This short story is an entry in the 2002 Soc.Sexuality.Spanking Summer Short Story Contest and is copyright by the author and commercial use is prohibited without permission.  Personal/private copies are permitted only if complete including the copyright notice.  The author would appreciate your comments

Category:  Adult
 

Present Penance

By

Courtney <Courtenesca@aol.com>

The scenic splendor and serenity of the ocean vista was shattered.

"You've all gathered here...for WHAT?" Shocked silent for two heartbeats,  she paced the sun deck--all steam ahead.

"You heard us right, Frankie, don't try to deny it." The older men looked  at one another, confident they all agreed... "It's longtime coming, girl.  And you know it!"

Frankie heard the words but they didn't quite compute.  "Honey, it's for you own good..." Another country heard from! She whirled  around and saw her best buddy Cameron in the doorway.

"This is your doing, Cam? As a joke, right? Tell me you didn't get them to  the beach to... So they...could... Just a simple barbecue by the sea,  right? A few of our old and dear friends enjoying the ocean air..."  Frankie crossed her fingers behind her back, praying that it was all her  imagination. Or Cam's weird idea of a practical joke.

"Barbecue is the operative word, Frankie. You need something more than I  can give you. Not that I haven't *tried*, but your stubbornness requires  something more drastic. That's why they're here. Who better than your  former mentors could understand you?"

"Uh uh! Not by THIS kind of understanding! C'mon, you're my friend, Cam,  you know everything...about me..." Frankie was totally dumfounded. How had  he managed to plan this sabotage without her knowing?

Another gruff voice chimed in. "Cameron, Frances Fiona understands very  well what's to happen. It's not like we didn't warn her during high  school."

"That was then, old man! I'm no longer a teenager!"

"The title is 'Father'. We all have earned that right, Frances. ...Of  course you're no longer a teenager, which makes the necessity of your  comeuppance much more eloquent."

"You wouldn't dare." She muttered this quietly; knowing that they would.  All four of them. "Cameron...?" She appealed to him silently.

Cam shrugged and shook his head. "Done deal, Frankie."

"Come over here, Frances. Now, young lady!"  That familiar tone and those specific words jarred her back in time:

Father Bob, Prefect of Discipline, scolding her in detention for answering  back in class; for wearing the wrong kind of blouse with her uniform...

Father Jamie: "I am the teacher, and YOU are the student!  Father Angelo: "What a naughty girl you are; a hair's breath from being  over my knee for a good spanking!"  Father Rory, her idol and first crush: what a shock when she'd showed up  at his rectory at 4AM!

She glimpsed the shimmering waves--or was it tears?--rolling onto the  shore. How could this happen? Now?  Years too late. And eons away from that bratty girl....

Father Fate lending a helping hand? She almost smiled at that.

Frankie's feet moved forward by themselves.

The End

© Copyright Summer, 2002

Reviews

Frank  <sswitcher(at)yahoo(dot)com>
I liked the way the story's climactic pre-penultimate paragraph so well expresses the bittersweet sadness of this long-deserved and secretly long-desired pennance.

The enigmatic reference to late-night goings-on in Father Rory's rectory means, or course, that a sequel (or, actually, a prequel) will be required!

Abrat4you  <abrat4you(at)aol(dot)com>
I was lost throughtout this story...I don't know what she did...or why she  was being punished...I just couldn't make any sense to the story...I did  like the scenic visuals, but then I'm a beach kinda girl.

Pablo Stubbs  <Pablo.Stubbs(at)newsguy(dot)com>
There's something squirmily ambiguous here about the idea of such a powerful array of topping desire confronting a single girl. With a different turn, it could easily have become a disturbing and scary tale of abuse. As it is, the fact that the girl clearly has no choice - there might be consent here, but it would happen *anyway* - is shiver. Nicely elliptical, and also nicely shivery.

Owen Williamson  <ashthorn(at)maildulf(dot)com>
I'm afraid I found this story a little disappointing. Having read it two or three times I'm still not sure how many characters are involved. I felt the author attempted to tackle something rather too complex to be covered in the words allowed. I'd have liked it to be a little simpler, and given more idea of Frankie's reactions to the happening.