EMMA AT SCHOOL 27
Full
Circle
Three
months to the day after Deborah's birching, if we sneak a look inside the study
of Mr Lindon, her housemaster, we will find him talking sternly to her young
friend, Emma. His words are the more frightening because, for once, she finds
herself unable to give her usual, honest response.
"Emma,"
he begins. "You know why you are here, of course."
"No,"
she shakes her pretty head, her hair flapping its agreement. "I mean
..."
She
breaks off because, although she is not aware of any recent wrongdoing which
could have led to her predicament, the presence of the punishment horse in the
centre of the room, and the cane hanging easily from its side, leaves little
doubt as to the teacher's intention.
"I
mean," she continues, "I haven't done anything wrong!"
"Haven't
you indeed?" Mr Lindon says calmly, stepping closer to the girl and lifting
her face for a moment.
"Well
perhaps a few strokes of my cane across your young bottom will jog your
memory?"
Emma
feels the tear on her cheek. She knows her protest will meet with refusal, but
to be caned for nothing....
"Sir,
no please," she stammers. "I haven't... ouch!"
"Silence,
girl!" the teacher's words follow a sharp, stinging smack to the back of
Emma's right leg. "You know better than to argue with me do you not?"
"Yes
sir," the girl sobs, rubbing the sore spot, and thinking of how much more
the cane will hurt than a single smack.
"I'm
sorry sir."
"Good,"
Mr Lindon nods. "Now remove your skirt and knickers, please. You may leave
them on my desk."
After
all this time, Emma still dreads this command. Mr Lindon, like most teachers,
generally pulls down a girl's knickers once she has bent over. However, like
most male prefects (for reasons which need little explanation), he occasionally
requires a girl to unclothe herself before her punishments; most canings, for
example, are given in this way. Though Emma knows it is unusual for the teacher
to have girls take off their skirt beforehand.
"It's
not as if it makes any real difference", Emma tells herself as she
obediently unbuttons her skirt and folds it neatly on the housemaster's desk.
"When I'm tied to that... thing, with my legs pulled wide apart, he'll see
all of me there is to see anyway".
"Knickers
too," Mr Lindon's interrupt her attempt to calm herself. "Or I'll pull
them down myself!"
"And
what would that be like?" Emma asks silently, as she turns to face him.
What does happen if a girl refuses to undress? She imagines Amanda being asked
to hold her still while Mr Lindon yanks her knickers down. How undignified!
Instead
Emma's hands move, not too quickly, down to the waistband of her plain navy blue
knickers and tug them down her legs, all the time trying to maintain her dignity
by looking into her teacher's face, trying perhaps to get a glimpse of the
reason why she was being punished.
Then,
half naked, Mr Lindon leads her to the horse, helps her into place, and straps
her down securely, her bottom raised high with her thighs spread even wider than
she remembered. A tear splashes silently onto the carpet. She bites gratefully
on the offered gag. There will be no escape now.
Emma
hears the teacher lift the cane from the side of the horse and feels him tap it
against her flesh. Her heart beats loudly and quickly inside her breast.
"Six
of the best," he intones slowly.
The
girl closes her eyes and waits.
The
teacher raises the cane and strikes.
The
cane snaps through the air and bites.
And
the girl screams.
As
they do. As Mr Lindon is accustomed to hearing, though the sound is almost
totally deadened by the gag. Not in his mind though. In his mind he hears their
screams in all their full blooded glory.
A
second and third stroke follow inevitably after the first. Emma has forgotten
her protests of innocence now. She must have been bad - if she hadn't been bad,
her housemaster wouldn't be caning her bare bottom; it wouldn't hurt so much.
"I'm
sorry!" she attempts to screech after the fourth, though she still doesn't
know what she's sorry for. She just wants the caning to end. Though she knows it
cannot.
CRACK!
The can rips into her a fifth time, and she screams a fifth time. The carpet is
wet with her salty tears And then there is silence.
Emma
hears the cane being placed upon the teacher's oak desk. She has miscounted, the
ordeal is over.
But
no.
"Emma,
I will return shortly," he says. Then he smiles. "Don't go away."
The
door slams behind him and Emma closes her eyes and wishes she could free her
hand and rub her sore bottom. She can well imagine the five nasty red weals
cutting across her fair skin. After all, she has seen....
The
door opens again. Emma has no idea how long it has been. A minute. An hour.
And
then she hears it. A gasp of fright, or surprise. The sound of a teenage girl
who has been confronted, without any warning, with the horrific scene presented.
And
the teacher speaks.
"How
many more, Emma?"
"One,"
she answers, remembering.
"Good,"
he says, his voice kindly. "I'll be back to finish you off after I've said
goodbye to Stephanie's parents. No talking please, either of you."