Petar Golubski, a primary school teacher from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, dedicated his entire life to his profession. He never married or had children, instead spending his leisure time organizing matinees, children’s events, lectures for young parents, and elective classes. In 1998, while returning from a children’s party, he encountered a child who appeared lost and distracted.
As the man approached and spoke to him, he leaped back and inquired, “What year is it?” Taken aback, Petar answered, “1998.” The boy, a stranger to him, started weeping. The Master, puzzled by the situation, offered assistance. “You won’t believe me,” the boy sobbed. With no other option, the man decided to take the boy home to discover his parents’ identity and unravel the events that had unfolded.
Once at home, the child settled down and ate with appetite. Following the meal, it was time to talk. The boy, a stranger to them, seemed to be about 6-7 years old. However, his reasoning was not childlike at all. He recounted how he and his friends sneaked into one of their father’s laboratory, which housed a time machine. This device could transport you to any chosen time, although it was merely a prototype in the year 2370 AD. Driven by curiosity, the children decided to use the machine to visit another era, unaware of the inherent dangers.
The child, named Sur, along with two friends, occupied three seats within the machine and set off for the year 2200, a time believed to be among the most flourishing for humankind. Unfortunately, things went awry, and they ended up in 1998 instead. Attempting to rectify the error, the eldest, Grad, started to input a different time. Meanwhile, Sur, captivated by the vibrant flowers outside the time machine, stepped out to explore. Consequently, his companions departed without him.
Upon realizing what had transpired, the boy was overcome with fear and wept, hoping they would return for him. But his friends were gone, and then Petar approached him. Believing such a tale proved very difficult. Even more astonishing was that the child spoke a language nearly identical to his own. It appeared that the Bulgarian language had remained largely unchanged over the centuries, only augmented by some incomprehensible terms that had become commonplace in the 24th century.
Sur was indeed 7 years old. In his time, traditional schools did not exist; education was facilitated through genome editing. A simple application, akin to a band-aid, could instill a predisposition for mathematics or any other discipline, turning a child into a potential prodigy in sports or music. These abilities could be altered at will, though there were age-related health restrictions. Consequently, children up to the age of 10 received their education at home, assisted by a virtual, specially designed tutor.
Petar allowed the boy to stay with him. He endeavored to educate him since it seemed that Sur was meant to exist not in his own era but in a time far before the 24th century. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the boy, Petar reached out to the police and various search agencies, yet no progress was made. The child’s disappearance went unreported, and in a city as small as Plovdiv, the media would have certainly broadcasted such news.
For three months, Sur resided with a man named Petar, who believed that the child’s intelligence was on par with a 6th or 7th grader, rather than a 1st or 2nd grader. Over time, Petar became convinced that the boy had come from the future, as his gestures, speech, and extensive knowledge were at least highly unusual. Then, Sur vanished. Concerned that malevolent individuals had learned about the extraordinary child and abducted him, Petar Golubski personally reported the disappearance to the police.
The search continued until 2008. Authorities scoured every public and private orphanage where Sur might have ended up over the years. Despite extensive efforts across Bulgaria and its neighboring countries, no trace of the enigmatic boy was found. He had vanished as mysteriously as he had appeared, leading to speculation that perhaps his friends, or someone from the 24th century, had come back for him.
