Chapter 2

• "Well I certainly hope you'll remember to go to Confessions when you get the chance."
• "Don't worry, Sophie. I will. Or at least the Disciplinary Committee will force me to before I can on my own."
• The door opened and a nun stepped in, sending all of the students scurrying to their desks in fear. Their teacher, Sister Olivia, was strict beyond measure. She was nicknamed the Sphinx, as in the Sphinx that the enslaved Jews made while being whipped and yelled at. She had short blonde hair and glasses, a woman in her late twenties who would be very beautiful if she wasn't always scowling.
• "Now class, we will continue where we left off yesterday in translating Leviticus. Marcus, we had stopped at Book 6, Verse 1. You may begin."
• She spoke sternly, as if hungry for something to be mad about. One of the male students nervously stood up, holding his bible and reading off the verse in Latin. If he got a single word wrong, she would assail him like locusts. One by one, the students took turns reading off verses from the bible, translating them from English to Latin. Whenever someone made a mistake, they would be ordered to make the death march to Sister Olivia's desk, outstretch their hands, and let her slap her trusty meter stick against their knuckles, each audible slash of the wood making everyone shudder.
• Against her better judgment, Helena allowed her eyes to wander and look out the window at the sunny campus of Rosewood University. The school had originally been developed to help deal with Italy's high orphan rate while spreading the Christian faith, starting out as a Christian academy for children. Eventually, other countries began shipping in their orphans after seeing the great results, and then families started sending in their kids. It was now the largest and one of the most prestigious Catholic schools in the world, boasting a student body ranging from preschoolers to college students and with armies of new priests and nuns being marched out every year, ready to spread the word of Jesus Christ. Joining the clergy wasn't any kind of requisite for the school, but after 12 years, it became engrained in the souls of most of the students.
• "O'Connor!"
• Helena's head perked up at the sound of her last name being called and her face became red in embarrassment. It was her turn to translate but she had been too busy daydreaming to pay attention to the class. She had no idea which verse she had to translate, and if she asked ... Sister Olivia would practically crucify her.
• "Helena O'Connor, come to the Disciplinary Committee's office immediately."
• The announcement from the PA system let her release a sigh of relief. Punishment had saved her from punishment. All the students shrugged, well used to hearing this commandment.
• "Sorry, Sister Olivia, but I must leave," she said sheepishly.
• The teacher scowled at her, knowing that Helena hadn't been paying attention. "Go, but I still expect you to translate when you get back."
• "Yes, ma'am!"
• Taking her book bag with her, Helena stepped out of the classroom and began walking as fast as she could down the hall. Running was against the rules, but with how large the school was, she needed to put in some speed and reach the committee before they sent out another announcement. Stepping out into the open campus, she allowed herself a moment to enjoy the sunlight, breeze, and smell of grass, and then took off in a run. She passed by many other students in her rapid dash, both male and female. Normally Catholic schools like these had gender segregation, but with how many students were joining the clergy, Rosewood Academy used the coed population as a way to help the students prepare for their vows of celibacy. By having all these teenagers learning side-by-side in this holy school, it was simply a matter of teaching them to ignore temptation. Dating was strictly forbidden, and if they could graduate without ever giving in to their sinful desires, they would be ready for the clergy.
• She at last reached the building with the Discipline Committee, and after climbing two flights of stairs, arrived at the entrance to their office. As she approached the door, she took a moment of catch her breath and straighten her hair. She stepped through an open doorway into a waiting room, with an assistant behind a desk, a corridor lined with doors, and several chairs and a couch in the corner of the room. Sitting in one of the chairs was a young man, though from the very brief glimpse she gave him, she couldn't quite tell his age. He looked to be as old as she was, but he could have older, since unlike the other male students in this school, he was dressed in the black clerical jacket of an ordained minister. Though he lacked the official collar.
• She strode past him to the assistant's desk.
• "Hello, Helena. Same as usual?" the woman asked with a wry grin.
• This was FAR from Helena's first meeting with the Disciplinary Committee. She sighed with a tired smile.
• "Hello, Mary. I guess they're waiting for me?"
• "Go right in."
• Helena nodded and walked down the corridor, reaching the second door. She entered a conference room, where five teachers sat behind a long table, glaring at her with judgmental eyes. Two of them were priests and another two were nuns.
• "Ms. O'Connor, I'm sure you know why we called you here," the oldest teacher grumbled.
• "I have an idea."
• A female teacher cleared her throat. "Three young men are being treated at the hospital, one coughing up blood with a broken nose and the other two suffering from concussions. When speaking to the police, they described you in clear detail. What do you have to say for yourself?"