Mother and Daughter Moments 25

It was meant to be a nice, simple in and out on a Saturday afternoon. Naturally, it didn’t turn out that way – and on this occasion, it was because of a completely out of left field event which I had to deal with...

So to set the background – it was Steve who told me about Maria Holborn and her daughter Grace. She was a television actress, who was appearing in some prime time shows, but also supported local events. That was where we had first started to look at her, as she attended local balls with her husband and Grace. She was tall and thin, while the eleven year old Grace looked very cute in her party dresses.

So we did our usual research, and it was about four o’clock on a Saturday afternoon that I found myself walking towards their house. We had established that the man of the house, to use the phrase, was out until later that night, so we had time to play the game, find what I wanted to take, and get out of there. As usual, I have my rucksack with everything I thought I would need, and on this particular day I went for a brown theme – a brown roll neck sweater and leather bomber jacket, brown riding pants, and over the knee brown suede boots.

I walked past the house, and then doubled back, walking quickly up to the front door as I put on my brown gloves, and pulled the stocking down over my head. Now, the Holborn house is a semi-detached one, so I slipped up the side and took a deep breath, before I opened the kitchen door, walked in – and saw Maria Holborn looking right at me.

She was wearing a black sleeveless top, with several necklaces hanging over the front, skin-tight dark blue jeans and a pair of pink moccasins. The look on her face was so like others I have seen – especially when I took the starting pistol from my pocket, pointed it at her, and said “please, don’t call out or raise the alarm. If you do as I say, then I promise you that neither you or Grace will be harmed.”

“Oh god,” she whispered quietly, “what are you going to do?”

“Rob you,” I said quietly, “which means I need to make sure neither of you can raise the alarm – but if you do as I say, and play along...”

“Oh my god,” Maria said quietly, “you’re the Games Player?”

“Mom, who are you... Oh, hello?”

“Hello Grace,” I said as the young girl came in. While Maria had light brown permed hair, Grace had straight brown hair cut in a feathered fringe, and was wearing a black top with white trim, the sleeves coming to just below her elbows, blue denim shorts and black ankle boots. “I was about to start the very special game that your mum and dad have hired me to play with you both.”

I looked at Maria, who said “that’s right – but it’s a game of robbers, Grace, so you’d need to play like that.”

“Okay – that sounds like fun,” Grace said, “but if you’re a robber, does that mean we won’t be able to move?”

“Not very easily,” I said with a smile, “but it’s all just make believe. Now, do you want to start?”

Grace nodded as I said “Well, the bad robber needs to make sure you and your mummy stay in one place while she has a look round.” Taking my rucksack, I looked at both of them, before I opened it up and took out a large roll of white tape.

“I’m going to ask Mummy to use this to make sure you can’t move your arms,” I said as I looked at Grace, “so can you stand facing me, and then put your hands behind your back?”

“You want me to...”

“I want you,” I said as I passed Grace the roll of tape, “to tape her wrists together behind her back, and then tape her arms to her sides. Make sure you do it properly – after all, Grace needs to play along just as you do, don’t you Grace?”

“Yeah,” Grace said with a smile as Maria taped her wrists together behind her back, and then wound it around her arms and stomach to fix them against her sides. As Grace wriggled round, I said “There – now, let’s go into your front room.”

We walked through as Grace sat down, and I walked over to close the curtains over the front windows. I turned to see Grace sitting on the three seater couch, her feet hanging over the end of the seat.

“All right now,” I said quietly, “Mummy is going to use the tape to keep your ankles together, and then your legs below and above your knees. She’ll take your boots off as well.”

I watched as Maria knelt down and slipped the boots off the feet of the young girl, and then taped her ankles tightly together, as well as her calves and her thighs.

“There now,” I said as Maria tore the tape free and smoothed it down, “do you think you can move?”

“Not very easily,” Grace giggled as I took the tape, crossed Maria’s wrists behind her back and then started to tape them together. “Your face looks funny.”

“Well, I’m pretending to be a bad robber,” I said with a smile as I started to tape her mother’s arms to her sides, “do I look the part?”

Grace nodded as Maria sat down, and I taped her ankles together, as well as her legs below and above her knees.

Now, your question is, why tape? At the time, I wanted it to be a real game, so I didn’t want to make it too strict. What happened later... Well, I’ll get to that. Right then, I looked at both my captives, before I said “now, I need to keep you both quiet, so I want you both to put your lips together. I’ll put some of this tape over them, and leave you both alone while I have a look round.”

“We’ll sit together and watch the television, all right Grace?”

The young girl nodded as I smoothed some lengths of the white tape over their mouths, and turned the television on, before I left the room and started to search the house.

Now, on almost any other day, that would be it – I would search the house, make sure they hadn’t tried to escape yet, explain that they could stay like that or try to escape, and then get out of there. But this... This turned out not to be that sort of day – as I discovered when I came out of the office at the back of the house, and heard a young voice say “who are you, and where is Grace?”

She was about the same age as Grace, and was dressed for the outdoors – a purple top under a grey woollen zipped jacket, and a light blue sleeveless padded jerkin over the top of that, light blue jeans and a pair of black wellington boots with yellow soles. “You look as if you are robbing the place,” she said as she looked at me.

“Well now,” I said quietly, “if I was, what would you do?”

That was when she realised I was a robber, as she said “oh... Have you tied Grace and her mum up?”

“I have – well, they’re taped up,” I said, “and I need to tie you up as well. Grace thinks she is playing a game – will you play along as well?”

“All right – what will you tie me up with?”

“Given how you’re dressed,” I said as I removed my rucksack, “I need to use rope, so turn round, and put your hands behind your back.”

So I took the rope, crossed her wrists behind her back, and tied them tightly together, before I took some more rope and tied her arms to her sides, taking the rope around her stomach and over her shoulders. “Grace and her mum have their arms taped, so you will be much the same,” I said as I tied the ropes off, “let’s go and join them in the front room.”

“Hlleee? Hmgd,” Maria said as we came in, but Grace giggled as she said “wrplyynrbrrs.”

“I know,” the girl said, “the lady told me, so I said I would play along as well. Where do you want me to sit, Miss Robber?”

“Sit between both of them,” I said, Maria shaking her head and then shuffling along before she sat between them.

“Shssssnrpnu?”

“Yeah – I think because of what I have on,” she said as I tied her ankles together, the rope squeaking on the rubber, and then secured her legs together below her knees. I cinched the rope both times, as she wriggled round.

“Time for you to be quiet – put your lips together.”

The young girl nodded as I taped over her mouth, Grace nudging her as they rubbed against each other, and I made my way out to search upstairs.

Actually, I had time to search every room, and safely stow away what I wanted to take on that occasion. It was as we walked down the stairs that I heard a very young voice say “Mummy, why does Holly have rope around her and something over her mouth?”

I walked quickly to the front room, to see a blonde haired woman standing there, holding the hand of a six year old girl as she looked at Maria, Grace and obviously Holly. The woman was wearing a black dress, which had see through black sleeves covered in large black dots, dark tights and knee length black suede boots. The young girl has on a red and white striped dress with a lace collar and skirt, dark tights and red Mary Jane shoes.

“Maria? Oh my god what happened?”

Maria looked at me behind her, and said “Trnrrndddgell?”

As they turned round, the little girl looked at me and said “Mummy, why is her face funny?”

“Well, I’ll tell you if you tell me your name.”

“Rowan.”

“Well, Rowan,” I said as I squatted down and looked at her, “your sister Holly came in earlier and found out Grace and her mummy had hired me to play a game of robbers with them. Now that you and your mummy are here, would you like to play as well?”

“Does it hurt Holly,” the young girl said as she looked at her sister, who shook her head and said “Tssffnn.”

“Rowan,” the older woman said, “if we play along, will you be a good girl and stay nice and quiet?”

“Yes Mummy.”

“Good,” I said quietly, “so I’m going to start by making sure you can’t move your arms for a little while, and then Mummy will give you a great big hug. Can you put your hands together as if you are praying?”

Rowan nodded as I said “Well, I want Mummy to sit in that big armchair, and put her hands on her head while she waits. Will you do that mummy?”

She nodded, the others watching as I took some rope and tied Rowan’s wrists together in front of her, and then tied some rope round her arms and stomach to keep them in place there. She watched as I kept it over the cuffs of her dress, and then helped her to sit on her mother’s lap, before I tied her ankles tightly together, and then her legs below her knees – and finally her wrists to her knees.

“This is fun,” she giggled as she wriggled on her mother’s lap, while I knelt down and tied her mother’s ankles tightly together, and then her legs below her knees.

“Now then Mummy,” I said as I stood up, “give Rowan a really big hug.”

AS she did so, I tied her wrists to her opposite arms, and then tied some rope around both of them to hold their upper bodies together. Finally, I tied Rowan’s ankles to the rope around her mother’s legs, all the time the other three watching.

“Now, to keep you both quiet,” I said as I taped Rowan’s lips first, and then her mothers. Looking at all five of them, and seeing how late it was getting, I said “now you can try to escape. Good luck.”

It was only once I was safely back in the car that I breathed a sigh of relief and went home. Steve was waiting – and then he suggested we watch some dumb talent show...

********

Let me tell you a little story – a story of family love and wanting to make sure everyone was happy, and also consistent with their own cultural views.

It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was in the Greater Birmingham area – I’m not going to be more specific than that. I was looking to visit the family of the owner of a number of well liked takeaway venues in the area, one that had been feted in the local papers. Mister Gupta had a young wife, in her early thirties, named Ayesha, and a seven year old daughter called Kushi. As is fairly common in these families as well, his mother was part of the family unit. She was in her late fifties, with black hair that in the photos I had studied was always pulled back in a bun.

Anyway – it was late afternoon when I pulled up outside the semi-detached house that they lived in, watching as they came back from a day out. As they got out, I took a moment to take in the fact they were in traditional dress. Ayesha was wearing a lime green kameez – the long sleeved knee length tunic the women often wear – with a gold trim and pattern, matching pantaloons, and gold heeled sandals. She also wore a lime green dupatta loosely over her neck and shoulders, her long dark brown hair flowing over that

Kushi was also wearing a salwar kameez – hers was white, with a small split at the hem, and a smaller white dupatta, with white sandals. As for the older Gupta woman, she wore a black saree around herself, with a short sleeved black blouse underneath, the material covering whatever was on her feet.

I watched as they went back in, and waited before Mister Gupta came back out and drove off in his Daimler. I allowed a few minutes, and then got out, smiling as I collected my rucksack from the boot of the car and then locked the vehicle. I was dressed as usual in black, with leather gloves, and as I made my way around the side of the house I pulled a dark stocking down over my head.

As I crouched down, I could hear some conversation in the kitchen, so I palmed the starting pistol I carried to help – persuade people – and then put my hand on the door handle.

As I walked in, I saw Ayesha and Mrs Gupta standing at the cooker, both women staring at me as I closed the door and put my finger to my lips. “Not a word,” I said as they both stared at me, and then I walked over to close the door to the hallway.

“Who... Who are you,” Ayesha said as she looked at me.

“Me? I believe the papers like to call me the Games Player,” I said as I looked at both of them. “Now, I need to ask both of you to remain calm, and do exactly what I tell you.”

As I watched, Ayesha slowly nodded as she said “Padma, this man is notorious – he has come to rob us, but if we do as he says, we will not be harmed – if the reports are true.”

“They are true,” I said quietly.

“So what do you intend to do to us,” Padma said as she nervously adjusted her silk saree.

“Well, I am going to rob the house,” I said quietly, “but we need to do this in a way where young Kushi is not too upset. So I want you to pretend this is a game so that she remains calm. Do that, and what I say, and I assure you it may not be too bad an experience.”

The two women looked at each other, before Ayesha said “we are preparing some food. May we be allowed to eat before you do what you need to do?”

“Of course- but we need to make it clear to Kushi what is going to happen, so that she knows,” I said quietly. “In the meantime, I must ask you not to do anything to raise the alarm. May I therefore have your mobile phones?”

“They are in our handbags,” Padma said as she indicated the two bags on the table. I nodded as they turned back to the stove, talking quietly to each other as I found their phones, and made sure the batteries were removed.

Eventually, I watched as Ayesha put snacks and pastries on plates on one tray, while Padma poured drinks into three glasses and put them on another tray.

“Would you be so good as to open the door for us,” Ayesha said, “and I will explain to Kushi what is going to happen?”

“Of course,” I said as I produced a velvet bag, “but first, your jewellery in here please. They both did as I asked, before I nodded as I opened the door, letting them walk through as I put the pistol into my pocket, and then opening the door to the front room for them. As they went through, I heard Kushi say “that smells good Mummy – and...”

She then stared at me as I came in, and watched Ayesha and Padma put the trays down.

“Kushi,” her mother sat as she sat next to her, “this man is going to help us to play a game. We’re going to be a family that finds a bad robber at home, and he has to make sure we cannot raise the alarm until Papa comes back to stop him.”

“Will he hurt us – he looks scary...”

“no he won’t” Padma said as she sat opposite them, and looked at me. “As we are the people the bad man is robbing, we may not be able to move or talk for a little while, but it is all pretend, so we won’t really be hurt.”

“Okay Mummy,” Kushi said as she looked at me. “You look funny.”

“I get that a lot – so eat, drink – and then I will explain what I want all of you to do.”

As they sat and talked about their day, and the game, I kept an eye on all three of them. The edge of Padma’s saree lifted as she sat down, revealing the gold sandals she was wearing, but she and Ayesha kept calm, Kushi laughing and joking with them.

Eventually, Ayesha looked at me and said “all right – we are ready to play now.”

“All right,” I said as I opened my rucksack, “the bad man now needs to make sure that all three of you cannot use your hands or move your arms for a while. Ayesha, I’d like you to give Kushi a hug for a few minutes, while I take care of Padma. We’re then all going to go upstairs, where I will make sure all three of you are comfortable.”

As Ayesha hugged her daughter, Padma turned and looked at them while I crossed her wrists behind her back, and made sure they were securely lashed together. I wanted to preserve her modesty as much as possible, so I then took a longer length of rope and tied it around her body, sitting above and below her chest as it forced her arms into her sides. Two smaller lengths of rope then were used to tighten the bands.

“Does it hurt Padma,” Ayesha said as I tied the last rope off, Padma shaking her head as she said “no – it is tight, but not uncomfortable.”

“Now,” I said as I took a second longer length of rope out, “I want to make sure your mama cannot move her arms Kushi, so if you would let me do that?”

The young girl nodded as Ayesha stopped hugging her, and I tied her upper arms to her body, taking the rope above and below her chest as her kameez stretched a little. I then tightened it with two shorter lengths as well, but left her wrists free for the moment.

“Will I be like that as well,” Kushi said, her eyes wide open as I tied the ropes off.

“Yes you will,” I said, “but I also want you to put your hands together in front of yourself first. When we go upstairs, and you are ready, your mummy is going to hold you tight, and I will do to her what I do to you now.”

Kushi nodded as I tied her wrists tightly together in front of her, the rope going around and between her arms, and then used a length to tie her upper arms to her side in the same way as her mother and grandmother.

“You’re right,” Kushi said as I tied the last rope off, “I really cannot move my arms.”

“Okay then,” I said as I picked up my rucksack, and opened the door, “why don’t we all go to your grandmother’s room, and I’ll show you what we need to do next.”

I watched as they stood up, Padma wriggling her fingers and making Kushi laugh as we walked up the staircase, and into her large room. It had a large bed against one wall, as I said “perfect – now, Ayesha, you and Kushi sit on the bed, while I help Padma to sit against the wall here.”

As they sat on the edge of the bed, I helped Padma to sit on the floor, and put a pillow behind her back to support her. I then lifted back the hem of her skirt, and used some rope to secure her ankles together, cinching that before I folded the silk back. I then used a longer length of rope to secure her legs, over the skirt in that case, and making sure they were firmly tied.

“Your turns now,” I said as I knelt in front of Ayesha and Kushi, and crossed their ankles before I tied them together, and then secured their legs below their knees.

“Now,” I said as I looked at them, “the bad man has all three of you almost secured – I’ll show what’s going to happen to mummy in a minute – but he also needs to keep you all quiet now.”

“How will you do that,” Kushi said as she looked at me.

“Like this,” I said as I took the dupatta from her shoulders, easing it out from under the rope, and then pulled it tightly over her mouth, passing it round twice before I knotted the ends together at the base of her neck.

“There – try to speak now,” I said, both Ayesha and Padma smiling as she said “llrrhtlll... eccntttlk!”

“No you can’t” Ayesha said, “and neither will we be able to in a minute. Who will be next?”

“I will take care of your mother first,” I said as I turned my back, and took from my rucksack a folded cloth. I held it in front of Padma’s mouth, the older woman nodding as she allowed me to put it in, and closed her lips over it. I then took from her wardrobe a black dupatta, and tied it tightly round her head in the same way as Kushi, doing it twice before I knotted it behind her head.

“Sseecnnttlkfr,” she said as she looked over, Kushi giggling before I knelt behind Ayesha, and put my hand over her mouth. She felt the folded cloth I had in my palm, and nodded before she opened her own mouth, letting me put it in before she closed her lips, and I tied the green dupatta tightly round her head.

I then helped her to lie on her back, Padma watching before I laid Kushi at her side, the little girl giggling as her mother wrapped her lower arms round her before I crossed and tied her wrists together. As she kissed her daughter’s forehead, I then secured her wrists to the rope around Kushi’s legs, Kushi’s ankles to the ropes around her legs.

I heard her start to sing a little lullaby through the gag to Kushi as I left them for a few moments, and availed myself of the valuables around the rest of the house. When I returned a little while later, Kushi was asleep, breathing through her nose, her lips visible under the white silk as she snuggled into Ayesha.

Both she and Padma watched as I searched the room and found more valuables, before I checked their bonds. “I hope you have a restful evening,” I said to both of them, before I made my way out of the house, and back to my car.

The report of the break in made Crimewatch – which was quite amusing...

********

Yeah, this one was an impulse move – but if you hear what happened, I think you may understand why what happened happened.

I had planned to visit a family on a housing estate on the outskirts of Watford, but when I drove up and parked in a place where I could see the house, I was surprised to see them loading cases into their car. They were obviously going on holiday, so as I watched I wondered if it was going to be a washout of a day.

Which was when I looked next door, and saw a man wearing a three piece suit come out, put his bag into the back of his car, and drive off. A few minutes later, a second car pulled up outside the house, and I saw a woman in her mid-thirties get out from the driver’s side. She had long strawberry blonde hair, and was wearing a grey cardigan over a black dress. The dress had small white polka dots, and was gathered at the waist, the skirt coming to just above her knees. I could see the dark tights, grey socks and knee length burgundy leather boots she was wearing, as she opened the boot and took out a number of bags from designer shops.

As she did this, an eleven year old girl got out from the passenger seat. She had the same shade of light brown hair as the man who had left, so I guessed she was the daughter. She was wearing a long black jacket with a white check, and I could see the black v-necked sweater and grey pleated knee length skirt as she helped her mother. She also was wearing tights – in her case thick blue ones – and a pair of black wellingtons with white soles and trim.

Well, the bags she was wearing, and what I could see of her mother’s jewellery, meant I felt that this may not be a total washout, and I could have a little fun as well. I was in my brown outfit that day – roll neck sweater, leather blouson jacket, leggings and knee length suede boots. Watching as they went in, I waited a few minutes, and then got out of the car. Retrieving my rucksack from the boot, I then crossed the road and made my way up to the house, pausing only to put on my gloves and pull the stocking down over my head before I opened the front door and slipped inside.

It was a wide hallway on the other side of the door, and very tastefully decorated. I listened carefully for a few minutes, and then walked quickly across to look in the kitchen. The back door was open, and as I glanced out of the window I saw the young girl collecting some washing.

So I decided it was probably time to introduce myself to her mother. I slipped back into the hallway, and looked in a door that led to the large room at the front of the house. I saw her sitting in an armchair, her cardigan over the back, and walked slowly in – taking her completely by surprise as I put my gloved hand over her mouth.

“Don’t struggle, don’t scream,” I said quietly as she tried to pull my hand and arm away, “remain calm and I won’t hurt you or your daughter, all right?”

“Whdduwnnt,” she mumbled under my gloved hand.

“To rob you,” I said quietly, “but to do so, I need to make sure your daughter and you cannot stop me. I don’t want her to be scared however, so I need you to do what I say, all right?”

She nodded slowly before I said “If I take my hand away, will you keep calm and quiet?”

She slowly nodded, so I took my hand away and said “what’s your name?”

“Anna.”

“All right Anna,” I said quietly, “here’s what we’re going to do. When your daughter comes in, you’re going to tell her this is a surprise game that you and your husband...”

“My partner. Derek’s not my husband – not in that sense anyway.”

“All right – you and her dad have arranged. I’m pretending to be a robber, and you and she are going to so what I say, and pretend this really is a robbery.”

“But it is...”

She doesn’t have to think that – not unless you tell her. I am going to tie you both up, and I am going to make sure you both stay quiet – but you’ll be together, and you will play together, all right?”

I waited as she slowly nodded, and I said “good – now, why don’t we...”

“Mummy I’m finished now, can I... Who are you?”

I looked at the young girl as she came into the room, her light brown hair falling over her shoulders, as Anna said “Rachel, Daddy and I have arranged for this actress to come and play a surprise game with us. She’s pretending to be a robber, and we’re going to be the people she robs.”

“That sounds scary,” Rachel said as she looked at me.

“It may seem to be, but this is just a big game, Rachel,” I said, “one your mummy wants to play with you as well. Isn’t that right Mummy?”

“I really do, so let’s play together, all right?”

Rachel nodded and then said “so how do we play?”

“Well,” I said quietly, “why don’t you sit on the couch, and then I’m going to ask Mummy to draw the curtains over the windows. She can then put the television on – give you something to watch while we play the first part of the game.”

“Okay,” Rachel said as she sat down, while Anna went and closed the curtains, and I took my rucksack off. “Now, take your coat off,” I said, Rachel doing that and giving it to me while her mum sat next to her.

“What I’m going to do first,” I said as I took some rope from my bag, “is start by tying your ankles and legs together. If I do that, then it’s more difficult for you to move about, just like a real robber would.”

“Will it hurt me?”

“No – watch,” I said as I doubled the rope over, and knelt in front of both of them, Anna watching as I wrapped the rope around and between her ankles.

“It sounds funny on my wellys,” she said as the nylon rope squeaked when I pulled it tight.

“Yes it does – and it will sound funny on Mummy later,” I said as I took a second length, and used it to tie her legs together below her knees, making sure I cinched the band between her legs as well.

“That feels very – nice,” Rachel said as she tried to move her legs, “now what are you going to do?”

“Well, your mummy and I are going to go for a little walk in a few minutes, but I need to make sure you cannot undo the knots I just tied there. Before that, though, I want to show you on Mummy what I will do, so watch as she puts her hands behind her back.”

As Rachel watched, Anna moved round and put her hands behind her back, smiling as I used a fresh length of rope to secure her crossed wrists together behind her back. I then took a longer length, and wrapped it around her arms and upper body, holding them against her sides as the rope framed her chest.

“Does it hurt Mummy,” Rachel asked as I tied the ropes off, and then used two short lengths to tighten the bands, pulling them together under her arms.

“No – it’s like having a great big hug all the time,” Anna said, “so you let the lady do the same thing to you now, all right?”

I took some more rope and guided Rachel’s hands behind her back, crossing her wrists and then tying them tightly together as well, before I tied her arms to her sides in the same way as her mother.

“You’re right Mummy – it is like having a big hug,” she said as I tightened the bands, and she twisted round.

“Now then – this bad robber lady needs to take Mummy for a walk round the house, and while I do that you need to be very quiet. Can you do that on your own, or does the bad robber lady have to do something to stop you talking.”

“Do something to stop me,” Rachel said with a smile, so I folded a piece of cloth, and as she opened her mouth I used it as a basic cleave gag.

“Now sit quietly and watch the television,” I said, “when we come back, I’ll let you have a drink before I make sure you and Mummy have to stay where you are.”

She nodded and said “Lbblrhtmm” as I helped Anna to stand up and walk out of the room.

“Right,” I said quietly, “we start upstairs, and you show me where your valuables are – and no tricks.”

She nodded as we went through every room of the house, me putting things into my bag as I did so, and then I removed her rings from her fingers and the necklace she had on.

When we came downstairs, we went into the kitchen and I made a glass of squash, then put a straw in the glass as we went back into the front room. Rachel looked at us, then said “thank you” as I eased the cloth from her mouth and allowed her to have a drink.

“Now, your mummy is going to sit next to you,” I said as Anna sat down, “And I’ll make sure she can’t over her legs either.”

“Okay,” Rachel said as she leaned over, rubbing her head on her mother’s side as I tied her ankles and legs together, then giggling as Anna made her boots squeak under the rope as well.

“Now,” I said, “as I pretending to be a robber, I need to make sure you and Mummy cannot shout for help for a little while. So, I’m going to untie this cloth, and then I’ll put this in your mouth and another one in Mummy’s mouth. Then I have some special tape – it won’t hurt, but when I press it down over your lips it means you won’t be able to talk clearly for a while.”

“Do it to me first,” Anna said, so Rachel watched as I folded a cloth, and put it in her mother’s mouth, then pressed a strip of micropore tape firmly over her lips and jaw.

“I can see your lips Mummy,” Rachel said.

“Btccnuhrrmtlk,” she mumbled, Rachel giggling as she shook her head. She then allowed me to gag her in the same way, before I picked up my bag.

“I’m going to pretend to go now,” I said, “but you can see if you can get free before the policeman comes to see what happened?”

I watched as Rachel shook her head, and snuggled next to Anna as she made her boots squeak – then made my exit.

So an improvised day, but not a total nothing...

********

I want to tell you about what happened last Saturday, when I had a really exciting day. My name’s Stacy, and I’m ten years old. I live with my two sisters, Macy who is nine and Annie who is twelve, with my mummy and daddy in a big house outside town.

Daddy works at one of the banks in town, and Mummy in a hotel, but we try to spend Saturday together as a family. Last Saturday, Daddy had to go to a conference, so Mummy treated us all to lunch at MacDonalds and a film. I was wearing a floral skirt and a white t-shirt, white socks and black shoes, while Macy was wearing a pair of grey joggers and a sweatshirt with trainers. Annie had on a padded pink jacket with no sleeves over a blue jumper, jeans and black suede boots, while Mummy was wearing a brown wool dress with long black boots.

Anyway, we came home from the cinema, and Mummy parked the car as we all jumped out. She gave Annie the keys to open the front door with, and as she and Annie went to the back of the house, Macy and I went into the front room and turned the television on.

We wanted to watch the tennis match, you see, so we put it on – and then we turned round as the door opened, and the excitement began. It wasn’t Mummy or Annie, but a woman neither of us had seen before. She was wearing a brown leather jacket over a jumper, leggings and knee length boots, and she also had brown gloves on, but the really funny thing about her was that she had what looked like of Mummy’s stockings pulled down over her head, making her look really funny.

“Hello girls,” she said, “my friend is talking to your mummy and sister at the moment, but they will bring in a drink in a minute. What are you doing?”

“We’re watching the tennis,” Macy said, “why do you look so funny?”

“Well,” she said as she sat down, smiling under the stocking as she looked at us, “your mummy and daddy have hired me and my friend to play a very special game with all of you. Now, Mummy will explain when she brings the drinks in, but I can tell you it is an exciting game, and you’re going to love it.”

Well, Macy and I like to play games, so we both nodded as we watched the television. A few minutes later, the door opened again and we watched Mummy bring in a tray with four glasses of drink on it. Annie was carrying some biscuits on a plate, and there was a man with them as well, dressed in black but like the woman he had something over his head, and wore gloves.

“This must be Stacy and Macy,” he said with a smile, “has my friend told you we are all going a game?”

“Yes – what sort of game Mummy,” I asked.

“Take your drinks first,” Mummy said as she gave us each a glass. While we drank, she said “Daddy and I booked these two friends to come here and pretend to be robbers, girls. We’re going to pretend that they have broken in, and they need to make sure we cannot stop them or raise the alarm.”

“What does that mean Mummy,” Macy asked.

“Well,” Mummy said quietly, “when you watch Scooby Doo, you know sometimes Daphne and Velma get caught, and the bad guys make sure they cannot move or speak for a while?”

We both nodded as the woman said “today, we’re going to let all four of you be Daphne and Velma. My friend is going to ask your mummy to walk round the house with him, but before he does that, the first part of the game is going to be showing all three of you how they keep the girls in one place.”

“Like Daphne and Velma?”

“Like Daphne and Velma,” the man said as Mummy nodded.

“And Annie is going to play too?”

“Yes I am,” she said quietly as she looked at Mummy. “So when you drink up, tell us if you need to go to the toilet, because it may be a little while before you can again.”

I nudged Macy as we nodded, ate our biscuits and drank our juice. When we had finished, we both asked to go to the toilet, so the woman took us by the hand. As we walked out, we saw the man pick up a rucksack and open it.

When we came back, Annie was standing facing Mummy as she sat in the chair. We could see her arms were behind her back, and the masked man was winding some rope around her arms and body.

“My friend is making sure your sister cannot move her arms for the game,” the woman said, “does it hurt Annie?”

“No it doesn’t,” Annie said as the man did something behind her, and then turned her round. We saw that her wrists were crossed behind her back and tied together, and the two bands of rope were also tied behind her.

“It won’t hurt girls,” Mummy said, “so which of you is going to be first?”

I looked at Macy, and said “I’ll go first.”

“Then I’ll give Macy a big hug,” Mummy said, and as Annie sat down we walked over to the man. Macy then sat on Mummy’s lap, watching as Mummy hugged and kissed her, and the man said “all right Stacy – turn round and put your hands behind your back.”

“It’s all part of the game Stacy – you’ll be all right,” Mummy said as I did what the man asked, while the woman knelt in front of Annie. I felt him cross my hands behind my back, and then he used the rope to tie them together. He was quick, but it didn’t hurt a bit – I could feel it getting tighter and tighter, but it was nice, snug, neat as he tied the ends off and I wriggled my fingers.

He then doubled over a longer length of rope and passed it round my body, pulling my arms against my body below my chest and then winding the rope round higher up. As he did this, it felt like I was getting a great big hug – and I watched the woman as she tied rope around Annie’s ankles, having crossed them first, and then tied her legs together below her knees. In both paces she took the rope between her legs as well, and I saw the way she smiled as she tried to move them.

“There,” the man said as he tied the ropes off, “now you go and sit on the couch, while I make sure you little sister cannot move her arms, and then she’ll sit next to you.”

“Can you do it to me while I sit next to Casey,” Macy said.

“Of course I can – go and sit next to her, and turn so you face her.”

I giggle as Macy sat down, and then watched her face as the man took her hands behind her back. “IT tickles,” she said as he used the rope on her, and then tied it off.

“You look funny like that,” she said as she looked at me and Annie.

“So will you in a minute,” Annie said as the man then wound the rope around Macy’s chest. I tried to move my own arms, but the rope held them snugly, so I could not do it. Macy soon felt the same way as she wriggled round, while the man and woman looked at us.

“Sit back girls.”

We both wriggled back so that our feet hung over the edge of the seat, while the woman took two lengths of rope and tied our ankles together side by side, taking the rope around and between our legs. She then tied them together below our knees, over Macy’s joggers and folding my skirt back for a moment as she tied mine together.

“Now Mummy is going to go for a walk with my friend,” the woman said, “and you can watch the television, but we need to make sure you cannot talk for a little while. So, I want you all to open your mouths, and we’ll put a folded cloth in, before using some special tape that will stop you from using your lips.”

“It’s all right girls, I’ll be the same when I come back in,” Mummy said, so I let the nice woman put the cloth in my mouth. IT tasted of sweets and hankies, as I closed my lips and she pressed a wide strip of white tape over them. When she did it to Macy, she looked at me and said “dsstwrrk,” her lips moving under the tape.

I nodded as Annie giggled, and then we sat back to watch the game.

It was a good game of tennis as well, and it was only as it finished that Mummy came back with the man. She did have a strip of the white tape over her mouth, and we could see the ropes around her arms as well as she sat down.

“Ruugrsllrrtt,” she said, and we all smiled and nodded as the woman helped us to all sit on the floor, while the man let Mummy sit down. I thought it was nice of him to do this, so she could have a rest, and we all watched as he crossed and tied her ankles together, and then tied her legs together below her knees.

The rope rubbing on her boots sounded really funny, as he helped her to lie along the couch. The woman then put three cushions on the floor, and she helped us all to lie down with our heads on there.

The man then said they were going to pretend to run away like robbers do, and we could try and get free or wait for someone to come and free us. I watched them as they went out of the room, and then Mummy and Annie started to try and get themselves free.

We tried as well, but we could not do anything, so we had to wait for Daddy to come home. When he did, he was so surprised to see us like that that he ran to Mummy and took the tape off her mouth. She spat out one of her scarves, and said they were...

They were REAL ROBBERS!

Daddy soon had us untied and gave us all great big hugs, and the police talked to us. But it was really exciting as well...

********

Well, it has been a while since I shared a tale, but what can I say – I’ve been busy. Case in point would be my recent visit to Portsmouth...

Janna and I had been looking to visit the Mayhew home for some time – George Mayhew was a successful television writer, and had won some awards recently for his work on an adaptation of a George Elliot novel. His wife, Samantha, was in her late forties – she had long dark hair, and was of slim build. They also had a twelve year old daughter, Tamara, who had her mother’s looks and long dark hair.

Anyway, it was a hot day when I decided to call, as I watched George leave for a meeting in the mid morning. As he drove away, I got out of the car and walked to the house. Because I wanted to blend in with the very high class area, I was smartly dressed for once – a dark suit, white shirt with black tie, and highly polished shoes, and I carried a laptop case over my shoulder. No, there wasn’t a laptop in it – but the things I knew I would need were.

I also had a pair of black leather gloves on, and as I walked to the front door I looked from side to side, before standing in the alcove and pulling the stocking down over my head. Allowing myself a little smile, I rang the doorbell and waited.

A few moments later, the door opened and I saw Samantha standing there. She was wearing a sleeveless maxidress with a leopard skin print, fake ties at the shoulder straps and a v-shaped neckline, as well as a pair of gold sandals on her feet. Her black hair was pulled back in a bun on her head.

“Yes, can I...” She stopped and stared at me for a moment, which gave me the opportunity to walk in, putting my hand over her mouth as I said “not a word, dear lady. Keep calm, and just do as I say, all right?”

I smiled under the stocking as Samantha nodded slowly, looking at me. “Good – now, I am going to take my hand away, and I want you to turn round and put your hands behind your back.”

“Who are you,” she whispered as she did this, and I pulled a length of cord from the front of my bag, doubling it over and using it to bind her wrists tightly together.

“Me? You really don’t need to know my name, what you need to know is so long as you do as I say, you and young Tamara are going to be unharmed, and she’ll have a story to tell her friends at school when the new term starts.”

“Oh god,” Samantha whispered, “please, not my baby...”

“Just do as I say,” I said quietly as I pulled the cords between her wrists and tied them off. “We’re going to go and see her, and you are going to tell her this is a special game you and her dad have arranged.”

“A game? A game of what?”

“Kidnap,” I said with a smile, “and I will be taking the ransom as well from the house. For now, however, we need to tell her what is going to happen. Where is she?”

“In her room,” Samantha said quietly.

“Well, if you will lead the way?”

We walked along the hallway and up the stairs, before we stopped outside a bedroom door. As I tapped on it, I heard Tamara say “yes?”

“Tammy, can I come in? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“Sure,” we heard her say, so I opened the door and we walked in. Tamara was sitting on her bed, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, and she was wearing a sleeveless tunic style top and Capri pants – made from the same leopard print fabric as her mother’s dress. She was also wearing sandals – white ones in her case.

“Mum,” she said quietly as she saw me, “what’s going on?”

“Tammy,” Samantha said quietly, “we’re going to play a special game today, one your dad and I have arranged. This is a man we’ve asked to play the part of someone who is going to... Well, pretend to kidnap us.”

“A game of kidnap? So what is he going to do,” Tamara said as she looked at us, “and why are your hands behind your back?”

“Well,” I said with a smile, “your mum has already started to play – I surprised her downstairs, and made sure her hands were secured behind her back. Why don’t you show her?”

Samantha turned round and showed her daughter her bound wrists, Tamara walking from her bed and having a look. “It doesn’t hurt, does it,” she said as she looked at me.

“No, it doesn’t hurt,” Samantha said, “so we need to do what the man says, all right?”

Tamara nodded as I put my laptop bag down, opened it and took some more rope out. “Well, for the game I’ve surprised both of you at home, and I need to make sure you can’t raise the alarm until I take you to the lair. So, little one, I need to make sure your hands stay behind your back as well.”

“All right,” Tamara said as I crossed her wrists behind her back, and tied them together, making sure the rope went around and between her wrists. I then took a longer length of rope our, and said “I also need to make sure you can’t move your arms for a while, so stand still for a few minutes.”

Samantha watched as I wrapped the doubled over rope around Tamara’s body, and started to bind her arms to her sides, making two bands around her stomach and her upper arms. Once I had tied the rope off, I used two smaller strands to tighten them between her arms and her sides.

“It feels funny Mum,” she said as she wriggled round, Samantha nodding as I took a longer length of rope out, and did the same to her – this time the bands sitting above and below her chest, and I tightened them by taking the rope under her left arm, up and around the back of her neck, and then under her right arm.

“Now then,” I said with a smile, “the kidnapper is going to take you both downstairs, and make sure you stay there while he has mum here prepare a ransom message. So, after you?”

I smiled as I picked up my bag and followed her down the stairs, allowing them to sit on the couch as I closed the curtains across the windows, and then put the television on.

“Now,” I said quietly, “I’m going to do something to stop you from walking, and to keep you quiet, before I make your mother prepare a ransom demand for your father. So why don’t you turn round and put your feet on your mother’s lap?”

As Tamara did that, I took two more lengths of cord from my bag, before I crossed her ankles and secured them tightly together, followed by her legs below her knees. On both bands I made sure I cinched the band by taking the ends between her legs, Tamara watching as I did so.

“Now then,” I said as I looked in the bag, and took out a roll of white tape as well as a half sponge, “time to make sure you keep quiet. Remember, this is just a game, so keep calm and breathe through your nose, all right?”

Tamara nodded as I compressed the sponge in my hand, and then pushed it into her open mouth, before I tore a wide strip of tape free and pressed it firmly over her mouth.

“Now, you watch television, and then I’m going to take you to the lair to wait for the ransom to be paid.”

Tamara nodded as I lifted her legs, allowing Samantha to stand up before she settled on her side, her head on the arm of the couch as we walked off.

“Now what,” Samantha said as we walked out.

“Now, we find your valuables – after you.”

We made our way around the house, Samantha watching as I opened safes and jewellery boxes, before we went into the master bedroom.

“Now what,” she said as she looked at me.

“Sit down,” I said, placing my bag on the bed as she sat next to it and opening it up. I started by crossing her ankles and tying them together, before securing her legs below her knees, gathering the skirt of her dress around her as I did so. I then tied a second band around her thighs, before helping her to lie on her back.

“I’m going to gag you now,” I said, “and also put some tape over your eyes. Then I’ll bring Tamara up to be with you, before I say I am going to deliver the ransom demand. After that, I’ll make sure someone is alerted to your situation.

“Eventually.”

“In that case,” Samantha said as she wriggled round, “I should say thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I said a before I pushed a sponge into her mouth, and then firmly pressed white tape over her lips. As she nodded, she then closed her eyes as I covered them with a second strip of tape, and left her for a few minutes to walk downstairs.

“Are you all right,” I said as I checked the ropes around Tamara, smiling as the young girl nodded.

“Good – now I’m taking you to my lair, and you can’t see where that is. Close your eyes.”

As she did so, I smoothed a strip of tape over her eyes, and then carried her up to the bedroom, laying her next to her mother.

“Mmm- shttuuu?”

“Tsstmrreee – fsnttmssjtddee. Rullrht?”

“Ysss – whtnw?”

“Now, remain calm, and I’m sure the ransom will be paid soon,” I said as I made sure I had everything in my bag, and then slipped quietly out...

********

Steve dropped me off at about five o’clock, outside the semi-detached house, and said he would come back round and pick me up at about ten. We had researched the family inside – the father worked as the manager at a shopping mall, and this was the night a sale was going on until midnight, leaving his wife Audrey and their ten year old daughter Teresa at home.

So I was going to go in, play a game, and then leave when Steve drove back. We kissed before I picked up my bag and he drove off. For this occasion, I was wearing a black bomber jacket over a white jumper, jeans, black knee length boots and gloves on my hands. So I turned up the collar of my jacket, and walked quickly up to the front door of the house, pausing only to pull a stocking down over my head before I opened the door.

I could hear talking towards the back of the house, so I walked as quietly as possible down the hallway, and peeked in the door. Teresa was sitting at the table, her long brown hair falling down the back of her checked long blouse. She had a black webbing belt round her waist, and was wearing a pair of black Capri pants with sandals on her feet.

Audrey was at the cooker, smiling as she looked back and talked to her daughter. The thirty five year old was wearing a white vest top and wide legged jeans, with sandals on her feet as well.

“The spaghetti will be ready in a few minutes,” Audrey said as she turned back to the cooker, “then after we’ve eaten, we can watch the film. Sound good to you?”

“Sounds good to me Mum – and it smlssggddswll.”

Audrey heard the change in Teresa’s voice, and turned round to see me behind her daughter, my hand over her mouth as I said “good evening – I hope you remembered that I was coming tonight to play the special game with both of you.”

“The... Game?”

“That’s right – the game of hostages you and your husband booked with our firm. Remember?”

“Mmmdukknwhtshppnng?”

“I do,” Audrey said quietly as she looked at me, “you know that you wanted to watch one particular film tonight – the one where the men hold a mum and daughter hostage?”

I felt Teresa nod as Audrey said, “well, I thought we could watch it as if we were the mum and daughter. I know she’s scared you, but that’s part of the game, all right?”

I felt Teresa nod again as I said “good – would you put your hands on your head, Teresa, and I’m going to do something to make sure you stay on the chair. Then your mummy and you can sit down and eat, all right?”

“We need to do as the lady says Teresa,” Audrey said, so as I took my hand away as she put her hands on her head. I put my bag down, and took out a length of rope, which I used to tie her waist to the chair back before I pushed her chair in.

“So we’re going to be your hostages,” she said as she looked at me.

“That’s right,” I said with a smile, “so Mummy and you will have your dinner, and then I need to make sure you both do as I say. Maybe you can be hostages while you watch the film about a family held hostage.”

“Okay,” the girl said as Audrey put a bowl of spaghetti with a cream sauce in front of her. I waited as she served herself and sat down, before I tied her waist to the chair as well, and then sat down.

“What are you going to with us,” Audrey asked as they started to eat.

“We’ll go into your front room,” I said, “and there I’ll make sure neither of you can move or talk while you watch the film. We’ll see what happens after that, but if you play along, I promise you it will be fun, and will not hurt.”

“It’s all right,” Audrey said quietly, “we’ll play together, all right?”

When they had finished the meal, I allowed Audrey to load the dishwasher, and then untied Teresa, putting the ropes in my bag as she stood up.

“Okay, let’s keep playing,” I said with a smile, “put your hands on your head, and walk in front of me into the front room.”

So they walked in front of me, their hands on their heads, and then they sat down on a two seater couch facing the television. Smiling, I took a length of cord and said to Teresa “all right – cross your wrists in front of yourself.”

As she did so, her mother watched as I secured them tightly together, and then tied some rope around her ankles, and her legs below her knees, her mother watching the whole time.

“All right,” I said as I tied her wrists down to her legs, “why don’t you get the film ready to start, and then I will make you as secure as her.”

“You just stay still,” Audrey said as she turned on the television and sorted through the channels, before she sat back down, watching as I secured her in the same way as Teresa.

“Are you going to keep us quiet as well,” she asked as I secured Audrey’s wrists to her legs.

“I am,” I said as I took two scarves from my bag, and then used them as cleave gags. Handing the remote to Audrey, I watched as she started the film, and then slipped out to search the house for valuables. When I looked back, I saw the gang binding and cleave gagging the mother and young girl, and they were watching with interest.

When I returned to the room an hour later, her valuables in my bag, the mother and daughter had been allowed to change into nightdresses, and were lying on a bed, hugging each other and tape gagged. I sat down and watched until the film ended, and then went to the kitchen, coming with two glasses of water and straws. Removing Teresa’s gag, I allowed her to take a drink as I said “All right?”

“Yeah – this is fun,” she said with a smile, “in fact, will you make Mummy and me like the family on a bed?”

I looked at Audrey, who nodded in agreement, before I said “all right, once Mummy has had a drink, we’ll go upstairs and let you get changed.”

“Then we’ll be together, all right,” Audrey said, Teresa nodding as they both had a drink. After that, I untied their legs, but kept their wrists tied as we went up the stairs. Going into Teresa’s room, we both watched as she change into a pink nightdress, which came down to her knees, and at my instruction she put on a pair of white socks, and took a second pair from the drawer.

We then went into her parent’s room, and she watched as I tied her mother’s wrists to the headboard.

“Now then,” I said with a smile, “I need you to pull those spear socks up over your hands, Teresa, and up your sleeves.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see,” I said with a smile as I helped her to pull the socks up, and then crossed her wrists behind her back, securing them with the rope sitting on top of the white cotton.

“Oh I see now – will Mummy have this as well?”

“She will,” I said as I used a longer length of rope to tie her arms to her sides, and then helped her to sit down next to Audrey. As she watched, I tied Teresa’s ankles together, and then lifted the hem of her nightdress back to secure her legs together below her knees.

I’d already disconnected the phones, and taken their mobile phones, so I untied Audrey and said “you get changed now – and remember, Teresa is here with me.”

“All right – are you comfortable Terry?”

“I’m fine Mum,” the girl said as she watched her mother take her sandals and clothes off, and then put on a pair of pink pyjamas, before pulling a pair of tube socks over her hands as well.

“It’s actually quite comfy mum,” Teresa said as I secured her mother’s wrists and arms, and then helped her to sit down as I secured her ankles and legs. I then helped them both to lie on the bed, Teresa rolling onto her side and cuddling into Audrey as I folded two clothes.

“Time to use a tape gag,” I said quietly, “but first, open your mouths.”

As they did so, I pushed a cloth into each of their mouths, and then covered their lips with white medical tape, before I watched them.

“Srrlfnnn,” Teresa said, Audrey nodding and gag kissing her head as I heard a car pull up outside. Looking out, I waved goodbye and went out to join Steve...

********

Hello – I hope you don’t mind me interrupting the tales of these two, but I thought you might like to hear a story from the perspective of the ‘responsible adult’ to coin a phrase. I’m Morag, and a few days ago I was visited at my cottage by the Games Player when my ten year old granddaughter Nessa was staying with me.

Nessa has long brown hair, which she likes to wear in pigtails, and on this particular afternoon she had asked if we could play dress up – she wanted to be the princess, and I was to be the grandmother queen. Well, I like to play dress up with her, so she put on a dress she had worn as a bridesmaid – it was sleeveless, with a white top, and a gold taffeta skirt that came to just above the floor, a gold silk sash wound her waist. She also out on a pair of gold slippers to complete her outfit.

For my part, I put on a white gown, with a square neckline, and puffed sleeves that came down to my elbows. I also put on a pair of white satin slippers, and we were playing quite happily in the front room of my cottage. It stands a bit back from the main road, but we could see and hear the traffic going past.

Anyway, I asked Nessa if she wanted a drink, and when I said yes I made my way to the kitchen – and there she was. She wore a brown leather jacket over a roll neck sweater, jeans and long brown suede boots, a pair of brown leather gloves – and a stocking pulled down over her head. She looked at me, I looked at her, and then I saw the gun in her hand as she told me to sit down, and she would explain what was going to happen.

That was when I realised who she was, as she said she was going to rob me, but she knew my granddaughter was there – so I had to pretend this was all a game I had planned in advance. Well, I had little choice, did I – but it was bringing something else to mind, which I put to one side for the moment.

Once I had agreed, she put the gun away, and suggested I take two drinks in, and then tell Nessa about what was going to happen. I poured two glasses of milk, and then we walked through with her behind me. As we went in, Nessa saw her and pushed herself back on the couch – but I told her not to be scared, this was a game I had arranged – a game where the princess and the Granny Queen were going to be kidnapped until a ransom was paid.

Well, Nessa is an adventurous young girl, so she nodded and agreed to play. The masked woman then allowed us both to have our drinks, before she said that she had to make sure neither the princess nor the Queen could raise the alarm while she made the preparations to take us hostage.

I volunteered to go first, Nessa watching as I crossed my wrists behind my back and felt the Player use some rope to bind them tightly together. When she had finished, I turned round and let Nessa have a look at them, before the Player told her to cross her wrists behind her back as well.

I kept talking to Nessa, telling her she was a very brave princess and that if we did what the kidnapper said, she would be fine. Well, I smiled as she nodded, and then said she was fine as the Player took more rope, and tied her arms to her sides, with two bands on her chest.

A few minutes later, I had the same arrangement, as the ropes sat above and below my chest. We then watched as she took two more lengths of rope, and tied our ankles together, lifting our skirts up slightly to allow her to do that. Finally, she tied a length of rope around our legs above our knees. It meant the skirts of our gowns were gathered, but it was still better than her lifting the skirts right back and tying our legs together there.

As Nessa rubbed her head on my arm, the Player said if we stayed really quiet, she wouldn’t do anything else until she had to take us to her lair, so we both agreed and watched as she left the room. I knew she was going to search the other rooms, but when Nessa looked at me and said she was really enjoying his game, I smiled and kissed her forehead.

She then asked if this was the first time this had happened to me – and was surprised when I said it wasn’t. I then told her what had happened to me when I was her age...

It was fifty years before, and I was a ten year old with long chestnut brown hair, as opposed to my short white hair of today. On this particular day, I was wearing a blue shift dress, with white trim and a wide white leather belt, over a long sleeved white blouse, white tights and black Mary Jane shoes.

My mother worked in a bar at the time, and she was getting ready to go to work. She had on a silver mini dress, also in a shift design, natural coloured tights and black shoes, and her hair was up on her head, held in place by hairpins and hairspray.

Anyway, she was about to take me round to my friend’s house, when she opened the front door and two men walked in. They wore jackets over sweaters, slacks and shoes, but the thing I remember most was the black balaclavas they wore, covering their heads so we could only see their eyes and mouths.

Anyway, they made me and Mum walk back into the front room, and as one of them closed the curtains in the room, the other told us to sit down, with our hands on our heads. I remember looking at Mum, who was shaking slightly as the man who had closed the curtains walked over to her, and pulled her hands behind her back as the first man told us we needed to stay here while they took the bar keys.

I asked what they meant by stay there, and he just smiled as my own hands were taken behind my back, and I felt some sort of thin cord being wrapped around and between my wrists, forcing them together. I looked at Mum, who was trying not to cry as she kept saying we would be all right, and just to do as they men said...

I watched then as the man crossed Mum’s ankles, and I saw the cord they were using. It looked like washing line, but as he pulled it around and between her ankles I knew they were going to stay together. He then moved round and tied my ankles together, as the second man asked Mum where the keys were.

She told him to look in the bag, and as he did so the man tying our ankles together also tied our legs together, below our knees. He then smiled as he left the room, and I watched him pull the telephone wire out of the wall.

The first man then took out of his pocket a roll of brown sticking plaster, and tore a strip off as he told Mum to put her lips together. I watched as he firmly pressed down the strip over Mum’s mouth, and then tore a second strip off as he looked at me. I felt the adhesive tug on my skin as he pressed it firmly in place, but it did really stop me moving my lips or making anything like a real word.

The two men just walked out after that, leaving us sitting there. Mum kept trying to reassure me, to talk to me, but it was just a low mumble I heard as I put my head against her chest, and she leaned down to kiss my head.

My dad found us several hours later – after the two men had robbed the pub, and Mum was not there.

As I finished my tale, Nessa nodded and said I must have been very brave. Well, I had to be brave then – and I had to be brave now as the Player came back, and said it was time to go to where we would be held hostage. But first, she needed to make sure neither of us could raise the alarm, and that we had to be blindfolded.

She had four of my headscarves in her hand, and as she rolled the first red one up into a band and tied a knot in the middle she told Nessa to open her mouth. I giggled as she tried to talk while the knot sat between her teeth, and the Player tied the band round her neck – then she watched me as the second red scarf was used to gag me instead.

I watched as she folded one of the two black scarves and used it to blindfold Nessa – and the she untied my ankles, helping me to stand before she lifted Nessa up. I hobbled along behind her as she carried my granddaughter to my bedroom, and laid her on the bed, straightening her skirt as she did so.

I then sat on the bed, watching as she re-tied my ankles, and then blindfolded me, before I was helped to lie on the bed as well. I felt Nessa cuddling into me as I heard the door quietly close – and that was when the Player left us.

She must have alerted the police, because a couple of hours later a policeman came in and found us – but at least she treated us gently. It made what could have been a terrifying time for both of us pass more – pleasurably?

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