by Anthony Alba
She liked to think she could think on her feet, adapt to any situation and turn it to her advantage. Yet in the office her mind had frozen and she had been unable to react to deflect the onslaught sent in her direction. Her father was lost to her. He had refused to even look at her, let alone acknowledge her attempts at explanation. That was a loss to be sure but she was certain that she could continue on with her life once she left. She would have full access to all the funds held on trust for her soon enough and until then she had money put aside in an emergency fund and she had more than enough information on other powerful people to get all the help she would need.
She simply could not believe that all those options could be taken away with a stroke of the pen. That weasel Donald Shepard had the admission form already filled out just waiting for her father's signature. She was not yet twenty-one and by law a parent or guardian could sign her in, no matter what she said.
Those damn wardens had manhandled her out of the office kicking and screaming like she was some common criminal. She did not want to remember what happened later but the memory was so fresh it burned. She had refused to surrender her expensive suit, her fine jewellery and had demanded that she be set free. All she had to do was to reach her mobile phone in the locker beyond the security gate and she would have access to all the resources, all the contacts she would need. It might as well have been on the far side of the moon and when she refused to strip and be searched they had bent her over the desk and thrashed her without mercy until she begged to be allowed to obey. The switch had shredded her fine stockings but Victoria could not believe the words that had come out of her mouth. She was Victoria Harris and yet she had begged to be allowed to undress.
That switch had burned like nothing she had ever felt before. It had felt as if someone was laying thin wires across the back of her legs, except those wires were heated until they were white hot and the pain had been indescribable. From just above her knees to below her bottom her legs were a mass of burning welts. To stop the switching she might have agreed to anything. What had come after was beyond humiliating. A new inmate has to fear the unknown. She had known exactly what was to come, and as much as she struggled they were relentless until she had been fully processed.
Now she found herself bent over the spanking frame, with the worn leather snug against her stomach and her arms and legs were spread wide and secured to the four legs of the horse. She had tugged and tugged at the leather that bound her but all she had achieved was to leave her wrists aching from where the bindings had cut into her skin.
Victoria could not escape the feeling of terrible shame mingled with the sense of exposure as her buttocks were bared and thrust obscenely into the air. Her gymslip had been poor enough covering, but even that had been taken from her as it was flipped back to leave her ass now completely unprotected. The delinquents she had watched were exactly where they belonged but she was not a delinquent, she was not.
"Governor Shepard has asked me to express his sorrow at being unable to give you this tour himself," a familiar voice said as Linda walked into the room accompanied by two others, or so Victoria judged. With her head nearly brushing against the floor and the frame of the spanking horse blocking her view all she would see were three sets of feet, Linda's and two others. "However other pressing duties require his attention."
Immediately she tried to speak, to protest, to bargain, but all that came out were animal-like grunts. The bit clamped between her pearly white teeth saw to that. Not only did it render any words she might try to use unintelligible and she could not stop drooling over the leather, but the taste was enough to make her retch. It was coated in the saliva of countless delinquents mixed with dried old leather. She was sure she could even find indentations in the bit where others who had worn it had bitten down hard enough to make an impression in the leather.
"Oh look Mommy, she is showing everything," an amused cultured voice said in an accent that told Victoria that the speaker might have lived next door to her. She did not recognise the voice, for which she was grateful. How could she ever face the world, face her social set, if anyone ever saw her like this?
"I know dear, but one cannot expect any decency from this common trash," an older voice explained. "After all, if she had any decency, I dare say she would not be here at all."
They thought she was a delinquent. That realisation sent her stomach cart wheeling. She belonged with them, admiring the sight of come common gutter trash getting her just deserts, not secured like this. They thought she was a delinquent, and how were they to know any better? Bent over like this, dressed like this, she looked just like any of the others. Her breath caught at the horror of that thought. She had been about to think she looked just like the other delinquent. No she was not a delinquent.
"Ladies, if you will stand back, this warden will now demonstrate the proper application of the reformatory strap in giving this delinquent her welcome."
Victoria could almost feel the satisfaction dripping in Linda's voice. It was so unfair, she belonged with the two guests. She should have been standing there watching the strap fall, not here bound to this wretched device with her bottom so very exposed. This can't be happening, she thought again as her eyes began to moisten from the fear and shame.
The only warning was the crack and a second later her whole body shuddered and a band of fire spread across both her cheeks. A second crack followed and the leather fell again, lower this time where the buttocks met the thighs. She screamed into the gag but all she could hear was the girl chuckling at her agony.
"Lay on the strap," an older woman commented with some amusement. "Trash like that respect nothing but the lash."
Again the strap fell, landing mainly on her right cheek, and to compensate, the warden directed the next blow to her left. Over and over it fell and despite the muffled cries of pain there was no respite. Layer after layer of heat was set down, until her entire bottom was a mass of pain and each stroke only made it worse. She could not understand how such a simple device as the strap could inflict such pain. It flexed to embrace every inch of her bottom, curving to match the contours of her cheeks so that no area might escape its kiss.
Never in her life had Victoria felt so utterly helpless and vulnerable. She was completely at the mercy of a faceless functionary who intended to whip her bottom until she was satisfied that Victoria would never want to feel the leather against her bottom again. She could not stop them, could not negotiate, could not flee. She could not even beg. All that was left was for her to lie there and endure as a bonfire was ignited in her rear.
Finally it was over, and dimly Victoria heard Linda invite the guests to touch her bottom and feel the fire that had been lit there as if she had no feelings on the matter. Her eyes were blurred with tears but Victoria did not fail to see Linda move around so that she could squat down and look at her face.
"I do hope that you feel welcomed, Vicky. After all, if you had your way it would be me lying where you are now. I wonder would you have been merciful?"
She spoke softly so that only the two of them could hear but Victoria doubted if the two guests were even paying attention. They were far too busy running their hands over her reddened bottom. One of them pinched her hard enough that she squealed even with the gag.
That brought an amused smile to Linda. "I will be leaving to go back to college soon but don't worry, I will be back soon enough and I am sure you will be right here waiting for me. Governor Shepard tells me he is confident that he can reform you but it will take some time. How long is entirely up to you. I don't want you to be lonely when I'm away so I've arranged that you will bunk in the same dormitory as Cavendish and Scott, your friends from the track. I believe they are really looking forward to seeing you."
If she could have screamed, Victoria would have howled until she was hoarse. They would never break her, never. Only what if they threatened to strap her again? She did not think she could endure another dose.
What would she d
o avoid it? She had a sudden image of Elizabeth Millicent-Brown or Lizzy as they called her now. She had been here two months and Victoria had barely recognised her. She had been so eager to obey, so anxious not to upset the Governor. With a dreadful sinking feeling Victoria wondered how long it would take for little Vicky to have that same eagerness to please? How long before a kind word would be enough to fill her with ecstasy like that girl receiving a good grade or a frown from a warden reduce her to tears? How long?
---oOo---
Linda's heart was beating as if she had just sprinted two hundred metres and for the third time she brushed down the skirt of her suit. Normally she changed into more casual attire when she came off duty but Governor Shepard had advised her to keep her suit on this evening. It gave her a natural authority or so he had said. She was happy to follow his advice, at least for the start of the evening. After that she would have to see.
She had grown close to Amanda in the two weeks that they had worked on the case. Telling a stranger what had happened was difficult. She had worked out long ago that the most likely suspect had been Victoria but proving it had seemed beyond her abilities. At least it had until she had met that clever devious American whose smile made her heart skip a beat and whose arms had wrapped her in a loving embrace when all the hurt and pain of that time came flowing back as she recounted events. Amanda had been meticulous in her attention to detail. Under her probing, Linda recalled details she had not realised she had even forgotten. And then off Amanda had gone, leaving her with an impish grin and a 'leave it with me.'
She glanced at the envelope on the coffee table. She did not want to lose Amanda but she was due to return to the States soon and her college course. And there was the fact that she did not know what Amanda thought of her. Was she a project, or a friend or could she dare hope something more? The Governor's niece was impossible to read. She kept her thoughts and feelings so carefully under wraps that it was impossible to know where her heart lay.
A glance at the small box resting on the armchair brought a smile to her face. Governor Shepard had been so very kind to her and some of his suggestions on how she might deal with his niece had bordered on the scandalous. No that was not true, they had sailed well past what might be considered scandalous and kept going. She had not been able to stop blushing when he gave his advice.
This was going to be either a very enjoyable evening or she was going to make a complete fool of herself. The worst case scenario would be Amanda making her embarrassed excuses and leave, but she had to know.
"Hi," Amanda greeted her almost shyly as Linda opened the door to the small flat she occupied for her time here. It was almost like student accommodation and technically was part of the reformatory grounds albeit on the outside of the security gates and wall. It came with the position of Intern but to Linda it was home.
"I hope you're hungry. I've cooked a little something," Linda told her as she showed Amanda into the living room. "Here let me take that jacket."
Their hands touched when Amanda handed over her leather jacket and Linda was not sure if she managed to stifle the gasp before Amanda heard it.
"I wanted to tell you that I ..." Linda had to take a breath to gather herself before she could go on. How could a simple thanks be enough for someone who had done everything that Amanda had done for her. Sir Morgan had sent her a copy of the letter that he had personally sent to the Headmistress and the Board of Governors of her old school exonerating her. It had been years since she had last set foot on the grounds but she had cried when she read his words. Her reputation had meant so much more to her than any badge. Its loss had hurt far more that any cane. And now she had it back, thanks to this angel that stood before her.
"There are no words that can adequately sum up my gratitude for what you have done for me."
Amanda shrugged and gave her a crooked smile, "I don't know what you are talking about. Why everyone seems to think that I am this master hacker is beyond me. I have never seen any shred of proof that I have ever hacked a computer system in my life. As I keep telling people, it was an anonymous hacker."
Linda shrugged and tried to keep her voice light. "Well perhaps I should keep this dinner for my real benefactor, Ms Anonymous."
That brought a chuckle from Amanda. "Well I don't know if she is in town at the moment and it does smell nice and it would really be a shame to waste it. Perhaps I can fill in?"
Linda took a deep breath before going on. The Governor had been certain that this would work and who better to know his niece than the man himself. He had worn a little secret smile the whole time he was talking to her; Linda had almost been tempted to ask him what was really going on between him and Amanda. In the end she had kept silent. There was no need to intrude in a private game she had not yet been invited to play at.
Only now she had reached the point of no return. She could continue making small talk or she could gather her courage and be bold. Governor Shepard could be wrong of course but he had been so very adamant that this would work.
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes but before we eat there is something I would like you to try on." Linda could not believe she had managed to get the words out without stumbling over them. She felt like a nervous school girl on her first day at school rather than an undergraduate.
Amanda arched an eyebrow at her, and with a hand that she hoped did not tremble too much Linda gestured to the small box resting on the armchair. Curious now, Amanda walked over to the chair and pulled open the lid.
She gasped. Linda was sure of it. That was a gasp. Now was it a good gasp or a bad outraged gasp? With something approaching reverence, Amanda lifted out the neatly folded blue gymslip that each of the delinquents wore. There was a curious smile on her face as she held it up with both hands and let it unfold before her. Then after a moment she laid it down over the back of the armchair and reached back into the box.
The full uniform was there. Linda knew she had folded each and every item after Governor Shepard had given it to her. She imagined she could still catch the faint whiff of Amanda's scent from the garments.
When Amanda had laid out the full uniform, her hands were definitely trembling when she lifted out the last item. Linda felt herself take a breath for what seemed a very long time. It helped that she could see that this was affecting Amanda, her own heart racing with pent up fear of how this might go and anticipation of what might develop if things went well.
Holding a well-oiled and polished tawse in her hands, Amanda smiled at her. "I see Uncle Don has been a busy boy." Then holding the strap across both her upraised palms she presented it to Linda. "Will you look after this Miss, it wouldn't be proper for me to have it."
Linda took the tawse and had to fight back the urge to grin like the silly school girl she felt like. Instead she put on her professional face as she called it, the same stern mask she wore when on duty and dealing with the delinquents.
"Of course you shouldn't have it, girl. Now I want you properly dressed and no more dallying. Your hair is not in a proper braid and you will have to be punished for that." At the mention of punishment a twinkle flashed across Amanda's eyes before she bowed her head.
"Do I have to get dressed in front of you, Miss? Can't I do it in private?" She almost sounded like some of the shyer girls that Linda had run across in the reformatory. One might never have guessed that if she had her hands on a computer and access to the internet this was one of the most dangerous women in the world.
Linda slapped the tawse against her own leg just hard enough to make an impressive crack. "Stop dawdling girl."
Watching her slip off all her clothing and then in turn put on her uniform brought a warm smile of real pleasure to Linda's face. Not to mention that the sight brought a distinctive tingling to other areas of her body. Her only regret was that she did not have some background music playing. Something slow and sensual that Amanda could have undressed to.
She slapped the woman's hands away when she began to work on her
tie. With practice from years of wearing a school uniform herself, Linda knotted the tie and slipped it close around the collar of Amanda's blouse. It was so hard not to lean forward and brush her fingers across those lovely red lips as she folded the collar of her blouse down and slid the length of her tie into her gymslip.
"Now you look better," she declared as she regarded Amanda in the old uniform she had first worn when she had been 'accidentally' admitted to the reformatory as a delinquent... all thanks to a very peculiar computer glitch. "Now come here, it's time to braid your hair properly." She took her seat and, like any good delinquent who had been at the reformatory long enough to learn the virtue of obedience, Amanda knelt before her so that Linda could begin braiding her raven locks.
"I think I will have to secure your clothes," she whispered into Amanda's ear as she began to weave the strands of hair. "And tomorrow you will wear that delightful uniform when we go shopping. With me in my suit and you dressed like that everyone will think you're my naughty little sister. Why, you will have to stay close to me and perhaps even hold my hand like a good girl, otherwise if you were to wander off the police might arrest you as a runaway." She could feel the shiver run through the girl's body and, encouraged, she pressed on. "It would be unfortunate if that were to happen. They would bring you straight to the reformatory and you would have to be held until the matter could be looked into. With all the computer problems we have been having, Governor Shepard told me that if a girl were to show up wearing one of our uniforms he would want the most thorough of investigations carried out before letting her go, and never mind what any computer tells him to do."
A second shiver ran thought Amanda's body and Linda smiled. It was working, it was really working. "Are you cold? I think we have time before dinner to warm you up. That tawse looks so lonely there ... and a delinquent that can sit comfortably for dinner? No there is something wrong with that."
