Judicial Punishment Lottery Pt. 05

"Well, once that's done you have five hundred hours of community service, and that's actually a really good thing."

"How so? I'm still going to be in jail."

"Yes, but on a day-release basis. That means you get released on your own recognisance during the day and only have to return at night, maybe from say 10 pm to 6 am or thereabouts. Possibly for weekends as well, it probably depends on how diligent you want to be regarding your community service."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, a lot of people only do a couple of hours a day, usually in the evenings or something like that. But if you really commit to it, you could, I suppose, do it virtually full time, that's about forty hours a week. If you're smart you could also do a couple of extra hours on the weekends and that means not only would you be done with it in maybe three months, but if you put in a couple of hours on a Saturday and Sunday morning then other than that your days during the weekends might be virtually free. I mean it's not great, but you could visit the library, parks, museums or even a cinema or something. Just don't go to a bar or anything, that would be really silly."

"What kind of work would I be doing? I mean, I saw a girl cleaning toilets here, is that all there is?"

"I don't actually know the full range of services that can be mandated, some are what you might call menial work for sure, but there are other jobs that require varying levels of ability. Do you have any skills that you think might be useful?"

Margo considered, "I'm not sure. I mean I own a number of business enterprises in the United States dealing primarily in women's fashion, cosmetics and healthcare, I'm not sure how useful that would be. I can do accounts after a fashion, and I know my way around computer applications and software, but I actually started out with a little coffee shop that I eventually built up into a small chain. God, that seems like so long ago now."

"Can you cook?"

"Well yes, but I'm not a chef if that's what you mean."

"No, I mean could you run or at least help manage a charity soup kitchen or something like that?"

"Oh, sure, but er... won't I be naked? I mean I wouldn't want to put folks off their soup by parading this old body of mine about the place for everyone to see."

The lawyer stared at her for a moment as he tried, unsuccessfully, not to imagine the tall, attractive, blonde woman naked, "You're kidding, right?"

Margo looked confused, "Won't I be naked?"

The lawyer shook his head, "Yes but, I mean, you will be, but I..."

"Are you blushing?"

He laughed, "Mrs DeVries, it may be totally inappropriate so I'm only going to say this once. You are a strikingly handsome woman and while I agree you might distract folks from their food, it certainly won't be by 'putting them off' I assure you."

"Flatterer."

"Ahem... So anyway, I might be able to sell your skillset as being of most value working in a charity shop or soup kitchen sort of environment, something of that ilk. If I can, then would that suit you? I mean it would be indoor work, with other staff there to interact with, and to look after you."

"Sure, I mean, if you think it would be a good fit?"

"Okay, then I'll suggest it to the sentencing council representative. I should probably warn you that given the comments made by the Sheriff it seems very likely that should you breach any of the terms of the CS order then they'll haul you in and you'll end up serving that four-year sentence, so you best mind yourself. I wouldn't put it past them to have a Criminal Justice Social Worker check up on you at least once or twice."

"So, they're gunning for me, is that it?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it quite as strongly as that, but I wouldn't count on any leeway or leniency should you get caught out. Just do your time, mind your P's & Q's and you should be fine."

"When does all this start?"

"I wanted to talk to you about that. Normally you get at least a couple of days between sentencing and the execution of the Judicial Punishment, in case you want to put in an appeal and in this instance, you would remain in custody during that period because you are deemed a flight risk. But if I'm right in thinking you don't want to appeal the sentence, which is my advice, then you could possibly get the corporal punishment aspect done today."

"Today?!"

The lawyer looked troubled but continued, "Hear me out. There is some significant press interest in your case, you know "Pleasure Slave Snatched from Clutches of Rich American Businesswoman" and that sort of thing."

"Jesus."

"It's the tabloids. Pay it no mind, they love a garish headline. But if we can get the punishment done today, we might just sneak it under their radar and avoid most of the press photographers and that sort of nonsense. But it's up to you. Do you want me to ask if it can be done as soon as practicable?"

Margo barely hesitated, "Fuck yes! Let's get this shit-show over with, the last thing I want is pictures of them thrashing my naked ass appearing on the front page of some tacky newspaper."

"Very well, I'll make the request. I think that pretty much sews things up and concludes our business together," standing he extended his hand to shake hers with what appeared to be a sincere expression of regret on his face, "I'm only sorry I couldn't do more for you, and I genuinely wish you good fortune and all the best for the future, Mrs DeVries."

She stood and looked at the man as she shook his hand. His grip was firm but gentle and he at least seemed to be doing his best for her. She felt her cheeks colouring slightly as his hazel eyes regarded her intently and she was uncharacteristically nervous when she spoke, "Can I ask your name?"

He smiled, "It's Angus, Mrs DeVries, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, though I wish the circumstances were better."

"Please, it's just Margo. Will I see you again?"

"You never know. I hope so. It's not unusual for a lawyer to be present when you are released from custody, and I suppose it's not improper for a lawyer to visit their client from time to time while they are incarcerated should they wish to discuss some aspect of their case."

Margo smiled, "I should like that I think."

"Then we shall see what we can do. But in the meantime, I have arrangements to make on your behalf so I regret I must ask you to excuse me. Good day Margo, and I wish you well, truly."

After he had gone Margo was escorted back to her cell and given yet another cup of tea, "Holy shit, we might be an ignorant lot, but we sure pegged these guys right about them and their damned tea."

Margo sat in her cell pondering all that had happened. All in all, it was pretty shit, but at least it was coming to a head and soon it would all be over. At least her lawyer had been cute and she gave a snort of wry amusement, "I cant believe I tried to chat up my lawyer. Oh Jesus! Is he going to see my naked backside getting whacked? Not very romantic at all, tho you never know I guess, maybe he might like that sort of thi..."

There was a rattle of keys and the door opened, her breath caught in her throat as she heard the words, "Let's go."

Maggie and the young male officer she had seen earlier entered the cell. At a gesture, she rose to her feet. The man secured her wrists behind her with handcuffs, and she was led from the cell and down a long corridor before being deposited in another room.

The three other people, two women and a young man looked at her curiously for a few moments. One of the women was a skinny dark-haired girl with sunken eyes and bad teeth, and she had the appearance of some streetwise character who showed little concern over her current predicament. The other woman was an attractive brunette who looked more like a university student and Margo could see from her red-rimmed eyes and nervous demeanour that she had been weeping.

The young man was cast from a similar mould to the dark-haired character. His skin had an unhealthy pallor, and his face was narrow, with a furtive expression. He leered at Margo for a few moments longer before turning back to resume an animated conversation with the dark-haired woman sitting next to him, "Look Jeannie, I'm telling ye, it's a fucking great idea!"

Jeannie spat on the floor in disgust, "Electrotherapy! Are you fucking mental? That's where they wire up yer cock and bollocks man! It's no even been tested properly yet."

"Aye, but look, by volunteering I get half off my punishment! It's totally worth it."

"Yer fucking daft. The silly bastards could burn yer knob off by mistake, and then far would ye be?"

The young man looked horrified, "No way! They wouldna dee that, would they?"

Jeanie gave a cruel laugh at his expression, "Do ye even understand what the fucking word "untested" even means ye daft cunt? It means you're gonna be a fucking guinea pig. That's fuckin hilarious! You should see the look on yer face right noo."

"Dinnae be a bitch Jeannie."

"Och, I'm only messing wi ye mate," she grinned, "besides, I'd kinda miss yer knob if it got burned off."

The young man grinned, "Cheers Jeanie, I'd miss you giving it a good gobble now and again."

"Well, I wis more thinking if ever I felt miserable the sight of that pathetic wee thing always made me feel a bit better cos I knew there was somebody worse off than myself."

The man shook his head in indignation, "You can be a right cunt sometimes ye ken."

"Och you love it, besides, you dinnae mind shoving yer wee dick into my fanny every chance ye get so stop fucking complaining."

As the two argued Margo turned to the other woman, who still seemed to be crying, "You okay?"

The young woman turned to her, "Just a bit scared, I'm sorry."

Margo tried to smile reassuringly, "What brings a nice girl like you to a place like this?"

The dark-haired woman, Jeannie, turned to her, "She's one of them treehuggers, blocked a road wi some of her pals in a protest and caused some poor bugger to die in an ambulance or some shite like that. They fucked off when the Polis arrived."

Margo looked at the brunette, "That right?"

"Not quite. We carried out a peaceful protest and did block a road. Turns out there was an ambulance trapped in the traffic jam we caused, but a mile back so we never knew about it, and it was delayed getting to the hospital. The patient didn't die or anything like that, but the court said we caused them unnecessary discomfort and pain because of the delay. I started the protest group at university and blocking the road was my idea so I handed myself in later on the understanding that if I took responsibility and pled guilty, they wouldn't pursue my friends."

The young man looked across, "What did ye get?"

The young woman looked back at him, "Twenty strokes, ten days mandatory correctional therapy and a year in jail that's suspended if I carry out two hundred hours of community service."

"Och, that's no sae bad. The CT's a bit shite but the community service is a dawdle. I'm doon for thirty days of CT then I'm off tae the "Big Hoose" for three years."

Margo frowned, "Big Hoose?"

He grinned, "Prison."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Would it be rude if I asked what you did?"

The man laughed, "Och I'm totally innocent, it's a fit-up. But according to them, I stole a motorcar, again."

Jeannie laughed, "Fuck off Jim! Yer guilty as sin, I should know I was in the fucking thing with you when they caught us."

"Maybe so, but nae need to make it easy for em, and I said I wis sorry aboot that."

The woman shook her head in resignation, "I dinnae ken whit I see in you, ye daft bastard."

"You jist like me for ma cock, admit it."

"Well, I'm no gonna like it if they burn it aff, ye dopey fuck!"

"Aye, well there is that I suppose."

Margo watched the by-play between the two. They appeared to be what she would have called "rogues" and she examined them carefully. Both were young, dressed in scruffy, worn clothes that were none too clean, and they both appeared thin and underfed. She was quite amazed by their cavalier attitude. Despite their imminent chastisement, they didn't seem to show any of the terror she felt herself and she found herself almost unwillingly warming to the pair of apparent recidivists.

"You've done this before then I take it?"

"Och aye! It's total shite, but it disnae last long. It's no exactly what I'd call fun and games," the woman grinned at the scared-looking brunette sitting next to Margo and gave her a wry grin, "but dinnae worry quine, it's gonna hurt, but at the end of the day you'll be fine."

The young man gave Margo a curious look, "You're yon Yank no? The rapist lassie wi the slave?"

Margo swallowed and her face coloured with shame and embarrassment at the description, but she nodded, "Yes."

"How does that work then? How come yer no going doon for twenty years?"

"You mean why did I get such a seemingly light sentence?"

"Aye. Rapists usually get twenty years at least."

Margo swallowed, "Well it's a little complicated. Where I come from I hadn't committed a crime, and I didn't get charged or convicted with any kind of sexually motivated crime here."

Jeannie looked up, "Waitasec, are you saying rape's legal in the States?"

"No, but slavery is, and slaves don't have the same rights as free citizens so..."

"So you can shag em?"

"Shag?"

Jeannie grinned, "You can fuck them?"

Margo blushed, "Well, yes."

The two young criminals looked amazed, "That is totally fucked up! Seriously, you can just fuck em?"

"Well, if you own them yes."

"And you owned somebody? How does that work?"

"Well, mostly it's done through the courts, A criminal can be sentenced to slavery..."

"Like community service?"

"A bit. But sometimes it's done for debts and sometimes a person volunteers and sells themselves into servitude."

"Volunteers! Are you fucking kidding, why would anyone do that?"

"Well, mostly it's because of debts and the like. They sell themselves for a limited period of servitude, a bit like the old idea of indentured servitude I suppose. Also, when a person becomes a slave all their debts are absolved."

The brunette looked at Margo, "I heard slaves are treated very badly though."

The American woman hung her head, and her voice was almost a whisper, "Yes, that happens."

The young man grinned, "So what happened?"

"Well, I took my slave here and I reacted badly when they freed her. I was a little drunk and I shouted a bit, and... well, I'm afraid I hit a Policeman."

"Nice one!"

Jeannie laughed, "You're no as boring as I thought you'd be, you're a right rebel!"

The young man leered, "So, if I volunteered to be your slave would you shag me? Cos I wouldna mind some of that."

Jeannie laughed, "Fuck off Jim! Just cos she's a Yank disnae mean she's fucking blind you ugly wee shite! Hey, how much does a slave cost then?"

"Well, it depends on a lot of things, like their looks, age and health, but also on whether they have any useful skills or talents."

"Fit wis your slave for then?"

"Well, I have, had I suppose now, two slaves. One is my cook and housekeeper, and the other was the girl they took from me."

"That the one ye were shaggin?"

Margo blushed, "Yes, you know I'm sort of ashamed of that to be honest."

"Why do it then?"

"Well, it's rather hard to explain, I was just lonely I guess, and..."

The conversation ended and the room fell silent as the door was opened. Maggie entered along with the young Corrections Officer Margo had seen earlier, but they were followed by two other officers she hadn't seen before. One was a middle-aged man with short greying hair and a somewhat bookish appearance, while the other was an attractive, dark-haired young woman with a lean, athletic figure. She glanced around the room, looking over the four inmates and consulted the electronic tablet she was carrying before looking back up.

"Hi, I'm Officer Milton, this is Officer Wozniak, we'll be supervising the judicial punishment procedures today," pointing at the male custody she nodded to her companion, "James Munro, if you could go with my colleague please, he'll look after you."

"Why do I have tae go wi him? Why can I no bide wi ma girl?"

"Because you elected to volunteer for the electrotherapy procedure. He's trained to administer that correctional punishment, and the apparatus is in a different room. There's a technician and a medic waiting for you as well so don't worry, you'll be fine. I'll try and make sure you get a chance to say any goodbyes before you leave us if I can okay."

"Cheers doll," he turned to the woman he was with, "that's me away Jeannie. You take care okay. See you later eh."

The female officer shook her head with a grin as the young man was led away. "You still letting Jim get you into bother Jeannie?"

"Well, you ken how it is."

"I suppose so. We each have our crosses to bear I guess."

Jeannie shrugged, "He's no that bad ye ken. Sticks by me when I'm withdrawing."

The female officer nodded sagely in partial agreement, "Well, loyalty has to be worth something I guess, but he's still a bit of an eejit. So, you know the score but I'm pretty sure these other two might not. Would that be correct ladies?"

Margo and the young brunette nodded fearfully.

"Okay, when the time comes, I'll escort you through to a correctional room and carry out the necessary procedures. Depending on your sentence it shouldn't take more than ten minutes each. Afterwards, you'll be assisted back to your cells to recover, and the nurse will check you over to make sure you've not sustained any injury. I know it's unpleasant, but we'll do our best to get you through it. It's painful and embarrassing, but it doesn't last forever, and I can assure you that you'll all be fine.

"We're going to proceed in alphabetical order so Miss Bailey if you could accompany me please."

The young brunette stifled a whimper and rose to her feet fearfully. Officer Milton smiled as she took her arm gently, "This way lass, don't worry, this will soon be over."

"I'm scared."

"Oh, so was I when it happened to me, but I was fine, and so will you be, okay."

"It happened to you?"

Officer Milton gave her a conspiratorial grin, "Oh yes, I got my backside caned for speeding, and it was bloody sore too, and I bet I was just as scared as you are now. But look at me, here I am, right as rain. Don't worry, we'll get you through this, okay?"

The brunette smiled tearfully, "Ok."

After they had left Jeannie sniffed and turned to Margo, "Poor kid, bit of a dopey bugger mind, but who am I to criticise. Still, Karen's a decent spud, she'll look after her."

"Karen?"

"The officer lassie. I cannae mind how many times she's tanned my arse now, but she's always been pretty decent about it. You ken, I heard that's how she met her girlfriend, well that's the gossip anyway."

"Does this happen to you a lot?"

"Aye," she sighed, "I'm fucking stupid, I cannae help myself sometimes. I just get drunk, or high and then I do daft shit."

"You don't look stupid to me."

"Well that's nice of ye to say so... er sorry, what's yer name, you never said?"

"It's Margo, pleased to meet you."

"Aye, well I'm Jean, Jean McKenzie. Folks call me Jeannie."

Margo extended her hand, "Nice meeting you Jeannie."

The young woman grinned, "Oh, very posh," but she took the extended hand in her own and shook it, "you gonnae be okay?"

"I think so Jeannie, thanks for asking, but if it's okay with you do you mind if I keep hold of your hand for a bit? I tried to put on a brave face for that young girl, but I have to confess, I'm a little scared myself."

"Oh no bother Margo, fill yer boots."

"Pardon?"

Jeannie gave her a mischievous smile, "Sorry, I forgot you only speak 'Yank'. I mean if it makes you feel a wee bit better then you just hold on for as long as you like."