Kathy Prescott sat on her daughter Laura’s bed and cradled the sobbing seventeen-year-old’s head.

“I-I can’t go through with this, mum,” Laura moaned.

“I’m afraid you have to now, darling. The papers have been signed and it’s all been arranged.”

“I know that really, mum. It’s just that I’m so afraid.”

“Of course. Just keep in mind that this whole affair will soon be over and done with. Your only other option was four weeks in prison, and you wouldn’t have wanted that, would you?”

“No mum, I suppose not.”

“You were a very silly girl, getting yourself involved in those riots.”

“I realise that now, mum. I didn’t think the authorities would be so severe. I thought we’d get a small fine or something. And most of us didn’t even get arrested.”

“That’s probably why they’re making an example of those of you who did get arrested. Like as an example to the others.”

“Just my rotten luck. How long have I got?”

Kathy looked at the small alarm clock on Laura’s bedside cabinet.

“About ten minutes. Better start getting yourself ready.”

“What do we have to do?”

“I’ve got everything organized downstairs. I’ve moved the two armchairs back out of the way so the sofa is nice and clear. The leaflet they gave us said to consider using a sofa because the back should be at a good height and the top will be padded so as not to hurt your tummy.”

“You mean so they can bend me over the back?”

“Yes, darling.”

“Won’t the neighbours be able to see?”

“No, I’ve drawn the curtains so it should all be nice and private.”

“So, what else?”

“The leaflet suggests you get yourself ready too.”

“Won’t these leggings and T-shirt do?”

Kathy cast a quick glance over Laura’s black, tight-fitting leggings and plain white T-shirt.

“Darling, they’re going to, you know, do it on your bare bottom. Why not take off the leggings and your knickers so all they have to do is pull your T-shirt up? It’s plenty long enough to cover you while you just go downstairs.”

“Must I? Can’t I keep them on until, like, until it’s time?”

“You can, but do you want them to be fumbling about pulling your trousers and knickers down for you?”

“No, but I could take them down myself just before, you know.”

“It’s up to you, darling. I just think it would be better for you to be able to bend over and get it over with, with the least amount of time to worry about what’s going to be done to you.”

“Maybe. Is that a car outside?” Laura asked when they both heard the sound of a car’s engine in the road outside.

“I’ll take a look from my bedroom window.”

After a quick check from her front bedroom window, Kathy dashed back to Laura’s bedroom and said, “Yes, I think it’s them. I’ll go down and let them in. You get ready.”

The doorbell rang when Kathy was just halfway down the stairs. She went straight to the front door and pulled it part open.

“Mrs Prescott?” A blond-haired woman in her early forties asked. She was accompanied by a younger, dark-haired woman who was carrying a small suitcase and a long thin bag.

“Yes.”

“We’re from the Justice Department. I believe you’re expecting us?”

“Yes, please come in.”

Kathy led the two officers into the lounge.

“Ah, looks like you’ve got everything ready for us,” the blond officer said as she looked around. “My name is Julie Simpson and this is Petra Manning. Please call us by our first names. We like to keep things as informal as we can.”

“I’m Kathy, Laura’s mum,” Kathy explained, somewhat needlessly. “Yes, I tried to follow the advice given in the leaflet we were given after the court case.”

“And we’re going to use the back of this sofa, are we?” Julie asked as she patted the top of the backrest.

“Yes, that’s what the leaflet said as one possible suggestion.”

“Where is Laura?” Petra asked.

“Upstairs in her bedroom, crying her eyes out.”

“Don’t worry,” Petra smiled. “She’s bound to be upset.”

“There’s just some paperwork we need to go through, Kathy,” Julie said, holding up the small suitcase. “Can I use this side table?”

“Of course.”

Julie placed the small suitcase on the side table, opened it and extracted a thin file of papers. She selected several documents and said, “Now, Laura has signed to say she has chosen to receive twelve strokes of the cane as her penalty after admitting violent conduct in the town centre five weeks ago, and you have signed as her parent to confirm your agreement. This was offered to Laura as an alternative to four weeks imprisonment. Is that all correct, Kathy?”

“Yes. Our solicitor told us there was video evidence that showed Laura damaging a hotel door when she kicked it, so he said denying it would just mean a harsher sentence, if this wasn’t harsh enough.”

“Quite so, Kathy. And you told the court officials you would prefer the sentence is carried out here rather than at the police station. Is that correct?”

“Yes. I thought Laura would be more comfortable having it done at home, if ‘comfortable’ is the right word.”

Julie smiled. “I’m sure.” She picked up the long thin bag, opened it at one end and pulled out a length of thin cane measuring a little over two feet in length and half an inch thick.

“That’s what you’ll use, is it?” Kathy asked. “I thought it would be longer.”

“It’s quite whippy, Kathy. It stings. If it was much longer it might be harder to accurately apply it to Laura’s bottom.”

“Her bare bottom?”

“Yes, all canings are applied to the recipient’s bare backside.”

“I see.”

“So, we’re all set, are we?”

Kathy looked blank.

“We just need Laura, Kathy,” Petra said with a smile.

“Oh, yes. Am I allowed to be with her when you, you know?”

“Yes,” Julie answered. “But you must not interfere with the application of the punishment in any way, Kathy. To do so would actually be a criminal offence for which you could be arrested and charged. It would be far better for Laura if you assisted us so we can get it done quickly.”

“Why the rush? Can’t you allow Laura even a little time?”

“It’s for Laura’s benefit, Kathy. The more she’s hanging around waiting for it, the more nervous she’ll be.”

Kathy thought for a few moments before responding. “Shall I go and fetch her?”

“Yes please, Kathy,” Petra confirmed.

Kathy left the two Justice Officers and went as quietly as she could up the stairs so as not to alarm Laura. When she entered Laura’s bedroom, Laura was still sitting on her bed and still fully clothed.

“Laura! You were supposed to be getting ready! Get your leggings off!”

“I can’t do this, mum. I just can’t,” Laura sobbed.

“You have to, darling. You can’t change your mind now.”

Yet more tears sprang into Laura’s eyes and Kathy took a couple of tissues from a box on the bedside cabinet and began wiping her daughter’s eyes and face.

“Come on, darling, pull yourself together and let’s get your trousers off.”

When Kathy began pulling at the elastic waistband of Laura’s black leggings, Laura resisted. “No! Please mum!”

“Do you want them to do it downstairs? They will have to, you know. The leaflet said, and they’ve confirmed it, that they only cane on the bare bottom.”

“Please! Let me keep my trousers on!”

“Come on, darling. They’re actually very nice.”

Neither Laura nor her mother had heard footsteps on the stairs.

“Is everything okay?” Petra asked from the doorway.

“She’s just frightened,” Kathy explained.

Petra moved past Kathy and sat next to Laura on Laura’s bed.

“Come on, Laura. We don’t mean you any harm, you know. It’s just that you agreed to receive the cane in preference to going to prison and now it has to be done. It will only take a few minutes and then it will be all over.”

“It’s going to hurt,” Laura countered.

“Yes, twelve sharp stings to your bottom. But you can take that. It will hurt and your bottom will feel sore afterwards, but then you can come back up here and have a lie down and get over it.”

Now it was Petra who took several tissues from the box and mopped Laura’s face. With Petra’s arm around her shoulders, Laura slowly calmed down.

“Are you going to do it?” Laura asked.

“No, my colleague Julie will be doing it, but she’s very nice.”

Laura thought about things for some moments before she said, simply, “Okay.”

“It might be more comfortable for you if we left your trousers and knickers up here and you came down in just your T-shirt,” Petra advised.

“Why?”

“Because if we pull them down when we’re downstairs, when you’ve been done you’ll have your trousers and knickers around your ankles. Then you’ll either have to take them right off, or pull them up over your sore bottom, and neither is going to be very comfortable, especially if you’re upset and hurting. Do you see?”

Laura nodded.

“Shall we take your leggings off?”

Laura nodded again. Petra began pulling the leggings down and Laura raised her bottom off the bed so they could be pulled right down and off her feet. Kathy took them, folded them, and placed them at the foot of the bed.

“How about your knickers?” Petra asked.

“Can’t I keep them on? They’re very thin.”

“I’m afraid not. Regulations. You’re not shy, are you? Don’t worry, your T-shirt looks long enough to cover you while we go downstairs.”

Laura looked at Petra, who was smiling sheepishly. “Okay, I’ll take them off.”

This time, Laura made an effort to push her brief white knickers down for herself. Petra only had to unhook them from the teenager’s ankles and hand them to her mother.

“Ready?” Petra asked.

“Not really.”

“Come along.” Petra stood up and began pulling Laura up off her bed. Laura offered little resistance.

With Petra holding Laura’s left hand, and Kathy Laura’s right, the three carefully went downstairs and into the lounge.

“Hello, Laura,” Julie greeted her with a welcoming smile. “Don’t look so worried. I know this isn’t something you’re looking forward to. Petra and I are here simply to carry out the court’s sentence that you agreed to rather than being sent to prison. We’ll do it as quickly as we can and then we’ll be away. Okay?”

“I-I suppose,” Laura stuttered.

“Do you have any questions before we begin?”

“What if I can’t take it? Like, if it hurts too much.”

“I’m sure it won’t come to that, Laura. Petra and I are both here to help you through it, and I’m sure your mum will help you too.”

“Yes, but if I really can’t bear it?”

“Then we can secure you with handcuffs and leather restraints for your legs, or even take you to the police station to do it there, but work with us, Laura, let’s make this as easy as we can for you.”

“Okay, what do I have to do?”

“That T-shirt is like a short skirt, Laura. Have you got knickers on underneath?”

Laura shook her head.

“Good. Then all you need to do is bend over the back of the sofa. Get your head down low and stick your bottom out.”

Laura looked across at the sofa. “Now?”

“Yes, please.”

Laura took the five short steps to position herself at the back of the sofa, and shivered when she noticed Julie was already picking up the cane.

“Is that what you’re going to use?”

“It is.”

“It doesn’t look too bad,” Laura asked hopefully.

“It will impart a very sharp sting to your bottom when it hits you,” Julie explained. “That’s the punishment.”

Laura nodded, still looking at the cane.

“Bend over when you want me to start. Would you like your mum or Petra to hold your hands? You might find it helps you to stay in position. Then I can get it done nice and quickly and we can leave you to get on with the rest of your day.”

“Perhaps Petra?”

“I can do it, darling,” Kathy offered, rather put out that her daughter had asked for the second Justice Officer.

“Let Petra hold me, mum. She’ll be tougher holding me. I know I’m going to find it awful and I’ll probably struggle.”

“That’s very sensible, Kathy,” Julie added.

“Okay, if that’s what you want, darling,” Kathy conceded.

Petra went over to the far side of the sofa and held her hands out, ready for Laura.

“Bend over, Laura, and stick your bottom out,” Petra told the seventeen-year-old.

Laura looked at Petra and her waiting hands, and offered her own hands as she leaned over the back of the sofa. Petra gripped the girl’s hands quite tightly and pulled her forward and further over.

“I can’t keep my feet on the floor!” Laura protested.

“That’s okay, it’s your bottom we’re interested in,” Julie said as she watched the white T-shirt stretch tightly across Laura’s bottom. “I’ll just need to roll your T-shirt up.”

“Okay,” Laura accepted, and felt the thin cotton being carefully rolled up until it was clear of her bottom. Julie continued rolling the T-shirt up until Laura could feel the air on her naked back all the way up to her white bra straps. She lay quite still across the padded sofa back while Julie made the adjustments to her sole item of clothing.

Suddenly, in a panic, Laura looked round. “Is it now? Are you starting?”

“Calm down, Laura,” Petra said softly. “Just lie still. Look at me and I’ll nod when Julie is going to start. Okay?”

“Okay.” Laura focused on looking at the second Justice Officer, still holding her hands tightly, and even felt comfortable with her tummy resting on the padded sofa backrest.

All too soon, Petra nodded, and instantly Laura felt a flash of acute pain as the cane sliced across both buttocks. She snatched her whole body as a fiery agony she had never before experienced spread over her entire bottom. She screamed out, and tears flooded down her face.

Before Laura had a chance to recover, a second strike of the cane lashed her buttocks.

“Oh my god! I can’t stand this!” Laura shrieked.

“Keep your bottom still,” Petra advised. “It’ll soon be over.”

The words at least convinced Laura to hold as still as she could, and Julie was able to apply several more strokes of the cane with sufficient accuracy. Laura felt her backside getting increasingly sore, even between the strokes.

“How many more?” Laura eventually bawled. “It hurts so much!”

“Five more, my love,” Julie answered. “Just another couple of minutes.”

“I can’t take it!” Laura cried.

“Yes, you can. Would you like a minute or two before I continue?”

“Can I get up?”

“I think it would be best if you stayed in position, Laura,” Petra counselled. “Bending over again for the remaining strokes might be hard, don’t you think?”

Laura nodded. “You’re probably right.”

“Okay, stay there then,” Julie said. “Let me know when you’re ready for me to carry on.”

“Don’t leave it too long,” Petra added. “Best to get it over with.”

Laura considered the advice. It seemed to make sense, even in her excruciating discomfort, to take the remaining strokes as quickly as possible.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

Almost instantly, Julie continued with the caning. Laura could not prevent herself screaming at each stroke, nor could she stem the flow of tears down the side of her pretty face, but she held still in the knowledge that each stroke was getting her closer to the end.

Then, as suddenly as they had started, the cane strokes came to a halt.

“That’s it, my darling. You’re done.”

Julie’s voice was like music to Laura’s ears. She felt less certain when Petra released her hands.

“Get up when you’re ready, Laura,” Petra’s voice said gently. “But you might want to stay where you are for a few minutes until the pain subdues a bit.”

“It’s alright, darling, I’ve got you,” Kathy’s voice boomed in Laura’s ear as she felt her mother putting hands on her shoulders. “Do you want to get up?”

“Let me stay for a bit, mum.”

It took just a couple of minutes for the two Justice Officers to pack the cane and the paperwork away.

“I’ll leave this form on the table, Kathy,” Julie said. “It confirms we’ve carried out the court’s punishment satisfactorily.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

And then the two Justice Officers left the house.

“You did very well, darling,” Kathy cooed in her daughter’s ear. “Do you want me to help you up to your room?”

“In a minute, mum. Let me have a few minutes to get myself together. Have you got a tissue to wipe my eyes?”

“Of course, darling.”

Kathy handed her daughter several tissues and stood back to give Laura some space. After several minutes, Laura eased herself up and off the sofa’s backrest before gently exploring the damage caused to her bottom.

“Wow! My bottom is really sore! How does it look?”

“Rather bruised, darling, and you’ve got red lines across where the cane hit you.”

“I think I’ll go up to my room and have a lie-down,” Laura said as she turned for the door, then added, “On my tummy!”

The End

© Kenny Walters 2025