Atonement Chapter 8
The next morning there was activity in the classroom. The classes were mostly
boring lectures on the Bible centered on the passages most relevant to the
church's beliefs. But then there was a surprise test passed out by the
instructor. It apparently caught several students unaware. After several minutes
of frantic scribbling the papers were collected. The lesson continued as if
nothing had happened. But that afternoon, a stern visaged instructor, a "Brother
Oliver" read the names of several unfortunate individuals who had flunked the
test. There were nervous glances all around, especially among those who had been
on the list.
There was some relief when the teacher announced that extra study assignments
were to be given those who had not done well. This relief was tempered with the
announcement that one of their company would be chosen to atone for the sins of
all of them. This was a serious matter--botching a bible study test, and the
unfortunate sacrifice would be publicly punished in front of them all. Brother
Oliver produced a bowl with a number of colored stones in it. All were white
except for one black stone. The 5 who had flunked the test were made to draw one
at a time to see who would accept punishment for the group. The black stone was
drawn by a voluptuous brunette named Dorothy. She gasped as the black stone was
revealed.
"You have been chosen to atone, Novice Dorothy. Your punishment will commence in
full view of the assembly tonight. You will be punished by one of your own in
this group of novices. Those 5 with the highest grades on the test will now draw
to see who will administer 12 strokes of the razor strop to Dorothy this evening
in the courtyard pillory."
The task fell to David, one of the older men in the group of a class of about
50, probably the entire novice group from the compound of four cabins. We hadn't
noticed it before but he was referring to a 15" strap attached to a wooden
handle that hung from a hook on the wall of the classroom. Brother Oliver took
it down and ceremonially handed it to David.
"See that you lay on the strokes well, Novice David, so that your sister Dorothy
will truly feel the righteous pain of correction."
Dorothy's face was a mask of dismay. The strap looked very supple and heavy.
Later, after supper, Lisa finally reported in. She had slipped off with a
minicam/mic because when her image came up she was in some small enclosed area
like a broom closet, a small light bulb hanging from a string the only light.
"I can't talk long. We're supposed to assemble in the common courtyard at 6:30
to witness punishment. Did you see that? How they drew lots to see who would get
it? That woman Dorothy's going to get a strapping. This is crazy here--these
people are very strange. And Will, it's only a matter of time before they get to
me. Everybody has to do this ritual atonement. My turn's coming."
Even though she was on our side, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the
prospect. Lisa was cute blonde with a curvy figure and I had to wonder what sort
of story she would make up. After all, she couldn't blow her cover.
Will spoke, " Lisa, we'll try to pull you out before it comes to that." Lisa
looked at the camera and gave a little smile and a shrug. "Don't worry about it.
I can take it. It's not so bad--the girls all say it doesn't hurt too
much--except the paddle--that's a real stinger. Hurts like hell."
Will continued, "But, have you found anybody? Is Elaine there?"
Elaine was the daughter of Will's client. "I think so," said Lisa. I'm pretty
sure she is in one of the other novice cabins. I think it's her but she cut her
hair. You might be able to pick her out in the classroom because we all go
together there."
"Ok, we'll look harder, but with the camera position we see a lot of backs of
heads and not much else."
"Look," said Lisa, "I'll try to find her in a few minutes when we assemble and
get her in the field of view. Look for us in front just past the pillory."
"Also," said Bill, "Can you get a minicam in this place they call the Punishment
Hut?"
"That's risky," said Lisa with a shiver. "They take people there for serious
infractions like blasphemy or fighting and stuff. What happens there is not
these little paddywhackings. Anyone who is sent there is further along anyway,
not a novice, I hope."
"Show us where it is and we'll sneak in and plant one."
"Ok" said Lisa. "I'll transmit the exact location next chance I get. Gotta go."
Her screen went black.
At 6:30 our attention was focused on the screen showing the courtyard with its
pillory in the center. First the assembled group of the fifty or so novices
emerged from the cabins and arranged themselves in four rows around the
perimeter of the courtyard under the direction of their "housemothers". When all
were in place Dorothy emerged from her cabin escorted by David strap in hand and
another older woman who must have been one of her counselors. Dorothy was clad
in a flowing white cotton nightgown. Waiting at the pillory was the teacher we
had seen in the classroom wearing what looked like an old-time minister's frock
and carrying a book that looked to be a bible.
Dorothy was escorted to stand in front of the minister.
"Novice Dorothy are you prepared to accept punishment on behalf of your wayward
brothers and sisters in full view of this assembly?"
Dorothy managed a squeaky "y-yes." She didn't look too certain about it. In
fact, she looked more like a deer in the headlights--with nowhere to run.
"Then let us proceed with a prayer before we chastise our sister," intoned the
black clad leader. We heard some crazy mishmash of passages read from the
"bible", and then the order was given to prepare Dorothy. The crosspiece of the
pillory was lifted and Dorothy was made to bend over and place her head and
hands in the half circle cut outs. The upper board was lowered and secured with
pegs. Dorothy was bent over at an angle of slightly less than ninety degrees,
but even so her haunches jutted obscenely, the twin globes of her bottom clearly
outlined by the filmy material of the gown settling in her bottom cleft.
There was a hush as Dorothy's gown was lifted to reveal the nude bottom beneath.
The ends of the gown were secured with pins to the pillory. The fact that she
was naked under the gown probably surprised no one. Dorothy had a prominent and
shapely derriere. She was a voluptuous girl, short in stature with stocky legs
but a narrow waist that emphasized the swelling bottom globes even more.
The unveiling of Dorothy now complete, the minister addressed David. "Novice
David you have been given the task to teach our sinful sister the error of her
ways. See that you lay on twelve stripes hard and true." David nodded and
stepped to the rear of the pillory. Taking a stance, he hefted the supple strap.
Dorothy trembled vivibly as he prepared to administer the strokes.
"I wish for you all to count the strokes as they are given," said the minister,
addressing the assembly. "You may begin."
David drew back, then his arm came down with a blur. The starp impacted
Dorothy's fanny and it flattened momentarily.
THWACK! "One," chanted the crowd.
WHAP! "Two."
"Ouch...unhh..." wailed Dorothy, trying to wiggle from side to side.
THWACK! "Three" The strap cracked like a pistol shot against the wobbling seat.
WHACK! "Four," continued the throng
THWAP! "Yeowww....unhh....please. Oh it hurts!" Dorothy's shrill protest
competed with the intonation of the stroke count, "Five".
We were so wrapped up in watching this ritual strapping that we almost missed
Lisa gesturing with her head to the woman next to her. Will saw it and pulled
out the picture he had of an attractive long haired brunette of about 25. It was
true she had cut her hair to a short bob, but the young woman standing there was
indeed Elaine, the daughter of their client. She appeared glued to the
spectacle, whether in excitement or trepidation, we could not tell.
"Well, it's her," murmured Will as we watched in rapt fascination as David
delivered smack after meaty smack to the defenseless rear cheeks of the
unfortunate Dorothy. The strap left vivid rectangular bands of red that were now
merging into an angry red mass.
THWACK! "Nine," came the chant. They sounded almost excited, as if mesmerized by
the lurid punishment spectacle.
Dorothy was sobbing now. The humiliation and pain of the strapping had taken
their toll. She wailed again as the tenth lick fell, wagging her bottom back and
forth as much as the cruel pillory permitted.
THWACK! "Oww....oh....ow," cried the sobbing girl. "Ten," came the count.
WHAPPP! "Eleven," they chanted.
THWACCKKK! came the final hard slap from the supple leather.
"Yeoww....oh....ow...uhhh," bleated Dorothy as the final count of "twelve" was
uttered by the assembly.
Dorothy was writhing and crying, rising up and down on her toes, wiggling her
red, swollen buttocks as if this would alleviate the awful sting imparted by the
strap. The strapping completed, they unlocked the stocks and let Dorothy rise.
The white gown fell back over her covering her backside. She sobbed quietly and
could be seen gently rubbing what was surely a flaming bottom. The preacher
addressed everyone and they all bowed their heads in prayer as he said something
about true atonement having been achieved by Dorothy's suffering and how she was
an inspiration to them all, having been whipped for the sins of others. We could
see several in the crowd nodding seriously, eating it up. Then, David, her
punisher, took her by the arm to lead her back in.
Lisa cocked her head toward Elaine and approached her. As they dispersed for the
evening, we could see them talking. We could expect to hear from Lisa later, it
would appear.
Throughout the day I had been watching Wendy's reactions to the disciplinary
dramas being played out before our eyes. At times I could detect a shortness of
breath and a genuine flush creeping up the back of her neck. And it was plain to
see that the nipples of her breasts became, at times, hard and distended. I
wondered if our voyeuristic interests in these proceedings were exciting to her.
She was pretty in a cute way with her short curly blonde hair. She was not a
supermodel, but she had a very nice figure, one that was perhaps a bit hippy
given her sedentary lifestyle. But she looked very fetching in the tight jeans
she wore that hugged her hips and rear like a second skin. It looked to me like
watching all this was a sexual turn-on for her. I had to admit to some stiffness
in my own pants, too.
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Based upon data supplied by Lisa, Bill and Jim thought they had located the
infamous "Punishment Hut". The next morning they decided to scout it out using
surveillance telescopes while Wendy and I continued monitoring the vid screens.
Our attention turned to another group session. This time however, it was indeed
Lisa who was the object of the group's focus. Her luck had run out. We watched,
fascinated as "Cathy" nervously recounted some imagined (or maybe real) story
about sneaking out to a forbidden party and smoking or drinking. She admitted
lying about it, and added that she had never been caught. We thought she was
laying it on a bit thick, but then she did not want to blow her cover.
The group leaders asked her if she was ready to atone and purge the guilt of her
lying and deceitfulness. Having told a story to stay in character, Lisa was
caught, and had to nervously answer "yes" while casting worried glances at where
she knew the camera was. Wendy and I looked at each other and shrugged. What
could we do? If we came charging in like the cavalry, the whole thing was blown.
"Cathy" was just going to have to grin and bear it.
The group was sure that Cathy's burden would be lifted if she submitted to a
good hard spanking from one of them as proxy for her mother or father. What Lisa
didn't want was to be expected to have sex afterwards with one of the members so
she opted to talk about how her mother was the disciplinarian in their family.
The result of the communal thinking was that Meridith, one of the older female
members of the novice group would punish Cathy.
There was no help for it. Meridith sat on a chair and Cathy had to lift her
skirts and lay across Meridith's lap. Some one handed Meridith a small paddle.
Lisa tensed as Meridith drew down Lisa's panties to her knees exposing a pert
and very sexy little rear end. No set number of spanks was announced. Instead
the group leader brought out a timer and announced that it was set for 5
minutes.
"A good hard spanking for a full five minutes should be a proper punishment for
you, Cathy," she announced. To Meridith she said, "Make sure that you spank
rapidly and hard, so she receives the full effect. It will not help her if you
go lightly on her. It's for her own good. The cleansing pain of the paddle will
wash away her guilt. Start the timer."
Meridith heeded her words all to well. She brought the little paddle down with
crisp hard swats that resounded off the walls and quickly reddened Lisa's
bobbing fanny. The cute cheeks jiggled with every sharp spank. Spanking on
alternate sides with less than a second between smacks, Meridith quickly reduced
Lisa to the vision of a yelping wriggling teenager enduring a sound motherly
spanking. It looked especially authentic since Lisa looked so young and Meridith
was older.
"God! Her bottom must really be stinging," said Wendy. "Look at how red her ass
is getting." It was true. It did not take long for Lisa's spank spot to look
like a pair of red glowing beacons. Her legs were fluttering uncontrollably
straining against the panties down around her knees. "Oooh, I wonder what that
feels like," breathed Wendy, obviously enthralled with the spectacle. The way
she said it, it sounded like she'd like to trade places.
The spanking seemed to go on and on. Lisa fluttered her legs and wriggled like
an eel as the paddle imprinted its stinging lesson on Lisa's cute spank spot. It
was a rapid-fire right-left-right-left spanking of her wobbling globes that must
have stung atrociously. After awhile the mics were filled with the din of smack!
splat! whap! sounds competing with Lisa's high pitched
"Yow...ahh...ooh...nnhh...yeow...stop!...please!"
When it finally stopped and Meredith let Lisa up she did what looked like an
almost authentic war dance, hopping around from foot to foot and rubbing her
inflamed bottom vigorously, her mouth open in shock at the amount of hot sting
in her nether cheeks imparted by the little paddle.
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We were so wrapped up in watching Lisa get her atonement spanking that I almost
missed seeing Libby Mason walking through the amphitheater. I saw her out of the
corner of my eyes and froze the screen before she disappeared from view. It was
definitely her. With her were two older men and a young guy. One of the older
men had a full head of white hair, a short beard, and wore a purple robe. Noah
Chrossman himself. I recognized him from pictures. I guessed the younger guy was
Trey, the boyfriend. I didn't know who the third guy was, but I had a hunch.
I attached the frame captures to an email message and sent it to Jane with
instructions. Meanwhile there was mail from Henry. Corpun thought they had made
progress on finding Libby and they wanted to talk to both Henry and Jessica at
The Greenbrier, a posh resort in Southern West Virginia. Henry and Jessica were
on their way there. I could not reach them by phone.
When Jane received my email, she called me back. "What do I do with this, boss?"
"Get two things--search for photographs of all officers and board members of
Corpun, and get their home addresses. Send them here ASAP."
When I hung up, Wendy said, "She calls you boss? How cute. She sure seems
determined to keep you happy. Very efficient."
I told her how I maintained that efficiency just to see Wendy's reaction. Her
eyes grew as big as saucers. "Are you kidding? You keep a log of her mistakes
and punish her...ah...physically? And she wants it that way?"
I explained the rather odd dynamic between us, leaving out the sex part, of
course. Wendy licked her lips. "What do you actually do?" she asked.
I explained how I usually just put her across my knee and spanked her soundly
and how that seemed to set things right.
Wendy was clearly intrigued, but our conversation was interrupted by the return
of Bill and Jim.
"We found the Punishment Hut," said Bill, "and another building right next to it
with some strange machine inside. Take a look while we pull it up on the
monitor."
I wanted to know how they got inside undetected to install the bugs. "I was a
spook, remember?" he said with a broad smile. "Anyway, it was not guarded."
They switched inputs and two new views came up. The first was of a room with a
high ceiling, bare walls and cement floor and several devices for restraint
placed around the room. There were boxes painted on the floor connecting a
square. Inside the square were several short boxes each with a T-bar coming up
about a foot from the floor. On a far wall hung a variety of ominous looking
implements-- paddles, straps, leather or rubber covered switches, I couldn't
tell. In front of the painted square was a dias upon which rested a curved bench
with five chairs where a tribunal might sit in judgment of the condemned. In the
shadows to the back of the room was an apparatus that looked vaguely
familiar--it was a copy of Henry's spanking machine.
The other view was even more instructive. The machine Bill had described was
also an attempt at a copy of Henry's spanking machine. It lacked a number of
refinements. Noticeably it did not have the sexual attachments. There were
packing boxes on the floor, as if the machine were being moved.
"Can you zoom in on the slip on the side of the packing box?" I asked.
"Sure," said Wendy. "Here. The image grew larger and came into focus."
"Freeze that," I said. It was an address in Great Falls Virginia, but the
remainder of it was blurred. I needed to get into that building for a closer
look. I composed a hasty email to Jane and brought Bill up to speed. Given that
I had to wait for data from Jane and that Bill had to wait for a message from
Lisa, there was nothing much to be done, so we waited. After several frustrating
hours of hearing nothing our wait came to an end.
In the view of the Punishment Hut, we saw the doors open. Four novices were
escorted inside by two men and two women wearing military looking garb. They
were followed by five robed figures with cowls pulled over their heads to hide
their faces. The leader of the female guard detail was Anna Klochek. The four
novices were a red-haired woman of about 25 and a male of about the same age.
The other two were Lisa Tallmadge and Elaine Kraft, and they looked terrified.
