The Games Player Night Night.
I had taken the girls out to a friend s country house
party, and we were driving back as the sun shone down on us. It was an adult theme for a kid s party, but
Holly and Ivy had really risen to the occasion.
Holly is ten years old, and Ivy six, and both of them have long dark
brown hair the colour inherited from their father, because I have long blonde
hair.
I had chosen to dress up a little as well- a long
black dress with a deep neckline, and a thin brown leather belt round my waist,
as well as black ankle boots. Holly had
put on a brown dress with long sleeves and dark brown polka dots, as well as
black tights and mid-calf black boots.
As for Ivy, she was wearing a dress that looked as if Laura Ashley had
designed it it was cream, with a red floral print, and a pink hem to the
skirt. She also had on white socks with
green stripes, and brown ankle boots with pink laces.
They were both wearing hats as well Holly a brown
one, and Ivy a wide brimmed straw one.
The two of them were talking excitedly in the back of the car as I drove
up to our front door, and then we all went in.
Holly asked if they could watch some television, so I
said they could while I sorted out some supper for them. As they both went into the front room, I made
my way down to the kitchen, and took what I needed from the store cupboards.
They seemed to be behaving themselves because all I
could hear was the television that probably should have given me a clue, but
I honestly did not pick up on that. I
was too busy fixing some sandwiches and drinks and then I turned around and
he was standing there.
He was as tall as me, with dark hair which was
pressed down on his head by the stocking mask that covered his head, and wearing
a blue shirt and dark pants as well as leather gloves on his hands -and a gun
which he was pointing at me with one hand, and a bag in the other.
I have to admit, it took me a few minutes to find my
voice but when I did, my first words were oh god -my girls
The two young girls in the front room - I just talked
to them, the mans aid, and they told me you were in here, preparing
supper. They re both fine and looking
forward to what you have for them and also to you playing the game they have
started with them.
Game? What
gam I then stared at him I had seen
the reports in the papers, and realized we were being visited by a very
notorious robber. Oh no
Oh yes, he said with a smile, I have told them this
is a very special game to end a special day with, that you and your husband
have arranged and they are happy, calm, if unable to move or talk at the
moment. I need you, Celia, to maintain
that illusion by helping them to believe this is still a game and that way,
you all stay safe and unharmed.
You... You ve
tied them up?
In a way that means they can still eat and drink, so
don t worry about that, he said as he put the gun on the table, so finish
preparing their supper, and then you can bring it through with me following
you.
And then?
Well, then I make sure you cannot raise the alarm as
well
I looked at him my husband was not dur back until
the early hours of the morning, and I wanted to keep this game a game for the
girls, so I said All right but if you are going to make sure we cannot raise
the alarm, then we need you to stay a while longer all right?
What do you have in mind?
So, I told him
Hlllmhm, Holly said as I carried the tray on. She and Ivy were sitting on the couch, their
wrists tied together in front of them with a band of white rope, and I could
see another band had been tied round their ankles as well.
Are you both all right, I said as I put the tray
down, both of them nodding as the Player then gently took the rolled-up cloths
out of their mouths. Well, I m going to
give you your supper, and then the man is going to make sure I am just like you
before he pretends to search the house.
If you both promise to keep quiet and not call for help, we can talk
while he does that all right?
Yes Mummy, Ivy said as I placed the plate of
sandwiches on her lap, and she picked one up in her hands and put it to her
mouth. Holly did the same when I gave
her the plate, which also had a juice carton with a straw in it, before he took
some rope and tied my wrists together in front of me. I took a seat and watched as he knelt down
and tied my ankles together, and then he handed me the glass of cordial which I
slowly sipped from through a glass.
This is a nice surprise, Mum, Holly said after she
had taken a drink from her carton. So,
what is going to happen next?
Well, if we sit here and talk, he is going to pretend
to look round the house for things he can steal, I said I d already told him
where to look. Then well, we are
going to be allowed to get ready for bed, and we ll all be tied up on my bed to
wait for Dad to come home. He s also
going to have to make sure we cannot talk does that scare you?
It did when he put the cloth in my mouth, but it was
all right, Ivy said, Will he do that again?
I saw him leave the room and took a sip before I said
no but he promises me, it will not hurt.
So, what happened?
He came into the room and talked to us, Holly said, told
us this was a special game, and let us hold the rope while he tied our ankles
together.
Then he used that rope to tie our wrists together, before
he used the cloths, Ivy said. I
thought it would hurt, but it really doesn t.
Thank goodness for small mercies, I said to myself
before we started talking about our plans for the next day
When he came back, he said, have you al finished?
and then picked up the plates and my glass, taking them into the kitchen and
then coming back as he said Now, I m going to untie your legs, and we re going
to go upstairs. Your mum is going to
help you to get ready for bed, and then as she said, I ll make sure you all
stay on herbed. All right?
The girls nodded as he knelt down and untied their
ankles, and then helped them to stand up before he did the same for me. We then walked in single file up the stairs,
the girls first, then me, and then the Player with the bag in his hand. We then stopped outside Ivy s bedroom, as he
untied my wrists and hers, and stood with his hand on Holly s shoulder.
Go on get changed, he said as I took Ivy into the toilet,
and then into her bedroom. I then helped
by untying and taking her boots off before she changed into a long white
nightgown, with a Wendy collar.
Ready for the next part of the game?
Yes Mummy, she said as she went out, and I stood
with Holly while the Player took Ivy s wrists behind her back, and then bound
them tightly together with rope.
Does it hurt, Holly asked her sister, but she shook her
head as he used a longer rope to make sure her arms stayed against her
sides. She twisted round after he had
tied those ropes off, before he untied Holy s wrists and said, your turn - on
you go.
So, I took my older daughter to the bathroom, and then
to her bedroom where she changed into a pink nightdress. It had short sleeves and a white lace collar,
and she also had a pink band in her hair to keep it back from her eyes. We came back out, and I stood with her sister
as the Player tied Holly s wrists together behind her back, and then made sure
her arms were bound to her sides with the longer rope.
There how does that feel, he said as he came round
and looked at my daughters. They both
twisted round, before Holly said, like you and Dad are hugging us, Mum.
Good -well, let s go into the bedroom, I said as we
went into my bedroom. This had an en
suite toilet, so the Player said, take what you are going to change into and
go in but remember, I am out here, all right?
I nodded as I went into the bathroom and heard him
talking to Holly and Ivy. For a moment I
stood there, looking at myself in the mirror and shaking slightly as I realized
this man had my family tied up in the bedroom, and there was nothing I could do
about it except keep the illusion going that this was all a game
Pulling myself together, I changed out of my dress,
boots and other clothing, and then put on a cream-coloured nightdress with
capped sleeves and a square neckline.
The dress had a floral print pattern on it, and I hoped that would be
all right as I came out of the bathroom.
I could se Holy and Ivy sitting on the edge of my bed,
both of them now with their ankles tightly bound together with rope, and a band
of rope round their legs above their knees which gathered the skirt of their
nightdresses underneath.
Well, I guess we are all going to stay here, I said
with a smile, the two girls nodding as the Player came behind me and took my arms
behind my back. I could feel the soft rope
rubbing on my wrists as they were brought together, and then between my arms as
well.
I could see my girls looking at me as he then wound
the longer rope round my upper body so that my arms were fixed to my sides, but
I was also aware of how I was feeling - and I had to hide that fear as the
ropes got tighter and tighter.
There now, he said as he tied the ropes off the
girls were right, it was as if my husband was hugging me. Your mum is going to lie on the bed, and I
want you girls to lie each side of her, all right?
The girls nodded as I walked to the side of the bed
and then lay on my back, shifting to the middle of the bed as the Player helped
them to lie on their sides each side of me.
I kissed them both of the head as he bound my ankles tightly together,
and then tied my legs together above my knees, so that I was the same as the
girls.
We then looked at the Player as he took from his bag a
roll of white tape, and then we heard him almost peel a length off before he
tore it free, and then smoothed it down over my lips.
Htshhnhtshbhd, I said or tried to say to the girls
before he pressed a length of the same tape gently down over their own mouths,
and I rubbed my heard on theirs to show we were in this together.
There now just relax, I will be downstairs for a
while, he said as he walked out of the room and turned the light off. It was dark now, and I soon heard the noises
the girls made turn into gentle nasal snoring as my own eyes closed.
What the
My eyes opened as I saw my husband looking at us, the
concern in is eyes as Holy opened her eyes and said hlldhhddhhheee .
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