Family Time

It's a lovely sunny day outside - I can see the birds landing on the bird table, pecking away at the special cakes Granny and I put out for them yesterday, and the cat from next door has decided to lie down on the table. Any other day, I'd want to be out there, lying on the grass as well. But not today, not dressed the way I am - and besides, I'm having much more fun in here with Mum, Granny and Jenny.

Turning round, I can see them at the far side of the room. Jenny’s kneeling down, the skirt of her dress covering her legs as she rests her head on the couch, while Mum is sitting next to her. Granny's in the big chair in the corner, nodding as she looks at me and I start to make my way back over.

It's wonderful that we're all here, and that Mum is finally happy to play along with us. It's a lot better now that we can all play my favourite games. And it wouldn't have been possible without Dad walking in a week or so back...

********

It was a warm afternoon, and Granny was working downstairs while Suzie and I played in my bedroom. I had met Suzie a few weeks ago at her granny's big house, and we had hit it off instantly. I even found out she liked been tied up and gagged as well - especially when the man who called himself Mister Small came and made us all happy. Her granny had suggested she came and visited me once a week and this was the second time she had come.

Her cousin Alicia, and her American friend, Heidi, had also come, but they had gone into town with Jenny and Mum to pick up some new clothes. We were going to my Aunt Connie's wedding, and both Jenny and I were going to be the bridesmaids. Mum also wanted to pick up some new things for herself, so Suzie and I had stayed at home.

We were talking about some of the things that she and Alicia had been doing since that day with Heidi. It turns out that Heidi is something of an expert in tying up, and she had been helping Alicia. I'm glad of that - she may have joined in the games, but she never looked that happy.

"... and so she's been practising on me," Suzie said with a smile. She was wearing a blue gingham sundress, that came to her knees and had short sleeves, and a matching scarf folded into a triangle and tied over her red hair. I had on, for some reason, my yellow sun dress, and we both had white socks and deck shoes on.

"Is she as good as the man?"

"No," Suzie said as she looked at her feet, "She's not even as good as you yet."

Suzie was sitting in my chair, smiling as I tied the ends of the ropes that were secured round her ankles to the front leg. Her legs were also tied together, below her knees, and I'd used a length of my rope to tie her waist to the back of the chair, and her tummy as well. I'd also put a pair of socks on her hands and tied them together, wrists crossed, behind the back of the chair, then tied that down to the back. I thought I'd done a very good job.

"It's not as if we can play wriggly worms," I said as I stood up, "but you did say you wanted to try this."

"No problem - I think it's great," Suzie said with a smile as she tried to pull her arms free. "So what next?"

"How silent do you want to be?"

Suzie thought for a moment, and then said "Can we do what they did to you when they stayed the night? I want to know what that feels like." I had to think for a minute - I wanted to be quiet as well before I started - but then said "All right" and went to get what I needed from our suitcase.

I came back with a pair of Jenny's old handkerchiefs, folded into a neat pad. "Ready," I said as I put them down on Suzie's lap, and then pulled my own hair back in a pigtail.

"Ready," she said as I pushed the first of the pads into her mouth, and then pushed the other into mine. "Whtssnxt," Suzie said, and in reply I took the two length of towelling, which had been washed by granny, and showed her the knot that had been tied in the middle. As she opened her mouth again, I pushed the knot of cotton in and took the ends behind her head, tying them tightly together at the base of her neck before pulling her scarf down so that it covered not just her hair, but the back of her neck as well. After the brown fabric stuff, Granny had explained how tape can damage hair, so I wanted to protect Suzie too.

I tied the second band in my own mouth, and then showed Suzie the grey tape, the ripping sound it made as I pulled the end from the roll making her eyes open wide. I wrapped it round my head first, making sure I didn’t trap my hair if possible, until I looked at my best friend over the grey covering.

"Dttt," Suzie mumbled, and I tore the tape free again, wrapping it round her mouth and neck, keeping it over the scarf as I did so. By the time I had finished, she looked like a funny drawing - her red fringe of hair sticking out from the blue and white checked band, and then the silver all round her lower face.

"Tttlmfthrts," I said, but Suzie just nodded. She had already told me how Heidi had taught her how to breath when gagged tightly, and I could hear her practising it. So I sat down, took some ropes and tied my own ankles together, and then my legs below my knees. Taking a coil of the rope, I passed it over my head and pulled my arms together with my body, before reaching down and tying the ends round my legs as well. Jenny and I had been reading some books, and had learned that this was one way we could tie ourselves up.

I heard the front door open, but thought it was just Granny talking to someone, as I picked up the pair of toy handcuffs Jenny had bought last Saturday. My plan was to clamp them over my wrists, and then we could try and wait for Granny to come up. It sounded like a good plan.

What's that saying Dad talks about each January - "The best laid plans of mice and men attics gnome algae" or something? Well, as I heard Dad say "I'm just going to look in on the girls, Mum," and saw the door handle turn, I had a horrible sinking feeling. That feeling only worsened when the door opened and Dad came in, saying "How are you and Suzie getting along, popppp....."

He looked at me, then at Suzie, and I knew I was busted.

“What did you say, John, I was...” Granny appeared behind him in the doorway, and as she looked at me I knew I had some serious explaining to do. I mumbled something like “hlllddeee” and tried to smile at him - well, I couldn’t really, but I hoped he knew I was happy.

“Errr... “He stammered as he looked at us. “Is there something you want to tell me, Cassie?”

“I think we need to untie the girls, John,” Granny said as she took the handcuffs off me and put them on the bed. “Then we can all go downstairs, and have a chat.”

********

Fifteen minutes later, we were sat round the kitchen table as Granny gave Dad a cup of hot coffee. Suzie and I looked suitably sheepish, as we drank our glasses of squash.

“Did this start when those men stayed the night with you, Mum and April,” Dad eventually said. “I mean, I know you coped so well with what happened, but...”

Granny looked at me, nodding and smiling at the same time. So I swallowed very hard and said “No Daddy - Jenny and I have been playing these games since before Christmas. You see, we wanted to know what it was like to be the girl in the cartoon, so we tried some things, and then those two men came after school that day, and then...”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Dad said as he put his cup down. “Take a deep breath, Cassie - I’m not mad at you. I just want to know why you did what you did to Suzie here.”

“Because I asked her to,” Suzie said in a quiet voice, adding “Mister Craig” afterwards.

“You asked her to? So let me get this straight - you and your sister play tie-up games, you play them with other friends, and you did not tell me or your mother? Mum, when did you find out about this?”

“Oh, a couple of days after I came,” Granny said with a smile. “I found their stash of things, but I very quickly realised that was how they had coped all three times...”

“Three times?”

Now Granny looked embarrassed, as Suzie said “Cassie and Jenny were tied up with us when the two nice men came and took stuff from Granny Lucinda’s house.”

“Oh boy,” Dad said as he sat back, and then something very strange happened. He started smiling, then said to Granny “Is there something in our genes, do you think?”

“I’m not sure,” Granny said back as we both looked at them, “Maybe we should ask Connie.”

“Aunt Connie? Why, was she tied up by robbers too?”

“No, Cassandra,” Granny said as she looked at me, “She was tied up by your father.”

I stared, wide eyed, at Dad over the table.

"You... You tied up Aunt Connie? When?"

"When she and I were much younger," Dad said with a smile, "and it wasn't just Aunt Connie, was it mum?"

He looked at Granny as he said this, and she smiled and nodded at the same time. I could not believe this, and Suzie couldn't either. I know, because she nudged me and said "Has he ever tied you up?"

"No," I said quietly, "but I want to know what he did. Daddy, how did you tie Aunt Connie and Granny up?"

"Oh, in a variety of ways, but it was always, always as a game. We never, as far as I know, were bound and gagged by robbers the way you and your Mum were."

"What about Mummy - have you ever tied her up?"

"None of your business poppet," he said as he looked at me. "Anyway, I never thought of tying you or Jenny up - for one thing, you're my daughters, not my sister, and for another thing they never got out when I did it to them. That can be a scary thing, you know."

"But that's one of the best bits of the game - not been able to get out or talk. Isn't that right, Suzie?"

"I think so too," Suzie said as she picked up her glass and took a drink.

"There must be something in this family that makes us slightly crazy," Dad said as he leaned back in the chair. "Look, so long as you and Jenny keep it quiet, and you don't actually hurt each other, then you can play the games. I do have one request, however."

"What's that Daddy?"

"If you are going to wrap tape round the head, for goodness sake put something over your hair. There was one time I did not do that with your Aunt Connie, we trapped her hair, and..."

"... and she had to have a very short hairstyle for a few weeks," Granny said with a laugh. My Aunt Connie has long, shiny blonde hair that she is very proud of, so I had to think for a minute what she would look like if her hair was cut short. "John, we should be grateful they were used to been as they were those times - do you think they would have coped as well if they were not?"

Dad thought for a moment, before saying "I guess not. So, do you promise that, Cassie?"

"I promise Daddy, but will you do something for me?"

"What's that, poppet?"

"Show me and Suzie how you tied up Granny and Aunt Connie - I don't believe you can tie us up so we can’t get free."

Dad looked at both of us, then at Granny before saying "Well, it can't hurt - we'd better go up to your room and you can show me your stash."

"Thanks, daddy," I said as I jumped up, ran over to him and gave him the biggest hug I could. I then grabbed Suzie by the hand and ran up the stairs, as Dad and Gran followed us up. By the time they came into our room, I had opened the suitcase to show him.

"So that's where all my old ties went," Dad said as he looked through our collection. "All right - Cassie, find a pair of winter mittens for you and Suzie, the ones with no fingers."

I found them quickly, a blue and green zigzag pair for me and a pair of plain black ones for Suzie. As we put them on, Granny sat on the bed and watched Dad sort out some of the ropes.

"Right," he said as he held two lengths of rope in his hand, "Cassie, you go first. Come over here please, and turn round with your hands behind your back. I skipped over, turned round and smiled as he bound my wrists tightly together, keeping the rope over the mittens, and then tied to my waist the way I liked it - rope over my dress and cinched behind my back.

"Now you, Suzie," he said as she came over and allowed him to do the same to her. "I can get out of this dead easy," I said as I looked over my shoulder, "you'll need to do better than that Daddy."

"He's not finished," Granny said quietly as Dad tied the rope off around Suzie's waist, and then we looked at each other.

"Right," he then said as he took one of the longer lengths of rope. "Both of you sit down, back to back."

This was new for me, and I wondered what Dad was going to do. Granny helped us both to sit down before Dad took the rope and passed it round our tummies, pulling us both together as I felt Suzie's hands next to mine. After he tied the rope off, he took two short lengths and knelt next to us, tying them round our upper arms where they were next to each other, and passing the cords between them as well.

As he tied the other side, Suzie and I tried moving our arms, and soon found out that he had made sure we could not help each other. Dad then took another long length of rope, and tied it around our arms and upper chests, this time taking the rope round and then between us so that not only could I not move my arms, I could not move without Suzie moving as well.

"Wow - this is fun," I heard Suzie say behind me. I had to agree - this was the first time I'd been tied to someone, and it felt fantastic. I still felt I could get free, mind you - but it would take both of us to do it.

"Right," Dad said as he stood up, "do you still think you can get out?"

"I think we can stand up and run away," I said as I looked up at him. "You haven’t tied our feet yet."

"Just getting to it," he said with a smile as he knelt down, crossed my ankles and tied them tightly together over my socks, and then my legs below my knees. Hr did it the way I like it, with rope around and between my legs, so that I could only try to twist them apart.

"Do you think Her Ladyship would have me sent to prison if she saw this," Dad said as he walked round and did the same thing to Suzie.

"I promise not to tell Granny Lucinda if you don't" Suzie said with a smile.

"Then it's a deal," Dad said as he stood up. "Now, can you get free from the clutches of the nasty robber?"

"I think I can," I said with a smile, "but you forgot something?"

"I did - what did I forget?"

"We can still talk - I want my gag!"

"What, like you had earlier? No - I used to use Elastoplast as a gag."

"Elastoplast - what's that?"

"The stuff you had over your mouth at my friend's house," Granny said quietly, "but we don’t have any - we just have that white stuff."

"It might work," Dad said as he left the room for a minute. When he came back, he had a wide roll of what looked like white tape with him, as well as a couple of small sponges.

"Your Aunt Cassie used to like this," he said as he held the sponge in his hand, "open wide, poppet."

I smiled as I let him put the sponge in. It tasted funny on my tongue, but I kept it in as I watched him tear a strip off the roll and hold it in his hands. "Smile for me," he said, and as I did so I watched as he stretched the tape in his hands and then stuck it over my mouth.

IT felt - FANTASTIC!!! It stuck to me like the brown fabric stuff, as Dad pressed it over my mouth and jaw, but no matter how hard I tried to move it it would not budge. "Thnksmstrsmfff," I heard Suzie say as she got the same treatment, and we both started to giggle as we twisted round and tried to get free, Dad and Granny watching. I wasn’t even bothered that it didn’t go round our heads, not this time.

We were all so engrossed in it that we didn’t hear the door opening, or Jenny coming up to say "Mum met Alicia's grandmother in town, so she's... Dad, what's going on here?"

"Your father is showing Cassandra and Suzanna how he used to play games with me and your Aunt Cassie," Granny said with a smile as I looked up and said "hllljnnee."

She put her bag down and knelt beside Suzie and me, her green skirt covering her knees as she looked at the knots. "You're good, Dad," she eventually said as she stood up, "but how come you never told us you could do this."

"Why did you not tell Mum and me about the games you and Cassie have been playing," he said as he looked at Jenny, and the way it looked it seemed as if he was angry. I knew he wasn’t, he was playing, but Jenny didn't.

"Errr - we were afraid you would not understand?"

"Oh I understand all right," Dad said before he broke out into a smile. "I understand now how you coped that night. Do you know I was worried sick about all three of you the whole time I was forced to do that? I had no idea how you were, what had happened...." He picked up Jenny in a great big bear hug, as she said "Wow - you really aren’t angry are you?"

"No, I'm not angry - but I'm sorry you felt you had to cover this up. What do you think of your dad now?"

"Hssthrgrrttsst," both Suzie and I said as Jenny looked at us again. She slipped off the black cardigan she was wearing, and stood there in her long sleeved swirly top and skirt, before saying "Can you do this to me as well?"

I watched as Dad told her to put on a pair of socks over her hands, and then crossed her wrists behind her back and tied them together, then into her back, and then tied her arms to her side around her tummy. I saw he did the same way the first man that afternoon had done - wrapped the rope round her arms at her elbows, and then round her body and her arms again over the top.

"Lie down on the bed," he said before he crossed and tied her ankles and legs, then rolled her over and gagged her with another sponge and tape as we were. As he did this, Suzie and I were trying to pull the gloves off our hands, but with no luck - even if they were fingered, I don't think we could have pulled them off from under the ropes.

"Well now, Natasha," Dad said as he finally stood up, "what do you think we should do with our prisoners?"

"I think we should torture them to find out what they know, Boris," Granny said. I had no idea why they were calling each other by those names, but I soon found out what they meant by torture, as Dad knelt by Suzie and me and started to tickle our ribs, while Granny took the shoes off Jenny’s feet and started to tickle her as well.

"BMMMMDSSDMDSFDSFMMFFDSSTTPTPLDSKSDFLSDFPLSLSS," we all screamed, but we didn’t want it to stop - my wonderful dad had shown us he was a game player as well, and we were having the time of our lives as Granny and Dad took turns tickling each of us.

"Well somebody’s having fun in...."

I looked to the door to see Mum standing there, her mouth wide opened as she looked at all of us.

"Hllmmmee," I said, "wnttpl?"

I don't know if I can describe the look on Mum's face as she stood there, looking from me and Suzie to Jenny, to dad and then to Granny. Her eyes were wide open, and she seemed to want to say something, but the words just seemed to be refusing to come out.

"I.... I.... John, did the girls ask for this?"

Dad got up and walked over to Mum, taking the bags from her hands and placing them on the floor as he said "Believe it or not, they did Jennifer. Look, why don’t we go downstairs while my mother unties them - I need to tell you what's been happening?"

"All right," Mum said quietly as she looked at us. "Suzie, your granny will be arriving in an hour to collect you." She looked once more at the three of us as Dad took her by the arm and led her out of the room.

"Come on, girls," Granny said as she started to untie the rope holding Suzie and me together, "Let's get you free. I think you should stay up here until Suzie's list arrives, however - Mum and Dad have a few things to talk about."

"Smmngrts?" I mumbled as I felt Suzie move a little away from me.

"NO, I don't think she's angry with you," Granny said as she untied our arms and then the ropes around our waists followed by our wrists, "but you had better untie your own legs while I see to Jenny."

"Hey," Suzie said as she peeled the tape away from her mouth and spat the ball out, "Can I show you something before I go?"

"What?"

"A trick Heidi has shown me - she's been teaching me how to tie as well."

"Really - why?"

"She thinks Alicia is using me as a model too much - not that I mind, but she thinks it may even things out a bit."

********

An hour later, Granny knocked on the door to my room and came in. "Suzie, your car is here and..." She looked at me as I was sitting on the bed, my hands behind my back. Walking round, she saw that I had a pair of long white socks over my hands and up to my arms, with my elbows resting in my hands. Suzie had tied my wrist to the opposite elbow with string, and then my forearms together, cinching the three bands with cords as well.

"That looks comfortable," Granny said with a smile. "We're going to have a family meeting, however, and..."

"Please," I said with my eyes looking at Granny, "Can I stay like this for a little while longer? Mum and Dad know now, so what harm can it do?"

"I'll ask your dad," Granny said as Suzie picked up her cardigan, "so you stay here for a few minutes."

"Suzie!" I shouted out as she went to the door. "Tell Heidi she’s a great teacher - maybe you can show me more next week."

Suzie smiled and nodded as she went to the door. I sat there for a few minutes, wondering what was happening, until granny came in and said "Come along Cassandra - you mum and dad want to talk to you and Jenny."

I followed Granny down the stairs, and as I walked into the dining room I saw Jenny sitting on one side of the dinner table, and Mum and Dad on the other.

"Sit down, poppet," Dad said as I walked round the table and sat next to Jenny. I was looking straight ahead, as Mum started to speak.

"Cassie, Jenny," she said as she looked at both of us, "I've talked to your father and your grandmother, and they have told me something of what has been happening over the last few months, but I need to hear it from you as well. Is it right that you have been playing these games for some time?"

Jenny looked at me before saying "Yes Mum - you see..."

"We can discuss why you started later. Girls, if you had told me or your father you were interested in this, and then we could have helped you, shown you the safe way to do some things."

"Wow - did you used to play these games as well, mum?" I didn't know what to believe now - first my dad turns out to be a very, very good tier, and now Mum used to play too?

Mum smiled as she looked at Dad. "I knew your Aunt Connie at school, and she used to tell me what she and your father used to get up to. He didn't tie me up then, though - it was when we first started dating. However, you don't need to know about that - the question is, why didn't you tell us?"

"We thought you might not like the fact we wanted to do this, mummy," I said in a quiet small voice. "And then, when those men came that afternoon, you looked so scared."

"I was scared Cassie - not of the ropes or been tied up, but because of what they might have done to you - and to me. There are some very scary people out there. And I did not know if they were some of those people. I said at the time how brave you both were, and you were - and at least now I know why you acted the way you did."

"When those men came and stayed the night," Dad said quietly, "and Mum was forced to go into a different room from you, that was even more terrifying. Amongst other things, she thought you may have been hurt, as I did. April didn’t like very much what happened either."

"Is that why she's gone on a long holiday?"

"That's right, Cassie - I heard from her mother that she'll be back the week after next, and you will see her then." She looked at both Jenny and me before saying "Is it true you sneaked those ropes back in?"

I nodded and put my head down. "Was that a bad thing to do, Mum?"

"It wasn’t a good or a bad thing," Mum said with a smile, and that was when I knew we weren't in trouble, "but you need to talk to both of us as well, and we need to lay some ground rules down."

"Rules? What sort of rules?"

"One - if you are going to play these games, you tell either Mum, Granny or me so that we know. If you play them at a friend's house, then tell us before you go.

"Two - If we say to stop, you stop.

"Three - No games on school nights. Apart from that, you let me teach you a few new tricks. How does that sound?"

Jenny smiled and nodded, as did I a little more enthusiastically. "Thank you, Daddy - I'd hug you but..."

"Don't worry - Jenny can't either." That was when I finally noticed Jenny had her arms wrapped round the chair back, her wrists tied together to the central wooden spar.

"Can I ask one more thing, Daddy?"

"What is it, poppet?"

"Can we play with Mummy from time to time? IT would be great if she did?"

Mum smiled as she said "We’ll see - what did you have in mind?"

Jenny looked over at me first before saying "IF we promise to wait until next Saturday, then we can have a challenge day?"

"Next Saturday - that is your Aunt Connie's wedding. You're not suggesting..."

"No Granny," I said, "but Jenny and I were wondering what it would be like to be a kidnapped princess, and as we will be dressed up..."

"We want to keep those dresses good - I'm not wrapping lots of rope round them."

"That's all right, Dad," Jenny said as she looked up, "but if we had a dream, then we would like to be tied up in them and gagged. Maybe Granny and Mummy could be kidnapped with us?"

Dad looked at Mum and Granny. "Maybe - but if they do that, they get to pick another scenario each to act out."

"Only if we get tied properly - not pretend - and gags that work as well."

All four of them looked at me after I said this. "That, Jennifer, sounds like a challenge. What do you think?"

Dad looked at Granny and Mum, before saying "All right - each of you tells me what you have in mind. I'll get what's needed, and make the plans. You have to do as I say, and then we'll see what happens. Everyone in agreement?"

Jenny and I nodded instantly, as Granny and Mum looked at each other.

"Did he really tie you up when he was younger?"

"He did - are you ready again?"

Mum nodded. "Now," she said as she stood up, "Let's get dinner sorted."

********

Saturday could not come fast enough - Jenny and I were already excited about been bridesmaids, but now we had something else to look forward to as well.

That morning we were at Aunt Connie's house, putting on our dresses. They were gorgeous - made of white silk, they were like big pinafore dresses, with a long skirt that went down to the floor and was wider at the bottom than the top with lace coming out of the bottom, and wide shoulder straps. We both had bare arms, but also a pair of long gloves of a shade of cream that went over elbows, and a wide sash round our waists tied in a bow at the back. We even had new shoes - made from satin with a heel, so I felt very grown up, especially as Mum found some nice tights for both of us.

Our hair was pulled up on our heads, as Granny pinned the last one in place to hold flowers in our hair. As she finished this, the door opened and Aunt Connie came in, wearing her dress.

"My, I could not wish for two more pretty bridesmaids," she said as she kissed both of us. "I hear you have a special day planned for afterwards, as well?"

"Did John tell you?"

"I wish I could be there," Aunt Connie said with a smile, "but I have something else to do." She looked at the clock, which showed ten in the morning. "Let's go," she said, "It's showtime."

We beamed as we walked down the aisle of the church, carrying our bouquets. We passed Mum and Dad, who smiled at us as we went past. Mum was wearing a gorgeous blue dress with no sleeves, and black gloves that matched her shoes, while Dad was in a smart black suit, white shirt and dark tie.

Behind us was Granny, in a long blue dress with a skirt that was in layers, and a matching jacket over the top, with silver shoes. Then came Aunt Connie, as she walked up to the front of the church with Granny by her side.

The service seemed to take forever, as Jenny and I stood there. IT was exciting - but not as exciting as what was coming later. Then we went for a meal at a very nice hotel, which also seemed to take forever, as did a few dances.

Finally it was three o'clock, as Dad said "You need to say good bye to Aunt Connie and Uncle Dave now. Thank her for allowing you to come today." We ran to her and hugged her, as she hugged us in return.

"Have fun," she whispered as we took dad's hand, "And look after them all."

"You concentrate on the sun," Dad said as he led Jenny and me out of the hotel and to the car park. We had come in our family car - a big grey silver thing with lots of seats and tinted windows. "Right," Dad said as he opened the side door, "Ready?"

"Yes," Jenny and I said with a big smile.

"Turn round and put your hands behind your back then," he said as he picked up two lengths of cord from the seat. We both turned and did as he said, feeling the cord go over our wrists as they were crossed and pulled together behind our backs.

As he fed the rope between my wrists and tied it off, he said "get in the car, poppet, and sit in your seat." I hopped in and sat down, waiting for Jenny to join me. When she did, Dad climbed in and produced a roll of....

"The Fabric Plaster!"

"That's right, poppet - a strip over your mouths only for now, all right?" I nodded and smiled as he tore a strip off and stuck it over my mouth, then one over Jenny's.

"Stay there," he said as he got out of the car and closed the door, "I'll be back in a moment with Granny.”

“Hewlngduthnk,” Jenny said as she looked at me. Before I had a chance to answer, however, the door opened and Dad helped Granny to climb in, sitting herself in the seat next to Jenny as he fastened the seatbelt round each one of us. She looked at us, her eyes twinkling over the brown strip covering her mouth, as she said “rddyffrrfngrls?”

We both nodded as the door opened again and Mum climbed in, sitting in front of us. We caught a glimpse of the way her wrist were crossed and bound, just like us, before Dad strapped her in and closed the door, climbing behind the driver’s seat and starting the engine as we moved off.

It was a short drive home, but it seemed to take an eternity as both Jenny and I fidgeted round in our chairs, our hands pressing against our bottom. Finally, we turned into our drive and went into the garage, Dad closing the door behind us with the magic button.

He got out of the car, opened the door that went into the house, and then said “”Out - come with me, and no funny stuff” as he opened the side door and unclipped our belts. We all climbed out and followed him into the house, Jenny and I taking care to make sure our skirts did not catch on the door frames, until we were all in the living room. We watched as Dad found a canvas bag at the bag of the couch and opened it, taking out some of our rope collection.

He picked up a length of rope and walked behind Granny, saying “Forgive me, Your Majesty,” as he passed the rope around her waist and wrists, securing them the way we like it to her back and cinching the coil. He then took a second length, and wrapped it around her arms and tummy, and then another length around her shoulders, making sure the ropes went between her body and arms as well.

“Sit down,” he said as he guided her to one of the armchairs, and helped Granny to sit properly on the chair. We could see how the ropes had pulled her jacket tightly round her body, and she looked at us with a smile in her eyes as Dad started to tie her ankles together.

“Wht duthnkurdng,” she mumbled as he folded the skirt of her dress back. “I need to secure your legs,” Dad said as he tied them together, below her knees, making sure he cinched it before he folded the skirt back down. We watched Granny wriggle round on the chair as Dad walked over and took another length of rope out of the bag, before standing behind Mum.


“Forgive me,” he said in her ear as he pulled some rope around her elbows, behind her back, and pulled them together. Mum gasped through the plaster as Dad wrapped the rope around and between them, tying it off and then securing her arms to her side in the same way as Granny. We could see her dress been forced against her as the ropes went round, but Mum didn’t seem to mind.

He then took her and sat her in the middle of the couch, bringing her ankles together and wrapping more rope round them. Her skirt had come a bit more up her legs as she had sat down, so Dad quickly tied her legs together as well, before coming back over to us.

Finally, it was our turn. I felt a smile under the tape as Dad knelt behind me and untied the bow at my back, moving my wrists so that they were against my back and then tying the sash tightly over them again.

He then took a length of rope and tied one end around my left elbow. I knew what he was going to do - he had done it to Jenny before, as he wrapped the rope round my tummy and then round my right elbow, before passing it round my arms and body and then between my arms and my tummy.

It was wonderfully snug - he had tied it tightly enough that I could not move my hands, and my arms felt incredibly secure next to my body. I watched as he did the same thing to Jenny, and then walked us both over to the couch, Jenny sitting one side of Mum and me on the other.

I watched as he folded my skirt up and tied my ankles together, the ropes sitting on top of my new tights as my legs were drawn together. As he passed the rope between them to tighten the coils, Mum said “hppenwcsssy?”

“Yssmmm,” I mumbled as Dad tied my own legs together, below my knees, and then folded the skirt back down, covering my lovely new shoes as he did so. He moved over to do the same thing to Jenny, and then left the four of us alone in the room, returning a few minutes later with four glasses of water, a straw in each one, which he put on the table.

Picking up a glass, he walked over to me and peeled the tape away from my mouth, offering me the glass as he said “Take a drink, but remember you will not be able to go to the toilet for a while.” I nodded as I sipped the cool water, and then opened my mouth to allow him to push one of his handkerchiefs in.

Jenny and I had asked for the tape gag, but Dad had said he did not want us to have that at first. We eventually got him to agree to do one later, if he showed us how he kept Granny and our aunts quiet without tape.

He followed the wad with one of his ties which we had hidden away, Mum’s eyebrows raising as he pulled it into my mouth and tied the ends together at my neck. He then used a black scarf, folded into a band with a knot tied in the middle, and pulled that into my mouth as well, tying it over the tie.

“Tsdffrtn,” I said as I looked at Jenny, before Dad tied a long white winter scarf over my nose and mouth, pulling it tightly over as he covered all the other parts. It felt soft, and while it was not tape I felt as if I would not be able to move it.

I shuffled forward and watched as Dad started to remove Jenny’s gag. “Thanks, daddy,” she said as she took a drink, and then allowed him to start to gag her as well. As he tied another woollen scarf over her packed mouth, she mumbled “tsrllttd” under the covering.

“Good,” Dad said with a smile as he stood up and walked behind Mum, reaching round to remove the tape as he kissed her cheek. “Enjoying it so far,” he whispered as he took his mobile phone out of his pocket.

“So far,” she said before raising her voice and saying “What can you hope to gain by kidnapping us?”

“Money,” Dad replied as he pretended to dial a number. “Is this the Chancellor? Listen carefully. I have the Queen mother, the Princesses and their governess here in my lair. If you wish to see them again, you will meet my demands.

“You do not believe me - tell them,” he said as he put his phone next to Mum’s mouth.

“Hello? Yes, I am afraid he does have all four of us. Talk for me, your highnesses.”

Mum looked at us and we called out “PLSHLLPSSSSS” and “IENTGGHMM” as loudly as we could. Dad put the phone against Mum’s ear as she said “Yes, he has not harmed us, but I cannot gauranteemmmmm.”

Dad put his hand over Mum’s mouth, and as she made the most wonderful mmphign sound she said “Do not involve the police - I’ll be in touch.” Putting the phone down, he started to gag Mum the same way as the rest of us.

As I watched, I tried to move the cloth round in my mouth, and push it out, but the cloth was too tightly tied. As he fastened the blue scarf round Mum’s mouth, I saw Granny watching carefully, summing up what was about to happen to her. Within ten minutes, she too was gagged securely, mumbling “hwlngcukps,” through her brown scarf.

“Until I get my money,” Dad said as he picked up the tray. “Watch them,” he said to what we knew he meant to be a guard and left the room, the door swinging shut behind him.

We sat still for a few minutes before Granny said “wllwtwgngtdnw?”

Mum tried to wriggle round, before saying “Idnntkkn. Whtduseurhhnss?”

Jenny and I looked at each other, and nodded.

“Rdeee?”

“Ysssss.”

We both shuffled forward to the edge of the couch, Mum and Granny watching as we went “Nnnn... tw... freeeee!” and pushed ourselves up onto our feet. We looked at each other, and then started to hop across the floor, taking small steps and stopping after each hop to balance ourselves.

We had practised this for weeks before, using some of our other shoes. As we hopped over to the window, I heard Granny saying “njsthwlng?” to Mum, who was moving her shoulders up and down. Our skirts swirled round us with each hop, and we really did need to stop - we couldn’t see our feet and we had to be sure we could hop again.

It was a funny swishing noise, but it was great fun as we slowly approached our target.

“Byucntdtt,” Granny said as Jenny and I reached the windows and looked out onto the garden. We had stocked up a new bird table there yesterday, using some special seed cakes that we had made with Granny, and we both watched as the birds landed and pecked at the lard and seeds.

“Hmggd - jnffrrr!!” we heard Granny call out, followed by a thud and muffled laughs. We hopped round and looked back to see Mum on the floor, her head back against the cushion of the couch as Granny rocked from side to side.

“Rullrtmm,” Jenny said, as we both looked at her. She opened her eyes and nodded, saying “mmstfprctsss” as she looked at us.

“Mcmmgnvr,” Jenny said as she started to hop back over to Mum, while I turned back ground and kept looking out of the window, wondering what we could do next.

Eventually I turned round to see Jenny with her head on Mum’s chest, and Granny motioning to me with her head. I started to hop back over, feeling my feet hit the floor but still stopping to check I was all right each time.

Soon I was with Granny, hopping one last time and landing on her lap as my skirt fell around me. I put my head on her shoulder, saying “thnksfrplng” as I closed my eyes for a few minutes...

“Cmmnncsseee.”

I wasn’t asleep, honest, I was just snuggling into Granny. That was my first thought as I suddenly opened my eyes, and said “wntnthpggnnnkjnee.” At least, that was what it sounded like to me, as I looked over to see that Mum had managed to push herself onto the couch, and was lying sideways on it now.

Jenny? She had got back onto her feet and was hopping to the door. As she reached it, she stopped and looked over at me, saying “smsmnnnssllppk” as she waved her head at me. I managed to wriggle off Granny’s lap and start to hop over to her, wondering if she wanted some help to try and get free.

“Whswennggmmfmdfg” I said when I finally reached her, turning my back to her so that she could try and untie my bow. To my surprise, however, Jenny backed up to the door and tried to push down on the handle with her tied hands.

“Cmmnnnsggs,” she said as she managed to open the door, and as it swung out she hopped sideways through, the skirt of her dress brushing against the door frame as she did so. I followed suit, and as we both went into the corridor we looked left and right.

There was no sign of Dad. “Whtruudddnssaggasasf” I mumbled, as Jenny hopped towards the front room. I followed her, my skirt swishing with each jump as she looked in the open door. There was another canvas bag sitting in there, but still no sigh of Dad.

“Mfrssttttt,” Jenny said as she turned to hop away. “Duthnkwcnntessshfr,” I mumbled as I looked at her hands, trying to tell her we should try and at least untie our hands, Jenny looked at me, her head cocked to one side, so I said again “shldlwwttrrrngtfeeee?”

“Ndddwhtrsgggg,” Jenny said as she shook her head, and I realised that what I was hearing was not what she was hearing. That was a surprise - I thought I could understand her, but for some reason she could not understand me. SO I turned and looked over my shoulder, wriggling my fingers as I did so.

Jenny shook her head again and started to jump down the corridor, this time towards the kitchen. I followed her, making sure I did not try and jump on front of her each time she stopped, before we heard the click of our heels on the stone floor and we looked around.

The tray of drinks was on the table, and the door to the back garden was wide open. Jenny shook her head in the direction of the door and we both hippety hopped to the door, jumping over the little ledge onto the patio and then turning to make our way to the windows.

As we reached them, we looked through the glass to see Granny and Mum now sitting side by side on the couch, looking over their shoulders at each other. Granny looked up and saw us outside, her eyes wide as she shoulders started to shake again. Then Mum looked up as well, her eyes seeming to say “How did...” and the she started shaking her head from side to side.

We started to shake our heads in response, thinking she was telling us to try and shake off our gags. So when we felt the hand on our shoulders and heard Dad say “Well, well, well - how did you get out here?” we both shrieked through the scarves.

He picked Jenny up and put her over his shoulder, and then wrapped his arm round my waist and picked me up, before carefully carrying us both back into the house and the room, making us stand in front of Mum and Granny.

“It seems your parents love you very much,” he said as he looked at us. “They have paid your ransom, and you are all going to go home soon.”

That was the phase we had agreed to say that this part of the game was over, so we allowed Dad to untie the scarves around our mouths, Jenny first and then me, until we both could speak properly. “Did you enjoy your game,” he said as he ungagged Granny and Mum, then untied Mum from her ropes.

“Yes Dad,” Jenny said as she waited to be untied herself, “You were all great, weren’t they Cassie?”

“You were fantastic, Daddy,” I said as Mum came over and started to untie my arms, “but I really need a drink.”

“Well,” Dad said as he removed the rope from around Granny’s arms, “I’ll bring some drinks and snacks in while Mum and Granny untie you. Just try not to get any stains on your dresses, all right?”

********

As we sat round the table, watching Dad wind the ropes up and put them away, I said “So what are we going to play next?”

“You’ll see in a few minutes,” Mum said as she sipped her glass of water. “Once you have finished, you need to go up to your rooms and get out of your dresses. You will find the clothes I want you to wear on your beds - provided Dad remembered to put them out.”

“They are ready and waiting,” Dad said a she sat next to Mum, “We all will get changed for this one, but you two and Granny need to get changed first. This is her suggestion, after all.”

Granny smiled as she finished her sandwich. “That’s right,” she said as she stood up, “so if you two are ready, then you can come with me.”

“All right Granny,” she said as we stood up and followed her out of the room, running up the stair sin front of her. “I call dibs on the bathroom,” Jenny said as she ran to it, I went to my room and Granny to the spare bedroom.

I saw the outfit on the bed, and looked at it. It was not what I expected, but if this is what Granny wanted... I reached round and pulled the zip down my back, stepping out of the dress and laying it neatly on the bed, placing my shoes by the side, and then took the floral headband out and allowed my hair to fall down.

I then picked up the pair of light brown corduroy pants and pulled them on over my tights, fastening them round the waist before I pulled on over my vest the brown long sleeved jumper. There was also a silk scarf, folded into a band, which I tied over my hair like an Alice band. Finally, there were my brown felt boots, the ones that came up to just over my ankle, which I pulled on after I had sat on my bed.

That was when I realised that I also needed to go to the toilet, which I did. I then went into Jenny’s room, in time to see her putting her short leather boots over the legs of her black jeans. She also had a jumper on, and over her hair she had tied a black headscarf, the point going down the back of her neck.

“Ah good - you’re both ready,” Granny said as she walked into the room. She had on one of her old grey jumpers, with a funny neck that seemed to hang down in front of her, over a pleated skirt that came down to just over her knees. A pair of baggy brown boots was visible under the skirt hem, while she had a red and green scarf folded and tied round her neck, the ends hanging to the side.

“Now,” Granny said as she checked over both of us, “I have just taken both of you shopping and for tea, and we are about to come back into the house. We’ll see what happens after that, all right?”

We both nodded as we walked down the stairs with Granny, this time going into the front room. We both noticed the bag we had seen earlier was no longer there, as Granny turned on the television and said “Now then, you two watch your program, and I’ll go and get us some drinks, all right?”

“All right, granny,” I said as we sat down and watched the screen. IT wasn’t a program that came on - Granny had actually started a DVD, a Scooby Doo one, so we both curled up on the couch and watched the story as it unfolded.

After a few minutes, Jenny said “I wonder what’s keeping Granny.” But as she started to get up the door came up and Granny came in, Dad and Mum behind her. Only they looked really funny and really exciting.

They both had on black jumpers and pants, and Mum had a pair of shiny knee length boots on over her legs. They also had leather gloves on - I could see the one on Dad’s hand as he covered Granny’s mouth - and something pulled over their heads which meant we could sort of see their faces, but not very well.

“So the kids are in here,” Dad said as he made Granny walk in. “What are we going to do with them, dear?”

“I don’t know, dear,” Mum said as she looked at both of us, “but they are going to do what we tell them to do, aren’t they?”

“Yyyysesssss,” we both whispered as we hugged each other - not from fear, but from excitement.

“Good - both of you, lie on the floor and watch the television,” Mum said. “Your grandmother needs to have a lie down where you are sitting.”

As we both got onto the floor, and Mum gave us both a cushion, Dad took Granny over and said “Lie face down, and put your hands behind your back.”

I looked over my shoulder to see Dad pulling Granny’s wrists together behind her back, putting them together palm to palm as he used some thin cord to tie them tightly together. She said “Please don’t hurt my little babies,” as she looked at both of us, and I swear she winked at me.

“Eyes forward and watch the film,” Mum said, so Jenny and looked round and watched as Dad came and knelt next to me. I didn’t look round as he took my hands behind my back, put them together so that my palms were touching and started to wrapt the thin cord round them as well, keeping it over the cuffs of my jumper. I wondered why he was doing this - I could get myself out of most ropes like this if my hands were left alone like this. Anyway, I lay still as he cinched the coils and put my hands against my back.

Something then happened which I was not expecting, as I felt something soft been tied round my thumbs. I had no idea what it was, but it felt lovely and soft and - impossible to move my thumbs! As he got up and walked round to kneel next to Jenny, I turned my head and watched as he bound her wrists together like mine, and then I knew the secret!

He had taken a length of wool and started to tie it round Jenny’s thumbs, holding them tightly together before he wrapped it round her wrists as well. She turned and looked at me, nodding to show she understood.

“Now then,” he said as he stood up, “We need to look to your granny a bit more. Both of you, sit up and watch.”

As Mum helped us to sit up, Dad helped Granny to sit as he passed some rope around her waist to fix her hands against her back. He then did what he had done before, winding some rope around her chest and arms so that they were held tightly into her side, and making sure he passed it under her arms and around the back of her neck to keep it nice and cosy.

When he produced the cloth rag, my heart started to leap. We were going to get what he had promised, but Granny was getting it first! He pushed the cloth in, then wrapped a knotted length of towelling into her mouth.

“Plsdnnthrttm,” she mumbled as she looked at us, while Dad untied the scarf from round her neck, shook it out and folded it into a triangle, and then tied it so that it covered her hair. He then produced a roll of silver tape, and I heard the lovely ripping sound as he passed it several times round her head, covering her mouth and the scarf as it was pulled tightly round.

As he tore the end off and smoothed it down, he said to Mum “I’m going to take Granny upstairs and make her show me where her valuables are - can you deal with these two?”

“No problem,” Mum said as Dad walked Granny out, and we could see the wool round her thumbs as well as she walked off. They headed up the stairs as Mum said “right - which of you wants to go first?”

Jenny looked at me, and saw the pleading look in my eyes, so she nodded as I slowly got to my feet. “I’ll go first,” I said quietly, “My sister’s a bit afraid.”

“Really,” Mum said as she looked at Jenny and smiled. “All right, stand in front of me and turn round. I promise you I’ll be gentle.”

I smiled as she said that, before I felt the familiar sensation of my wrists been pulled back as the rope was wrapped round my waist. I didn’t know whether or not Mum had ever tied anyone up, but she seemed to know what she was doing as she wrapped the rope between my arms and my waist. It felt good, snug, nice.

“Stand still now,” Mum said as she wrapped more rope around my tummy, pulling my arms into my side as she passed it round a few times. I was glad I had the jumper on now - my arms were a little sore after the afternoon, and the wool provided a nice cushion around my body as Mum passed the rope between my arms and chest. I smiled as she did something special as well - taking more rope and passing it round my upper arms and shoulder, so that I was cocooned in three layers.

“Your turn, little one,” Mum said as she pointed at Jenny. She slowly got to her feet and walked over, and I looked up as Mum turned me round to see her smiling at me through the nylon covering her head.

“Stand in front of me and face your sister,” she said as Jenny came up. She stood in front of me and winked as I saw the white rope going round over her black jumper, and she sighed as her hands were fixed in place.

“You look cute,” Jenny said to me as I saw her arms been drawn into her side. “What do you think Suzie and Alicia would say if they saw us now?”

“Suzie would want to be one of us, and Alicia would call us all sort of silly names,” I replied as I smiled, watching Mum as she pulled the ropes with a serious look on her face. I wondered who had taught her to tie ropes like this - it felt very secure, especially as she passed the rope around Jenny’s shoulders and fixed her arms tightly in place.

“All right,” Mum finally said as she turned Jenny round and brushed the fringe of her hair away from her eyes. “Your gran is going to be just fine, and so are you. Now, I need you to do what I tell you, all right?”

“Yes Mu... Miss,” Jenny said as she put her head down, “We’ll do what you tell us.”

“Good, now open your mouth - I’m afraid I need to make sure you can’t talk for a while.”

I felt myself smile as she said this - Dad had kept his promise, but more importantly it was Mum who was going to do it. MUM!! I had to stop myself from jumping up and down as she folded a cloth up in her gloved hand and held it in front of Jenny’s mouth.

“Tssgrrtmm,” Jenny said as Mum pushed the sloth into her mouth, and then tied the knotted strip of towelling cloth into her mouth, Jenny’s lips closing over the knot as Mum tightened the strip at the back of her neck. She then pulled her headscarf down so that the silk covered the knot over her hair, and picked up the roll of duct tape.


“You really are been a very brave girl,” she said as she tore the end of the strip free, and stuck it down over her mouth, wrapping the tape tightly round her head and pushing her scarf against her neck as she muffled more and more every sound Jenny was making.

“Don’t move,” she said as she smiled at me and walked Jenny over to the recliner where Granny had been, helping her to lie on her side and watch as she folded up another wad of cloth.

“Your turn now,” she said as I opened my mouth and allowed her to push the cloth in. It always feels funny on my tongue, but I let her pull the knotted towel in as well and secure the ends tightly behind my head.

“Tssggrrtt,” I mumbled as she took the scarf off my hair, shook it out and folded it into a triangle, before tying it over my hair in the same way as Jenny’s. Then there was the ripping sound, and the feeling as the tape pulled on my skin where it was first pressed on, before Mum wrapped the tape tightly round my mouth and head. It felt funny as the scarf was pulled down onto my hair, but it was also the most snug and lovely feeling in the world as I tried to talk to Jenny.

“Mgggg,” was all she said as Mum helped me to lie down on the floor again, and she took a length of rope in her hands before starting to tie my ankles together over my boots. It felt different from when I was wearing socks, as the felt was squashed under the ropes when Mum pulled it tightly round and between them. I’m not that much of a tomboy, and really prefer dresses or skirts, but this one time I was actually enjoying the feeling as my ankles were drawn together.

Then there was a really funny sound as Mum started to tie my legs together below my knees, a squeaking sound as she pulled the rope tightly round my trousers and then between them. At first I wondered what it was, and then I realised - it was my pants! The material as my legs rubbed together was making a funny noise, and I started to laugh as I listened to it, even more when Mum tied my legs together halfway between my knees and my waist and cinched those coils as well.

“Nnggmmmhhhhhhh,” I laughed through the tight gag as Mum walked over to Jenny and placed he rankles together, tying them the same way she had tied mine. This time I knew the sound of the leather as the rope rubbed on her boots, the squeak as she pulled the ropes as tightly as possible.

“Hnggnnnngggg,” Jenny said as Mum then tied her legs like mine, below her knees and half way to her waist, so that she looked like a black snake with white bands on it. Mum checked the ropes on her, and then on me as she pulled me over to sit in front of the recliner.

The DVD had stopped for a while, and she picked up the remote control to start it again when we heard the phone ringing. She stopped, putting a finger to her lips under the mask as we listened to the voice mail kicking in, and then - we heard Mum?

“Hi everyone - sorry I’m late, but I got held up in town. I’m on my way back now, and should be with you in ten minutes. Ciao!”

I looked up at her as she smiled and Dad came into the room. “Did you hear that?” he said, and Mum just nodded. “Right then - I’ve left their Granny upstairs, and we’re not going to have time to finish and get away before she gets back. Start that film again for them, and let’s get her when she comes in.”

Mum nodded as she started the film off, waving to use as she and Dad left the room and closed the door to. We watched the film for a little while, before we heard the front door open and close, Mum say “Hi everyone, where are yummfvmdfmmdfmffmdfmsdfmfgm” and then footsteps on the stairs.

We sat still, twisting in our ropes as we watched the film, until Dad came in and checked the ropes for himself. “She did a good job,” he said as he patted us both on the head, and then said “Bye, girls - have fun.” He left again, leaving the door open as we looked after him.

“Whtdddhtnkhpnndd,” I mumbled as I tried to look up at Jenny, but she was just lying on her side, watching as the film carried on. I made myself as comfortable as I could, leaning against the recliner as the story played out on the screen, but I found I could not sit still for long. I kept trying to twist round, feeling if I could find a way out, but whoever had taught Mum had been very good - the ropes were holding firm, and the wool around my thumbs meant I could not move my hands apart very easily at all.

“Shtsshnnng,” I heard Jenny say, and as I looked up I saw her looking down at me, the fringe of hair coming out from under her scarf. “Mccmngppp,” I mumbled as I pushed myself up on my feet, my pants squeaking like mad as they rubbed against the cushions while Jenny used her feet to push herself up into a seated position.

We looked at each other, realising that this time, the gag was so tight we were having real trouble understanding what each other was saying. “Whtwdnnn,” I tried to say as Jenny turned round and looked over her shoulder. I thought she wanted me to look at the knots holding the ropes in place around her, so I looked over the bands and said “nssss.”

“Nnnnn,” Jenny said as she shook her head from side to side, and glanced down her back again. This time I turned my back to her and allowed her to see my bindings, which only seemed to make her laugh as she fell back and rested her head on the cushion.

“Whtssfnneee?”

Jenny just shook her head and moved her legs off the recliner, putting her feet firmly on the floor as she nodded to me. This time I understood as I did the same, and we both looked at each other and nodded at the same time.

We both pushed ourselves up at the same time, waiting for a moment as we swayed slightly. In my case a little too much, as I fell back into the couch and started laughing at my predicament. Jenny joined in, allowing herself to fall back as well as we put or heads together and rocked from side to side.

Eventually we slid on to the side of the recliner again and pushed ourselves up, this time waiting until we were upright and steady. Last time we had shoes with heels on, but this time both Jenny and I had on flat soled boots, and because we were wearing pants we could see where our feet were landing, so we were a lot more confident as we started to hop towards the open door, laughing as we finally made our way into the hallway.

The lights were off, and it was starting to get dusky, so we knew the sun must be starting to set. Looking at each other, we hopped to the door that led to the back room, going in to find the room empty and a red glow coming through the windows that looked out onto the garden.

We stood there for a moment, looking at the sky from a distance before we hopped round and started to head back down the corridor. The lights were off in the kitchen, but we could see a glow at the top of the stairs.

Jenny looked at me, and nodded as I hopped over to the bottom of the stairs and sat down. There was something we had always wondered about, but given until last week we had played in secret had never been able to. This seemed as good a time as any to do it.

I pushed down on my feet and slid up the stair, my pants squeaking as I slowly slid onto the next stair up. Stopping for a moment to catch my breath, I lifted my feet up and put them on the first step, then pushed again as I slid up to the next one.

Slowly, slowly, I slid halfway up the stairs, stopping for a moment to watch Jenny as she hopped herself into position and started to push herself up the stairs as I had done. I pushed down again, as Jenny looked over her shoulder and motioned her head up, saying “kppggmmmdmdsm” as she did so.

Eventually I reached the top of the staircase, and pushed myself across the carpet. It felt a lot like it did the night I slid in to Mum’s room, except in that case I was wearing a pair of pyjamas, and this time I had a pair of squeaky trousers and felt boots on.

As I reached the back wall, Jenny pushed herself onto the second step from the top. She turned and watched as I pushed myself up the wall, taking my time as Jenny reached the landing and started to push herself onto her feet at the bathroom door.

“Rdddd,” Jenny said through her gag as she looked at me, a bead of sweat running down her cheek. I nodded as we both turned ourselves in the direction of the spare bedroom, the door open and the light shining out from the opening.

Thump. Thump. Thump. The sound filled the air as we hit the wooden floor, making our way along to the room, trying our best not to slip as we moved forward. Eventually we reached the opening, and Jenny pushed the partially open door in with her back.

“Hsssttt,” we heard Granny say as we both hopped into the room. She was lying facing away from the door, and we could see the bands of rope around her arms and chest pulled together behind her back. I recognised the way her legs were tied from the night the men stayed - her ankles were tied together, the rope visible over her brown boots, then passed up and around her legs below her knees, her skirt risen up slightly as it then wound up and around her legs over her skirt, then finally to her wrists.

She rolled over and looked at both of us, her eyes smiling over the grey band around her face. “Mdddd,” she said as she slowly moved herself into a sitting position, her feet hitting the floor as she perched on the side of her bed and then stood up.

“Hrsmmm,” I said as I watched Granny slowly balancing herself on her bound feet. Then she started to hop towards us, as I laughed at the way the bottom of her skirt moved up and down with each leap.

“Cmmnnn,” she said as she jumped past us, the thump even louder as her boots hit the wooden floor outside. We followed her, looking like two rabbits with their mother bunny as we made our way towards Mum and Dad’s room.

The door was closed to, but not shut, so Granny nodded to me to push the door. I backed into tit and did so, hopping quickly as I went in and unable to stop myself as I hit the bed.

“Mmmgfffff,” I heard Mum say as I looked over at her. She was still dressed in the jumper, pants and boots, but the stocking had been taken off her head and she was gagged in the same way as us. Her hands were tied in front of her, palm to palm, and her thumbs were tied together in the same way as ours, with the rope around her waists holding them firmly in place. She also had rope around her tummy and shoulders, her ankles and the r legs in two places, the leather squeaking as she moved her legs out of the way of me.

“Whthpppn,” Granny said as she and Jenny hopped in, stopping and leaning against the wall as they looked at Mum and me. I was laughing as I slowly slid down onto the floor, looking at the others as Mum joined in.

I heard the front door open and a few minutes later footsteps on the stairs. Dad came in and said “where are... How the heck did you two get up here?” We all looked at him and burst out laughing through our gags.

“Anyway,” Dad said as he knelt next to me and started to cut the tape away from my mouth with a curved pair of scissors, “you two must be absolutely starving. I’m going to free you all, and then I have some pizzas and soft drinks downstairs.”

I had to confess that I had not realised just how hungry I was, so caught up as I was in the game. As Dad slowly removed the cloth from my mouth, however, even I had to admit the rumbles in my tummy were getting louder.

“Ham?” I said as I looked up at him.

“With extra cheese,” Dad said with a smile as he untied my arms. “You’ll have to tell me how you got up the stairs while we eat - I can’t wait to hear that.”

********

As we sat round the dining table, eating the delicious pizza, Jenny and I told Dad how we had managed to push ourselves up the stairs.

“Amazing,” he said as we finished, “but it is getting late. It’s been a long day, and I’m not sure...”

“DAD!!” Jenny and I called out together, “YOU PROMISED!!!”

“You did, John,” Mum said with a tired smile, “but fortunately I expected this, so I guess it is time for my game.

“I want both of you to finish eating, and then go upstairs, brush your teeth and put on some bed clothes. Granny will be in a few minutes to look after you, and then you can both come back down, all right?”

Jenny and I nodded as we took another slice of pizza. We were too wide awake to go to sleep anyway, and we couldn’t wait to see what Mum had planned. As it was, Jenny went up first, swallowing her pizza as she ran up the stair case.

“Don’t rush your food, Cassie,” Mum said as I looked at her, “We have enough time.”

“If you will excuse me,” Granny said as she stood up and followed Jenny upstairs. I wondered where she had gone as I slowly chewed my food, Mum and Dad watching the whole time.

A few minutes later, I asked if I could be excused, and as Mum nodded I started to walk up the staircase. As I reached the top, I saw Granny going into Jenny’s room, a blue cotton dressing gown on her as she said “All right, Jenny, I need you to find something.”

I went to the bathroom and started to brush my teeth, taking care to do it properly. I heard Jenny going down the stairs with Granny as I was rinsing my mouth, but as I went out of the room there was only muted sounds from downstairs.

On my bed was a white nightdress with blue polka dots. I sat on the bed and took off my boots and jumper, before pulling the nightdress on over my head and buttoning up the front. As I reached under the skirt and unfastened my trousers, there was a knock on the door and Granny put her head round the door.

“Are you decent, Cassie,” she said with a smile, and it took me a minute or two to realise she had not called me by my proper name. “I think so, Granny,” I said with a smile, “What can I do for you?”

“Find a pair of your sports socks for me,” she said as she showed me a small roll of white tape, “and then put them on over your hands.”

“Like when the men stayed the night,” I said as I found a pair of white socks and pulled them over my hands, tucking the sleeves of my nightdress in as I did so.

“Something like that,” Granny said as she used the tape to secure the cuffs of the socks over my arms. “Do you think your old Granny could have a go at tying your hands?”

“I’d love it if you did,” I said as I turned round and crossed my hands behind my back. “Not this time, dear,” she said as she gently turned me round, “cross your wrists, but in front of you.”

“Why?” I asked as I watched him take a length of rope and start to bind my wrists in front of me, crossed over as she pulled it tightly over the socks.

“Your arms have been behind you most of the day, and they must be getting tired,” she said as she pulled the rope a little more. “Besides, you Mum asked for this to be done to you and Jenny.”

I looked down at the rope against the white socks, as Granny tied it between my arms to make sure they stayed together, and nodded. “I guess my arms are a bit tired,” I said as I yawned a little, “and this does feel nice and comfy as well. Thanks, Granny.”

“Come on then,” she said as she took me by the arm, “Let’s go and join your mum and your sister.”

As we walked down the stairs, I could hear Mum and Dad talking, but I was surprised when I walked in. Mum was lying on her back on the couch, wearing a short sleeved cream silk pyjama top and shorts with a pair of socks taped over her hands as well, while Jenny was sitting on the floor. Dad was standing beside her, dressed in an open necked shirt and jeans with a pair of dark glasses covering his eyes.

“Well done,” he said as he looked at me and Granny, “You did exactly what I asked you to do. Sit down on the chair and put your hands on your head - I’ll deal with you later.”

“I’m sorry, girls,” Mum said as she looked at us, “but he surprised your granny and me as we were having a late night drink, and insisted that you came down as well.” Mum had her wrist crossed and tied together in front of her as well, and there was rope around her waist, tummy and shoulders, holding her arms tightly in front of her. Her ankles were also crossed and tied together, as were her legs below her knees and her upper legs just below the shorts.

“Are you all right, Cassie,” Jenny said as she looked at me. She was wearing the nightdress from that special night, and also had her wrists tied in front of her, crossed and cinched. Her legs were stretched out, and her ankles tied together side by side with more of the soft cord. I could also see some rope around the skirt of her nightdress, above her knees, and there was a length connecting her wrists to that band.

“Sit down next to your sister,” Dad said as Granny went and sat on the armchair. I sat myself next to Jenny, and watched as Dad pushed my ankles together and started to tie them up. We weren’t wearing any socks or other covering, but the rope felt soft and smooth as he pulled my ankles together and made sure they were well secured.

“I just need the four of you to be kept out of the way for a little while,” he said as he took more rope and tied my legs together above my knees, pulling the skirt of my nightdress around them as well, and then connected my wrist to that band so that they were held down on my lap. It wasn’t as tight as the other ropes we had had today, but it still felt nice and safe.

He then moved Jenny and me so that we were sitting back to back, and wrapped a length of rope around our waist, keeping our arms into our sides as he pulled us together. It felt nice to have Jenny sitting behind me, as he wound the rope round and tied it off at the side of us.

“this is different,” Jenny said as Dad took some more rope and tied it round my arm just above my elbow, and then around Jenny’s arm, before he wound it round our tummies a few times and then our arms on the other side, making sure we were held nice and tightly together. Once he had done this, he knelt down and looked in my eyes.

“Just sit nice and quietly,” he said as he kissed me on the forehead, “I need to take care of your Granny now.” We were sat side on to the couch, and Granny was on the other side of the room, so we watched as he said “Take off that dressing gown and out these on.” He handed Granny a pair of his socks as she took off her dressing gown to reveal a pair of dark blue silk pyjamas, the jacket tied with a sash round her waist.

She slipped on the socks, and we watched as Dad taped them to her arms, and then quickly tied her wrists together the same way as Mum and us. He then made her stand up as he wrapped rope around her waist, the white clearly seeable, and then her tummy and shoulders as well, the material pressing against her as he did something behind her back.

“Sit back down,” he said as he picked up some more rope. He then tied her ankles together, crossing them, followed by her legs below her knees and around her lap, before he tied her wrists down to the last band with a last length of rope.

“Sit quietly,” he said as he wagged his finger at Granny, and then walked back over to the couch, helping Mum to sit up. “Now then,” he said as he sat behind her, “Why don’t you tell me where you keep your jewels, and then ‘I can be on my way much more quickly.”

“They’re upstairs, in the dresser, but please don’t hurt us.”

“I’m not going to hurt you - any of you,” Dad said as he reached down the side of the couch, “but I am afraid I do need to make sure you all stay nice and quiet.” I smiled as I saw he had a sponge ball in his hand, and also a new roll of that white tape that he had used on me and Suzie.

“No, please you don’t have to mmmmmff,” Mum said as Dad gently pushed the ball into her mouth. As she closed her lips, he tore free the end of the roll. It made a lovely sound, like paper coming off a wall when he is decorating, but instead of tearing off a strip he stuck the end over Mum’s mouth and wrapped it several times round her head, pulling it tightly so that her cheeks seemed to sink in before he tore the end off and smoothed it down.

He’d taped her hair under it, which I thought was a no-no, but Mum winked at me to show she was all right as he helped her to lie down, and then kissed her over her covered mouth. He picked up two more sponge balls, and held one in each hand as he knelt next to us.

“Both at the same time, please,” he said with a smile as Jenny and I opened our mouths and allowed him to push the sponges in. I could feel it expanding in my mouth as I closed my lips, and then the tape sticking firmly to my lips as he started to wind it round my head, trapping my hair as he did so. It didn’t feel like it was pulling at my skin, however, instead it felt as if a very tight band had been pulled round it, with no way of getting it off.

“Msmsmsfndnsnndfsnn,” I found myself saying as Dad wound the white tape round Jenny’s head, silencing her just as effectively. He tore the tape off, smoothed it down and then kissed both of us on the forehead as he stood up.

“I guess I don’t have a choice,” Granny said with a smile as Dad stood up and walked over to her. “No - no you don’t” was his reply as he gagged her as well, the tape going over her grey hair as she smiled at us.

Yes, she smiled - the tape was so well fitting we could see her lisp moving underneath for a moment, before the tape went round again and again. Eventually, Dad tore the tape free and smoothed it down behind granny’s head.

“Try to relax,” he said as he walked to the door, “I will be back shortly.” He went out and walked up the staircase, as we looked over to Granny, and then up at Mum as she tried to twist round on the couch.

I normally don’t like having my hands in front, but this was wonderfully tight and nice, as I felt Jenny moving her back behind me. There was no way we could free each other, and I had to admit I was enjoying it too much to try and suggest to Jenny we should stand up, even if we wanted to.

As for the tape over my mouth - try as hard as I could, there was no way I could say anything in a way that they could understand, so I smiled to myself as I heard Mum and Granny trying to sing a song.

Hshlttlbbbbdntswd,
Mmmsngnnbbarckngbrd
Ndfttrcknbrddddntsngg
Mmmmsgnnnnnnnnnnn

I felt my eyes get very very heavy, as I saw Granny smiling through a mist that seemed to cover my eyes as I sat there. I opened them wide as Jenny nudged me in my back, and looked up to see Mum looking at both of us, as she and Granny continued to hum that lovely, soothing magical tune.....

I opened my eyes to se Dad smiling at me as he picked me up in his arms.

“Come along poppet, time for bed,” he said as I cuddled into his chest. I could see Jenny sitting on the floor, her head against the couch. Mum had somehow managed to turn herself round and had her head next to her, her eyes smiling as she looked at me, while Granny was sitting still in the chair.

“Dntwnnnggbd,” I mumbled, “nnttttdfrdddddd.”

“Come along,” Dad said as he kissed me on the forehead, and I felt as if I was been carried on a cloud to a beautiful place, far far away.......

********

I slowly opened my eyes and looked round the room, wondering what had happened. I felt as if I had slept for hours and hours, but there was still that wonderful pressure on my mouth and jaw that I had felt the night before.

I soon realised I was in my own bedroom, lying on top of my duvet, and as I looked down I saw I still had the rope around my wrists and body. It took me a few minutes to remember Dad picking me up, and I turned my head to look at the clock.

It said it was eleven in the morning, as I lay there, wondering what I was going to do next.

Looking down my body again, I saw that my wrists were no longer tied to my legs, but instead a length of rope had been wrapped round them and my waist. There was a blanket on my side as well, so I guessed that Dad had done that after he had carried me up, and then covered me over.

I could also hear some noises downstairs, but I had no idea who it is, so I slid myself over to the side of the bed and managed to get myself sitting up with my feet hanging from the edge. Calming myself down, I slipped off and stood upright on the floor, looking at the open door that led to the hallway.

Well, I had done it yesterday in heels and a big skirt, and again in boots and trousers, so there was nothing to stop me as I started to hop towards the door, making my way slowly out into the hallway. I could now hear Mum, Dad and Granny downstairs, as I jumped along the floor and reached Jenny’s room.

She was on her side on the bed, covered with a blanket with her eyes closed as she slept on. I decided not to try and wake her, but instead hopped towards the bathroom, stopping there at the top of the staircase as I looked down.

Jumping back to lean against the wall, I allowed myself to slide down, sitting on my nightdress on the floor. I stopped there to catch my breath, before sliding along the floor and allowing my feet to drop down a step.

Yesterday we had pushed ourselves up the stairs, but today I did the opposite, sliding down on my bottom one step at a time as I let my feet go first. It was fun, almost sliding down the stairs, but I stopped myself on the second step from the bottom and pushed myself onto my feet again.

As I hopped into the kitchen, I saw Granny sitting at the table, still wearing her pyjamas as she sat there with a cup of steaming liquid by her side and the paper in front of her. She looked up as I hopped in, her glasses balancing on her nose, and said “Well, well - good morning Cassandra. Jennifer, we have a visitor.”

Mum turned round from the kitchen sink and smiled as she saw me standing there. “Good morning, Cassie,” she said as she came over and hugged me, “Did you have a good sleep?”

“Ysfnkkmmsmsmd,” I said as I hopped over to the table, heading for a chair which Granny had pulled out. As I reached it, she helped me to sit up and started to untie the ropes around my upper body, leaving them on the table as she untied each one, but left my hands tied up for the moment. I looked down as I did so, and noticed she still had her legs tied tightly together.

“I have not been up for that long myself,” Granny said as she removed the last rope, “I actually slept downstairs, and very comfortable on that long couch it was too. Mind you, I had to hop over there after your father lifted your mother and took her upstairs.”

I looked at Mum, who smiled as she brought me over a glass of milk and placed it on the table, before she cut away the white tape with the special scissors and took the ball out of my mouth. “Thanks,” I said as Gran put a straw in the glass and held it so that I could take a big drink. “So you both slept all night tied up as well.

“I certainly did,” Granny said as she winked at Mum, who just smiled as she looked in the doorway. “Well, look who’s here,” she said as Jenny hopped into the room and towards the table, sitting herself in a chair Mum pulled out and sliding back.

“Hlllfreen,” she mumbled as Mum started to untie her arms as well.

“You Dad has gone to get some things for lunch,” Mum said as she ungagged Jenny and held a glass of milk for her as well. “You two started to fall asleep almost as soon as you were tied together, so we decided just to make you as comfortable as possible, with Dad checking you every so often.

“Don’t think this is going to happen regularly, though - it can be very dangerous to sleep when gagged, so this was a special dispensation for a special day.”

“Thanks again, Mum, Granny,” I said as I looked at both of them, “It was a great day - can we do it again some time?”

“Let’s table that for another day,” Mum said as she smiled again and brushed her hair back. “Your legs can stay tied until lunch is ready, and then we will untie you. That will be the end of the game, and I have to say - I really enjoyed it as well.”

“So did I,” Granny said as she took a sip from her mug, “and perhaps we can do it again another day. Now, who would like a cookie - even if you have to hold it in a sock covered hand?”

Jenny and I raised our bound hands as Mum brought over a plate piled with chocolate cookies for us to eat. As we picked up a cookie each and started to eat it, Dad walked into the kitchen from the garage and put two bags on the work surface.

“So I see the sleeping angels have awoken,” he said as he came over and kissed us both on our heads. “I hope you’re not too stiff?”

“No, we’re fine daddy,” Jenny said as she swallowed her biscuit. I looked at Mum and said “Did Dad play another game with you last night after he took us to bed, Mum?”

She blushed slightly as Dad looked at me. “That’s none of your business, poppet,” he said with a smile, “but Mummy was very happy, all right? Now, finish your snacks, and I’ll carry you through until it’s time to get ready for lunch.”

********

“Wow - that sounds like a brilliant day!”

Suzie was certainly impressed when I told her about what had happened when she came round a few days later. The three older girls had been taken by Suzie’s Granny to the cinema, leaving my friend and me with Granny fro company.

I was wearing a black t-shirt and a denim skirt, with dark tights, while Suzie had on a very pretty top, purple with all sort of coloured swirls over it, and a pair of jeans. She was showing me the latest tie that Heidi had shown her, and I had to admit I was wondering already how I could do it.

She had put a pair of fingerless mittens on my hands, and tied my arms as she had a few weeks before, with my elbows resting on my hands and tied tightly together, with a third length tied round my forearms. She had then used single strands to tie the three bands of rope to the little loops in the waistband of my skirt, making it very difficult to move them up and down, and then tied a long length of rope round my upper arms and shoulders. IT held them firmly against my body, with little lengths tied under my armpits, so that my arms really were fixed in a box.

“It was great,” I said as I lay face down on the bed, watching over my shoulder as Suzie crossed my sock covered ankles and tightly tied them together, “and so is this - you’ve learned a lot from Heidi.”

“Yeah - I think she thinks Ali is been a bit tough on me,” Suzie said as she cinched the coils and tied the rope off, and then watched me as I rolled onto my side before she tied my legs together below my knees. “All she seems to want to do is practice on me and try to tie me tighter each time.”

“It’s a pity we can’t have a day like the last one,” I said as Granny walked in. “You’re doing very well, Suzie,” she said as she patted my friend’s head, making her blush. “I’ve just been talking to your grandmother on the telephone.”

“Oh,” Suzie said as she looked at me, “What did Grandma say?”

“She has invited all of us to come to dinner the week after next,” Granny said with a smile, “and has suggested that Cassandra and Jennifer stay overnight afterwards if their parents agree.”

“I’d love that,” Suzie said as she jumped up and down, “Grandma holds wonderful dinner parties - but she always insists we dress up in our best dresses.”

“That’s fine - Jennifer and Cassandra can wear their dresses from the wedding. I’ll talk to their parents when they come in.” Granny closed the door as I beamed back at Suzie.

“A Sleepover!! This is great - we can have a fantastic time!” I was already planning what we could do and could not wait to tell Jenny about it. I couldn’t say much more about it then - not after Suzie had pushed a knotted blue scarf into my mouth and tied it off around my head, then pressed a strip of the white tape over the top of it.

I finally talked to her when she came in from the cinema. “Alicia told me,” she said as she sat down, “Apparently her grandma and granddad want to meet our parents. I’m not sure why.”

“Are you all right, Jenny - I thought you would love to get all dressed up again.”

“I would, squirt - it’s just the way Alicia looks at me sometimes, I wonder what she is thinking.” Jenny shook her head and looked at me. “Come on, we need to think about that we can take for the sleepover...”

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