Read Teacher of the Century for Free Online

sister, Sara,” said Byron. “Sara, meet my teacher, Cilla Franklin.”
    Shifting the roses and plaque to free an arm, Cilla shook Sara’s hand. It felt soft as the petal of a flower in her grip.
    â€œIt’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Franklin,” said Sara.
    â€œIt’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Sara,” said Cilla, staring at the girl. Byron hadn’t been kidding when he had promised a surprise. Cilla could not remember him ever mentioning a sister...and yet, as she searched Sara’s features, she could see that the family resemblance was unmistakable.
    â€œSara has been home schooled until now,” said Byron, “but next year, she’ll be attending All Einstein High School. She’ll be a senior.”
    â€œI can’t wait to have you as a teacher,” said Sara. “Byron’s told me so much about you. You’re the only reason I’m going to All Einstein instead of continuing my home schooling.”
    Cilla kept staring, completely thrown for a loop. She didn’t know what to say.
    The girl gazed hopefully up at her. “I brought you something,” she said, pulling a hand from behind her back. “So we can get off on the right foot.”
    It was a shiny red apple.
    As the audience laughed and applauded, Cilla stared at the apple in Sara’s hand. She was truly on the spot, now. Though she had filed her retirement papers, Caesar had neglected to tell Byron that she wouldn’t be teaching next year. Cilla had never mentioned it to Byron, either, and now she was stuck.
    When she shot a look in Caesar’s direction, he leaned over and patted her shoulder. “We’re all excited about next year,” he said to Cilla. “Another batch of fresh faces for you to work your magic on.”
    Then, he leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “And no Ludwig.”
    Which was supposed to mean that she was in the clear, that the death sentence was null and void, but she knew better. Ludwig’s godlings could take her in the street, or at home...and there would be another horde to replace them in school the next year. She had seen them in the halls already, the eleventh graders, naked and tattooed and looking every bit as inhuman as the last bunch.
    But then there was Sara Spencer.
    â€œSara aced her home school equivalence exams,” Byron said proudly. “She got the highest scores on record.”
    Sara blushed and looked at her feet, then back up at Cilla.
    Cilla could feel the intelligence radiating from the girl’s emerald eyes. Even if Byron hadn’t mentioned her test scores, Cilla would have known that she was in the presence of another excellent student, another hard-working and respectful young person, another hope for the future.
    Her brother’s sister, through and through.
    And she was a home schooler, inexperienced in the savage ways of the merciless tribal school culture. When it came to interacting with the godlings, she might as well have had “fresh meat” tattooed on her forehead.
    Sara fixed her with a gaze that was full of need and frank adoration. “I can’t wait till next year,” she said softly.
    Cilla’s heart melted. Abandoning that child to the godlings would be like offering up her own daughter to be killed.
    In that moment, Cilla knew that she would be back in front of a classroom after all. She did not know how much protection she could offer this gentle, brilliant soul, but she knew that she could not turn her back on her.
    She had risked her own life for Byron Spencer. If she did any less for Byron’s sister, she would not be able to live with herself, anyway.
    Cilla took the apple from Sara’s hand. “See you in the fall,” she said with a smile.
    *****
    One week after the ceremony at the White House, Principal Caesar refilled his glass with champagne in the secret sub-basement of All Einstein High School. Replacing the bottle on the table,