Module 2: RESPECT OTHERS

(Page 19) Resource sheet 2 (continued)

When Billy stopped yelling the other boys stopped laughing, and when time passed and no more was heard from him, their conversations began to peter out, and attention gradually focused on the showers. Until only a trio was left shouting into each other's faces, unaware that the volume of noise in the room had dropped. Suddenly they stopped, looked around embarrassed, then looked towards the showers with the rest of the boys.

The water had cooled the air, the steam had vanished, and the only sound that came from the showers was the beat of the water behind the partition; a mesmeric beat which slowly drew the boys together on the drying area.

The boy guards began to look uneasy, and they looked across to their captain.

"Can we let him out now, Sir?"

"No!"

"He'll get pneumonia."

"I don't care what he gets, I'll show him! If he thinks I'm running my blood to water for ninety minutes, and then having the game deliberately thrown away at the last minute, he's another think coming!"


There were signs of unrest and much muttering amongst the crowd:

"He's had enough, Sir"

"It was only a game."

"Let him go."

"Shut up you lot, and get out!"

Nobody moved. They continued to stare at the partition wall as if a film was being projected onto its tiled surface.

Then Billy appeared over the top of it, hands, head and shoulders, climbing rapidly. A great roar arose, as though Punch had appeared above them hugging his giant cosh. Sugden saw him.

"Get down, Caspar!"

Billy straddled the wall and got down, on the dry side. There was laughter - (and gnashing of teeth). The three guards deserted their posts. Sugden turned the showers off, and the crowd dispersed. Billy planed the standing droplets off his body and limbs with his palms, then hurried to his peg and dabbed himself with his shorts. His shirt stuck and ruttled down his back when he pulled it on, and the damp seeped through the light grey flannel, staining it
charcoal.

From A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines
(Michael Joseph, 1968). © Barry Hines.