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  On Wednesday that little prick Steven, who always lurked around the girls’ change room, stoned Rosie, the caretaker’s dog. The vet had to put 15 stitches in her and the whole school was speculating about Steven’s punishment.

  “He’ll get 6 cuts, that’s for sure,” Brian said.

  “What’s a cut?” I asked.

  “You bend over a chair and the headmaster hits your backside with a cane.”

  “Heiliger Strohsack! You mean he’s actually got the right to hit pupils?”

  “Ja, it’s called corporal punishment. Don’t they klap you in Germany?”

  “If a headmaster in Germany hit a pupil he’d be in major shit. It’s barbaric.”

  “Stoning an animal is also barbaric,” Kim said. “I hope Steven will get a hiding that he can’t sit for 3 weeks.”

  During assembly the next morning Mr Martin announced that he wished to see Steven in his office. By the first break everybody in the school knew about the punishment. Steven got 6 of the best – as cuts were also called – and he had to work at the SPCA every Saturday, on public holidays and for 2 weeks during the Christmas hols.

  “Serves him right to have to clean out tons of dog shit,” Kim commented.

  “He’s lucky that he wasn’t expelled,” Peggy said. “I reckon most other schools would have kicked him out but old Martin likes to give other people a second chance.”

  Steven wasn’t to be seen at Protea High for a whole week. Rumour had it that his dad beat him green and blue because he had to foot the vet’s bill.