everyone knows that. As soon as he is in public, he gets into his comfort zone. This quality is admirable and inspirational for many, including Magnus.

Magnus clicks to the next slide, which shows a detailed map of the Silk Road stretching from China to the Mediterranean, and takes over from Alec: "The Silk Road was more than 4000 miles long, and connected ancient China with civilizations in Persia, India, Egypt, and Rome. It wasn't a single road—contrary to its name—but a network of trade routes that facilitated exchange of goods, ideas, and culture."

Alec intently listens to Magnus, leaning on the table, his notes tucked away in his hand. Magnus discusses the timeline of Silk Road's development, followed by the goods traded along the Silk Road. Public speaking is a bit of a task for him. He is confident in his knowledge, but when it comes to talking about it, sometimes, he falters. This time around, however, he has Alec with him, which makes it slightly easier. "Silk was the most famous commodity traded, hence the name Silk Road," Magnus continues. "However, it was far from the only product that moved around. Spices, precious stones, metals, ceramics, and even horses were traded." He takes a quick look at Alec who nods, flashing an assuring smile at him, and Magnus knows he's doing ok. "These goods were not just luxury items but also played crucial roles in the economies of the civilizations involved."

They take a pause, giving other students the time to process the information they've just shared them.

They switch again, and Alec takes over for the technological innovations and the overall legacy of the Silk Road. "...understanding the Silk Road gives us valuable insights into how interconnected our world has always been," he concludes.

"Thank you for your attention. We hope it helped you gain further insights into the significance of this trade route," Magnus concludes.

Mr Dieudonné gets up from his chair, beaming with pride. He caps his pen and steps forward, a huge smile spreading on his face. "Excellent work." Alec and Magnus exchange a relieved glance, the pre-presentation nervousness now dissipating from their faces. "Comprehensive, engaging, and well-researched." The history professor compliments.