Ordinary

Subservience

The Beginning

It was Joe's first term in JSS1, and also his first time in the boarding house. The term was half spent, Joe had adapted to the system and was already familiar with all the daily routines and misfortunes that caught up with students, on the school grounds. But there was something – or rather, someone – he wasn't familiar with, just yet. Joe was personally yet to encounter the Boarding Master – a formidable figure in the students' lives.

Alas! If only one could see what would befall him the next second! Unfortunately, like any other human being, Joe continued to live his ordinary life, completely oblivious! He had no idea of what would befall him that evening. It was going to be the first of his many predestined ordeals with the BM.

You, reading this, may find it impossible to fully comprehend the man in question. Words—so far as I know—have yet to be invented that can truly capture his nature. Only an encounter with him would make you understand what, you in turn, won't be able to explain to an inexperienced person, and so it goes.

Experience, indeed is the best teacher!

____

9:31 PM

The students madly rushed to the hostels – for diverse individual reasons. It was always a thing of joy to hear the clanging sound of the metal – signaling the end of night prep for a particular day. Not every student loved evening prep. Most of the students loathed every part of it. Starting with the omnipresent night prep coordinators, walking around the whole school with their fan belts, class by class, hunting for prey. And who were their prey? Anyone resting his head on the desk. They would walk in and out of the classes non-stop for 2 hours and 30 minutes! And what would they be doing? Beating students who were either sleeping, making noise, or even simply dozing!

And when their consciences would prick them, they would come and stand in front of the class and tell the students why they do what they do. Pointing out that they did what they did out of charity, for they couldn't bear the thought of 'us' failing exams – hmm as if they ever really cared!

But their actions were always symmetrically antagonistic to their words. They would even flog you for jolting awake at the moment they sauntered into the classroom, ridiculous! 

'Night preps are meant for studying, not for sleeping!' They would say.

But where, then, was the "charity" in that?

____

The JSS1 boys clustered together on their frontage for their evening devotion – one of the deadliest activities in the hostels. Also, missing devotions had dire consequences, only the daring ones dared. As such, prefects – who were supposed to help maintain and coordinate devotions – used this opportunity to punish students who were wanted. The devotion ground was more like a ground for reckoning. That was where all scores were settled and parallel ends met.

Joe ran and plunged himself into the small gathering and stood at the heart of the crowd – a safe spot for him. At least, there he wouldn't get caught by the prefect's swinging belts.

And then came the mad prefects, whirling their belts at the boys. Forcing them to fit into a small imaginary circle, so they won't be loose. They would bark instructions like, 'Cluster yourselves...' 'Don't exceed this pole!' The latter, they would say, whilst hitting the poles with their palms. The more serious the prefect was, the greater the impact.

Prefects acted like robots. They had a programmed way of calling for attention, giving instructions, giving warnings, laying emphasis, and so on. It was like a cult. It also felt like they were given a manual on how they should act henceforth, upon being appointed. Because their traits and behavioral patterns never changed from one set to the other.

Also, the Prefects were demigods - gods in human form. To some extent, students even feared them more than staff members. They were held in the highest regard. And this was what would land Joe in trouble that fateful evening. For he was a son of a demi-god.

____

After the devotion, Joe went to his room, undressed and packed his filthy garments, and raced to the tap to wash them. Joe loathed washing at night, but what little choice he had! Washing at night was dangerous. It was prone to the night rain; the kind of rain you only got to know about the following morning, and the night thieves, all these were the dangers of washing at night, yet sometimes it was worth the risk.

____

When Joe came back to his room, prefects were in his school father's place (who was also a Prefect.) And one of the prefects was sitting in his bed. Joe, wanting to be a good school-son, waived the idea of politely requesting for his bed with utter reverence. This, however, was a terrible mistake!

Joe sat in one of his friend's beds and they chatted. He waited patiently, like the dog who died without ever getting to eat the fattest bone.

____

It all started as a soft thud in his head, but it continued; increasing in magnitude and impact until Joe opened his eyes, and slowly lifting his gaze off the floor, he saw a familiar pair of black baggy trousers – the Boarding Master! Just then reality dawned on him, where was he? Everywhere was quiet and calm. All he heard were muffled sounds. Another blow! Joe yelped in pain. It was extremely excruciating. It felt like the blow came with answers and explanations to his questions. His eyes widened in horror as the realization continued to slowly dawn on him.

You see? The previous night while Joe was waiting for the prefect to vacate his bed for him at will, he fell asleep in his friend's bed. And that was all it took.

"Where is your bed?" the BM asked. Joe didn't answer. He turned and looked toward his bunk and alas, it was empty with his bed on the floor. What would he tell this man to convince him? Joe also realized his school father was standing there, like a statue. Won't you say something? Why are you mute? Don't you care if I perish? Joe thought, tears already clouding his eyes.

Another blow. "I said where is your bed?!" The BM shouted. Joe clutched his head in pain as he also turned and looked at his friend, who was sound asleep and completely oblivious to his plight. At that moment, he wished they could switch bodies. Joe wasn't being callous, but this was too much to bear.

Joe blindly pointed toward his empty bunk and slowly stood up, only to be met with several blows from the BM's stick. He hurried to his bed on the floor, still clutching his aching head, trying to avoid more blows; but the BM just watched him, having already had his fill.

Joe picked up his bed placed it on the metal bunk climbed into it and lay face-up, and from the corner of his eyes, he caught the old man throwing daggers at him, as he walked out of the room – his school father following suit.

His school father returned shortly and Joe quickly closed his eyes, pretending to be fast asleep. He was mad at his school father, thinking there was something he could have done to save him from the gruesome experience.

Nevertheless, the soft foam of his bed served as a cushion for his indignant mind, allowing him to rest for the night. For it would all be a memory the following morning.

____

Now, that experience was one of a kind, wasn't it? And that was how they imposed their authority on the poor little boys. You see a boy sharing a bed with his mate, and it provoked you to limitless bounds that you had to start hitting his head with your stick. What a creature you are! The poor little boy couldn't even afford the luxury of you gently tapping him to wake up, after which you could still query him. Such was the fate of any boy who was unlucky to have an encounter with the Boarding Master, and Joe was Ill-fated. What could you do? The Boarding Master, with whom innocuous parents entrusted their sons unto his care, turned out to be a nightmare to the boys.

_____

The BM had laid a mark on Joe, and this was only the beginning of his memorable escapades with his newly found nemesis.