Gracie's Three Punishments

Gracie sat in a small meeting room of the city courthouse with her lawyer. She had just been found guilty of committing fraud and was waiting for the judge to return from his chambers.

The judge's words echoed in her head, "Financial fraud is a most grievous crime. In the past, I would have had to weigh the value to society in sending you to prison, which puts a heavy financial burden on law abiding citizens and removes a productive person from society, and giving you probation, which, I feel, is not a severe enough punishment for this sort of offense. Luckily with the recent reforms of the penal code, I have a lot more flexibility in your sentence. I am going to call a thirty-minute recess so I can consult the codes and I will sentence you when I return."

The judge had banged his gavel and Gracie had been ushered by a bailiff into a side door in the court room and down a hallway to this meeting room. There was only one door and she was certain it was being guarded. After all, she was a guilty criminal now.

Her lawyer, Mr. Braxton, was silent next to her. He had warned her she didn't have much of a case, his defense of her had focused on arguing she had no intent to defraud anybody rather than arguing that she hadn't committed fraud. Combined with being a well-dressed, attractive twenty-nine-year-old woman, her lawyer thought there was a chance for leniency from the court. Nevertheless, she knew it was a lame defense and she was prepared for the guilty verdict after her two-day trial.

Gracie's life was ruined. She'd never be able to get a job in the financial industry again. Fraud disqualified her from any job related to what she had been doing since she graduated. She couldn't even imagine herself getting any job ever again, "

I wouldn't hire me to do anything. I'll be treated like a thief forever."

Her lawyer spoke, "Well, we have about ten minutes now before we go back in. Do you have any questions?"

"No, I'm ready," she replied with a sigh. Before the trial Gracie had asked about sentences for this kind of crime. Mr. Braxton told her she was the perfect candidate for sentencing under the new Judicial Punishment codes, since it was a non-violent crime and there was no point in imprisoning her. Unfortunately for Gracie, that meant was likely to be subjected to corporal punishment.

Gracie was resigned to her fate and as prepared as she could possibly be in the circumstances. Still, she could feel herself shaking in fear anticipating what was to come. She anxiously fiddled with the buttons on her blazer and flattened her skirt as she waited for the judge to return.

A few minutes later they returned to their seats at the defense table as the judge was expected back in any minute. When he finally entered back onto his dais, he quickly got the proceeding underway.

"I have made my decision regarding the sentence. First, I will allow each side to make a final statement regarding sentencing that I might take under advisement. Mr. Smythe would the state like to make a statement?"

The prosecutor, a heavy-set man in a blue suit and red tie stood up, "Yes, your Honor, the state would." He looked sternly toward Gracie before continuing, "Miss Levingston has shown no remorse for her crimes, her defense was that she did not intend to commit fraud showing that she has not taken responsibility for her misdeeds. The state would like the court to not show any leniency regarding sentencing and to be at the high end of the range in the sentencing guidelines so she will serve as an example that financial crimes are taken seriously by the courts."

The judge nodded as the prosecutor spoke. When Mr. Smythe returned to his seat, he turned toward the defense table, "Mr. Braxton, would the defense like to make a final statement?"

Mr. Braxton whispered into Gracie's ear, "This is your chance to look appropriately humbled, if you can't act like that, it might be a good idea to forego the statement."

Gracie thought for a moment and shook her head, "You can say something if you think it could help, but I can't. Let's just get this over with."

Her lawyer stood, "Miss Levingston would not like to make a statement on her own behalf. However, we reject the characterization that she has taken no responsibility, she sits here in court ready to hear her sentence, which is the largest sign that she takes responsibility."

Gracie grimaced as he spoke, "

Not the most eloquent, I should have said something."

As Mr. Braxton sat down, the judge delivered his opinion, "In general, I agree with the state's characterization of the defendant. I found her defense to be a mockery of the court."

Gracie's heart sank as he spoke knowing that she was in for it. The judge was about to throw the book at her, she just knew it.

"The sentence I'm about to read is in line with what little precedent we have with this case. The sentencing codes are so new there is not a lot of precedent to use. If the punishment ends up being light, then consider it a mercy from the court that you don't deserve. If it is severe then know that is what the court intends."

Gracie's stone-faced exterior didn't crack. She was committed to maintaining her dignity in front of the court, but, inside, she fought back tears and nausea as her anxiety rose.

"Miss Levingston, please rise," he hesitated to allow Gracie and Mr. Braxton to stand, "The defendant is sentenced to three different sessions of Judicial Punishment. The punishments will be a J24, a J25, and a J45. Two of those I'm going to attach an enhancement by mandating they be a public punishment. I will leave discretion up to the Punishment Center as to which two will be public as I am unsure of their logistics."

Gracie closed her eyes to hold back the tears. She had no clue what those codes meant but she knew what public meant. She had seen the stages built in the city park where people were publicly humiliated and scourged, though she had never watched a punishment herself.

The judge continued his explanation, "The three punishments will all be administered on separate days within a month of each other in order to place the heaviest time burden on the convicted. You should contact the Judicial Punishment Center for scheduling, you can pick up information from the clerk in the next hour or so. I hope that when all is said and done you will feel appropriate remorse for your actions. Court is adjourned."

The judge rapped his gavel against the bench and stood up to leave. Gracie felt Mr. Braxton put his arm around her waist as he spoke, "I'm sorry, Gracie. Let's get you down to the clerk."

Gracie couldn't believe it, she knew there would be punishment but didn't expect three punishments and two of them were going to be public.

"How could I let this happen to me? How could I have been so stupid?"

Feeling dazed and overwhelmed, she allowed her lawyer to whisk her out of the mostly empty courtroom and through the hallways of the courthouse.

He led her to a glassed-in office with white lettering reading "Court Clerk" above the door. Heading through the portal, Mr. Braxton told her to sit down in a chair against the wall as he went to wait in line to speak to the clerk.

Gracie sat silently against the wall trying to recover from the shock. Her mind raced with questions, she had no idea what awaited her, the alpha-numeric codes meant nothing to her. "

What were the numbers? 34, 35, 45? Do they get worse as they go up?"

Forty-five minutes later, Mr. Braxton returned from the queue with information for Gracie. "Come on, let's find somewhere private."

Gracie nodded and, on wobbly legs, followed the lawyer back into the halls of the courthouse. Mr. Braxton wondered around until he found an empty hallway with a wooden bench against the wall. "Let's sit down, this is as private as we're going to get."

The two of them sat down and Mr. Braxton spread out a series of papers between them. Finally, Gracie spoke, "Ok, tell me what's going on."

Mr. Braxton looked embarrassed that he had to explain all the bad news to the poor girl. "Unfortunately, you've been given three separate punishments on three separate days. The first one is a J24 which is caning to your, um, backside. Do you know what that is?"

The resolve she had built waiting in the clerk's office started to break and she had to muffle a sob. "Yeah," she coughed out between sniffles.

"The second punishment, J25, is spanking applied to," he hesitated, still embarrassed," between your legs."

"What?" she screamed, horrified. Two people walking down the main hallway peered down toward them after her exclamation.

Mr. Braxton, more uncomfortable with the audience, handed her a tissue from a pack he dug from his suit jacket. "Here, take this, wipe your eyes." He turned his attention to the gawkers at the end of the hall, shooting them an angry look as he started to get up from the bench, looking like he would give them a piece of his mind.

Seeing him start to rise, the onlookers retreated away from the distraught girl. Mr. Braxton settled back down and continued, "Sorry about that, none of this is going to be easy, sadly. The third punishment, and probably the worst, is a J45 which is corporal punishment by electroshock."

Gracie continued taking in the bad news in silent shock. She couldn't even begin to imagine what was about to happen to her, but it was going to be terrible. "

How am I going to survive this?"

The lawyer turned to logistics, "Two of those will be public." Gracie nodded along to confirm that she was listening. "My guess is it will be the caning and the spanking that will be done in public, the other punishment involves more specialized equipment so I think that one will have to be in the Punishment Center."

"Ok, what do I need to do before then?"

"You're still represented by my firm so we can handle the details as long as you continue to retain us. I can drive you home and we will be in touch."

"That sounds good. You might have to explain this to me again, later."

"It's ok, Gracie, it's part of the job." He smiled at her and started to collect the paperwork then they walked together back to the black SUV that the firm provided their clients.

***

It was a Saturday, three and a half weeks later, and the morning of her first punishment. Mr. Braxton and his firm had taken care of everything over the last few weeks, including scheduling her punishments. Today was the public caning on her bare ass.

A couple days after her trial, a messenger from Mr. Braxton's firm had delivered her official Penal Summons, which she hadn't bothered to read. The firm had offered to set her up with a therapist, but she had declined, not feeling like talking to anybody. Maybe she would take them up on the offer after all this was over. Instead, Gracie had just floated through life at home while she waited. She didn't have a job anymore and she felt no pressure to get a new one, yet.

She had tried to just ignore what was coming and act like it wasn't real. Gracie felt bad about acting so helpless, but she had enough money to pay people to make her life easier. She knew she was being stupid with her scam, and she'd made plenty of money since she'd earned her MBA six years ago, but taking financial risks excited her and there was a lot of upside. "

The downside starts today, though."

There was a knock at the door, the firm was going to pick her up and deliver her to the Punishment Center. Answering the door, she had expected Mr. Braxton, but instead there was another young employee of the firm dressed in formal work clothes and carrying a briefcase.

The young woman stepped through the door as she introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Molly. How are you, Miss Levingston?"

Gracie ignored the insensitivity of the question. "As fine as I could be, I think."

"That's good. You must be worried but I'm here to make it go as easy as possible before we drop you off. Here, take this." She fished a sheet of paper from her briefcase and passed it to Gracie.

Gracie perused the checklist of things that she had to have done before she reported to the center. "

Yes, I signed the forms for the law firm. No jewelry, check. No painkillers in the last day, yep. It's supposed to hurt, after all. Yes, comfortable clothes."

She was wearing a navy-blue t-shirt that stretched over her ample breasts and khaki shorts that reached half way down her thighs. It was warm and sunny out, and she expected to be outside.

She continued scanning down the list mentally checking off each box. The last one was the worst. "

Yes, I shaved."

She had shaved off all her body hair below her neck this morning in the shower. She hated being reminded that lots of people would be seeing her naked later today, she'd spent the last few weeks trying to forget that.

"Yes, I think I'm good to go."

"Alright, that's good. I came early in case there was something on the checklist you still had to do. We should get going, it's better to be early."

Gracie followed Molly out the door to a black town car sitting outside on the street. She climbed into the back seat and the young lawyer climbed in to sit beside her and they started down the road.

A few minutes later Molly frowned, "I forgot something. Here, you should put this on." She pulled a bottle of sunscreen from her briefcase and handed it to Gracie.

"

That does make sense,"

Gracie thought to herself, taking it from her lawyer's hands. "Thanks."

She squirted it onto her hand and started to spread it over her tawny skin. She spent a few minutes covering her legs, arms, and face before handing it back to Molly.

Molly reminded her, "Miss Levingston, you might want to put it over all of you. There is a chance you'll be outside for a long time. It depends where you are taken."

Gracie frowned, reminded more of her would be out under the sun later, and took back the bottle and started spreading the lotion under her clothes. "So, what should I expect?"

"Most of the time, the officers are very professional. Listen to them, file away anything that feels off and tell us about it later. Make sure you ask for water. If they don't have any tell us afterward about that too. Dehydration isn't part of the punishment, and we are trying to think of ways to get you out of this and them breaking the law would help." Molly paused, "I shouldn't say that. Don't try to bait them to do anything illegal, it won't look good for you. Just, like I said, if there is something weird tell us about it."

"Ok, I'll try," Gracie said as she slipped her hands under her shirt to rub lotion onto her breasts. "

That's not really what I was asking about, but at least the firm is doing something."

Molly was trying to politely look away as Gracie adjusted her clothes. Gracie really wouldn't mind if Molly looked. She wasn't naturally modest and had plenty of experience being naked around other people. Her friend group in college had evolved beyond prudishness. She had shared a house with three other women and walking around topless wasn't unheard of and, of course, streaking was time honored drunken fun, even around guys, but what was about to happen was a whole new magnitude. She surprised herself that it wasn't the caning that was worrying her. It was the exposure. She couldn't trust that anybody walking down the street hadn't seen her naked after today. The city was gigantic, there could be thousands of people watching her today.

Just as she finished applying sunscreen under her shorts, the vehicle pulled up outside the Judicial Punishment Center. Even though her punishment would probably be in one of the many public parks, she still had to check in here. She would be bussed to the appropriate place by the authorities.

Gracie climbed out from the car and shuddered as she looked up at the imposing stone façade. There was a tall, staircase leading up to tall double doors flanked with forty-foot tall columns. People were streaming in and out of the doors.

Molly stuck her head out the door, "Good luck, Miss Levingston. I will be here to take you home when you are brought back."

"Ok," Gracie gave a weak smile as she turned away from the young lawyer and walked up the stairs. Entering through the doors she was surprised to see the lobby completely packed.

"

Is everyone here for the same reason?"

she wondered

.

She knew that public punishments were usually mass punishments. It was easier for the Punishment Center to do a lot of people at once.

Gracie followed signage directing public punishment attendees down a hall to a receptionist window. There was already a handful of men and women in front of her waiting to speak to the people behind the glass. She observed as each person went to one of the three windows and spoke to a receptionist for a few minutes before leaving and walking further down the corridor.

When it was her turn, she approached the window. The woman behind the glass asked for her name and ID. Gracie shifted uncomfortably as the receptionist typed on her computer barely acknowledging her presence.

"Look here," the receptionist said tersely pointing at a little camera that sat on top of her computer monitor. Gracie stared into the lens for a few seconds.

"It's ok to smile, miss," the receptionist told her, laughing to herself. Gracie wasn't in the mood for jokes and maintained her serious expression. "Fine, I guess you don't have to."

Gracie stayed silent as the receptionist rolled her eyes and returned to her screen. She waited as the receptionist printed out a label the size of a notecard. She punched a hole in it and attached it to a wristband. "Here is your ID card. You must provide it to any employee who asks for it," her voice turned more authoritative, "Do. Not. Lose. It."

"Ok," was all Gracie could mutter.

"Go down that hall to the garage for processing," she said pointing in the direction everyone else had headed.

When she got to the end of the hallway, she went through the door to see that it opened onto a catwalk overlooking a cavernous warehouse. There was a long line of people below her waiting beside a square of temporary rooms. Walking down the stairs in front of her, she reached the concrete floor of the warehouse and entered a serpentine queue that had been built with metal crowd control barriers. Looking at the series of rooms in front of her, she realized the walls were like the cubicles that filled the many office buildings she had worked in, but the walls towered above her so she couldn't look over them to see what was going on.

There were about twenty people in front of her in the line. Gracie realized that she was going to be bored a lot today as the machinery of justice ground slowly before her. Each of these people were going through the same process and it was going to take a long time for the guards to get to her and, if everybody was being delivered to the same punishment location, she would be behind them there too.

The unfortunate people in front of her were numerous and varied. There were many ages ranging from one girl that Gracie thought must be a teenager to an older gentleman with white hair. Some looked calm but others were red faced and crying. Gracie resolved to maintain a stony exterior. She always tried to maintain a sense of decorum and seriousness during her career, showing too much emotion could be an impediment for women in her former industry. Gracie knew that was sexist, but, unfortunately, it was also true, so she had practiced reserve throughout her career, and she planned to draw on that today.

She eyed the people in front of her more closely. There were a couple muscular men, a pretty, red headed girl that looked near Gracie's age, and a few people who looked like they should consider a diet. "

Justice really must be blind to make all these people strip off in public."

Gracie scolded herself, "

That was very mean. I shouldn't be so judgmental, I'm not any better than them."