Back to Chapter 36
Chapter 37 � Pledge Erin
The Friday following her harrowing adventure with Heather, Lisa returned
to her job and faced Dr. Burnside�s questions about what had happened to
her the day before. As always, Lisa had to strip while in the
professor�s office, hang up her clothes, lock the wardrobe, and hand
over the key. Before sitting down the student had to present her
backside to satisfy Burnside�s curiosity concerning how badly she was
marked up. However, the professor was surprisingly sympathetic and Lisa
found that talking about her experience with her mentor helped her
tremendously.
Lisa noted an interesting detail about the older woman�s reaction to
what had happened with Heather. The professor seemed irritated with
herself, because she had liked Heather and had a very positive
impression of her from the few times they interacted. Burnside
considered herself a good judge of character, but for once she had been
wrong about someone. Lisa pointed out:
�She didn�t start out that way, Dr. Burnside. To be honest, at the
beginning of the summer I didn�t see much difference between her and
Tracy. I mean, they worked together just fine when we first started
pledging. I think what happened was that the sorority presidency went to
Heather�s head, and she began to get stressed out and desperate about
it. What was ironic was that if she hadn�t done anything and just
relaxed and not fought with anyone, she would have been elected, because
President Alexandra wanted her. But, the more she obsessed about the
presidency, the more she started doing stuff that made everyone think
she shouldn�t ought to get it. I think over the summer she changed, and
that's why people started opposing her.�
With that Lisa returned to her normal duties of grading papers and
finishing up her own research projects. She was quite happy to be
returning to her routine after all the trauma of the preceding two days.
Later in the afternoon Burnside asked Lisa to retrieve some files from
the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet. Lisa deliberately turned her back
to the professor and completely bent over as she pulled out the papers,
lewdly exposing herself and momentarily unsettling her mentor�s normally
calm demeanor. Lisa never tired of shamelessly flirting with Dr.
Burnside and causing her to get flustered.
----------
The Saturday morning after Brittany�s rescue, Tracy and Shannon paid a
visit to her sorority to pick up her things. Shannon was very nervous,
because it was clear that Tracy wanted to continue the brawl from two
days before. She was wearing a sweatsuit and a pair of steel-toed Army
jump-boots, which would do real damage to anyone on the receiving end of
a kick. Tracy commented:
�I wish I would�ve had these boots on two days ago. That would�ve taught
those bitches never to fuck with us.�
Shannon followed Tracy to the rival sorority, carrying the letter
authorizing Tracy to pick up Brittany�s things. She desperately hoped
the rival women might be reasonable and simply hand over Brittany�s
items without a fight.
Tracy pounded on the door, only to have it opened by a very nervous
hung-over freshman. Tracy realized the girl must have been another
pledge, because she had a black eye and her hair was tangled with
adhesive from duct-tape. Tracy and Shannon realized the pledge was alone
in the house. Obviously the fight the Pledge Mistress was expecting
wasn�t going to happen, because there was no way this girl was going to
cause her any trouble. What happened instead was something neither of
the Four-Beta�s could have expected. The young woman asked:
�Is Brittany gonna join your sorority?�
�She might. Depends on her grades.�
�But, she�s like, uh�gonna stay with you?�
�Yeah, she's gonna stay with us. That�s why we need to pick up her
stuff.�
Suddenly the girl became much more nervous. She took a deep breath and
blurted out:
�If I�like�uh�you know�bring her stuff out�I mean, like�could I go too?�
�Go too? You mean...�
�Yeah, like�you know�go with Brittany?�
�So�what you�re telling me�is that you want to go to the Four-Beta
house?�
The pledge nodded.
�You�re absolutely sure about this? You�re sure you know what you�re
doing?�
The pledge nodded again.
�OK, that�s fine with me. Get your things, and don�t forget about
Brittany�s stuff.�
The pledge ran back into the house. A minute later she deposited several
pillowcases full of clothing and textbooks at the front door and ran
back in. Thirty seconds later she came back out, loaded down with a
large suitcase and two trash bags full of more clothing and various
items. The Four-Beta officers picked up the bags and departed with a
frightened young woman who had not even introduced herself.
The freshman hurried along the sidewalk at such a quick pace that her
two companions had to rush to keep up with her. Once the group went
around a corner the pledge slowed down slightly.
"I...is Brittany at the Four-Beta house...I mean like...right now?"
"Yes, she's there. Now, can I ask you something?"
The girl nervously nodded.
"I think that, since you're gonna be staying with us, it might be a good
idea if we introduce ourselves. My name's Tracy, and this is Shannon."
Tracy put down the trash bag she was carrying and extended her hand.
�I�m Erin.�
There was no further conversation, because it was obvious that the only
thing on Erin�s mind was getting off the street. The fact that she had a
black eye partially explained why she was such a nervous wreck. Tracy
had plenty of questions, but those could be answered once Erin was
safely accommodated in the Four-Beta house, reunited with Brittany, and
had a chance to calm down.
----------
Brittany was in the sorority library when the group returned to the
Four-Beta house. Tracy took Erin to see Brittany immediately, because
the girl appeared a bit unstable and already seemed to be questioning
whether or not she had made the right decision by fleeing her sorority.
The two freshmen were elated at seeing each other in their new
environment. In just two days Brittany�s appearance had improved
tremendously, which helped Erin calm down considerably.
Tracy ordered the two guests to follow her downstairs and put away their
things. Brittany then had to return to the library and continue working
on her assignment, while Erin was ordered to clean up and issued the
same outfit Brittany had on. Tracy then ordered Erin to report to the
kitchen to have breakfast.
Like Brittany before her, Erin peeked out the window and was shocked to
see about 20 women relaxing or exercising around the pool, all of them
totally naked. In the backyard�s grassy area the current group of
pledges were performing drills to prepare for the volleyball
tournaments. The tallest girl in the group had a splint on her hand, but
otherwise the Four-Beta pledges were in excellent shape.
After breakfast, Tracy formally presented Erin to President Alexandra
and the sorority�s social director. Like Brittany before her, Erin
signed a letter printed on Four-Beta letterhead announcing her
resignation from her current sorority. Alexandra explained to Erin her
guest status and emphasized that over the next three weeks she needed to
focus on a single goal in life, passing her summer university classes.
----------
Once both newcomers were accommodated with their books in the sorority
library, Tracy took off her clothes and went into the back yard to
retrieve Lisa. She explained that a second pledge had defected from her
sorority, and then explained what she needed from Lisa:
�It�s very important that we get those two signed on as formal pledges
in the fall, for a whole bunch of reasons. First of all, they�re dead
meat as far as the other sororities are concerned, and I�m not just
talking about the one they were pledging. They�re gonna be looked at as
total traitors to their sorority sisters and everyone�s gonna be out to
get �em. It doesn�t matter to the other sororities that Brittany nearly
got killed and Erin�s got a black eye. None of that matters to anyone
except us in the Four-Beta directorate. If those two girls want to have
any hope of staying enrolled at the university and not get beat up, the
only way they can do it is by staying with us.�
�There�s something else. I want to see that sorority shut down. I
totally hate what they�re doing to their members and now there�s finally
a chance it might stop. The arrests of their officers might help, but I
think losing two pledges will be a real nice humiliation and hopefully
demoralize them even more. On top of that, the cops are gonna need
Brittany�s testimony, and now we�ve got Erin, too. If we can keep
Brittany and Erin safe until those bitches get investigated and the shit
they�ve pulled gets documented, they�re gonna be fucked. And that�s what
I want, for that sorority to be totally fucked.�
With that, Tracy gave Lisa an ironic smile and continued:
�So, Pledge Lisa, I�ve got a question for you. Since you�ve got
Shannon�s study group to deal with, passing your Four-Beta panel
interview to deal with, your personal shit to deal with, Dr. Burnside to
deal with, a volleyball tournament to deal with, and your finals to deal
with, how�d you like another thing on your plate? You up for another
responsibility?�
�Sure, why not? What is it?�
�I want you in charge of getting Brittany and Erin ready to pledge. Not
just with their academics, but also preparing them psychologically. And
physically. Elaine was gonna work on Brittany�s remedial PT and
studying, but, as far as I�m concerned, training pledges is not her job.
I�m delegating that job to you. Remedial PT, academics, orientation.
Work up a training schedule and we�ll go over it this afternoon.�
�Alright. You got it. Is it OK if I see the training schedule you used
with us so I can have a go-by?�
Tracy handed Lisa a book titled �Official Four-Beta Sorority Pledge
Mistress Trainer�s Guide�.
�Here�s your go-by. It�s the same one I used.�
As she thumbed through three chapters titled �Pledge pre-orientation�,
�Pledge time management�, and �Non-traditional pledges�, Lisa realized
that Tracy already was acting like the new chapter president,
confidently delegating tasks to people she trusted to �get things done�.
Both Tracy and Lisa knew if anyone could transform Brittany and Erin
from disoriented, frightened guests into Four-Beta pledges, that person
would be Lisa.
----------
Lisa began her new duty by calling a meeting of her three fellow pledges
and explaining the situations of Brittany and Erin. Then she added:
�If you think about it, things with us are starting to wind down,
because we�re pretty much done with pledging. We�ve already got two of
the recruits who�ll be coming in with the fall group, and that means
we�re no longer at the bottom of the Totem pole around here.�
Lisa continued:
�I�ve got my first tasking as a full member of the Four-Betas. Brittany
and Erin are gonna be fucked if their grades keep them from pledging, so
it�s our job to make sure they pass their classes. I want each one of
you to spend some time helping them get caught up, but also getting to
know them. Once they swear-in, you�re all gonna be part of the same
freshman class, so you might as well make them feel welcome and make
friends with them.�
Lisa them moved on to a totally different issue, her own role in the
current pledge group:
�Once we swear in, you three are gonna be the core of the freshman
class. I�ll be with the sophomores and I�ve already told Elaine that
I�ll support her as class leader. That means, right now, I think you
ought to decide among yourselves who�s gonna be your group leader.�
Cherine raised her hand:
�I think it ought to be Bernadette.�
Lisa turned to Kathleen:
�Are you OK with that?�
�That�s fine with me.�
�OK, then Bernadette it is.�
A few minutes later Lisa and Bernadette knelt in front of Pledge
Mistress Tracy, to formally announce that Bernadette had been elected
freshman class leader, pending swearing in. Now Bernadette was
officially the leader of the pledge group and answered directly to
Tracy, leaving Lisa free to deal with Brittany and Erin.
----------
After she talked to her group mates, Lisa went to the library to talk to
the two guests alone. She entered the room completely naked and was
about to talk to two women who still were dressed, but that detail did
not bother her in the least. Being naked was an important part of Lisa�s
identity, and the people around her would just have to get used to that.
In spite of her lack of covering, she exuded confidence and authority as
she addressed the two newcomers and ordered them to stand. She
introduced herself to Erin and explained that she was in charge of the
two newcomers� affairs until they formally became pledges. Then she
handed a copy of the pledge manual to Brittany and ordered her to read:
�Chapter 1, section 14 - a pledge will automatically assume a position
of submission and respect whenever addressing an officer of the
Sorority. The position of submission and respect will be determined at
the beginning of each semester by the Chapter President. However, as
needed, an officer of the Sorority, with the concurrence of the Chapter
President, may require pledges to assume a position of submission and
respect differing from the pledge position normally required in the
sorority house.�
�Prospects Brittany and Erin, because I am delegated to help you get
ready to pledge, I expect you to stand at attention whenever I talk to
you. Do you understand me?�
�Yeah�OK��
�No, that�s not how you say it. It�ll be �yes, Pledge Lisa�. Do you
understand me?�
�Yes, Pledge Lisa.�
�The �position of submission and respect� will change once you two
formally start pledging, but so will a bunch of other things in your
lives. For one thing, you�ll be answering to the Four-Beta Pledge
Mistress, once she gets elected. I don�t know who that�s gonna be, but
it won�t be Pledge Mistress Tracy, because in a couple of weeks she�ll
be chapter president. But, whoever the Pledge Mistress is, you�re gonna
have to show her total respect, just like my group is doing with Pledge
Mistress Tracy now. You follow me?�
�Yes, Pledge Lisa.�
�The reason that�s important is because we do things differently than
your old sorority. The only person a Four-Beta pledge really needs to
worry about is the Pledge Mistress. We have a clear chain of command and
everything you�ll be doing will be tied to your training. We won�t be
having you do a bunch of stupid irrelevant shit. For example, you won�t
have a senior waking you up in the middle of the night to get her a
candy bar. We don�t do things that way.�
Strutting in exactly the same manner Tracy strutted, Lisa continued:
�That�s not to say you won�t have a rough fall. You will, but it�s gonna
be different from what you guys were doing over the summer. Everything
you do here will have a purpose, and you�ll always understand that
purpose. Your lives will focus on studying, physical fitness,
self-improvement, Four-Beta training, and sexual knowledge, in that
order. You won�t be allowed to have any alcohol, but that�s not to say
you won�t have fun. Play the game by our rules, and I guarantee you�ll
have plenty of fun along with the hard work. You don�t have to make
yourself sick on booze to have fun.�
Lisa then addressed an issue on the minds of both her listeners, noting
that every so often they glanced at the bruises on her bare bottom.
�I know that you�re wondering about physical punishment. Do we have it?
Yes we do, and it�s an important part of pledge discipline. However,
only the Pledge Mistress or Sergeant-at-Arms can administer a
punishment; and the only place you�ll ever get punished is on your butt.
Around here�s no such thing as getting hit in the face, like what
happened to you�� Lisa pointed at Erin�s black eye.
With that Lisa held up the Pledge Mistress manual:
�Everything that goes on in your lives is written down in this book. If
you ever have a question about something that I (or your Pledge Mistress
in the fall) want you to do, you have the right to ask why, and to ask
where it�s written down. If you don�t like my answer, you can talk to
Pledge Mistress Tracy or President Alexandra. You understand that?
�Yes, Pledge Lisa.�
�If I don�t follow what�s in this manual, I can get booted from the
sorority. That just happened to one of our officers. She didn�t follow
the pledge manual, abused her authority, and is no longer with us.�
Lisa pointed at the textbooks laid out on the library table.
�That�s gonna be your purpose in life. You�ve got to pass your classes.
We�ll tutor you, help you get caught up on your assignments, and you�ll
pass. I bet last Wednesday you didn�t think you were gonna pass the
semester, did you?�
�No, Pledge Lisa, we��
�Well, things in life change, don�t they? You�ll bust your asses and
you�ll pass, but then in the fall you�ll have to work on bringing your
grade point average up. Now, what questions do you have from me? Don�t
forget, the only stupid question is the one you don�t ask��
A few minutes later Brittany and Erin were seated with Kathleen, working
on essays that should have been turned in two weeks before. Oh well,
better late than never.
Meanwhile, Lisa wrote the first entry in the sorority training-log for
the fall semester:
July 23 - 4:20 p.m. Pledge Lisa Campbell was placed in charge of the
initial orientation of Pledge Prospect Brittany and Pledge Prospect Erin
at the request of Four-Beta Pledge Mistress Tracy. Following the
appointment, Pledge Lisa formally introduced herself and discussed
Four-Beta expectations of both pledge prospects over the next three
weeks. Topics covered included protocol between pledges and the
trainer/Pledge Mistress, introduction to the Pledge Manual, a brief
overview of Four-Beta training goals and philosophy, chain of command,
physical discipline, and grievance protocol. Purpose of introduction was
to emphasize the structured nature of Four-Beta training and contrast it
with their former sorority. The above topics were covered superficially,
but will be further developed throughout orientation.
Both pledge prospects appeared willing to accept the protocol of the
Four-Beta pledge program, which presumably is much more structured and
clearly defined than training protocol in their former sorority.
Questions asked by the pledge prospects following the introduction
included: sleeping arrangements for pledges, contact with parents, how
many freshmen typically pledge in the fall and the dropout rate, and the
nature of the Four-Beta Sorority�s relationship with the Tri-Alpha
Fraternity.
Both pledge prospects understood the urgency of their academic situation
and accepted the need to pursue an intense study schedule over the next
two weeks. Assisting the pledge prospects with academic mentoring will
be Pledge Bernadette, Pledge Cherine, and Pledge Kathleen.
Remedial PT will include 10-minute exercise and stretching breaks every
hour to counter fatigue from studying. Neither pledge prospect is able
to perform 10 pushups non-stop, nor run more than 5 minutes before
becoming seriously exhausted. Both pledge prospects are over-weight by
approximately 15 pounds each and have limited flexibility in their
muscles. Remedial PT will include stretching, with the goal of preparing
their bodies for more intense exercising by the beginning of August.
Trainer�s assessment: Pledge Prospect Brittany and Pledge Prospect Erin
both appear to have above average intelligence and outgoing
personalities. However they will require counseling to counteract
alcohol abuse, sleep deprivation, extreme stress, and possible feelings
of guilt resulting from changing sororities. Their personal relationship
appears mutually supportive and should be a positive factor in their
adjustment to the Four-Beta Sorority.
Note: Pledge Lisa decided that the �position of submission and respect�
for the pledge prospects will consist of standing upright at attention,
because Pledge Lisa has not yet sworn in as a full member of the
Four-Beta sorority. Upon swearing in as a member-in-full-standing,
Pledge Lisa will require Pledge Prospect Brittany and Pledge Prospect
Erin to kneel when addressing her, in accordance with Chapter 1, section
14 of the Four-Beta Pledge Manual.
Trainer�s recommendation: Pledge Lisa recommends that both pledge
prospects be allowed to use the pool immediately as part of their
remedial PT, and not have to wait until becoming formal pledges.
Later that night Pledge Mistress Tracy added her own comments:
July 23 - 10:30 p.m. Pledge Lisa�s request concerning use of the pool
approved by chapter president. Pledge Prospect Brittany and Pledge
Prospect Erin will be allowed to use the pool at Pledge Lisa�s
discretion, provided they are under escort and properly undressed before
entering the pool area.
----------
The pressure of life in the Four-Beta Sorority did not let up as July
drew to a close, in spite of Tracy�s promise of �light at the end of the
tunnel�. The exhortation to study and perform well academically was more
intense than ever, as was the final portion of the Four-Beta training in
the evenings. The pledges had to study the sorority�s rules, by-laws,
and chapter history to prepare themselves for a written examination and
the final panel interview.
Of the four pledges, Kathleen by far surpassed the others in mastering
the Four-Beta material, because her mind was suited for that type of
learning. By the end of July not only did she know the sorority�s rules
and history; she could actually recite them from memory.
Tracy continued to be stressed about the upcoming volleyball tournaments
and worried that the sorority might not match its performance from the
year before. As a result, the pledges spent endless hours in the back
yard practicing with the juniors. Unfortunately Lisa had to sit out a
week of volleyball practice while she waited for her hand to heal and
the splint to come off. Instead, Tracy had her perform exercises
designed to help her get ready to train, with the hope that once Lisa�s
splint came off, she could get caught up.
----------
On top of their own studies, the four pledges took turns helping
Brittany and Erin get caught up in their studies. Fortunately, it turned
out that Erin shared two classes with Bernadette, Cherine, and Kathleen,
so much of what they did with her directly related to their own
coursework. Over the next week the two pledge prospects progressed with
their assignments, while Alexandra sweet-talked the professors into
accepting various papers way past their due dates.
By the beginning of August, the physical appearance of Brittany and Erin
had changed dramatically. Erin had to cut her hair to remove the
adhesive from the duct tape, and both newcomers dyed their hair back to
its natural color. As customary for pledges of the Four-Beta sorority,
they quit wearing makeup, jewelry, and nail polish. After just a few
days of exercise, plenty of sleep, and healthy food, their health had
improved tremendously. Already they were beginning to slim down as their
bodies became more toned and the flabbiness from their drinking receded.
Their formally vacant expressions vanished, replaced by the determined
look of knowing that their lives depended on whether or not they could
salvage the semester.
The two newcomers were more fortunate than Lisa�s pledge group in on
aspect; they had time to gradually get used to the naked lifestyle of
the Four-Beta Sorority. Lisa took them into the swimming pool as a
reward for completing assignments and, of course they were required to
swim naked. The first time skinny-dipping was very difficult, especially
for Erin, but the second outing to the pool was much easier. Within a
week both pledge recruits had become accustomed to swimming naked and
were starting to enjoy it. From skinny-dipping Brittany and Erin
progressed to exercising naked whenever they were in the yard. Over time
Lisa patiently expanded the amount of time her two charges were
separated from their clothing, easing them into their upcoming life of
continuous nudity as pledges.
----------
The arrival of Brittany and Erin forced President Alexandra to quit
dwelling on the scandal over Heather and blaming herself for the
mistreatment of Pledge Lisa. Instead, she would spend the month of
August dealing with the final important fight of her presidency. The
Friday following Erin�s flight to the Four-Beta House, the sorority was
served with an official complaint, signed by most of the university�s
other sorority presidents, accusing the Four-Betas of �pledge stealing�.
The offense the other sororities were accusing the Four-Betas of
committing was a serious violation of sorority protocol. The various
sororities had an understanding that under no circumstances were they to
attempt to recruit each other�s pledges. On the surface, the Four-Betas
clearly had violated that agreement by taking in Brittany and Erin.
The story, as circulated by the Four-Betas� rivals, was that Tracy and
Shannon had deliberately provoked the members of the rival sorority into
a fight to get them arrested, with the premeditated purpose of stealing
pledges. Along with the complaint was a petition from the other sorority
officers demanding that the Four-Betas to drop all assault charges
against their rivals, and another document demanding that Brittany and
Erin be forced to leave the Four-Beta house and return to their original
sorority.
Alexandra showed up at the presidents� meeting to acknowledge the
grievance, but had no intention of complying with either demand. She
began by noting that Tracy and Shannon had been attacked and were merely
defending themselves. There was no denying that fact, because the police
report clearly backed the Four-Betas� version of the incident. She
emphasized her point by passing out copies of the report. As for the
fight itself, if the other women got beat up because they were drunk and
out of shape�well, whose fault was that?
As for Brittany and Erin, they were at the Four-Beta house not because
they had been lured by anyone, but because they chose to go there. They
were just starting to regain their health, restore their grades, and put
their lives back together. The Four-Beta president flatly rejected any
demands to give up Brittany and Erin, no matter what anyone else said or
threatened. She knew that in doing so she was about to unleash a fight
between the Four-Betas and the other sororities, but so what? It
wouldn�t be the first time, nor the last.
The other sorority leaders were infuriated upon hearing to Alexandra�s
unapologetic defiance concerning the Four-Beta Sorority�s vile acts of
entrapment and pledge stealing. However, the rival officers were smart
enough to realize that taking their complaints to the media would not be
a good idea. Already pledging scandals were beginning to make the news,
even before the fall semester had started. Going any further with a
formal complaint probably would be counter-productive, given that
already the police and the university had become very interested in the
dangerous hazing practices and underage drinking going on at Brittany�s
sorority. Unfortunately, the drunken interview from the senior in
Brittany�s old sorority, especially when contrasted with President
Alexandra�s courteous thoughtful comments, certainly did nothing to
strengthen the position of the Four-Betas� rivals in the eyes of
journalists covering the story.
No. The other sororities would have to come up with something else,
something that wouldn�t involve normal grievance procedures, but instead
totally humiliate the residents of the Four-Beta House. That night
several of Alexandra�s counterparts lay awake, each restlessly pondering
what could be done to embarrass the rogue sorority.
One woman hit upon an idea that seemed perfect. The �sex bitches� liked
being naked so much�OK, let�s make them go public with that. Put �em on
display for the whole world to see.
The university-wide sorority volleyball tournament was coming up�a few
small changes in the rules�and we�ll give the Four-Betas plenty of
exposure�a lot more than even they can handle�
The Pledge Mistress - Chapter 38
