A Vengeful Heart Sees No Love
By Alisa Joaquin
Part 5
Peter's head turned toward his foster-father in surprise. He was about to ask Paul about his experience when one of the school board members continued to question Paul.
"Okay, so tell us, what goes on in these so called temples."
"Let's just say I was there for my own reasons a few years ago."
"How long did you stay at this temple?"
"I was there long enough to learn," Paul stated, though he did his best to evade the issue.
"While you were there, did you see anything . . . suspicious?"
"Do you mean did I see anyone abuse any of the children?" Paul rephrased the question. "No, I did not."
"Well maybe they hid it from you because you were a stranger."
"Let's just say the experience wasn't what I expected when I attended. It surprised even me."
Paul did not reveal to the school board that he had been told that the temple was a place where students were learning terrorist tactics, even though he learned the truth that night. That was not his privilege to reveal.
A quick flash of memories flooded through him as he saw faces of robed men and children broken and bleeding. He was the last to enter, and when he did, it was not what he had been told as to what had been going on. He had been deceived. The flash of memory ended and he caught Peter staring at him with the corner of his eye.
"Perhaps, you can tell us what happened at Peter's temple."
"I can't."
"Or won't."
"The records were sealed. All that was known was that Peter's father was killed from a fire at the temple. How that fire was started was not revealed. And you have no business asking the boy. All we need to know is whether Peter will be entering High School."
"Well, his test scores don't preclude him from entering, but he's going to have to make up a lot of ground. I can't enter him as a freshman this year. It's far too late in the school year. He can however, make up the time by going to some special classes."
"And if he tests well in those classes?" Paul asked.
"He may enter his freshman year."
"But that means I'll be behind everyone else," Peter spoke up after having been the subject of the discussion for so long. "They were having me take special classes when I entered the orphanage. That's got to account for something."
"Peter, your scores are still too low in certain areas. Now we've spoken to your teachers at the orphanage and they tell us that you are very bright, but you are still behind in some areas. After you take these, we'll test you again and see if things have changed. There is also summer school."
Peter's heart sank. How was he going to fulfill his vow now if he was expected to take classes that required him to be present?
"When do these classes start?" Paul asked.
"The classes run in four week cycles. The next class won't begin for another week. There is a teacher conference coming up and there won't be anyone to teach the class."
One week! That didn't give Peter much time. The vow that Peter had made needed to be fulfilled if he was ever going to feel like getting on with his life. There had been just too many distractions and obstacles that have prevented him from doing what he needed to do. Still, hearing that Paul had been in a Shaolin temple disturbed the teen. It sounded like Paul had been there, at his temple. He wanted to know just what it was that Paul Blaisdell knew.
Continues with Part 6