Author’s Note. This touching story is inspired by the Netflix movie Freedom Writers. If you want to read part 1 before you read this part 2, go to https://tribune.net.ph/2025/03/31/the-rebel-teacher.

Amid the envy of the other teachers who looked down on Carlos, a substitute teacher, he succeeded in breaking school protocol and got to teach the same class the next school year. His new task was to do the impossible — to let the kids “see” the world without leaving the classroom. His plan was ingenious.

He met Helga through the internet, an old lady in her late 80s, a victim of the Holocaust in World War 2. He was fascinated by her writings about the hell she went through. She was smuggled out of the Jewish group ready to be sent to the Auschwitz gas chambers. They put her in a coffin, presumed to be dead, for two days. At the time she was four years old. When she came out, the first thing she asked for was water. The experience traumatized her and she withdrew completely from the world for years, until she was a teenager. No one could talk to her. She stared at the wall in silence the whole day.

Carlos visited her and simply touched her face. She reacted with a glimmer of a smile. Carlos was able to get her to open up instantly after all the years. They had long talks, comparing each other’s pains. They became close friends. Carlos suggested that she narrate her experiences personally to his students. She glowed with excitement when Carlos offered to buy her a round-trip ticket from his meager salary.

As Helga unraveled her stories, the class was awed into silence. When she was finished talking, the class started telling her about their pains, one by one.

JESSICA: It seems all our pains, our frustrations as forgotten kids, are all nothing compared to your pains. You are our hero.

HELGA: You are the heroes, not I. I can see that by just looking at all of you. I can feel your spirits. My suffering has made me so sensitive to your sufferings. And I can feel your despair and your hope, your wanting to get out of your despair. Believe me, it’s not that hard.

RAFFY: (Standing up and offering a book to Helga) This is our gift to you, a book commemorating all our pains, a collection of the diaries of our souls in our darkened lives. We all wrote our pains into a book. It has become a bestseller; we don’t know why.

HELGA: Because the readers see their pains in your pains. Your book is a mirror for others to see themselves. Your book is like a tiny light inside the darkroom, which is suddenly no longer dark. One candle flame can conquer all the darkness around you. Your book brings hope, especially to others your age. You see, all of you together have that power to touch and inspire others. You just did not know it. You were blind to your true inner spirits.

A few girls started to sob uncontrollably.

RUBEN: Wow. Now we know how much power we have. Thank you so much, Helga. You are now a part of our lives.

CATHERINE: We are dividing the book income among ourselves.

HELGA: I suggest you save a portion and come visit me. All you need is a bus or train ticket.

RUBEN: I can just hitchhike.

JESSICA: May I join you?

CARLOS: We have all healed each other.

HELGA: I would love to see guys again. I will feed you and give you a warm bed. I have learned so much from you; the spirit of young people ascending. I marvel at your bravery and your resolve in spite of your deep wounds. I need to see you again. We have fired each other’s spirit.

(The class lets out a loud scream.)