Mother and Daughter Moments 37

I do love it when a whole family get to watch a film together, in silence unless they try to move – and that all ages in the family get to play along as well. My most recent visit certainly met those expectations – although the youngest girl was both very young, and very surprising.

Steve and I had been planning to visit the Morden family for some time, given their recent win on a well know charity lottery. Harry Morden was a long distance lorry driver, which meant he was not home for periods of time – and also meant I needed to pay a visit early one afternoon, and make sure the police were alerted in time to ensure they didn’t spend the whole night securely silenced.

And so it was, a couple of weeks ago, that I pulled up outside their detached house on a Saturday lunchtime, and watched as they got out of their SUV. Ellie Morden, the mother, had long blonde hair, and was wearing a grey cardigan over a black slip dress, white tights, and long black leather boots. She also had a woollen shawl wrapped round her neck.

The oldest daughter, Tanya, was twelve, and like her mother had long blonde hair. She was wearing a yellow dress with white polka dots, a white cardigan over that and a thin brown belt fastened round her waist. She also had on long black boots, the tops of a pair of purple socks visible over them.

Sara was six years old, with short brown hair, and was wearing a blue dress with white buttons down the front, and white sleeves from the elbow, tights which were red above the knee, and red and white checks under, and mid-calf black leather boots. I watched as they both ran in from the car, and then as Ellie lifted the youngest daughter out of her car seat. Robin was three years old, wearing a purple dress with white sleeves, white tights and purple slippers.

This was my one regret on this visit – a way would have to be found to keep Robin quiet and with the others, but I could not secure her in the same way as the others. But I did want to make it a real game for her, which would need Ellie’s cooperation.

So I checked my supplies, and then got out of the car, putting the rucksack on my back as I walked a way down the road. I was wearing my black leather jacket over a jumper, leggings and over the knee black felt boots – but as I went round the corner, I slipped my gloves on, and then before I made my way into the rear garden of the house I slipped the stocking down over my head.

I managed to open the gate in the rear wall, and was glad nobody was in the garden as I slipped in, and made my way around to the rear of the house. Glancing in the window, I could see Ellie moving round the kitchen, and Robin sitting on a booster seat at the table as she ate some food.

I calmed myself, and then opened the door to the kitchen, Ellie looking over as I came in and pointed a starting pistol at her. She gasped, and then looked at Robin, as I said “I would not if I was you, Mrs Morden. Remain calm, do as I say, and you and your family will have a very special and close time together this afternoon.”

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

“I’m the person you booked to play the special game this afternoon, the gamer of robbers,” I said as I looked into her eyes, hoping she would pick up quickly on my intentions. Ellie looked at me for a moment, and then nodded as she said “Oh yeah – I had forgotten that was today, I thought it was going to be when Geoff was here as well.”

“He is away?”

“Back tomorrow – but we can proceed. I take it you’re going to make sure none of us can raise the alarm,” she said quietly, not trying to show her fear as she looked at Robin.

“I will have to, yes, but so long as you make it clear to the girls this is a big game, and I am not going to hurt them, then I think they will enjoy it. Even the little one here.”

Robin looked at me as she said “mamma, who is the lady?”

“She’s going to play a very special game with all of us – but it does mean we’re all going to have to stay in the one room and stay together.”

“So I stay with you mamma?”

“Yes, you stay with me,” Ellie said as I nodded, and said “sit down, and tell me where your other daughters are.” As Ellie sat down, she said “they’ll be coming in for their lunch soon – so what are you going to do?”

“Let you prepare and give them their lunch – once you give me your mobile phone,” I said with a smile. “I can tell them what’s going to happen while you eat…”

“So you’re pretending to be a robber, and you’re going to tie us all up and keep us quiet,” Sara said as she sipped her drink.

“That’s right – but look at it this way. You girls get to pick what you all watch, and you can even try and sing along as well if you want to.”

“And we’ll all be tied in the same way,” Tanya said as she looked at her mother.

“You girls will be – but Robin needs to be with me, so the lady is going to do something a little different with both of us, but I don’t think any of us…”

“No – me want to be like you.”

I looked at Robin, and said “I don’t want to tie your hands behind your back, little one – that’s not good for you.”

“Okay – but we all same,” Robin said as she looked at her mother, and Ellie looked at me. I nodded, and said “all right – I can do something so you are all almost the same, all right?”

Robin nodded as she sipped the last of the milk form her cup, and then put it down on the table. “I’m ready,” she said with a smile as she looked at the others.

“Well, if anyone needs to go to the toilet, go now,” I said, Tanya and Sara nodding as they walked to the downstairs toilet. As they did, I opened my rucksack, and took a length of cord out as I said to Ellie “we will start with you – put your hands behind your back please.”

“Is this the game,” Robin asked as she watched me cross her mother’s wrists behind her back, and then bind them tightly together, taking the rope around them I neat bands and then between her wrists to tighten the binding.

“It is the game, Robin,” Ellie said with a smile as I tied the ropes off, “watch what the masked lady is doing to me.” I then took a longer length of rope, and tied it round her arms and upper body, forcing them against her sides as I made bands above and below her chest, then cinched them with more ropes between her arms and body.

As I tied that rope off, Sara and Tanya came back in, both of them looking at their mother as Tanya whispered “and you’re going to do that to us?”

“I am – but sit down for the moment. Robin, would you like to see what I did to your mother?”

The youngest girl nodded as Ellie walked over turned round in front of her daughter, while I got two more lengths of cord form my bag. “Now, the only difference between you and your mummy is I am going to tie your wrists together in front of you, and then the rope around your arms. Trust me – you will be just as secure that way.”

“Let the lady do that to you Robin,” Ellie said, watching as her three year old daughter crossed her wrists in front of herself, and I tied them securely together. I then let her put her hands down before I tied her arms to her sides, like her mother with one band around her upper arms, and one round her arms and stomach.

She smiled as she wriggled round, Ellie nodding as I then crossed Tanya’s wrists behind her back and tied them together, then those of Sara, before I secured their upper bodies in the same way as Robin.

“Now,” I said as I tied the rope off round Sara, “if I lift you out of your chair, can you walk with your mummy and sisters into the front room, and we can make sure you all sit in front of the television?”

Robin nodded as I lifted her out, and she walked in front of Ellie, wriggling her arms and hands round as we walked to the front room. I kept the girls outside while Ellie went in and managed to draw the curtains over the windows, and then she sat on one end of a two seater couch, watching as I sat Robin next to her and the other girls sat in a second couch next to that.

“now, I need to make sure you don’t all jump off the couch,” I said with a smile as I took more lengths of cord form the rucksack, and knelt down, crossing Tanya’s ankles and tying them tightly together, the leather compressing slightly under the rope a is used it.

“That sounds funny,” she said as I tied her legs together below her knees, the cinched band of rope on top of her socks, and she tried to move her legs, making her boots rub against each other. I then did the same thing to Sara while she watched, the two girls talking to each other as I knelt in front of Robin and Ellie.

“Your turn now, little one, and I’ll do the same to you as I did to your sisters,” I said, Robin nodding and smiling as I used soft rope to tie her ankles together, and then her legs below her knees – and then she watched as I did the same to Ellie, so that all four were secured.

“Now, the bad robber is going to leave you all for a few minutes, and you can talk about how you feel playing this game,” I said as I nodded to Ellie, Robin wriggling round as I left the room.

When I came back in, Robin looked at me and said “thank you for making this a game we all played.”

“Yeah – you’re a nice robber lady,” Sara said as she wriggled and her boots squeaked.

“Well, thank you, but now it’s time for me to make sure you all stay nice and quiet. Robin – what would you like to watch on the television?”

“CBEEBIES” she called out, Ellie nodding as I turned the television on and a new episode of the Octonauts started. “I’m going to put some special tape over your mouths,” I said as I took the roll of white micropore tape out, “it won’t hurt, but it will stop you talking too much, all right?”

“Do me first,” Ellie said, the girls watching as I tore a strip from the wide roll and then pressed it down over her lips. She looked at the others and said “shssrhthtsfhnn.”

“You sound funny Mummy,” Robin giggled, and then she watched as I put tape over the mouths of both her older sisters.

“Are you ready now, little one,” I said with a smile, Robin nodding as I smoothed the tape down over her mouth, and she lay with her head on Ellie’s lap, smiling under the tape as she watched the television.

I left them there, enjoying their time together while I made my exit – and I did call the police a couple of hours later to let them know what had happened…

CheekyClaire:
Hello – can I tell my story here?

ViTheFirst:
Of course you can Claire – tell us a little about yourself first.

CheekyClaire:
Well, my name is Claire, I’m eight years old, and I live in the countryside with my mummies. Our house is by a lake, and I love living there – it is very quiet, and it really was last week.

ViTheFirst:
Sounds as if you had a visitor…

CheekyClaire:
Yeah, we did. I’d bene to a friend’s party, so I was wearing a white party dress with a yellow rose at the waist and a bolero cardigan, white leggings and baseball boots, and a band in my brown hair.

It was Mummy Jo who drove me back – she had on a red V-necked top with short sleeves, black pants and sandals. We talked about things as we drove back, the sun setting over the lake as we finally got home. I got out and walked in my, hand in Mummy Jo’s – and then we both saw Mummy Alice.

ViTheFirst:
Was it the man or the woman?

CheekyClaire:
The man – he was dressed in black, and had a nice smile under whatever he had over his head. Mummy Alice was sitting on a chair – her hands were behind her back, and she had some sort of tape over her mouth.

Mummy Jo asked who he was, and that was when he said he was the actor they had booked for the game. I looked at Mummy Alice, who nodded and mumbled something, the tape moving over her lips as Mummy Jo looked at the man. She then nodded, and said she’d forgotten about that, then looked at me and said we were going to play a game of robbers.

ViTheFirst:
That’s how it usually starts – so what did you do?

CheekyClaire:
I looked at my mummies, and said I would play the game as well, so he told me to come and sit next to Mummy Alice, and asked Mummy Jo to stand in front of him. As I sat down, I saw Mummy Alice had her hands tied together at the wrists behind her back, and that the tape over her mouth was the same colour as her skin. In fact, it looked as if it was her skin, with the shape of her lips visible on the tape.

While I was looking, the masked man tied Mummy Jo’s wrists together behind her back, and then he used more rope to tie her arms to her sides, two bands, framing her chest.

ViTheFirst:
Sorry Claire – what was your other mummy wearing?

CheekyClaire:
Mummy Alice? She had on a blue denim blouse over an orange top, jeans and hiking boots. Mummy Jo sat on the other side of me as the masked man used more rope to tie Mummy Alice’s arms to her side, her blouse opened up as he did so.

He then looked at me, and said “it’s your turn little one” before he pressed some tape over Mummy Jo’s mouth. “Stand up, turn round, and put your hands behind your back.”

ViTheFirst:
How did you feel when he said that?

CheekyClaire:
A little scared – both my mummies were looking at me, their eyes wide open and nodding, but it was also exciting. I wanted to be the same as them, so when the masked man crossed my wrists and started to tie them together I said I hoped we could all play the game together.

They seemed to like that idea – at least, they nodded and tried to say something, but it came out all funny. While they did this, the man finished tying my wrists together, and then tied my arms to my sides with two bands of rope, just like my mummies.

I then sat down between them again, while he took more of the rope from his bag. I felt it with my fingers – it was soft, but it was tightly tied, even though it didn’t hurt me. I was glad of that as he tied my ankles together in the same way as my wrists, and then tied my legs together below my knees. I felt his fingers tickling the back of my legs as he did that, and giggled, but he smiled back at me, so I don’t think he was upset.

ViTheFirst:
Yeah, that does feel a bit funny, even when you have leggings on. So what did he do next?

CheekyClaire:
He tied rope round Mummy Jo’s ankles and legs, then around Mummy Alice’s. We all wriggled round after he had done that, trying to see if we could get our legs apart, but he had done it too tightly – and then I saw he had a strip of tape in his gloved hands.

ViTheFirst:
Which he pressed over your mouth?

CheekyClaire:
Which he pressed over my mouth. It felt really funny, and it tugged a little on my face, but it wasn’t too bad. I watched the man as he collected his rucksack, and then he turned the television on so that we could watch something, telling us he was going to pretend to leave, and when the program finished, we could try and get free.

Well, I was sat between my mummies, but a little while after he left they were really struggling to get free. Mummy Jo then tried to say something to me, and I really could not understand what it is, so she looked at Mummy Alice – and then they both pushed themselves forward and sat on the floor.

They did this so quickly, I slipped onto my side and lay there, watching as they managed to get back to back and started to try and untie each other. It was funny to watch them, the ropes keeping their legs and arms in place, as they tried to use their fingers on each other.

ViTheFirst:
So did they get free in the end?

CheekyClaire:
Yeah, but I don’t know when – I fell asleep, and I was woken up by Mum Alice untying me, and Mummy Jo kissing and hugging me, and telling me I was an incredibly brave girl. Mummy Alice then told me the man was a real robber, who had surprised her, and made her pretend it was a game.

That was a surprise, but I really was not scared then – it was a really exciting thing to do, and I have to say, I’d do it again…

******

The more I visit families, and the more I play the games, I have to say the thrill never goes away, but the surprises do keep coming, and I love the way the children adapt to what is happening.

It was about half four on a Friday afternoon, in a house on the outskirts of Nottingham, a place called West Bridgford – a nice tree lined narrow street, but in the front room of this house, Aileen Colgan looked at her twins and said “are you enjoying this game?”

She was standing in the main room, the curtains drawn, and was wearing a brown dress with little white polka dots over a white sweater. The dress had a lace top and cap sleeves, and was buttoned down the front with a thin black leather belt round her waist. The tiered skirt came to just above her knees, and she was wearing very dark brown tights, long over the knee white socks, and shiny black riding boots. Her arms were behind her back, her wrists held tightly together with rope, and there was rope around her upper arms and body as well.

“Yeah,” her five year old son Steve said as he wriggled round, “it’s fun mummy.” He was wearing a red zipped top over a black short, grey pants and socks, but his hands were also tied behind his back, and he had rope around his arms and stomach, as well as his waist.

“You’re very good to play this with us,” his twin sister Karen said as she looked at me, while I finished tying the rope around her arms and stomachs. She had on a long white cardigan over a red jumper and grey jeans, and light blue socks. Both of the children had short brown hair, their mother’s long hair falling over her shoulders

I had surprised them when they came back from school, and told them I had been hired to play a game of robbers with them. Today, I was smartly dressed, in a black blazer and skirt, a white blouse, and dark glasses as well as gloves, with knee length black leather boots. Because this was a residential area, it made sense rather than the stocking mask.

Anyway, I had secured their mother and let her explain the situation, and now the children had their arms tied they all sat on a long couch, Aileen talking to Karen while I knelt down and tied Steve’s ankles together. I had told them they would stay here and watch television for a while, and when their mother came back into the room they’d all be able to have some fun, and then try to escape together.

After I had made my escape, of course. Anyway, I secured Steve’s ankles and legs below his knees, and then did the same to Karen as Aileen told them they were playing the game wonderfully. When I was done, I stood up and said they were both wonderful hostages – and asked if they promised to be quiet until their mother came back. They both nodded as Aileen smiled – and then looked behind me as her face went pale.

I turned round to see an older woman standing there, wearing a grey cardigan over a roll neck white sweater, and blue jeans with the legs tucked into knee length black leather boots. With her was a ten year old boy, wearing a grey and blue baseball jacket with a grey hat, orange pants and sneakers. He was looking at the twins, and then said “cool – why are you guys tied up like that? Are you playing a game, Aunt Aileen?”

I looked at her - she knew what she needed to do, and I relaxed as she nodded and said “that’s right Robert – why are you here with Grandma?”

“Alex has to work late – we just dropped in,” the older woman said as she looked at me, “and you are?”

“An actress, hired to play a robber – Aileen did this as a surprise for the kids, but I guess you need to join in the game now as well. I was about to leave the kids to watch television – so perhaps Grandma should stay here with Robert as well.”

The older woman slowly nodded as Robert removed his hat and Aleen stood up, saying “You can sit with George and Karen, but the lady is going to have to tie your arms just like them, and you have to promise to sit quietly.”

“Why?”

“Because,” I said as I looked at the young man, “if you don’t I need to make sure you cannot call out, and both George and Karen have promised not to. Now, put your hands behind your back.”

“Aileen is this really a game,” her mother said as I tied Robert’s wrists together, watching her nod as I then then tied the rope round his waist to keep his wrists against her back, before tying rope round his arms and stomach to lock them in place. He then sat between the twins as I took his grandmother’s hands behind her back, and tied her wrists together.

“This isn’t a game,” she whispered as I secured her wrists, and then tied rope in the same way as with Aileen round her arms and chest.

“No,” I whispered, “but you need to play along, to keep the children from been afraid.” She nodded as I pulled the rope tighter and tied it off, and then she said “well, miss Robber, I will call for help if you leave me able to.”

“I need to keep you quiet then – kids, when we come back, all of you are going to be like your grandmother, so watch carefully, all right?” All three nodded as she sat down, and I secured her ankles and legs together, before I took from my bag a black scarf, rolled it into a band and tied a knot in the middle, and then eased the knot into her mouth before I tied the scarf round her head.

“Htssnhtshhbhd” she mumbled as I secured Robert’s ankles and legs then turned the television on as they wriggled about, while I took Aileen for a walk round the house…

When we came back, her mother’s cardigan had opened up a little, but more to the point Karen had somehow jumped onto her lap, lying with her head against her grandmother’s chest as she looked at me. I smiled as Aileen sat between the two boys, watching as I tied her ankles and legs together.

“Your legs sound funny,” George giggled, Karen nodding as she moved her bound legs and her boots squeaked. Her grandmother nodded and then moved her own legs, making her own legs squeak as well.

“Right, time for you all to be quiet,” I said with a smile as I took a second black scarf from my bag, rolled it into a band, tied a knot and then cleave gagged Aileen as she looked at the boys.

“Hubhfrhdeee,” she said, Robert and George nodding as I gagged them in the same way, and then finally gagged Karen, her lips closing over the black silk knot before she rested her head against her grandmother.

And so I felt them to have a fun time escaping – eventually…

********

It was a bright July evening as I pulled up outside the home of Giles Hope, a well known television journalist and author, and recent award winner, so the papers had profiled him and his family. I had done the research with Janna, and now, it was time for a visit.

Giles lived in the mansion with his wife Elaine and their three children – eleven year old twins Steve and Flora, and a four year old daughter Flower. All three children had their mother’s blonde hair – and I suspected that I could use the natural rivalry twin brothers and sisters have to my advantage.

Anyway – I made my way from the car to the rear of the house, dressed in black, and walked to the rear of the house before I pulled the stocking down over my head, and let myself into the kitchen. I could hear laughter from another room, and closed the door quietly behind myself, then walked over and stood behind a doorway as I heard footsteps. The room was in darkness, but as the door opened the light went on, and Elaine Hope came in. She was wearing a dark brown cowl necked sweater, and crimson jeans, the legs tucked into a pair of short black leather boots.

She walked over to the dishwasher and put some dirty plates in – and then turned, staring at me as she said “oh my god…”

“Please, don’t scream,” I said as I walked forward, “I promise you, if you do as I say, then you won’t be harmed. But I need you to listen to me, and then I need you to do what I say, understand?”

“Who are you…”

“I believe the papers refer to me as the Games Player,” I said with a smile, “which means that I am here to rob you, but if you follow my lead, you and your children will have an adventure rather than being scared.”

She slowly nodded as she said “I… I’ve heard of you. You tie up families, and make a game of it?”

“Essentially, yes – if the children believe it is a game, they are less scared, and things go so much more easily, Elaine. I see you’re having your evening meal – have they had dessert yet?”

Elaine shook her head, as I said “well, let’s not keep them waiting – and when we go in, this is what I want you to say…”

“Mummy – who is the masked man?”

“He’s a special actor your Dad and I have invited to come and pay a game with us,” Elaine said as she put a bowl of jelly in front of Steve and Flora, sitting down as I put a bowl in front of Flower and then gave the last one to her. Flora was wearing a long white cardigan, fastened with three rows of toggles in front, black leggings and burgundy leather boots, while Steve had a burgundy red fleece over a checked shirt, jeans and trainers.

Flower had on a burgundy blouse and leggings, with a matching fleece gilet, and short black boots. “He looks funny Mummy,” she said as she put her spoon in a bowl, “like a robber.”

“Well, that’s what I’m pretending to be,” I said with a smile, “and that means that after dinner, you go to the toilets, and then I’m going to make sure you all stay in a room, and that you can’t talk to each other, as if I was a real robber. Then you can try to escape, and see who will be first.”

The children looked at each other, before Flora stuck her tongue out at her brother, and said “I bet I get free first.”

“no you won’t, I’ll get free first,” Steve said as Elaine shook her head and looked at me.

“Well, we’ll see – eat up your pudding now…”

When they had finished, I said “now, the first thing I have to do is tie your wrists together behind your back, so all of you, sit nice and still, and when I come to you do as I say.”

“Does it hurt,” Flower said as she looked at me.

“No, it won’t hurt – let me show you on your mummy,” I said as I walked behind Elaine, and guided her arms behind her back, crossing her wrists as she leaned forward and then tightly securing them together with a length of rope taking it around and between her wrists as well. The children watched and nodded as I went round and made sure their wrists were tied together behind their backs as well, before I said “thank you – now, I’ll pull your chairs back and help you all to stand up, and the next thing the bad robber has to do is make sure your arms are tied to your bodies, so that you cannot move your wrists and try to get them free.”

“I suppose a real robber would do that,” Steve said quietly as I helped Elaine to stand, and then pulled the chairs for the children back, watching Steve and Flora as they slipped off the seats and then lifting Flower up to stand with them.

I started with her, wrapping some rope round her stomach and arms to lock them into place, and then tying another band of rope around her upper arms. She wriggled round as I took care of her big brother and sister in the same way, and then tied a longer length of rope round Elaine’s arms and body, framing her chest as I did so.

She looked at the three children as she wriggled round, and asked if they were excited, smiling as all three of them nodded while I picked up my rucksack. I then said we should go and have a look for nice things I can take, before I made them ready for the escape challenge.

So we walked out of the front room, and up the stairs, the children all sitting on the beds in the rooms as Elaine told me where to look. As I did so, however, I could hear Steve and Flora goading each other, claiming they would get free first, and Elaine telling them to calm down and keep quiet.

So I looked at them, and said if they could not be quiet, I knew how to keep them quiet. Flora looked at me and said how – famous last words, as I took two small sponge balls from my bag, compressed them in my gloved hands, and told them both to open their mouths.

Flower giggled as she said “try talking now” as they closed their mouths, Steve and Flora looking at each other as the sponge expanded in their mouths, and then I pressed a long, wide strip of white tape over their mouths as Elaine watched. “don’t worry – your mother and sister will be the same” I said as we kept looking. I then led the family into a guest bedroom, and said “I think we will have the twins in here. Both of you, lie down on the bed.”

Elaine and Flower watched as they did that and I took more ropes out. Starting with Steve, I tied his ankles tightly together, taking the rope around and between his legs, and then secured his legs below the knees. I did the same to his sister, and then ran some ropes from their ankles to the bottom of the bed.

“Now, I’ll come in and tell you when it is time to try to escape,” I said as I looked at them, the twins nodding as Elaine walked over and gently kissed them both on the head.

“We’ll see who wins later,” she said as I walked her and Flower out, and then into the master bedroom. As they both sat on the bed, I tied Flower’s ankles and legs together, Elaine laughing as she twisted her legs round and her boots rubbed together. As I tied her mother’s ankles and legs, she rubbed her legs together as well, both of them laughing as I looked at them.

“A sponge is too big for your mouth,” I said as I looked at Flower, a folded cloth in my hand, “so I’m going to use this for you, and a sponge for your mother, and then put some tape over your lips. All right.”

Flower nodded as she opened her mouth, and I eased the cloth in, watching as she closed her lips and smiled before I pushed the compressed sponge into Elaine’s mouth. The tape was then firmly pressed over their mouths, Flower wriggling round and then resting her head on Elaine’s chest as her mother nodded at me.

I went and searched the rest of the house, and then walked back up, smiling as I saw Flower’s chest rise and fall, her eyes closed as Elaine muzzled against her head with her cheek.

I then went to the other room, looking at Steve and Flora as they wriggled round on the bed. “Go on, start trying to get free,” I said with a smile under the stocking mask, the twins nodding as they started to struggle, and I left the house…

********

There have been occasions when the mother and daughter – or daughters – have worn matching clothing. There have even been occasions when the younger generation have worn matching clothing. But – well, this was a first. And, given the circumstances, it could have been even stranger…

Moira Dundas is a wealthy business owner, and she lives on the outskirts of Sheffield with her husband and their two children, ten year old Colin and twelve year old Annette. The day I had chosen to visit – after planning it out with Steve, of course – I knew her husband was away on business – the question was, would she be at home as well?

As I walked up the back garden, wearing my black leather jacket, jumper, leggings and over the knee boots, that was still the question I needed to have the answer to. Pausing only to pull the stocking down over my head, I tried the back door, and was relieved to find it unlocked so that I could slip quietly in.

It was as I was closing the door I heard a voice say “what the…” and I turned to see a woman in her early twenties, wearing a peach coloured smock top with tassels on the sides, and faded jeans artistically ripped at the sides. She had on a pair of sandals, and a loo on her face I knew too well.

“Not a word,” I said as I showed her my gun, “who are you?”

“I… I’m Carol, the au pair. Oh god – look, take what you want…”

“I will – who else is home?”

“Just Colin and Annette…”

So no parents. I nodded and said “well, this is a robbery, but if you want the kids to remain calm, you’re going to tell them this is a surprise game their parents have organised, and they are to do what I say, understand?”

As Carol slowly nodded, I took my rucksack off and opened it, producing a length of white cord as I said “good – come over here, and stand with your back to me. Once I have your arms secured, we can go and start the game, all right?”

She nodded as she walked over, and I quickly secured her wrists together behind her back, before I wrapped rope around her arms and chest, securing them to her sides as well. As I tied the ropes off, I said “where are the children?”

“In… In the front room, but they’re not very happy.”

“Why not?”

“their mother picked their clothes for today – you’ll see when you take me to them.”

“Okay then – remember what I said,” I whispered as I picked up my rucksack, and we walked into the front room – and then I saw what Carol meant.

They we resitting watching a film – Colin was wearing a fawn coloured jumper, with a white snowflake motif and a toggle at the neck, over a checked shirt, light fawn coloured shorts, red socks and brow shoes, and he stared at me as we walked in.

My sympathies, however, were more with his sister Annette. She was wearing a jersey dress of the same colour and design as her brother’s jumper, but with a button rather than a toggle at her neck, and a faux belt round her waist. She also had red tights on, and flat brown slippers, with a pink scarf round her neck.

“Kids,” Carol started to say, “this lady is…”

“I’m the Games Player,” I said as Carol looked ta me, “and I’m robbing your parents. The mother who made you dress like this. I’m going to tie both of you up, as well as Carol here, gag you and leave you to watch television while I steal your parent’s valuables.”

“Why are you telling them that,” Carol said as she looked at me.

“Because they’re fed up, and I think they want to teach their parents a lesson, right?”

“Oh yes,” Annette said with a smile, “sorry Carol.”

“You won’t hurt us,” Colin asked.

“Not at all – but you will not be able to move or speak. So, let Carol lie face down on the couch you are sitting on, and then come over here and put your hands behind your back.”

They both stood up and walked over as Carol lay down, and as I guided Colin’s hands behind his back he said “neither of us wanted to wear this, but Mum insisted.”

“Well, you’ll be tied the same way as well,” I said as I tied his wrists together, and then his arms to his sides, before I did the same thing to Annette, the two of them talking while I did so.

“There – now, sit on the floor while I tie your legs,” I said quietly, both of them sitting in front of the couch and watching as I secured their ankles tightly together, and then their legs below their knees. I then secured Carol’s ankles and legs in the same way, before I pulled her legs back and tied her ankles to her chest ropes.

“Are you going to do that t us,” Colin said as he looked at the au pair.

“I am,” I said as I put two large cushions on the floor, “but first I need to keep you two quiet. Annette – do you like that scarf?”

“I hate it – why?” She watched as I untied, removed the scarf, and folded it, and then said “open wide.”

“Talk to you later bro” she said with a wink as I stuffed the scarf into her mouth, and then covered her lips with white tape. For Colin, I used a white scarf from my bag, and then the tape, before I helped them both to lie on their stomachs and hogtied them.

I then pushed a sponge ball into Carol’s mouth and taped her lips over, before leaving them to watch television as I went about my business…

******

My weekend report, by Bobby Holmes, Class 4E

When I left school on Friday, I thought this was going to be about what my Mum and I got up to in our home while Dad was away on business for the weekend – but instead, it was a much more exciting time.

After breakfast on the Saturday morning, Mum suggested that we go for a walk in the woods behind our house, and look for some wild animals. I love doing that sort of thing, so I went and brushed my teeth. I already had on a blue striped rugby shirt and jeans, so I only need to pull my blue padded jerkin over my shirt, put on a pair of black wellies, and then put a hat on my head to cover my hair and ears.

When I came back into the kitchen, Mum was pulling on her old jacket. She was wearing a pink roll neck jumper over a white top and jeans, but now she had put on her long walking boots, which covered her legs to her knees, as well as leather gloves and a tartan cap. She smiled at me, and then we went out of the house, Mum locking the door behind her as we went into the woods.

We did see a lot of squirrels, rabbits and birds, and that was exciting enough, but the really exciting thing started to happen when we got home. Mum opened the back door and we walked into the kitchen, stomping our feet to get rid of some damp leaves – and when I looked up, there was a man sitting there at our table, smiling under some sort of mask as he looked at us.

He didn’t look much older than Mum or Dad, and he was wearing a black leather jacket, jumper and jeans – and he had a rucksack on the table. Mum looked at him, and asked who he was, and then he stood up, walked over, and said he was the actor that she and my Dad had hired to play a special game with me and her.

I looked at Mum, as the man put his hand in his jacket pocket and lifted something out – just a little bit, but Mum nodded as she said she had forgotten – and he should tell me what the special game was.

Smiling, he looked at me and said he was playing the part of a robber, and he was going to pretend to rob the house. But in order to do that, he had to make sure that Mum and me could not raise the alarm, so he said he was going to use some rope to tie us up!

Now, I was a little scared at the idea of that, but Mum said he would do things to her first, then to me, as she took her cap and jacket off, and put them on a chair. As she did this, the man in the mask opened his rucksack up, and took out a length of white rope which he held in his hands. Mum told me to watch carefully as she turned with her back to me, and he started to tie her wrists together.

He wound it round and between her wrists, her palms together, and then tied the ends off out of reach of her fingers, before he told me to have a look. I saw it was tight, but Mum said it didn’t hurt, and he was going to do the same to me now. So I put my hands behind my back, as I watched her gloved fingers wriggle round.

Mum was right – it didn’t hurt as he tied my wrists together behind my back, it felt strange – when he had finished, I tried to move them apart, but I wasn’t able to. He then took a much longer length of rope out, and started to wrap it round Mum’s arms and body, making a band around her stomach and one round her upper arms as he did so.

When he had finished, he took a second long length out, Mum turning round and smiling at me as he tied the same sort of ropes on me, forcing my arms against my sides as I stood there. He was a very good actor – as if he did this a lot – but he certainly knew what he was doing.

When he tied the ropes off, he told us both to walk into the front room, and when we went in I saw the curtains had been pulled across the windows. Mum sat down on a couch, and he told me to sit down in an armchair next to her. I pushed myself onto it and got comfy, as he took more ropes out of his bag, and knelt down to tie Mum’s ankles together.

I watched as the rope made her rub her legs, making a funny sound as her boots rubbed against each other, while he took some more rope and tied her legs together below her knees.

When he stood up, Mum smiled and wriggled round, before he walked over, took some more ropes from his rucksack, and then knelt in front of me. My feet were hanging off the edge of the seat, but he smiled at me as he wrapped the rope round my ankles, and pulled them together, taking the rope around and between my legs so they were snugly tied.

He then tied my legs together as well below my knees, as I twisted my ankles round, laughing at the squeaking sound the wellies made as the rope rubbed on them, and they rubbed on each other. Mum laughed as well, as she twisted round while the masked man stood up. He told us to be quiet, as he turned the television on and left the room, saying he was going to pretend to look round for things to take.

Mum looked at me as we both heard him walk up the stairs, twisting round as she asked if I was enjoying the game. This is gonna sound strange, but I really was enjoying this game, even though I was sitting down and could do little more than wriggle round.

A few minutes later, he came back down, and smiled as he said the bad man now needed to make sure that me and Mum could not call out for help. Looking in the rucksack, he took out a white cloth and folded it into a pad, smiling as he told Mum to open her mouth. I watched, my eyes wide open as he put the cloth into her mouth, and she closed her lips over it, before he tore a strip of silver tape form a roll and pressed it over her mouth.

I asked if he was going to do that to me, and he nodded as he folded a second cloth, and told me to open my mouth. It tasted funny on my tongue, but it also stopped me talking – as did the silver tape as he pressed it over my mouth. I thought it was that stuff you get to fix things with – duct tape – but it felt softer, and it also kept my lips firmly together.

The man looked at both of us as he picked up his rucksack, and said he was going to pretend to leave now, but we should sit for a little while and then try to get free. We both watched him walk out, and then I looked at Mum as she started to struggle.

After a few minutes, she looked at me and mumbled something, then nodded to her side. It took me a few minutes to figure out what she wanted, but then I got it, so I pushed myself forward and managed to stand on the floor, then jumped over and jumped onto the couch next to Mum, smiling under the tape as she rubbed her cheek on my head.

We sat together for a while, looking at each other and trying to talk, until Dad came in and saw us. He ran over and peeled the tape away, then took the cloths out of our mouths, and that was when Mum told me it hadn’t bene a game – the man was a real robber, and he had robbed us!

You can imagine how I felt then, as Dad untied us and then called the police. We spent the rest of the weekend talking about what happened, but like I said – it was really exciting!

********

My most recent visit was one where I had to be very careful, in the way I acted and dressed, on order to minimise the upset, but also so that I caused as little offence as possible.

The family in question were from Senegal, and the father had a prosperous business in their home town. His wife Diatta did not work, but kept house for him and their three daughters – fifteen year old Fama, ten year old Aicha and four year old Mena. They lived in a detached house on the outskirts of the town – and they were a devout Muslim family. Steve and I had spent some time watching them, Diatta and Fama always wearing the hijab. Aicha, possibly because of her age, was more adventurous with her clothing, and Mena was a little girl.

Anyway, this particular Saturday I was parked outside the house, watching as their father drove off with Diatta in the front passenger seat, and I caught a glimpse of Mena in the car seat behind her. This was not unexpected – on Saturdays, this usually happened, and Diatta and Mena would return an hour later.

Which gave me time to start the game, as I stepped out of the car and picked up my rucksack. I was dressed as I usually am, in brown with my gloves, but this time I did not use the stocking or a balaclava. Instead, I had a brown scarf tied over my hair, to cover it, and I wore a pair of large sunglasses as well to cover my eyes.

Walking up to the house, I smiled as I tried the front door, and was pleased to find it was unlocked, slipping inside and closing the door quietly as I listened for any noise. I could hear music coming from a room upstairs, so I made my way up, opened the door and looked carefully in.

Aicha was lying on her bed, reading a book as her radio played. The young girl was wearing an orange and brown striped t-shirt with a shiny heart on the front, dark jeans and black cowboy style boots with a brown top, her hair pulled back in a pigtail, and wearing glasses. She looked up and saw me, her eyes wide as I put my finger to my lips and closed the door.

“Hello Aicha,” I said with a smile, “I’ve been hired to play a very special game with you and your family, and you get to be the first to take part.”

“You have,” she said quietly, “what’s the game called?”

“Robbers – I’m a robber, and for the game I have to make sure that you, your sisters and your mother can’t stop me taking any valuables. Now, your mum and dad have hired me to do this as a surprise for you all.”

“You’re pretending to be a robber? Does that mean you have to tie us up?”

“It does,” I said as I saw the excitement in her eyes, “does that scare you?”

“A little, but I want to play the game. Have you seen my sister yet?”

“Well, let’s get you started, and then we can find her, all right,” I said with a smile as I put my bag down, opened it, and took out a length of white rope. “Now, can you stand in front of me, and put your hands behind your back?”

“Okay,” she said as she jumped up and stood in front of me, “what are you going to do?”

“Tie your wrists together,” I said with a smile as I wrapped the rope around and between her wrists, making sure they were held comfortable but firmly together before I tied the ends off. Aicha smiled as she wriggled her fingers, and said “so what are you going to do next?”

“Let’s make sure you can’t move your arms,” I said as I took a longer length of rope out, and wrapped it round Aicha’s body, holding her arms against her sides as I made two bands around her stomach and her upper arms, then tied two shorter lengths between her arms and her body to cinch the bands. “There now – does it hurt?”

“No,” she said as she wriggled round, “it feels like I’m getting a big hug. So do we get Fama to play as well now?”

“We do indeed,” I said as I picked up my bag, “take me to her room, then you can tell her what is going on. All right?”

Aicha nodded as I opened the door to her room, and we walked down a couple of doors, the young girl waiting as I opened the door before we went in. Fama was working at her desk, the black hijab covering her head and shoulders. The scarf lay on top of a pink dress, which came to above her knees. I could see the thin black belt, and the lace underskirt as she turned round. The dress itself was over a long sleeved black top, and she was wearing black leggings with felt ankle boots.

“What is it Aicha…” she stopped talking as she saw me, and Aicha said “look at me Fama – Mum and Dad have hired this lady to play a game of robbers with us, and I’m playing already!”

“That’s right,” I said as I looked at the teenager, “and it’s your turn to join in now. I’m going to do to you what I did to Aicha, and then we’ll go down to the main room. When we’re in there, I’ll finish getting both of you ready, so that little Mena and your mother can join in when they get back. You are going to play, aren’t you?”

Fama looked at me, and at Aicha, before she nodded and said “of course I will play. Are you going to tie my wrists and arms like hers?”

“I am indeed,” I said as Aicha sat on her sister’s bed, “so please, stand up and come over here.”

Fifteen minutes later, I opened the door to the front room and allowed Fama and Aicha to walk in, both of them twisting round as the ropes held their arms to their sides.

“Now then,” I said with a smile, “I want you both to sit on the long couch for the moment, while I make sure your ankles and legs are tied as firmly as your wrists and arms. Then we need to make sure this is a surprise for the others.”

The two girls sat down, Aicha’s legs hanging over the edge of the cushions as I took some more ropes, and tied their ankles together, the rope going around and between their legs as I did so. I also tied their legs together below their knees as Fama said “this is going to be a big surprise for Mum, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Aicha giggled, “but she’ll play along as well. Are you going to do this to Mena as well?”

“I may do something a little different for her,” I said with a smile as I pulled the rope between her legs and tied it off, “but now we need to make sure you two stay quiet.” Going to the bag, I took out a roll of white tape and tore a strip off, looking at Aicha as I said “put your lips together for me.” As she did so, I pressed the tape down firmly over her mouth, as she giggled while I did the same to her sister.

“Now,” I said as I heard a car pull up outside, “not a word, all right?”

Both girls nodded as I stood behind the door to the room, waiting as the front door opened and closed, and an older voice said “where are you girls?”

Aicha and Fama looked at each other as the door opened, and Diatta walked in holding Mena’s hand. The four year old was wearing a black cardigan over a white dress with a black print on it – the dress had a puffball skirt that came to her knees – and flat black shoes.

“Mamma,” she said as she looked at her sisters, “why are they like that?”

“It’s because they are playing a game your mamma and papa have arranged,” I said as Diatta turned and looked at me, “and now you’re both going to play as well.” Their mother was wearing a black jumper and a floor length skirt with grey, black and blue chevrons, a scarf in the same shade of blue around her head and shoulders. She had dark grey sandals on her feet, and for a moment she looked confused as Mena went to look at her sisters – and I let her glimpse my gun.

“This is a game of robbers,” she said quietly.

“That’s right – I’m pretending to be a bad robber,” I said as I looked at Mena, “and I’ve already taken your sisters captive. Now, it’s time for me to take you and your mamma captive as well.”

“Are you both all right,” Diatta asked as she looked at her older daughters, both of them nodding as Mena said “am I going to be like them Mamma?”

“Well, I will make sure you cannot move easily, but not quite like them,” I said with a smile as I looked at her. “Would you like to see how?”

“IT’s all right Mena, we’ll all be playing,” Diatta said as Mena nodded. I looked at her mother, and said “well then, I need your mamma to stand next to you, and then I want you to cross your wrists in front of yourself.”

“Like this,” Mena said as she stood in front of her mother, and I nodded as I took some rope from my bag, and tied her wrists tightly together in front of her, and then took the rope round her waist so that she could not move them away.

“Look at me Mamma,” she said with a smile, her sisters watching as I then tied more rope around her arms and stomach in a double figure of eight, so that her arms were locked against her sides as well. As she wriggled round, I whispered to Diatta “put your hands behind your back, please – you are going to be bound the same way as your older daughters.”

“Can I sit with them Mamma?”

“Of course you can,” Diatta said as Mena walked over, Aicha and Fama moving to the sides as she sat between them, then watched as I tied their mother’s wrists together behind her back, then wound rope around her upper body so that her arms were secured firmly to her sides. I then tightened the two bands by taking the rope under one arm, up and around the back of her neck, and then under the other arm.

“Now, I’m going to take your mother for a walk round the house,” I said as I looked at the three girls.

“Can I be like them,” Mena said with a smile, so I took two ropes and tied her ankles together, then her legs below her knees, before I tore a strip from the roll of white tape and pressed it over her mouth.

“When we come back,” Diatta said, “you may all have a drink before we play the next part of the game.” All three girls nodded as I turned the television on, and escorted Diatta from the room.

“I have heard of you,” she said quietly as we walked up the stairs, “thank you for been so gentle and understanding with them.”

“So long as you keep them believing this is a game, they should be fine,” I said with a smile, “now, tell me where you keep your jewellery and valuables…”

When we came back, Diatta sat in an armchair while I put a tray with three glasses of water down, and then peeled the tape from Aicha’s mouth before she took a drink through a straw.

“Thank you,” she said as she looked at me, “so what happens next?”

“Well, the bad robber has to arrange things so that you cannot raise the alarm,” I said with a smile, “but when she is done, you wait a little while, and then you try and get free.”

“So how does she do that,” Aicha said as she looked at me.

“I put this in your mouth,” I said as I held a folded cloth in my mouth, “cover your mouth again, and then let you lie on the floor while I tie your ankles to your chest. Your older sister will be with you, but Mena will lie with your mother, all right?”

“Okay,” the ten year old said as I put the glass down, put the cloth in her mouth, covered her lips with a fresh strip of tape, and then helped her to jump to the other side of the coffee table. I put a cushion down, helped her to lie on her stomach with her head on the pillow, and then hogtied her, before I gave Fama a drink.

She soon joined Aicha on the floor, as I gave Mena a drink. I didn’t put a cloth in her mouth, but I did put a long strip of tape over her lips, and lifted her onto an armchair before I said to Diatta “lie on the couch, with your head on the armrest.”

“Of course,” she said as she got up and walked over, then lay down as the girls watched me tie her ankles together – and then secured her legs over her skirt, so that it was gathered around them above and below her knees. I then put a folded cloth into her mouth, and covered her lips with the tape, watching as she rolled onto her side while I lifted Mena up and lay her next to her mother. Finally, I tied a length of rope form her wrists to her knees, so that she could not move either.

“Now,” I said as I looked at them, “wait for fifteen minutes, and then you can start to try and escape. I’ll be watching.”

I walked out of the room and watched from the doorway for a few minutes, Diatta kissing Mena’s forehead with her covered lips as the two older girls wriggled round, and then I slipped quietly out…

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