the longer the wait, the harder the lash - I know that from experience!
23
A heart-stop pause, I hear – no I sense – Wullie pacing behind me, hear a swish, yow! A lightning-flash across my shoulders throws me at the wall. As I steady myself, a second, then a third around my buttocks. Eyes wetting, I’m not going to let them see me cry… God, this is just the beginning, just Wullie, he's only a novice when it comes to whipping! Two more, I’m learning to brace myself, gripping the iron ring that holds the jougs-chain.
“Birl aroon, bitch, let’s see yer!”
[1] A rough hand grabs my shoulder, twists me round to face out, it’s old man McRae, he’s got the horsewhip now. I see the faces in the crowd, they’re quiet now, even his pals are watching earnestly, expectantly. He steps back, swings the thong a few times to taunt me, then suddenly swipes it around my lower abdomen, I hear my scream echo through the Square, with a collective gasp from the crowd.
He aims at my thighs, makes me dance, then my ribs, last one right across my breasts, again I shriek with the pain, this earns him a roar of support from his fans, and a fair number of other men in the crowd can’t contain their excitement. Now he gives way to small-built but iron-hard looking guy with a face like car-crash, twisted and scar-crossed. He’s got a whip of his own, bigger than McRae’s, plaited hide that’s frayed and dark-stained with rough usage. There’s a three-strand lasher at the tip, when he flicks it in front of me, it cracks like a pistol-shot, makes me jump with a squeak, women and kids in the audience are frightened by it too.
Again my legs, my loins, he fires one in between my thighs while I’m kicking in agony, catches my cunt, I squeal, can’t help my tears now. I’m already wanting to yell ‘No more!’, but fight myself, I mustn’t give in! He turns me now, facing the wall again, two lashes curl round my ribs, blasting the air from my lungs, I’m gasping, choking, almost bringing up my breakfast – I was wise to have a light one!
Now he hands over to the fourth man, I turn my head and take him in, a tall, black fellow, he towers over the other three, makes me feel like a wee bairn. In tight pants and a string vest, he shows the physique of a champion fighter – “at least ye’re a better luiker nor the ither three!”
[2] I think to myself. But he’s carrying a whip that matches his muscles, a huge bullwhip, perhaps one of those rhino-hide one they use in Africa. I feel myself quiver at the sight, he could kill me with that, slice me in two!
I turn my face to the wall and wait. He a skillful whipper, knows how to control his strength and aim, so as to hurt cruelly but without harm. A single stroke curls round my upper thighs and flicks my pubes, I’m thrown sideways, twisting in the sea of pain. I steady myself for a second, again I’m flung into a wild dance. Now he aims higher, my back takes the blow, my breasts are forced against the wall, as I pull back, another stroke spins under my armpit and slices my right tit.
There’s a pause. The Baillie’s beside me. “Do you want it to stop, Lulie?” he asks gently, I shake my head, sprinkling sweat. “Hoo mony hae a had?” I croak. “Twenty.” I nod, “A kin tak mair,”
[3] I whisper, hardly convincingly.
Wullie again. He’s using a different whip now, a short, stiff, springy one like jockeys use. A high-pitched swish precedes a shrill shriek from me, as it slices my bum. It hurts viciously, a different kind of pain from the lash, more local, more concentrated. He keeps his aim on my buttocks, loins, upper thighs. Then he twists me round to face him flicks my nipples with the tip, smirking. “Weel, Lulie, hoo’s the braw cubbie injying her laldie?”
[4] I spit. Not much spittle, he hardly needs to wipe his face, but it has the desired effect, he gives me an angry cut across my tits, as I scream and hurl about on the jougs he cuts another on my thigh.
His dad takes over and immediately lands one right on my pubic mound, arrows of pain are darting through my body, I’m screaming and writhing out of control. “Daunce, ye wee skelpie, daunce!”
[5] he shouts, as a slash to my leg gives me no choice but to obey. Another slice off my breasts, one more into my abdomen, one bite right in my pussy. I fall to my knees, swaying on my arms stretched up to the ring, the iron collar tugging at my chin, forcing my face up.
Once more the Baillie asks if I want to stop. I look at him, wild-eyed, panting, again I ask “Hoo mony?” “Thirty.” Past half-way, I tell my whirling brain. Again he asks. “A’ll tak mair.”
[6]
[1] Spin around, bitch, let’s see you!
[2] At least you’re a better looker than the other three!
[3] How many have I had? I can take more.
[4] How’s the braw cubbie enjoying her beating?
[5] Dance, you little tomboy, dance!
[6] I’ll take more.