Effie hung helplessly from the wooden cross as she watched Miss Rogers walk back to her desk.  Over the past minutes, the tightness of the straps had begun to take their toll as her body sagged every so slightly, pulling the taut, thin leather into the flesh of her wrists and ankles.  It also caused the strap around her neck to slide up a little so that felt she was being strangled.  She tried desperately for the hundredth time to wriggle out of the bonds but conceded it was useless.<br/><br/>Effie could barely comprehend her predicament.  Less than a day ago she had been a well-respected student at one of the top schools in the country – and now she had been stripped naked and strapped to a cross – “What sort of punishment was this”, she wondered to herself – “and what sort of school is this?”<br/><br/>As Miss Rogers walked away, Effie’s eyes crossed to where Gemma was still splayed across the horse, her buttocks now flayed by a criss-cross of angry red welts across each cheek.  Effie’s expression froze as Mr.Nailor turned to look at her, his eyes casting over her naked, helpless body.  She instinctively moved to pull her legs together to protect her decency, but of course it was impossible, and there was nothing she could do to hide the soft pink folds of her sex.<br/><br/>She continued to struggle and wail but her strength was quickly being sapped, and she quickly subsided to the gentlest of sobs.  She looked across at where Miss Rogers was now working at her desk, giving every impression that she had forgotten about Effie.  Panting, and trying to control her breath, she resolved to try to calm down and accept the punishment that had been inflicted on her.  She hung her head whimpering very softly and waited for Miss Rogers to come to release her.<br/>