Chapter 6.

Sasha.

History is a messy thing, class.

Even a question as simple as, when did the second American Civil War begin, doesn't have a clear answer.

Some scholars say the first shots were fired during the failed Montana secession movement of 2040.

Others will name the Dallas

water riots of 2041, or the bombing of the Diamond Building six months later by leftist militants.

You can make a good, evidence-based case for any of these. Mr. Dane was a good lecturer,

with a rich baritone voice and a habit of animating his lectures with vibrant hand gestures.

He was Sasha's favorite teacher and one of her favorite people. Mr. Dane was a heathen,

of course, but he was still a sweet man. She appreciated his even-handed perspective and his commitment

to the unbiased study of history. It broke her heart that no one else in her advanced

placement continental history class

seemed to appreciate him. The other 24 students stared ahead with slackened jaws and

unfocused eyes. They were all deep in their decks, messaging friends, browsing snap vids, or

playing whatever game was popular right now. Decks were far too entrenched in modern life for schools to force them off during

class time. Instead, the school filtered the Wi-Fi and forced students to download apps that

restricted access during school hours. This had led to a thriving underground trade in apps

that countered the school spyware and covertly lifted the blocks. The district IT team was locked in a perpetual

losing battle to spot and crack these programs. But on a practical level, the teachers, like Mr. Dane,

just had to accept the intrusion. The students didn't ignore him entirely, but very few of them

gave him their full attention. They didn't give anything their full attention,

...