||Hello Neighbour: A Better Timeline||

||Chapter 39: Further Science||

Otto leaned against the tree, reloading his gun after shooting a buck.
"Best I did it before it got territorial."
He checked the buck, and also around in case other animals decided to try and get the jump on him.
Then heard something coming.

Otto's eyes darted to the source, a field; He held up the gun, finger on the trigger and ready to fire.
3. . . 2. . .1-
Bursting out of the field was a dog!
Otto lowered the gun, surprised and confused because the dog had a colour and vest,"A dog? Where the hell is your owner?", Otto put the gun on his bag, adjusting the strap before slowly approaching the dog.
'Growl'
"You bite me."
Otto started, but didn't finish that sentence as he knelt down and held his hand up.
The dog sniffed him, then rubbed his face against Otto,"Okay- Where's your owner??", the dog looked at the field, whimpering and Otto was confused, looking at the dog's collar and vest thing.

=

Otto tried to the phone.
He couldn't get through to them.
It's not saying they missed a call, but the number was out of service.
He sighed, giving up.
The dog had laid down by Otto's fireplace for warmth.
The dog was dirty, tried and scared of the field.
Maybe something was there?
Kevin did always say Dogs were smart, so maybe he was running from something or someone.
And that concerns Otto.
But also, he wondered to do with the dog until he found their owner cause, he didn't have anything for dogs but at the same time he didn't wanna just give the dog and let it be someone else's problem.
. . .
Well: fuck.

=

Mr Murtaugh smiled,"You know, you're work is very good to look at and mark; Calculations like these you don't learn until college or even university.", Nicky nods, knowing that maybe he didn't need to show off and make it obvious his mom was a scientist and it was his favourite subject.
"Yeah, sorry. . ."
"There's no need, Nicholas."
Mr Murtaugh smiled,"I like it when students put their all into the work and it really shows in both your written work and practical work.", Mr Murtaugh was pleased to teach someone so passionate about science.
"You know, if you're interested you can take further/higher science, it's more complicated than this."
Nicky wasn't sure,"Would I be moved to another class?", Mr Murtaugh shook his head,"No, no; You'll just get different worksheets from the others, you can see it as a benefit if anything so no one cheats off you in tests.", Nicky blinked, blank,"I don't think anyone cheats off me.", Mr Murtaugh looked at him, guess he was a little oblivious to that fact his partner cheats off him in tests and it was painfully obvious when someone wants to talk to him purely for homework answers.
"Right."
Mr Murtaugh nods,"What?", "Nothing, don't worry about so. . . I'll give you this, and also this.", a note for his parents, and then a book that was backed with newspaper.
"? What's that?"
"An old book that belonged to an old student, I thought if you'd like it to have some inspiration."
"Ooh."

~

The next day in class.
Mr Murtaugh gave out the test,"Remember; Keep your eyes on your own paper, or I'll turn you all to rats.", Nicky's desk mate immediately glanced to Nicky's paper, only to realise that Nicky's test was completely different from his.
"No wandering eyes."
His head turned back to his page, he caught Mr Murtaugh's eye and all he did was smile, with his teeth and a shiver ran through as the realisation dawned on him.
Mr Murtaugh knew.

=

Nicky opened the book Mr Murtaugh gave him, he was meet with the initials; R.P

"Let's see what's inside. . ."