Excerpt from REBEL: A Tibetan Odyssey

One day Thunder became aware that silence had fallen over the kitchen. Because he was the newest boy he assumed that the strained atmosphere was directed at him. The blood rushed to his face, and he swept more and more slowly as the moments passed. At last he looked up.
But not one of the kitchen boys was focusing on him; they all were looking at one of the cauldrons that sat on an unlit oven. Thunder could just see the top of Seventh Hand's head. He was nearly hidden, sitting inside the big pot and scrubbing it so hard that it shook.
The kitchen boys were lounging against the pillars or big tables, glancing at one another. Some flashed triumphant smiles. A boy called Norbu tiptoed toward the cauldron, a finger to his lips while, in the other hand, he held a metal ladle. Thunder was amazed that such a lummox could move across the kitchen so silently, and he watched in fascinated horror.
Norbu paused before the cauldron and cast a toothy gin over his shoulder at the others. He swept his arm back, bashed the cauldron as hard as he could, then sprang away as the deafening clang filled the kitchen.
Seventh Hand leaped up, covering his ears with his hands. His face was distorted with agony. "Who did that?" he screamed, almost crying.
Thunder looked around for the kitchen master, but Lama Thangspa was gone. Of course, Thunder thought. The boys would never dare tease Seventh Hand when Lama Thangspa was present.
The others all were busy again, their backs turned to Seventh Hand. Thunder realized that he must be the only boy not warned to turn his back before Seventh Hand jumped up. <Next>