Zoë al’Hallow was thirteen years old; she had straight black hair and green eyes and pale skin. The paleness of her skin was accentuated by the clothes she wore. That is to say, black clothes. And this year, Zoë’s mother had gotten a great job offer on the other side of the country, so they were moving. It was a somber affair for Zoë, though not a tearful one. She bid her friends farewell as they were entering the eighth grade at her old middle school without her. She might have thrown a fit like other girls her age, but decided against it. This was a great opportunity for her mother after all, and there was no sense ruining it. Besides, fits really weren’t her thing.

Three lives were packed in to brown cardboard boxes and shipped thousands of miles away, and soon there after, the people followed. The place they moved to was a small town with a quaint name, there was one elementary school, one middle school and one high school. That meant that all the kids in school already knew one another.

Zoë’s first day of school was at the beginning of September, the leaves already beginning to turn. This, she saw as a good sign. Autumn had always been her favorite of seasons. Hopefully this would help in her introduction as the new kid.

That Monday morning was hectic for her parents, her mother was rushing around, trying not to forget anything and be on time. Because her mother was rushing around, her father was too, in an attempt to help, though mostly he just got in the way. By six forty five, Zoë’s mother had planted several kisses to the cheeks and lips of her daughter and husband respectively and was out the door.

Zoë’s father checked his watch. “Well kido,” he said to Zoë, “We’ve got half an hour before the bus comes to pick you up, what do you want for breakfast?”

Having recently moved to a new place at the expense of his old job, Mr. al’Hallow no longer had one. He was still dressed in his robe, his hair uncombed. Zoë thought this rumpled appearance on her father was somewhat endearing and she smiled.

Breakfast was bacon and cheese and tomatoes, with plenty of cold milk. And then it was seven fifteen and the long yellow bus had arrived. Zoë bid her father farewell and climbed onto the bus. She confirmed with the bus driver that she was indeed the new girl and then found an empty seat about halfway down. The other kids all chatted about her and several looked her direction, whispering. Zoë was used to people whispering around her. Most kids thought she was kind of weird.

For this, her first appearance in a new school, Zoë had chosen a black dress with a high collar and a silver belt to hold it in at the waist. Her straight black hair was combed thoroughly until it shined as it fell gently around her face and shoulders. No one talked to her or sat next to her on the trip to school. It could have been worse.

Zoë had received in the mail her class schedule, which told her that her homeroom was in room 3A. Room 3A ended up being relatively easy to find, as the building really wasn’t all that large.

Zoë entered the room, doing her best to suppress her apprehension. After all, it wouldn’t do to let anyone know she was nervous, perhaps even scared. She kept her outward appearance calm and endured the stares and whispers and giggles. Zoë chose an empty desk and sat in it, stowing her black backpack underneath.

A few minutes later the teacher entered the room. She was young looking, certainly not even thirty years old yet. She had light brown hair and blue eyes. She dressed casually. According to Zoë’s schedule, she was Ms. Dunn.

“Good morning class,” she addressed the class. There was an uncoordinated response of hellos.

“Today,” continued the teacher, “We have a new face amongst us.” She pointed out Zoë. “Would you like to come up and introduce yourself? Tell us something interesting about you?” she asked.

No, I would not, Zoë thought in response, but did as she’d been asked. I may as well make the best of it. She stood in front of the class; there were still a few of them giggling. One in particular sneered. She was a blue eyed girl with her blonde hair in pigtails. She looked remarkably like Ms. Dunn. Zoë was careful to remember that face.

“My name is Zoë al’Hallow,” said the black clad girl. She turned and wrote it on the board. “I was born in Salem Massachusetts. I am thirteen years old, enjoy Autumn, reading, and speaking with spirits.”

At this, the class laughed and Zoë smiled in return. At least now they were laughing at what they perceived to be a joke, and not at her.

“I like the color black,” Zoë gestured at herself, “I find it to be sleek and professional. Some people find me a bit…” Zoë raised an eyebrow, “Strange.”

Again the class chuckled.

Zoë kept her smile for a while longer, it was even genuine. Then she went back to her seat. Ms. Dunn had a tolerant smile plastered to her face. She shot Zoë a dirty look.

Hmm, someone doesn’t like their attention taken away. But there was nothing to be done for it, the class seemed to find her interesting anyway, even if Ms. Dunn resented it. Oh well, no big loss.

The first day of school went well enough. She got odd looks for her appearance, but word got around fairly quickly that she was funny and people were nice to her. No life long bonds or anything, but Zoë made friends or was friendly with most of the students by the end of the week.

There was one girl, however, who didn’t like Zoë.

Her name was Becky, she was the blonde pigtails who had sneered as Zoë when she’d been introducing herself. Becky was a straight A student and Ms. Dunn’s favorite. She always dressed in the latest fashions, and she always kept her hair in pigtails.

Becky’s best friend, or toady as Zoë thought of her, was Tess. Tess was smaller and stupider than Becky, but prettier. It was a simple relationship of a bully and her ‘yes man’, or ‘yes girl’ in this case.

It was Friday of Zoë’s first week. She had dressed in black denim shorts and a black t shirt, her hair held back with a black hair tie. Normal dress for a rather warm day. She had just entered her homeroom and sat down when she heard Becky whisper loudly.

“Doesn’t she know that Halloween isn’t until October?”

Several of the kids snickered at this. But Zoë chose to ignore it. Instead she retrieved her homework from her pack and prepared for the beginning of class. Becky, however, wasn’t about to leave it alone.

“Maybe she doesn’t realize how dreary black looks.” Again it was said in the loud whisper. And again there was some snickering.

Zoë shook her head slightly. “Or maybe it is simply my favorite color,” she replied. “Black is a professional color, but I wouldn’t expect one as immature as yourself to understand that Becky.”

“Immature?” shouted Becky, no longer whispering.

Before the conversation could continue, Ms. Dunn entered the room.

“What’s the shouting about?” she asked.

Tess was quick to respond. “Zoë was making fun of Becky,” the girl said.

Ms. Dunn almost smiled, giving Zoë a bad feeling. “Is this true?” she asked Becky.

Zoë turned to watch as Becky nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

“Oh please,” muttered Zoë.

“What was that Ms Hallow?” Ms. Dunn directed at Zoë.

Zoë sighed. She knew there was no way to win this battle, but she wasn’t going down without at least a little resistance.

“It’s al’Hallow, Ms. Dunn.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Zoë tried not to smirk or roll her eyes or anything of that nature. “My last name is al’Hallow.” She looked at Ms. Dunn who narrowed her eyes at her.

The class was silent, watching the contest unfold. Zoë wanted to try to determine which side they were on, but that would have required her full concentration.

Eventually Ms. Dunn spoke. “For your insubordination, you shall have detention this afternoon, Zoë.”

Zoë didn’t respond, just continued to stare at Ms. Dunn. Even without any metaphysical help, Zoë managed to stare the woman down. Ms. Dunn turned away and began writing on the white board. That, at least, was satisfying.

The rest of the school day was uneventful and at 3:30 pm, Zoë went to room 3A where she spent an hour of quiet detention with Ms. Dunn.

Zoë had been lost in her own thoughts when she heard Ms. Dunn clear her throat impatiently right behind her. Zoë started and looked around. I should know better than to let my mind wander so. This woman should never have been able to sneak up on me.

“It is four thirty, you may go now Ms. Hallow.” The emphasis was far too obvious.

Zoë felt her aura flare briefly, but restrained it. Instead she stood and gathered her things. She walked to the door of the room, then turned and looked at Ms. Dunn. The teacher was at her desk again, looking over various sheets of paper, her blue eyes hidden behind a light curtain of brown hair.

Zoë concentrated for a moment, grasping a bit of ambient power and shaping into a mild suggestion then she sent it on a light breeze towards her teacher. “Why don’t you like me Ms. Dunn?” Zoë asked as the small magic took effect.

Ms. Dunn looked up at Zoë and her eyes narrowed. “I knew girls like you when I was in school. You’re either a pathetic excuse for a girl looking for attention or else a real freak. Either way, you’re far from what’s proper and normal. And I don’t like that.”

Ms. Dunn’s eyes widened in surprise totally caught off guard that she had actually answered Zoë’s question truthfully.

Zoë just nodded, her black hair waving lightly. “I see. Well then, see you tomorrow, Ms. Dunn.” Zoë walked home in silence

“Hey kiddo,” her father greeted her when she entered the house. “What took you so long? I was beginning to get worried.”

“I got detention with Ms. Dunn,” Zoë replied.

Mr. al’Hallow sat up and his face registered his surprise. “My little angel got detention?” he asked. “What for?”

“For insubordination,” Zoë replied. “Ms. Dunn doesn’t like me because I’m… weird.”

“Ah.” Mr. al’Hallow’s face clouded for a moment and Zoë could feel his aura flaring in irritation. They had run in to the problem a couple of times before. Mr. al’Hallow had a deep dislike for people like Ms. Dunn. The last time he had called the school and had very powerful words with the principal. ‘In defense of my daughter,’ as he had justified it.

“Do I need to make a phone call?” he asked.

Zoë was glad that he had asked instead of simply taking the initiative. “No dad. I’d like to take care of it myself.”

Mr. al’Hallow nodded. “All right. But if Ms. Dunn,” he nearly spat the name, “gets too… Salem-esque, you be sure to tell me.”

Zoë smiled at her father’s protective words. “Yes daddy,” she giggled.

Mr. al’Hallow smiled in return.

September passed with Autumn taking full control of the weather, making the skies overcast and the wind chill and the leaves orange and yellow and red. Ms. Dunn wasn’t any nicer to Zoë, but after unintentionally saying what she thought of Zoë, she mostly avoided talking to the girl. Which was fine with Zoë.

Becky and Tess continued to throw snide comments Zoë’s way, but mostly Zoë ignored them and everyone else seemed to find the two girls had gotten annoying. Which, of course, made them even angrier at Zoë. For her part, Zoë put it out of her mind.

It was early October when Zoë got off the bus one day and was heading to homeroom when she noticed a large boy shoving a smaller one. The large boy Zoë recognized as Jack Martin. Jack was a known bully though he’d never come near her. Jack was about a foot taller than the other boy, Davey Chance. Davey was in eighth grade, like Zoë, but was very short for his thirteen years. He had brown hair and brown eyes and was more or less indistinctive. Davey was in Zoë’s homeroom, but he always had his nose in a fantasy book and didn’t say much.

Most of the other students either didn’t notice or hurried on.

Zoë frowned. She reached her mind out the spirits of Autumn. A scent of cloves and cinnamon drifted on the sudden breeze. The large oak tree shivered and murmured. Suddenly, an avalanche of orange leaves leapt from the tree’s branches and swirled towards Jack sending him stumbling away, blinded for a moment.

Zoë thanked the tree and breeze silently, then she quickly put herself between Jack and Davey. When the leaves finally settled Jack turned back to his victim, but found the strange girl in black standing there instead. She was smiling at him and her green eyes glowed faintly. She smelled like pumpkin pie.

“What do you think you’re doing Jack?” she asked him.

“What?” he grunted in return.

“Why are you bugging Davey?” Zoë reiterated.

Jack’s eyes narrowed and he cracked his knuckles. “He deserves it.”

Zoë shook her head. “No, he doesn’t. Go away Jack.” Zoë could see the few students who were still outside watching with interest.

Jack stepped forward threateningly. “You gonna make me goth girl?”

“Yes I am. Go away Jack.” Zoë gathered a bit of power and threw the suggestion at the bully on the wind.

The smell of pumpkin pie intensified and Jack had turned around to leave before he realized it. He started to turn back, but thought better of it and went inside instead.

Zoë turned to where Davey was hunching his shoulders, staring at the leaf covered grass. “You alright Davey?” she asked.

The boy nodded. “Thanks,” he murmured.

Zoë smiled at the shy boy. “C’mon,” she said, “Let’s get inside before we’re late. The two entered homeroom together and Zoë took her normal seat. She was somewhat surprised when Davey took the one next to her.

“D’ya mind if I sit here?” he asked, still looking down.

Zoë’s lips curved faintly. She reached out and poked Davey in the shoulder. Davey looked up at her in surprise. “Nah, I don’t mind,” she said. “Nice to see your face I might add. You continue to look down all the time and people like Jack Martin will continue to shove you around.”

Davey looked surprised, his face flushing slowly. “Umm…” But Ms. Dunn entered and began class, so the conversation could not continue.

Davey followed Zoë around the school that day, not saying much. Zoë held a mostly one sided conversation with the boy, trying to get him to participate. At lunch, they sat together and at the end of the day, he walked her to her bus before going to his own.

Zoë shook her head in bewilderment.

Another girl who rode the same bus as Zoë, Amber, giggled nearby. “I think he’s got a crush on you Zoë,” she said.

Zoë raised an eyebrow at Amber who just giggled again. “He could do worse,” Zoë said and smiled.

“So could you,” Amber replied. The two girls got on the bus, Amber still giggling.

~*~

Things were going well. Zoë was maintaining a set of straight A’s despite Ms. Dunn’s obvious dislike for her. Becky and Tess had given up their constant verbal assault and Jack never came anywhere near Davey. Davey followed Zoë like a puppy. He eventually began to open up and discuss things with Zoë, like his favorite book series. Amber’s comment occasionally surfaced when Zoë was talking to Davey.

I suppose I certainly could do worse than Davey.

The fact that things were going too well perhaps should have been a tip off to Zoë. After all, people like Ms. Dunn and Becky and Tess and Jack just didn’t let things lie. She should have known to be on the look out for something to happen.

In late October, it did.

Zoë and Davey were sitting outside after lunch. Davey was showing Zoë a sketch he’d recently completed of a palace in the Arabian style but with Gothic spires and English ramparts.

And then Jack was there. He snatched the piece of paper from Davey’s hands.

“What ya got here?” he asked with a sneer.

Zoë stood up quickly. “Give it back Jack,” she ordered, but put no power behind the words.

Jack very slowly and deliberately ripped the drawing to shreds. Zoë glared at him. Davey stood up quickly and balled his fists.

Jack laughed. “You gonna fight me Davey?” he asked.

The boy was visibly shaking, but didn’t respond. Jack reached out for the boy but Zoë got in the way.

“Out of the way freak,” he growled at her and shoved her aside. Then he shoved Davey to the ground. Zoë quickly reached out for the ambient power of the area. She gathered it and thrust an arm at Jack. Jack actually flew through the air a bit before hitting the ground.

Zoë was breathing hard.

“I’m telling!” Zoë heard someone screech.

Looking up she saw Becky and Tess standing there together. Tess turned and ran towards the building. Jack was getting up slowly and Davey was looking at her in awe.

Becky walked slowly towards Zoë. “You’re in trouble now, freaky Zoë,” she taunted.

“Jack started it,” Zoë replied her expression firm. “I honestly don’t think I’ll get in trouble for beating up a boy over a foot taller than me.”

“Oh no?” asked Becky, “You underestimate me.” Over the pigtailed girl’s shoulder, she found Ms. Dunn jogging towards them, Tess following close behind.

Zoë’s breath suddenly left her body. It was so obvious what had happened. Becky had orchestrated this fight and had specifically told Tess to fetch Ms. Dunn who already hated Zoë.

“What’s going on?” Ms. Dunn asked quietly. Zoë could feel her unrestrained glee radiating in waves.

“Jack tore up my drawing,” Davey was, surprisingly, the first to speak. “He started it and shoved both me and Zoë.”

Ms. Dunn glared at the boy. She turned to where Jack was getting woozily to his feet. There was a bruise on his large shoulder. Zoë winced; she hadn’t realized she’d used that much power. It had been in defense of herself and Davey, but she still wished she’d used more restraint.

Ms. Dunn looked at the bruise then turned back to Zoë and Davey. “Detention, for both of you. And if I have my way, you’ll be suspended.”

Davey gasped and began crying.

“No,” protested Zoë, “I’m the one who hit Jack. This isn’t Davey’s fault.”

“Silence! Ms. Hallow, you and Mr. Chance will follow me to the principal’s office. Now.”

The two children followed Ms. Dunn to the building and through the Halloween decorated halls to the principal’s office. They sat outside while Ms. Dunn spoke with the head of the school. Nearly a quarter of an hour later, they were called into the office.

The principal was a tall man with a bushy mustache and balding pate named Mr. Anderson. “Sit down,” he said and the children did so. “Ms. Dunn has told me what happened. In light of the lack of reliable witnesses, I have decided to cancel your detentions.”

Zoë stole a look at Ms. Dunn. The teacher did not seem happy with the way things were working out.

“However, each of you will be suspended for the rest of the day. I have spoken with both of your parents and will be speaking with Mr. Martin’s parents as well.”

Zoë didn’t know how she should be feeling. This simply wasn’t fair and she was struck by it in such a manner as to render her unable to think clearly or say anything in her defense.

“Ms. al’Hallow, your father said Mr. Chance could stay with you until his parents get off work. He’ll be here to pick you up soon.”

Davey and Zoë greeted Mr. al’Hallow, subdued and rode to her house in silence.

“Dad, we’re going up to my room,” Zoë told her father when they got home.

Mr. al’Hallow nodded. “Sure honey. Um… do you want me to do anything?” he asked. “You know… take care of things?”

Zoë vehemently shook her head. “No dad. I’ll take care of it.”

Mr. al’Hallow sighed. “All right. But only one more. If this happens again, I’m taking matters into my own hands.”

Zoë nodded. “Alright.”

Davey looked confused by the exchange, but said nothing. Zoë led him upstairs to her room. It was decorated simply, with black curtains and sheets and pillowcases. The walls displayed nature scenes and a sheathed katana hung above a desk with an old computer.

“Davey, I want to show you something, but you have to promise to keep it secret, okay?

Davey looked at his friend. “Zoë, is your dad mad?”

“What?”

“Is he mad ‘cause you got in trouble?”

Zoë smiled faintly, “No, he knows it wasn’t my fault. Will your parents be mad?”

Davey shrugged. “I’ve never really been in trouble before.”

“Well don’t worry about it. My dad will make sure they understand.”

Davey nodded. Then he said, “So what did you want to show me?”

“You gotta promise to keep it a secret.”

“I promise.”

Then Zoë opened her right hand, palm upwards. A light suddenly rested upon it. Davey gasped. The light rose slowly into the air and began shifting though the colors of the spectrum.

“How…” Davey whispered.

“I’m a sorceress,” replied Zoë. I can control the ambient energy of the cosmos and speak with the spirits.

“Are your mom and dad…”

“Yes, they’re sorcerers as well. Davey, I show you this so that I might explain how we are going to stop Ms. Dunn and the others from doing what they’ve been doing. But if after having seen this, you don’t want to be involved, I’ll understand.”

Davey quickly shook his head. “No, I want to help stop them.”

Zoë smiled. “Good. Here’s what were going to do…”

~*~

The al’Hallows were throwing a huge Halloween party and everyone was invited. Seeing as it was a small town, that wasn’t a particularly enormous feat, but it was still pretty big. Homemade costumes only, no store bought stuff and pot luck dinner. It was heald on their expansive back yard that extended for acres. Most the leaves were gone from the trees, and the air was cold. Warm costumes were recommended.

Everyday after school, Davey had been going to Zoë’s house to practice. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was practicing, but Zoë said they were making progress. All they did was sit in her room and hold hands and meditate and carve pumpkins and burn candles, but she said that was enough.

On the evening of October 31st, Zoë dressed in a pink sweater and matching skirt. She put her black hair in pigtails. The she helped her parents, (who were struck dumb at her costume, then couldn’t stop laughing for nearly half an hour) set up for the party. A huge bonfire was built near a tall grove of pine trees and pot luck buffet tables were set up with black and orange table clothes, ready for the food that the party goers would supply.

Davey showed up early, dressed as a vampire. He took in Zoë’s costume.

“I didn’t think you owned anything pink,” he said.

“Oh, I just sort of whipped it up,” Zoë replied. Her parents were still chuckling in the background.

By five o’clock, people began to show up. Amber, Zoë’s friend from the bus, took one look at Zoë and exclaimed, “You look like Becky!”

Several kids from school looked at Zoë and laughed.

Zoë smiled. “It was the scariest thing I could think of.”

The kids laughed again.

The night was clear and a fat gibbous moon smiled down upon them from above. When only the moon and the bonfire lit the yard, Zoë and Davey moved a little away from the party. Zoë concentrated for several minutes, then the two of them moved further into the wood that lay on the al’Hallow’s property. Not long thereafter, the two of them heard voices.

“I’m sure they went this way,” It was Becky.

“It’s dark, let’s go back,” protested Jack.

“Quit being such a baby,” reprimanded Tess.

Zoë looked at Davey who returned her smile. “Are you ready?” she asked. Davey nodded. She took his hand and Davey cleared his mind as he’d been practicing.

Quite suddenly, three figures entered the small clearing that Zoë and Davey were watching. Davey felt Zoë call out to the spirits of Autumn. She told them of their plight and presented her request. Autumn had always been Zoë’s favorite season, and the spirits responded.

The tall yellow grasses gripped the ankles of the trio and then grasped their wrists, pulling them forward over a fallen log that just happened to present itself. The kids all screamed in fright, but the wind carried their shouts away.

“Kids?” It was Ms. Dunn.

“I wasn’t sure she was gonna make it,” Davey murmered as he watched the fantastic scene unfolding.

“What’s going on?” Ms. Dunn had just entered the clearing to see three of her students bent over a log for no apparent reason. “Come on, get up,” she told them, but her words were cut short as the branches of a large oak caught hold of her and bent her over one of its massive roots. Ms. Dunn’s white angel dress was lifted and her panties were lowered.

Ms. Dunn’s protests were too were carried away by the winds. These same friendly winds whooshed under the gauzy fairy skirt of Tess and the red she devil skirt of Becky, exposing their thin tights, pink for Tess and red for Becky. The trees and grasses bent precariously to gently lower these tights and the panties beneath them, exposing the girls bottoms.

Jack struggled mightily, proving too much for the grasses, but a large young tree gripped him tighter than he could muscle out of and tugged down his torn biker jeans and his blue and white polka dot boxers.

The moon suddenly shown brighter and the event commenced. The Autumn sprits flew about, giggling and slapping the four bared bottoms sharply, the trees and grass all whipped their thin whippy branches against the legs and bottoms of the tormenters. Their pale bare bottoms made even paler by the moon light showed the pink marks of the spirits smacks and whips.

Ms. Dunn’s tree utilized three switches at once making faint pink lines appear crisscrossing each other across her thighs and buttocks.

Tess was first to break down and sob uncontrollably. Her bare bottom was a uniform pink. She just lay over the log as the grasses slowed their whipping and stopped, the spirits ceased their spanking.

”That’s one,” whispered the wind.

Jack’s tree eventually stopped applying its stout rod to the backside of the bully when he too began to stop struggling was crying hard. His bottom was far redder than Tess’.

“Two.”

Becky and Ms. Dunn were the hardest to crack, which privately pleased Zoë. The spirits applied their hands and switches to the bottoms of these two for nearly a minute longer before their struggling stopped and they sobbed piteously. Zoë and Davey witnessed the red bottoms of their tormentors and couldn’t help but feel vindicated.

The four got shakily to their feet, pulling their clothes back into place and hurrying from the forest. The moonlight gradually dimmed to its normal intensity.

“That’s four repentant miscreants, Mistress al’Hallow,” giggled the wind. “We look forward to our gifts this evening.”

The children smiled at their victory.

Eventually, Zoë and Davey left the wood as well, but instead of going back to the party, Zoë led Davey inside. There, the two of them retrieved an odd collection of items. Butter and milk, candles and incense, and the pumpkins they’d been carving, almonds and roasted pumpkin seeds and sugar. All this they took up to Zoë’s room.

The candles and incense and jack-o-lanterns were all lit and set on Zoë’s small balcony. The butter was mixed with spices and pumpkin seeds and almonds and was put on several saucers along with several bowls of milk and sugar. This too was set on the balcony. Then the doors were shut and the curtains drawn.

“There, said Zoë, the spirits appeased,” she smiled. “Only one thing left to take care of.”

“What’s that?” asked Davey.

Zoë’s suddenly looked serious. She could feel the guilt of her actions and knew what needed to be done.

“Unless directly threatened or in defense of another, I am never to exert my power over another. This is a promise I made to my Grandfather when I was very young. I have now broken this promise twice. Once I made Ms. Dunn answer a question she didn’t want to answer and tonight, as you witnessed.” Zoë was looking at Davey intently, her green eyes unwavering.

Davey swallowed hard. He didn’t know what to make of the evening’s happening so far and had no idea what to expect next. Zoë was silent for a while and Davey cleared his throat. “So… so what happens next?”

Zoë took a deep breath. “I have to be punished for what I’ve done Davey.”

Davey’s eyes widened. “Punished?” he squeaked.

Zoë nodded. She took Davey by the arm and led him to her bed where she gently pushed him into a sitting position. Then she concentrated, twirled her fingers in a complicated manner and drew out of the æther a long thin strip of wood. It was about eighteen inches long and about a quarter of an inch wide. It was a deep red brown in color. This she held out to Davey.

His hand shaking, Davey reached out and took the switch. “Umm…” he said

“You’ll know what to do,” she told him.

Zoë then gathered her pink dress in both hands and lifted up in back exposing her black panties and pale legs. Gently she laid herself over Davey’s lap.

“I… I don’t…” Davey stammered. “I mean, you did it for me too… and I helped… I can’t… ”

Zoë looked over her shoulder at her friend. “Davey please… I need to be punished. I’d rather it was you than anyone else. Please?”

Davey nodded faintly and Zoë resumed looking at the hard wood floor. Her palms flat against the floor and her toes barely touching on the other side. Davey put a hand tentatively on his friends panty clad bottom. Zoë felt a tingle rush though her body and she shivered.

Pat.

The first spank was flimsy and hesitant.

Pat. Pat. Slap.

They began to come with a bit more force, but Zoë could tell Davey was having a hard time getting into it. She laid over his lap and willed him to make it real.

Spank!

Zoë squeaked in surprise at the hearty slap that landed on her butt. Davey squeaked in response and stood up, depositing Zoë rather unceremonially to the floor, the dress still mostly bunched around her waist.

“I’m sorry,” Davey said quickly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Zoë sighed and stood up. “Davey, it’s a spanking, it’s supposed to hurt.” Davey bit his lip and nodded. “Sit down… please.”

Davey sat back down and Zoë could see him steeling himself. She willed him to continue that resolve. Then she again lifted her dress above her waist and lay down over Davey’s lap.

Spank. Spank. Spank. Spank. Spank.

Now this was a real spanking. Davey spanked firmly and slowly, smacking Zoë’s bottom right in the center each time. Zoë squirmed and kicked involuntarily. Her teeth were clenched and she tried to keep from crying out. After a while, the attempt was for naught as she began to cry “Ah!” at each smack. After fifteen spanks in the center of Zoë’s bottom, Davey paused.

“I’m sorry Zoë,” he said.

Zoë felt Davey’s gentle hands reach into her underwear and take them down. “Oooohhh…” she moaned. Davey began spanking again, this time roaming all over her barely swelling bottom and hips. He continued his slow methodical pace, not too hard, but firmly enough. Tears leaked from eyes Zoë hadn’t known she’d closed. She cried out between her clenched teeth and kicked and squirmed over the surprisingly firm grip of her friend Davey Chance.

When Davey stopped spanking, it took Zoë a moment to notice. He was rubbing her warm backside gently. Zoë began to stand, but Davey put a hand in the middle of her back.

“Not yet,” he said. Then he took up the switch and Zoë lay back down with a sound half way between a slight and sob.

The first spank with the switch landed just above Zoë’s knees. The next was half an inch higher. Davey moved the switching up Zoë’s legs in this manner, waiting long enough for Zoë to stop squirming after each stroke. When he reached the top of Zoë’s bottom, he dropped the switch and gently began to rub her backside again, to ease the pain. After a minute of crying, Zoë got to her feet, her pink dress falling into place. She hugged Davey and he hugged her back, his own face just as damp as hers. He continued to gently rub her bottom and she let him.

Zoë felt all her guilt had been purged, could sense the Autumn spirits enjoying their gifts on her balcony and knew they approved and were impressed.

“Thank you Davey,” she whispered, and kissed his cheek.

A couple of minutes later, the two of them rejoined the party, hand in hand. None of their four tormenters were anywhere to be seen.

They grinned at each other and shared another kiss. Faintly, they heard giggling on the wind.

“What was that?” Davey asked.

“That,” Zoë’s voice was slightly raspy from her crying, “was Autumn’s approval.”