Steve Morgan asked:
“Let’s go after school,” Noble said. “We’ll meet behind the chapel and go from there.” What the Three Lawyers had planned was to go cross-country and over to the waterfall. It was a favourite sanctuary for seniors to go smoking.
Wesley College was an agricultural school in the small rural township of Paerata set up to teach students the rudiments of farming alongside the normal academic subjects. However the student body was predominantly made up of society’s unwanted. Many were from broken homes or from families where the stepfather, once remarried, didn’t really want any extra baggage. A good many were Island students or Maori students from farming backgrounds. The combination of miss-placed students and malicious staff was a volatile mix to say the least. If it weren’t for Steve’s previous boarding school experience he would never have survived. He knew about fagging. He knew about bullying and he knew about cruelty in teachers.
“Are we allowed to cut across the fields and visit this place?” Steve asked appearing to not really care but deep down he already knew the answer. They were breaking bounds, which meant they were setting themselves up to get caught. And getting caught had consequences he didn’t even want to think about. “When do we have to be back?”
“By five, in time for tea,” Treadray replied. “We’ll make it easily.”
“The staff have a meeting at this time every week. Old Marshall always likes to meet them on a Monday so we’ll be fine,” said Noble.
The beady eyes of the religious master missed nothing. He watched and waited like a black widow alert for any vibrations on the web. He’d spotted the boys behind the chapel and heard most of their conversation before they took off across the road.
“Well my little beauties I knew I’d get another chance sooner or later. We’ll organise a reception party for you when you return.” He smiled as he went about his business of setting the altar for evening service. He selected the hymn, ‘God Moves in Mysterious Ways’, and wondered if the trio realised its significance.
“That was fantastic!” said an excited Steve as he dried himself after plunging through the water into the cavern behind the waterfall. “Hadn’t we better get going though, it’s getting late.”
“If we jog we’ll make it ok.”
“Then let’s go!” yelled Treadray on the top of his lungs. His sheer exuberance was infectious and all three let out whoops and hollers as they skylarked their way across the fields and back to school only quietening down as they reached the perimeter of the buildings.
“We made it! See I told you it was easy,” Noble said turning round to face both boys whilst walking backwards. “Nobody even suspected.” They were puffed from their run but exhilarated from their adrenaline rush.
As they rounded the corner into the dining room they almost bumped into Barnett who was coming from the Headmaster’s office. He stopped in front of them and, just as they thought he was past, he turned and said, “Oh by the way lads, Mr Marshall wants to see you in his office after dinner.” Three stomachs lurched inwards. **** sphincters tightened, and three sets of eyes flew around the group each questioning the other. They looked as guilty as sin. “Enjoy your dinner. Sort of like a Last Supper don’t you think!” he chuckled, and strode off towards the dining room.
“Ddd… do you think he knows?” stuttered, Noble deathly white.
“How could he?” Steve said not daring to look at Treadray, “No one saw us I’m sure.”
“Barnett knows, otherwise he wouldn’t have collared us and he was coming from the Head’s office. He knows alright!” said Noble nodding his head and looking pensive. “Take my word for it!”
“Then we’re for it then!” stated Treadray resignedly. “At least we get to eat dinner.” He seemed unconcerned as if it were his fate in life to always be caught, always to be punished; an unwanted product of an unhappy union. It’s not certain whether Treadray attracted trouble or trouble attracted him but his reputation around the staff was that he was uncontrollable and therefore fair game. No parent was going to complain if he got abused. They knew he was rebellious and would probably relish any discipline that could be dished out. It relieved them of any guilt of sending him to Wesley in the first place. No one knew about ADHD then and nobody cared.
“Let’s get it over with then,” he said.
“Shit you’re keen aren’t you,” Noble spluttered. “I’m not in a hurry to get the cuts.”
“Well, we’ve no choice so we may as well go now.”
“We have to go after dinner,” Steve reminded them.
“The condemned man ate a hearty meal,” Noble muttered striding towards the dining room. “Come on you two.” The evening meal was eaten in silence. The news had got out and was around the school like wildfire and it was as if the whole school was holding its collective breath. No one was particularly surprised when they heard it was Treadray and Noble but the new boy was a different twist. Let’s see how he copes with this, they all thought. A thrashing from the Head was no light matter.
When the dishes had been cleared Mr Marshall, the portly Headmaster of the college, made the dreaded announcement. “The three boys who broke bounds this afternoon will see me in my office after dismissal. If anyone else thinks they can escape punishment for breaking school rules then they have another think coming.” He nodded to the head boy who commanded everyone to stand while the staff exited. (Read Part 14 to see what happens to the hapless three)
Vincent
“Let’s go after school,” Noble said. “We’ll meet behind the chapel and go from there.” What the Three Lawyers had planned was to go cross-country and over to the waterfall. It was a favourite sanctuary for seniors to go smoking.
Wesley College was an agricultural school in the small rural township of Paerata set up to teach students the rudiments of farming alongside the normal academic subjects. However the student body was predominantly made up of society’s unwanted. Many were from broken homes or from families where the stepfather, once remarried, didn’t really want any extra baggage. A good many were Island students or Maori students from farming backgrounds. The combination of miss-placed students and malicious staff was a volatile mix to say the least. If it weren’t for Steve’s previous boarding school experience he would never have survived. He knew about fagging. He knew about bullying and he knew about cruelty in teachers.
“Are we allowed to cut across the fields and visit this place?” Steve asked appearing to not really care but deep down he already knew the answer. They were breaking bounds, which meant they were setting themselves up to get caught. And getting caught had consequences he didn’t even want to think about. “When do we have to be back?”
“By five, in time for tea,” Treadray replied. “We’ll make it easily.”
“The staff have a meeting at this time every week. Old Marshall always likes to meet them on a Monday so we’ll be fine,” said Noble.
The beady eyes of the religious master missed nothing. He watched and waited like a black widow alert for any vibrations on the web. He’d spotted the boys behind the chapel and heard most of their conversation before they took off across the road.
“Well my little beauties I knew I’d get another chance sooner or later. We’ll organise a reception party for you when you return.” He smiled as he went about his business of setting the altar for evening service. He selected the hymn, ‘God Moves in Mysterious Ways’, and wondered if the trio realised its significance.
“That was fantastic!” said an excited Steve as he dried himself after plunging through the water into the cavern behind the waterfall. “Hadn’t we better get going though, it’s getting late.”
“If we jog we’ll make it ok.”
“Then let’s go!” yelled Treadray on the top of his lungs. His sheer exuberance was infectious and all three let out whoops and hollers as they skylarked their way across the fields and back to school only quietening down as they reached the perimeter of the buildings.
“We made it! See I told you it was easy,” Noble said turning round to face both boys whilst walking backwards. “Nobody even suspected.” They were puffed from their run but exhilarated from their adrenaline rush.
As they rounded the corner into the dining room they almost bumped into Barnett who was coming from the Headmaster’s office. He stopped in front of them and, just as they thought he was past, he turned and said, “Oh by the way lads, Mr Marshall wants to see you in his office after dinner.” Three stomachs lurched inwards. **** sphincters tightened, and three sets of eyes flew around the group each questioning the other. They looked as guilty as sin. “Enjoy your dinner. Sort of like a Last Supper don’t you think!” he chuckled, and strode off towards the dining room.
“Ddd… do you think he knows?” stuttered, Noble deathly white.
“How could he?” Steve said not daring to look at Treadray, “No one saw us I’m sure.”
“Barnett knows, otherwise he wouldn’t have collared us and he was coming from the Head’s office. He knows alright!” said Noble nodding his head and looking pensive. “Take my word for it!”
“Then we’re for it then!” stated Treadray resignedly. “At least we get to eat dinner.” He seemed unconcerned as if it were his fate in life to always be caught, always to be punished; an unwanted product of an unhappy union. It’s not certain whether Treadray attracted trouble or trouble attracted him but his reputation around the staff was that he was uncontrollable and therefore fair game. No parent was going to complain if he got abused. They knew he was rebellious and would probably relish any discipline that could be dished out. It relieved them of any guilt of sending him to Wesley in the first place. No one knew about ADHD then and nobody cared.
“Let’s get it over with then,” he said.
“Shit you’re keen aren’t you,” Noble spluttered. “I’m not in a hurry to get the cuts.”
“Well, we’ve no choice so we may as well go now.”
“We have to go after dinner,” Steve reminded them.
“The condemned man ate a hearty meal,” Noble muttered striding towards the dining room. “Come on you two.” The evening meal was eaten in silence. The news had got out and was around the school like wildfire and it was as if the whole school was holding its collective breath. No one was particularly surprised when they heard it was Treadray and Noble but the new boy was a different twist. Let’s see how he copes with this, they all thought. A thrashing from the Head was no light matter.
When the dishes had been cleared Mr Marshall, the portly Headmaster of the college, made the dreaded announcement. “The three boys who broke bounds this afternoon will see me in my office after dismissal. If anyone else thinks they can escape punishment for breaking school rules then they have another think coming.” He nodded to the head boy who commanded everyone to stand while the staff exited. (Read Part 14 to see what happens to the hapless three)
Vincent
