My Sister's Keeper

In my dream last night I was a stellar, older student at a highly accredited institution, rather like a boarding school, although exactly the type of school and its exact location weren't entirely clear. What was perfectly clear, however, was the fact that corporal punishment could be administered to any student, for any reason deemed serious enough by the powers that be.

This year was a special year at school for me. My little sister was beginning as a student at the same school. And I, as an upper-level student -- perhaps in a position of student-authority, like a prefect or a member of the student government, depending on the geographical placement of the school -- I felt specifically responsible for her well-being as a new student, as a promising young lady, and as my precious baby sister.

So, naturally, when she got in trouble for something at school, something serious... I was faced with a dilemma. The responsible, honest, practical side of me knew that the only way she would ever learn would be to accept the consequences for her actions. But the sisterly side of me, the side that had grown up with her, had gone on adventures with her, had made up fantastical stories and stayed up late at night giggling with her... couldn't let her take the fall.

She'd come to me, one evening before lights out, bawling, terrified, repentant, sincerely regretting her actions. I don't even know what she'd done -- the dream did not grant me that information -- I just knew that it was something serious, and involving a group of girls in her year, like graffiti or vandalism of some kind, and that she hadn't been able to fix it afterwards. In the morning, the damage would be noticed, and, she was sure of it, those found to be responsible for it severely punished. She didn't know what to do... I held her, her tears dampening the arms of my school blouse.

I could tell she was sorry. I was fully of the opinion that she did not need corporal punishment to repent her actions, to make her never want to stray again... Not to mention that I myself had been in for similar consequences once or twice during my school career, and I wished none of that harrowing experience on my baby sister.

Despite my long-standing reputation of judicious honesty and integrity, I told her that, when the morning came, I would tell them that I'd done it. I would take the fall. I could handle it, I told her, when she protested, much better than she could. And it would be worth it to me, if she would promise never, ever to get in trouble like that again. She nodded vigorously, tears still pouring, throwing her arms around me, "Oh thank you...!"

Unfortunately, the dream ended there, with the realization bearing down on me that I would be in the principal's/headmaster's office, the next day, receiving a painful punishment that was not my own.

Darn I hate it when lovely dreams are interrupted! :D