Haunting Astrid

by Dara Ames

  Suddenly, I was grabbed from behind, and I screamed and struggled to get free. A stinging slap to the seat of my black jeans warned me to settle down, and since I knew that palm anywhere, I quit struggling. “What are you doing here, Joseph? I thought you were out of town!” I was whispering, not about to expose myself to Astrid now.

  “I did not tell you I was going out of town; just that I had plans for tonight.”

  “You were invited to this damn party and you came without me?” My temper always picked the worst time to assert itself, like now. “How dare you come to this woman’s party when you know how she’s treated me?” I was screeching now, and I didn’t give a care who was listening.

  “Astrid came to me at work a few days ago and told me that she believed a ghost was haunting this house. She wanted to know what she should do to rid herself of the ghost. I told her that it sounded more like someone was playing a practical joke on her, and I cancelled my other plans and asked to come here and look around tonight. I felt I wouldn’t stand out so much in a disguise with other people here. I never expected to find you in a burglar costume pulling a stunt like this one, Jodi Lynn Vanscoy! I am going to set your butt on fire!”

  “Why? I have every right to get even with Astrid for all the mean things she’s said and done. When you dish it out you need to be able to take it.”

  “You frightened Astrid for days on end, and when I asked you if you knew why she wasn’t sleeping, you denied knowing anything, and you got upset with me for not knowing that Astrid was behaving badly at work. Jodi, how did you come up with this idea?”

  “From you. You knew that Astrid bought a home, but she thought it was something that the rest of us didn’t need to know. You even said it would be the perfect place to have a Halloween party… but none of us were invited. You want to know why…? None of us could afford this place, that’s why. Well, you could,” I corrected myself. “I decided that her guests deserved to know why she really invited them here tonight. It wasn’t for a true Halloween Party. It was so she could show off this house and hopefully sell it to one of them! People like Astrid don’t make friends… They use people!”

  Joseph was angry, angrier than I’d ever seen him, and I wondered if he would decide I was too much bother to have as a girlfriend and dump me. He dragged me through the house to a room with a secret door into the passageway, and pushed the heavy bookcase open and marched me out into the festively decorated room.

  Astrid was standing there, her expression one of disbelief. “You! How dare you?”

  “How dare you threaten to fire me for months on end? How dare you shred my application for the job you stole from me? How dare you talk about this party for weeks and not invite any of your co-workers? How dare you treat everyone as if they were put on this earth just to help you in some way? You step on people, Astrid.”

  “You purposely made everyone think this beautiful house is haunted and I will never be able to sell it now!” she wailed.

  “Too bad.”

  “I ought to sue you!”

  ”Astrid, you were permitted to keep your job and your salary after you were found guilty of illegally destroying a job application, and of threatening to fire people if they crossed you in any way. I would think that you would be anxious to give Jodi a second chance and offer her forgiveness, considering she had a lot of reasons for haunting you.”

  Astrid knew she would create a lot of problems for herself if she said one more word. She looked at them and said, “Will you please leave and let me clean up this mess? I have an open house scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.”

  “I need to get all of the equipment, Joseph. It isn’t mine and I need to return it. It won’t take but a minute. I have most of it packed already.”

  Joseph helped me load up my car and then told me to drive straight home. He pulled up behind me and followed me, and I honestly felt like hitting the gas and going somewhere to hide. Reality was crashing down on me and it wasn't pretty. Now that I was discovered, I wondered what had possessed me to do something so mean! I was pretty sure I was in for a serious spanking, and I didn’t have anything to say in my defense that wouldn’t sound petty. Bottom line? I was wrong… even if it was Astrid.

  I made sure the car doors were locked; I didn’t want the equipment stolen, but I didn’t want to carry all of it up all the flights of steps to my apartment. Besides, Brian would need to use my car to haul it all back to campus. I waited for Joseph to park and then put my hand in his as we walked up the sidewalk to the building. I was thankful that he was still willing to offer me that much comfort; I assumed this meant that he was probably not going to break up with me, though more and more I started to believe I deserved that. As I started to consider all the ramifications, I had to come to grips with the fact that what I had done was also illegal. I couldn't date - heck, marry! - a criminal defense attorney if I was breaking into peoples' homes!

  He unlocked the door to my apartment as he normally did, and ushered me inside. “When do you expect Brian?” he asked.

  “He isn’t coming home this weekend, Joseph. He went home with a friend for the weekend because they are giving a big Halloween party.” I took a deep breath, and then said, “Joseph, I know I was wrong, and I know I deserve a punishment. I’ve never done anything this awful before, but I was literally years looking for something I could do to get even with Astrid that wouldn’t get me fired. I think I kind of snapped, and I know that is not a good excuse. I’m sorry that I’ve upset you. I’ll do my best to accept the spanking I’ve earned.”

  “Are you willing to apologize to Astrid?” he asked of me.

  “No.” I was being honest. “I know I was wrong, but I’m not sorry I upset her. I’ve spent too many hours upset over things she’s said and done to feel sorry for giving her a small taste of it in return. I am sorry that I embarrassed you, and that I behaved badly in your eyes.”

  “I think you will change your mind about apologizing, Jodi Lynn.” I shook my head side to side, but I think I knew that I would eventually give in to stop what was shaping up to be a very painful spanking. “Go into your bedroom and take off everything from the waist down,” he ordered, and I was shocked.

  “Not my panties!” I whispered in disbelief. He was old-fashioned, and promised me that I would be a virgin on our wedding night. I’d never been half naked in front of any man.

  “This is a serious punishment, and part of your punishment will be the embarrassment of a bare bottom spanking. You can leave your panties, on but you go to the corner, and pull them down, and then you will stand there and think about why you are to be spanked. I also want to know how long you have been haunting Astrid. You will be punished for each and every day.”

  “What? That’s too much!” I exclaimed.

  “Arguing with me right now is not a good idea, Jodi,” he said tersely. "I am going to look for something to spank you with."

  I was shocked once again. Joseph spanked with his hand, and I’d always felt his hand was enough to impart a serious lesson. Surely he knew that? Suddenly, my prank on Astrid was looking very stupid. I went into my bedroom and quickly stepped out of my shoes and my black jeans. I also pulled off my hoodie, and tossed all of the clothing into the hamper. I was left wearing a tee shirt and a bra underneath. I went to the corner and pulled my panties down my thighs, my hands shaking. It was sobering to stand in the corner, half naked, waiting for my boyfriend to come into the room and spank me with items he found in my home. I wanted to blame all of this on Astrid, but I knew it was my fault. I’d handled everything in the wrong way. I should have followed my instincts when I didn’t get the promotion and gone to Mr. Chantry Senior and asked him what I could have done to improve my chances for a promotion "the next time." The truth would have come out then and there, and this whole mess could have been prevented.

  I heard Joseph enter the room, but I didn’t turn around. When he called me, I knew it was going to start the beginning of what was sure to be a very serious s
panking. I was content to wait for that to happen!

  “Come here, Jodi,” Joseph finally called me over to where he sat on the bed. He had a wooden spatula from the jar beside my small stove. He’d found my hairbrush, too. It had a wooden back, and I’d always wondered what it would feel like against my bottom. Joseph had also removed his belt and it was lying with my hairbrush and spatula on the bed. I slowly walked over to him, embarrassed that he could see my mons. It was enough to make me cry. “You are going to get a serious punishment spanking now… And you will be punished one day for each day you haunted Astrid.”

  Chapter Six

  “You mean to spank me for forty-one days?” I was in shock and my voice squeaked like a high-strung mouse! “No, Joseph!” I begged. “I couldn’t stand it!”

  “I did not say that all of the punishments would be spankings, Jodi.” That should have reassured me, but it didn’t. I had the feeling that by the time it was all over I was going to be very, very sorry.

  “Lie over my left thigh and rest your upper body on the bed. I want to make sure you are comfortable, because you are going to be in this position for quite a while.”

  “Joseph if I apologize to Astrid, could we skip this part?” I asked hopefully.

  “No. I remember what you said a few weeks ago when I gave you that essay to write. You said that you meant it this time, but I don't think you did. I am sure you could tell Astrid you are sorry and not mean one word of it. Am I correct, young lady?”

  Yes, damn it, he was right, but I sure didn’t want to admit it. “I know I was wrong, Joseph, and I am very sorry that I did something that truly wasn’t funny.”

  “We will be discussing this in great detail, Jodi, but tonight you are going to get one very sound spanking that is going to leave you so sore you won’t want to sit down for at least a week. In fact, I think I will make a point of keeping your butt uncomfortable to sit on while you are being punished for the next forty-one days. Now get in place and no more stalling.”

  I didn’t think I was stalling, but I certainly didn’t want Joseph to think I was. I was in enough trouble without making matters worse. The position that he helped me assume over his left thigh and the bed was indeed more comfortable than most positions, and once the spanking started I was able to see why he wanted me this way. He held my right arm and hand against my side as his left arm held me down. My left arm was unable to reach back to protect my bottom, and I couldn’t kick my legs because his right leg had my calves pinned down to the floor. I wasn’t going to be able to protect myself in any way, and I knew that I was at Joseph’s mercy.

  He didn’t keep me waiting, either. He started spanking with his hand, and when I thought my bottom couldn’t possibly hurt any worse, Joseph switched to the wooden spatula and I learned that I could hurt a whole lot more than I did!

  “Stop, Joseph! Please! It hurts too much!” I knew I was begging, but I just couldn’t help myself. My backside was in burning with pain, and the spanks kept right on coming! “I can’t stand any more! Please stop! Joseph! Ow!”

  “We are far from finished, young lady. What you did was wrong on so many levels I can’t begin to make you aware of all of them tonight. This spanking is to get your attention and let you know how disappointed I am that you would do such a thing… even as a joke!”

  After several more heart-felt spanks with the spatula, Joseph switched to the hairbrush, and suddenly I didn’t want to know how it would feel smacking against my bottom. It hurt something awful, and I was sure that my delicate skin was going to be bruised. Joseph continued until I was sobbing my heart out and drained of any fight whatsoever, even to the point of being unable to beg further for mercy.

  “I am going to give you a few minutes in the corner to compose yourself, Jodi. After you are calm, we will finish this punishment.” He walked me back to the corner and just left me there. I felt so miserable I didn’t know what to do. My butt was on fire, and I couldn’t imagine enduring even more punishment. Surely Joseph could see that I was totally done in…? I cried for what seemed like an hour, but finally I did manage to stop. I didn’t want to stand in the corner, but I knew that if I moved, the terrible punishment would continue. I didn’t want that at all!

  Suddenly I realized he was behind me, very close, and his hand was on my bottom! "We're finished, Jodi Lynn. I was thinking of using my belt, but you've had enough." His voice sounded so sad, and suddenly I knew this was the worst part of the whole thing: disappointing him.

  I let him help me to my bed, where I curled up into the fetal position, hugging my pillow as I sobbed and cried. My butt was ON FIRE and I just wanted to die in the moment. I didn’t think I could bear forty more days of this hell. I finally went to sleep, but when I woke I was terrified to move. Sometime after I fell asleep, Joseph must have put a blanket over my half nude body to keep me from catching a chill. I didn’t know if he was still here, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk to him if he was.

  Sadly, I rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom, and was almost in tears by the time I made it. Sitting to pee brought on more tears, and when I was done, I closed the bathroom door so that I could see the full-length mirror on the back of the door. I looked at my backside and gasped in horror. My bottom was still bright red, and there were even a few bruises! How would I ever survive another spanking? I took off the black tee shirt and bra I was wearing and put on the dorm shirt that was hanging in the bathroom. I winced when the fabric from the shirt skimmed over my sore cheeks. It hurt.

  Joseph tapped on the door. “Are you okay in there, Jodi?”

  “No!” I declared as I threw open the door to glare at him. “I have marks covering my entire backside! There was no need for you to be so mean. A hand spanking was more than enough.”

  “We’ll talk about that after you’ve eaten.”

  “I’m not going to sit down, Joseph. I am in agony.”

  “Agony? I know you are sore, honey, but agony is a much stronger pain.”

  “I’m still not going to sit down!” I dared to say.

  “Jodi, listen carefully. I won’t tolerate disrespect, especially when you are being punished, which you are for the next forty days. If I tell you to sit, you will sit. Do not test me, young lady. I want to comfort you now, but sassy, disobedient girlfriends get punished a bit more to get rid of the pouting. Do you hear me?”

  I nodded, tears filling my eyes again. I didn’t want to sit down!

  “I’ve got soup simmering on the stove, honey. Come and eat.”

  Grudgingly I said, “Thank you.” The soup smelled delicious and one glance in the pan told me it was homemade. “You made this from scratch! I didn’t know you could cook.”

  “I don’t have the time to cook often, but I love to when I can, and you have fixed me so many meals that I wanted to do the same for you.” He leaned down and kissed me lightly, and I could feel the love pouring from him. I was suddenly crying and clinging to Joseph. “It’s alright, honey. I promise it will be alright.” He held me close, offering comfort. Joseph kept telling me that he loved me, and I finally calmed down.

  “I didn’t know I was going to do that,” I whispered, embarrassed.

  “You are emotional now, Jodi. That is pretty normal after a spanking like I gave you. You’ll feel better once you eat and get some more sleep.”

  “I don’t ever want another spanking like that!” I blurted the words before I could stop myself.

  “I don’t ever want to give you another spanking like that one,” he replied so solemnly I knew he meant the words. He dished up our soup and I placed my bowl on the counter so I could stand to eat. I finished the first bowl and asked for more. That seemed to please Joseph. I finished that bowl, too.

  “Really good, Joseph. You can cook for me any time.”

  “Thank you kindly, Jodi Lynn.” I was surprised to see his cheeks were tinged with pink at my praise. We did the dishes together, and then Joseph took my hand and led me into the bedroom once again. I couldn’
t help but tense up a bit. I didn’t want another punishment. “I think you’ll be more comfortable in here,” Joseph said kindly.

  I had to agree with that. I could not sit for any reason. I was still in major pain. I crawled on the bed and lie on my side. To my surprise, Joseph took off his shoes and lie facing me. “Let’s talk now, Jodi Lynn.” I quickly discovered that Joseph’s idea of us talking was that he talked and I listened. He did ask me questions at times, and I did my best to answer. I slowly came to understand why he was being so firm with me. The thing that hurt even more than my bottom was that he was disappointed that I’d done something so naughty. He thought of things that hadn’t occurred to me, but since he is an attorney, it shouldn’t have been a surprise when he told me that I would have been guilty of murder if one of Astrid’s guests had a fear induced heart-attack and died due to the haunting. He made it very clear that I’d set myself up as judge and jury over Astrid, and that no man or woman has the right to do that. That is what laws are written for, and Judges and juries are picked to make these decisions. I understood why he gave me such a serious spanking, and I vowed I would never earn another one.

  “While you were resting and the soup was cooking I gave some thoughts to the punishments you will accept over the next few weeks.”

  “Joseph, I am begging you not to spank me again. Please!” I hurt so much that I couldn’t bear the thought of another spanking.

  “I will not make that promise, young lady, but I will tell you that I won’t spank you again for a few days as long as you behave and accept the punishments you are given. I promise you aren’t going to enjoy the punishments, but if you accept them well, this will be over fairly soon. If you don’t accept them then you will simply extend the punishment and earn more spankings.”