natural curiosity causes me to start trying to see as far back towards the path as I can without moving my head. No sign of him so, although I'm terrified he's going to suddenly appear again I do turn slightly - being careful to keep my hands on my head and ready to turn back at the slightest movement from the path. Safe for the moment so far as I can tell. I risk a quick glance down at the back of my legs. I can see all too plainly the bright crimson blotches on the back of my thighs. I move my right leg slightly and I can see very clearly the unmistakable red finger marks on my lower leg. A more considered look at my sore thighs - I can make out a few distinct finger shaped patches around the edges of the target area but generally it looks less obviously like a smacking - not that that's much consolation. The mottled, glowing, crimson area extends from a couple of inches above my knees right up to the line of my pants.
Was that a footstep I heard? I'm back in position in an instant – the pose frozen. Aware of an ache in my arms now from having held them on top of my head for so long but unable to do anything about it.
I hear his footsteps coming up behind me and then they stop - I wish he'd speak but he remains silent for what seems like several minutes. Must be surveying the imprints of his previous handiwork on my bare legs or maybe ogling at my thinly covered buttocks as he plans what he will be doing to them in just a short while.
"Very good - I see you're learning something about obeying rules at last." I make no reply. "You can put your hands down now and turn around." I gratefully drop my arms to my sides and turn slowly. He's standing there with a trace of a smile on his face but it's his hands I'm looking at - more accurately I'm looking at the long thin bamboo cane he's holding. It must be a full metre long and very thin and flexible towards the one end. Well, it's too late for second thoughts now. Something he said before comes back to me - "Think about your crime and the court appearance I'm saving you from." - I must keep that in mind now - I hope I've chosen the right alternative.
"Over here" he motions with his hand and I follow him across to the other side of the clearing. Any other time I'd be unhappy about the discomfort of walking on this slightly damp and twig covered ground in only my socks but I'm hardly aware of it even. He stops by an old broad tree trunk that's fallen many years ago.
"You'll bend across that Kara - I want your toes on the ground this side, your hands on the ground the other, and your bottom high in the air. Is that clear?" I can only manage a nod.
"Right, before you get ready, I'll remind you again that this is going to hurt because you deserve it to hurt. You'll have heard stories of schoolboys getting 'six of the best' in the past. Well you're nineteen years old, you've not just been naughty, you've broken the law, so you can't expect to get off as lightly as that. Twelve strokes should serve to teach you a lesson you'll remember next time you feel tempted, and I advise you to keep as still as possible if you don't want any extras. You will get up only when I tell you that you can, and you will then thank me and tell me that you'll be a good girl now. Now get into position ready."
I'm too shocked to move for a second - TWELVE! Then an inner voice reminds me that I don't have a lot of option unless I want the police brought in. Besides I know that I deserve everything I'm getting - it's my own stupid fault and I might as well just get it over with. Bending over the trunk isn't physically very easy and having managed it I'm very mindful of my upthrust bottom. I can feel that my knickers have ridden further up than they were before so that I have even less protection but there's nothing I can do. I can see him coming to stand at my left side and then I feel slightly sick as he lays the