Silent Night 2017 – Part 2

1^st December

“Oh come on you two – it’ll be fun and different as our Christmas card…”

I looked at Amy and Suzie as they rolled their eyes – at ten and eight, I thought they would enjoy the challenge, but I guess it was because it was boring old Mom saying it… Amy had on a red long sleeved top, grey pants and pink ankle socks, while Suzie was resplendent in a red onesie with white dots, and grey socks.

“But everyone’s doing these Mom,” Amy said.

“So, let’s make it a special one,” I said with a smile. “Go on – sit back to back.” I was in a peach top and grey leggings, as my dark-haired girls sighed and sat down, and I picked up the fairy lights.

“Bend your knees and put our hands on them,” I said, and as the girls did so I wound the green flex around their upper bodies, holding them together and their arms to their sides, then tying it off loosely before I picked up the roll of red tape.

“All right then – lips together, I press this on, and then I take the photos.”

They both nodded as I tore a strip of the tape from the roll, and pressed it down on Amy’s lips, and then on Suzie’s – after which, I put the grey point hat with the white fur trim on their heads, and then took the photos.

“You know,” I said as I sat down, and picked up my glass of red wine, “you both do look really cute sitting like that.”

“Verfffeefnneemmm,” Amy said – and then she stared at the room door as it was opened. Which was unexpected – we were alone in the house.

Except we weren’t, as a man in a black leather jacket and jeans walked in, looking at us before he pointed a gun in my direction, and said “well, this is unexpected. So here’s the deal – tell me where your valuables are, I make sure you can’t stop me taking them, and then I take them – and the fact your daughters are like that makes this so much easier.”

“Oh my god…”

“MMMMMM!”

“Remain calm girls – Mom won’t be able to say anything in a few minutes either,” the man said as he picked up the roll of red tape. “So – lie face down on the couch, lady, and put your hands behind your back.”

I had a choice? The girls could only watch as I lay down, and the man put the gun where he could reach it, before he crossed my wrists behind my back and taped them firmly together. He then crossed and taped my ankles together, as well as my legs below my knees, before he said “don’t move – time to make sure your girls stay there.”

I rolled onto my side and watched as he knelt next to Amy, and taped her wrists together, then wound the tape round her legs to keep them secured there, before he taped her ankles together side by side as she watched. He did the same thing to Suzie, before he really tied them together with the large fairy lights cord, forcing them to sit back to back.

“Now – your valuables?”

I told him where he could find them, before he covered my lips with the red tape as well, and left me with the girls while he left the room. We could only look at each other as we heard him moving round upstairs – then looking in before he left, closing the door behind himself.

We just had to wait for my husband to come home…

2^nd December

Well, it served my parents right, I suppose, and I have to be careful not to laugh at the moment – because I’m afraid I might do something silly, and because Laurence might get hurt as well. My younger sibling might be a brat, but he’s my brat, and I have to look after him.

We thought they were carol singers you see – and while Laurence and I were watching a film, Mother went to answer. I was wearing a red round necked top and a knee length grey skirt, a red hairband with a bow holding back my auburn curly hair, and Laurence wore a red top and dark jeans.

We found out they were not carol signers when mother came in with the two young men, one of them holding a knife in one hand and her arm in the other, and the other man told us both to stand up and turn round. Mother told us to do so, so we did – and as I looked over my shoulder, he took my wrists behind my back and used a length of red ribbon to tie them together.

We had been taking a break from dressing the tree when they had come in, so as Laurence had his wrists tied as well I said I guessed we would not get it finished tonight. He laughed at that, as the man knelt down behind us and bound our ankles with more red ribbon.

When he stood up, he told us both to turn round, so we did with little hops as we did so. We both giggled – well, the situation was slightly ridiculous, wasn’t it? Mind you, Mother did not look too happy, as she was told she was going to hand over all her jewels.

As for the man with us – he popped a red Santa hat on Laurence’s hat, making his eyes roll, but we said nothing. There was a set of large tree lights on the floor – we had sorted them to put on the tree – but instead he made Laurence stand in front of me, and used the lights to bind us both together, and then plugged them in so the lights blinked on us.

Mother was taken up the stairs as our intruder looked round, and picked up a roll of red tape. Tearing a strip off, he pressed it firmly over my mouth, and then a second strip over Laurence’s mouth as we rolled our eyes again.

Which was when Father came home, saw us – and stared at the intruder as he produced another knife and told him to go to the bedroom with him. We watched as they walked off, unable to move and wondering what was going to happen next.

That had been half an hour ago, and now Mother and Father are sitting back to back on the floor, Mother wearing a red nightie and Father a pair of red pyjamas. The intruders had tied their wrists and ankles with red ribbons, and gagged them with red tape – then put antlers on headbands on their heads, before they left them to struggle.

And me and Laurence to try not to laugh as they struggled…

3^rd December

She looks to the door, wondering just how much longer it is going to be. At first, she had thought it would be a fun thing to do, but it’s been two hours now, and still nobody is coming.

It had been her brother’s idea – she had not wanted to go to the Christmas concert, and her boyfriend had been meant to come around. So, he said he knew how to surprise him, and get her a nice time as well, if she was willing to take on a little dare.

Now how could she resist that? So, thirty minutes before the rest of the family had to leave, she went with him to her room. She was casually dressed – a white sweatshirt, blue jeans and white ankle socks. He had suggested that, saying something else would make her light up the room. She should have seen the warning signs then…

She selected a playlist, and started her music, before sitting cross-legged on a cushion. Taking a length of red chiffon ribbon, he bound her crossed ankles tightly together, and then took a length of gold ribbon, which he used to secure her wrists together in front of her. That hadn’t been so bad, but then he had taken more of the gold ribbon, and tied it round her stomach and arms so that she could only lift her forearms up and down!

She should have told him to stop then, but as he wound the red ribbon around her upper arms and chest, forcing them into her sides as well, she figures she needed to see the dare through. Especially when he tied the ribbon in a pretty bow in front of her.

Then there was the label, which he wrote something on, then tied some gold ribbon attached to it round her neck so that she could not see what he had written!!

But that was not the worst bit. He said she would have to be quiet, or it would spoil the surprise – so he had put a folded handkerchief in her mouth, then tied the last of the red ribbon around her head, making a bow that sat between her lips as she stared at him.

With that, he had promised he would call her boyfriend, and leave the door open, before he closed the room door. She had heard him leave with his parents, and smiled as she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Where was he? If that brat of a brother had forgotten…

The playlist ended as she screamed in frustration – and then the door opened, and he came in. He was like a god as he stood there, smiling before he knelt, eased the ribbon and cloth from her mouth, and then kissed her.

She wanted to know why he was late, and he turned red before he mumbled the reason. She asked again, and he untied the label and showed her it.

“Sorry Sis – I told him not to come until the music finished. Then he would not have to face it.”

Oh, his turn was coming…

4^th December

The two girls and boy were sat on the couch, looking at their mother and father as the two men talked to them. They were identically dressed – black leather jackets, pants, shoes, gloves and balaclava masks – as the smaller of the two looked at them and said “I’m sorry we interrupted your bedtime, kids – who are you and how old are you?”

“I’m Anna,” the oldest girl said. She had long blonde hair, and was wearing a long sleeved green top and candy striped bottoms, “I’m thirteen. Tabby here is eleven.”

The younger girl nodded as he looked at the man. She had a holly wreath pin in her hair, and was wearing a red long sleeved top and the candy-striped pants.

“And as for you young man?”

“Blake, and I’m eight?” He had short blonde hair, and wore a red top with a snowflake and his name on the front, and the striped pants. “Why are you talking to Mummy and Daddy?”

“Well,” the man said, “my friend and I want your parents to donate to something we support, and in a moment, he will take them to another room to talk about that. But as for you three… Have you done a Christmas Card photo yet?”

“No,” Anna said quietly, “why?”

“Well – if we can fetch a camera and come straight back, I think we can do a nice picture for that. Will you two stay here with my friend and your parents until we come back?”

Tabby and Blake nodded as he took Anna’s hand in his own gloved one, and they left the room, returning a few minutes later with a digital camera.

“Have fun kids,” their mother said as she and their father left with the other masked man.

“Now, this is a photo where we get the three of you wrapped up in some tree lights, and also make sure none of you can say very much – it can be very funny, and it’s a great game to play. Are you ready?”

“I’m ready,” Tabby said as she stood up.

“Good – why don’t you and your sister stand back to back, and Blake can watch while I do a few things, see it’s not going to hurt before I do them to him?”

“Okay,” Anna said as she and Tabby stood back to bac, Tabby’s head resting between their shoulder blades, while the masked man took a roll of red tape from his pocket, and taped Anna’s right wrist to Tabby’s left one, then walked round and taped their free wrists together in the same way. He then knelt down, pushes Tabby’s ankles together, and wound the tape round them, before he did the same to her sister.

“I guess we’re stuck together now,” Tabby giggled as she tried to move her hand, Abby nodding in agreement as the man said “Now then Blake – stand in front of your sisters, and I’ll tape your ankles together as well.”

“Okay then” Brent said as he went in front, the masked man taping his ankles together before he picked up the long length of lights which were going to go on the tree.

“Ready?”

The three children nodded as he wound the flex around all three of them, holding them together firmly before he tied it off and left the plug near the wall.

“Now – before I turn on the lights and take a picture, I need to make sure you girls stay quiet, in theme with the picture. Open your mouth Anna.”

Anna had figured out what was going on, but she nodded and opened her mouth, as the masked man put a folded cloth inside and she closed her lips over it. From the bag he had, he took a long red ribbon with gold trim, and wrapped it round her head, twice, taking it between her lips on the first pass, and on the second tying a decorative bow with the knot in her mouth.

“Are you all right Anna,” Tabby said, then she giggled as her sister replied “ysseeemmm…”

“Your turn,” the masked man said as he folded a second cloth, and held it in front of Tabby’s mouth. She accepted it, and then he tied along red ribbon round her head, holding the cloth in as the knot of the bow sat between her teeth.

“So,” he then said as he picked up the camera, “you both turn and look at me, and Blake you look at me with your hands raised in shock. Ready?”

“Reeddee,” Anna said as he plugged the lights in, and Blake opened his mouth in surprise, putting his hands to his face as the man took a number of pictures.

“I think this is the best – don’t you,” he said as he showed the three children one photo, all three of them nodding as he put the camera down. “Now Blake – do you want your wrists taped like your sisters?”

“Yes please,” the young boy said as he crossed his wrists in front of him, and the man taped them together with the red tape, Blake smiling as he raised his arms up and down.

“Are you doing this to Mummy and Daddy as well?”

“Let me put it this way – my friend will make sure they are playing their own game. Now, can you open your mouth for me?”

Blake nodded, opening his mouth as he felt the cloth on his tongue, then closing it again as the man tore some strips of the red tape off and pressed them over his mouth.

“Eccntulknwweffer,” he said as the girls giggled behind him, and the other masked man came in.

“Well, we’re going now,” he said, “your mummy and daddy want you to stay like this, until they can come in and see you.”

Anna nodded, saying “wlldeetheet” as the two men waved and left, leaving the three children to wonder how long it would take one of their parents to come in.

The answer been twenty minutes, before their father jumped in, bound tightly with ropes and with white tape over his mouth, followed by their mother…

5^th December

“Well noo, are ye twa girls full up?”

Ida and Paula nodded as they looked at the woman with the Scottish accent, and put their plates on the low table in front of the couch. Ida had shoulder length brown hair, with a red bow tied in it, while Paula had long blonde hair with a black bow. Both girls were wearing long sleeved black tops, jeans and black Mary Jane style shoes.

They both looked over at their mothers – Ida’s had long brown hair, and was wearing an electric blue blouse over black leggings and over the knee black boots. Paula’s had on a leopard print top and a soft black leather skirt, with black ankle boots. They nodded and smiled back at their daughters, happy they were happy.

“Well noo – we’re gonna play a wee game, jest the twa of ye, until yer daddy comes home. It won’t hurt, but it will be fun. Ready?”

“We’re ready,” Paula said as Ida nodded.

“Guid – an ye’ll be like yer mammies as weel. Noo then,” she said as she looked at the Christmas Tree, “go and sit back tae back oer there.”

She watched as the two girls went and sat in front of the tree, smiling as she took some things from a bad and went to sit next to them. “Reet – furst, can ye put yer arms up in the air fer me?”

Both girls nodded as they lifted the arms, the Scottish woman taking a length of rope and tying them together at their waists, before she said “thank ye, now put yer arms down, an hold each offer’s hands.”

“What are you going to do,” Ida said as she took another length of cord.

“Well, later ye’ll be exactly like yer mammies, but fer noo I want you to hae yer wrists togefer,” she said in her broad accent, as she tied Ida’s left wrist to Paula’s right one, and then the same on the other side, cinching the binding between their arms and keeping the knot out of reach of both their hands.

She then took more lengths of rope, and tied Ida’s ankles together, as well as her legs below her knees, smiling as the little girl looked at her mother. She smiled back as well as she tried to get more comfortable, while Ida watched the woman take the rope between her legs as well.

Once she had done the same to Paula, she stood up, and fetched from the bag a set of fairy lights with a white flex. The girls giggled as she used them to secure them together around their arms and upper body, and then she plugged them into a nearby wall socket.

“Ye’ll light up the room in a wee minet,” she said as she looked at them, and brushed their hair away from their eyes. “But we need tae dae one mair thing tae make ye like yer mammies. Are ye ready?”

The two girls nodded as Ida opened her mouth, and the woman put a small folded cloth inside, Ida closing her lips over it as she did the same to Paula.

The woman then picked a roll of tape, with a leopard skin pattern on it, and tore a strip off before she gently pressed it over Ida’s mouth. A second strip went over Paula’s as they both turned their heads to look at their mothers.

“Rugrrlsslhlrhht,” Paula’s mother said as she struggled on the couch, the tight bands of rope holding her wrists behind her back, her arms to her sides and her legs together. Paula nodded, as Ida said to her mother “Whlllrrhttmm.”

She nodded, unable to speak as well as the masked man looked at his partners.

“They’ll be fine with Mrs McPhee now – search the house, and then wait for Ida’s father to return.”

“Got it Jay,” the men said as they left the room, Mrs McPhee smiling as she looked through he balaclava at the girls.

“Noo – which feelm will ye wanna watch…”

6^th December

Last Christmas, We made our own card,
There was Suzie and Jenny, Bobby and me
This year, we’re doing the same
and give it to someone special

We were sitting in front of the tree,
Wearing red pyjamas, with white spots free

Except for Bobby, who had checked ones
And Suzie’s red candy striped bottoms

We crossed our legs and our wrists

Mummy took the white cords
and tied each of us up tight
I looked down, and
wriggled my wrists round

With my ankles moving

The others just like me

(Silent Night!) We all looked up and smiled right
and Mummy pressed on our mouths, tape blue and bright
Now, we looked at the camera light

And Mummy pressed the button

While we all grinned.

This Christmas, our card will be great
Because we all had fun, making it today
And tonight, Mummy said right
We’re all to her very special

This Christmas,…

7^th December

“You want me to play a game? With all of you?”

“That’s right,” Molly’s mother said as the family sat in the front room, “we’ll all play, but as our visitor said, you get to play the most important part of all – by getting us all ready before she gets your ready.”

Molly smiled as he looked at her mother, wearing a black sleeveless top and blue jeans. Her father sat next to her, with a black baseball cap on his head, a long sleeved red shirt, and dark trousers, who smiled as he nodded in agreement, both of them looking at the visitor.

“So,” he said as he looked round, “why don’t we all do this by the Christmas tree?”

Hazel and Jenny nodded in agreement, as their parents walked over to where the large gold tree was standing, their mother putting a stool down before the both knelt in front of Molly, and held their hands up in front of themselves, crossing their wrists at the same time.

“Go on,” her mother said, “it’s all right.”

The eight year old nodded as she tore the end of the big roll of red tape free, and wrapped it tightly round her mother’s wrists, before doing the same to her father, the visitor nodding as she watched.

“Can I really do this Daddy?”

“Yes you can,” he said with a smile, as the little girl tore a strip of tape from the roll, and pressed it down on her father’s mouth, adding two more before she did the same to her mother. She had a Santa hat on, covering her long blonde hair, as well as a red and black tartan top with short puffed sleeves and black jeans.

Once she had covered her mother’s mouth, she watched as her parents got up and sat back to back on the stool, before she used the tape to secure their ankles together. They both smiled and nodded as she stood back, while their visitor took a set of fairy lights from her bag, and wrapped it round the waists and shoulders of her parents, holding them together before she looked at the other two girls. Hazel was fourteen, and wearing a red top with elbow length sleeves, and blue jeans, while ten year old Jenny wore a red t-shirt and black jeans.

“Okay now – you two sit back to back next to Mummy and Daddy on the floor,” Molly said, Jenny glancing at the visitor as she smiled, and then sitting down with her back to her back sister, her mother at her side. She looked down and nodded as Jenny crossed her wrists, and Molly taped them together, before she knelt down and taped her sister’s legs together over her jeans.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you,” Jenny said carefully, seeing the grin on her younger sister’s face as the red tape was pressed onto her mouth. Molly then walked round and taped her oldest sister’s wrists and ankles, then covered her mouth with several strips of the tape as Hazel looked at her through her glasses.

“Well done Molly,” the visitor finally said as he took a second set of fairy lights, and used them to secure the two older girls together at their waists and shoulders, before plugging both sets in, Molly giggling as the light blinked on her family. “Your turn now – lie on the couch for me, will you?”

The young girl giggled as she lay on her back, the woman crossing her wrists in front of her and taping them together, and then her ankles, before she covered Molly’s mouth with strips of the red tape. She looked over at the rest of her family as they looked at the visitor.

“I’m just going to have a look round – enjoy the game,” she said as she looked at them through the stocking mask, the others nodding, not wanting Molly to know the truth of what was happening…

8^th December

“Driving home for Christmas…” I’m not exactly the greatest Chris Rea fan, but it’s one of those songs that seem to dominate the airwaves at this time of year, alongside Kirsty McCall or Wham or that Phil Spector album. At least it’s not Feed the World – much as I admire the work that song was able to raise the money to do, it’s not exactly a festive song.

But I was heading home, a week before the big day, and off work until the New Year, and I just wanted to unwind and spend time with Cindy and the girls. We’ve been married for fifteen years now – Cindy and I were at college together, and she still looks the same, slim, long blonde hair, and a smile that bewitches and draws you in.

Our girls have inherited that look as well. Erica is twelve, and Audrey eleven – they real difference, apart from the edge, is their hair, Erica’s is slightly curly and Audrey’s straight.

The traffic is not too bad, but I cannot wait to get off the motorway and onto the streets of our home area. The sky is dark and clear, and despite the bright lights along the road I can see the stars twinkling.

I spoke to them on the laptop when I stopped for a break. Cindy was casually dressed – a blue V-necked sweater over a white blouse, and jeans, while the girls both had on long sleeved white tops and jeans. They had been decorating the tree and the front room, and as I signed off they said their dinner had just arrived from the local take away.

That had been just over an hour ago, and I imagine they are watching television, waiting for me to get home – so I’m glad when I see my exit, and move off, the bright lights of the motorway replaced by the more muted lights of the streets on our estate. As I make my way along, even those get lower – the local council have decided it would be a great idea to save money by turning off sets of lights, so that as I turn onto the avenue we live on it is in darkness, save for the lights on the houses and in the windows.

We live at the end, and as I turn into our driveway I see the lights on behind the drawn curtains, and smile as I turn the engine off, kill the headlights, get out and retrieve my bag from the boot of the car. The other packages can wait until later – I want to be with my girls now.

As I go in, I can hear the television playing, and I call out to tell them I’m home. They don’t reply, and I wonder if they’ve fallen asleep under the influence of Chinese food. Going into the kitchen, I pour a glass of water and take a sip. I don’t see any takeaway bags or boxes, but it would not be the first time we’ve eaten from the boxes and packages in the front room together. Saves on the washing up.

So I put the glass down, hung my coat up, went into the front room – and stared at the sight.

Cindy was sitting on the couch, Erica on her right, and Audrey on her left – they had linked their arms, and their wrists were in front of them.

Tied together with white rope – and I could see the lengths of white rope that had been used to bind their ankles and their legs below their knees. They would have said something, but each of them had a strip of flesh coloured sticking plaster pressed over their mouths, stretching across their jaws. Their eyes, however, spoke volumes.

That wasn’t the most absurd thing, however. That would be the red chiffon which had been wrapped around all three of them, holding them together at their arms and chest, and tied with a neat bow in front of Cindy. She looked at me, and said “whhllrrhttt…”

“What happened,” I said as I looked at her, and took hold of the edge of the plaster, trying to be as gentle as possible as I peeled it away.

“There were three men,” she said as she looked at me, “they took us by surprise, made us sit here, tied us up, gagged us – I think they went upstairs…”

“It’s all right,” I said as I kissed her, then kissed the girls on their heads before I removed their gags, “it’s all right. You’re all safe – that’s the best present of all. Let me get you all untied, and then I’ll call the police…”

9^th December

We three Damsels in Distress
Sitting here stuck in this place.
Help not coming, Mascara running,
Wondering what is gone.

O wrists in front, tied up tight,
Lights that twinkle to ankles bright,

Gagged with red cloth, big thick red cloth,
Who will come and end our plight?

I was first to meet the two men,
Now I sit in front of my friends,
Try to get free, nothing helps me
Can’t even scratch my end.

O wrists in front, tied up tight,
Lights that twinkle to ankles bright,

Gagged with red cloth, big thick red cloth,
Who will come and end our plight?

Then they made me sit on this stool.
Ankles bound to the leg, I’m a fool.
Cross and cursing, they’re not listening,
They just want what is cool.

O wrists in front, tied up tight,
Lights that twinkle to ankles bright,

Gagged with red cloth, big thick red cloth,
Who will come and end our plight?

They tie my ankles over checked socks
Then they left us without the door locked
Pleading, Screaming, Wishing, Dreaming,

Trying to fight the shock.

Wait a minute, who is there,
there are voices on the stairs,

Room door opens, deep voice spoken,
A policeman a sight so rare…

December 10^th

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“It was amazing – when we cornered the family, the three kids and Mummy Dearest were all dressed in red pyjamas, so we made them stand by the Christmas tree, covered their mouths with the Festive Green tape, and tied them all together with the extra long fairy lights.

“They watched me as my friends went round – and your were right. It was fun for all of us, especially when I turned the lights on and they twinkled in time with the tree.

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December 11^th

We members of the Junior Detective Club don’t mean to get into trouble, honestly – it just seems to follow us around. Take the Case of the Party Pooper. We were at school in our party clothes – Dee in her red striped wrap round top, Patty in a black and grey short sleeved top with pink trim and waist band, and me in a sparkly black cowl necked jumper, all of us wearing black jeans and flat shoes.

We were having our photos taken in groups, so naturally the three of us went up together. The photographer smiled at us, and asked us to sit in front of a large picture of a fireplace. He then said he had a theme in mind for all the groups, if we were willing.

Well, anything for a laugh – so we allowed him to wrap a set of fairy lights round all three of us, holding us together loosely.

Then he said would we mind if he put some tape on our mouths – he called it the Silent Night theme. Well, it’s not like this is the first time that had happened – the case of the School Sneak Thief came to mind – so we nodded as he picked up a roll of shiny silver tape, tore a strip off, and pressed it over the mouths of all three of us.

Smiling, he told us to fold our arms, went behind the camera, and told us to say cheese. As if we could – and we certainly couldn’t when the flash bulb blinded us, and then the chloroform soaked cloths were pressed over our noses and mouths.

After that – well, when we woke up, we were in the cellar of the school, tied up on mattresses, as the photographer looked at us. He was someone a gang had hired to get us out of the way – while they snatched one of our school friends!

Why Cassie Craig was of interest to them, I have no idea…

December 12^th

I swear, all I did was nip out for ten minutes to get some Irn Bru. What the heck could happen in ten minutes? And yet, it did.

Robbie was at home – he’s fourteen, but he has enough sense not to answer the door if he doesn’t know who’s calling. With a green Army style jumper over a brown shirt, and blue jeans, he said he’d be fine if I nipped out, so I left him wrapping some presents while I went to the corner shop. It had been Christmas Jumper day at work, so I had on a blue jumper with white spots for snowflakes and a Christmas pudding on the front, jeans and black trainers.

I even kept on the Santa hat I had worn all day, covering my curly brown hair, while Robbie’s went over his number 1 haircut. I had nothing to be afraid of – so I went down the road, bought the Amber Nectar, and walked back – and into a night of trouble.

When I walked in, I called out to Robbie, but he didn’t answer. Why he didn’t answer became clear when I walked into the front room, to see Robbie sitting on a stool, his fear-filled eyes looking at me.

A brown box was on the floor, and next to Robbie was someone dressed as a courier – brown shirt and pants – but holding a pistol to my son’s head and beckoning to me to come over. As I came closer, I saw that his hands were behind his back, and a black zip tie held his ankles together with his bare feet resting on the rung of the stool legs.

The man smiled as he told me to turn round, and I felt him pull my hands behind my back, before there was a plastic strip round my wrists and a rasping sound as they were forced tightly together. He then made me sit back to back with my son on the stool, and used another black zip tie to secure my ankles together.

I took hold of Robbie’s hand as the man opened the box, and took out a set of fairy lights. I had no idea why fairy lights, but then he used them to secure our upper bodies together as well as loosely round our necks.

He hadn’t finished though – next he took out some silver tinsel, and tied it tightly round us as well, so that we were held together.

That was when I asked Robbie if the girls were still upstairs – but before he could say anything, I heard a ripping sound, and then there was silence. What that ripping sound was I found out a moment later, as he ripped a long strip from a roll of silver duct tape, and pushed it firmly over my mouth.

“Msrremmm,” Robbie mumbled, and I wondered what he was sorry about – the girls had gone to bed before I left. That was when the men went and opened the doors to the dining room – and I stared at what I saw there.

My ten year old twin daughters were standing back to back – both wearing long sleeved white tops, with a green and a red strawberry on the front, and white bottoms with green, blue and red spirals. One had on long bottoms, the other short – but both had red Santa hats on their heads as well.

And strips of red tape covering their mouths as they looked at me and Robbie. Their wrists were taped to each other with red tape, and their ankles taped together, while a length of fair lights was wrapped round them from their chests to their feet.

I found out later the man had knocked on the door, then made Robbie call the girls down before he made my son tape them up, and then tied them together with the lights, before he zip tied him. Then I had come in…

But as I said, I found that out later. At that time, I had to try and tell them it would be all right as the intruder went up the stairs, and then out of the house, leaving us to struggle to get free…

December 13^th

“Right then – what game are we going to play tonight,” Cindy said as she looked round the table. The blonde haired teenager was wearing a white jumper, and blue leggings with white flowers printed on the fabric. As the oldest of the sextuplets, her parents had left her in charge.

Oldest by ten minutes. Next to her was dark haired Toni, wearing a red jumper and white pants with a tartan check. Then there was Sue, a silver star in her wavy brown hair, and wearing a white V-necked t-shirt and blue checked pants; Eve with her hair in two bunches held by silver stars, a black top and pants; Claire, her long brown hair falling over a dark blue top and blue-green checked pants; and finally Eric, the only boy in the sextuplets, with short blonde hair and a white round necked t-shirt with matching pants.

“So – what game?”

“Well -we’ve got an idea,” Sue said as she put a headband in Toni’s hair, with a pair of red antlers on top. “We bet we can stop you and Toni from moving and talking for thirty minutes – and we get to take a picture as well.”

“Oh,” Cindy said, “and how are you going to do that?”

“so, glad you asked,” Eric said, “come and sit in front of the tree.”

Toni and Cindy looked at each other, and then walked over to a red square box seat that was placed near the tree.

“Right,” Sue said, “Claire you’re up.”

“Up for – hey, what are you doing,” Toni said as her sister started to wrap a set of fairy lights round both of them, holding them together as well as their arms to their sides.

“Making sure you can’t move – Sue, Eve, Eric, you’re up.”

“What are uhhheccnttlkk,” Toni said as Eric tore a strip of green tape free from a roll, and pressed it firmly over her mouth, Cindy staring at her sister until Eric gagged her as well.

Sue knelt in front of Toni, and bound her ankles together with a roll of thin tape, printed with a red spotted pattern, and then taped her wrists together in front of her, before she sat on Toni’s knees and put her finger to her green taped mouth.

Eve taped Cindy’s ankle together with thin red tape, and then taped her wrists together, as she said “see – now you can’t move or speak.”

“Nwwhttrrugnnndnw,” Cindy mumbled.

“Have that party,” Eric said quietly as the other girls started to make calls, “and you are the centrepiece…”

December 14^th

“So what is this picture you want to take, Granny,” Tommy said as he sat with his sister Ginny. Tommy was wearing a blue denim shirt and jeans, while the slightly younger Ginny had a pair of denim bib short over a striped jumper, blue leggings and brown ankle boots.

“Oh it’s just a special family photo for my Christmas cards,” their grandmother said as she put a Santa hat on each of them. “A lot of families are doing the same thing, so I want us to join in.”

“And what are you going to do Granny,” Ginny asked.

“Well – we start with you two sitting on the floor, back to back,” their grandmother said, watching as her two blonde haired grandchildren sat down. She smiled as she then opened a box of Christmas tree lights.

“What are you going to do with them,” Tommy asked.

“Wrap them round both of you to hold you together,” she said as she wrapped it around their upper bodies, holding their arms to their sides as they sat cross legged. Plugging them into the wall, she smiled as she said “well, now you are bright lights – but you need to be quiet as well.”

“Quiet – oh no Granny,” Ginny said as she watched her grandmother tear a strip off a roll of silver tape, “you don’t mean…”

“Oh yes I do,” she said as she knelt down and pressed the silver tape firmly over Ginny’s mouth, before doing the same to Tommy. They both turned and looked at her, in her red long sleeved dress, before she said “Now, let me take the photo, and then I have a special surprise for you.”

They nodded as they watched her take the photo, and then look at her phone, before she looked at them.

“Children, I’m really sorry,” she said as she picked up a ball of wool, ”but I need you both to stay here and I mean stay.”

“Whtsshpnnngreenneee,” Tommy said as she used the wool to tie his wrists together in front of him, and then took the wool out and secured his ankles together.

“I promise, I am only doing this because I have to,” she said as she bound Ginny in the same way, and then turned the television on. “I will be back as soon as I can, but believe me – you need to stay here.”

“Btehhtssgngnnnn,” Ginny said as she looked up.

“I’ll tell you later,” she said as she left the room, and the flat…

December 15^th

Why did Mummy do this to me and Will? I don’t know – it just happened so quickly.

We had gone to bed – I was wearing blue pyjamas with red Santas, and Will white pyjamas with Christmas figures and red cuffs. I was about to sleep when Mum appeared, wearing a black jumper and jeans, and told me to get up quickly, and come into the front room.

Will was already there, wearing a red Santa hat on his head, asking what was happening as Mum gave me a hat to wear as well.

She said she needed to go to a next door flat for a few minutes, and she wanted to make sure we stayed where we were, so she was going to do a fun thing. Telling us to sit back to back, I opened my eyes wide as she picked up a roll of red tape, and taped my wrists together in front of me, and then my ankles.

“What are you doing Mum,” I heard Will say, and then the sound of tape ripping as she secured his wrists and ankles as well. “Ginny and Tommy two doors down had their photos taken like this,” she said with a smile, “and I want one of you two like this as well.”

I nodded as she took some tree lights, and wrapped it round both of us, so that we were held together. “Now, I really need you both to stay quiet,” she said as she kissed us both on the forehead, “so I’m going to cover our mouths with some of the tape. It won’t hurt, I promise.”

I nodded before Mum pressed a length of the red tape over my mouth, and then I heard Will mumble as his mouth was covered as well. She looked at us, said “I’ll be back soon” and turned the television on, as we watched and I wondered what had happened…

December 16^th

“All right kids,” I said as I looked at them, “I want you to sit in front of the tree, and we’re going to play our special game.”

Katy nodded as she sat down, in her green long sleeved top and green pants, while Eric sat next to her. He’s eight, Katy eleven, and tonight he was in a red top with green sleeves, and combat pants.

Then there was Amy, nine years old last week, and wearing a pair of grey and pink striped pyjamas with pink cuffs. They knew what this game was, we had played it many times before, and enjoyed it immensely.

“Now,” I said as I picked up the white fairy lights, and wound the green flex round all three of them so that the three were held together. “When I turn the lights on, and I do the special thing, you all need to remain in this room, until I come back, all right?”

“All right Mummy,” Eric said as he watched me tear a strip from a roll of red tape from the roll and press it firmly over his mouth, then a second strip underneath. He smiled, the tape crinkling as I kissed his forehead again, and then picked up a roll of green tape, covering Amy’s mouth first.

As I walked round to Katy, she looked at me and whispered “is it over after tonight Mummy?”

I nodded, and then covered her mouth with two strips of green tape, kissing her forehead as I nodded, and turned the white lights on, the kids watching as I walked out, and closed the glass doors.

I had a glass of wine poured out, and picked my phone up, sending a message as I looked round. I wasn’t sure how long I had, but I was ready…

“Hello.”

I turned and looked at him, in the red suit, and took a drink from my glass as I said “so – you found me.”

“I told you I would – and now I have, and now you and the children are coming home.”

“No.”

He looked at me, and said “I beg your pardon?”

“I said No – it’s over…”

“Why you…”

He lunged at me – and then fell as he was hit in the back, the knife falling from his hand as my neighbours on each side stood there – the older woman in her dress, the younger in her black jumper and jeans, as she held the club.

“I called the police,” the older woman said, “when did you know?”

“I saw him in the supermarket today – the kids?”

“All doing the Silent Night – yours?”

I looked to the double doors and nodded as I said “Yeah – will they all be all right until he gets taken away?”

“I think so – time for you to be free of the nightmare of him…”

December 17^th

Look at young Holly and Ivy,
Sitting on the chairs
Full of sweetness and innocence
Although they cannot share
O the posing of the girls
And the mewling through the tape
The blinking of the fairy lights
For the Christmas Card of joy

Now Ivy wears a onesie
With stripes of red and white
And little Holly is the same
As the lights blink so bright
O the posing of the girls
And the mewling through the tape
The blinking of the fairy lights
For the Christmas Card of joy

Now Holly wears a headband
With a bright red bow
That keeps her light brown hair pushed back
As she looks at us to pose
O the posing of the girls
And the mewling through the tape
The blinking of the fairy lights
For the Christmas Card of joy

Holly has a slight frown
we can see under the tape;
But soon it turns into a smile
While Ivy tries to speak.
O the posing of the girls
And the mewling through the tape
The blinking of the fairy lights
For the Christmas Card of joy

The tape it is green
And covers both their mouths;
And the fairy lights wrapped tight around
As they make a funny sound.
O the posing of the girls
And the mewling through the tape
The blinking of the fairy lights
For the Christmas Card of joy

So for young Holly and Young Ivy
Their Christmas Card is done,
And they wish you all a Silent Night,
When Christmas Day, it comes.
O the posing of the girls
And the mewling through the tape
The blinking of the fairy lights
For the Christmas Card of joy

December 18^th

“A dare game? And why?”

“Because it will be fun,” Simon said as he and Kerry looked at their babysitters. Simon was dressed somewhat like a lumberjack, with a red and black checked top and pants, and a large wool lined hat on his head. Kerry, his younger sister by two years, was festively dressed, in a red, white and green striped long sleeved top and leggings, a green and red bow in her unruly blonde hair.

Elaine and Molly looked at each other, wondering if they should play along. Elaine had blond hair, Molly brown, but both were wearing grey onesies with red horizontal stripes, their feet in grey socks.

“Or are you scared?”

“We’re not scared of anything,” Molly said. “Bring it on.”

“Oka then – sit on the floor, back to back,” Simon said, the two older teenagers smiling as they took their positions.

“Legs crossed,” Kerry said, and as Molly and Elaine crossed their legs she smiled at them, her hands behind her back.

“Okay,” Elaine said as she looked at the young girl, “now what?”

“Close your eyes and put your hands together in prayer.”

“What’s the worst they can do to us,” Molly said, Elaine nodding as she closed her eyes, put her hands together - and then heard the ripping sound as something was wrapped tightly round her wrists, holding them together.

Opening her eyes, she saw Kerry grinning as she knelt and taped her ankles together, twisting her hands as she tried to get them free.

“THAT’S where the wrapping tape went,” Molly said as Kerry passed the tape to Simon, who taped her wrists and ankles together in the same way, before he picked up a set of tree lights.

“What are THEY for,” Elaine asked the young boy as he looked at them.

“To keep you both together,” he said with a smile as, with Molly’s help, he wrapped the green flex around both babysitters, holding them both together until Molly plugged them in, and the lights started shining.

“Now, close your eyes and your mouths.”

“Now whattrruppllnnhdrleerddd,” Elaine said as Simon stuck a strip of the green and white tape across her mouth, stretching from ear to ear, and then walked quickly round, doing the same to Molly before she could do anything.

“Hkkeee – swwhhttnw,” Elaine mumbled as she looked up.

“Now -we get to do what WE want,” Molly said as she high fived Simon, “starting with Frozen sing-a-along!”

“Hnnnntegeeeen,” Molly moaned as she tried to get free, and the music started….

December 19^th

Lights are blinking
All around me
Sister sitting
Having fun
It's the season
Of taking family photos
It’s Silent Night everyone

Sticky red tape
Keeps us quiet
Green flex holding
Sis to me
Time for posing
And looking silly
While our parents take the shot

We're sitting in t-shirts so white
I'm gonna look so good
Even if I cannot speak
and I’ve antlers on my head!

Flash bulb lighting

Sister mumbling
Wish the tape was
There to stay

But I guess that
Now she’s got her hat on
Christmas Day is
Almost here

Silent Night to everyone

Selennttnht efereeun
Suullennttnhttfrrennn
Suullennttnhttfrrennn

December 20^th

Alan was sitting on the floor, playing with the silver roll as his parents knelt behind him. The toddler was wearing a black vest jumper with a red and grey Argyll pattern, a white shirt, black trousers and red socks, giggling as he rolled the silver band across the floor.

“Well, he seems to be enjoying himself.”

Alan nodded as he focused on the new toy, his parents watching as he laughed. Dad was wearing a long sleeved black shirt, and jeans, while his mother had on a scoop necked grey and pink jumper and jeans. Both were kneeling, their hands in front of themselves and their ankles under their bottoms.

“Now then – one for you… And one for you!”

They both grunted as the silver tape was pressed over their mouths. She tried to move her ankles, but the thin white plastic strip was holding them firmly together – as the second one held her wrists together as she flexed her fingers.

Her husband stared at the man as he checked the zip tie holding his wrists together, before he left the room, the second man kneeling and playing with Alan as the roll of duct tape went between them.

Eventually, the first man returned, and Alan was lifted into his playpen before both men left, Alan giggling as he watched his dad shuffled towards the pair of scissors on the coffee table…

December 21^st

O Silent night the light are brightly shining
On the flex as it is wrapped around us
Emma’s behind me in her peach pyjamas
With Santas all jumping round in joy

She sounds so cute, although the tape is holding

Her mouth closed, with colours all so bright

I give her hand a squeeze
O hear our muted voices
O Silent Night
O now we look at the camera
O Silent Night o night
O Silent Night

In my white top and funk red checked bottoms
I look around, and see our parents smiling
My heart full of joy
O hear our muted voices
O Silent Night
O now we look at the camera
O Silent Night o night
O Silent Night

Ooh it feels so good

Ooh it is the night when we both will be silent
Coloured Tape, Twinkling Lights, Big Smiles
It was a Silent, Silent Night…

December 22^nd

When they took mummy and daddy upstairs, that left two of the men with me and the rest of the family. Timmy is ten, Suzie six and little Kenny three – so at twelve, I was in charge.

“Right kids,” one of the masked men said as he handed his gun to the other guy, “we need to keep the four of you quiet in here. Be calm, don’t cry, and you’ll be all right.”

“We’ll make a game of it,” I said to the others, trying to sound calm. We had been about to go to bed when they burst in – I was in a pair of light grey pyjamas with a pink face on the front of the top, and Suzie had on her Tinkerbell pyjamas. Timmy was wearing a red top and pants, and Kenny a pair of cammo bottoms and a top with “rough night” printed on the front. Very appropriate…

“What are you going to use to tie us up,” I asked, and to my surprise he took out four sets of fairy lights on white flexes. Looking at Tommy, he said “you first kid – lie on your stomach, and put your hands behind your back.”

Kenny and Suzie watched with me as the masked man put Timmy’s hands together behind his back, and tied them together with one end of the lights, before he used the other end to tie his ankles together. He then tore a strip of silver tape from a roll, the two others holding me as they watched the man press the tape over their brother’s mouth.

“I don’t want that,” Suzie whispered, but I knew it was going to happen, so I said to the man “I want to put the tape on their mouths -but do mine first so they see there is nothing to be afraid of.”

The man nodded as he tore a long strip from the roll, and pressed it down over my mouth, as it stretched almost from ear to ear. “Sseeetsllrhrtt,” I said to the other two, and they both nodded as I tape gagged them as well.

Looking at Suzie, he smiled as he said “sit on your big brother’s back.” Timmy turned his head and said “nnnn”, but Suzie giggled as she sat on his arms and back, watching the man as he tied her wrists together in front of her with another set of lights, and then her ankles.

He then told me to sit in front of them, with my legs crossed – and a few minutes later, I had my wrists and ankles tied together with the lights, as he helped Kenny to lie across me lap – keeping my hands on my legs as well, before he tied my youngest brother’s ankles and wrists as well.

That was when the other men came down, and smiled as they looked at us staring at them. “Mummy and Daddy will be down soon,” one of them said, before they turned the television on, Kenny and us watching Tom and Jerry as we heard our parents trying to get free upstairs…

December 23^rd

“We’re ready Mom,” Chris said as we walked into the room, hand in hand. I had on a red party dress with a black shrug, and dark tights, and he was wearing a checked shirt and light chinos.

Mom smiled as she said “good – hop into the chairs for me, and put your hands together in front of you.”

We had agreed to do this as a late photo for our grandparents, so I pushed myself onto the seat, my legs hanging over the edge as Mom took a set of Christmas tree lights, and tied them round my wrists, then took them round as I heard Chris talking as she tied his wrists as well.

I then giggled as she wrapped silver tinsel round both of us, our chairs back to back in front of the tree, and then put some strips of thin black tape over our mouths.

“Say hello to gran and gramps,” she said as she started to film, so we turned our heads and said “helllleeegrnnnndgrmppspss” both of us giggling.

It was a fun thing to do…

December 24^th

Elsie and I had been to a Christmas Eve party – I was wearing a blue party dress with a black sash round my waist, and Elsie a sleeveless dress with a white top and a black skirt. A friend of Mum and Dad’s was taking us there and back, so when we returned home at seven, it wasn’t a surprise to see the lights off, only the Christmas tree lights blinking behind the curtains.

We got out of the car, waved as it drove off, and then walked into the house – and straight into the arms of the men waiting behind the door. They were wearing black clothes, and their faces looked funny under the stocking that were pulled down over their heads.

A third man came out of the front room, and smiled as he said “sorry kids – you walked in on us robbing the place, and now we need to keep you quiet and out of the way. Bring them in here.”

We were too scared to say anything, as we were taken into the front room, and the man picked up a roll of sticking plaster. He tore a strip off, and pressed it over Elsie’s mouth, before he did the same to me and made us sit back to back on a box stool.

He then taped our wrists together in front of us, as well as our ankles, and then took a set of fairy lights from the tree and tied us together with them. Plugging them in, we watched the white lights blink on and off as he wrote something on a piece of paper, and put it in front of us.

All three men then left, as I looked down and read the words “Silent night” on the paper. We then heard someone trying to come down the stairs, and we saw Mum making her way down on her bottom. Her arms were behind her back, and I could see the tape round the ankles of her black suede boots, as well as above and below her knees.

She jumped into the room and looked at us, saying “msrereeeegrls” through the sticking plaster over her own mouth, and then hopped round, looking over her shoulder as she reached for Elsie’s mouth, and started to peel the plaster away with one hand, as I saw the way her wrists were crossed and taped together…

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