Chapter 1: Naked in the Playground

The following Wednesday Tayo and Lewis were at school. After lunch they were in the playground along with most of the school when a coach pulled up outside. Once the door opened, about fifty Chinese young men, all in their twenties, filed out and marched into the playground. They formed a tight group which seemed to flow around the playground. It seemed to absorb pupils continuously and spit them back out. Those who experienced it said they had been asked their names and the person asking had a photo in his hand.

When Peter Barlow was found, he was absorbed into a little pocket concealed amongst the newcomers. Graham Smith and Alan Ryding both disappeared into other pockets which then merged and kept all three together. Then as the newcomers swirled round, Tayo, who had been absorbed and kept separate, was given a box to stand on and a false head to disguise him. Two of the newcomers stood in front of him so only his disguised head showed above their shoulders. The swirl then moved the three who had beat him up past him slowly. They of course had no idea who was in the strange head. They were moved past him in seconds, then a voice in his ear asked him if they were the three who had beat him up. When he said, “Yes,” he was asked was he positive. Replying, “Yes, absolutely” he found himself moving through the newcomers. As he went, hands stripped off his false head and he was suddenly outside the group of newcomers again, back with his school friends.

Once the three attackers had been ‘pocketed,’ the newcomers had become stationary. Any of the pupils still amongst them quickly found themselves back out in the playground.

The three attackers meanwhile found themselves surrounded and held immovable whilst they were all stripped completely of every stitch of clothing. Their clothes were put in a black bin bag which quickly made its way to the outside of the swirling group. Two of the group approached two pupils and gave them the bag instructing them to take it to the headmaster’s study. They were told to leave it outside, knock on the door then run back to the playground so as not to miss the fun.

The group of newcomers continued to swirl around apparently aimlessly, but they were keeping the three naked attackers together and moving them to the far side of the playground, furthest away from the school. Then their hands were tied behind them with an extra rope fastened from their hands to the perimeter fence a few feet behind, although the three attackers didn’t know that then.

The swirling suddenly stopped and those on the outer edge started to head back to the coach. One of the newcomers nearest the attackers told them, you have been mounting racist attacks against a number of our countrymen so today your punishment is humiliation. If we have to come back to you again, you may find yourself minus your testicles. As he finished speaking, the numbers of newcomers had dropped to about fifteen, just enough to keep the naked attackers out of sight. Some more then started moving away until there were only seven left. Those behind the attackers had already gone so their backs were already exposed.

Then a whistle blew, and all the newcomers still in the playground, including the seven in front of the attackers, dashed for the coach. Suddenly the three attackers were exposed to the whole school, standing at the far side of the playground, totally naked. They couldn’t run and hide, being tied to the fence or undo themselves with their hands being tied. After the initial surprise, the entire school burst out laughing. The laughter could still be heard as the coach drove away. Mobile phones were clicking away so much it almost sounded like machine gun fire. The headmaster appeared to find out what the noise was about. The teacher on playground duty who had been forewarned and had kept out of the way, told him what had happened and why.

The head sent two teachers to go and get each attacker. They returned with a teacher holding each arm so they couldn’t cover themselves up and brought over to stand in line before the school.

He gave them a lecture about bullying, whilst the whole school stood and watched, then he ordered everyone back to their classes, making the three stand there until everyone had gone. They were then taken to his study where they were given their clothes back and sent home for the rest of the week. When they returned to school the following week they had to put up with ridicule and laughter for weeks. They never gave any further trouble after that.