The Caged Student Ch. 03

I grin, thinking back on what just happened with Miss Holeman. Maybe I could keep working on that. She looked pretty pissed earlier. I take it in my right hand and test the air hearing its swish. And what's the point of 'Old Baldy' doing what he did? Was it to scare me somehow? It didn't seem like it. Placing the piece of wood back down, I try the other drawers. The second one has the folder in it. The agreement. I pick it up and flip it open.

There it is. I could just tear it up right now. It would be petty. I'm sure he has copies... Wait a second. There's another piece of paper in the pocket. I pull it out.

Professor Cox,

My recommendation for Miss Yeager is to keep her under duress as much as possible from the moment she arrives. She is a challenge at school and will more than likely act out much the same way with you. Your plan for three punishments seems to be a good one, and I will arrive mid-afternoon Saturday to check on your progress.

Your success with the first pupil leaves me no doubt that your techniques will be just as fruitful.

With regards,

The Headmaster of Warrington

P.S. Stress and duress! That is the key!

I re-read the short note. The Headmaster knows about all this? He wants me stressed out. Why? And the canings. What the fuck?! Not even trying to control my anger, I kick the high-backed chair, sending it tumbling into the wall. Mr. Cox. Collin. And now the Headmaster. I'll get them. Somehow, someway...

My skin goes goose-pimply. It happens so fast, I thought the AC had kicked on. No. That's not it. It's that strange feeling I had earlier when I was wrestling with Miss Holeman. Feeling nervous, I put the folder back together and scoot the chair back into place. Sitting down at my desk, I get the book open and try to calm down. What am I feeling? It's growing, whatever it is. Second by second, it nears. It's right behind me! The door opens, and I whirl in my seat.

"Startled, Miss Yeager?"

It's Mr. Cox returning. I take a quick breath. Getting jumpy, girl? He walks up and flips the book in his hands. "Ah. Heller," he says, placing it back on my desk. "Go back to your reading."

I try to. Even though he's returned to his desk, I sneak a look every so often and see his eyes on me. Minute by minute, the time passes, but the bad feelings won't go away. I still feel angry, but now there's something else. He's up to something. I have to raise my hand just to stop the silent staring!

"Yes, Miss Yeager?" It comes out coolly. Slowly.

What's happening? A few minutes ago, I'm feeling in control. One stare, and now I'm frightened out of my wits? "How much do I need to read, sir?"

"Until you reach the lesson presented in the book you are reading."

I feel my nerves begin to jangle. "How will I know that, sir?"

"I will let you know."

My eyes lock on his. "Sir?"

"I always know." His gaze doesn't waver one bit. "Go on."

I look down. It's hard to focus. Just read. Ignore him. But the book doesn't help. There are so many characters introduced in such random ways. The dialogue is torturous at times, and I have to backtrack just to make sure who's speaking. Is it any wonder I'm getting a headache?

Turning yet another page I find two of the characters are debating. It's circular. I re-read several lines. Then it hits me. Here it is. The BIG lesson. Looking up carefully, I see the old man smile at me. That ugly smile.

"Ingenious, isn't it?"

"Is that what I'm in, sir? A Catch-22?"

"What do you think, Miss Yeager?"

"No, sir." I try for a bit of bluster.

"You are locked up here. You have to do as I say, or...?

"I get punished."

"But you have to do exactly as I say."

I sit there, rolling that in my mind. "Wait..."

"What if I ask you to do something you would never wish to do?"

My nerves are back. Really bad. "I do it?"

"And if I wish to; punish you?"

My heart rate starts climbing. "Now, sir? Why?"

"Answer my question," he says casually. It doesn't fool me a bit.

"For no reason? You'd break the law, sir."

"The law now lets me do a great many things to you that I am sure you do not wish to happen. In fact, with Miss Holeman here, I can go to extreme measures to bring you in line."

"But I'm doing the assignments, sir." I try for that good little student attitude he liked earlier. "You're doing such a good job explaining things to me."

"Oh, Miss Yeager. Every minute with you is so revealing. I wish I could have been more attentive while you were at school. But I could not. All those games you performed. Well, playtime is over."

This is the Mr. Cox from earlier. While wrestling. He's talking so differently. It's like he's fucking with me. "Sir. If I could continue reading?"

"You are done with that. It is time to move on."

I slowly close the book. "With what, sir?"

"My plan. Well, my plan for you at least."

It's getting hard to focus. I feel strange again. I grit my teeth. I'm not here to get bullied. "Isn't that what we've been doing, sir?"

"Oh, no. I really haven't had a go; yet."

I watch in trepidation as he stands and pulls his chair towards me. "Sir. What are you doing?"

The balding professor doesn't answer as he sets his chair in front of my desk. After sitting, he places an elbow down and cups a hand on the side of his face. "Oh, Miss Yeager," the bejoweled man says with relish. "I guess it is time."

I lean back as far as the confined desk will let me. "Time? For what?!"

"To find out all about you, of course."

I blink. It's almost as if there is too much pressure from the air all around me. "What do you want to know about, sir?"

"Let us start with," his smile twists. "everything."

"Everything?" My mouth is dry. "What are you talking about?"

"You, Miss Yeager. Every little cell of your fascinating mind and the way it works. Don't you wish for me to understand you? And possibly you yourself?"

Oh crap. The headache. I want to reach up and rub my temples. Why now?!

"No answer?" he sighs. "Let us do a little exercise then. A game, if you will. I know you like them."

"Game?" I can't think clearly. Something's really wrong here. Try to focus. "I'm not here to play games, sir."

"But you played such a good one just a bit ago."

"I... I did?"

"So you still don't realize?" he asks in amazement. "I see!"

"What, sir?" I want to rub the side of my head. It's fucking killing me. "I don't understand."

"As is apparent." He breathes a sigh. "I was very worried for a moment there."

"Worried, sir?"

"Never mind." He leans over the desk. "Now, about the game. It is simple, actually."

I can barely focus my eyes now. "Sir. I need a rest..."

"Sorry, Miss Yeager. No rest for the wicked. I will ask you some questions. You will answer truthfully. If not, well, I will be quite impressed. But I will still punish you. Do you understand?"

I begin to shake inside. The way he's talking to me... "Punish? How?"

"In the punishment room, of course. The first lie you tell, we take a little trip over there. Then the game will get very interesting. I'm sure you wish to avoid that."

"But I always lie, sir." Huh? Did I just say that?!

"That's good. Just keep answering that way and we will have no problem at all. First question: Why do you think you're here?"

There's a sharp pain right at the back of my skull. "Sir..."

"Don't delay!" he shouts at me. "Answer what comes to mind! Why are you here?"

I look over at the desk. I really don't want to go there the way he's acting. "Because I got in trouble?"

"I need a little more than that, Miss Yeager. Why are you here?"

My mind is in a fog, but my lips move anyway. "Because you're a fuckhead who wants to beat on students." My mouth drops at what I just said. "Oh shit! I mean..."

"Interesting. Do you often cuss in your thoughts?"

"Uhh... Yes, sir." He's not mad? The old man should have at least started yelling again.

"Not atypical for people in this day and age." He grins weirdly. "But I bet you have more than a few choice nicknames for your former teacher. Am I right?"

"Pervert. Letch. Old Baldy." I just start rattling them off. I can't stop myself. "Shithead. Bastard." He suddenly looks at me with anger, and I jumble to a halt.

"Miss Yeager. Never: ever: use that word in my presence."

"Bast...?"

"That one." He taps a finger on top of my desk. "I find that word particularly hateful. If you ever use that again in my presence, there will be immediate consequences."

I think I can feel his anger pouring out at me. It's frightening, and I nod nervously.

"Let us continue. So you think that the reason you're here is so I can; get my hands on you? Is that right?"

"Well, yes. The way you look at me."

"Not to set you on a path to success? To show you the error of your ways?"

The headache is getting worse. "What's the point? You can't change me in three days. I'll just act like the good girl you want, and you'll hit me, and then..." Fuck! What am I doing?!

The former professor shakes his head in amusement. "It's good to be honest, isn't it? What if I said that I can remake you into a person you wouldn't recognize anymore. How do you feel about that?"

"You can?" I shake my head. No. There's no way. I just have to think... Think about...

"Don't you want to be something more? Something exceptional? To stand out in the world?"

What the professor says strikes a cord deep inside me. "Yes. I'd like that."

"Very interesting." He leans back slowly. "Thank you for being honest. Things are a lot clearer now."

I feel like a bag of sand slides off of me, and the headache recedes. "What? Sir?"

"Never mind. It looks like you came through with flying colors, Miss Yeager."

A brief wave of terror swirls in. All the things I said. "You're not going to punish me, sir?"

"You followed my instructions, did you not?"

"Yes, but..."

"You just have to do two things, Miss Yeager. Do as I tell you, and don't ever lie to me."

I don't know what to say. Thinking quickly, I can say only one thing after what I did. "I'm sorry, sir."

The old man wags a finger. "Back to your ways so soon?"

"Excuse me, sir?"

"You are lucky the game is over, Yeager."

"Sir?"

"Are you really sorry? For what, exactly?"

With the mental fog gone, I find that I can think just as fast as usual. "I'm sorry about all of those names I called you. I shouldn't have done that."

The old man sighs. "Two lies so quickly. I have a lot of work to do this evening, it seems. I must; prepare."

The old man returns to his desk with chair in hand. He opens that drawer again, and I hear Miss Holeman respond.

"Yes, sir?"

"Could you come up and monitor Yeager while I take a break, Miss Holeman?"

"Yes, sir."

I guess it's over. I take a slow breath. For a minute there, I was really worried. That pressure is gone. It was really weird. Like that feeling when you know you've failed at something and there was no digging out of it. Was I depressed? No. I feel fine now. Well; fine is a relative term here.

"Sir?"

Miss Holeman had arrived without my noticing. I must be really out of it. Then I see Mr. Cox take out my economics book. "Have her study all of chapter one for the next two hours. That should get us close to the evening meal."

"Yes, sir."

I notice Miss Holeman is being very businesslike in her responses. Not warm like earlier. Color me surprised.

The old man drops the book on my desk. "There will be a test later, Miss Yeager. Possibly a very revealing one. So study well."

I sit here really confused now. An economics test? What could that reveal about me? Was there a threat in his words? I open the book as Mr. Cox leaves. Flipping a few pages to find the beginning of the text, I see there are a few pages of introduction. Keynes, command economies, free markets, and barter systems. All of these would be covered in more detail later. Worried that there will be some kind of test, I pull out a spiral and start taking notes. That only lasts a few minutes. Then I start to think back to what just happened.

Why? Why did my mouth run like that? It's like whatever control I had just fell away. And why did Mr. Cox look amused? More like relieved. What was he worried about? Me not going back to school? Why would he? Hell, I just gave him plenty of reasons. But; he wasn't angry. None of this makes sense. Taking a breath, I start reading. Can't get caught not doing the lesson like earlier.

Half an hour passes. I try. I really do. I read a bit more but find my eyes keep glancing up at the desk, where I find Miss Holeman doing a pretty good job of ignoring me. Maybe it's time to work on her.

"Ma'am?"

She looks up from whatever she's thinking about. "Yes, Miss Holeman?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't like your tone, Miss Yeager."

I ignore that. "It's just you seem to be pretty good at stuff. You can't really want to be working for Cox."

"You're so transparent, Yeager." She waves an arm. "Tell me then, a woman like me, what should I be doing then?"

I really didn't have much idea. I guess I might have been a bit hasty in challenging her... I stare into those icy blue eyes of hers and begin to worry. Failure. Am I failing at something? My thoughts don't seem right. One hand begins sweating on the page it's sitting on. I focus on the feeling, and an idea comes to me. "I guess you can't do anything since you've always been a failure."

The woman lurches up. I just sit there calmly, enjoying the reaction I got. So. A particularly sore spot. I watch as she visibly wrestles herself back under control. Leaning over the desk, she puts her fists square on the top. "Keep it up, Miss Yeager. Your time is coming."

"I can take it, ma'am." I feel full of myself. "But Cox might take more out on you."

She narrows her eyes. "I wouldn't count on it."

I just shrug and start to read again. I feel like I'm back in my groove. On top of everything, I'm really pissed. I was scared by 'Old Baldy'. I find out the Headmaster is in on this. So it's time to just burn it all down. Fuck the school. Fuck Collin. Fuck these two.

Now I just have to come up with something to fuck them all.