Deep Inside by Polly Frost

gone,” he said, “but never forgotten.” He looked upward. “Mother,” he prayed, “thank you for every slap, whipping, and spanking you gave me. For every time you put me in the closet with no dinner. You made me strong.”
    You could tell he wanted to shed a tear but wouldn’t let himself. He looked out at the audience.
    â€œYou are here to relive your childhood,” he said. “Only this time, I will take you through it in the right way.”
    The audience nodded and sighed.
    Larry paused, wiped off some sweat, and looked at us compassionately but sternly. He clapped his hands.
    â€œAll right,” he said. “It’s time for you to confess about the bad things you’ve done this week.”
    A young woman raised her hand.
    â€œYes?” Larry said.
    â€œI…” then she broke down into sobs.
    â€œStop crying,” Larry said.
    The young woman swallowed her tears. “I’m sorry, Mr. Gamble,” she said. “I just feel really badly.”
    â€œI don’t care how you feel. Quit whimpering and tell us what you did,” Larry said.
    She flinched. “Well, it’s good for me to be spoken to like this,” she said. “I didn’t show up on time at my job.”
    â€œWhat?” Larry said. “Say that again.”
    â€œI called in sick so I could hang with my buds.”
    Eyebrows were being raised all around me. Larry looked like some angry mutant from a first-person shooter. Then he calmed down. “Look, it’s good that you’re telling us this. Honesty and courage are steps in the right direction. Come up here.”
    The girl looked scared but walked up on stage.
    Mr. Gamble snapped his fingers. One of his assistants brought over a big box and swung it open. Inside were several whips.
    â€œIt’s your choice,” Mr. Gamble said. “Pick one.”
    The young woman picked the mildest-looking one.
    â€œWrong choice,” Mr. Gamble said. He took out a bigger one. I recognized the brand as one with genuinely tough leather. “Now I’ll have to punish you twice as hard.”
    â€œYes, sir,” the woman said. The assistants led the obedient young woman offstage and she disappeared.
    What was going on here? I was surrounded by kinkier freaks than I’d ever encountered at Shanna’s dungeon!
    â€œWho’s next?” Larry Gamble said into the microphone.
    No one raised a hand.
    â€œNo one?” he said, looking gently amused. “All right. So maybe I’ll have to ask for reports from my assistants about your transgressions. You know they follow your activities very, very closely.”
    A dozen hands shot up.
    Larry shook his head. “Too late,” he said. “But then, it’s always too late for your type.”
    He took a piece of paper from one of the assistants and began to read, “Tara McIntyre was seen throwing her top off at a Hogs ’n’ Heifers bar Saturday night.” Larry Gamble peered into the audience.
    â€œShe’s over here,” a guy’s voice said.
    Tara had her head between her hands and was saying, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
    â€œSorry isn’t good enough,” Larry said. Assistants hoisted Tara from her seat and carried her out.
    The moment had come. I stood up.
    â€œYes?” he said, looking at me. “I don’t recall seeing you here before.”
    â€œOh, I think you’ll remember me,” I said.
    Larry was taken aback. I did my best imitation of a humble walk and joined him on the stage. He looked me up and down. I could feel the discipline in the way he did it, but also something else. Was it lust?
    â€œWell, young lady. Whomever you are, why don’t you tell us what you have to apologize for?”
    I grabbed the microphone away from him.
    â€œWhat the—” he stammered.
    I quickly backed away, carefully positioning myself a good distance from Larry and