Dear Ben,
Another one for your eyes only! Boring letter to show Mum and Dad enclosed. You are going to love this one. But do not read the end before you read the rest.
I think I told you in my last letter that Hurst and I were sent to Mr Glass, but I did not tell you why. Well here is the full and uncensored story!
James (my mentor who is a second year boy - surname not first name), Hurst and I went on a midnight swim! James had been telling me about how he did it last term with another boy called Saunders. It sounded great fun and I begged him to take me and Hurst. He said we were too young. I pointed out that he must have been only eleven last term when he did it, so why were too young when we are both eleven. Then he tried scaring us by saying we would get into awful trouble if we were caught. He said we would be bound to be swished (which is the word we use here to mean being caned). We said we weren't goody-goodies and we certainly weren't scared of a swishing from Mr Glass (which wasn't exactly true but you can't be seen to be a scaredy-cat). Anyway he gave in and said we could go.
It was on a Saturday night. We waited till really late (it was about ten o'clock) and James came to our dorm to get us. We went downstairs and climbed out of the gym window. James had cleverly made sure that a window to the swimming block was left just open and we climbed through that. We had torches with us because if we turned the lights on we would have been seen. We all stripped off completely and jumped in. It really was fun. We splashed each other and did some dive bombing. After about half an hour Hurst said we ought to be getting back. So we dried ourselves and put our pyjamas back on. We climbed back out of the swimming block window and then into the gym window. We thought we had got away with it, but then, just as we opened the gym door, we saw Smith Major (one of the prefects) walking down the corridor towards us. We quickly shut the door and held our breaths. We tried to hide behind the jumping horse. It didn't sound like he'd seen us because his footsteps didn't get quicker. But they were getting nearer and nearer. Our hearts were really beating hard and fast. It was very very frightening. Then the footsteps stopped just outside the gym door. All was silent. Suddenly the door opened and all the lights went on. He saw us immediately and told us to come out. He asked what we were up to and James said we had just come down to the gym to do some extra practice. He didn't swallow that. He asked how we had managed to get our hair wet and why we had towels with us. We knew the game was up and we owned up. He said that we had to see Mr Glass after chapel on the next day and sent us to bed.
James said there is no way out of getting a swishing, even though Hurst and I are in our first term. It wasn't easy getting to sleep I can tell you.
Of course everyone knew what had happened and they were all talking about it at breakfast. Some were even having bets on how many we would get and whether our bums would be bare or not.
After chapel we went to Mr Glass's study. We were not wearing our jackets because James says that they can cover your bum when you are bending over and so if you think you are going to get a swishing you have to take them off. The red light was on, which means he is busy. So we waited. My tummy was doing somersaults and my hands were getting all sweaty. We tried to listen to what was going on inside, but the door and walls are so thick you can't hear anything. Then the door opened and a second year boy (Rawlinson) came out rubbing his bum and not looking at all happy, although he winked at James and said that Mr Glass was on top form. The light went green and James said he would go in first. But Mr Glass told him he wanted us all to come in. So we did.
The first thing I noticed was a long bamboo cane lying on the desk next to the punishment book. Then I saw a chair in the middle of the room (you have to bend over a chair).
Mr Glass gave us the biggest telling off of our lives. He was really furious, going on about how dangerous it was and so on. James got the worst of it, for being a "totally irresponsible" mentor. He said he was going to give us a choice of punishments. Hurst and I could either be suspended from school for a week or have four strokes of the cane. James could choose between two weeks suspension and six with the cane.
James was the first to speak. He immediately said he would like the cane. Hurst and I said the same. I certainly did not fancy a week of being at home with Dad glowering at me all the time, even if six with his slipper (which is what I reckon he'd have given me) was not going to be as bad as a swishing.
Mr Glass then said that he was going to cane James first so that Hurst and I could see what would happen to us if we were so stupid again. Then we heard the dreaded words "take your trousers and pants down James". So James took them down. He didn't have to be told what to do next. He went to the chair in the middle of the room and bent over its back. He gripped the chair seat with his hands. It would have been quite funny if it was not going to be so painful because you could still just see the marks from a slippering James had had the week before.
Although James is a year older than us, he has still got quite a small bum. It was quite round, but slim looking. Apart from the very slight gym shoe marks, it was white.
Mr Glass tapped James's bum with the cane a few times, as though he was taking aim. Every time he did it, James's bum tensed up. Then he pulled the cane behind his back and swung it forward really hard. You can tell why its called getting swished, because the cane makes a swishing noise through the air. Then there was a sharp crack as the cane hit James's bum. It made him jump a bit, but he didn't make any noise. I closed my eyes as the cane hit, but I opened them immediately afterwards. At first there was just a thin pink line across his bum. But it quickly turned red and seemed to thicken a bit. Mr Glass waited for that to happen and then gave another great swipe. The second line was just under the first. James didn't jump this time, even though it was really hard. The second line turned red, and then there was the third swish and crack. This time the line was just above the other two. James was being incredibly brave because it looked mega painful. And he was going to get three more. Well, he got them and he still didn't cry or move. The last one was even harder than the others and I was amazed that James took it so well. At the end he had six scarlet stripes across his bum and they looked agony. He was told to get up and get dressed. I could see that his eyes were watering, but he didn't let any tears come out. He rubbed his bum like mad and then pulled his trousers and pants up. What was really nice was that he gave Hurst and me a little wink and smile when he had his back to Mr Glass and that cheered us up a bit.
When I watch you getting spanked by Dad, even if I am going to get it next, it doesn't worry me a bit. In fact I quite like it (as I am sure you do when you watch me getting it). But watching James getting the cane was horrid because it looked so painful and I knew I was about to get it too.
I was next. I was shaking like a leaf. But I managed to undo my trousers and pull them and my pants down like James had done and bent over in the same way. There was a bit of a breeze in the room and, at first, my bum just felt a bit cold - but not for long!!! The next thing I felt was the tapping of the cane while Mr Glass took aim. It was sort of tickly, but I still felt my bum tensing up like James's had. Then there was the first great swishing sound and the crack. It was funny because I didn't really feel anything for a second or two and then, suddenly, it felt as though a red hot poker had hit my bum. I can tell you Ben that you just don't know what a real punishment is like until you've felt that first swish of the cane. It hurts like anything and the worst part is knowing that you have got to stay exactly where you are, without making a sound, for another three swishes. All you want to do is get up and run round the room holding your bum and hollering. But if you did that all your friends would find out and you would be teased for ever and called a coward.
Mr Glass waited a bit before giving me the next one, just like he had with James. But then, just as I was beginning to get over the pain, swish thwack. The next one landed. Another red hot poker and another taste of agony. By then I was really gripping the chair as tightly as I could (my knuckles had gone all white). I could feel my legs shaking a bit, and so I tensed them up. I really gritted my teeth together to stop myself from accidentally crying out. I can tell you I was not complaining of a cold bum now!!!
He waited again before giving me the third. Once more I was just getting used to the pain when it landed. This time I was just terrified that I would cry because it was hurting so much. I kept blinking to stop the tears from coming. I also tried biting my lip to make somewhere else other than my bum hurt, but it didn't really work. I just kept saying to myself that there was only one more to go, but I was also thinking that Jamess last had looked the hardest of the lot.
Then the fourth came and, wow Ben, was it hard!!! It felt twice as bad as the others and I really wanted to scream. But you will be pleased to know that I kept my mouth tight shut and not a sound could be heard from me. I think you would have been proud of your big bro. I had to wait for a short time before Mr Glass told me to get up. That was good and bad. It was bad because I was desperate to rub my throbbing bum. It was good because it let me do some more blinking to get the water out of my eyes before James and Hurst saw. Finally it was over and I was allowed to stand up. I immediately grabbed my bum. I could actually feel the stripes which were already raised. I rubbed like mad and then pulled my trousers and pants up. I managed a smile at Hurst and James, but it was a bit tricky.
Then I stood next to James to watch Hurst getting it. He did not look like a happy bunny, but if anyone is the opposite of a goody-goody it is Hurst. I knew that if I could take it, he would be able to as well. He stepped forward and took his trousers and pants down. Obviously I've seen his bum lots of times before because of being in the same dorm as him and having showers after games and so on. But it was only as he was bending over for his swishing that it really struck me how small it is. I don't mean that he is unusually small. In fact he is quite tall and strong, but he is slim and his bum is not one of those flabby ones you sometimes see. It is only a bit round and it is quite slim, like the rest of him. Actually, I suppose it is roughly the same as mine. I suppose what I am really saying is that it really looks small when he is bending over with a tall man next to him holding a really long cane.
Watching Hurst's swishing was much better than watching James's because I was not having to worry about mine. Of course, I don't mean that I liked watching it, it's just that it was very interesting. After all, although boys sometimes get to see their friends being spanked by their dads or getting the slipper or cane at school, not many are lucky enough to see a bare bum swishing. This time I kept my eyes open all the time and I watched Hurst's bum really carefully. I even saw the way the cane pushes into the bum when it lands.
The first swish was bang across the middle of Hurst's bum. It was just as hard as the ones James had got. That was a bit of a relief to me because it must have meant that mine had been as well. Just like with James there was a thin pink line that quickly turned red. Hurst didn't budge an inch and obviously he didn't cry. The second one was just above the first. That turned red too and Hurst again didn't move or cry. The third was above the other two. The last one, like mine and James's was the hardest of the lot and it landed below the others, pretty well on the sort of crease between his bum and his legs. I think Hurst did let out a tiny gasp at that one, but he still didn't move. Mr Glass made him stay bending over for a bit and you could see the stripes getting darker all the time. Then he was allowed to get up and he rubbed his bum like James and I had done. He managed a grin as well.
After Hurst had pulled his trousers up Mr Glass gave us another mega telling off and said that he hoped we had noticed that the last stroke was much harder than the others. He said that was so we could know what all the strokes would be like next time if we were ever so stupid again. Then he let us go.
Although our bums were obviously mega sore, we were really quite pleased and happy. James said that no one at Brickham House had got six with the cane for years and years and he certainly hadn't heard of a first year boy getting four. So we were really popular and absolutely everyone wanted to see our bums. There were even some boys from one of the senior houses (I think they were fourteen) who asked if they could look. We let them and they said they'd never seen such good stripes on junior house boys!!! James said that when you get to about thirteen you really like looking at whacked bums even more than juniors do, but I don't quite understand why you should. James said he would explain one day soon, but we would have to promise to keep it secret. I hope he'll let me tell you.
I think my stripes are going to last for ages so if you come with Mum and Dad to the rugger match on Saturday I'll try to give you a sneak view.
Lots of love
Robbie