Drifting through the hell of earth

Chapter 2: A Physics Class

In the morning before everything started, A-Lai was quietly sitting in a physics classroom.

The classroom, a cozy wooden space, was filled with warm sunlight streaming through large windows, casting a golden glow over the students and their teacher.

On the wall, rows of paper-made colorful flowers added a touch of warmth and color to the atmosphere. They were part of a project to celebrate the New Year and symbolize good luck and happiness.

At the front of the classroom stood a blackboard, displaying several lines of chalk-written notes. The notes were about the basic concepts and formulas of physics, such as force, mass, acceleration, and gravity. The teacher had written them in a clear and neat handwriting, using different colors to highlight the important points.

In front of the blackboard stood a teacher, sporting a bushy mustache and dressed in a gray suit. His southern twang gave a unique flavor to his teaching and obviously he was doing his best to make a dull lesson turned into an exciting journey.

The podium in front, crafted by the principal himself using several logs, was tailored to his own height. Hence, for today's physics class, the teacher brought along a 20-centimeter-high footstool, reassuring himself internally. After all, he reasoned, folks with towering statures might just have underdeveloped brain capacities; he forgave them silently.

As the teacher carefully placing his foot on the stool, a mischievous student couldn't suppress a quiet laugh. The physics teacher, stroking his beard and widening his eyes, noticed a group of fellow teachers at the back of the classroom, also attending the lecture. He had no choice but to continue with his intricate theories of physics.

"Class, today we're delving into a topic that's utterly captivating—the vastness of the universe. Imagine standing on an endless beach, where each grain of sand represents a galaxy. This analogy isn't an exaggeration because there truly are billions upon billions of galaxies out there, each containing billions of stars. Orbiting these stars could be countless planets, some of which might resemble Earth and have the potential to support life."

"Sir, are you suggesting that aliens exist?" piped up a cheeky student.

"Indeed, the existence of extraterrestrial life is as normal as the variety of plants in a forest. It would be rather abnormal if a forest had only one tree!" the teacher replied with certainty.

"So why can't I see aliens, then?"

"As the universe expands, it creates many different branches, each representing an independent parallel universe that might exist in dimensions beyond our comprehension."

"It's like why earthworms in the soil rarely encounter eagles in the sky, and why the Mariana snailfish living at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean will never see an rabbit in its lifetime."

"Sir, are you saying we're just sheltered mountain kids?"

"Ah, that's not quite accurate!" the physics teacher waved his head,"How come you can still use a question?"

"Well,just a joke. We are all sheltered kids.

To those living in District 19, we're country folks who haven't seen the world. And to those in the imperial capital, the people from District 19 are also country kids. And to visitors from advanced star systems in the universe, we Earthlings are the children who haven't seen the world."

Outside the classroom, nature was blossoming. Small, fresh buds swayed gently in the breeze, signaling the arrival of spring with their graceful movement.

A pretty oriole bird sat up high on a branch, its thin neck reaching out as it sang a song that perfectly matched the season. Its tune was made up of clear notes that floated through the air, adding a cheerful touch to the gentle spring breeze with its music.