The air in the converted gymnasium was thick with the stench of sweat and fear. Mrs. Kovalenko, a sinewy woman with a permanent scowl, stood at the front, a wooden paddle resting on her hip. Twenty boys, aged sixteen, stood in a rough line, their uniforms suddenly feeling like a flimsy fortress.

"You all know the new ruling," she barked. "Stoicism. Service. You will learn to endure. And good marks mean fewer strikes. Misbehave, and you'll be ringing like a church bell."

Andrej, a lanky brunet at the end, felt his stomach churn. Two girls, Oksana and Daria, leaned against the wall, smirking. They were the designated observers, a part of the "education process."

"Alright, strip! Everything off," Mrs. Kovalenko growled.

"No way!" another boy, Maksim, yelled. "You can't make us!"

A wave of defiance rippled through the line, but it was weak, confused. Andrei himself was rooted to the spot, his hands frozen on the button of his jeans. His cock was a tiny knot of shame in his briefs.

Mrs. Kovalenko moved like a snake. With a few swift strides, she grabbed Maksim's ear and twisted. He yelped, and she used his moment of surprise to tear his shirt down, then his pants, leaving him in just his boxers. With another sharp yank, those went too. His small, goose-pimpled nuts swung low, tight against his body. Oksana let out a low, appreciative whistle. Maksim's pale face flushed crimson as