Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #17 August 2015 | Page 6

Alone
in the
Crowd

didn’t know why Arcus would do something so simple
as throw a paper ball, but maybe he was bored. ‘Theory’ could be boring sometimes.
“Tener.” Professor Zeon’s voice was filled with
the patient irritation of a teacher who disliked it when
students didn’t pay attention in his class. “Would you
care to tell the class what a ‘bonding point’ is?”
Tener jumped up, rattling his chair, but managing to hold his balance. A wave of sniggering rolled
over the class but soon quieted down as the Professor
silently glared at them. It always felt as if he stared at
each student separately.
“The bonding... point, Sir,” Tener started with
a stutter but soon regained his composure, “is a point
in the very centre of the mind that holds the essence of
everything the person is.”

Part 1

“And what exactly are the components of that
essence?” The Professor continued to stare at the class
as if expecting more laughter, but the class was silent.
Now they knew Tener could answer but certainly didn’t
want to be in his shoes.

By Valery
Riddle

“The character traits, the memories, current
emotions, and goals,” Tener rattled the list off, ignoring
Tener jerked his head up from the textbook as a the fact that the diagram with the answers was right beball of paper smacked against his temple and dropped hind Professor Zeon’s back. This was a new topic. The
Professor didn’t expect the correct answer. He wanted
onto the desk in front of him.
to see if he could confuse the student who h