Free The Mortification of Isabel by Lindsay Ross

convey this need to them without incurring their wrath.
    Trying to remember what dogs do, I circled and sniffed the floor, whimpering slightly.
    “The bitch needs to pee again,” said John.
    “Well, it’s progress if she tells us when she needs to go,” said Margaret.
    “Put the sawdust and newspapers we brought in the corner as her designated toilet area,” John instructed her.
    When the area was prepared, John attached the leash to my collar and took me there, with a sharp tug on the lead.
    Now I had the embarrassment of squatting down in front of him to urinate and it took me some moments to start.”
    “Now bitch Bella won’t perform.” John said impatiently. “Pass me the cane,” he roared at Margaret.
    “Give her time,” Margaret said but obeyed his order instantly.
    John brought the stick down hard across my thighs as I crouched and I yelped with pain. This put me off even more and I could produce only a dribble at first. Finally I managed a normal stream. The act of peeing made me want to defecate as well and to my shame I dropped two stools on the sawdust.
    “Disgusting animal,” said John screwing up his face and I resented him deeply for making me feel dirty and ashamed. However, I knew I must show total obedience whatever order I received otherwise the cane would be used without mercy. I remembered that Mr. Povey had not only given John licence to flog me but had actually encouraged it with his last words before leaving the chamber.
    John began my training by requiring me to walk at heel as he perambulated rapidly round the whole floor area, yanking my leash if I strayed even a few inches or was slow to keep up. Not only did I feel the sharp pull on my neck but I received strokes of the cane across my rump as I walked on all fours.
    Margaret said, “Good dog,” on more than one occasion but when she took over from John she used the cane just as much. I was still unsure whether she was cruel to me because she enjoyed it or because she was under duress as she had claimed. If it was an act for her John’s benefit she was very convincing.
    Needless to say the training was strenuous and painful for me even without blows from the cane; my bare knees were becoming very sore and my breathing was laboured. Crawling at speed is very exhausting and I was soon breaking out in a sweat but we continued to circle the paved floor relentlessly. When they became fatigued one took over from the other but I had no opportunity to rest. They broke into a trot from time to time and I struggled to keep up. Then I accidentally lost my forward momentum and fell full length on my belly.
    John took this opportunity to cane me brutally as I lay spread-eagled and helpless at his booted feet. After a time the beating was so intense that I got on my knees, fending off the blows with my hands, and turned to clasp his leg and beg for mercy feeling the soft leather of his boots against my skin. His response was to kick me away and use his boot to exert pressure on the back of my neck until I was flat on my stomach once again.
    John was furious that I had spoken, pointing out that he didn’t expect to hear a dog use language and I was thrashed again.
    “If you wish to tell us anything you must communicate as a dog would,” he ordered.
    Next, I was held by Margaret and had to run to John on the command “Come!” They expected me to be lightning fast in moving between the two of them and if I wasn’t off the mark immediately the cane came into play again. On the command, “Sit!” I had to kneel resting on my haunches and raise my arms in a begging position with my wrists limp and I had to lie flat on the command “Down!”
     
    ***
     
    John and Margaret continued my training for some days before they turned their attention to my appearance. One morning they came with razor and soap and informed me I was to have all my body hair removed.
    They employed another of their devices suspended from the ceiling which involved my