“What is it now?”

“They converted part of it into an elementary school, part into a middle school. In the U.S. those grades still meet physically, though high schools don’t. I’m not sure what they did with the rest of the building.”

Her eyes scanned the building’s huge expanse. “How long ago?”

“Did it stop being a church?”

She nodded.

“Twenty-five years. Thirty, maybe. It was pretty empty at the end.”

She seemed lost in thought for several moments. She finally spoke, almost to herself. “So thirty thousand people came and worshiped God here.”

I lifted an old VR helmet off my desk and turned to Abby. “I got this for you. Best I could come up with on short notice. It’s kind of old-fashioned, but I figured you wouldn’t be hooked up to the Grid. You aren’t, are you?”

“Hooked up?”

“Neurally. You aren’t, I’m sure.”

“But I thought we were going to your classroom.”

“We are.”

She glanced toward the door of my office. “Where is it?”

“It’s…in here, sort of.” I walked around my desk and handed her the helmet. “My classroom meets in virtual reality. We have to travel there electronically. This headset will get you there. Go ahead and put it over your head.”

Abby slid it on. It fit loosely and slid around slightly when she moved her head from side to side.

I helped her adjust the strap, then walked back around to my chair. “Okay. Now, this handset on my desk will take you where we’re going. I’ll join you there in a moment.”

“Will I feel anything?”

“You’ll feel like you just walked into a classroom in a real building. That’s all.”

“Okay.” She nodded and the helmet wobbled.

I activated her headset and sent her to my classroom, then followed her. Entering VR, I caught the tail end of an audible gasp and a look of shock on Abby’s face. She quickly scanned the classroom as if to spot oncoming predators. She saw me standing close by her and moved a step in my direction.

“Is this it?” she said hesitantly.

“Yes. Welcome to my class. I hope the ride didn’t jolt you.”

“No. Just surprised me for a moment.”

“Yes. Unavoidable.”

Abby looked around the classroom once more. Its cushioned seats could accommodate sixty students, with rows stairstepped up to the back of the classroom.

“Good morning, Professor.” A young woman from China had appeared on the second row.

“Good morning, Xin.”

A young man appeared two seats away from the woman. “Good morning, Professor.”

“Hello, Alejandro. How are things in Madrid?”

“Hot. It’s our summer warm spell. My family and I are going to the coast this weekend.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

Abby turned her glance from the student to me. “He’s…he’s in Madrid?”