Taking a short cut It was a cold day in February with biting wind and an overcast sky and it was cross country running for the junior school at St Edwards. None of our girls were very keen to turn out in the cold but they had ways of not fully taking part. ‘Who’s going the whole way round?’ asked Karen. ‘Not me.’ Said Margaret ‘Me neither, too cold.’ Said Angela. ‘What about you two Lisa’s’ asked Karen ‘I daren’t not go. If I get caught taking a short cut my mum’ll kill me.’ Replied Lisa B. ‘I’m with Margaret and Angela.’ Said Lisa M. ‘I don’t fancy getting caught so I’m going all the way.’ Said Karen. The short cut in question is about a mile from the start. The girls go off the course, hide in the bushes and then a short distance to about a mile from the end. So, off they all go. The three girls drop slowly behind the rest and at the cut off the path and slip into the bushes. ‘That was easy.’ Said Margaret. ‘You sure nobody was looking?’ queried Angela. ‘Couldn’t see anybody.’ Replied Margaret. ‘Let’s find somewhere to sit down.’ Suggested Lisa M. ‘It’s a bit cold for sitting around.’ Said Angela. ‘But what else can we do?’ said Margaret, already feeling the cold. ‘Anything. It’s got to be better than running five miles.’ Said Margaret The girls trudged through the dead undergrowth and found a fallen tree trunk. ‘Let’s sit here; it’s out of the wind.’ Suggested Lisa M. ‘Got the ciggies Margaret?’ asked Angela. ‘Yep.’ Replied Margaret producing them from under her vest and passing them to the others. They lit up and got into deep conversation. They were so engrossed that they failed to hear the approaching footsteps of a certain Mrs Davies, the dreaded wielder of the slipper on naughty girl’s bottoms. ‘Enjoying yourselves girls?’ asked Mrs Davies in a sarcastic tone of voice, leaning over the tree trunk. The sound of Mrs Davies’s voice made the girls jump. ‘Oh hell!’ gasped Angela. ‘That’s torn it.’ Said Margaret. ‘Margaret Jenkins, Angela Green and Lisa Muller; I might have guessed. I don’t think I need ask what you’re doing here do I?’ asked Mrs Davies. ‘Members of the 3b smokers club I see.’ All three girls failed to answer, stubbing out their cigarettes. They then stood up, not knowing what to say. ‘I expect you’re feeling the cold?’ The girls nodded with much trepidation. Getting the slipper from Mrs Davies was not something any girl took lightly. ‘Well, I am certainly going to warm up one part of your anatomy. Then you can see Miss Woods about the smoking after the run, I’ll take you first Angela. Come round here.’ Angela climbed over the tree trunk and stood in front of Mrs Davies. ‘Take your plimsoll off and bend over that tree.’ Angela bent down and took off her plimsoll and put it in Mrs Davies’s outstretched hand and then turned and bent over. ‘I think three girls are going to have dirty knickers.’ Said Mrs Davies, looking at the muddy plimsoll. Bent over the tree trunk Angela’s skirt rode up leaving her knickers exposed. WHAAPP!! Angela gripped the tree trunk in an effort to shake off the pain. WHAAPP!! ‘Ouch’ WHAAPP!! ‘Oooww’ WHAAPP!! ‘Ooooww’ WHAAPP!! Oooowwch WHAAAPPPP! ‘Yeeeeooooww’ Squealed Angela as the slipper made contact with the top of her legs. ‘Get up and stand over there.’ Said Mrs Davies pointing to a clear spot a few feet away. ‘You next Lisa’ Like Angela, Lisa climbed over the tree trunk and bent over. WHAAAPPP! ‘ooooh’ Gasped Lisa WHAAAPP! ‘Oooww’ WHAAPP! ‘Ooooch’ WHAAAPPP! ‘Aaaggh’ WHAAPP! ‘Yeooww’ WHHAAAPPP!! ‘Ooooowww’ screamed Lisa as the slipper touched an already sore part of her anatomy. ‘Get up and join your friend.’ Snapped Mrs Davies. She then motioned to Margaret to come over. ‘Let’s get this over with and then you can get on.’ Said Mrs Davies. Margaret bent over the tree trunk and prepared for the worst. WHAAAPPP! ‘Oooww’ even the toughest girl couldn’t keep quiet after one of Mrs Davies’s solid whacks. WHHAAAPPP! ‘Oooowch’ WHAAAPPPP! ‘Woooowww’ WHAAPPP! ‘Yeeeooow’ WHAAPPP!!! Yeeeoooowww’ WHAAAPP!! Ooooowwwww’ ‘I think that should deter you girls from doing that again.’ Said Mrs Davies, returning Angela’s plimsoll. ‘Now you can complete the course and don’t think of taking any more short cuts because I shall be right behind you.’ Angela replaced her plimsoll and the girls set off at steady pace. Three lovely sore red bottoms giving the girls a lot of discomfort. At the end of the run the girls headed for the changing room. Most of the girls had already changed and gone home so there was an eerie silence about the place plus the smell of sweaty bodies and games kit. ‘We’d better go and see Miss Woods hadn’t we?’ asked Angela. ‘No, let’s get changed first. Give our bums a bit longer to cool down before we get the next lot.’ Said Margaret. ‘What d’you think we’ll get?’ asked Lisa tentatively. ‘Six, I guess.’ Replied Margaret. ‘Could get sent to the head.’ Suggested Angela. ‘Possible I suppose.’ Suggested Lisa. The girls decided it would be better to wait as long as possible so after taking their clothes off and looking at each others still red bums they showered and got dressed. Then it was off to see Miss Woods. Just as they reached the door it opened and out came Mrs Davies. She gave the girls a contented smirk as she went past and the girls went in. Miss Woods looked thoughtfully at them as they stood in front of her. ‘Well, this is a sorry state of affairs I must say. Not only do you cheat at cross country but you have the temerity to smoke when you should be running. I’m surprised at you Angela; this is not the sort of activity I would expect you to partake in. It’s been known for some time that this sort of thing has been going on but you are the first to be caught. Under the circumstances I have spoken to the head and she feels that an example needs to be made in the hope that this will deter others from indulging in this activity. All three of you will go straight to her office now. Off you go.’ Said Miss Woods. Three dejected girls left the room and made their way to Mrs Berry’s office. They guessed that this might be the outcome but were hoping that Miss Woods would slipper them instead. They reached the office and went in and stood in front of Mrs Berry. The eyes of all three instantly fell on the cane that was lying on the desk. ‘I have received a full report from Mrs Davies about your activities this afternoon. I can only say that I am appalled at your behaviour. To think that girls from my school can cheat and think that they can get away with it, indulge in that disgusting habit of smoking, leaves me speechless. You let yourselves down, the school and your parents. The three of you are a downright disgrace; I’m ashamed to have you in my school.’ Said Mrs Berry in a voice getting louder and louder. The three girls hung their heads in shame at this tirade. ‘Is there the slightest possibility that you have anything to say?’ asked Mrs Berry angrily. All three shook their heads. ‘I see. It doesn’t bother you at all then?’ ‘We’re very sorry.’ Said Lisa M, finally plucking up courage to say something. ‘Is this girl speaking for you two as well?’ demanded Mrs Berry. ‘Yes Miss.’ Replied Angela, a remark echoed by Margaret. ‘I’m certainly not convinced that you are the least bit sorry. You may be sorry that you got caught and nothing would surprise me if you tried it again at some time. In the meantime I’m going to give you something that will at least make you think twice about that.’ Said Mrs Berry taking the cane and rolling it between her fingers. ‘You can consider yourselves very lucky that Mrs Davies has punished you for cheating in the run otherwise I would have had to give you the maximum punishment that I’m allowed. You will of course be caned and I shall be writing a letter to your parents who will no doubt take the appropriate action that they think fit.’ At this all three girls suddenly went pale. The thought of what might happen at home as a result of this didn’t bear thinking about. ‘Have you anything further to add before I cane you.’ Asked Mrs Berry. All three girls said nothing as they were resigned to their fate and were too busy worrying about what would happen at home. ‘Very well. Muller and Jenkins; go and stand by the window.’ Margaret and Lisa took their places at the window and watched in nervous anticipation, wondering how many strokes they would get. Mrs Berry took the cane in her right hand and gave it swish. ’Hold your hand out Green.’ Angela nervously put her hand out and Mrs Berry guided it into position with the cane. Angela felt her stomach turn as the cane touched her hand. This was the first time that she had been caned at St Edwards and to say that she was nervous would be an understatement. Mrs Berry raised the cane and down it came on Angela’s palm. Thwack! Angela winced and her whole body tightened as she absorbed the awful pain. Thwack! The cane smacked against Angela’s hand just below the base of her fingers. ‘Ouch!’ she gasped, desperately wanting to snatch her hand away. Over by the window Margaret stood with her hands behind her back playing nervously with her fingers. Lisa was shifting from one foot to another. Thwack! Down came the cane for the third time, across the base of Angela’s fingers. After years of experience Mrs Berry was adept at placing the cane just where she wanted it. ‘Oooowww’ gasped Angela, whipping her hand away and wringing it vigorously. Mrs Berry waited for a few seconds before ordering Angela to put her hand out again Thwack! This time right across the finger tips. That really hurt Angela. ‘Yeeeoooow’ she yelled, putting her hands between her knees. This one brought tears to her eyes. ‘Alright Green, go and join your friends.’ Said Mrs Berry. Angela staggered across the room with her hands still firmly wedged between her knees. ‘Jenkins, come here.’ Snapped Mrs Berry. Margaret moved swiftly across the room and held her hand out. You didn’t hang around when Mrs Berry gave an order. Thwack! Margaret gave a little gasp as the cane connected. Thwack! This time Margaret bit her bottom lip and shut her eyes. Thwack! ‘Arggh’ The cane this time landed on the same spot as the last one. Thwack! ‘Ooooowwch’ Like Angela’s the cane landed across the base of Margaret’s fingers. Mrs Berry was making her way across Margaret’s hand. Margaret snatched her hand away and put it under her armpit. Again Mrs Berry waited a few seconds before instructing Margaret to replace her hand. ‘But she only got four.’ Protested a shocked Margaret. ‘She.’ Emphasised Mrs Berry. ‘Hasn’t been here before for smoking, you and Muller have. Now hold your hand out.’ Reluctantly Margaret held out her hand; already she could see red lines appearing. Thwack! ‘Yeeooow’ The pain shot through Margaret’s hand as the cane crashed across her fingers. Margaret again put her hand under her armpit, with now watery eyes. ‘Come along Jenkins. I haven’t got all day.’ Said Mrs Berry impatiently. Margaret put her hand out again. Last one she thought. Thwack! ‘Oooooowwww’ as the cane landed across her finger tips. She rung her hand vigorously as Mrs Berry ordered her back to her place, ‘Come along Muller.’ Invited Mrs Berry. Lisa walked across to the required position. After seeing the other two suffering, her nerves giving her a stomach in knots and a racing heart beat. ‘Hand out, Muller’ ordered Mrs Berry. Lisa held out her hand with much trepidation. Thwack! Lisa gave an intake of breath and tried not to show any emotion. Thwack! ‘Oooowww’ Thwack! Lisa winced and gave a grunt. Thwack! ‘Ooooowwwch’ Mrs Berry had now moved on to caning the fingers. Thwack! ‘Yeeeoooow’ yelped Lisa, tucking her hand under her armpit. Again Mrs Berry paused and waited until Lisa had replaced her hand. Thwack! ‘Ooooowwww’ gasped Lisa, this time putting her hands between her legs. At last it was all over. Angela, who had now had time to recover, although her hand was still throbbing painfully, was starting to enjoy the spectacle. ‘Come here you two’ said Mrs Berry putting the cane down on her desk. The two girls now joined Lisa who had released her hands and was wringing the caned one. ‘This as a warning to you. If any of you are here again for smoking, I shall increase the punishment. So, if you found this painful, it’s nothing to what you’ll feel next time. You may go.’ Said Mrs Berry. The three girls filed out; Margaret leading the way and opening the door with her uncaned hand. A return to Mrs Berry’s office was not something to be considered in the immediate future!
Posted on: Sat, 29 Jun 2013 09:09:17 +0000
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