SSC 2004 (Category: School)

The Assembly
by Tasha


	'McKenzie, seven.'

	The boys listened, rapt, as Mr Faraday read the list of
sixth-formers' names.

	'Blackstone, six. Keele.' The headmaster paused. 'Two.'

	There were snickers, but no one spoke.

	'Altmark, seven. Wingfield, fifteen.'

	The boys gasped, but the remorseless tally continued.

	'Mitchell, five, Lambert, three.'

	Soft laughter and then silence. Some boys had earned their peers'
respect, others their scorn. But one was sorrier than all the rest. And
would likely be sorrier still.

                                     oOo

2 hours earlier.


	'Come on,' Lambert snorted. 'It won't hurt.'

	Riley looked doubtful. That wasn't what he'd heard.

	'Faraday taught at a girls' school,' Lambert said. 'He's used to
tender girl bottoms. And only girls are scared of the cane.'

	'I'm not scared!'

	'We'll see, won't we?' Lambert sneered. 'And if you say anything
about you-know-what.'

	'I won't!'

	The night before, Riley had been bullied into taking the blame for
something Lambert had done.

	'If you cry,' said Lambert. 'I've got some girls' knickers you can
wear. See what Faraday thinks of that next time he canes you!' He
laughed.

	'See what he thinks of what?'

	Lambert paled. 'Mr Faraday - sir - I-'

	'What's going on here, then?' the headmaster asked calmly.

	'Just a lark, sir.'

	Faraday glared at him. 'What is the punishment for bullying,
Lambert?'

	'But, sir, I was just playing-'

	The headmaster repeated his question.

	Lambert swallowed. 'The cane, sir.'

	'The cane. Are you scared of the cane, Lambert?'

	The boy knew better than to say no. 'Yes, sir,' he mumbled.

	'But you said only girls are scared of the cane.'

	'I was just playing, sir.'

	'You keep saying that. You seem to have rather a vulgar idea of fun.
Did you think it was funny, Riley?'

	'Not particularly, sir.'

	'It appears to be a one-sided joke, Lambert.'

	'Perhaps, sir. But still a joke.'

	'Nothing threatening, then?'

	'No, sir!'

	'I see. So what did you mean by "you-know-what"?'

	'Um,' said Lambert.

	'Out with it, boy! You're in enough trouble already.'

	The game was up. And it was obvious as Lambert confessed that the
headmaster already knew the full story.

	'Right,' said Mr Faraday. 'We will have a special assembly tonight.
Before that I will see the entire sixth form in my study. You may form a
queue outside.'

	'But sir!' Lambert gasped. 'Not everyone-'

	'Yes, I know. Not everyone in the sixth form is guilty. But I intend
to make an example of you. Tonight we'll see how many strokes it takes
to make each of you boys cry. I'll announce the numbers in assembly.'

	Lambert looked ill.

	'Riley, you're dismissed. I expect you'll be caned someday, but it
won't be today.'

	Grateful, Riley scurried out of the room.

	'Bullying is disgraceful, Lambert. And I expect you'll get a taste
of it from the other boys for this. Perhaps it will help foster
discipline within the ranks.'

	'Yes, sir,' Lambert moaned.

	'I never knew I taught at a girls' school,' the headmaster mused.
'Or that only girls cried over a caning. Well, we'll see about that.
Kindly go and fetch your classmates, Lambert. You can explain the
situation to them.'


(c) 2004 SSC by Tasha