Season of Hate Read Online Free Page B
spat out. She gave him an icy stare. He sauntered off, but only after giving Doug a hateful sideways glance. She then focused her attention on Doug and me. I swallowed hard and felt sure she must've heard me it was so loud.
"You two must be the McNally boys."
"Yes Sister," we said together, and in the confusion of the moment I also crossed myself. This gesture seemed to save both our necks. She gave a perfunctory smile.
"My name is Sister Mary Placid. Welcome to Sacred Heart Primary School. As this is your first day, I will forget your participation in this brawl – this once. I know Master Wood well, and have every belief he was the instigator. Do not let me catch you engaging in fisticuffs ever again. Not unless you want to join him in his punishment. Understand?"
We both nodded.
"Good." She squeezed Doug's cheeks firmly between the palms of her hands as she examined his face.
"No blood. Barry, take him to the wash shed and get him cleaned up; once Master Wood has finished getting that muck out of his hair." She then turned, faced the crowd and roared,
"You have one minute to line up for assembly!" Everyone scattered and faced the main weatherboard building in formation. A pretty curly-headed girl pulled me into my spot as Barry led Doug away.
By the time Doug and Barry joined the assembly, we'd finished the Morning Prayer, allegiance to the Queen, our free bottle of milk and were now marching off in pairs to the classrooms. There were a number of weatherboard buildings in the grounds, as well as a small brick office. Our line headed towards one wooden building that housed three classrooms. Outside the end classroom stood Steve with his hair dripping wet, holding the cane. As we filed past him he threatened Doug in a clenched-teeth whisper.
"I'll get you later."
We emptied our satchels then placed them on the pegs outside the second classroom before filing in. Barry led us to two empty desks up the back. Because of the size of the school, our third class was combined with second class.
The clatter of opening our desks and filling them with our belongings then dropping their tops shut, soon stopped as everyone waited in silence, listening for the number of strokes of the cane Steve would receive. One, two, three, four, five, six. He started it, but he didn't deserve that much, I thought. On hearing the clomp of heels coming along the wooden verandah, everyone stood to attention beside their desk. Doug and I couldn't see the door from where we were, but by deduction knew whoever it was must be our teacher.
"Good morning class," a female voice sang brightly on entering. It was Sister Mary Placid. She moved to the desk at the front of the room, tapping the cane gently against her leg. Doug looked at me. We mirrored the same doomed expression to the other realising that she was to be our teacher. She placed the cane on the desk.
"Good morning Sister Mary Placid," we all rejoined.
"Eyes front Dougal McNally." After a singsong of more prayers led by Sister, we were allowed to sit. "The two new boys, out the front and tell us a bit about yourselves."
Doug and I moved in front of her large desk and faced the class, while Sister made her way to the back of the room.
"My name's Dougal McNally. My friends call me Doug." As he hesitated and nervously pulled at the front of his pants to adjust himself, I jumped in.
"And I'm his brother, Pat, short for Patrick. We're twins, but not identical." Some of the class laughed at my obvious, nervous joke 'cept Sister.
"Please tell the class how it is that you've come to join our school." I took the lead, as Doug was always shy about answering questions, especially about himself.
"We used to come visit Nan and Poppie –" I began before she interrupted.
"You mean you used to come and visit your grandmother and grandfather . Go on."
"Well we used to visit them."
"Who did you visit?"
"Our Nan –" I caught her piercing stare and proceeded with more caution. "Our
"You two must be the McNally boys."
"Yes Sister," we said together, and in the confusion of the moment I also crossed myself. This gesture seemed to save both our necks. She gave a perfunctory smile.
"My name is Sister Mary Placid. Welcome to Sacred Heart Primary School. As this is your first day, I will forget your participation in this brawl – this once. I know Master Wood well, and have every belief he was the instigator. Do not let me catch you engaging in fisticuffs ever again. Not unless you want to join him in his punishment. Understand?"
We both nodded.
"Good." She squeezed Doug's cheeks firmly between the palms of her hands as she examined his face.
"No blood. Barry, take him to the wash shed and get him cleaned up; once Master Wood has finished getting that muck out of his hair." She then turned, faced the crowd and roared,
"You have one minute to line up for assembly!" Everyone scattered and faced the main weatherboard building in formation. A pretty curly-headed girl pulled me into my spot as Barry led Doug away.
By the time Doug and Barry joined the assembly, we'd finished the Morning Prayer, allegiance to the Queen, our free bottle of milk and were now marching off in pairs to the classrooms. There were a number of weatherboard buildings in the grounds, as well as a small brick office. Our line headed towards one wooden building that housed three classrooms. Outside the end classroom stood Steve with his hair dripping wet, holding the cane. As we filed past him he threatened Doug in a clenched-teeth whisper.
"I'll get you later."
We emptied our satchels then placed them on the pegs outside the second classroom before filing in. Barry led us to two empty desks up the back. Because of the size of the school, our third class was combined with second class.
The clatter of opening our desks and filling them with our belongings then dropping their tops shut, soon stopped as everyone waited in silence, listening for the number of strokes of the cane Steve would receive. One, two, three, four, five, six. He started it, but he didn't deserve that much, I thought. On hearing the clomp of heels coming along the wooden verandah, everyone stood to attention beside their desk. Doug and I couldn't see the door from where we were, but by deduction knew whoever it was must be our teacher.
"Good morning class," a female voice sang brightly on entering. It was Sister Mary Placid. She moved to the desk at the front of the room, tapping the cane gently against her leg. Doug looked at me. We mirrored the same doomed expression to the other realising that she was to be our teacher. She placed the cane on the desk.
"Good morning Sister Mary Placid," we all rejoined.
"Eyes front Dougal McNally." After a singsong of more prayers led by Sister, we were allowed to sit. "The two new boys, out the front and tell us a bit about yourselves."
Doug and I moved in front of her large desk and faced the class, while Sister made her way to the back of the room.
"My name's Dougal McNally. My friends call me Doug." As he hesitated and nervously pulled at the front of his pants to adjust himself, I jumped in.
"And I'm his brother, Pat, short for Patrick. We're twins, but not identical." Some of the class laughed at my obvious, nervous joke 'cept Sister.
"Please tell the class how it is that you've come to join our school." I took the lead, as Doug was always shy about answering questions, especially about himself.
"We used to come visit Nan and Poppie –" I began before she interrupted.
"You mean you used to come and visit your grandmother and grandfather . Go on."
"Well we used to visit them."
"Who did you visit?"
"Our Nan –" I caught her piercing stare and proceeded with more caution. "Our
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