Teacher of the Century Read Online Free PDF Page B

newsglobes again, then forced herself to focus on the president. As unimpressed as she was by the honor she had been given, she still felt a small thrill at being so close to the most powerful man in America.
    â€œThree months ago,” he said, “you performed a true act of heroism. When an accident threatened the life of one of your students, you risked your own life to save him.”
    It was no accident , thought Cilla, but of course she kept it to herself. The party line of the school administration, force-fed to the public by Ludwig’s pet, Caesar, seemed to be the only truth that mattered.
    â€œThat student,” said the president, “Byron Spencer, is alive and well today because of you.
    â€œAnd he is here today to share in this historic occasion.”
    Cilla immediately brightened. She couldn’t help herself.
    It was the one thing she hadn’t expected. It was the one thing that could truly make her happy.
    As Byron walked out of a nearby door and headed for the podium, the crowd sprang to their feet and applauded like mad. In contrast to the way he had looked three months ago, battered and huddled on the floor of the burning classroom, Byron was bright-eyed and impeccably groomed, wearing a sharp navy blue suit and striped tie. His arms were full of red roses.
    At the sight of him, Cilla was overcome with pure joy. He was the only reason she was at the White House that day, the only reason she had kept teaching long enough to qualify for the Teacher of the Century award.
    Because of Byron, she had finished out the school year at All Einstein. After the life-threatening incident, he had bravely insisted on staying to complete his senior year. She had been unable to walk away then, knowing that the one good student in the place would be alone at the mercy of the murderous godlings.
    Normally, one seventy-five-year-old teacher would not have provided much protection against a school full of techno-savages...but Cilla had been shielded from the godlings until the award ceremony by Caesar’s bargain with Ludwig. She had become a guardian angel, using her special status to hold the savages at bay when Byron was endangered. There had been many tense moments, and Byron had taken his share of knocks, but she had managed to get him through his senior year alive.
    He was going to graduate. He was going out into the world, and she was sure that he would do great things.
    Seeing him there, alive and healthy and brimming with hope, meant far more to Cilla than the plaque in her hand or the applause of her peers or the president of the United States standing at her side.
    â€œThese are for you, Miss Franklin,” said Byron, handing her the bouquet of red roses. “Thank you for being such a wonderful teacher.”
    Tears of happiness flowed down her face as she accepted the flowers. She wanted to hug him but held herself back...then gave in and hugged him anyway.
    That moment was all the reward she needed. After all the years of futility since the rise of the godlings, she had managed to help one more student, one promising student who loved learning and appreciated her. How wonderful that she could retire on a positive note, reliving one final time the teacher-student bond as it was meant to be.
    As she drew back from him, Byron beamed. “There’s another surprise, Miss Franklin,” he said. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
    Still smiling, Cilla tipped her head inquisitively.
    â€œCome on out, Sara,” said Byron, looking toward the door from which he had emerged.
    As Cilla followed his gaze, the door opened. A girl stepped out, smiling shyly.
    She looked close to Byron’s age, and about the same height. Her sandy, straight hair hung in a glossy fall to the middle of her back, a style that Cilla hadn’t seen in years. She wore a pretty blue knee-length sheath, and her green eyes sparkled like pale emeralds.
    â€œThis is my younger