Upon entering the cafeteria I told them to sit at the first table I came to and left the rest to the teachers. The main teacher gave me a side-ways glance and her assistant glared daggers at me. I felt rather bad since the teachers look about ready to fall over themselves but I needed to sit down. Removing my mask I sat on a bench near the soda machines and let out a long breath. The throbbing came back between my dry eyes and I massaged it. At least today was rather easy.

There were foot-steps and I looked up at the assistant. She averted her gaze to the floor, wrung her hands and shifted her weight on her feet.

"When will we finish the tour." Her voice was low and grumbled, more of a demand than a question. She probably wanted to hurry up and go home as well.

"Depends how long they take to clear out the vents." I looked at my watch. "It's only 3:34. If it does go into closing hours we can book you in again ."

A look that reminded me of a scared guinea pig crossed her face. She paused, then fled over to her mentor whispering into her ear. I checked my phone to tell my roommate that I might be home early.

I was mid-text when I heard the shriek of chairs being scooted, my headache pierced making me wince. I heard the pattering of feet and talking kids. Ever hesitant I lifted my eyes to the kids that sat before me, fiddling their smoothies, shakes and dripping the digestive drops onto sandwiches and vegetables.

I glanced at the teachers. The mentor leaned back against a chair, she popped in a pill and closed her eyes messaging her head. The apprentice was bunched on a chair buried in her phone.

Not sure what I was supposed to do I still gripped onto my phone. The snotty black haired girl snickered and whispered to her clique. Blonde haired girl looked just a bit red-eyed but otherwise intrigued with her food. Red head girl had her mask still on and notepad out and pen ready. Catching the eye of the kid with glasses he spoke up.

"So why do we have the fertilization and tree cutting process?"

Ah. So I was still going to go there. I deleted my text, put my phone and mask into my pockets but before I began a hand flew up. Blonde girl. Her eyes told me she was ready for another battle.

I nodded and she set off.

"Back in the old days, settlers cut down so many trees that several species went extinct."

"The SSES goes less into the cutting of trees and more into pruning. Because trees keep growing and branches get longer and leaves never fall, a forest can choke itself because the trees take all the sun. Pruning is keeping the limbs and leaves down by trimming them off. Leaf-eating animals are also introduced to keep it down."

The girl pursed her lips and focused again on her lunch. If she did more research she might come back on how some ecosystems were out of balance by the introduction of some animals. Like in the 1920's or 1940's. But she didn't and it saved me time.

"As for refertilization, There are minerals and gasses in the soil that the plants need. Like nitrogen. The thing is, Plants suck up all these minerals and after the plants die or the crops are yielded, there wouldn't be anything left to plant new ones. At first, humans just moved from one land to another waiting for the land to renourish itself, but that could take over twenty years." I emphasized twenty but the kids were already discussing among themselves on how long a time that was.

"I'm going to be twenty in thirteen years!" A boy said I didn't catch who.

"So, an Italian Scientist, Salvatore Delgado, studied the soil and came up with a process called Refertilization. This is the bags of powder or jugs you see in the gardening section of stores. It's an artificial way to put the nutrients the flowers, trees, and crops need in order for them to grow.

"Scientists are finding new ways to grow, and multiply plants. Like aquaponics, the growth of plants by using pure water. Sometimes in artificial foods, molds are used."

"Ew we eat mold?!" A girl asked.

"Mould," I corrected.

"They're things that make clones." The red head girl answered. "My mom says that baby carrots are made from moulds."

Though I was impressed by the research I wished she hadn't gone there. Now the boys were on about Aliens, cloning, and zombies. I wasn't even sure how zombie's fit into the equation but they got there. It was at this moment I was looking for Ben. With his Star Trek jacket. But as I surveyed the group I couldn't pick him out.

My heart started pumping. I looked up to the teachers for help, the Mentor cradled her head looking half asleep, the assistant was on her phone looking to be playing a game. While I didn't have the heart to disturb the main teacher, I didn't have the patience to deal with the assistant. I saw Casey and signaled her to come over.

She looked from me to the kids and already knew where this was going. I gave her a 'this is important we could get fired' look and she scuttled over. I assume more so she didn't lose her promotion than in order to help me.

"I need you to watch the kids a moment, one of them's gone." Casey looked at the kids than the teachers then nodded at me. Thanking her I got up and hurried out of the room and down the hall.

Where would he be? The Cremation room. I jogged over down the other hall, the further down I got the smokier it got. Horrible images raced along my brain without permission. Him, limp getting CPR, him black and ashed, a series with him missing one limb or other. I put my mask back on. As I turned the corner I noticed the door was open letting out puffs of smoke. A woman in a yellow suit looked up.

"What is it?"

"We're missing a kid. Black, black hair, star-wars jacket."

"Haven't seen him, in or out of the Cremation room."

I peered in regardless.

"If you want to shout in you can." The woman shrugged.

"Ben?! Has anyone seen Ben? Star-trek jacket."

Some people looked up, looked around and shrugged or called back no.

Panic-stricken I raced passed the Cremation room and further down the hall. I looked in janitor closets and spaces where he could've gone when it dawned on me. I followed the hall I bit longer and came to the Fertilization room. I opened the door, light smoke billowed out. It looked empty. I walked in setting my pace to a fast walk. I looked over the dirt trays and bags and metal tanks. Under the tables through the machines, nothing. I peered over into the GEF (Genetically Experimented Food ) house.

Perhaps it was smoke, adrenalin, or desperation, but could've swore I saw a shape moving from within. I zoomed over and opened the door. There was heat and moisture in the air, it felt refreshing, like being in a garden. A garden with bright purple flycatchers and black and yellow mushrooms. There was rows upon rows of mixed species plants. Mendel came to mind. There! By the corn. At least tiny corn. I sped over to Ben. He looked up at my approach.

There was a pause as I caught my breath.

"You can't just run off like that. People will think you're hurt or something."

He looked back at the tiny corn stalks. If there was an apology I didn't hear it.

"Do they grow taller?"

"Don't know."

"It's called Laser Corn, is it grown with a laser?"

"No, It's supposed to grow faster, more bug and disease resistant, and use less minerals in the soil. They speculate it'll be really skinny and red, hence the name. "

"Can you send it in outer space?"

I thought about it. "I don't know."

"I'm going to make space food when I grow up."

I laughed, more with breathless relief then humor. "At least you have goals, Ben." The kid looked up at me with wide eyes, but I remembered I needed to call Casey. Quick dialing her number, I waited a half of a ring before she picked up. I could hear the talking of the teacher and something about the manager.

"I found him and coming your way."

I hung up and jerked my head toward the door. Ben walked with me out of the room.

"When I grow up," Ben continued. "I'm going to make it where you can have a whole meal in one drink, and where you can shoot a laser and liquefy food. That way we don't need to waste resources on digestive juices to break down food."

"I'm not sure we have the right technology for all that," I said. We passed a few janitors closets. "We do need help in the burning sections. You should like that."

He wrinkled his nose. "I hate those rooms."

I looked at him. "You seemed in a hurry to get there."

"My brother said the room where they have the GEF house is next to the room where the burn things."

"Oh...Well, maybe you could find a plant that devours the dead matter." I shrugged.

"Why is everyone all up on dead things."

The hall was getting smokier and the Cremation room was nearing. I put my mask over him and pulled my shirt over my nose.

"Cremation is an effective way of getting rid of the matter, but because they have to be run constantly air pollution is up higher than ever before. It damages the atmosphere layers, and of course, the different illness that aspires from the cross-contamination. Air born diseases.

"The forests too. We can't keep constant control over trimming the trees and foliage, nor can we keep fertilizing the ground. Then, of course, there's the sea."

"The sea?"

"We're trying to build a burn house on the open sea or on ships so it's easier to carry in dead fish, whales, and other sea creatures and plants. Right now we carry them in by ships but sometimes the ships sink. This pollutes the water of oil, floating carcasses, and ashes. Killing more marine animals and people in the process. So we need an effective way to break down matter without pollution."

"Why didn't Alexander or some of the other people fix it?" Ben asked looking back at the crystallized coffin that we passed.

"Well some say that he was working on this towards the end of his life. And by 'working' I mean 'playing', but then that's what good scientists do I guess."

"What was he playing with?"

"Well, you know those cells in your body that attacks bacteria and sickness?"

"White blood cells." He nodded.

"Well he extracted them and tried to see how he could mutate them so they attack dead matter."

"But then he died?"

"Yeah, which kinda sucks since we could really use that method right now." I coughed. "He's documents are still around, But the human race would rather find a different planet then fix the one we have."

When we entered the Foyer I saw the teacher hissing to her assistant, and when she laid eyes on us she nearly snapped off Ben's arm snapped off as she dragged him away. He lifted his hand made a 'v' with two fingers on either side.

Me and Casey stood by the SSES statue watching them being herded out. The snobby black haired girl, the redhead conversed with the kid with big glasses. He turned around and waved at me. I waved back.

"Come Again!" Casey called as the doors closed.

"Exciting." She muttered. "Two more days and I'm out." She walked away.

I stood and watched as the bus left, my phone beeped signaling the end of my shift. I couldn't wait to get home.