Excerpt
tables; there was absolute silence until the teachers gave them the
okay to go and pick their bowl of porridge, their daily breakfast.
Once the order was given, two at a time, like little soldiers, they
stepped to the counters, each took his bowl and a spoon and
walked back to their seat where they focused on their food.
Anton and Dylan took their coffees and a slice of toast
each and walked to their table when the maid, Ananya walked
in and with quick strides reached Father Nicolas and said something
to him as if whispering. Father Nicolas raised his hand
and called Sister Naomi, told her something then both Father
Nicolas and Ananya took their leave.
Dylan looked at Anton and signaled to him to stay put
while he walked to George the cook. He leaned over the small
divider between the kitchen and the eating area, talked to
George, then went back to his seat and kept having his coffee.
Sister Naomi walked around the tables holding her stick in her
hand and moving from side to side she meant business to these
kids who knew very well the feel of the stick on their flesh.
Time passed in absolute quietness. When all the porridge
was consumed and the children took their bowls back to kitchen
counters, Sister Naomi escorted them to their classes for their
first lesson. Dylan and Anton went to their job at the laundry.
“What you think happened?” Anton asked Dylan when
they were loading the washers with dirty clothes.
“I don’t know, but we’ll soon find out. George will let us
know.”
A few minutes later George came in and declared, “the
old skunk is dead.”
Dylan stopped loading the washer, “When? I knew he
wasn’t that well, but…”
“An hour ago.”
Manolis Aligizakis 