Sunday 8th September

Mom phoned to find out how I was doing and to give me the latest Milton news. I nearly started crying on the phone but managed not to tell her about Friday night. I put the phone down, went back to bed and started crying under my duvet. I shoved my face deep into the mattress to hide the sound.

15:00 Anderson reported us to Sparerib. Any hope that we might escape this one with just a brutal thrashing is now officially gone. Our final hope was for one last brilliant idea from Rambo but all he could do was shrug his shoulders and start packing his trunk. I flicked on my Walkman and skipped to track five on The Joshua Tree. I wish my life also had a rewind button.

Sweeter the sin

Bitter the taste in my mouth I see seven towers

I only see one way out

You got to talk without speaking

Cry without weeping and
Scream without raising your voice.

You know I took the poison from the poison stream
Then I floated out of here

One by one we were called into Sparerib’s office for a gruelling inquisition. I wanted to shout out that the whole thing was just fun – it wasn’t like we’d killed anyone! Sparerib did his best to look upset and shocked but I knew he was secretly thrilled and excited. He’s been waiting to get back at the Crazy Eight ever since Fatty was caught in the chapel window last year and Sparerib ended up looking like an idiot for swallowing Rambo’s story at the time. (Of course Rambo shagging his wife didn’t help much either.) In fact Sparerib tried to force me to blame the whole thing on Rambo! He even told me that by telling the truth about Rambo I could lessen my own punishment and possibly save my place at the school and even my scholarship.

I shook my head and said nothing. I wasn’t being brave. I just knew that if I opened my mouth I’d start crying.

Then Sparerib handed me a printed piece of paper with a list of my crimes:

Talking after lights out

Being out of house bounds after lights out

Bunking out (this means I went beyond the bog stream, dam and school fence)

Night swimming

Smoking

Drinking

I didn’t think the night swimming would make much difference in the end so I signed where it said CULPRIT’S SIGNATURE. Sparerib told me again how disappointed he was in me and that he was filled with an immense sense of waste. I said I was sorry. Sparerib snapped back saying it was too late for sorry and told me to call in Vern.

Vern was waiting outside with red eyes and a dark patch in the crotch of his pants. He seemed to be on the verge of some sort of freak-out or epileptic fit, so I shook his hand firmly and said, ‘Don’t worry, Vern. Everything’s gonna be fine.’ Obviously, the handshake gave him strength because he marched into the office like he was ready to punch Sparerib’s lights out.

22:00 Rambo called us to his cubicle and said, ‘Guys, I dunno what’s gonna happen to you but I think it’s game over for me and Mad Dog.’ Mad Dog told him they would be fine but it sounded hollow and he soon gave up his good cheer and went back to sharpening his hunting and filleting knife. Rambo stood on his footlocker and said, ‘In case this is the end for the Crazy Eight I just want to say that it’s been a hell of two years with you guys.’ He then started to choke up which made us all choke up. ‘Anyway, it’s been cool. And, hey, what can I say? The Crazy Eight went out with a bang, not a whimper!’ We all shook hands and paws and returned to our beds in silence.

While the others slept I sat on my window sill and looked out at the main quad and Pissing Pete. The moon was out again tonight – this time not so full and not so bright. I had a head full of questions:

What happens next?

Can they really expel all of us?

If we aren’t expelled, what will happen?

Will The Glock deal with us or will Sparerib?

Will The Glock say anything in assembly tomorrow?

Will I lose my scholarship?

If I do, can I still stay at the school?

Surely they can’t expel Vern? He’s a simpleton!

How do I break the news to my parents?

Why did I get into this mess in the first place?

Just had a thought about the barbarians in the Milton bloodline. Guess you can add another Milton name to the list.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 642