Silent Night 2017 – Part 2
1st 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…
2nd 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…
3rd 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…
4th 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…
5th 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…”
6th 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,…
7th 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…
8th 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…”
9th 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 10th
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December 11th
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 12th
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 13th
“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 14th
“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 15th
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 16th
“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 17th
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 18th
“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 19th
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 20th
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 21st
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 22nd
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 23rd
“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 24th
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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