Life as Shania

Chapter 12: Book Report

"Naya, I haven't received your weekly book report in my email for 1 month now. Send them to me immediately," Chris told his sister as he peeked into her room.
Shania froze and didn't reply to him.

One of Shania's assignment from Chris is to send in a book report once a week. Any book of her choice. It's Chris's way to get his sister to read and also to practice writing reports. 

Chris saw that his sister seemed wary, so he continued, "have you not done them?".
Shania looked down and shook her head.

Chris sighed and closed Shania's room door, which made Shania immediately get up and look for a book in her bookcase. After 3 minutes, Chris came back in with a wooden ruler.

"Stand in front of me right now," ordered Chris.
Seeing the wooden ruler in Chris's hand, Shania whimpered.
"I'm really sorry, I'll write one up now and send it to you. Please let it slide this time," begged Shania with tears in her eyes.
"One," counted Chris.
"Please, I'm really sorry," Shania continued begging.
"Two," continued Chris.
Shania shuffled but still didn't go close to Chris.
"Three."

Chris was done counting, so he stormed forward to grab his sister by her arm. Shania put her weight down to stop him but Chris still managed to pull her up to her feet. With one hand grabbing his crying sister, he used the other hand that held the ruler to smack her thigh.

*SMACK*
"Stand."
*SMACK*
"Still."

He gave her a few seconds to stand by herself and regain her composure. By now, Shania was sobbing.

"Just because I didn't say anything for the past 3 weeks does not mean that you don't have to submit them. I was giving you time to submit it and one month has passed and I did not even receive one book report," Chris scolded. 
"And now you're getting more punishment because you disobeyed me when I instructed you to stand in front of me earlier. What have you got to say for yourself?" Asked Chris.

"I'm really sorry, I'll send in a book to you right now," Shania replied.
"Naya! That's not the point here! The point is that you've been given a task but you've been irresponsible!" Chris continued.
"Since I'm angry right now, I don't want to smack you. For now, I want you to go to that corner and stand with your hands behind your head," Chris pointed to an empty corner in Shania's room.
Shania promptly did as she was told.
"Now, squat all the way down," instructed Chris.
Shania squatted.
"Now stand."
Shania stood.
"Repeat 100 times."
Shania whimpered but still did as she was told.

While Shania was doing her punishment, Chris went through his sister's school journal (where she wrote her homework and tasks and where teachers sometimes leave comments or notes for parents), and the work that she was doing on her desk, and her schoolbag. 

When Chris was done surveying her things, he sat on her chair and called her to come to him.

"If you have too much work and not enough time to do your book report, just come to me and at least let me know. It's not good to just hope that the person who gave you the task forgets about it. This is especially important when you start working next time. Imagine I forget about a task that I gave my employees and they didn't submit it, wouldn't they be irresponsible? Compared to if they had come up to me to explain that they needed more time or if they are not sure what my instructions were and needed some guidance," explained Chris.

Shania sniffled and nodded.

Chris used his thumbs to rub Shania's tears off her cheeks.

"Put your hands out in front of you," instructed Chris.
Shania did as she was told as she knew that the punishment would prolong if she didn't.
"One smack for every year of your age. Count them out loud," Chris instructed.

*SMACK* "One."
"The other hand."
*SMACK* "Two."
"The other hand.
*SMACK* "Three. Ow!"
"The other hand."
*SMACK* "Four!"
"The other hand."
*SMACK* "Five."
"Come on, I don't have to keep telling you to alternate your hands."
*SMACK* "Six. Owww!"
*SMACK* "Seven."
*SMACK* "Eight! Ah!"
*SMACK* "Nine."
*SMACK* "Ten. Oww!"
*SMACK* "Eleven!"
*SMACK* "Twelve. Ow!"
*SMACK* "Thirteen!"
*SMACK* "Fourteen! Ah!"

Chris took her palms and examined them then Shania rubbed her palms to her thighs when Chris was done.

"I expect a book report emailed to me by breakfast time tomorrow. If I notice that it is shoddy work, we'll repeat this all over again tomorrow," warned Chris while hugging his sister.

"Yessir," Shania replied with tears rolling down her cheeks.