Memories of a Wet Autumn Day
Leaving the
railway station, Mariko looked along the road, the leaves slowly turning the
deep burnt umber colour that showed that autumn had fully arrived, a light fall
of rain darkening the pavements. It was
still light, but for how much longer was difficult to tell under the slate grey
sky.
She started to
walk along the sidewalk, thinking of her lunchtime meeting. She had pulled her thick raincoat tightly
round her slim body, the tassels at each hand hanging loosely in front of
her. It was a colour somewhere between
purple and grey, but matched perfectly the thick tights and knee length leather
riding style boots she was wearing.
Mariko had round her neck a silk scarf, cream with a crimson and gold
print, tied in a bow, while her hands were in a pair of yellow kid leather
gloves.
With her short
black hair, and leopard print handbag, she smiled as she walked along, not
really noticing the rain as she did so, and wondering how she would spend the
rest of the day.
It was a
distance of a mile to her home, which passed pleasantly enough, but as she
walked to her front door she didn’t hear the footsteps quickening behind
her. The first she was aware of
something was when she felt the pressure on her back, and heard a male voice
say “don’t panic – open your front door, and walk in as normal. If you do as I say, then you won’t get hurt,
and the worst that happens is you have to stay in one place for a while.”
Mariko slowly
nodded as she unlocked the front door, and walked in, the pressure on her back
constant as she entered the hallway, and heard the door close behind her. “Very good,” the voice said as Mariko stared
straight ahead. It was not an unpleasant
voice – deep, with that hint of education, but still with that hint of menace
as well.
“Who are you?”
“Time to talk
later. I need you to open your mouth
now.”
“Why?”
The very slight
increase in pressure against her back made her shake, before she nodded and
opened her mouth. A black leather gloved
hand came round, a cloth in the palm of the hand, and as Mariko watched he
brought it towards her.
The taste of
cotton on her tongue was not unpleasant, and he did not push it all the way in,
instead looking down as the edges of the cloth appeared between her rouged
lips.
“There – do not
try and remove that, understand?”
Mariko nodded
as the voice said “good - turn round.”
Slowly, she
turned round and looked at the source of the voice. He was tall, think, but the way his dark suit
fitted told her he was strong. It was
tailored as well, and she could see his shirt was silk, his tie handmade, his
shoes Italian leather. He also had on
black leather gloves, and dark glasses over his eyes, as well as a Luger in one
hand pointing at her and a holdall in his other hand.
“Hello,” he
said with a smile, “now, I have some questions, and you can either node for yes
or shake your head for no, understand?”
Mariko looked
at him before she nodded, and he smiled – a very warm smile. “Good – now, do you live here alone?”
She nodded
again as he put the bag down, and walked to where the telephone sat on a small
table. “Are you expecting any visitors
for the next few hours?”
Mariko thought
for a moment, and then slowly shook her head from side to side. “Good – so we are unlikely to be disturbed,
save by the always present possibility of the unexpected. Now, is your personal phone in your handbag?” As Mariko nodded, he held his glove hand out
and said “hand it over please.”
As she held her
arm out, she saw him smile as he took the bag, opened it and removed her
iPhone, placing it in his inside jacket pocket.
“Now then, are you going to try and raise the alarm?”
Mariko was too
scared to do anything but shake her head, as he said “good – so, the first
thing I want you to do is, very slowly, remove your gloves and then our coat,
leaving them on the floor beside you.”
“Cnnnetkhhthsssut?”
He smiled and
shook his head, before he said “do as I say – the coat and gloves?”
Mariko nodded
as she pulled the gloves off her hands, and then loosened the belt, the ends
falling to the side as she opened and slipped it down her arms. Underneath, she was wearing a mustard
coloured blouse and a black leather miniskirt which came half way down her
thighs.
“Very stylish,”
the man said with a smile, “now, very slowly, turn round, and let your arms
fall by your side.” He watched as she
did so, and then put the Luger down, opening the holdall and removing a length
of white rope. He walked up behind her,
Mariko shivering as he slowly moved his gloved hands down her arms, and then
guided his wrists behind her back, crossing them before he doubled the rope
over and wrapped it around them.
She stared at
the wall as she felt the soft rope on her bare flesh, forcing them together as
the man wrapped the rope around her wrists in neat bands, and then separated
the ends, taking them between her arms and tightening the binding as she made
fists with her small hands.
“Is it
uncomfortable?”
Mariko was
surprised to find she was shaking her head – yes, it was tight. Yes, her wrists were held firmly
together. But uncomfortable, hurting? That was not the case.
“Keep facing
the wall.”
Mariko nodded
as she waited, and then saw more rope as it was passed around her body, then
pulled tight as her lower arms were forced against her sides. The man took it round again, this time higher
up, as her blouse was stretched over her chest, the bands growing thicker even
as the ropes hugged her more tightly.
It wasn’t an
unpleasant feeling, in fact it felt like someone was wrapping their arms around
her, and on a day like today that was also comforting. But it was also undeniably true this intruder
was binding her arms to her sides, making sure she could not move them as the
bands hugged her chest.
She felt him
tie the ropes off, and then his hands on her chest as he fed the rope under the
lower band on one side, then pulled it up in front of her. This made the lower band press even more
tightly as he took the rope around the back of her neck, and then under on the
other side, before he tied it off.
“Pllssstllmmwhtuwnt,”
she mumbled as she felt the cloth soak up the last of the saliva from her
mouth. His response was to turn her
round, as she looked at him smiling.
“Now, if you
promise not to shout or cause any trouble, I will take that cloth out of your
mouth, and you may have a drink, refresh your mouth. Do you promise to be quiet?”
Mariko slowly
nodded, as he reached up and gripped the edge of the cloth in his gloved
fingers, gently pulling it out and then wiping the small trail of saliva that
dribbled from the side of her mouth.
“Thank you,” she whispered, “but why are you doing this?”
“Well, isn’t it
obvious? I’m a thief, and I am robbing
you. Now, come with me.” He took Mariko by the arm and walked her into
her kitchen, sitting her on a chair as he opened the refrigerator and took out
a small bottle of water. Unscrewing the
top, he held it to her lips as she took a drink.
“Slowly, slowly
– don’t want to be sick,” he said as she sipped the clear liquid.
“thank you,”
she finally said as he wiped her mouth again.
“so you are going to take my valuables?”
“Indeed – and
it will be so much more pleasant if you tell me where they are. That way, there will be minimal disruption
and less mess to clear up. Have I given
you cause to worry you with my intentions?”
Mariko looked
at him for a moment, and slowly shook her head as he smiled. “Good – so, do you wish some more water, or
shall we go about my work?” He smiled as
she nodded and stood up, waiting as he took her arm.
For the next
hour they walked round her home, Mariko watching as he selected and placed
jewellery, gold, plate and money into his bag.
He was charming, and knew much about her culture and other things, but
all the time she knew he was in charge, and she was his – well, his victim and
accomplice in a way.
The ropes were
snug, comfortable, and she was forgetting they were there. But as she sat on the bed in her own room,
they tightened as a result of her sitting down, and she let out a gasp.
“Is there
something wrong,” he said as he placed his bag on the bed.
“No – just a
different feeling. So – what happens
now?”
“I make you
comfortable before I leave.” From the
bag, he took another length of rope, and knelt down, crossing her ankles before
he doubled the rope over and began to bind them together. She watched with a detached interest, as her
ankles were forced together, listening to the squeak of the leather as the rope
rubbed on her boots, and also her legs moved together.
“there,” he
said as he tied the rope off behind her legs, and produced another length,
doubling it over and securing her legs together below her knees, and then again
with a third length below her skirt. She
tried to move her legs, with little success – her tights compressing under the
tight bands around and between her legs.
She had felt the lightness of his touch as he had done this, and almost
admired him – but she was unable to move, as he walked round and sat beside
her.
“And now, with
deep regret, it is necessary for me to prevent you raising the alarm,” he said
with a smile.
“Bu it cannot
move, you have my mobile phone, and you have disconnected my land line and my
internet connection. What more are you
going to do?”
In answer he
untied and removed her scarf, seeing the way she gulped as he shook it out, and
the folded it into a band, before he tied a large double knot in the middle.
“But… I live alone…”
“I will let the
authorities know – after a suitable period.
Have you reason to doubt me?”
Mariko slowly
shook her head as he said “I will even play some music – what would you like?”
“Well – there
is an album by Mika Nakashima by the player…”
“Excellent
choice,” the man said as he picked up the Love CD, and put it in. “Now, open your mouth please.”
Mariko nodded
as he eased the silk knot behind her teeth, the mass filling her mouth as he
passed the band around her head and secured the ends tightly together at the
base of her neck. Taking a pillow and
placing it on the bed, he helped her to lie on her side, her head resting on
the pillow as he pulled her ankles back, and secured them to her chest ropes.
“Fnkuuuu,” she
mumbled as he picked up his bag, pressed the shuffle button, and left her to
listen to the first song…
Aishiteru aishiteru anata dake o
Aishiteru aishiteiru soba ni ite kimi o terasou
Kumori zora no yoru tsukiakari mo nanimo
nakute
Anata no egao ga shinkan kieta youna ki ga shite
Yokei na koto kangaeru daiji na koto way
anata ga suki de
Watashi o suki ka douka way ii no ima dake way
Aishiteru aishiteru aishiteru anata dake
o
Aishiteru aishiteiru soba ni ite kimi ni tsugeyou
Arifureta kotoba anata ni way wakaranai
kedo
Daisuki sa kimi ga nante ureshi sugiru tereru ne
Futari no koto kangaeru daiji na anata
kono saki zutto
Watashi o suki de iretara ii ne kono mama de
Aishiteru aishiteru aishiteru anata dake
o
Aishiteru aishiteiru soba ni ite kimi o terasou
Tsumetai yoru ni kirameku yuki o egaite
Kawaranai haikei no iro o shiroku shite iku
Ah kagirareru kazarareru katarareru mukuwareru hoo
Yoru ni naru mata asa ga kuru kara
Do it joy to love love me let it show
Love it's holy night love me anata dake o
Do it fallin' love love me let it glow love
It's hoiy night always love joy to the love…
“Thank you,”
Mariko said as she showed the officer out, and closed the door, holding herself
as she did so. He had been as good as
his word, the police arriving as the album had come to an end, and releasing
her. She had changed into a nightdress,
the peach silk dressing gown covering it as she went to the kitchen, and found
a wine glass.
Putting it on
the side, she went to the refrigerator and opened it – and then removed the
gold box, as well as the wine. Pouring
herself a glass, she put the bottle back, and then opened the box of candies,
looking at the card.
A small token of recompense for a
beautiful damsel.
“He was a
gentleman, I suppose,” she said as she turned the card, and looked at the
number, before she took a sip of her wine and carried it into the front room…