The Rio Incident
2 August, 2016
Sao Paolo, Brazil (Rio Olympics)
Alanna Kennedy was making her way from the hotel toward the practice field at the back of the line of Matildas, when she suddenly realised something alarming. She'd lost sight of Ellie. Her gaze darted through the shifting crowd of yellow-clad footballers, looking for the bubbly blonde teen, but the team youngest was nowhere to be found.
"Hey! Polkinghorne!"
Clare stopped, throwing her arm out to stop the other girls. "What is it, Kennedy?"
"I can't find Carpenter anywhere."
"Fuck!"
That came not from Clare, but from the twenty-two-year old rising star among the forwards, Samantha May Kerr. "Permission to go find her, Captain?"
"Take Kennedy and go," Polkinghorne replied. Kerr nodded and headed off at a fast clip, Alanna right behind her. As they about-faced, running away from the field, they caught sight of a sea of red, the Canadians heading back from early practice. Off to one side were two red-jerseyed figures, a tiny blonde out of uniform sandwiched between them. Alanna's stomach clenched and she could see Sam had seen her too. Ellie!
A distinctive scent, uncommon enough but one they both recognised, drifted over from the trio. Kerr hastened her steps, Alanna swallowing her anger as she realized what the two Canadians had to hand. Forget keeping quiet, Alanna thought when she saw her suspicions on the blonde kid's identity confirmed. She pelted forward, reaching the trio before Kerr, swatting the marijuana cigarette out of Ellie's hand. "Ellie Madison Carpenter!"
The sixteen-year-old baby of the Matildas yelped, spinning around, wide-eyed. "Alanna, that hurt!"
"You think that hurt, kid?" Alanna turned to glare at the Canadian youngests - Jessie Fleming and Deanne Rose, eighteen and seventeen years old. Doubtless Fleming had procured the drugs. "You two. With me, we're going to see Sinc right now." Sam snapped her fingers at the Canadians, and the older girls flinched - they knew they were in for a world of trouble. "Alanna, take Ellie to the infirmary."
Alanna wrapped her fingers around Ellie's wrist, looking sternly at the sixteen-year-old. "You're coming with me right now and you're going to be a good girl for me, or else you won't like the consequences, got it, little one?"
Ellie sniffled, choking a little on what remained of the marijuana smoke, and nodded meekly. She followed Alanna as the older girl marched her along, staring miserably at the ground. When they were out of the crowds, making their way into the sports medicine center serving the Olympic athletes, Alanna drew Ellie aside and spoke quietly to her.
"You realise you're in for a world of trouble, Ellie," she said quietly. "Not just you, either. All three of you."
"Other people had it too!" Ellie protested. "Fleming got it from another player, dunno who, a bigger girl."
"Then they're in trouble," Alanna said. "Cannabis is illegal in Brazil, little one. Not just restricted, illegal right out. That the three of you were using it in public....If it wasn't the Olympics, with all sorts of sh-stuff going on, I'm sure some copper would have been right on you. Diplomatic immunity might get you out of being arrested, might, but the best you'd get is having your punishment remanded to the IOC if they find out." And that meant, Ellie realized with dawning horror, not only her expulsion from the team, from the Games, but Australia's investigation and the Matildas' likely disqualification.
Her legs began to shake and she clung to Alanna for support, burying her face in Alanna's neck. The older girl scooped her up and carried her through to an empty room at a nurse's direction. The woman left them in there alone together, Alanna sitting on the exam table with Ellie in her lap, rocking the frantic teen gently.
"Ellie, shh, shhh, Alanna's got you, sweetheart," she murmured, anger draining away in the face of Ellie's obvious terror. She rubbed the back of Ellie's neck until the girl's sobs died down to hiccoughs, hushing her. When Ellie was calm, Alanna looked at her, cupping the teenager's face with her hand. "Sweetheart, I said if they find out."
"They will," Ellie whimpered. "The centre's gonna have to tell Coach, and Coach's gonna haveto tell the IOC and we'll be sent home 'fore we even played at all and I'm gonna be kicked off and never 'lowed to play again 'cos m'bad."
"Shh," Alanna murmured. "I have you, Ellie, little one, shhh. I won't let them take you away from us." She knew that was a foolish promise the second she'd given it - what power did she have to override anything the IOC did? But Ellie relaxed a little, so it had been of some help. The next person into the room was the nurse, who spoke some English, and Alanna explained Ellie had had an anxiety attack and needed time to cool down - could she keep anyone out who wasn't one of the Australian players or their coach? "But if Sam Kerr comes, send her to us, please," Alanna added. The woman nodded and took Alanna's word for it. She poured some water for Ellie, then left them alone, letting them lock the door from the inside.
"She knows, doesn't she," Ellie whimpered. Alanna wasn't sure. Nothing more than the faintest hint of marijuana smoke clung to them both, and they could get that much just by passing by someone else who was using it; it wasn't evidence they'd committed a crime.
"She's letting us wait for Kerr," was all Alanna said.
Ellie nodded miserably. "Okay, 'Lanna."
Alanna tucked an arm around Ellie. "If they don't tell on you, something still has to happen, little one," she said, as gently as she could. "You can't just get away with being naughty."
Ellie didn't know what to say to that, and the minutes ticked by in near-silence, broken only by their breathing. Fifteen minutes. Half an hour. An hour. The next knock on the door was accompanied by a "Carpenter, it's me, let me in." The teen stood up on wobbly legs and trotted over to the door, feeling lightheaded as she unlocked it. Sam Kerr entered, followed closely by the Matildas' 2016 co-captains, Clare Polkinghorne and Lisa de Vanna.
The two older women, de Vanna team eldest at thirty-one and Polkinghorne twenty-seven, stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the now closed and locked door, facing into the room, while Sam joined Alanna on the bed, pulling Ellie into her lap. "If Kerr wasn't so sure this was entirely the Canadian kids' fault, Carpenter," Lisa said sharply, "you'd be on the next plane back to Sydney right now."
"Alone?" Ellie whispered. "No. We'd all be disqualified if this got back to the IOC," Clare put in, glaring at Ellie, who shrank back into Sam's arms as Kerr held her.
"Which seems like a major overreaction for a stupid kid making a stupid mistake," Lisa put in, "so I'm satisfied with her promise that you'll be getting the smacked bum you deserve for it, and you'll be sitting out tomorrow."
"Or, more likely, not sitting," Clare said with a snort. "That probably won't be comfortable for a while."
Ellie whimpered, but Sam held her, rocking her gently and rubbing her back.
"Hush now, Joey," she murmured.
Alanna murmured comfortingly to Ellie as Sam turned to Clare. "Captains, do you mind if we take care of this?"
"By rights one of us ought to, Kerr," Clare pointed out. "But we have teammates to manage who aren't being naughty brats, and we're too close to the situation." She fished a sturdy plimsoll out of her shoulder bag, and tossed it lightly to Alanna, who caught it.
"Promise me you won't go easy on her, Kerr. I want this lesson learned," de Vanna said shortly.
Sam nodded. "Yes ma'am."
"If I find out you've shown any quarter, you'll be getting a slippering yourself when I find out," de Vanna added.
Ellie swallowed, winding her arms tightly around Sam. "Sammy's good," she said pleadingly. "She's always so good."
"Shhh, little, no backchat now," Alanna murmured as the Captains left the trio alone. When the door was, once again, shut and locked, and the Captains' footsteps had died away in the hall, Alanna turned to look at Sam. "What are you going to do with her?"
"You heard the Captains, Alanna," Kerr replied. "A full slippering, no quarter - and it has to be enough to pay for lawbreaking." Ellie's breathing quickened, and Sam rubbed her back.
"Breathe, little Joey. Breathe, my Ellie," she murmured. "Yes, you're about to get the awfullest smacking of your life, little, but that's all it's going to be, a smacked bum, you'll survive it."
Alanna seated herself next to Sam. "Come here, little Joey," she murmured. "Settle, Alanna's here, I'll hold you." As Sam helped Ellie into position over her lap, Ellie's torso resting on Alanna's thighs, Alanna passed the slipper to Sam, who set it aside.
"Is your support in, Ellie?"
"No," Ellie sniffled. She never liked to put it in until they got to the lockers. "Not in, Mummy."
"Okay then," Sam said, patting Ellie's bottom. "So Mummy's going to start over your shorts, alright?"
Alanna exhaled in relief. This would be safest for Ellie, and she took Ellie's hands as the teen nodded. "Verbal answer, Ellie."
"Yes, Mummy," Ellie responded dutifully.
One. The first smack startled Ellie and made her yelp, but it wasn't all that hard, all things considered. There was plenty more coming, after all. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Six to each fully clothed bottom cheek with Sam's hand, and then she tipped Ellie forward. Ellie squirmed, legs scissoring, as thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen covered her sit spots. "Oww, Mummy," Ellie whimpered, tears sparkling on her lashes. "I know, Joey," Sam said, sympathetic but no less firm. "We're just getting started though. Your shorts have to come down now."
"N-not bare, Mummy!" Ellie pleaded frantically. "'Lanna, no!"
"Shhh," Alanna hushed Ellie, petting her hair. "Lift up for Mummy, sweetheart. You're not getting all bare yet. Sissy's here," she murmured. Ellie tearfully obeyed, whimpering as she felt her shorts being tugged down, though her briefs stayed in place as she was settled back over Sam's lap. "Mummy, no slipper, please!"
Sam gave Ellie's bottom a gentle pat. "Settle, Ellie," she said. "Not yet, no, but soon. I expect you to hold as still as you can and take your smacks like my brave girl, little one."
Ellie sniffled, burying her face in Alanna's thigh. "Yes Mummy," came out muffled but clear enough to be understood. With that, Kerr began the second round of spanks with her hand. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. She paused, and Ellie couldn't help an anxious whine and the smallest of kicks as she was shifted slightly - especially when she felt Sam move to pick up the slipper. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. The four firm swats with the slipper smacked into Ellie's sit spots, and she squealed, trying futilely to pull away from Alanna so she could cover up.
"Keep those hands still, Ellie Madison Carpenter, and lift up," Sam said. Ellie recognized the 'Sam is extremely displeased' tone and gasped, going rigid. "Can't," she whispered, but Ellie put up no resistance when Sam took her by the waist and lifted her enough to tug her knickers down. "Mummy no, not bare," Ellie whimpered. "Please no more!"
"Ellie," Sam said, settling Ellie back down and rubbing Ellie's rosy pink bottom with her hand. "What did the Captains say?"
"T-that...I gotta be s-smacked like....worst ever, until I can't sit down, and n-no quarter," Ellie cried.
"That means no letting you off, Joey. And I wouldn't even if I could. You broke the law, little," Sam said in exasperation. "I'm doing this because I love you and want to keep you here with us, and I don't want us to be sent home in disgrace because you got in trouble before our tournament even started."
Ellie latched onto the one thing that wouldn't make her burst into guilty tears again. "Mummy loves Ellie?"
"Always, little Joey," Sam said reassuringly. "No matter how big a naughty thing you do."
"'kay," Ellie whispered. "Ellie loves Mummy too, and 'Lanna."
"I know, sweetheart," Alanna murmured. "Sissy's here. Don't tense up now, Ellie, you're safe, just hold on to me."
Ellie clung to Alanna's hands as the first bare-bottom smack of the slipper fell. It was a good thing Sam, too, was holding Ellie around her waist or the teen might have tried to scramble away. As it was, she had nowhere to go as the leather sole continued reddening her bottom. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Scarlet across both cheeks, Ellie was shaking with sobs, but didn't try to stop Sam as she was repositioned once more for the last four. She nearly shrieked as thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen were planted across her bare sit spots.
When Ellie's bare bum was a uniform cherry red, and Ellie was sobbing helplessly, Sam gently righted the teen's clothing and scooped her up. She held Ellie so her bottom didn't touch anything, cuddling the girl close.
"Shhh, shhh, Ellie, little Joey, breathe," Sam whispered, rubbing her back. "Mummy's here, darling, my Ellie." Alanna brought water for Ellie to sip, and helped her wipe her face and blow her nose.
"Sissy's here, little Joey," she agreed softly. "Alanna loves you, little one. You were good for me and Mummy, sweetheart," she promised Ellie. "You took your spanking so well."
Ellie nodded tearfully, still trembling. "It's awfullest," she sniffled. "M'gonna hurt forever."
"Not forever, darling," Sam promised, kissing her forehead. "It's okay, Ellie, you're okay."