That night, some hours after lights out, when everybody should have been asleep, I heard the door to the hostel open. In the moonlight shining in through the opening, I saw the shadow of Sister Agnes. I knew what she had come for and my only hope was that she would pass me by. My prayer was answered and she passed my bed and went to Ludo.

“Get up,” she whispered. Ludo dressed – she knew the routine – and followed Sister Agnes. I watched them slip out of the door and heard them walking along the sidewalk outside, leading toward the car park. I sent a prayer up to God hoping Ludo would be okay, but I was old enough to know that Sister Agnes was more likely to have His ear than a bunch of throw-away girls hidden away in the hills.

* * * * *

In the morning, Ludo hid under the blankets.

“Wake up; you’ll be late,” Rebina shouted up to her bunkmate, but she got no response and turned to me with a shrug.

Just as we were queuing for breakfast, Ludo rushed into the hall. Along her face, from her eye to the corner of her mouth, was an angry, blue bruise.

“What the hell happened to you?” Rachel asked. She tilted Ludo’s face into the light to get a better look.

Ludo turned away. “Nothing.” She covered the bruise with her hand. “Please Rachel, leave it.”

“No, I won’t leave it. What happened?”

Sister Agnes came towards them.

“Please Rachel,” Ludo begged in a hoarse whisper, as she watched Sister Agnes come nearer.

“Is there something wrong here, Ludo?” Sister Agnes asked, tapping her ever present cane on the floor.

“No, Sister Agnes. Nothing is wrong,” Ludo said.

“Rachel?” Sister Agnes asked, one eyebrow arching up over her glasses.

“You can’t see this girl’s face? Of course, there’s something wrong. She must get to the clinic.”

“She’ll be fine. It’s only a bruise. Not all of us are used to a pampered life, Rachel.”

“Fine? She’ll not be fine. Don’t you even wonder what happened to her?” Rachel’s temper was beginning to flare.

Sister Agnes brought her cane up high over Rachel’s head but just before it was about to come cracking down onto her, Rachel reached up and grabbed it in her hand. She pulled the cane away from her head, and, still holding the end of it, she stared up at Sister Agnes.

For a moment, all was quiet in the hall. Everyone waited. Sister Agnes did not pull her cane, she just stood waiting. After endless seconds, Rachel let go and Sister Agnes turned and left the hall. As she walked away, the hall erupted in cheers of, “Rachel! Rachel! Rachel!”

Even Sister Bernadette and Sister Mary Francis couldn’t suppress a smile where they stood, dishing the porridge and pouring the tea behind the counter.

It was 1 – Rachel, 0 – Sister Agnes, but all of us knew Sister Agnes never lost.

***

Tell us: What do you think happened to Ludo? Why won’t she tell what happened?