Punishment

I follow the Warden to the front door where she puts on her boots and coat. I start to put mine on as well.

"Leave them." The Warden demands.

I take off my coat and shoes and follow her outside. The cold wind bites at my skin, and the muddy snow freezes my feet.

​We walk behind the orphanage towards a long metal pole. The warden grabs a rope that's lying on the ground. I step back. She doesn't intend to tie me to the pole, does she?

"Get over here." She demands,

"I-I"

"Get over here now!" She yells,

She stomps towards me and grabs my arm I struggle but she's too strong. She ties my arm with the rope that's now attached to the pole. Then she makes sure the knots are secure and starts towards the orphanage. After a minute or two, she starts to come back. While she's walking back I realize she's carrying a whip. Oh no. She's going to give me a hundred lashes. I didn't think she would go this far with the punishment. I need to get out of here. I struggle to get my arms loose, but they are tied too tightly. I yank at the rope but the pole is firmly in the ground.

"Stop trying to escape. You deserve to be punished. And even if you did manage to break free, where would you go?" The Warden says with a smirk.

I glare back at her and move as far away from her as I am able. We stand there for a moment, staring at each other. Then, the Warden charges toward me, so fast I can't dodge. She grabs be by my hair and pulls my head back.

"Now be an obedient little girl and receive your lashes. If you keep defying me, I will give you ten times more lashes than what you are already getting. Now stop resisting." She scolds through clenched teeth.

When she lets go of my hair, despite my fear, I turn my back to her, and shut my eyes tightly. Then, she rips the back of my dress open to reveal my bare back. I wince, preparing myself for the lashes. The Warden lifts her arm, whip in hand, and brings it down striking my back with a loud slap.

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"You will sit here until tomorrow morning. I will send Elize to untie you." She states firmly and walks back towards the orphanage. I sit in the muddy snow and lean against the pole. The cold metal stinging my raw back. Now what should I do? Elize might not even come when its morning time. I want to leave the orphanage, but I have nowhere else to go. I don't want to end up like the starving beggars I see when I go to the market. Maybe I should go to the capital. I heard rumors of a wish granting ghost. It does sound like a tall tale though, but nothing's impossible, I mean, I'm not even human so why wouldn't this ghost exist. Ok, I've decided, I'm going to go to the capital to find out if this wandering ghost is real. Now I just need to get out of here. The orphanage won't just let me leave, so I'll have to wait until the perfect chance to escape.