Monster School

2 - Onboard

Vasuda

“So there’s no justice in the universe?” the young Pacific Islander asked.

Vasuda found this to be an easy question. “Only what justice we bring with us. The universe itself is neither just nor unjust. We ourselves must do justice. The more of us there are the more just the universe will be.”

“So it’s like karma,” Raine said, who had told Vasuda that he came from one of the Marshall Islands.

“It is exactly like karma,” Vasuda said, smiling. “Any good thing you do contributes. One day, in many thousands of years, everybody will see that, and the world will be just, because justice will be done by all.” Vasuda held out her hand to Raine.

Looking slightly out of his depth, Raine was somewhat cowed, perhaps by the fact that he didn’t know anyone else here, and Vasuda’s words were optimistic and comforting. Vasuda was willing to take advantage of that. He reached out and took her hand.

Vasuda, Raine, Vasili, Leo, and Gaylor, who had up to this point been sitting or squatting, all stood up.

“You see? There are five of us already, out of only thirty-two in total.”

Vasuda had now spoken, or at least attempted to speak, to everyone. There were a few who were still too distraught to talk to her, but she had made a start anyway. It was not easy with all the noise and lack of a common language. While she could offer a smile and the sound of her voice, she could not communicate in-depth except with those few who spoke English, as there were none who spoke her native language of Tamil. But several had been swayed at least a little just by looking at Vasuda. She would smile and perhaps sit quietly with someone, which seemed to have a calming or healing effect.

Two children rolled into the group like bowling balls, knocking over two of Vasuda’s disciples like skittles. The fighting boys, one black and one white, were attempting to exchange blows, more nearly hitting Vasuda’s disciples than one another. Vasuda moved quickly to stand between them. “Please, my friends! Do you not know that violence is not the way?” Vasuda spoke loudly to the boys.

The black boy shouted at the other in some African tongue, and the white boy shouted back in what may have been Russian.

Leo, one of the disciples, stepped up and spoke to the black boy in his own language. As they spoke back and forth, Leo appeared to become angry.

“What is he saying?” Vasuda asked.

“The white one started it. He was very mean, shouting something about slaves, though it is hard to know. That is what this boy seemed to understand.” Leo himself looked very angry, almost ready to join the fight himself.

Vasuda put a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “Leo, you must be calm. You have decided to be a peacemaker. Remember that.”

“But this white boy is a very bad one. Someone should hit him!”

“If that is true, that someone must not be you. Fighting will solve nothing.” Vasuda gripped Leo’s shoulder, pressing him down. Leo locked eyes with the white boy, quivering. After a moment of this, his expression softened and he yielded to the pressure on his shoulder, going down on his knees. “Please forgive me. It is hard not to be angry.”

Vasuda continued to hold his shoulder. “Of course. We all forgive you. You have only been on this road for a few hours. You have done very well.” She smiled.

Vasuda again turned to the fighters. “Do either of you speak English?” Both boys thought about it, and shook their heads. “Well, go in peace.” She lengthened and stressed the word peace. “Peace.” She gave the word another moment to sink in. “Peace.”