Heidi’s Slumber Challenge

The cold air blew over the school yard as Heidi walked through the gate, the collar of her coat buttoned up to keep the wind from her chest. The leather of her boots squeaked as she quickly crossed the bare concrete, the scarf wrapped over her mouth muffling her as she pushed open the doors and walked into the corridor of the high school.

Removing her scarf, she unbuttoned her coat to reveal the grey sweatshirt and trousers she was wearing underneath, the legs tucked into her boots as they came half way up her thighs. She made her way to the common room, talking to a few people as she passed them, before pushing the door open and going in.

“And just where have you been for the last few days,” Cindy said as she saw her friend walking in. She was also dressed to combat the weather, with a thick white Fair Isle sweater and blue jeans, a pair of black Ugg boots keeping her feet warm.

“Chest infection,” Heidi said as she hugged her friend. “Did I miss much?”

“Only about two weeks of homework - nothing for you to worry about,” Cindy said as they sat next to each toher. “So, what happened when your mum heard your suggestion?”

“She doesn’t have a problem with it, but we’re going to have to think very carefully about how many we ask over. Mum says I can have six people maximum, including myself, so with you that leaves four places.

“Three - I kinda sorta promised Joanne that she could come as well. Who did you have in mind?”

Heidi looked across the room at a small, dark haired girl who was sitting reading a book through a pair of metal rimmed glasses. She was wearing a mustard coloured jumper and red skirt, with thick woollen tights underneath.

“Alice? Are you sure? I’m not exactly convinced she would be into the sort of games we might like to play.”

“Have you seen the title of the book she is reading?”

Cindy looked over and read “The Boscombe House Mystery” on the spine. “Oh,” she said as she sat back, “I may be wrong.”

“Who did you have in mind?”

Cindy looked to the doorway as a red haired girl walked in, a thick scarf tucked into the collar of her blouse as she took a rucksack off her back. “What about Jannifer?”

“Jannifer? You mean Jennifer?”

“In, I really do mean Jannifer - her dad made a mistake on her name, and it sorta stuck. Anyway, she’s usually good for a laugh.”

“Well, that’s five, if they agree to come. Who’s going to take the last place?”

“We’ll sort it out later - you ask Jannifer, I’ll ask Alice, and we’ll meet later today to decide the last one. The sleepover starts at seven on Friday...”

As Heidi and Cindy walked out of the schoolyard, Cindy said “Jannifer is definitely up for the night - she just needs to clear it with her mother first. What about Alice?”

Heidi nodded “She’s interested as well - but there’s a problem?”

“Oh, what?”

“She’d already agreed to have a friend over on Friday night - you know Natalie, don’t you?”

“Natalie Jenkins, the sports queen? Yeah, of course I know her - I heard she got another detention today for running barefoot from gym to her next class. Is that a problem?”

“Not unless I can persuade Mum to let me have another person over. Let me see what she says when I get home.”

They walked home, discussing amongst themselves how they would introduce the others to their games. Natalie in particular intrigued Heidi - she was a rebel, but at times she did wonder what sort of hobbies she did have. After all, been a bit BoHo is one thing, but turning up to school in the middle of May in a long sleeved sweater, long skirt and thick socks had drawn a few looks from people before.

She also wore those rope bracelets on her wrists, and on a couple of occasions Heidi had been sure she had seen rope marks underneath that the bracelets could not have made. The more she thought about it, the more she was warming to the idea - but could she persuade her mother.

“Mum - are you in the kitchen,” Heidi called out as she walked into the house.

“No - I’m upstairs. Can you come up for a minute?”

Heidi ran up to her mother’s bedroom, but stopped when she saw a suitcase on the bed and Amy packing some clothes into it.

“Mum? What’s going on?”

“I’m really sorry, Heidi,” Amy said as she folded a business suit and placed it in the case, “but I need to go away tonight for the weekend. Veronica is going to come and stay to look after you.”

“But what about the slumber party?”

“Oh, that can still go on - why?”

“Well - I’ve talked to Cindy, and she has asked Joanne to come as well. But...”

“Yes?”

“I want to invite Alice, and Jannifer, but I also need to invite a girl called Natalie or Alice can’t come. Please, mum?”

Amy turned and looked at her daughter. “All right - Veronica has to go out Friday night anyway. Call Joanne and ask if she can cope on her own, or needs some friends.”

“Thanks, mum,” Heidi said as she ran out of the room. Amy shook her head - what sort of party was this going to be anyway?”

“Hey, Jo!”

Joanne looked up to see Andrea Blackwood and Alexa Johnson standing there, books in hand for their study period. Alexa was the taller of the two, and had chosen on the coldest of days to wear a white tank top and skin tight jeans, with flat shoes on her feet. Andrea had on a grey hoodie and floor length skirt, with her usual black leather coat with fur trim over the outfit.

As the two girls sat down and opened their books, Alexa asked “So, any plans for the weekend.”

“I need to chaperone my cousin and her friends at a sleepover.”

“Bummer!”

“Nah - it could be fun. They like to play the same sort of games as me.”

Andrea looked up from her sketchbook. “Really? What sort of games?”

“The fun sort,” Alexa said as she punched her friend in the arm. “So, how many are there going to be?”

“Five of them - hey, you two don’t want to come round as well, do you? No adults around.”

“Can the boys come too?”

“Nope - we could make it a real girls night in.”

Andrea had been idly doodling in her sketchpad as they had been sitting talking. She suddenly slammed it shut as Chloe, the library assistant, walked past. “Please, try to stay quiet,” she said in her French accent as she walked past with a pile of books.

“All right then - what time do we need to be there?”

“Seven - and bring your night clothes. It’s going to be an overnight stay...”

The clock in the living room showed seven as Veronica looked in on Heidi and Cindy. “Have you girls got everything ready?”

“Yes,” Heidi said as she turned to look at her aunt. She was wearing her favourite Hello Kitty pyjamas, a dusky pink in colour, with white bed socks over her feet.

Cindy and Joanne came into the room. Cindy was wearing a long white cotton nightdress, with her bare feet sticking out from the hem, while Joanne was wearing a pair of black silk pyjamas.

“Now, don’t you girls do anything I would not do,” Veronica said with a smile, “and I’ll see you in the morning. Joanne, you’re in charge.”

“No problem, Miss Cabot,” Joanne called out as Veronica collected her bag and left, the front door closing behind her. “Right,” she said as the three of them sat down, “tell me about the other three - will they be up for some fun?”

“I think so - Alice certainly will be,” Heidi said, “she’s a great Nancy Drew fan. Natalie - I think she might, but we need to introduce it carefully.”

“Same with Jannifer?” Cindy said. “I think she will, but we should tread carefully.”

“OK - I know Alexa, my friend will help out, but I’m not sure about...”

The doorbell rang, and Joanne left the room to open it. “Hi, Andrea,” the girls heard her say, “Go straight up and get changed.” She came back into the room, and said “I have a plan for a game that might break the ice a bit, if you’re willing.”

“What,” Heidi said, but her question was left unanswered as Andrea opened the door and came in. Joanne looked at her standing there, the ceiling light making the blue tint to her black hair shine, and said “I never, ever thought you would wear something like that.”

Her friend was wearing a pink sleepsuit, emblazoned with a teddy bear motif, which covered her feet as well as her body. “Hey, I can’t be cool all the time,” she said as she looked at the two younger girls. “You must be Cindy, the resemblance is there - and you must be Heidi. Where are your friends?”

The doorbell rang, and Heidi went to answer it, saying “That will be the first one now.”

“Hi, Heidi,” Alice said as she stood in the open doorway, dressed in her jeans, sweatshirt and hooded top, with her bag in her hand. Next to her stood Natalie, who said “Thanks for letting me come” as the two girls came in.

“Just finished gym practice,” Heidi said as she looked at the blonde haired girl. “That obvious, is it,” she said with a laugh, as she took off her fleece jacket and stood there in a pink leotard, white tights with thick socks over the lower half, and trainers. “Nice PJ’s by the way.”

“Thanks - you can get changed in my bedroom, first door on the right at the top of the stairs.” The doorbell rang again as the two girls made their way up, and Heidi turned to answer it.

“You must be Heidi,” a tall, dark haired girl said, “I’m Alexa, Joanne’s friend.”

“Oh yeah - she said you would be coming. The three of you are going to use my mother’s bedroom - second door on the right upstairs.”

“Thanks,” she said as she ran up the stairs, the heels of eh rankle boots hitting on the wood. Heidi went back into the front room and said “Joanne, your other friend’s here.”

“Alexa - great,” she said as the door opened and Natalie came in. “Hi, Cindy,” she said as he waved at the other girl, and sat herself down on the floor. She was wearing a dusky pink vest top and shorts that came down to just above her knees, with a rope bracelet around her wrists and ankle. Cindy noticed the thin bruise that went around her wrist, but said nothing at the time.

“So, when does the party start,” she said as she grabbed a bottle of coke and opened the top. “As soon as Jannifer gets here,” Heidi said as the door opened and Alice came in. “Wow,” Cindy said as she looked at the sleeveless red silk nightgown that Alice was wearing the hem just about covering her legs but not enough to hide her red bed socks, “I didn’t know you had anything like that.”

“We all have our secrets, Cindy,” Alice said, and Heidi could have sworn she saw her smile as she said that. The doorbell diverted her attention as she went and opened it to Jannifer, standing there in a red pullover, short black skirt and dark tights, with a pair of black leather boots on her legs.

“Come in,” Heidi said as the red headed girl came in. “Upstairs, first on the right - we’re just getting started.”

“Thanks,” she said as she ran up, passing Alexa as she came down. She was wearing a man’s pyjama top, white with blue stripes, that was large enough to act as a nightshirt for her. She walked into the room and hugged Joanne, who simply said “Pete leave his clothes behind again?”

“Yeah - I didn’t have anything else suitable.”

“You could have washed it, you know?”

Alexa held up the sleeve to her nose, inhaling the eau du cologne. “Yeah - but it reminds me of him.”

“Oh boy,” Andrea said as she hugged her friend, “I guess we need to find something to distract you.”

The door opened and Jannifer came in, looking at Heidi as she said “Well, I though Alice was going to win the prize for most surprising nightgown, but you take it easily.”

Jannifer was standing in a pink nightdress, with darker pink puff sleeves and two bands of frill that went diagonally down the side. The most surprising thing, however, was the picture that sat just below her neck, showing Jasmine and Belle from the Disney films.

“Don’t you dare laugh,” Jannifer said as she saw the smile on Cindy’s face, “I like this nightdress - it was a present from my mother, and I wanted to wear it tonight.”

“I’m not laughing at you,” Cindy quickly said, “I like it, honestly I do. Besides, I can’t talk - and neither can your friend, Joanne!”

“Fair point,” Andrea laughed as the girls sat around the room, the hem of Jannifer’s dress rising up to reveal her white night socks. “So, what do you want to play first?”

“I’ve got an idea,” Heidi said as she picked up a Wii microphone and held it in her hand. “This party needs some music to get started - who’s up for some Sing Star?”

The younger girls cheered, as Alexa and Andrea looked at Joanne. “All right,” she said, “but if I think it's bad, I will take steps. How many microphones have you got?”

“Two,” Heidi said as she passed one over to Cindy. Joanne switched on the games console, and the girls watched as the game started up, the choice of songs scrolling down until Heidi said “That one - the Beiber.”

“Oh dear god,” Andrea said as she rolled her eyes, but as she saw Joanne smiled she realised that there was something else going on. “All right, you two,” Joanne said as the others watched, “start off.”

Heidi and Cindy looked at each other, then the screen as they put the microphones to their mouths.

You know you love me, I know you care
Just shout whenever, and I'll be there
You are my love, you are my heart
And we will never, ever, ever be apart

Alice and Jannifer looked at each other, before putting their hands to their ears. “You are the worst two singers I have ever heard,” Natalie said, but Cindy and Heidi carried on as if they had not heard.

Are we an item? Girl, quit playin'
"We're just friends," what are you sayin'?
Said "there's another," and looked right in my eyes
My first love broke my heart for the first time

Joanne stood up and walked behind the two girls, the others watching as she reached round and placed her hands over the mouths of them. They carried on however, to the great amusement of the others.

Ndiwslk bbe, bbe, bbeh,
lk bbe, bbe, bben
lk bbe, bbe, bbeh
ftudlwsbmn. Mn

“Much better,” Alexa said as the group of girls laughed out loud. “Really,” Heidi said as she turned round and looked at the group, “Do you think you would do better?”

“Oh yes,” Natalie said with a smile, “I know I could do better.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Yes, yes it is.”

Joanne smiled as she said “Who brought sleep masks?” Alice, Andrea, Natalie and Cindy raised their hands. “Go and get them,” Joanne said as she winked at Heidi, “and if Andrea looks in my bag, I have spare ones for the others. Bring them down, and I’ll explain the rules.”

The four girls went off as Joanne took a small bag and placed it on the table. “What do you have in there,” Alexa asked, watching as Joanne put a few items on the coffee table. As the others returned, Andrea passed a small cloth bag to Joanne, which she also placed on the table.

“Here’s the game,” she said as she looked at the others. “All of you put on your sleep masks. I’ll pick one of you at random, and you get to sign a song - only we’ll muffle your voice in some way.”

“How,” Andrea said, a strange look in her eyes.

“That would be telling - but the others have to guess what they are singing. So, all of you, masks on.”

She handed a mask to each of the girls who did not have one, and waited until they all sat blindfolded. “All right,” she said with a smile, “who wants to be first?”

Heidi and Cindy stood up and removed their blindfolds, looking at Joanne as she handed them both a strip of tape. Smoothing it over their mouths, they took the microphones and began to sing.

Pls rlesm, ltmg
Fr I dntlvu nemr
Twsturlfs wldbasn

“That’s Please Release Me - my mother loves that song,” Natalie said as she started to smile. Heidi and Cindy handed the microphones back to Joanne, but kept the tape over their lips as they sat back down and put their blindfolds on.

“Why don’t you go next, Natalie,” Joanne said, and the young girl stood up and removed her blindfold. Her eyes widened as she saw Heidi and Cindy sitting there, before looking at Joanne, who out her finger to her lips and showed her the items on the table.

Taking a sponge ball, Natalie opened her mouth wide and pushed it in, closing her lips over it as she pointed to the roll of duct tape on the table. Joanne cut a strip off and placed it over her lips, smoothing it down as she saw her eyes smiling. Turning to the screen, she put the microphone to her sealed mouth and began to sing.

Fknwn fgys hofughthywr prtysmrt
Btuve gtbngrgtdwntnrt
Ufnkurjnus-udrvmptwll
Urglrrijginl,knwtl

mm-mmm, ufnk urspsl
mm-mmm, ufnk ursmfngls

ksur rktsntst
tdntmpsmmsh
Sugtbrn btve ugtsh

“Oh, Shania,” Andrea said as she raised her hand. Taking the microphone from Natalie, Joanne whispered “Take the tape off and the ball out.” Natalie looked at her, a sort of sadness in her eyes, before Joanne said “We’re going to play more games - and you can have the gag back then. Cindy thought you may like to play that sort of game, right?”

“Mmmmm,” Natalie said, as she reached up and peeled the tape off, spitting the ball out and placing it on the table. She sat down, a look of disappointment in her eyes, and then replaced her sleep mask before putting her hands behind her back.

Andrea picked up a small handkerchief, folded it into a pad and placed it in her mouth, looking at the two gagged girls as she did so.

“Ready,” Joanne said as she handed her the microphone.

“Frwt?”

“For whatever happens tonight,” Joanne said with a wink. Andrea looked at her, and then nodded as she began to sing.

Hrvscheimnd
Icntdestlshsmn
cntlmfrnd cstwllff, Ilf mmbrfstff

Iftmwethfrntfclss
Tgtbstfwfhras
Idrppnslntflr
hbndsdwnndshsmre...

TtswhtIgtsclfr
vnthgtsrlbr
Ucncllmcrzy
Iknwtshcrfsm
TtswhtIgtsclfr
vnthgtsrlbr
bfrndsvhdplnty
Nnlkmsrmaknz
TtswhtIgtsclfr
TtswhtIgtsclfr

Joanne saw both Alice and Jannifer raise their hands. “Jonas Brothers” they shouted in unison.

“Well, it was a song called by a band called Busted before that, but I guess Andrea, you are busted.” She took the soaked wad from Andrea and watched her sit down and replace her blindfold. “All right, both of you come up and we’ll let you do a duet.”

As Jannifer raised her sleep mask, she put her hand over her mouth at the sight of the gagged Heidi and Cindy, while Alice was looking at the way Natalie was sitting.

“My goodness,” Jannifer said as she and Alice walked to the table, “What other games are we going to play tonight?”

“Wait and see - if you want to,” Joanne said as she looked at the two young girls. Alice and Jannifer looked at each other and nodded.

“Right - how would you like to be silenced?”

“Would it be possible...” Alice said quietly.

“Hmmm?”

“Jannifer, how about we handgag each other?”

“All right - are either of you left handed?”

Alice raised her hand. “Right - Alice stands on the right, Jannifer on the left. Take the microphones, and start when you are ready.”

The two girls stood in front of the screen, looked at each other and placed their hands over the other’s mouth, as they began to sing.

Snnetldulfwsgnbtsw
Urjbsajk, urbrk,urlvlfsDOA
Tslkurlwstknscndgr
Wntsntbnurd, urwk, urmnfrvnuryrbt

Lbethrfru
Wntrnstrtstpr
Lbethrfru
Lkfbntebfr
Lbethrfru
Csurthrfrmto

Alexa smiled as she said “Friends - God I miss that show. Does that mean it’s my turn.”

“It does,” Joanne said as she took the microphones off Alice and Jannifer. “Sit quietly and wait until Alexa’s finished,” she said before they sat back down and replaced their sleep masks.

Alexa walked over, pulling down her shirt as she did so, and cut a strip of duct tape free from the roll. Placing it over her lips, Joanne watching all the time, she took the microphone and began to sing.

Fnpsftp cldchnjtwrld
Thntwrldwldbk
Tsnstpclsrthstrt
Fabrndnwd
Dddd brndnwd
Day day day
Dddd brndnwd

Thrsnsewy
Csvrywshrd
Thrsnlmitsn
Fvrybdeshrt
Thrarnlmts
Ndnbderees
Sruwnttle

Mlvsadsese
Whnvrevsbcmnln
Ndvrylttlstp
Bcmsarlnstn

Fnpsftp cldchnjtwrld
Thntwrldwldbk
Tsnstpclsrthstrt
Fabrndnwd

The others listened to the song, unsure of what the lyrics were, until Alexa finished and peeled the tape away from her mouth. “Nobody know?” Joanne asked, and as the others shook their heads she winked at Alexa. “All right, remove your sleep masks and look at the screen.”

“Wow,” Andrea said as she looked at the picture of the young girl on the screen, “I’ve never heard of her. I’ll have to get her album.”

“Er,” Natalie asked quietly, “Why do Cindy and Heidi still have their mouths covered with tape?”

Heidi reached up and peeled the tape away. “Well,” she said as Cindy did the same, “We wanted to keep them on. It makes it more fun to listen to all of you trying to guess the song.”

She looked at each of the girls in turn, noticing that not one of them was shocked at what she said. Indeed, she could see a strange light again in the eyes of each of them, save for Cindy, Joanne and Alexa, who were watching as well.

“Do you - do you get gagged a lot,” Alice said a she crossed her legs under the hem of her nightgown.

“Why - would it be a shock if we did?”

“No,” Alice said as she blushed, “Actually - actually, I quite liked having my mouth covered by Jannifer’s hand.”

“Oh, that’s what you did,” Natalie said. “I thought I could hear you more clearly than the others.”

The others laughed as Joanne and Alexa sat down. “Listen - did any of you not like having your voices muffled?”

She looked round the circle, waiting to see if anybody nodded. To her relief, none did, so she continued “Cindy and I like from time to time to play - well, tie-up games. Cindy plays with Heidi, and I play with Alexa. We’re telling you this because we think each of you would like to play as well. Andrea - I’ve seen that sketchpad of yours.”

“As for you, Alice,” Cindy said, “I love those Nancy Drew books as well.”

Natalie looked over at Cindy. “Have you... Have you ever been tied up when it was not a game?”

Cindy nodded. “My god - so this helps you cope.”

“Actually, it’s fun - do you want to try it.”

All the girls nodded as Joanne said “Well then, I have a proposal. We’re going to vote - who gave the worst performance just now. Whoever gets the most votes, I will tie them up and show the other show it is done.”

All the girls looked at each other again as Joanne said “Right - cast your votes now!”

It only took Heidi and Cindy ten seconds to cast their votes, as they jumped up and tackled Joanne, forcing her to the ground and rolling her over onto her stomach. “Sorry, cuz,” Cindy said as she sat across her legs, “but we think the fact you didn’t sing at all qualifies you to be the one who gets tied up.”

Heidi looked over at Natalie. “When you were getting changed, did you see a canvas bag on the floor in my room?”

“Yes, I did,” Natalie said, a strange look again in her eyes, “Why?”

“Would you go and get it please,” Heidi said, and as Natalie ran out of the room she said to Alexa “Can you sit here and keep Joanne down for a few minutes.” The older girl nodded as she sat at Joanne’s head and kept her pinned down by the shoulders, and Natalie brought a grey canvas bag in and dropped it on the floor.

“Now then,” Heidi said as she looked at the other four girls, “Truth or dare time. Have any of you ever tied someone up, or tied yourselves up?”

Natalie slowly raised her hand. “Thought so,” Cindy called out as she kept Joanne’s legs down. “Right then,” Heidi said after looking round, “I would like to teach the three of you how to tie a girl up, and Joanne is our willing volunteer. Who wants to go first?”

Alice said “I will” as she raised her hand, the cap sleeve falling down as she did so. “Right - open the bag, and you will find a small coil of white rope. Pick it up and come over with me.”

The group of girls watched Alice as she pulled out the neatly coiled rope, and then shuffled over to watch Heidi as she sat on the opposite side of Joanne from Alice. Taking the older girl’s wrists, she crossed them and held them down in the small o f her back behind Cindy.

“Shake the rope out, and then double it over,” Heidi said, and she watched her friend nervously uncoil the rope and double the length over. “How does it feel in your hands?”

“Soft - I never thought rope could be this soft. What do I do now?”

“Feed the two ends under her wrists, then pass them back round and between the lengths of rope through the centre. Pull it as tight as you can.”

Keeping the rope over the black sleeves of Joanne’s pyjamas, Alice pulled the ends of the rope through the loop, watching wide eyed as Joanne’s wrists were brought tightly together. “I’ll get you three for this,” Joanne said as Heidi showed Alice how to pass the rope several times around Joanne’s wrists, keeping the coils side by side. “We want it to hold, and to be comfortable,” Heidi said as she stopped Alice after three turns.

“Won’t that hold?” her friend asked as she looked over at her. “Not for long,” Heidi said with a smile, “but this will help. Tuck the ends through the last loop, and then separate them out.” She watched As Alice did this, and then said “Now, pass the two ends between her wrists. This is called cinching, and it keeps the rope tight around the wrists as well as making it more difficult for her to work them loose.”

As Alice pulled the lengths round, Cindy could see Jannifer taking another length of rope out of the bag. “Would you like to tie her ankles together,” she said as she smiled at the way the princess was handling the rope.

“Sorry,” the redhead said quietly, “I was just imagining myself as Belle been held captive.”

“Maybe later,” Cindy said as she reached down and grabbed her cousin’s legs, pulling her ankles up and crossing them as she held them tightly. “Do the same as Alice did to her wrists, double the rope over and use it to hold them together.”

“I knew I should have done ~The Sound of Silence,” Joanne said with a groan as she felt the rope biting into her legs, while Alice tied the rope with a hitch knot and tucked the ends into the coils around Joanne’s wrists as instructed by Heidi.

“You did a good job there,” Heidi said, and Alice beamed with pleasure. “Can you see how tightly they are held together?”

“Are you sure it doesn’t hurt her,” Alice said quietly as he watched Jannifer wrap the rope between the older girl’s legs.

“Joanne?”

“For a newbie, you tie well,” Joanne said as she looked at Alice. “Honestly, it doesn’t hurt, Alice. If you do it right and carefully, you don’t hurt anybody.”

She sighed as Cindy climbed off her waist, allowing her bound ankles to fall to the floor and rolling over onto her back. “Help me up, will you,” she said over her shoulder to Alexa, who pulled her upper body so that she was in a sitting position.

“Now, we need to tie her legs together - one length above, one length below her knees. You have to do the same thing as you did to the ankles and wrists, but make sure the rope goes neatly between her legs. Do the two of you want to do that as well?”

“You bet,” Alice and Jannifer said as Heidi handed them each a longer length of rope, making sure they shook the coils out and doubled it over before they started. As they did this, Alexa looked over at Andrea and Natalie, who were both staring at the scene.

“Are you two all right,” she said as Andrea shook her head. “Oh yes,” the older girl said, “I just...”

“Want to know what you can do?” Alexa pulled the bag towards her and selected a larger coil of rope. “Come over, I’ll show you how to bind her arms to her body. Want to help Natalie?”

“Not yet,” the other girl said, “I would like to do something else, if I may.”

“Suit yourself,” Alexa said as she handed the rope to her friend. “Right - double it over, and then pass the rope around her arms and chest, just below her breasts. Pull the ends through behind her back so that her arms get pulled into her side.”

Andrea nervously passed the rope around Joanne’s waist, pulling it up slightly before gently pulling the rope around her arms, watching as they were pulled into her side while Joanne sighed. “Good,” Alexa said as she watched, “now, do it again above her breasts, and pull it round the loop here at the back.”

“You three are good instructors,” Natalie said from the sidelines as she watched Alice, Jannifer and Andrea truss the now willing Joanne up, the rope pulling her legs together and her arms into her side. As Andrea tied the rope behind Joanne’s back, Alexa said “leave those long ends dangling - I think I know what Natalie wants to do.

“So, Natalie,” Heidi said as Alice and Jannifer finished tying the last of their knots, “Do you tie yourself up or does someone do it for you?”

“It depends,” she replied with a smile, “On whether or not my brother is home on leave or not. He’s done it for years, but when he’s away I tend to do it to myself. He’s much better at it, though - tends not to bruise me.”

“Which explains her clothes sometimes,” Cindy said as Andrea stepped back. “How are you feeling, Joanne?”

“Like I’m not going anywhere for a while,” Joanne said as she looked down her body. “You’re not going to leave me like this, are you?”

“Of course not,” Andrea said as she slipped a sleep mask over her friend’s eyes. “Natalie, you’re up. How do you want her?”

“On her stomach,” the blonde haired girl said as she got to her feet. Andrea pulled back on Joanne’s shoulders, lowering her to the ground before she and Cindy rolled her onto her stomach. As Andrea placed a cushion under Joanne’s head, Natalie took the lengths of rope from her back and pulled her ankles back, passing the rope between them as she secured them perpendicular to her knees.

“Great - a hogtie,” Joanne said as she lay there. “What’s next - the sock in the mouth?”

“Correct,” Andrea said as she grabbed a pair of clean ankle socks from the bag, baled them up and pinched Joanne’s nose until she had to open her mouth, then stuffed them in to her cry of “MMGMFDDGMFM.” Heidi handed her a thin green silk oblong, which she pulled between Joanne’s lips and fastened tightly at the back of her neck.

“So,” Heidi said as she stood up,” We have our first girl tied up, blindfolded and gagged. Can you guess what we d next?”

The assembled group looked at Joanne as she lay there, her bare feet in the air and her pyjama top falling around her waist, and nodded to each other.

“Whrummdsmgsdmdmmgmmsamgmsmasdsasd,” Joanne screamed as seven sets of fingers started to tickle her on the soles of her feet, around her waist and under her armpits. Joanne squirmed on her stomach, trying desperately to stop herself laughing as her body wriggled in the ropes, the swat starting to appear on her forehead as she failed completely to stop the tickle torture.

“Now then,” Heidi said as she stepped back, “Let’s leave our head chaperone to recover, and see if she can manage to free herself.” She looked at Alice, Jannifer and Andrea. “The next question is, do you three want to know what it feels like to be tied up and gagged? I promise, we’ll go easy on you as it is your first time.”

The three girls looked at each other, before nodding and saying “Yes.”

“Good - well, there are four of us who know how to do it. We have rope, we have scarves, or if you feel really brave we have tape. One of us needs to keep an eye on Joanne - you must never leave anyone tied up without some sort of escape, but we want you to choose.

“Alice, Jannifer, Andrea - who do you want to tie you up for the first time?”

Alice looked at the group, before saying in a quiet voice “I’ll go first - and I’d like Natalie to do it to me.”

“All right then,” Natalie said as she stood up and walked over to Alice, “I promise I’ll be gentle. Stand up and put your hands behind your back.”

“Like this,” Alice said as she crossed her wrists behind her back. “Nah - put your palms together. It’s you first time, and it will be more comfortable.”

Alice looked over her shoulder as she watched Natalie wrap the rope around her wrists, pulling them together as she did so. “That actually feels nice,” she said as the soft cords hugged her skin, Natalie taking care to keep the loops next to each other as she passed it round several times. She allowed herself a smile as she felt the rope tightening around her wrist as Natalie cinched the coils, and then tied the knot off, tucking it into the ropes.

“Try wriggling your hands,” Natalie said as she stepped back. Alice tried to move her hands round, but there was little movement as she wriggled her fingers about. “It’s nice - soft, snug and I don’t think I’m getting free. What happens now?”

“Well, I don’t think you should be tied like Joanne - not this time. If you’re all right with it, I’d like to tie your arms to your side, and then we can take care of your feet.”

“All right,” Alice said as Natalie doubled over a longer length of rope and passed it around her lower chest, pulling her bare arms into her side as the coils pressed into her red nightdress. She giggled as she felt the way the rope felt on her arms, as well as seeing how it pressed into her outfit as Natalie made a few passes round and then tied the rope off, fixing the ends around her wrists as well.

“Sit down,” she said as Andrea and Jannifer looked on. With Heidi’s help, Alice sat on the floor with her back against a chair, the hem of her night dress rising to reveal her red bed socks.

“Now for your ankles,” Natalie said as she pushed Alice’s feet together, and started to wrap more rope around. Alice watched, wide eyed and fascinated as the rope pulled into her socks, the red wool gathering around the white coils as they were forced together. As Alice passed the rope between her legs, Alice asked “So, you do that to keep the ropes secure?”

“It also makes it more difficult to get out of,” Cindy said as Natalie finished the knot. “Do you want your legs tied together,” she said as she looked at her friend.

“No - I think I’m secure enough for the moment,” Alice said as she tried to move her feet up and down. “What happens now?”

“Now, we need to silence you. Heidi, do you have clean tube socks?”

“In my room,” Heidi said as she stood up and walked out of the room. “Tube socks,” Alice said as she looked at the others, “Why?”

“They make a good gag for first timers,” Alexa said as Joanne nodded and grunted in agreement. “They fill the mouth, keep your tongue down, but don’t taste funny.”

Heidi came back into the room and handed Natalie a long white sock, placing three more on the couch. “When you’ve done this,” Alice said as she looked at Natalie,” put my sleep mask over my eyes - I don’t want to see what you do to the others.”

“All right then,” Natalie said as she stretched the sock in her hands. Alice opened her mouth wide, allowing Natalie to pull the sock into her mouth and tie it off behind her head, leaving the ends under the fringe of her hair. “All right now,” she said as she held the red sleep mask in her hand.

“Ysthnks,” Alice said as the blindfold was put on, covering her eyes. The others watched as she wriggled and spoke quietly into her gag, as Andrea stared intently.

“Something wrong, Andrea,” Alexa said as she and Joanne looked at her. “No - no,” she said as she stood up. “Look, I’ll look after Joanne and Alice for a while - why don’t you four take care of both Jannifer and Natalie next?”

The four girls looked at each other, before saying “all right, if that’s what you want. Jannifer - you were saying earlier that you were imaging Belle been held captive?”

“Yes - why?”

“Natalie,” Alexa said as she looked at the redhead, “Ready for your gag again?”

“Oh yes - can we be in the same room?”

“We’ll use my bedroom,” Heidi said as she opened the bag. “Cindy, you can be Le Fou. Hold Belle while we make her secure.”

“Oh no - it’s Gaston,” Jannifer said as she held her hands up in surprise to her mouth. Cindy walked quickly round and guided her hands behind her back as Heidi shook out a length of rope.

“Hold her still,” Heidi said as she started to bind Jannifer’s wrists together, keeping the rope over the cuff of her Princess night gown as her arms were drawn together. “Oh you fiend,” Jannifer called out, making Alice laugh, “Beast, where are you?”

“Your precious beast can’t help you now,” Heidi said with a laugh before putting her sleep mask over her eyes. “Take her to the dungeon,” she said as Cindy guided her friend towards the doorway. Alexa stood up and said “What do you need, Natalie,” to the younger girl.

“Whatever you want - but I was gagged with a sponge ball and tape.”

“So be it,” Alexa said as she gathered a few items, and the two young women followed the other three out of the room, leaving Andrea alone with Joanne and Alice, both quietly talking to themselves.

“Please, you can’t do this to me,” Jannifer said as Cindy helped her to sit on Heidi’s bed. As the two younger girls looked at their captive, Alexa guided Natalie to the far side of the room, and said “How would you like to be chair tied?”

“All right,” Natalie said as she sat down, “but secure me tightly to the chair, please.”

“As you wish,” Alexa said as she took a length of rope, “put your hands behind the back of the chair and we’ll get started.”

Natalie sat herself down and meekly put her hands behind the chair back, smiling as Alexa crossed her wrists and started to tie them together.

“Bind her feet,” Heidi said to Cindy as her friend picked up more rope, “We don’t want Belle to wander off and get lost, do we?”

“you fiend,” Jannifer said with a laugh as she felt Cindy wrap the rope around her ankles, the rope almost hidden in the white wool as she quickly tied them together. Heidi then took a second length and pulled it around the skirt of her night gown, drawing the material around her legs above her knees.

“That feels nice,” Natalie said as Alexa drew the rope around her chest one more time, pulling her back into the chair as she did so. She had tied Natalie’s wrists behind the chair, securing them to the legs where they joined the seat, and then lashed her ankles to the front legs, before tying her legs together just above her knees. She had then taken the longest length of rope she could find and bound Natalie’s lap and upper body to the chair, crossing the rope around the wood and her body several times, effectively immobilising her there.

“Open wide,” Alexa said as she held the sponge ball in front of her mouth. “Thank you,” Natalie said as the sponge was pushed behind her teeth, and Alexa tore a strip of tape off the roll.

“Hey, I hope that’s not for me,” Jannifer said as she heard the sound of ripping.

“No, my dear,” Heidi said, “This is.”

“Whammdsmmdffmg” Jannifer mumbled as the sock was pulled tightly into her mouth, cutting off her speaking as Cindy tied the ends off under her hair. “We’ve left a guard to keep an eye on you,” Heidi said in her best mocking voice, “the poor thing is mute, so they can't talk to disturb you.”

“No kidding,” Cindy whispered as she examined the ropes holding Natalie to the chair. “Do you like this?”

“Mmmysssid,” Natalie said as the sleep mask was pulled over her eyes, the tape sealing the sponge in her mouth.

Alexa, Cindy and Heidi slipped out of the room, leaving Jannifer and Natalie as they grunted and twisted round, and walked back down the stairs. As they walked in, they saw Joanne sitting with Andrea, a pile of rope and sodden cloth on the floor.

“I needed to go to the toilet,” Joanne said as they looked up, “and don’t think I’ve forgotten about you two yet.”

“Whtsgngn,” Alice said as she turned her head in the direction of the voices.

“Alexa, let’s take Alice here up to join her friends,” Andrea said as she stood up, taking Alice’s feet as Alexa took her arms under her shoulders. As the two girls carried Alice out of the room, Joanne picked up Andrea’s sketchbook and began to flip through the pages.

“Not a bad artist,” she said to herself as Heidi and Cindy collected a drink, before stopping and staring at a page in the book. “Something wrong,” Cindy said as she turned and looked at her cousin, watching a smile grow on Joanne’s lips as her two friends walked back into the door.

“We left Alice on the floor next to the...” Andrea said, as she looked at Joanne and her voice trailed off.

“I think,” Joanne said as she showed the page the book was open at to Alexa, “You have some explaining to do, Andrea.”

Alexa took the book, flipping through the pages and smiling as she looked at the sketches inside. “Hey, these aren’t half bad,” she said as she looked over at Andrea, “but I wish you’d asked us if you could draw us first. These look like fun.”

Andrea blushed as she saw her friends smiling. “Hey, can we have a look,” Heidi said as she and Cindy walked forward, but they stopped as Joanne looked at them.

“Oh no, you don’t” she said, “This is only for the three of us. Go upstairs and keep an eye on your friends, unless you’d rather...” she started to stand up, laughing as the two younger girls ran out of the room.

“Now, Andrea - why didn’t you tell us? We would have understood.”

Andrea sat in the armchair, looking at her friends. “Embarrassment - I don’t know. I’ve just fantasised about it for a long time - and I knew you two played these games. Look, if you want, I’ll tear those pages out and...”

“No you won’t” Alexa said as she turned the page. “These are too good - hey, is this meant to be you?” She turned and showed the sketch of a young woman in a sleep suit, tightly bound, gagged and blindfolded, to Andrea.

“Er...” Andrea said as she blushed. “Yeah, it’s meant to be me.”

“So why like this?”

“It’s been a fantasy ever since I saw that Peter Fonda film - Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. I’ve always wanted to be tied in my pyjamas - or rather in a sleep suit.”

“All right - but the mittens?”

“Well, I like how they feel - and it would make it more difficult for me to escape.”

“What would your parents say if they saw this?”

“They would hit the roof - you’re not going to are you?”

“Nah,” Joanne said as she stood up, “We’re going to make your dream come true. Did you bring any mittens with you?”

Andrea stood up, left the room and went upstairs, passing the room where the younger girls were and hearing muted giggles, before looking in her bag and taking out a pair of woollen mittens. As she re-entered the front room, she found Alexa and Joanne sorting out ropes.

“Put them on,” Alexa said as she doubled over one length, “and then sit down on the couch, your back to me. I’m going to tie your wrists, while Joanne ties your ankles.”

“Go for it,” Andrea said as she pulled the mittens on and put her hands behind her back, crossing her wrists. Alexa moved them so that they were palm to palm and took the rope round, keeping it over the cuffs of her gloves as she pulled her wrist together. As she felt them tightening, Andrea looked down at Joanne, who was busily lashing her ankles together, passing the rope around and then between them.

“Oh,” she said as she felt the knots tightening, “I never dreamt it would feel like this.”

“Do you want us to stop?”

“No - I’m enjoying this,” she said as she felt Alexa pass some rope up her arms, pulling her elbows together behind her back as Joanne bound her legs below her knees.

The ropes were showing clearly over the pink leggings, crossing the teddy bears as she watched the rope constricting the legs.

Closing her eyes as she felt her shoulders been drawn back, Andrea watched as Joanne took more rope around her thighs, barely noticing the other length of rope been passed around her body just below her breast until she felt her arms been pulled into her sides. “Ohhhhh,” she said as the two friends finished binding her, leaving her like a pink and white sausage as she sat there.

“I think we have a new playmate, Alexa,” Joanne said as she stood up and checked the rope around Andrea’s upper body. They had gone round her arms and chest, before been passed between her arms and body to tighten the coils, with a second length around her waist and wrists.

“You bet you have,” Andrea said with a smile as she tried twisting round. “It doesn’t hurt at all, but I’ve never felt so unable to do anything. I can’t describe how it feels; it’s almost as if...”

“It’s the biggest release of all time,” Alexa said as she picked up a large handkerchief and folded it into a pad. “But you can’t have the fizz without the cork. Ready?”

“Will I be able to breathe?”

“Relax - I’ll tie the scarf over your mouth, so as long as you use your nose you’ll be fine. Open wide now.”

Andrea felt the cloth pushing her tongue to the floor of her mouth, and as Alexa tied the scarf between her lips she tried saying something. “I don’t think this will work,” she was going to say, but what she heard was “Idnfnkthhslwrk.”

She opened her eyes and nodded as she saw Alexa looking at her, saying “Don’t kid a kidder,” the sleep mask in her hand. “Lie yourself down first.”

Andrea twisted herself round and allowed herself to fall back onto the couch, pushing with her legs until her head was resting on the arm. She looked at Alexa, as well as over her friend’s shoulder, and smiled as she pulled the sleep mask over her eyes.

“Fnku,” Andrea said as she settled herself down, enjoying the confinement and trying not to laugh as she heard Alexa say “what the...” to the side of her.

“FRGDSDSKPLSSTP!!!”

Jannifer screamed into her sock gag as Heidi continued to tickle her side while she lay on the bed, while Cindy tickled the back of Alice’s knees. Natalie was sitting quietly, thanking her lucky stars that neither girl was looking at her as she tested the knots with her fingers.

“All right, Belle,” Heidi said with an evil grin as she stood up, “The torture is over for now. As it is, I have another problem to deal with - come here!”

“I knew this was going to happen sooner or later,” Cindy said as she walked over to Heidi and turned round, crossing her wrist behind her back as she did so. “I kinda miss been part of the fun.”

“Well, not for much longer,” Heidi said as she dangled a length of rope in Cindy’s face. “Besides, would you rather it was me or your cousin?”

“Oh you - definitely you,” Cindy said with a smile as she looked over her shoulder, watching as Heidi began to bind her wrists together.”

“I’ll get you for this,” Alexa said as she felt the rope been wrapped around her upper body one more time, Andrea quietly chuckling on the couch behind her. Joanne had performed a Chinese tie on her friend, by draping rope around her neck and quickly wrapping it round her arms, spiralling down and pulling them behind her at the same time, and then fixing her forearms to each other in a box form behind her back. The rope had then been passed round and across her body, so now as she knelt on the floor it was like a web of brown over her striped pyjama top.

“You really are an exceptionally imaginative artist, Andrea,” Joanne said as she pushed Alexa onto the floor and pulled her ankles up behind her back, “I’d never have thought of doing this to her.” She quickly bound her ankles before fixing the ropes to those around her chest, leaving the girl in a hog tie on her side.

“Just wait until I get out of this,” Alexa said as she tried to twist round. “Good luck with that,” Joanne said as she held up a rubber ball with straps running either side of it. “For now, I’ve been saving this just for you.”

She quickly buckled the ball gag into place, before picking up some lengths of rope. “Right,” she said as she walked out of the room, “Now for two trouble makers.”

“You picked a heck of a time to need to go.”

“I know,” Heidi said as she stopped outside the toilet door with Cindy, “but better now than later.” She opened the door, leaving Cindy outside with her arms pulled behind her back, and said “I’ll be ten minutes, tops.” She closed the door and pulled the bolt over, Cindy waiting patiently outside.

Ten minutes later, Heidi turned the tap off and opened the door, saying “Ready, Cindy,” as she did so.

“Cindy?”

The corridor was empty, with no one in sight as Heidi looked up and down the floor.

“Cindy? Where have you gone?”

Heidi closed the bathroom door behind her, and walked slowly down the corridor, looking in the bedroom at the three girls. They were still bound and gagged, rolling out and trying to talk to each other with their blindfolds in place.

“That’s weird,” she said to herself as she slowly walked towards the staircase, passing her mother’s bedroom as she did so. She didn’t hear the door open, or see the shadow until she felt the hand on her mouth and heard Joanne say “Got you at last - it’s payback time.”

“Whrsnde,” Heidi mumbled through the hand, but before she had a chance to say much else the hand was taken away and a rolled up cloth was pushed into her mouth, followed by a grey bandana been pulled between her teeth.

“Not a word out of you,” Joanne said as she pulled the younger girl’s hands behind her back, “I don’t a warning going to anyone else.”

“Whls?” Heidi said as she felt the rope going around her wrists, pulling them together as they crossed behind her back. Heidi had assumed Joanne had already grabbed Cindy - but if she didn’t, who did?

Those thoughts were driven out as she felt more rope going round her arms, pulling her elbows together as she stood there, forcing her chest out and the pink fabric to stretch over her breasts. “I think you need to move up a notch, young lady - and I owe you for earlier,” Joanne said with a ;laugh as she passed the rope around the bands between Heidi’s arms, making a form of elbow cuff as she attached the ends to her wrists.

“Right,” Joanne said as she pulled a sleep mask over Heidi’s eyes, “Let’s go.” Heidi felt the grip on her arm as she was forced to walk forward and then guided down the stairs. As they reached the bottom, Joanne led her towards the kitchen, hearing the muffled grunts from the front room as she went past.

In the front room, both Andrea and Alexa were listening to a third voice, as muted as theirs, and wondered who had joined them. Their sleep masks meant they could not see Cindy lying on the floor, her arms pulled behind her back and her wrists bound to the opposite elbow, forcing her arms into a box shape behind her back.

More rope had been used to fix her upper arms to her chest, the length passed under her armpits to secure them further. The skirt of her nightdress had been gathered above her knees by the rope around her legs, and her ankles had been crossed and bound, before been fixed to her chest ropes by a length of rope, her skirt falling down and exposing her bare legs.

A white sleep mask was over her eyes, and a thick cloth pulled into her mouth, her cheeks bulging with the packing that had been pushed in first. She looked over her shoulder, mumbling “thnksbnshjan” as the final knot was tied.

Her captor said nothing, but left her on the floor, silently walking out of the room door.

Natalie could definitely feel it - somebody had loosened the ropes around her upper body. She had not heard anyone come in, and not felt or heard anyone standing next to her, and yet the ropes were slacker, and were starting to fall down her towards her lap.

As she leaned forward, she also found to her surprise that the rope holding her wrists to the back of the chair had also been untied. “Did Jannifer get free,” she thought to herself as she felt with her fingers, finding the knot and slowly starting to unpick it.

“Gdthtstht.”

Heidi grunted as the rope dug into her ankles. She could feel it even through her bed socks, as Joanne pulled them tightly together, wrapping the rope around and between them as Heidi raised her blindfolded head from her prone position on the floor.

Joanne had already wrapped more rope around her upper body, inning her arms against her back, and had tied her legs together in a rather unusual way. Starting near her hips, she had pulled the rope around her legs, and then wound it down them in a cross pattern, going around them above and below her knees, before finishing off at her ankles. It looked as if Heidi’s legs were trapped in a net, and she might have liked it, if she could have seen it.

“Don’t worry,” Joanne said as she tied off the rope, “I’m going to find where Cindy is hiding, and I’m going to do exactly the same thing to her. Before that, however...”

Heidi felt herself been rolled onto her stomach, and then the light touch of Joanne’s fingers on her ribs, tickling her. “Omgddddddntnddttthsdhsahhahsdhadashshadsah," she called out as she felt the sensations running up and down her body, thrashing her legs about as she tried to get out of the way of the probing digits.

As suddenly as the tickling started, however, it stopped as she heard Joanne say “What themmmf” and the feeling of someone at her ribs stopped. Heidi rolled herself onto her back, saying “Snde,” as she did so, but there was no response, just Joanne’s muffled gasps and the sound of her kneeling on the linoleum covered floor.

“Jannifer?”

The young girl opened her eyes to see Natalie standing there, looking down at her with a residue of tape around her lips and her sleep mask in her hand.

“Ugtfr,” she mumbled as Natalie looked at the ropes around her.

“Yeah - but I thought you or Alice had helped me. Turns out it was neither of you.”

Jannifer looked down to the floor to see Alice sitting there, wriggling round in her red nightdress with her blindfold and gag still in place.

“Rugngtrscum?”

“Yeah - I can’t hear anything downstairs, so I have a feeling the others have taken care of each other. Roll over onto your side and I’ll start to untie you, then we can both help Alice.”

It took ten minutes, but eventually Natalie was sitting on the bed, watching Alice and Jannifer as they rubbed their wrists.

“The bruises go after a day or two,” she said with a smile, “moisturiser usually helps. How do you both feel?”

“Relaxed,” Alice said, “and curious to know just how tightly I can be tied.”

“Yeah, well, take it easy - you need to feel comfortable at each stage before you move on. What about you, Jan?”

“I’m not sure - my fantasy has been fulfilled, but...”

“You want more, right?”

“Right,” the girl said with a smile. “Where do you think Heidi and Cindy are?”

“Downstairs with the other three, I imagine. Come on - let’s go and see where they are.”

The three girls crept downstairs, but as they descended they could not hear anybody talking, just low mumbles and noises. Reaching the hallway, they looked towards the kitchen, where the light was shining through the doorway.

“Come on,” Alice said as they made their way to the light. Looking in, they saw Heidi lying on the floor, her legs as if they were in a net and her hands behind her back, rolling round and trying to get free.

Next to her was Joanne, her arms pulled tightly behind her back and ropes around her chest, legs and ankles, the latter of which were raised off the floor by a length of rope connecting them to her back. A sleep mask was over her eyes, and a tape gag covered her mouth.

“How did she get in here?” Jannifer said as she looked at the older girl wriggling round.

“More to the point, who re-gagged her - she had a scarf over her mouth, and that hog tie is much tighter than the one I did.”

Alice looked at both Jannifer and Natalie. “You don’t think Heidi and Cindy did that to her?”

“Nope - I think they know their ropes, but that’s more professional.

“Come on - let’s look in the front room.”

Creeping down the corridor, they silently opened the door and looked in. Andrea was on her back on the couch, sighing contently as she lay bound in her sleep suit, while Alexa was trying to dislodge her sleep mask as she lay on her side.

The real surprise was Cindy lying there, her ankles in the air as she tried to move her legs up and down. Natalie crept in, looking at the binding, before coming back out and motioning to the other two to follow her.

“That’s weird,” she said as the door closed behind them, “I don’t think Cindy tied herself up, and the other two look like Joanne may have done it - the ropes are similar to those around Heidi.”

“But,” Alice said quietly, “If none of them tied themselves up...”

“Then who did tie them up - it wasn’t us.” Jannifer looked at the other two, the same thought crossing their minds.

“You don’t think it’s a burglar, do you?”

“I hope not - because f it was, they’re still here?”

“What are we going to do?”

“Well, I personally think you should join me in a tickling festival.”

The three girls turned and looked at the direction the voice had come from, wondering who had said that.

“Mrs Strong?” Alice whispered as she looked at Heidi’s mother, standing by the doorway. “We thought you were away this weekend?”

“I was - but my meeting finished early, so I called Heidi’s aunt and had her bring me home. When we came in, we wondered why we couldn’t hear anything, so we sneaked upstairs and had a look round.

“As we got to the top of the stairs we heard the door to Heidi’s room open, so we ducked into my bedroom and saw her and Cindy walk to the bathroom. When she went inside, my sister grabbed Cindy and took her downstairs. I was going to take Heidi, but Joanne got her first, so I waited until they had gone disown and then went into my daughter’s room.”

“And saw the three of us there,” Natalie said. “So it was you who loosened my ropes.”

“That’s right - I toyed with the idea of untying you, but from what I’ve overheard Heidi and Cindy say I figured you’d prefer to free yourself.”

Jannifer was standing with the others, listening to this, when she said “So you tied up Joanne?”

“That’s right,” a second voice said, “and I took care of Cindy.”

All three girls turned to see Veronica standing there. Both she and Amy were wearing dark jumpers and trousers, with trainers on their feet. “So, girls, how are you enjoying your sleepover? From the look of things, you have played some very interesting games already.”

“It’s been fun,” Jannifer said with a smile, “but we haven’t got Heidi in trouble have we?”

“Of course not - so long as you don’t hurt each other, we’re fine with these games. They do, however, need a bit more...”

“Which brings us back to the tickling fest,” Amy said with a smile. “So, who shall we get first?”

Heidi heard the door opening, and wondered who was coming in now. Had Alice or Jannifer worked themselves loose? Or was it Andrea - she didn’t know what had happened to her. Or Alexis, even?

She had very little time to contemplate that further, as she felt the fingers tickling her feet and sides again. To her surprise, however, she could also hear Joanne going “omgdplsdntdts!” as she exploded into muffled laughter as well. She began to thrash about, desperately trying to get away from the probing digits that were ticking her ribs, and wondered just who were doing this.

As she moved round, the sleep mask started to slip down her head, until it fell and hung round her neck. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes widened as she saw both Jannifer and Natalie ticking Joanne, the girl thrashing about as Jannifer tickled her bare feet and Alice her ribs.

“Utw,” Heidi said with her eyes wide open, “thnho....” She looked over her own shoulder to see her mother at her side, saying “surprise Sweetie” as she continued to tickle her. “Nplsdnt,” she called out as the tickling continued, the three of them starting to laugh at their reactions.

Andrea blinked as the sleep mask was removed and she saw Alice standing there, a finger to her lips as she looked down on the contented girl. “Whtshpng,” she mumbled as she looked over to where Alexa was lying on her side, a woman that looked like an older version of Heidi removing her sleep mask.

Between them was Cindy, lying on her stomach with her legs in the air, seemingly contented and without a care in the world. As Andrea and Alexa watched, the two free women walked silently over to Cindy, sitting either side of her as they raised their hands.

“Oshtplsmmhhhahhahahahahahahahahahh”, Cindy screamed out as they tickled her, one at the back of her knees and the other at her sides. Their assault continued mercilessly, making her kick her legs to and fro and wriggle from side to side. As she did so, her sleep mask also began to slip down, until she looked at her side and said “ls? Btho... hgd, mscbt, plssammsdfmhhhshshshshshhhhhhaahaaaaaaa.”

“I think she’s awake now, don’t you,” Veronica said to Alice as they kept tickling her. “You two must be Joanne’s friends - I’m Veronica Cabot, Heidi’s aunt. If you listen carefully, you will hear that she and Joanne are been taken care of as well.”

“Thtswhtits,” Andrea mumbled as she listened to the muffled screams coming from the other room.

“I think that’s enough for now,” Veronica said as she looked at Alice. “We’ll release these three once I’ve told my dear sister what I’m doing.”

“Hidsmmswl?”

“Yeah, she’s back too,” Alice said as she stood up and walked over to Alexa. “Good god, where do you start with this?”

“Bgknttbck,” Alexa said as she looked over her shoulders, arching her back to show Alice the ends. As she started to unravel it, Veronica looked into the kitchen, saying “I think some food and drink is in order,” before coming back and starting to untie Andrea.

Twenty minutes later, the eight girls were sitting in a circle on the floor, taking mugs of hot chocolate from both Amy and Veronica as they passed them round.

“So girls,” Amy said as she sat down in an armchair and out her own mug to her lips, “Had an interesting evening so far?”

“Yes thanks,” Alice said as she looked at the others, “Thanks for allowing us to sleep over.”

“My pleasure - I hope you don’t mind the fact that two old fogies are going to sit in for the rest of the night.”

“Don’t worry girls,” Veronica said as she looked at the group, “We’ll stay out of the way down here. You can all use the bedrooms as you’d probably planned. It won’t be the first time Heidi’s mum and I have pulled an all nighter anyway.”

“Did you use to play tie up games when you were girls, Mrs Strong?”

“A story for another time, I think,” Amy said as she looked at Heidi and Cindy. “Good god, is that the time? Look, I know the thing about these parties is you stay up late, but...”

“Actually, mum,” Heidi said as she put her cup on the table beside her, “The girls and I were talking while you and Aunt Veronica were in the kitchen?”

“Oh yes? Did anyone ever tell you the most dangerous thing in the world is when a group of girls start talking?”

Cindy smiled when she heard Veronica say this. “Go on Jannifer - this was your idea.”

The girl blushed almost as deeply as her dress as she said “the thing is, Miss Cabot, Mrs Strong, this is the first time that some of us have been tied up, and...”

“What my quiet friends is trying to say,” Alice continued, “is we were wondering what it is like to be tied up all night. Do you think that would be possible?”

Veronica looked at Anne, before putting her cup down and saying “You do know that can be a bit uncomfortable? How many of you had never been tied up before tonight?”

She watched as Alice, Jannifer and Andrea raised their hands. “I see - well, if that happens I think that either Heidi or Cindy needs to be in the same room as you. Which of you is it going to be?”

“We already decided,” Heidi said with a smile. “I’ll go with them if Cindy goes with the other three.”

“So,” Amy said as she put her own cup down, “That would be Alice, Jannifer, Andrea and Heidi in her room - and the other four in the other room?”

“One other question,” Veronica said as she looked at Cindy, Natalie, Alexa and Joanne. “You four are more used to this, so do you want this to be stricter for you? I think it’s unfair to be too strict on those four, but you...”

“Do your worst, Miss Cabot,” Alexa said as she looked at the older woman.

“All right then - the four for Heidi’s room, go and get yourselves ready for bed, then meet me in her room. You four wait here and discuss with Veronica what you want - but remember, you need to be able to sleep however you end up.”

As the first four left the room and headed for the bathroom, Veronica turned to Cindy and the others, saying “all right - what evil scheme do you have in mind?”

Heidi and the other three watched as Amy sorted four large coils of rope.

“All right, who wants to be first?”

Alice and Jannifer looked at each other, then said in unison “Us please.”

“Right - sit on the bed, side by side. Heidi - you take one coil of rope, I’ll take another.”

The two girls sat on the bed, the skirts of their nightdresses covering their laps as they wondered what was going to happen next. “Both of you,” Amy said as she and Heidi made a loop at one end of the coil, “Put your hands in front of you, palm to palm. We’re going to do to you what I’ve done to Heidi and Cindy when Cindy has stayed over a few times.”

The two girls watched as Heidi and her mother passed the rope over their upper bodies, pulling it so that their arms were held into their sides around their lower chests, and then took it round a few more times. As they did this, and then fed the rope through the centre of the loop at the front, Andrea said “I want to get my mittens” and left the room, passing Veronica and the other four on the sitars. As she did so, she noted that all four already had their wrists crossed and bound behind their backs as they walked up.

“All right,” Amy said to Alice and Jannifer, “Lie yourselves down and put your heads on the pillows.” As they did so, she and Heidi adjusted their skirts so that they lay across their legs, before taking the rope and tying their wrists together on their lap.

“Well, at least we’ll be comfortable,” Alice said as the two felt their wrists been drawn together, then the rope played out and tied around their legs above their knees, the material of their skirts been drawn in by the rope, then down and around their sock covered ankles.

“I’m back,” Andrea said as she walked in, holding four sleep masks in her hand as she looked at the two friends on the bed. “That looks nice and secure - the same thing going to happen to me?”

“And to Heidi - you two can use the roll up mattresses on the floor. Why don’t you take care of that while we finish off with these two?”

“Comfy?”

Veronica looked at both Cindy and Natalie as she said this, the two girls sitting back to back on the floor of the room. Joanne and Alexa were on the bed, talking quietly between themselves as they watched Veronica pull the rope holding the two girls together around their waist and pass it between their bodies.

Both girls had their legs stretched out in front of them, their bare ankles crossed and tied tightly with rope, and their legs tied together just below their knees. Although Cindy’s dress had been folded back to do this, and then restored to cover the binding, Natalie could clearly see the rope around both her ankles and her legs.

They were sitting back to back, with rope tied tightly around their upper arms at either side to hold them together, as well as their waists. As Veronica pulled the rope one more time, they each felt the wrists of the other digging into their backs, but they didn’t mind as the older woman tied off the ropes.

“Right,” she said as she stood up and walked to the table, picking up two small sponge balls and coming back, “Open wide.”

“Thnskvrnc,” Cindy said as she pushed the ball into her mouth, before covering her mouth with micropore tape. Returning to the bed, she took two pillows off and placed them on the floor, helping Cindy and Natalie to fall onto their sides and rest their heads on them.

“I’ll finish you two off later,” she said with a smile as she stood up and looked at Alexa and Joanne. “Right - you two sure you want to do this?”

“We are,” Joanne said as she and her friend stood up and faced each other, both smiling as Veronica shook out another length of rope.

“Very well,” she said as she stood beside them, “On your own heads be it.”

“Right - decision time. Do you all want sleep masks?”

Heidi and Andrea looked up form their position on the mattresses on the floor, watching the other two as they all nodded.

“OK,” Amy said as she picked up a small packet. “Andrea - you want the earplugs as well, right?”

“That’s right, Mrs Strong,” Andrea replied with a smile, her fingers moving in her mittens as they lay on her lap, “I usually wear them anyway.”

“All right,” Amy said as she knelt next to the young girl and pushed the small plugs into her ears. Taking a roll of medical tape, she tore a strip off and stuck it over her lips, the material forming to the contours of her face as she watched Amy pick up a sleep mask.

“This stuff will allow you to breath a bit more easily,” Amy said as she held the mask in her hands. “Ready?”

“Ysmmm,” Andrea said as she tried to smile, but with little success as Amy fixed the sleep mask over her head. Tearing a second strip of tape off, she sealed her daughter’s mouth and put a mask over her eyes, before standing up and walking over to Alice and Jannifer as they lay on the bed.

“Veronica and I will check you every so often, so just relax and sleep well,” she said as she held the roll of tape in her hand.

“Thanks, Mrs Strong,” Alice said before she was gagged and blindfolded, Jannifer following suit soon after. As she turned the light off, Amy watched the four girls as they moved slightly, cocooned in the ropes and mumbling, before she closed the door on them.

Walking to her room, she looked in to see Veronica placing the last rope around the legs of Alexa and Joanne, as the two girls lay facing each other on the bed. Their bodies were held together tightly by a network of ropes that crossed over their chests, legs and ankles, looking as if they had been webbed in place, while they were both blindfolded with sleep masks, and their mouths covered with white tape that hugged their jaws like a second skin. She could also see the earplugs in both of them.

Looking round the corner, she saw Cindy and Natalie lying there back to back, their upper bodies secured together, blindfolded, their ears filled with foam plugs and tape over their mouths. They were kicking each other playfully, as they moaned together.

“Sleep tight, girls,” Veronica said as she left the room with Amy, turning the lights off as the two older women walked silently down the stairs.

“Good morning, sleepy head.”

Heidi blinked as the sleep mask was taken off her eyes, and she saw Amy kneeling next to her, wearing a sleeveless Chinese style cream silk pyjama top and matching knee length pants.

Looking to her side, she saw Andrea turning in her sleep, while Alice and Jannifer were starting to move round on the bed.

“Whttmst?”

“Ten in the morning - you all slept through the night. Veronica and I managed to get a few hours sleep downstairs as well. Here.” Amy reached over and pulled the tape away from her daughter’s mouth, before reaching down and starting to untie the rope around her ankles.

“I’m going to free you, and then you can free the other girls. I’ll start to get some breakfast ready downstairs.”

“Where’s Aunt Veronica,” Heidi whispered as she sat up and rubbed her wrists.

“Freeing Cindy - I think she may not have slept quite as well.”

“Interesting - but it’s the last time I do that tied to someone else.”

“I did warn you,” Veronica whispered as she helped Cindy to stand up and started to untie her wrists. Natalie lay on her side on the floor, still asleep and not realising that her friend had been parted from her. Veronica was wearing a cap sleeved white top and matching leggings.

“Oh that feels better,” Cindy said as she stretched her arms up and arched her back. “Do you want me to free the others?”

“If you would - start with Natalie here, then just separate Joanne and Alexa from each other. Once you take their sleep masks and earplugs away, leave them to free themselves while you do what you have to do. Breakfast will be ready once you girls come downstairs.”

“All right,” Cindy said, before asking “Have you and Heidi’s mother eaten yet?”

“Not yet - why?”

“Oh, no reason - I just wondered if you would like breakfast in bed.”

“Well, that was a fun night.”

As Jannifer grabbed a muffin, the others nodded and mumbled in agreement, their mouths full with food. They had all taken time to relieve themselves and stretch, and now they sat round the table as Heidi and Cindy stood to one side.

“Heidi, thanks for inviting us other,” Natalie said as she looked at her friend. “Is there anything we can do to say thank you?”

“Hold that thought,” Joanne said, and as she looked at her cousin Cindy thought she could see an evil gleam in her eye. “Come on, Heidi,” she said as she picked up a tray, “we did promise your mum and aunt breakfast in bed.

“Hey - be sure to thank them as well for us,” Andrea said as she reached for a banana. “They must be exhausted if they’re eating upstairs.”

Heidi and Cindy just looked at each other as they backed through the door, walked up the stairs and entered Amy’s bedroom.

“When you said Breakfast in Bed,” Veronica said as they backed in and placed the trays on the dresser, “This is not exactly what we had in mind.”

“No - but they did promise they would clear up downstairs,” Amy said as she looked at her sister. She looked to her side and pulled at the rope holding her right wrist firmly to the headboard, as Heidi sat beside her with a bagel on a plate.

“Open wide, mum,” she said with a smile as she presented the plate to Amy, allowing her to take the bagel and bite into it.. On the other side, Cindy handed Veronica coffee mug, which she accepted and started to drink slowly.

Both women had their legs stretched out on the bed, bound together just below the knees and around the ankles, with rope holding their bare feet securely to the foot of the bed. “How long are you expecting us to be like this,” Amy said as she also took a mug of coffee.

“You need a nice long rest,” Heidi said as she watched her mother yawn, “so we’ll tidy up and you get to spend the morning in bed. That seems a fair deal to me.”

“Look at it this way, Amy,” Veronica said as she put her coffee mug down, “at least we get to sleep. So, what do you need to do now?”

“We’ll going to secure your wrists, then make sure you won’t be disturbed by light or sound.” Heidi reached up and released her mother’s wrist from the headboard, bringing it down with the rope still attached and allowing it to lie on her lap as she drained her cup. Taking it off her, she wrapped the long length of rope around her left wrist, securing the two together and leaving about six feet dangling. As Cindy bound her aunt’s wrists together, she helped Amy to lie down with her head on the pillows, and then secured her wrists back to the headboard above her head.

“You know,” Veronica said as she watched Cindy bind her wrist above her head, “I just realised something.”

“What?”

“We’re in rather a vulnerable position here, O sister of mine, and there are eight teenage girls in the house. Do you think...”

Her words were cut short by the wide strip of white micropore tape that Cindy smoothed over her mouth, Heidi doing the same to her mother. Amy looked at her daughter, her eyes questioning as she held a black sleep mask in her hand.

“Well, what do you think,” Heidi said as the girls blindfolded both of the older women, and then fitted foam plugs into their ears. Amy and Veronica lay still for a second, wondering what was happening, before Veronica screamed “Mwwwmmsmghgagagggghhahhaaaaaa,” as Cindy tickled her exposed armpits, while Heidi pulled her mother’s top up and started to tickle her sides.

“Ultlmnxxeeehhahahhahahaahhh”, Amy cried out as the door to the bedroom opened. Heidi and Cindy were concentrating on the tickling, so they failed to hear the footsteps behind them, until it was too late and both girls felt the hands covering their mouths and their arms were pulled away.

“I think you two need to know something,” Joanne whispered as she gently pulled down the tops of the two older women. “You’re not going to lift a finger to help clear up - the six of us are going to do that - but we need to make sure that genuinely is the case. Take them away, girls.”

Heidi looked to the side, Andrea waving as she and Cindy were frogmarched into Heidi’s bedroom. As Cindy looked over, she saw that Natalie was gagging Heidi as Alice walked beside her, while the pink teddy bear covered sleeve of the arm over her own mouth told her who was handgagging her.

“On the bed, ladies,” Jannifer said as both Heidi and Cindy were forced to lie down, “and hands behind your back. If we’re going to get on with the work, you two need to be kept out of the way.

“For how long,” Cindy asked as she felt her hands been pulled together behind her back.

“As long as it takes,” Andrea said as she pulled the rope tighter, keeping it taut as he wrapped it between Cindy’s arms, “but this is our way of saying thank you. All Four of us have learned a lot about ourselves - and we want you to know something.”

“Oh,” Heidi said as she looked own and saw Alice binding her ankles as Natalie tied more rope around her elbows, “What’s that?”

“We want to do this again - another slumber party somewhere else?” Both Heidi and Cindy were made to sit up as the quartet wrapped rope around their arms and chest.

“Sounds good,” Cindy said as she looked at Andrea and Jannifer. “So, when do we get free?”

“You’ll find out,” Andrea said as she held up a wad of cotton, in her other hand one of Heidi’s red bandanas rolled into a band and a knot tied in the middle. “For now - open wide...”

“Hello, girls - did you all have a good time?”

Dorothy Elsworth smiled as Joanne opened the door to her, standing to one side to allow her aunt in. She was dressed in a white Fair Isle sweater, a headscarf made from cream coloured cotton with a brown and green floral design on it tied around her shoulders, dark blue leggings and black knee length leather boots.

“We had a great time, thanks Aunt Dorothy,” Joanne said as Alice and Natalie came into the hallway, dressed in the clothes they arrived in the previous night.

“So when are we going to do this again,” Alice said as she and Natalie headed for the door.

“I’ll get Heidi to give you a call,” Joanne said with a smile as they walked out of the door, towards a waiting car. “Jannifer left earlier - she had a dance class to go to. Once Andrea comes down, the three of us are going to head into town.”

“Well., you have a good time - where are Heidi and Cindy?”

“Oh, they wanted a nap upstairs - you know how these slumber parties go. I think they’re in Heidi’s room - just go on up.” As she said this, Andrea and Alexa walked down the stairs, smiling at Dorothy as the three girls headed out.

“See you tomorrow, Joanne,” Dorothy called before closing the door, and putting her bag on the floor.

“Cindy? It’s your mother, where are you?”

Dorothy could hear muffled noises from upstairs, and started to walk up towards the bedrooms. As she put her hand on Heidi’s door, however, she heard what sounded like Amy saying “Drfe -nhr.”

Turning and walking into the master bedroom, she looked at Amy and Veronica lying there, the foam earplugs lying at the side of Amyls head as a sleep mask lay around her neck.

“Well, looks like you had fun as well,” Dorothy said as she walked over and peeled away the tape. “Did the girls do this to you?”

“Yeah - but I think the other girls may have got our revenge for us. Can you unite my wrists, and then go and make sure they’re ok?”

“Well,” Dorothy said as she started to untie Amyls wrists, “Downstairs is completely clean - what could they possibly have got up to?”

“Eight teenage girls alone for most of the night - what do you think, especially when three of them are Heidi, Cindy and Joanne?”

Dorothy said nothing, but left Amy to free herself and Veronica as she walked into Heidi's room. “I see they left you two safe,” she said with a laugh as she saw the two friends lying on the bed, Cindy’s head at Heidi’s feet and vice versa. Both girls were hogtied, but Heidi’s feet were secure to the rope around Cindy’s arms, while Cindy’s were tied to Heidi’s back. Both were cleave gagged, the knot between their lips soaked with saliva as Cindy looked up and said “Hmm.”

“All right, I guess your fun is over,” Dorothy said as she started to untie them, “but I guess you had a great night, right?”

“Mmmmm,” both girls said as they nodded. They would have a lot to talk about at school on Monday - and a lot of things to plan.

As the group walked into the kitchen, having showered and changed, Heidi saw a large envelope sitting on the kitchen bar, with “Thank you” written on it. Opening it, she found a few pages from Andrea’s sketch book, depicting both of the girls as they had been left on the bed.

“That’s nice,” Amy said as she put on the coffee machine, “Did one of the girls draw that?”

Heidi simply nodded - her mind was already on the next time they would meet.

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