New Society Part 1 "Jensen...Julie Jensen," the bailiff announced. "Room 4." Julie gathered her belongings and walked through the crowd to courtroom number four. The judge was a rather young man and gave her a slight smile as she approached the large oak desk. "Stop at the line," a bailiff ordered and Julie halted at the inch-thik yellow tapeline four feet from the judge's station. "Julie Jensen your honor. Could not produce proof of insurance when stopped for speeding. Routine system check revealed Miss Jensen has no automobile insurance and further, has two other moving violations that she has not settled with this district." The judge continued to scan the paperwork before him while Julie shifted her weight anxiously from one foot to the other. "Miss Jensen," the judge began. "Not having car insurance is a type two misdemeanor in this state since it became rampant in 2010. Not only does it open you to potential terrible financial difficulties should you be in an accident, it can impact others who are on the roads and pedestrians as well. Also, you have to consider any potential property damage. Finally, others obtain and maintain insurance to use the public roads. You have no right to ignore your obligations." "Your honor, I just recently graduated from college and have my first entry level job. The pay is so low, I literally would have had to chosen not to eat if I had car insurance," Julie offered in her defense hoping the judge would offer her some leniency. "I well remember those times myself Miss Jensen," the judge stated. "However, I used the public transport system until I could afford to be a responsible adult. In light of your lack of funds, I will impose no fine; rather, I order that your car be impounded until you can offer proof of insurance or the vehicle is sold. Additionally, for this infraction and the outstanding warrants, you will be suspended and flogged 60 strokes in the square on front of this court. Following the whipping, you will remain in suspension for one hour with clamps applied. Punishment to be carried out immediately." Julie immediately fell to her knees and began sobbing. Two bailiffs gently lifted her to her feet and injected her with a sedative that immediately made her totally passive. The narcotic kept the defendants from panicking and hurting themselves and others. The effects would be counter prior to administering punishment. She was then escorted from courtroom four. She was led down the main hallway to the courthouse front entry and down the stone steps to the square where her sentence would be carried out. The square held three others already Julie noted through her drug-induced stupor-another woman and two men. All were naked and hanging by the wrists from the steel punishment area. Both men's legs were tied to rings at the base of the area and they were in the process of being brutally whipped. Blood soaked the whips and their screams had attracted quite an audience. A sign posted below them read "armed robbery." The other woman hanged unmoving in her bindings. Weights had been attached to clamps that clung to her nipples. Her sign identified her as a shoplifter. The cool October air in Indiana stiffened her nipples as the baliffs removed Julie's sweater and bra and placed ropes around her wrists. A bailiff administered another injection into Julie's upper arm then she was immediately hoisted two feet in the air. A hot tingling sensation ran up Julie's neck bringing her back to full consciousness and the whip bit savagely into her back. Julie began bellowing as her body swung and spun and the lashes continued. Being as the whip was made of heavy latex, Julie's skin was not broken nor was blood drawn. The sting of the whip though was more pain than Julie had ever suffered. After 60 blows, the bailiffs stopped Julie's swinging and deftly applied sharp toothed clamps to her nipples and tightened them until they bit deeply into Julie's flesh. As affixed to the other woman, one pound weights were attached to each clamp. Her screams of pain were quickly diminished when a heavy leather gag was strapped around her mouth. A sign was propped at the sidewalk announcing the reason for the punishment. Julie's moaning, battered torso swung for an hour in the day's fading light and warmth as passersby looked and chuckled at the criminal's discomfort and thinking they should see when their insurance was due for renewal.
Corporal punishment had been codified into the laws soon after the War on Terrorism at the turn of the 21st Century. Society was tired of wayward teens and adult slackers taking from society but never contributing. The liberalism of the 1990s gave way to punishment vice rehabilitation. The punishments doled out ranged from simple public humiliation to terrible tortures. Part 2 As ordered, after an hour, Julie's punishment was complete. Four bailiffs returned, lowered her and removed the clamps from her nipples. Another sedative was administered and Julie was placed on a stretcher and covered with a blanket. The other woman was similarly released and also put on a stretcher then both women were carried into the courthouse basement. The two men remained suspended and shrieking while their whipping continued unabated. In the basement, medics checked both women's vital signs, applied antibacterial ointments to any skin abrasions and connected saline drips to restore hydration. Julie drifted into a deep sleep. She awakened with a lovely nurse hovering over her holding a clipboard and a vile of pills. "Hello Miss Jensen. I'm Jan and I have your release papers and checklist to go over with you when you're ready." Julie nodded and mumbled, "I'm okay I think." "Good,' said the nurse. "I have a bottle of 800mg Motrin here. You need to take 3-4 per day to eliminate the soreness you'll soon be feeling. Make sure you take them with food or milk. Now, the checklist is for your use. It spells out the court's instructions and timetable. Please follow it exactly-we don't want you back here and I'm sure neither do you. The judge has given you 48 hours to recover then the timeline begins. Do you have any questions?" Julie asked, "Where are my clothes?" They're in the changing room right behind you and the bathroom is to your left. We have the commuter van leaving for your part of the city in 20 minutes. Try to be on it as the next one doesn't come by for an hour." The nurse removed Julie's IV, covered the entry wound with a bandaid and patted her shoulder, "Okay, all set. Have a good one...bye bye now." Julie slowly sat up and eased off her cot and padded to the bathroom. After voiding, she walked to the changing room and found her punishment partner completing her dressing. "Hi," the woman said. "I'm Sheila, you OK?" "I think so," said Julie. "I don't feel too sore." "The narcotics are keeping the pain low still," said Shiela. "Make sure you get some food and get on that Motrine regiment or you'll be hurting soon. In fact, wanna get a burger now? I'm starved!" "Sure," said Julie. "If you'll help zip me up." Both women were dressed and walked a bit unsteadily up the stairs toward the exit. "Let's pay the bill and go to Buster's, great burgers there," remarked Sheila. "Bill," said Julie. "How much is that?" "Your first time it looks like huh," Shiela smiled. "It's a flat fee of $550 for the labor and medications-debit card payment only." "Oh no!" exclaimed Julie. "I only have about $100!" "No problem," answered Shiela. "I've got it, you can buy lunch and pay me the rest later." Both women approached the cashier and Shiela placed her debit card through the glass portal and explained she was paying for both. The transaction complete, the new acquaintances walked slowly toward the restaurant. "I've been caught shoplifting three times now," began Sheila. The next time they said I'd be racked, whipped and branded. Think I'll not do it again, or make sure I'm not caught. Anyway, next Wednesday, I get tagged so it'll make it damn near impossible to do it anyway." "I'd have quit after the first time, Julie said. "That was awful! What's 'tagged' anyway?" "Shit, that was nothing kiddo!" Julie laughed. "You only got the latex whip! Tagging is having a ring locked through a piercing in my eyebrow. Whenever I go in or out of a store, it will notify them I'm a convicted shoplifter-plus the cops can radio track my location-I'm done." "Can't you just cut the ring out?" Julie asked. "No," replied Shiela. "If you try, it explodes. It's usually not a lethal explosion but it also sends the cops an alarm, then I'm screwed for sure." "How long will you have the ring," asked Julie. "Ten years," Shiela said. "Unless I submit to punishment level five which I 'm not anxious to try." "Oh my god, and I just got level one-I can't imagine five!" exclaimed Julie. "The two men in the courtyard were getting level eight. The whipping is just the first phase. They'll be given 2 days to recover somewhat then the whippings are repeated over a 2 week period-I think five times normally causes permanent injury," Shiela said as the women arrived at the restaurant. It was a pleasant lunch and Julie and Shiela got to know each other well during the subsequent several days. Shiela said that was not uncommon as they'd shared some public embarrassment and pain and now shared a common core of experiences. Shiela stayed at Julie's apartment a couple of nights and Julie spent a weekend at Shiela's. The women grew to become close friends. When it came time for Shiela's piercing, Julie accompanied her back to the courthouse. "While I'm getting the ring attached, why don't you turn your checklist in then we'll never have to come back here," said Shiela. " Good deal," Julie remarked. "Meet you back here in an hour." Julie checked the instructions on her checklist and headed to the basement to present it to the clerk. The waiting area was very crowded and Julie took a number, 129, and found a seat on a long wooden bench to wait her turn. The noise from the waiting area abruptly ceased when a shill scream startled the crowd. The scream became a high-pitched shriek that escalated until it was sharply cut off. Soon a naked man was being drug down the corridor next to the waiting area. His arms were bound wrist to elbow behind his back in coils of rope that were cruelly cinched allowing no skin to be seen. An ugly black scar where his testicles should have been emitted white smoke as he was flogged down the hall. The man's head was encased in a solid metal helmet that appeared to have no ventilation. The helmet must have been very thick Julie thought as no sounds could be heard emanating from the man as he was driven along. Soon the victim and his two escorts were out of site and curious, with a long wait for her turn with the clerk, Julie quickly followed. Julie soon caught up with the men as they exited the building. It appeared they were heading for the same square Julie was punished it just two weeks earlier. The guards drove the man under the whip while he stumbled and frequently fell until they reached the various instruments of punishment at the center of the square. The guards quickly attached a chain hanging from a high upright frame to the man's wrists and swiftly pulled him into the air stopping his elevation when he was about 5 feet off the ground. Julie winced as she imagined the pain the man must have been suffering being suspended with his arms bound behind him. The torture to his shoulders must have been terrible. His helmeted head allowed no expression of pain to be noticed. His body's thrashing was ample evidence of agony though as it quaked against his own weight pulling at shoulder muscles, ligaments and bones amplifying the anguish. Julie stared open-mouthed as the guards attached weights to his ankles to draw his body down to the maximum his joints would allow. The victim threw his head back and shook it viciously at the application of the poundage. While one guard began approaching the man with a coiled whip, the other posted a sign beneath him reading "Rapist." Letting the tip of the bullwhip drop to the ground, the guard flicked it several times to loosen the kinks before commencing to whip his hanging victim. Julie felt dizzy as she watched the tortured, dangling soul dance in the air at the whips every impact. After ten stokes, an awful crunching sound emanated from the flogged figure and a sudden slight drop indicated that his shoulder sockets had dislocated. The next ten strokes of the whip evoked no movement from the limp body. Julie jumped and screamed when Shiela touched her shoulder from behind. "Hi, all done," said Shiela. Julie could hardly focus on her friend nor utter a word, as she felt faint from watching the rapist's punishment. "Geeze sweetie, what's wrong?" Sheila asked as she steadied her friend. Although a bit groggy from the anesthetic given for her piercing, Shiela was able to focus to the man being flogged in the square. "Man, that bastard must be dead or close to it. Serves him right though...fuck'in pig," Sheila spat. "C'mon baby, don't feel sorry for him. See those men watching? That's just what they need to see so they understand it could be them up there if they ever pull something like a rape." As Sheila lowered Julie to the ground, the whipping in the square ceased and the lowered their victim to the cement. Atropine was injected and the man's legs and head began to twitch. The leg weights were removed and the man was raised to his feet. With one guard embracing the criminal in a bear hug, another guard checked the victim's pulse. Nodding to each other, a guard step behind the victim, grabbed his shoulders and snapped his upper arms down forcing the his shoulder's into proper position. The wretch bucked furiously at the new pain but was easily restrained by the guard holding him. While still being held, a guard loosened the tightly bound arms and when free of the ropes, cuffed his wrists loosely behind his back and gently massaged the purple, mangled arms. After several minutes, a guard stopped the arm rubbing and unfastened the metal head covering. A vomit-encrusted face appeared which was immediately followed by a pitiful moan of anguish and tears. Once free of all implements save the wrist bindings, the convicted rapist was again tethered to the overhead chain and then released by the guard holding him. The prisoner weaved and attempted to sink to his knees but the tension from above prevented him from doing so. He emitted a sharp scream as pain to his shoulders increased as he dropped. Jerking up quickly, he stumbled backwards. His tether allowed him to partially spin but his agony increased at the pressure to his shoulders. After several such painful motions, he eventually settled into a forward stooped position that provided him the most relief from increased torment. When he was stationary, the guards chained his ankles together and applied an antibiotic dressing to his cauterized groin. The bandage must have contained a pain reliever as the man opened his eyes for the first time and a look of relief washed over his face. The guards again checked for vital signs then walked away from their charge strolling toward Julie and Shiela. "Sir," Shiela said to the black guard and pointing to the captive man. "What punishment level did he earn?" "He's got nine," the guard answered tipping his cap to Shiela. "He's a second-time rapist. Those kinds of crimes up to first-degree murder merit nine. He'll be held there until nightfall then spend the night in an inverted suspension and whipped again tomorrow and each day through the weekend." "Good!" said Shiela as she involuntarily pulled Julie close to her. "Do they usually live through number nine?" "Usually do ma'am," the guard replied. "We monitor them closely to guarantee maximum pain and ensure their longevity." "I...I can't imagine he live through that," Julie muttered as she struggled to her feet.
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