The Heart's Confinement

Teacher and Student

"Aelia, unfortunately, you got this question wrong. You'll have to accept your punishment... Aelia, yesterday in class, I didn't explain it like that. Extend your hand, I'm going to punish you... Aelia... Aelia..."

Just as the teaching rod was about to descend onto her delicate hand from the young teacher's grasp, the anticipated pain had yet to arrive when Aelia was startled awake from this dream. Clearly just an old dream, Aelia involuntarily recoiled her hand. The pain of being whipped red by the rod, yet having to continue enduring the lashes, seemed almost real in her palm at this moment.

While memories in the brain may fade momentarily, the body's memories remain steadfast.

At first, Aelia struggled with her studies, often leaving her delicate hands swollen and red. The young teacher, only a few years older than herself, was extremely strict in academics. Even facing such a blossoming young girl, he spared no discipline. Initially, Aelia resisted and tried to defend herself when the punishment became unbearable. However, resisting a powerful young male teacher was unwise and only brought harsher penalties. Fortunately, the teacher was also generous in soothing his disciplined students. Whenever Aelia's hand throbbed in pain or when tears welled up from the punishment, the young teacher would gently wipe away her tears with a fine handkerchief. Aelia remembered how, unable to hold a pen due to her swollen hand after punishment, he would apply a specially made ice pack to reduce the swelling. During these moments, the man's firm fingertips would inadvertently brush against hers. Her palms, sensitized by the whipping, occasionally made Aelia shiver physically and emotionally.

The effects of the punishment were significant; soon, Aelia became proficient in the lessons taught by the young teacher, and the instances of kneeling down for punishment became less frequent. However, they did not disappear entirely. Periodically, the young teacher would pose a difficult question that Aelia struggled to answer. Over time, she grew accustomed to the scheduled punishments. With the timely comfort from the teacher, the pain seemed more bearable. Unknowingly, Aelia gradually placed her complete trust in her instructor.

As Aelia followed her attendant to Graham's residence, she found herself lost in thought: when did her absolute trust in Teacher Graham begin to fade?

The attendant who led her here had quietly withdrawn. "Aelio," the missionary, stood somewhat awkwardly in the center of the hall, awaiting Bishop Graham's audience. Yet, seconds turned into minutes, and the hall remained eerily empty and overly quiet.

In Aelia's past education, it was considered impolite for invited guests to scrutinize someone else's residence without the host's permission. However, this was Bishop Graham's residence, and Aelia was keenly aware of Graham's ability to control people's perceptions. Perhaps, all these arrangements today were deliberately orchestrated by Graham to leave her anxious and waiting in fear.

Reflecting on this, Aelia steadied her mind and gathered the courage to scrutinize Graham's residence. As an area bishop, Aelia imagined the bishop's abode to be grandiose and luxurious, yet it did not meet her expectations. Aside from the spacious hall created by consecutive arches, there were no elaborate decorations inside. There were only sharp, towering candelabras in front of the fireplace and a massive mural — "Genesis." Aelia knew this mural was the work of a painter named Michelangelo, likely a replica to be found here. This monumental artwork depicted the nine crucial scenes from the beginning of the Bible: God, the sun, moon, plants, Adam, Eve, the Garden of Eden, Noah's Ark... symbolizing Satan, incarnated as a snake of evil desires, tempting Eve... Eve tempting Adam... Adam betraying God...

Just as Aelia was deeply engrossed, admiring this magnificent artwork, a deep voice suddenly rang out abruptly, startling Aelia to her core.

"Aelio, missionary, what profound insights do you have about this painting?"

Aelia, realizing her overstep, quickly withdrew her gaze from the mural and responded solemnly, "Your Grace, the intention of this painting seems to be to remind us that human desire is the original sin."

The newcomer let out a cold laugh and spoke sharply, "You seem fond of guessing my thoughts. Yet, I wonder why a missionary who claims to renounce desire would use such blatant lies to cover themselves, while even sinful Eve could manage honesty."

With a sudden thud, Aelia found herself reflexively kneeling on both knees. Perhaps the deep-seated fear of facing a teacher figure, despite years of fading, had rooted itself in her very marrow, beyond escape. When Aelia tried to rise again, she found herself restrained by a pair of large hands.

Bishop Graham, unsurprised by Aelia's reaction, looked down at this once docile lamb. Observing her struggle to break free from his control, a strange warmth seemed to seep into his otherwise cold heart, making life feel less dull and predictable.

"Aelia, do you intend to serve the Lord with such a hypocritical facade?"