Jay’s Christmas Cheer

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 pm

 

“When does Dad get home, Mum,” Debbie asked as she sat on the couch with her sister June.  “We miss him?”

 

“I know – but the good news is he is heading to the airport soon, so he should be back for breakfast tomorrow,” Angela Wood said.  The forty year old was casually dressed, having been working at home in her role as a financial director for months now.  That meant she was wearing an old grey sweater over a black vest, and jeans with the legs tucked below the knees into a pair of dark burgundy red suede boots.

 

Debbie was her younger daughter, ten years old, with a red hooded top on, and dark leggings with mid-calf black suede boots.  June was five years older, and was also wearing a red top – in her case, a long sleeved top with faded blue jeans and black ankle boots.

 

The room was decorated for Christmas, the large tree with the lights twinkling in the corner, and tinsel and decorations on the walls and ceiling.  It was the 23rd, and secretly Angela was glad her husband would be home for Christmas.

 

“Now who could that be,” she said as she heard the bell ring.  Their detached house sat some way back from the main road, with a gated entry, so she went out into the hallway and pressed the intercom button.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Delivery for the Wood family?”

 

“Okay, come up,” she said as she pressed a button, and went to the door, hearing the vehicle pull up outside and then doors opening and closing.  Smiling, she opened the front door and said “so what…”

 

“Good afternoon, Angela – please, allow us to come in.”

 

Angela slowly nodded as she packed up and the four people walking in, the one who had spoken smiling as he pointed the gun at her.  she could tell there were three men and one woman, identically dressed in blue boiler suits, black boots, and gloves – and black balaclavas covering their heads so that only their eyes and mouth were showing.

 

“What…  what do you want?” she whispered as the woman closed the door.

 

“All in good time Angela – may I call you Angela?  Allow me to introduce myself – my name is Jay Edwards.”

 

The soft Geordie accent was soothing to hear, even as she realised who was standing there – and the implications of what that meant,  “Oh god,” she whispered, “please, not us…”

 

“Remain calm,” Jay said quietly, “ do as we say, and nobody will get hurt or upset.  Where are your daughters?”

 

“We’re watching a film…”

 

“then why don’t we join them?  After you…”

 

“Who was it, muhhhh….”  June stopped talking as she saw the masked men and woman walk in with their mother, Debbie staring at them as well.

 

“Hello,” Jay said with a smile, “my name is Jay, and my friend here is Mrs McPhee.  Now, which of you is Debbie?”

 

The younger girl raised her hand, Jay smiling as he said “so you are June.  Now, here’s what is happening – we want your mother to conduct some business for us, and as we are here, I have to tell you we are going to be taking some valuables with us before we leave.  But, because that business will need to be conducted later, it means we are going to be here for some time.  So, are you expecting anyone else to call tonight?”

 

“no,” Angela said quietly.

 

“Excellent – my friend here is going to collect your mobile phones and take care of them, and then Mrs McPhee will make sure you are comfortable, is unable to move easily.  If you would hand them over now?”

 

“Mummy?”

 

“It’s all right, dears,” Angela said quietly as she picked up her handbag, removed her phone and handed it over, “just what they say.”  The two girls nodded as they handed their phones to the masked man, who smiled as he took them put of the room.

 

“Now, we need to make sure you stay where you are for the moment.  Mrs McPhee?”

 

“Hullo there,” the masked woman said in a broad Scottish accent, “now dinnae be scared – we need tae make sure you and yer mammy cannae move or speak fer a while.”

 

“You’re going to tie us up?  Will it hurt?”

 

“No,” Mrs McPhee said as she shook her head, and handed them each a length of white cord, “hold this, ahn tell me if it scares ye.”

 

The two girls looked at her, trusting her for some reason, and then took the ropes as Jay said to Angela “you also need to be secure for now – put your hands behind your back.”  She nodded as she did that, feeling him cross her wrists before the rope was pulled tightly round them.

 

“It doesn’t scare me,” Debbie said as she handed the rope back.  June watched as Mrs McPhee said “will ye put yer hands togefer fer me, palm tae palm,” and then as Debbie did that the masked woman wrapped the rope round her wrists, pulling it tight with each pass before she took the ends between Debbie’s arms and tied the ends off.

 

“It feels funny,” Debbie said as she showed her sister her hands.

 

“Well, my turn,” June said as she allowed Mrs McPhee to tie her wrists together as well, while Jay helped Angela to sit in the armchair, and then knelt down to tie her ankles together as well.

 

“Will you do that to my ankles as well, Mrs McPhee,” June said, surprising herself by asking, and then watching as her ankles were secured together side by side with rope as well.

 

“Search the house,” Jay said as he stood up and looked at one of the other two men, “make sure the phones are disconnected, and nobody else is around.”

 

“Got it,” he said as he walked off, Mrs McPhee securing Debbie’s ankles as well before she stood up.  The two girls wriggled their legs round as Angela said “now what?”

 

“now, we keep you quiet,” Jay said as he took from the bag a roll of blue tape, and tore a long strip off.  “Lips together please.”

 

“One thing – if we need to go to the toilet, what do we do?”

 

“grunt three times,” Jay said with a smile, “and one of us will take you.  Now, lips together.”  The girls watched as he pressed the blue tape down over their mother’s mouth, the shape of her lips clear underneath, and then he passed the roll of tape to Mrs McPhee.

 

“Yer turn,” she said as she tore a strip off, and pressed it down over Debbie’s mouth, then a further strip over June’s.  the two girls looked at each other as the man came back in, and said “all done – and I found these.”

 

“Ah – how festive,” Jay said as he took one of the red hats and put it on Angela’s head, the red top falling down the back of her neck and the white trim around her head.  Mrs McPhee smiled as she put one on each of the girls as well, before Jay said “search the house – find what can be taken.”

 

The other two men left the room as Jay looked at the Wood family, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory starting on the screen with the familiar theme music.

 

After a while, Mrs McPhee said “yer husband, he cums back tomorrow, aye?”

 

Angela nodded as the girls looked at her, seeing her smile as she said “when ye go tae cook yer dinner, Ah may get the girls to prepare a surprise fer him.”

 

“Hphhrrtfhrmhshsbhndhnghhgd?”

 

“Aye, apart frae that…”

 

 5.30 pm

 

Debbie and June watched as Jay untied their mother’s ankles, and then took her out of the room with another of the men, the third one looking at Mrs McPhee.

 

“Go ahn get me twa chairs frae the dining room.”

 

The two girls looked at each other as the masked man left the room, and came back with one of the dark wood high backed chairs from the dining table.  Mrs McPhee took it from him, and as he went out again she placed it in front of the Christmas tree.  The man then brought a second chair in, which she placed behind the first chair, facing the other way.

 

“Richt – cum oer here lassies.”

 

She looked at Debbie and June, who stared back before she said “stand yerselfs up, ahnd jump oer here.”  Mrs McPhee then smiled as the two girls shuffled forward, and managed to stand up, steadying themselves before they started to take short hops over to her.  Debbie was first to arrive, sitting herself on one seat as June sat behind her.

 

They watched the masked woman as she took from the bag a length of green wire with fairy lights attached, and wrapped it round both of them, trapping their arms against their bodies and then their bodies against the chair back, before she plugged them in and switched them on.  Both girls giggled under the tape as they saw the lights twinkling, while Mrs McPhee found their phones and took pictures of both of them.

 

“A souvenir,” she said quietly as she handed the phones back to the masked man, and sat looking at them.  “In a while, ah’ll take ye both to the toilet, and then ye can sit an ha eyer dinner wi yer muffer.  After that, ye get ready for bed.”

 

“Whwhbhthdhghnnn?” Debbie asked,

 

“Och aye – and tighter this time, but it’ll be fun, I promise ye.”

 

 

 

“What happens after we have eaten,” Angela said as she put the pizzas into the oven, looking over at Jay.

 

“Well, we’ll let the girls get washed and changed,” he said with a smile, “and then we secure their upper bodies for the night, but only their ankles after that.  You can then conduct the business I need you to do before you change and join them.  Then you can watch a film, before bed.”

 

Angela nodded – for some reason, she was calm when he spoke.  “Will  we be together?”

 

“We can do that, yes.”  He looked to the fourth man and said “take the bags for later upstairs, and then tell Mrs McPhee to let Debbie come through first.”

 

 

 

7.15 pm

 

“Thank you Mummy,” June said as she pushed her plate away, and finished her drink.  The girls had been untied and their gags removed when they came to sit down, Angela silently thankful they had behaved themselves during the meal.

 

“Noo then,” Mrs McPhee said as she collected the plates, “whit film would ye all like tae watch?”

 

Angela looked at the girls, before she said “we have a tradition of watching a sequence of films each night  - tonight was meant to be The Polar Express.”

 

“The Tom Hanks one?  Excellent choice,” Jay said with a smile, “so this is what is going to happen.  Mrs McPhee and one of my friends will go upstairs with both of you, and let you both change into suitable attire before you come down.  We are going to tie your wrists and arms again, but if you promise not to make any noise, that is all until later.  At the same time, your mother will be doing something for me, then once you are settled she will go and change as well, before we do the same to her, and then you can all watch the film.”

 

“And after that,” June said quietly.

 

“You all go to bed.  So, if you have both had enough, go with Mrs McPhee – your mother laid your night clothes out for you earlier.”

 

Both girls nodded as they stood up and walked off with the two robbers, Angela sighing as she handed Jay and the fourth man mugs of coffee, and then sat down.

 

“We didn’t ask…”

 

“I know,” Angela smiled, “but – well, I wanted you to have them.  What are they going to do to the girls?”

 

“You’ll see – have your coffee, and then we go to your home office…”

 

 

 

7.45 pm

 

As Jay and his partner came up the stairs, Angela smiled as she saw Debbie standing there.  The ten year old was wearing a one piece sleep suit with a red and white Nordic pattern of snowflakes and reindeer, as well as a matching pair of bed socks that were pulled up her legs.  She also saw the white bed socks that Mrs McPhee was pulling up her arms, covering her hands before she used some white tape to secure the tops to the sleeves of her suit, while the hood was down her back.

 

“So you’re not going to be able to use your hands,” she said with a smile.”

 

“No mummy – because…”

 

“No dinnae spoil the surprise” Mrs McPhee said with a smile as the bathroom door opened, and June came out, wearing an identical outfit.

 

“See you in a little while, Mum,” she said as Jay escorted Angela to the office, while Mrs McPhee held out two sponges.

 

“Take these ahnd make fists wi yer hands,” she said, June nodding as she did that, and then watched the man as he tore the end free of a roll of silver tape, and wrapped it tightly round her fists until it looked as if she was wearing silver boxing gloves.  Mrs McPhee then pulled a second pair of white socks up over her arms, before taping over the top of the sock with white tape.

 

“Okay – so we can’t untie each other,” June giggled, Debbie nodding as they went into the main bedroom and both saw the red ropes laid out on the bed.

 

“Well, they match,” Debbie laughed as Mrs McPhee took the first length, and crossed June’s arms behind her back, taking the rope around and between her wrists as they formed tight red bans over the white socks, and then tying the ends off at the top.  She then made sure Debbie’s wrists were secured in the same way, the binging tight and snug.

 

“What is that for,” she then said as she saw Mrs McPhee unravel and double over a longer length of rope.

 

“We hae tae make sure ye canne move yer arms,” she said with a smile as she stood behind the ten year old, and passed the rope around her stomach, pulling it tight and forcing her arms into her sides before she wrapped it round her body again and again, forming two bands around her stomach and her upper arms, and then bringing the bands together behind her back.  The masked woman then fed the rope under one arm, up and around the back of her neck as she held her brown hair out of the way, and then under the other arm.

 

“It feels as if I’m being hugged,” Debbie said as she twisted round, Mr McPhee taking the second long length of rope and using it to secure June’s arms in the same way.  June felt a little strange as she did that, the bands pressing down on her chest, but she smiled as the ends were tied off.

 

“Doonstairs wi bof o ye,” she said as the girls walked out.

 

“There – I’m into the corporate account,” Angela said as she looked at Jay, “now what?”

 

“Go with my friend, get washed and changed,” Jay said as she stood up, “and then come into your bedroom.  I’ll take care of things from here.”

 

Angela nodded as she stood up and left the room, Jay plugging a USB stick into a slot and then typing some commands as he watched funds been transferred.  Smiling, he sat down as he heard the water running, and then when the funds were moved, he removed the stick and logged off the laptop, before heading into the master bedroom and checking the ropes.

 

He turned as he heard the footsteps, and then saw Angela as she came in.  she was wearing a knee length nightgown, but a special seasonal one.  IT had alternating red, green, and white bands, white snowflakes o the red and green areas, and the words “Christmas like you mean it” on alternating white bands – red zig-zag lines on the others.   She was also wearing red bed socks with the same Nordic pattern as her daughters.

 

“Very festive,” Jay said with a smile as he held out two sponges.  “Make fists with these in your hands, and we can get started…”

 

 

Fifteen minutes later, June and Debbie watched as their mother came into the front room, her arms bound in the same way as theirs, the red bands holding her arms into her sides as they framed her chest.

 

“Well, I guess we’re as ready for bed as we’re going to be,” she said as she sat between them, “ready for the film?”

 

Both girls nodded as Jay started the player, the other intruders watching as the opening music started…

 

10.40 pm

 

As the closing credits finished, Jay looked at the three captives, and said “I think it is time you all went to bed.  Stand up, and come to your mother’s bedroom with me.”

 

“Come on girls – we’re going to sleep in my bed,” Angela said as they wriggled forward and stood up, Mrs McPhee following as the tow masked men started to clear up the front room.  They walked up the staircase, and then into the room as Jay said “we need to make sure that you are all going to be quiet before we secure your legs – so any last words, now’s the time to say them.”

 

“thank you, Mrs McPhee,” Debbie said as she looked at the masked woman, “for not making this scary.”

 

“Ye’re welcome lass – noo, I need ye to open yer moof as wide as you can.”

 

June and Angela watched as Mrs McPhee compressed a red sponge ball, and then gently pushed it into Debbie’s mouth so that it sat behind her teeth, the sponge expanding and filling her mouth as it pushed her cheeks out.  She then took a white scarf, folded it into a band, and pulled it between her lips as well as she tied it tightly round her head.

 

“Are you all right,” Angela asked, Debbie nodding as she said “Hmnthshbhd” before Mrs McPhee lifted the hood of her sleep suit and put it over her head.  She then took a second sponge ball, and looked at June.

 

“Guess it’s my turn,” she said with a smile before she opened her mouth, Angela watching as the ball was pushed into her mouth, and then the white scarf tied between her lips before the hood also went over her head.

 

She then watched Jay compressing a third ball, and said “thank you” before she felt him push the sponge into her own mouth, the material expanding and filling her cheeks as it pushed her tongue down.  He also rolled up a white scarf and used it as a cleave gag while she watched Mrs McPhee peel the end of a wide roll of white tape free – then stick it to the corner of June’s mouth before winding it tightly round her head, covering her lips and the white scarf as it went over.

 

She did the same to Debbie, before handing the roll to Jay.  “Your hair is safe under this,” he said as he peeled the end free, and then wrapped it tightly round Angela’s head, further silencing her as she watched the masked woman adding a layer of silver duct tape over the white one.

 

She soon had the layer on her own mouth, and was marvelling at how silent it was making them all while Mrs McPhee took a red woollen scarf, and tied it tightly over Debbie’s silver and white bands, covering her nose and mouth as the ends lay down her back.  Debbie then went over and sat on the bed as June was given the final layer of her gag.

 

She then felt the wool over her own nose as a red scarf was used on her as well, before she walked over and sat next to June, her back against the headboard as Debbie sat on the other side of her.  Mrs McPhee then took a length of the red rope, and started to bind her older daughter’s ankles, the rope going in neat bands around her ankles and then between her legs while Jay started to do the same to her.

 

“Jhsssthchlm,” Angela mumbled, the girls nodding as Mrs McPhee bound Debbie’s legs together below her knees, and then round her thighs, each band cinched between her legs as she watched.  She was then helped to lie on her side as Jay started to bind Angela’s legs together below her knees, while Mrs McPhee walked round the bed and started to bind her older sister’s ankles together. 

 

Jay looked down at Debbie and smiled as he tied the rope around her mother’s knees off, then used a third length to secure her thighs together, over the skirt of her nightdress this time.  Angela looked over and winked, before she looked at June as her legs were secured as well, then she was helped to lie on her side looking at Debbie.

 

Angela pushed herself down so that she lay between them, turning her head and pressing her gagged mouth to their foreheads as they both giggled, while Jay and Mrs McPhee brought the duvet up and covered them up to their necks.  She could see Debbie’s eyes closing already before she fell asleep, her chest rising and falling under the covers as she rubbed her cheek on her head.

 

“Watch them,” Jay said quietly, turning the lights off as he and Mrs McPhee left the room, and her own eyes closed….

 

 

8 am

 

George Wood smiled as he closed the front door of the house, putting his case and laptop bag down as he said “nobody awake yet?”  The house was silent, as he removed his jacket and looked in the front room, then the kitchen.

 

Smiling, he made his way up the stairs and into the toilet, before coming out a few minutes later and looking in June’s room.  He wasn’t surprised to see it empty – or Debbie’s as he made his way to his own room.

 

“Hey – I’m back.”

 

He looked at Angela as she opened her eyes and raised her head – and saw the red scarf that covered her nose and mouth as she said “hffhnghddd…”

 

“Angela?  What’s going on,” he said as he came over, and saw his daughters with the same type of red scarf tied round their heads, covering their noses and mouths.  Debbie opened her eyes and said “hllhdhddhhhwhffbhnnthdhp”

 

George wondered what was going on as he pulled the scarf down his daughter’s head – and saw the silver and white bands that went round her head, and then the bands of red rope round her body as he pulled the covers back.  Helping her to sit up, he found a pair of nail scissors and cut the bands away – only to see the white cleave gag as her hood fell down.

 

“Are you all like this?”

 

Angela nodded as he untied the scarf, noting the darker damp patch between his daughter’s lips, and then eased the soaking wet sponge out of her mouth.

 

“Hello Daddy,” she said with a smile, “can I have a drink?  We’ve been tied up and quiet all night.”

 

“Once I have you all free,” he said as he sat his daughter up and helped her to move to the side, and then sat his wife up as  he removed her gag.  “Angela, what happened?”

 

“Jay Edwards – get us free, then call the police…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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