Conversations with the Light Bearer (Religious Satire)

CHAPTER IX - The Chosen One

CHAPTER IX

THE CHOSEN ONE

"Can anyone tell me who John Baptist de La Salle is?" I said, sauntering back and forth the middle aisle of the classroom. Thanks to my newfound friend Romulus, I learned that the Son of God was in a school aptly named after its founder. "The green school by the train where all the rich kids go to," he said. "I could feel it whenever I take the train. The spirit, the energy, I've never felt anything like it before." Fortunately, the school president was a good friend of mine, and the man was more than willing to help me in this considerably large manhunt. And despite my worry, finding the child went more effortless than I had imagined. As it happened, Lilith, my other newfound friend, decided to honor our agreement and accompanied me to locate and confirm the source of the spiritual anomaly. Once she'd set foot on the campus, it only took her a few minutes to pinpoint which class the child belonged to. It was a room of fifth graders, youngsters aged eleven to thirteen.

"Duh? He was the founder of this school," the large kid at the back row boasted. As I was to learn later, his last name was Zobel.

"Ehem," I cleared my throat. "That is, of course, quite evident. Something a little deeper, perhaps?"

Fat boy pouted and began to ignore me. A few seconds another student was gleaming with an answer. She raised her arm, begging to be called. There was no other challenger, though I teased the girl a bit before calling her out.

"Yes, you, the girl with spectacles," I said, pointing at the teacher's pet, wagging her tail like there's no tomorrow. "What's your answer?"

Four eyes stood straight up. "St. John Baptist de La Salle was born on the 30th of April, 1651 to a wealthy family and died a poor man on the 7th of April, 1719. He was a French priest, educational reformer, and founder of the Institute of the Brothers of the ChristianSchools. He is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church and the patron saint of teachers. He dedicated much of his life to the education of poor children in France; in doing so, he started many lasting educational practices. He is considered the founder of the first Catholic schools. He—"

"Good! Right on the cherry!" I clasped my hands together, halting the girl before she could recite the whole entry from Wikipedia. "That seems to be quite a detailed background check. Very good, Ms...?"

"Iris," she said. "Iris Cojuangco. My father is—"

"Very good!" I clasped my hands again. This kid was really the chatter, mind you. "You can take your seat, Ms. Cojuangco. You have a star for that."

"A Star?" Four eyes raised her tone and an eyebrow. "What are we, kindergarten?"

I swallowed. Children these days can be really scary. "I'm sure you're not," I said with a grin. "Anybody else? Anybody?"

"And who are you again?" the princess persisted to annoy me. "Where is Ms. Angie?"

I smiled to the best I could. "As I told everyone before, Ms. Angie is sick and I am her sub for the day, got it?" No, she wasn't sick. Lilith was driving the woman's body around while I was on her class. On my part, I was able to convince the school president to let me sub for the day, no credentials and all. It was either that or everyone finding out about his affair with one of the students.

What are friends for, right?

I sauntered again as I ignored the nagging princess. After a few seconds, she finally gave up and took a seat.

"He's a tool," answered another girl with a deep voice. She sat alone at the corner end by the window, with no one in front or beside her. A wolf among the sheep, the pale student stood out like a scarecrow on a field of squabbling crows, dead but alive, visible but invisible to all. Cut short to her chin, her red hair glistened like warm blood dripping down a bleached skull. Hell, it didn't take a genius to notice it. The children were afraid of her.