There are many ages of man and many for mankind; the trick is to match one’s age to the one in which you live.

Anon

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players…

William Shakespeare

 

Jenifer Maxwell glared at the car in front with something approaching hate.

“It’s a 60 mile an hour road for God’s sake, why are you only doing 50?” she screamed impotently at it as she weaved pointlessly behind it as if she could get past.

The rain was getting harder and she wanted to get to town before it got any worse. Why did she have to do her own shopping anyway? She hated Christmas; she hated the season altogether, not least because it tended to interfere with business.

“Maybe if I was in retail I wouldn’t care,” she yelled at the car in front as if the driver could hear her or would give a damn.

Finally she glimpsed a clear road ahead after the turn and hammered her foot down to set the Jaguar free with a roar. She had just cleared the offending safety freak when there was a rumble and a shush somewhere beneath the wheels and she realised she was aquaplaning. In panic she turned the wheel to pull back in but the car stubbornly sailed on.

For a moment her heart, tummy and lungs lurched into her mouth and she felt a strange disconnect with the grey wet world around her. Then something slammed into the car’s nearside and she was thrown back hard into her seat.

For an odd moment she thought it would be okay. She seemed weightless and there was a kind of peace. The sky revealed a break in the weather, she noticed, but the only thing was it was above her through the side window, a puzzle she could not fathom as first it and the trees rolled by in turn.

There was no pain. Just one brief moment of confusion and then…

*

The colours were too bright she decided and returned her eyes to the darkness. At least it was warm, she thought, but maybe that was on account of the thick flannel pyjamas. That realisation disturbed her. She never wore such things and opened her eyes again with a start.

“What the…?” she groaned and sat-up.

There had been an accident, she was certain, but her mind was still addled and she… oh shit who am I? In panic she whirled around to take in the room. Definitely too bright and what kind of hospital had mismatching primary colours on the walls?

Jenifer. The word burst into her head. I am Jenifer… something, she tried to think but everything she tried to seize upon with her mind dissolved like paper in the rain. That thought sent her into to retreat and she shuddered.

She had a vague memory of a downpour and a wet road and a… she shrugged it off and found some inner rage.

“Where am I?” she yelled and swung her legs out of bed.

Opposite were two identical beds and she was just pondering what was wrong with them as she got up when she fell. The floor wasn’t where she had thought it was and for a second she fell before her feet found the rug so that she tumbled enough to sit down hard.

“Damn that’s a high bed,” she cursed as she stood to rub her bottom. Then to the world, “Hello, is there anybody there?”

The door was bright red and high enough to accommodate any man a head taller than she had ever seen. In fact everything looked a bit oversized and larger than life in every regard. But she hadn’t taken a step before she tripped over the strange pyjamas she was wearing. They were mostly baggy, but to her amazement they had a trap door in the rear like something out of an arcane comedy.

Looking around she saw what appeared to be a dress her size, but it seemed rather short and had a broad red border in decidedly bad taste and a large yellow flower emblazoned on the front.

“Hello,” she called again, “Where are my clothes?”

Hitching up the legs of her pyjamas so as not to fall again, she made for the door and pushed it open.

“What kind of hospital…?” she began and then stopped.

The chamber beyond was furnished in a parody of an oversized nursery, but that wasn’t what seized her attention. For on the far side of the room in the corner opposite what Jenifer presumed was the outer door was a very childishly attired girl facing inwards with her hands on her head. Only it wasn’t a girl but very obviously a woman. Obviously because the hem of the girl’s dress was so short that the act of raising her arms had lifted clear of her very bare bottom. Furthermore the bottom was a very stark sunburn rouge that even rivalled the primary reds that dominated the room.

“…?” Jenifer’s mouth moved but no sounds were emitted.

“Marnie has been a naughty girl,” said a rather bemused voice from Jenifer’s right.

She wheeled quickly to face another girl sitting at a low table reading a book. Only this girl too was a woman in outlandishly childish attire.

“What?” Jenifer gasped, “I mean… where…” She looked back at the woman in the corner and realised that she had been spanked and very soundly so judging from her bottom. “Are you alright?”

“Daddy says I am not to talk.” There was juvenile pout to the woman’s voice.

“Your father did this?” Jenifer gasped.

“Father yes, but not her father,” the other girl said wearily.

Jenifer turned back and studied the book reader. She was maybe 30 with short boyish dark hair and rather full pouty lips. There was an accusation on Jenifer’s face and she almost let rip with her famous temper.

“Not my father either,” the girl said hastily. “Father is the title of the man who runs this block, our mentor. Apparently we have to call him daddy until we graduate…” she rolled her eyes, and added, “Or something like that, I am new here myself.”

Jenifer’s eyes bored inquisitively into the other woman but she merely ducked her head back into her book.

“I was calling, why didn’t anyone answer?” Jenifer snapped.

“Don’t be nasty, they don’t like that here. And I didn’t answer because I was told to read my book and not talk to anyone,” the reader said sullenly.

“You’re talking to me now,” Jenifer accused.

A look of panic crossed the woman’s face and she blanched.

“What is this place? Who are you?” Jenifer pressed her.

The girl shrugged and seemed to weigh something up.

“It’s called Stage, but I don’t know if that is just here, the city’s name or whatever’s beyond,” she whispered.

“Look my name’s Jenifer… Maxwell,” her name came in a flash, “I was in an accident and woke up here. Now what the hell is going on?”

“Me too,” Marnie said enthusiastically from the corner, “I was in an accident I mean. The plane I was on went smash into a mountain.” There was a note of excited pride in her voice. As she spoke her dark blonde bunches bounced almost eagerly.

Jenifer snorted derisively, the woman was drivelling, so she turned back to the other girl.

“And you?”

“I was sick I think, its odd but I also think I used to be older… much older, but some details are still hazy,” the woman shrugged, but she eyed the door nervously. “I’m… eh… Annie by the way.”

“Look I am sick myself, sick of this place, now where is this Father you mentioned? Is he in charge here?” Jenifer said with some authority.

“She’s gonna get it,” Marnie sang in a childish voice from the corner.

Annie ducked her head back into her book.

Jenifer sighed and tugging up the legs of her pyjamas turned to face the other door and made to leave.

“The bathroom is the other way,” Annie offered, looking up long enough to nod to a red door behind Jenifer that she hadn’t seen.

“I don’t need the bathroom,” Jenifer said angrily.

Annie ducked her head again, not that she was reading, not anymore.

Just then the other door opened and a large woman in a red check dress entered. Large wasn’t the word really; she must have been near seven feet tall and athletic with it. Her neat blonder hair was tied back in a bun and her face even at rest carried the hint of a smile.

“Ah you are awake,” the woman said breezily, “I am Nanny and you are Jenny I believe.”

“Jenifer, Jenifer Maxwell,” Jenifer said sharply trying hard not to be thrown by the giantess, “Now what the hell is going on? Where am I?”

Nanny frowned and raised an admonishing finger.

“I know this is all very strange but you will be here a while I am afraid,” she said patiently. “But while you are here in the nursery you will obey the rules.”

“Rules? Nursery? What are you talking about? I demand to know…” Jenifer barked.

“Shhhhh,” Nanny soothed and patted down the air with her hands. “Rules remember, let me run you through them.”

“I demand to see this father person,” Jenifer glowered.

“One; you do not shout or show impertinence to Nanny or Father,” Nanny said, “You do what you are told when you are told and you do not leave your room without getting dressed, unless it is to go to the bathroom.”

“Is that it?” Jenifer said incredulously and made a show of being unimpressed.

“You also will not swear or raise your voice and I will only warn you once,” Nanny added.

“Bully for you,” Jenifer sneered and made to push past the strange woman.

Nanny held out a ridiculously strong restraining arm and smiled.

“You won’t leave these rooms until Father assigns you a Tutor or a Governess to prepare you for Big School,” she said gently, “Now behave or I will have to report you to him.”

“That’s crazy, I don’t need…” then breaking off Jenifer demanded: “Am I a prisoner here?”

“That’s not a very meaningful question I am afraid,” Nanny said patiently, “Once you have been here a while you will understand.”

“You know what?” Jenifer snarled rounding on the so-called nanny, “Fuck that.”

From the corner Marnie gasped and even Annie looked up open-mouthed from her book. But Nanny was unfazed.

“Go to your room and get dressed,” she said, “I am afraid I will have to take this up with Father.”

Jenifer laughed and shaking off Nanny’s restraining hand she moved to the big red door that presumably led out. The heavy portal didn’t budge, nor was there any discernible handle or catch.

“Your room, at once,” Nanny ordered menacingly.

“Open this door,” Jenifer wailed, her voice now shrill as she hammered impotently on the way out.

Nanny didn’t wait, she merely seized Jenifer under her arms and lifted her off her feet and through into the other room.

Marnie stole a glance at Annie form over her shoulder and the latter girl shrugged. Hadn’t they been much the same once?

*

In an act of defiance Jenifer didn’t even look at the clothes that had been laid out for her and sat with her arms folded on the bed glaring at the impossible red door. Of course she had tried it as soon as Nanny had set her down and left the room, but now this exit too was closed to her.

So she supposed she was to meet this father, whoever he may be, but for some reason the thought brought her some anxiety.

Fortunately she didn’t have long to wait and in a few moments the door swung open and a man in a dark grey suit and no tie came in.

Father wasn’t as tall as Nanny, but he was a good six foot six all the same, and unlike Nanny, who was slim, he was heavy set with broad shoulders and a barrel chest. His hair was dark but grey at the temples, which served to frame his well-defined face with its dark blue eyes and slightly dimpled chin.

“You’re this Father I presume,” Jenifer said sharply, her eyes willing the man to die.

“You will call me Daddy, as is custom,” Father said patiently, “Now why aren’t you dressed?”

Jenifer ignored his question and giggled.

“You can’t be serious, if you think I am going to… look mate, I have had just about enough. What is this place and who the hell are you?” she yelled.

“No swearing, no yelling and I am perfectly serious young lady. You will call me Daddy and we will call you Jenny, is that clear?” Father said in a dark baritone voice that rumbled inside as it bordered on bass.

“No, no, no, nothing is fucking clear,” she raged pounding the bed with her hands, “Who the hell do you think I am?”

Father sighed and shook his head slowly. Then with casual well-practiced moves he stepped forward and seized Jenifer by the arm. His hold was vice-like but gentle and she felt a strange frisson at contact with this man.

“Whaaa,“ she gaped.

But as he sat on the bed and in one single move Father quickly upended her and tumbled her haplessly across his lap. Then it was an easy move to unbutton the panel in the seat of her pyjamas to bare her bottom. Jenifer gawped into the floor at his audacity.

“You… what… you can’t,” she babbled.

She was sure that if she wasn’t still dazed from the accident that she would…

“Now young lady I know how difficult this is for you, I really do. But you will quickly learn that the sooner you cooperate the sooner you will be deemed ready to find out more. Meanwhile I am authorised to begin your training,” Father told her sternly.

“Get off me,” Jenifer wailed indignantly.

“Don’t give me orders,” Father barked, his hand smacking her bare bottom sharply for emphasis. “Don’t argue with Nanny,” he said, spanking her again, “Do what your told,” he spanked, “When you are told,” her spanked again, “And behave.”

There were five or six hard spanks that fair took Jenifer’s breath away and she kicked out wildly, albeit impotently.

“What the fuck?” she gasped.

“Young lady,” he said aghast and brought his arm down with a will.

“Jeeez,” Jenifer hissed, her eyes suddenly out on stalks.

“I can see you need a very sound of a spanking to quiet you down,” he sighed as he really got down to it.

“Aaah, get off, nooo,” Jenifer shrieked, but nothing she did or said curtailed the onslaught.

“Have you learned your lesson yet?” Father asked grimly. The girl wasn’t yet used to this and already her bottom was violently red, he was concerned for her.

Sometimes he wondered if they should just explain everything to these women or at least give them a chance to skip the induction. But the powers that be must know what they were doing and in the end it usually all worked out fine. Still this girl was stubborn and his hand was beginning to hurt.

Jenifer was gasping, sucking in each breath as if it were her last. Her bottom too hurt like a bitch.

“This is crazy,” she panted, trying hard not to cry.

“Perhaps, but that wasn’t the question,” Father said patiently, “Will you behave?”

“Go to hell,” Jenifer screamed at him.

Father spanked then as hard as he had in a long time, allowing each biting swat to follow through. Never had he needed a hairbrush for a first-timer but damn this girl was stubborn. He didn’t bother scolding her, not for the moment; instead he just let his hand do the talking while he slowly broke her down.

It took a while, 10 or 15 minutes went by before her ragged breaths slowly gave way to real tears.

“Bastard,” she sobbed, “You fucking bastard.”

“Oh dear,” Father sighed and spanked her some more.

It took a while longer but finally in great hiccoughing gouts Jenifer sobbed anything she could think of to make him stop.

“Alright, I’m sorry,” she wept.

“Say Jenny is sorry,” Father said soothingly.

“I said I’m sorry,” Jenifer spat.

“Attitude will get you nowhere,” Father barked and spanked her again, “Anymore and I’ll fetch a hairbrush. No say it, ‘Jenny is sorry.’”

“Jenny is fucking sorry,” Jenifer snarled.

“I see,” Father sighed and abruptly stopped.

Jenifer was too out of breath and too cowed to celebrate her small triumph. Instead she lay across the man’s lap gasping like a fish.

“We will continue this later,” he said, “Meanwhile, you will go into the other room and stand in the corner opposite Marnie.”

Father let Jenifer drop to the floor where she hissed and clawed at her throbbing red behind as if mere fingers could undo the sting.

“You’re having a laugh aren’t you?” Jenifer groaned as she tried to stand up.

“I am going to tell you once more,” Father said patiently. “Say, ‘Jenny is sorry’ and ‘Jenny is going to behave.’ Then go and stand in the corner where I have just sent you. If you can manage that without further ranker or foul language, then in a short while I will allow you to get dressed and meet the others properly.”

Jenifer glowered at him and appeared to weigh something up. Then slowly, carefully and deliberately she said, “Fuck you.”

Shit, he thought, why me? Can’t she just buckle under, just for now? She must have guessed that she is out of her depth.

“Nanny,” he called out wearily, “Will you bring in a hairbrush?”

Jenifer shot a glance to the door and considered her chances of fleeing. Then she threw a killing look back at this Father character. She felt a little sick as soon as Nanny appeared with a medium-sized hairbrush and handed it to Father.

“I am going to give you a bedtime spanking later,” Father told her, “Apologise now and repeat what you have been told to say then do as you’re told and that will be an end of it.”

Jenifer’s bottom hurt worse than she ever thought possible and every instinct screamed at her to give in. Then she gulped and still gently panting she spat, “Fuck you.”

She was all but teleported back across Father’s lap and just as before she was pinned helplessly with her tender bare bottom pushed uppermost and up at his chest.

The hairbrush had a sting beyond a sting and she yelled angrily. But her rage was quickly turned as she bucked and struggled under a barrage of spanks that began as slaps and ended as hot irons pressed to her backside.

“Fffff,” she hissed, “Kkkkkaaay, aaahh,” and other garbled expletives that hinted at capitulation.

Father didn’t listen this time. He spanked her bottom long, long and hard until the skin was dark plum with paper stress marks that crinkled her flesh like one who had too long bathed.

“I can’t believe I am saying this to you so early in the game,” he said at last, his arm for the moment still.

Jenifer barely heard him or noticed the end of the spanking. For now she was just a broken mess of sobbing and lay limply pinned across his lap.

“If you do not cooperate I will be forced to send you on to reform school,” he continued.

Again Jenifer wasn’t listening, it was all she could do but cry. Great cleansing sobs that boiled out of her in a wet echo of the searing dry heat in and on her bottom.

“Jenny’s sorry, Jenny’s sorry,” she blubbed, “I’ll behave.”

“Daddy, call me Daddy,” Father pressed her.

“Please Daddy,” Jenny sobbed.

“Are you going to go to the corner like a good girl?” he asked.

She nodded.

*

Jenny was confused. Her bottom throbbed like hell and she had cried a river. Meanwhile, the jury was still out as to whether she would ever sit down again. She hadn’t had time yet to consider the humility of her position, namely standing in the corner in a strange room in front of four total strangers. Frankly the situation was too surreal.

What troubled her most was that she didn’t think she was angry enough. In fact now that she was thoroughly cowed she found she had no room in her heart to be angry. Instead she felt clean as if a great weight had been lifted. It was almost as if she had tried her damned best to resist the bizarre captivity in which she had found herself and now honour was satisfied and she could surrender; for now anyway.

But what was this place and how had she got here? Why were they treating her like some Victorian child? And the size of these people especially the woman… it wasn’t natural. As she strained to fathom it all something at the back of her mind struggled to get her attention and she thought of the car and… she pushed the thought away.

Father pretended to have dismissed the woman from his thoughts, but she troubled him. She was not like the others had been. Marnie, who now stood quietly and accepting in the corner had taken to her new life readily and soon she would be ready to move on. Annie was being more stubborn, but had at least learned to pretend to accept the situation. But that was normal for one of his girls; after all she hadn’t been here that long.

No Jenny was going to be a problem; he sighed and then quickly swung his attention back to Nanny’s progress report. But all the same the new girl in the corner kept drawing him back. Her shoulder length red hair seemed to hang defiantly as if independently plotting her next rebellion and he let his eye stray down her back to the tight polished red domes of her spanked bottom. Damn, he shook himself. It had been ages since he had been distracted by one of his girls.

As if sensing the man’s eyes Jenny blushed. Part of her hoped he was looking, that he was some kind of kinky bastard. That would make sense. But thoughts of the car kept intruding on this warm ticklish fantasy. What had Annie said, I used to be older? And the spooky gushy blonde had said she had been on a plane, an accident like hers. What the hell was going on?