Chapter 10: Lisa's First Flogging - 2

Lisa was standing at her cell door at the time appointed. The guard took her to the communal wash-room and she had to wash, shave, use the toilet and be outside on parade in five minutes. Less than five minutes, where she usually allowed herself ten. Her hand shook as she tried to shave and it just refused to do as it was told. She felt her head and knew it would not satisfy the zealous Rosanne. Her feet had been given a good clean last night and then she noticed the dirt under a toenail and she knew she was lost. She had no more time as the instruction came to get a move on, NOW! She followed the junior guard out into the inspection area, usually full of anxious women hoping to pass muster.

But this time she was alone. Alone and totally sick with fright and shame. This was what happened when you get a friend to help you with something you should do yourself! As she had feared, the inspecting officer was Rosanne, so friendly yesterday and last night, but so implacable this morning as the light shone full on the one prisoner in the parade.

Rosanne must have seen at a glance just how unprepared Lisa was but she made a show of looking her up and down as if subjecting her to a minute medical examination. Finally she spoke in her "official" voice. "You were told this would be a strict inspection and you turn up a disgrace. Your feet are filthy - filthy! As for your head, you could strike a match on that stubble! I may do so just to show you!"

LIsa bowed her head, ashamed and wretched. She just could not stop her trembling which was beginning to verge on the convulsive. Then Rosanne's voice changed "Thank Heaven we have time to get you properly cleaned and shaved before the Governor sees you! We'd best hurry!"

Lisa's voice shook as she was marched to the dreaded Solitary Wing. "What about my caning Ma'am? If ever anyone deserved one it's me today!"

"You'll get more than enough pain when they flog you later on. Let's just say you owe me! I'll collect in time. You haven't got away with anything - just a reprieve!"

"Thank you so much, Ma'am. I was so scared this morning - not of a caning and a flogging - I know by now I can take them OK - but all the other things." The "Other thing" that had reduced this usually confident and brave young person to a near wreck was getting nearer. It was the Solitary Block with all its terrible memories.

"I know! I hope you will believe me when I swear to you I had no hand in today's devilry. When I gave you that letter I had no idea what was in it. Not until I got to my quarters and read my own instructions."

"I would never doubt your word Ma'am."

They reached the Solitary Building and Rosanne unlocked the outer door. Soon Lisa was back in the underground reception chamber and the shaking that had impeded her attempt to shave earlier, became uncontrollable in this place of ghastly memories. Rosanne got her into a chair and put both arms round her, soothing her as one might a frightened animal or a child.

"I know. This brings it all back. That's why the bastards sent you down here. You took it so bravely for two years and never cracked up, but they still want to break you. But you won't be broken - will you, my brave and lovely Lisa? Try to pull yourself together! It's only for a short time! Then we go up into the fresh air and you won't be coming back down here - ever!"

"Until next month's flogging!"

"I said never, Lisa. You won't be going through all this again. That is a promise! It took me by surprise this time but next time I'll refuse to go along with it and I have a certain - shall I say - influence with my colleagues. Let's see how the Justice Ministry like it when they have a strike on their hands!"

Lisa smiled and started to feel better."I hate to think what that might lead to. I'm OK now, Ma'am. And if they want to bring me here before the rest of my floggings, that's OK. The panic's gone. I think I can wash and shave myself now. The shaking's quite over."

Lisa soon did a perfect job of shaving her head and cleaning her feet. Having dried herself off and removed all traces of soap she came back to the chair, bent over across the seat, presenting her butttocks to the astonished Rosanne.

"I'll pay my debt now, Ma'am while there's still no interest on it! Forty two I think! Don't be afraid to lay them on properly. I'm a strong girl these days! Then let the fun commence. I hope they all enjoy it as much as I will!"

"As you wish, Lisa! And it's a relief to see you your old self again!" said Rosanne raising the cane that she had still in her hand.

Lisa managed not to cry out through the worst chastisement of her life to date, but she was groaning as the last few hit her right across the tops of her thighs. Rosanne was a perfectionist and Lisa was spared nothing.

Then they secured her hands behind her and put her feet in chains. Apart from the cold touch of metal to her skin it was not what she had expected. It was time by now to make the long journey up the many stairs to the ground.

She felt foolish and degraded as she shuffled along, her chain clinking rhythmically, past the line of other prisoners. Most were silent as she walked awkwardly past them, her shaven head obediently bowed. With her hands secured behind her she had no choice but to keep her eyes on the ground so this part of her ritual humiliation lost a bit of its sting. Although most of the watching prisoners were silent, a few muttered words of encouragement and she sensed an atmosphere of sympathy. There were a few gasps as the women saw how terribly she had been caned and a bit of angry muttering. They all knew, by this time, how much more she had to endure before the day was over and most of them were willing her to come through. But she knew all this sympathy would evaporate if she failed to be brave. She would be very glad of that piece of wood to bite on as the screams rose within her and she struggled to keep them down!

Her brother George had been caned a few times and once in front of the whole school. He had told her about this, after he had left and gone to college.It still haunted him, he had said in a moment of self-revelation to his little sister. Lisa wondered if this was going to haunt her! On the whole she thought not. Compared to other things she had been through, this was not the worst. And she'd have a lot to tell George when she got home! She was the one who would have all the adventures to regale her incredulous friends and family with! Because that was how she still saw this three years - an adventure, and one which had taught her a lot, not least about herself.

She saw her three tormentors and knelt before the first of them. She did not know the woman, a fifty year old native of the country who spoke no English. She contented herself by uttering their word for "Thankyou" - one of the half dozen words she had ever needed to know - in a clear voice which carried to all listeners. The next was 10343 and she said thank you in English, since this woman, who would be under her control later in the day, was American or perhaps Canadian. To the last, Sandra, she said in the same clear voice "Thank you Sandra for flogging the girl who got you into trouble." and in a lower voice meant for Sandra's ears alone but overheard by Hatchet-Face/Rosanne "For God's sake, give it all you've got. Don't get into trouble on my account!"

10343 heard this and sneered. Rosanne saw her expression and vowed to get the bitch banged up in solitary if it was the last thing she did.

Funnily enough, it was less humiliating to kneel before her three floggers that she had expected. They were three people in temporary authority, given strict instructions to hurt her as much as they could, and that was that. It was going down on her knees and getting up again that was the problem and she concentrated hard on doing it properly and not staggering and falling. Then she was helped onto the platform, her hands freed, the chain removed so that she could be tied up for her flogging.

Lisa wondered why they were not offering her the piece of wood and Rosanne must have read her thoughts.

"You turned it down last time, Lisa. That decison can't be revoked. Sorry! But it really doesn't matter! Other women might need it, but you don't need to bite on a piece of wood to stop yourself screaming! You've got all you need to keep quiet stored up in that great heart of yours!" And so it turned out, although there were moments when she almost cracked.

After it was over they did not chain her up again and the kneeling and saying "thankyou" were that much easier. To 10343 she said "Thank you for flogging me" To Sandra she said "Thank you and well done" and to the third she merely said 'thank you' but in English this time.

Then she joined the others in the field and, despite hunger, thirst and a body which ached and throbbed all over and was crying out for rest, she organised the three pairs of women to get the field properly raked into a semblance of a level playing field, showing herself to be every inch the working foreman and refusing to take advantage of her new authority to rest her tortured body until the siren announced that another day had ended.