A Master Guides His Student
Across the time barrier
Eric stared at the screen, frustration etched deep into his furrowed brow. Another message had arrived from his nameless master, bearing instructions on how to navigate his upcoming college years.
In a world where every young person between the ages of 10 and 20 was assigned a master from the future, Eric found himself trapped under the oppressive control of his own master.
Granted, the master lived in the future, so he would be in the best position to shape Eric’s destiny.
But the weight of his master’s authority had grown unbearable, suffocating Eric’s dreams and individuality. From the significant decisions like college majors to the personal decisions such as the color of his prom attire, every aspect of Eric’s life was dictated by his master.
As his twentieth birthday approached, Eric made a vow to himself. “If I ever become a master, I will be kind to my students. I will treat them with respect, granting them the freedom to choose their own paths.”
At the stroke of midnight on his twentieth birthday, Eric received an email he was eagerly waiting for. It simply read:
“Happy birthday, Eric. Congratulations on turning twenty! You are no longer under the guidance of your master. You have the freedom to pursue your adulthood in any way you choose. But you have a big responsibility — you are now a master yourself! Please read the below instructions to understand your new role as a master.”
Eric read the email a few times and realized it lacked critical detail. He called the support number mentioned in the email.
“Hello, I am Eric. I just turned twenty and received an email about my role as a master.”
“Congratulations, Eric. How can I help you?”
“The email has technical details on how to communicate with my student across the time barrier, but… it doesn’t tell me who my student is.”
There was a pause, and then she said, “Oh, so you don’t know?”
“I don’t know what?”
“The student is you. Just ten years younger.”
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