Chapter Three

Anderson lowered the cane against the curve of Elisia's bottom, clearly taking his mark. Then he raised it up high to his shoulder and brought it swishing down. I and everyone in the hall heard the noise it made as it cut through the air. And then: CRACK! The sound of the impact was so loud and so sharp it made me jump, my heart pounding. Poor Elisia jerked against the straps the held her, a strangled yelp escaping her lips. The way she was angled I couldn't see her face, but I could imagine the look of pain there.

Anderson didn't pause. He raised the cane and brought it down again, as hard and fast as before. This time I saw it hit. Little ripples ran through the flesh of Elisia's bottom and thighs. Already livid red marks were just visible around the edges of her panties.

Another stroke. Even though I knew to expect it the sound made me cringe. He was hitting her so hard! "Oooowwww!" Elisia screamed at the top of her lungs, but Anderson paid no attention whatsoever.

The strokes kept coming, hard and fast. No sound in the hall except for the rhythmic swish and CRACK of the cane, and Elisia's anguished wails. Within ten strokes she was crying freely, her body tense and thrashing against the restraints, desperate to escape any further pain. But there was no escape and she could do nothing but lie there helpless and take it, and howl with fresh pain each time the rod landed.

It seemed to go on forever. At thirty lashes all the fight seemed to go out of her, and she went limp over the bench, shuddering. Her yelps of pain were weak now, drowned by her sobs. "Please! Please it hurts so much. I can't... Not any more... OOOOWwww!"

It felt as though the punishment had been going on forever. Thirty-five strokes, then forty. Elisia clung to the bench, head down, no longer fighting, but howling and crying out with each blow that landed. I glanced over to Cherry where she stood at the side of the stage, hands on head. She was shaking from head to toe. I wasn't surprised. What must it be like to stand there and hear Elisia's cries of pain and know that you would be next?

Forty-five strokes. For the final five Anderson seemed to put in a little extra effort, the cane whipping down out of the air and landing with a smack that echoed through the hall. Elisia's body shuddered, jerking against the restraints. And then, with a final CRACK it was over. She had taken her fifty strokes.

The entire hall was silent, Elisia's sobs and whimpers echoing through the stillness. Anderson stood back for a moment, allowing everyone to hear, then walked deliberately to the side of the stage and placed the cane against the wall next to Cherry, who was now visibly shaking with fright. He returned to Elisia and, without any hurry, starting undoing her bonds. Her legs were first, then her body, then her arms. The moment she was free she sprang up and her hands went to her backside, rubbing at the tender welts there. Her face was blotchy red and streaked with tears.

She was allowed to struggle back into her robe before being escorted to the side of the stage, where she switched places with Cherry. Cherry was crying already, and her to be marched to the centre of the stage by Anderson, who then pulled her gown roughly off her, and pushed her into position over the bench.