While the swish of the cane sent a wild wave of exhilaration through me, the bite was sheer misery. Thankful that my disciplinarian allowed me a few seconds to recuperate, I grabbed hold of the bench with a tight grip and gritted my teeth, awaiting the second cut.
"Oh, gawd Nathan, noooo!" was my next reply.
Another cut, another scream, the ritual repeated until he’d laid the bamboo on my bottom six times. It felt as if all my flesh was burning, every pore hot and inflamed. The anguish ripping through me brought out all the tears that I’d held back for months, falling onto my dirt-smudged hands. Six cuts finished, I took a deep breath and waited for another. But when it didn’t come, I sensed that my punishment was at last at its end. Breathing more easily, I collapsed onto the benc
