Beauty and
the Best – The Stables
As Barbara came
into the kitchen of their flat, she saw her partner Tom sitting at the wooden
table, looking at some photos and papers.
“Hey,” she said
as she took her denim jacket off and put it on the back of the chair, “what are
you looking at?”
“Apart from the
ridiculous increase in the gas bill?”
Tom shook his head, and put his head through his brown hair, before he
said “I had to another delivery out to Bosworth Stables today, and got a chance
to double check what I had noticed before.”
Barbara sat at
the table, and said “so you think we can get enough from there to get us over
this latest set of bills.”
“Oh I think so
– and I managed to overhear that the man of the house was going to be late back
tomorrow. Do you still have the day
off?”
“Yeah – you?”
Tom nodded
before he said “I have – so if you make some coffee, I can let you hear what I
am thinking about…”
Bosworth
Stables stood at the outskirts of the small nearby town, and was run by Thomas
Bosworth and his wife Romana. Romana had
come from Italy, and on this particular morning was wearing a blue jacket with
the zip open at the front, blue jodhpurs and burgundy red leather riding
boots. She was walking across the
courtyard, not noticing the small panel van that was parked just outside the
driveway to the farmhouse.
“So she has an
army of stable hands?”
Tom nodded as
he said “so we’re going to have to play this a little differently – let her
talk to them fi they come to ask a question or something, but in return the
kids are going to have to be kept quiet and out of the way.”
Barbara nodded
as she checked her reflection in the mirror, the black eye make-up round her
eyes as she sat in her tight black sweater, leggings and knee length suede boots. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a
ponytail, while Tom had a black woollen hat over his hair. He was also dressed in black, as he slipped
the black eye mask on.
“So we take
control, then leave when it gets dark?”
“Indeed –
ready?”
Barbara nodded
as she felt the knot in her stomach, Tom starting the van and turning into the
driveway…
“I’m just going
to get a drink of water, Mum.”
“All right,”
Romana called back as her twelve-year-old daughter Hayley walked into the
kitchen. The young blonde was wearing a gold
padded gilet over a long-sleeved taupe top with a black collar, blue jodhpurs
and black knee length riding boots.
She got a glass
from the cupboard and went to the fridge to get some water – only to stop when
a large, gloved hand was placed over her mouth, and she saw a young woman
standing in front of her, wearing black and with a mask over her eyes.
“Hello Hayley,”
she said in a quiet, calm voice, “let me take that for you and pour you some
water.” She took the glass from the
young girl’s hand and opened the fridge, pouring some water into the glass and
then closing the fridge door before she said “I want you to have this water,
but you first have to promise me that you are not going to scream when my
friend takes his hand away. Are you
going to do that?”
Hayley stared
at the woman, and then nodded slowly as the gloved hand was taken away. She took the glass, and then took a long drink
before she said “who are you?”
“Well, you can
call me Beauty,” the woman said, “and my friend here is called Best.”
“Are you
robbers?”
“Yes, we are,”
Beauty said with a smile, “and to answer your next question, yes we are here to
rob you and your family. Now, I know
that sounds frightening, but I promise you, so long as you and your family do
as we say, then everyone is going to be just fine.”
Hayley looked
at Beauty, then turned to see the tall man standing behind her, before she said
“so what are you going to do to us?”
“Well, we are
going to make sure none of you can move or speak,” Best said quietly, “starting
with you.”
“All of
us? Even my cousins?”
“Your cousins?”
“Yeah – my
younger cousins are out at the stables.
Are you going to tie them up as well?”
“All of you,”
Beauty said quietly, “so I want you to finish your drink, and then put your
hands behind your back, so my friend can tie your wrists together.” She watched as Hayley slowly drank the rest
of the water, and then handed her the glass before Best gently took her hands behind
her.
“This feels
funny,” she said as he pulled the rope between her arms and tied the ends off,
and then passed a longer length of rope round her, forcing her arms against her
sides as he made sure her upper body was secured.
“Now then,”
Beauty said to her, “why don’t we go and see who is next?” Hayley nodded as they walked down the
hallway, Best carrying the large holdall he had brought with him as she saw the
gun in Beauty’s gloved hand.
“Mum?”
“Yes Hayley,
what is…” Romana stopped talking and
slowly stood up as she saw her younger daughter walk in, her upper body bound
and two masked intruders following her.
“What the
hell…” Those words came from a sixteen-year-old
girl that was sitting with Romana. Like
her and Hayley, she had blonde hair, but hers was cut short and her gold gilet
was over a short sleeved blue polo shirt.
She was also wearing blue jodhpurs and black riding boots.
“Hello – I
strongly suggest you both sit down and keep your hands where we can see them,”
Beauty said as she aimed her gun at them both. “Hayley here is unharmed, and
she will remain that way so long as everyone stays calm and quiet.”
“Ashley,”
Romana said as she looked at the older girl, “she has a gun. I think we should do what she says. Hayley, have they hurt you?”
“No, mum,”
Hayley said quietly, “they surprised me in the kitchen. She’s called Beauty, and he’s called Best –
and they are going to rob us.”
“I see,” Romana
said quietly, “and for what reason?”
“You have money
to spare, we do not – a simple bit of wealth redistribution,” Best said as he
put the bag down. “We only take what we
need to survive, no more, no less.”
“And we’re
supposed to believe that” Ashley snorted.
“It is the
truth,” Beauty said quietly, “just as it is the truth that we need to keep you
and your sister secured in here. Best?”
“No,” Ashley
said – and then she saw Beauty take her sister by the arm and hold the gun
against her. For a moment, she stood
still, and then allowed Best to take her hands behind her back and secure her
wrists together.
“Now, Mrs
Bosworth,” Beauty said as she looked at Romana, “here is what is going to
happen today. We are not going to bind
you at the moment – we are aware you may have to conduct business for the
stables – but your daughters, and their cousins when they come to join them,
are going to be in here, securely bound, gagged and under our watch. Later, you will also be bound and gagged like
them.”
“And what
exactly is it you want,” she said quietly as Ashley felt the ropes pressing her
arms against her sides.
“Your money,
your valuables,” Beauty said with a smile as she looked at Hayley. “When Best has finished binding your sister,
I want you both to sit next to each other, and he will secure your ankles and
legs.”
“Okay,” Hayley
said quietly as she sat next to her sister, both of them watching as Best
doubled over more rope and passed it round Ashley’s ankles, forcing them
together as the rope went round and between her legs. He then used more rope to secure her legs together
below her knees, before he moved over and secured Ashley’s legs in the same
way.
“Well, we’re
going nowhere,” Ashley said as she twisted her legs, both of them hearing the leather
squeak as their legs rubbed together.
“Nope,” Hayley
said, and then she pursed her lips before Best pressed a length of brown
sticking plaster down over her mouth. He
did the same to Ashley, as Beauty said to Romana “they will be fine – but remember,
they are in here, so I don’t want you to raise the alarm or anything similar.”
Romana slowly
nodded as she said “I think you’re both very brave.”
“Whduduhfhnkthfhredwhlsh?”
Romana looked
at Hayley as she twisted her legs, and said “I don’t know…” The telephone then rang, and as Best went
with her to answer the phone Beauty said “See – it’s not as bad as you though
it was, is it?”
“Wow – what’s
going on here?”
She turned to
see an eleven-year-old boy standing there, wearing a black polo shirt, taupe
pants with a tan leather belt, and black riding boots. Ashley looked at the new arrival, and said
“Rhbhrrtrhnnn.”
He turned to
leave, before he heard Beauty say “no – come in, and tell me your name.” He turned slowly round and said “my name is
Robert – what’s going on?”
“Well, Robert,
my friend and I are going to rob your aunt,” Beauty said quietly, “which means
you are going to have to be just like your cousins here. Are you the only one here?”
“No – my
brother and sister will be in in a minute…” He stopped talking as he felt Beauty’s hand
over his mouth, the masked woman standing behind him as they both looked at the
door.
“Where is
everyone,” a young girl called out before she and a younger boy walked into the
room. The boy was wearing a light blue
polo shirt and tan corduroy pants with brown riding boots, while the girl had
on a black zipped top with pink details, black jodhpurs with spots on the
inside of the legs, and short black riding boots.
“What’s
happening,” she said quietly before she started to cry.
“Don’t cry,”
Beauty said quietly, “I know this is scary, but I promise you nobody is going
to get hurt. I know this is Robert – but
who are you?”
“I’m Tobias,” the
younger boy said, “and this is Bobbi.
Don’t cry Bobbi – I don’t think the masked lady wants to hurt us.”
“But I’m
scared,” she said quietly as Beauty smiled at her.
“How old are
you Bobbi?”
“I’m seven and
a half.”
“Well, Bobbi,
being robbed can be scary for anyone who is seven and a half,” Beauty said
quietly, “or for someone as young as Tobias.
How old are you Tobias, eight?”
“Np, I’m nine –
and I’m not scared.”
“Good – because
I have to tell all three of you, you are going to be just like your cousins
here. Your aunt is going to be doing
what we say, and that means you have to stay here. So, I’m going to take my hand away, and then
I want you to hug each other before I make sure your hands stay behind your
back.”
“Whllbhlhrht,”
Robert said, both Ashley and Hayley nodding as Beauty took her hand away, and
they hugged each other. The masked woman
removed some lengths of rope from the large duffle bag, and then began to
secure Tobias’ wrists behind his back.
“Oh lord – you
came in?”
“It’s all
right, Aunt Romana,” Tobias said to his aunt as she came into the room, the
masked man following her, “the masked lady told us what is happening, and we’re
all going to be brave as well.”
“Yeah – we
don’t want you to worry,” Robert said as his hands were guided behind his back,
and he felt the rope rubbing on his wrists as they were secured together. He then felt the ropes hugging his chest as
his arms were bound to his sides, Bobbi watching both the boys as Beauty
worked.
“Your turn now
Bobbi – are you still scared?”
“Why do you
have to tie us up?”
“Well, we need
to make sure you cannot stop us from robbing you, and that you cannot tell
anyone we are here. But it also means
you are safe, and you are all the same.
So, let me bind your wrists and arms, and then you can sit with the
girls while the boys sit on the floor.”
“Okay,” the young
girl said quietly as Beauty secured her wrists behind her back, and then wound
rope round her upper body as well before she sat herself down next to
Ashley. The middle girl nodded and said
“Whlkhhpehshhfhrshf” as the boys sat on the floor, watching Beauty as he secure
their ankles and legs, then did the same to their sister.
“It sounds
funny,” Bobbi giggled as she tried to move her legs.
“Yes it does – but
now it’s time to be quiet, so put your lips together for me.” Bobbi nodded as the sticking plaster was
pressed down over her mouth, and then she watched as Robert and Tobias were
silenced in the same way,
“Time to answer
the phone again,” Beauty said as she heard the ringing, and took Romana out of
the room, Best smiling as he said “so, who would like to watch a film?” All five nodded as he turned the television
on, and said “grunt when we find one you want to see. When all five of you grunt, we start that
film.”
The five
children nodded as he went through a list of films, one or two grunting for
each one until all five nodded and grunted.
As he started the film, Beauty brought Romana back in, nodding as she
said “Despicable Me 2 - might have guessed…”
“Thank you,”
Romana said as she paid the delivery man, before closing the door and looking
at Beauty.
“We take this
to the dining table, and I tie you to the chair before the others come in,” she
said, Romana nodding as they carried the boxes to the dining room, and then
laid them out on the table before she sat down.
Beauty then took some rope and passed it round her waist, securing it to
the chair before she bound her ankles and legs.
As she took the rope between Romana’s legs below her knees, she heard
muffled laughter and squeaking.
A lot of
squeaking, as Best led the children into the dining room, all of them jumping
in a line as their boots rubbed against each other. They each took a seat on the chair, waiting
as he untied the ropes round their arms and then used that rope to secure them
to the chair, then untied the wrists of each of them.
“You can take
the plasters from your mouths on three,” he said as he stood at the head of the
table. “One… Two… THREE!”
Each of them in turn reached up and peeled the brown plaster from their
mouths, as Romana said “are you all all right?”
“We’re fine
Mum,” Ashley said, “although that plaster does stick a bit. If we have to be gagged later, can you use
something else?”
“Don’t worry,”
Beauty said with a smile as the pizza boxes were handed round, “it will be
different, but you will be even less able to talk.”
The girls and
boys looked at each other as Romana said “well, we may as well eat, but I have
a question – why us?”
“Because we
know how wealthy you are,” Best said quietly, “and we know you can afford the
losses – unlike us and many like us.”
“But why?”
“We have very
little,” Beauty said quietly, “and we only want to survive. I am sorry you and others have to be treated
like this, but genuinely, we do it to live.”
“That you are
forced down this path…!
“A discussion
for another time – right now eat.”
“What happens
when we have eaten,” Robert asked.
“Well, your
aunt needs to phone your mother, and say you are going to be staying the
night,” Beauty said, “without revealing what is going on. Do you have some pyjamas here you can put
on?”
“Yeah – we all
do,” Bobbi replied.
“Good – well,
after you have eaten, you will go upstairs to change while the others remain
secured in the front room. After that,
we shall make sure you are all secured and quiet, and then you can watch a film
again – but all together this time.”
“Okay - that
sounds fair,” Ashley said, the others nodding as Romana shook her head…
“So – everyone
comfy?”
All of them
nodded as they wriggled in their seats.
They all had their wrists secured again behind their backs, ropes
holding their ankles together, and folded cloths put into their mouths – all
except Romana, who said “now, you all behave yourselves for the lady while her
friend and I are upstairs, understand?”
“Yhsmhfhhrr,”
Asley said, the edges of the cloth sticking out from between their lips as Best
said “Come – we’ll tour the rooms and you can tell me where any valuables are.”
“It seems
wrong, that you have to rob to survive,” Romana said as they walked up the
stairs, “but you seem genuine, and the kids are not afraid now they understand
what is happening.”
“I do regret
this is necessary,” Best said quietly as they entered an office, “but it is
often the case. Now, please take a seat
– and tell me the combination to the safe.”
“I might as
well – if my husband asks, I’ll say you threatened the kids,” Romana said as she
wriggled her fingers behind her back, and then gave Best a sequence of numbers,
allowing him to open the safe and put rolls of bank notes into the bag he was
carrying. He also put in two gold
watches, before he said “Excellent – now we go to your bedroom.”
Romana nodded
as she stood up and walked to the master bedroom, sitting on the bed again as
she said “the drawers and in the wardrobe – how are you going to leave us?”
“Together
downstairs,” Best said as he emptied the contents of several boxes into the
bags, and then looked at Romana. “I am
going to untie your wrists, and let you change into something suitable for
bed.”
“And you’re not
going to attack me.”
“I told you,
Romana, we only want your money and valuables, nothing else,” Bets said as he
walked behind her and untied her wrists.
Romana stood there for a moment, rubbing them, and then she removed her
jacket and sat on the bed, pulling her riding boots off and then her
jodhpurs. Looking in a drawer, she
pulled out a pair of blue pyjamas with white polka dots on them and put them on
before she said “so do we get bound with rope this time.”
“No,” Best said
as he looked in the bag, and took two things out, “but first things first. Time for you to be quiet of the rest of the
night…”
“MHM! Whllwhhllbhlhkuh?”
“Hhnksh,”
Romana said to Hayley as she walked into the front room, the white tape
covering her chin from ear to ear. Her
hands were behind her back, and bands of white tape framed her chest as they
held her arms against her sides.
Best helped her
to sit on an armchair as Beauty untied the ankles of Bobbi and Hayley. “Come with me girls – time for you to get
ready,” she said as her partner knelt down and taped Romana’s ankles and legs
together as the other three watched.
When they
reached the top of the stairs, Beauty untied the wrists of the girls and gently
eased the cloths from their mouths, before she said “go and get changed – and
then we get you both ready as well.”
“Okay, miss
Beauty,” Bobbi said as she and the older girl went into Hayley’s bedroom. “How do you feel,” Hayley said as she removed
her gilet and sat on her bed to remove her boots.
“IS it wrong
that I’m excited?”
“I don’t know –
but it makes two of us,” Hayley said as she removed her clothing, and then took
from a drawer a pair of pink shorts and a vest top. She also handed Bobbi a white top and blue
pants, with a doughnut and milk pattern on them.
“I think we’re
all going to be in the same room which is something,” Bobbi said as she slipped
the pyjamas on, Hayley nodding as Beauty came in with a roll of white tape.
“Good,” she
said with a smile, “now, stand in front of me and put your hands behind your
back.
“Okay,” Hayley
said as she and Bobbi stood still, feeling the tape on their wrists as Beauty
made sure their wrists were secured together, and then took the tape down to
cover their hands. She also wound tape round
their stomachs and upper arms, so that all they could really do was wriggle
their bodies round.
“Now I’m going
to put the cloths back into your mouths – but all the way this time, and then
cover your mouths with the tape. That
way, you will be kept really quiet, all right?”
Both girls nodded as she said “good – open your mouths nice and wide,
then close them so your lips are together.”
Hayley felt the
wet cloth on her tongue as it was pushed in, and then the tug on her chin as
Beauty smoothed the long length of tape into place. She then watched as Bobbi was gagged in the
same way, before the two girls were walked back down the stairs, Best nodding
as he released the legs of the two boys and took them up the stairs.
“Sit on the
floor,” Beauty said, “and I’ll tape your legs together…”
“Mister Best,
can I ask you a question,” Robert aid as he felt the masked man tape his wrists
and hands together behind his back. H
had changed into a blue short sleeved top and striped shorts, while Tobias was
wearing a black t-shirt with a print on the front, and leopard spotted
shorts. His younger brother already had
his wrists and hands taped, and bands of tape round his stomach and upper arms.
“Of course,”
Best said as he tore the tape free and patted it down, before he wound the tape
round the young boy’s stomach, “what do you want to know?”
“Do you do this
to all the homes your visit, all the people there?”
“We do – why?”
“Well – do any
others feel excited when you make sure they can’t move or speak?”
Best started to
wrap the tape round Robert’s upper arms, before he said “in what way – because
of how they are, or how others are?”
“He’s got a
crush on Hayley,” Tobias giggled as he walked around. Robert blushed as Best said “well, it can
happen p but best keep it to yourself, and talk to your father about it, all
right?”
“All right,”
Robert said as he saw the cloth in Best’s gloved hand. “Right – open wide, and you can join the
others – including Hayley.”
“Husbhsshlrht,”
Ramona mumbled as Robert and Tobias came in, their mouths covered with white
tape and their arms secured to their sides.
They both nodded as they sat down, Best starting to tape their ankles
together as Beauty helped Ashley to stand up.
They walked up the stairs and into her bedroom, Beauty untying her
wrists as she pulled the cloth from her mouth.
“Let me guess –
I change, you tape my arms, and then this goes back in with the tape over my
lips.”
“Essentially,
yes.”
“Fair enough –
I guess I will be the same as the others,” the young woman said as she started
to strip. “I should be mad at you for
what you are doing today, but…”
“But?”
Ashley looked
at Beauty, before she said “I guess you really do have to do this to survive –
I should count my blessings.”
“A very good thing
to do anyway,” Beauty said as Ashley stripped, and then put on a pair of white flannelette
pyjamas with a blue floral print on them.
“But you do not seem to be
afraid or upset.”
“None of us do
– I guess because you have been nothing but honest with us,” Ashley said
quietly. “So – my turn to be taped?”
“Your turn to
be taped.”
When she walked
into the front room, Ashley looked at the other children – Bobbi, Tobias,
Robert and Hayley – sitting in a row their bodies held in bands of white tape,
their mouths covered but their lips moving underneath as they tried to talk.
She knew it was almost impossible – they all, like her, had the cloths in their
mouths under the tape, as did their mother, but she was watching them from the
armchair, twisting slightly, but somehow happy.
She sat herself
in the other armchair, watching a Beauty taped her ankles together, the hems of
the bottoms flaring out from under the band.
More tape held her legs together below and above her knees, before
Beauty stood up.
“Now, is
everyone comfortable?”
They all nodded
as Best turned the television on, then looked out of the window.
“It’s getting
dark,” he said with a smile, “so we’ll be on our way soon. I am sure your husband will be home soon, and
you can tell him all about what happened today.”
“Fhknuh,
mhssbhthee.”
“Why thank
you,” Beauty said as she saw Bobbi smile, while Best looked at Robert and then
winked as he seemed to blush under the tape.
Hayley looked at him, and then turned away as she wriggled round.
“Ah – This
looks fun,” Best said as the film started to play, the two masked intruders
watching the family for a while before he said “time we left – thank you for
your hospitality.”
“Ghdlhk.”
“Thank you,”
Beauty said to Romana as they both left.
The mother tried to move her hand again, but the tape held firm and the
cloth in her own mouth prevented her from saying very much as they heard the
van drive off.
“Hey – is
everyone still up?”
As Thomas Bosworth
came in, he saw his family and his niece and nephews sat in the chairs, taped
and silenced as they watched television.
Romana turned her head and said “Hllthmhs – whfbhnrhbbhd.”
“We’ve been
robbed,” he said as he peeled the white tape from her mouth, and eased the
cloth out.
“Yes, but we’re
fine – get some scissors and cut us free, then we can call the police…”
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