I knew what to expect this time, but even so as I watched her being secured into position my stomach was tight and fluttery. There was something close to excitement there. My eyes flicked over to Elisia, who stood sobbing in the corner, hands on head as she'd been left. Then back to Cherry. She was fastened securely in place, and Anderson was now taking his mark on her backside. I wondered what it must feel like to be Cherry right at that moment, bound in place and unable to move, unable to see what was going on. Awaiting the sudden shot of pain that would mean the punishment had begun. Knowing that I'd have to endure fifty long, agonising strokes of that cruel whip.
The cane swished down through the air and landed with a smack. Cherry howled, tears already in her voice. As if spurred on by the noise, Anderson raised the cane again and brought it down, harder than before. And so the punishment continued, hard and unrelenting, despite all her cries of pain, despite her tears, her pleas, her agonised wails. The fact that Cherry would not be silent only seemed to make Anderson hit her harder.
I glanced to the side of the stage and saw that Elisia, still standing with hands on head, winced every time the cane fell. The memory of the pain was clearly still fresh. My eyes were drawn back to Cherry, her slim body contorted against the straps that held her there. I could see the welts already darkening on her upper thighs. Even over her cries I still heard the swish as the cane cut the air on every stroke.
CRACK! Cherry squealed and kicked. By my count she was only half way through her punishment. "Please," she cried. "I can't take it. Please! That's enough! Let me go!" Anderson ignored her, completely and mercilessly. The cane rose and fell, whistling down through the air like a whip.
Whereas Elisia had seemed to give up and accept the punishment after a certain number of strokes, Cherry did not. She fought and kicked and screamed all the way to the fiftieth stroke, her face blushing, her hands clenched into fists against the side of the bench, set against the pain. Tears dripped freely from her face, and she was shaking all over. At last, Anderson stood back.
The knowledge that it was over silenced Cherry for just a moment. She looked stunned, still crying freely, her face alight with hope. Anderson set down the cane, and started undoing her straps one by one, taking his time. As soon as he had released her he helped the crying, trembling girl to stand, which she did with head bowed and hands on her welted bottom. Anderson fetched Elisia and stood them side by side. Then with a quick movement he seized a handful of each girl's hair and wrenched their faces up towards the hall.
For several seconds every eye in the hall was on those two tear-streaked faces. Then Anderson turned them around and deftly swept aside the gowns to show off the deep red marks left by the cane. There was absolute silence. Even Cherry--perhaps fearful that her punishment was about to continue--had managed to contain her sobs.
And then it was over. Finally over. The two girls were allowed to hobble down off the stage and leave the hall with Anderson. The bench was moved back to the side of the stage and one of the other teachers stood and began the normal proceedings of the daily assembly. Collectively, the hall breathed a sigh of relief.
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