I have been here for six months, exactly. It is astonishing that they can keep track to that precision, all things considered.

They have got this time and calendar system not that far off from the Gregorian system I was used to. I don't know how they managed to come up with that themselves. This collective cannot be around for more than a century.

I am about to be evicted from this collective.

When I first found these people, I saw smoke and light from afar. I could not believe my eyes. I was hopeful and nervous at the same time. Hopeful in that I do not need to be alone anymore. I must have been walking for two centuries now in search of new civilizations.

Did I mention I am immortal? Well yes I should catch you up. There was nuclear war some time back. Everything was wiped out. Except me of course, I have rapid regeneration ability.

I have seen a lot of things over my lifetime. But this is a period of loneliness that unprecedented even for me.

Upon finding these people, it also got me nervous. Despite all the time given to me to prepare, I was not sure what to expect. I cannot predict how primitive or advanced they would be. Maybe they have to start from scratch like cavemen, or they have got working network servers lying around.

Whatever and whoever I found, I have set my mind on teaching them the way of peace. Because wars are too painful, and they would not know it. They wouldn't know it like I do. I am not going to let them fuck Earth up for me ever again.

As soon as I walked in the zone (it is not clear where it started), everybody seemed to be on duty performing whatever they were supposed to do. I would have guessed they were robots had I not know better.

No one paid me any attention. I was only out of place because I dressed weird in their eyes. I wanted to speak to somebody, but I'm not sure what to say. I wanted to ask who was in charged but what if nobody is in charged?

I can hardly speak their language to begin with; that one surprised me. Their made up a language that was mixture of a handful of languages known to me. I can make up most of what they said, but no one understood me.

Well no one bothered to. I am embarrassed to admit that I expected a ceremonious first contact. All I got were judgments.

I was expected to perform duties like everyone else. No one told me that explicitly, the expressions in their eyes informed me so.

I tried dressing up like them as much as I can. Try not to be visually glaring. They seemed to be getting the space ready for some event, maybe even receiving something or someone. I tried to be helpful, whatever the next guy was doing I did the same.

At some point they were done, everybody sat down. Each of them quiet, minding their own business. I thought this was the time, I wanted to get some idea on how to spread the message of peace. I should approach the woman next to me and asked something, anything.

She looked back at me like I was interrupting something sacred. If I was I sure as hell did not know what I was interrupting.

I cannot put my finger on it but there seems to be an unspoken social norm that was foreign to me. That or being by myself for two centuries has destroyed all traces of social grace off of me. Perhaps I looked like an untrained monkey in her mind.

So I kept to myself, observing the group. They are anticipating something for sure. I was worried whatever they were waiting for was not something I like.

And then she arrived. She is an older woman, probably middle-aged. She stepped in slowly, looking stern. The group were chanting in a low humming voices welcoming her in the most unenthusiastic tone.

As soon as she settled in, she started to make speeches. As far as I can tell, she was lecturing on morality and virtues. Nothing too complicated, basic goodness that kids used to learn.

Everyone was paying close attention like they were receiving a revelation. Or I am reading it wrong?

Out of nowhere the woman called me out. She pointed at me demanding I step forward. I could not tell what trouble was I in. All eyes were focused on me.

Whatever this was I was not prepared for it. I stood up slowly, my hands were trembling. I was so nerve wrecked I could not speak. They would not understand me even if I did.

The woman raised her voice, demanded that I go forward to her.

I walked slowly towards her, feeling every step of humiliation.

When I arrived she looked at me in ways that did not feel like I just found the place. She looked at me with disappointment that I did not live up to some unknown expectations.

I could only estimate the next thing she said: "What did I tell you last time?"

---

Afterword

This story is an allegory of my ascend into the upper class in school at age 11. Classmates were uptight, teachers were brutal, I could not fit in. It was a tough year that changed me, I can't say for the better.

This is a re-post from WritingPrompts.