I woke up still shaken by the incident of the previous night. I tried to look composed on the outside but I was frozen in fear on the inside. The mild heat of the morning sun didn't have any effects on the freezing fear I felt inside.
I knocked and was ushered in. I started cleaning her office. All the time I cleaned,her eyes never left the papers in front of her. She scribbled endlessly on them and it sparked my curiosity but I couldn't go too close so she won't know I was trying to peep at what she was doing. I cleaned as fast as I could so I could leave .
"All done",i said myself as my eyes swept the room,"I'm through with the cleaning", I said to her. It took a while before she slowly lifted up her head and asked,"Are you done?","Yes ma",I replied trying to keep the sarcastic statement from coming out. She nodded and continued what she was doing,"Okay. Get rested and come back by noon for your lesson",she said not looking up. I left immediately she finished the last statement. I went back to my hostel to rest . When I got passed the pathway leading to the garden,I walked away as fast as I could trying not to look at it for the second time. I could feel the shivers that ran down my spine and the eerie feeling that sitted at the pit of my stomach which I couldn't shake off.
Noon came and I went to her office for my lessons. When I got to the office I sat down to begin the lesson but she decided to start the lesson by asking an unexpected question."Emily",she began,"Ma",I replied,"What were you doing in the garden last night?",she asked out of the blues," Ma,I...I...I wasn't in the...there",I stuttered." You were, don't lie to me. I heard you scream",she yelled at me.
The Principal's house was behind the garden and the route leading to her house was prohibited to all students so it was possible she heard me screams but how did she know it was me? I asked myself and I asked her as well," It could be anybody?", i added.
The expression her face changed from stern from to anger." What are you insulating? Are you calling me a liar?",she asked pointing at herself," No Ma, I'm not, I'm... I'm...",I tired to come up with something as quickly as possible but nothing came to my mind." Were you at the garden or not?",she asked,"Yes ma",I admitted shamefully,"What were you doing there?",she asked,"I was ... nothing",I replied,"Nothing? Don't you know it is forbidden for students to be out of their hostels at night?",she asked me but I said nothing," Answer me!",she shouted angrily and I jolted," Ye,yes ma",I replied.
She took a deep breathe and reclined into her chair,", I'll let you go on a warning but be warned, if you are caught again,you will be punished ",she said stressing the last four words,"Yes ma",I replied in a whisper with my head bowed unable to answer the question" How did she know?",
She dropped something on the table and when I looked at it,I discovered it was my torch light," I must have forgotten it after seeing her ... ", I thought. My name was written on it in," Emily Huston". Now that answered the perturbing question. I took it and whispered a "thank you ma". She began the lesson afterwards.