Do not cross the Lady in black

‘It’s such a shame that no-one as you were growing up told you to not to cross the Lady in black Ken. Black represents strength of character and you are about to receive a demonstration of the fact that it also represents strength of my right arm’ Mrs Wright says as she is standing in front of Ken who is bent over and secured to a punishment horse.

Mrs Wright is flexing a thick cane in front of her providing a stark contrast with her long black skirt and long sleeved black jumper with a high neck. The outfit was topped off with black shoes and demonstrated the pale skin of a redhead perfectly. Ken found himself in this situation before his academic tutor at university following his decision to accept a caning instead of receiving a zero grade for the unit. As Mrs Wright was standing behind Ken he heard her mobile going off.

‘I’m sorry Ken I will have to take this call’ Mrs Wright said as she stepped out of the small, bare room that they were in.

‘Well Ken it appears as if it isn’t just academic misconduct that you have been guilty of. That was your personal tutor on the phone which is why I had to take the call and she was outlining a complaint that has been received against you from a member of the public for noise. I suggested that I add an additional 24 strokes to this caning and that your personal tutor can report back to the member of the public that you have been suitably punished for your disgraceful behaviour. Do you agree to this approach or would you prefer to attend a disciplinary hearing?’ Mrs Wright asks.

‘I will take the additional caning Mrs Wright’ Ken answers with no conception of how much worse a doubling of the punishment from 24 to 48 strokes was going to be.

‘Very well Ken I shall contact your personal tutor and inform her of this decision. Your punishment will therefore now be forty eight strokes of the cane and these will be administered in groups of twelve with a pause after each twelve for you to regain your composure. The first twelve strokes will be administered upon my return to the room’ Mrs Wright explains as she is stepping out of the room again to make the phone call. Ken’s anxiety grows with each passing minute and he doesn’t want Mrs Wright to return but at the same time he wants her to return so that the punishment can be completed and he can be free of this room.

‘Are you ready?’ Mrs Wright asks as she is standing behind Ken with the cane resting on his bottom.

‘Yes Mrs Wright’ Ken answers although in truth he was a long way from ready. Ken hears the cane swishing through the air as Mrs Wright is bringing it down towards his bottom at great pace. Ken tries to pull himself out of the firing line but there is absolutely no slack in his restraints and as the struggle is finishing the cane freezes all movement by connecting fiercely with Ken’s bottom. A few seconds later the second stroke of the cane landed and this time Ken reacted with a sharp cry as it seemed more painful than the first stroke. There was no reaction from Mrs Wright to this cry as she simply continued with the first twelve strokes at her own pace. Ken’s yelps continue to be the only sound other than the swish and crack of the cane in the room.

‘That is one quarter of your punishment completed Ken. I hope that it is teaching you a lesson and that you will attend all classes next term because if not this punishment will be a mere fraction of the one that I will give you’ Mrs Wright says as she is stepping back to the wall of the room.

‘I will now administer the second twelve strokes’ Mrs Wright announces and delivers these in the same slow, methodical fashion as the first dozen but concentrates her attention on the lower parts of Ken’s bottom where the pain is much more acute and his cries attest to this as they are much sharper.

‘We are now half way through the punishment due to the disturbance that you have been causing your neighbours. Your bottom is already looking rather sore and sorry for itself and I expect that you will bear the marks of this punishment for the next two or three weeks and will be reminded of it every time you sit down for the next day or two. I hope that this is sufficient to drum in the standards of behaviour that are required of you’ Mrs Wright says sharply as Ken is trying to get his breath back under control.

The remainder of the punishment passes in something of a haze for Ken as the pain is all consuming and when he is released from the horse he finds it very difficult to stand steadily while pulling up his pants and jeans. Tears are streaming down his face making it difficult to see anything although when Mrs Wright starts to speak all of his attention is focussed on her.

‘As I said at the beginning Ken you would be well advised not to cross the Lady in black again because I believe that I have given you a thorough demonstration of the strength of my character and my right arm. Should you fail to heed this warning then I can assure you that you will regret it. Now get out of my sight’ Mrs Wright says very sharply.