Alice Pt. 01

This is a story about me. Alice. I'm the lodger. It's their house. Them being Caroline and her on-off-on again girlfriend Helen. They originally lived here together, then Helen moved out over a disagreement and Caroline rented me the spare room to help cover the costs. She had been generous about the rent and Helen had agreed that steady money from someone they knew was better than a series of unreliable strangers. I'd met Caroline in college, when she was a TA and I was an undergraduate. I was having a few problems with my course and she took her time with me. I feel that I owe her a lot. She was three years older than me and her and Helen were already an item then - they were like two peas in a pod. Twin's almost. Both blonde, both tall and athletic; both very sporty and fit - the exact opposite of me in fact. I'm small and quiet and could probably do with losing a few pounds, but I hate exercise and love the sofa and a good book, so where's the harm?

Soon after I took the room, they kissed and made up and Helen moved back in on a semi-permanent basis, even though she still has her own place. It feels like she lives here anyway as she's very much in charge when she's here and even when she isn't. Definitely the one who makes the rules. I worried that they'd want me to leave once they were a couple again but they said they liked having me around and thought I could fit in "with their way of living". I assumed they meant that I was relaxed about them being Gay - which obviously I was - but I eventually realised that they'd meant something else entirely.

Both women played a lot of racket sports - badminton and squash mostly - and the house was usually a mass of activity, with evening training and weekend matches and always a queue for the washing machine and the dryer. Despite this, the place was spotless. That was the rule. Helen's rule obviously, but Caroline made it clear from the start that she'd "enforce it too if necessary". I didn't understand what that meant right away, but a couple of months after I'd moved in, she had a weekend badminton tournament, Helen was at her own place and I had the house to myself. I'd had a tough week. I'd been optimistic after I'd graduated but I was stuck in a temping rut. Money was pretty tight and I was stressed about my non-career going nowhere fast.

I took advantage of the empty house, to have an indulgent day, deferring my chores and springing for wine and a takeaway on Saturday night. I ended up staying up really late though, promising myself I'd clear the mess up the next morning. Anyway, I'd overslept, Caroline had come back earlier than expected after being eliminated, only to find the sink full of dishes and takeaway containers on the lounge carpet. I ran around the house panicking, as I tried to cover my tracks but in the process spilled Chinese food on the carpet. I apologised for all I was worth - I know I wasn't supposed to eat in the lounge and dirty dishes were not be left in the sink - but Caroline just looked at me stony faced and told me to clear it all up and then come to her room and we would deal with the matter then. I figured she was just tired after some tough matches though and I'd be able to talk her down.

After I eventually got the marks out of the carpet, I knocked on her bedroom door, fully ready to grovel. The rent she charged me was definitely in the 'mates rates' category and I couldn't afford anywhere else, plus the place was lovely and (I didn't say this bit) but honestly I had a bit of a big-sister, platonic crush on her. There was something undefinably soft about her and I always felt safe here. Helen was nice too, but she could be scary when she lost her temper. Caroline never lost her temper. I was sure this was going to be okay.

Uncharacteristically, she didn't appear to be in a listening mood though. She was sitting silently in a chair by her dressing table, still wearing her tracksuit bottoms and white vest, her arms folded in front of her, emphasising the muscular form of her forearms and her strong shoulders. I noticed that she'd moved the chair so it was facing outward, away from her mirror and into the room, which I recall thinking was odd and strangely ominous. After a long pause, she spoke, quite softly and quietly. She'd obviously thought hard about what she wanted to say to me and I responded by giving her my total attention, looking into her eyes apologetically as she began. I was already really sorry and I wanted her to know that I'd make it up to her however she wanted.

"When I offered you the room here, I told you there were conditions".

I nodded and began to reply "I know.." But she cut me off.

"The conditions. The rules, if you like, are Helen's and they apply to me equally as they do to you. The consequences of breaking those rules also apply to both of us and with Helen not here, it is my responsibility to make sure those consequences are faced by you. Am I clear?" This wasn't what I'd been expecting. It was only a takeaway after all and I'd cleaned all the mess up already. I started to feel very small and picked on. This wasn't like her at all.

"Yes, Caroline. I'm really sorry and it won't.." She raised a hand to silence me again.

"If I break a rule" She continued. "Even if nobody else knows. Even if I could hide it forever and never be found out, I go to Helen and I tell her". She paused "...and I am dealt with accordingly".

Something about the words 'dealt with' made me suddenly very nervous. I felt a pit forming in my stomach and my mouth went dry. Did this mean she was going to tell Helen? Would they throw me out over something so minor? Caroline turned slightly, reaching behind her towards the dressing table. In her hand was an oval wooden clothesbrush around a foot in length and several inches wide. It looked old and it looked heavy and was almost an inch thick.

"If you do exactly as I say, we won't need to discuss this with Helen. Is that clear?"

Suddenly, I realised what was in store for me: Caroline was going spank me. This strong, athletic woman, whom I loved and respected was going to beat my bottom really hard with that wooden brush. I felt rooted to the spot.

"Come here Alice. This won't take long"

I still didn't move. I couldn't believe what was happening. At the same time, I knew I had no choice. I had broken the rules.I did deserve to be punished. But did it have to be like this?

"Alice?" Caroline raised her voice slightly. "Are you going to be disobedient as well? I may need to phone Helen if that's the case" I didn't know for sure what phoning Helen would entail, but I was sure it would be worse. Helen was much stricter than Caroline and at least as strong and determined. I walked slowly towards my fate.

"Good girl". Said Caroline, lightly and I relaxed slightly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. This thought had barely entered my head when Caroline grasped my wrist firmly and pulled me over her lap. I struggled a little but there was no real point. I'd already resigned myself to this and anyway she was so much taller and stronger than me. I lay helpless and still over her lap, my breathing had quickened. I tried to turn and look towards her face as I made one last desperate plea for mercy.

"Please don't hurt me, Caroline"

Her reply was curt.

"Im afraid this is going to hurt rather a lot! This is both a punishment and a deterrent and it's one that you will remember for a long long time"

With that, she pinned my right arm behind my back and to my dismay and embarrassment, I felt my pyjama bottoms being tugged sharply down. I hadn't expected that! I felt humiliated and vulnerable but weirdly excited too, the pit in my stomach having given way to a feeling like butterflies.

These new feelings caught me off guard but my thoughts were silenced when without warning, my bottom exploded in pain as the first brush stroke landed hard and square across both cheeks. I cried out in hopeless indignation, only to receive a second stinging blow. I struggled again but she simply pinned my legs with her own and struck again, this time even harder.

"Remain still" She spoke firmly and I knew there would be consequences if I resisted further. The spanking resumed its agonising course, the blows coming at a steady pace, delivered with athletic precision and strength, each one leaving an angry red oval mark to accompany the unbearable penetrating sting. My poor bottom had never felt anything like this and I'd never imagined that a spanking could hurt so much. It felt like I'd sat on a swarm of wasps, except worse - as new stinging blows continued to add to the old. I gripped tightly onto Caroline's leg, gritting my teeth as my screams became wails.

Just when I thought I couldn't bear any more, she bought the brush down hard against the back of my thighs and I just collapsed into tears. After that it was just a blur. I know that there were many more strokes, including several more to my thighs but the sensation of deep burning stings and my own tears and cries just all merged into one.

And then it was over. She left me lying over her lap for a little while, gently rubbing my back as I sobbed quietly to myself. Neither of us spoke. After a few minutes, she helped me gently to my feet. My knees were shaking and every hesitant step sent new stinging sparks through my bottom and thighs. My pyjama trousers were round my ankles, leaving me exposed to her but after the embarrassment of what I'd just endured, it didn't seem important. Caroline looked up at me from her chair, the brush still in her hand.

"I'm not angry with you" She said. "But rules are rules"

I just nodded, catching myself in the mirror behind her. My eye and face were red and my cheeks were streaked with tears. My nose was running and my hair was a mess. Caroline placed her had on my arm as she spoke, gently turning me around so I faced the door and she could once again see the results of her handiwork.

"You should go to your room and tidy yourself up now. I'll be here if you want to talk later"

I nodded again silently and shuffled painfully away. I was incredibly sore but bending my legs and reaching down slowly, I pulled up my pyjamas, wincing as the touch of the material on my bottom and left the room. I heard a click as the door shut behind me and the sound of Caroline turning the latch to lock it behind me. We both needed some privacy now

I lay down on my front on my own bed. I was exhausted. My bottom was in too much discomfort to let anything touch it, but I wrapped my upper half in the duvet and tried to rest. I idly wondered how long the pain would last and whether I'd even be able to sit down at work on Monday. I felt oddly calm though and the butterfly feeling was back, this time much stronger and lower and so, reaching down inside the front of my pyjamas I began to slowly touch myself as I replayed my recent memories of Caroline and her wooden brush, certain that behind her own locked door, Caroline was doing the same.