The Games Players - Party Fun

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVE!”

Elaine smiled as she looked at the banner her parents were putting up along the long wall of their front room. She was fourteen years old, and was wearing a blue t-shirt, faded blue jeans and black moccasins, her long brown hair falling over her shoulders.

“Is this straight?”

“Little further up on your side Dad,” Elaine said as his father raised the banner. He looked over as she nodded, and then pushed the pin into the wall before he got off the stool.

“Secured, Hannah?”

“Yup, Eric,” his wife said as she climbed off the ladder. Hannah was 37 years old, a year younger than her husband, and was wearing a tight pink t-shirt, the straps of her black bra just visible underneath, and knee length denim pants with brown slippers. Eric was wearing a green t-shirt and matching joggers, with black trainers.

“Right I need to go and make sure the party food is ready to go into the oven,” Hannah said as she walked off, Elaine shaking her head as she said “I cannot believe Eve is eight today.”

“Time does fly,” Eric said as he hugged his daughter and then they both heard Elaine as she said “what the .”

“Mum?”

There was no reply, the father and daughter looking at each other before they walked into the kitchen and stopped as they saw Hannah was not alone in the room. The birthday cake was on a stand, and there were trays ready to go into the oven but there were two strangers standing there, a man and a woman.

The man was wearing an open necked shirt, dark pants and trainers while the woman was wearing a brown roll neck sweater, and leggings tucked into knee length brown leather boots.

There were other things they shared the black leather gloves on their hands, the rucksacks they each had on their backs, the stocking masks pulled down over their heads and the guns they were both pointing at the family.

“Hello,” the woman aid quietly, “please, take a seat it will be easier to explain to everyone at the same time what is going on.”

“Oh god,” Eric said quietly, “not today, not on my daughter’s birthday “

“Your daughter? Happy birthday,” the masked man said as he looked at Elaine.

“No -my younger sister is eight today who are you?”

The man smiled as he said “well, I see you are going to be throwing a mall party. I think we can let that go ahead and then you as a family are going to play a little game.”

“A game? What sort of “ Hannah then looked at the two of them, and said “no no, please “

“I don’t get it Mum,” Elaine said quietly.

“They’re the Games Players.”

Elaine looked at the couple, before she said “so you expect us to pretend this is all a big party game for Eve? It’s not us you need to convince of this.”

“Oh,” the woman aid, “who is it?”

The sound of the doorbell ringing made Eric smile as he said “that’s one pair you need to convince right now.” The masked man nodded as he walked over and said “well, you had better let them in. Make sure these two don’t spoil the surprise.”

“I’d keep very quiet for now,” she said as her partner took Eric to the front door, standing behind it as he opened it.

“There you are - is everything all right, Son?”

Eric glanced to the side before he said “yeah come on in.” As he stood to the side, an older couple walked in. The man had greying hair and a grey beard, the sleeves of his sand-coloured shirt rolled up to his elbows, and was wearing tan pants and shoes. The woman had long light blonde hair, and was wearing a black and white striped top, a knee length denim skirt, and black ankle boots. She was carrying a bag a bag which dropped to the floor as she saw the masked and armed man step out.

“Hello no sudden sounds or moves please.” Looking at the man, he said “I presume these are your parents? What are their names?”

“Mum, Dad,” Eric said as he looked at them, “it looks as if we are going to be robbed. They are Donald and Moira.”

“Robbed? How dare you spoil this special day,” Moira said angrily, “get out of this house!”

“Moira,” the man said, “I am the one with the gun do you really think I am going to just leave.”

“He’s not alone,” Eric said quietly, “his partner is in the kitchen with Hannah and Elaine.”

“So I need you both,” the man said, “to walk slowly into the front room bring the bag with you and then sit down with your hands on your head. I need you to do that right now.”

Donald and Moira looked at each other, before Moira picked the bag up and they walked into the front room, sitting on the couch as Eric sat in an armchair.

“Will you join us please?”

A few moments later, Hannah and Elaine walked in and sat on the other couch, the masked woman looking at the latest arrivals.

“As I was saying before you arrived,” the masked man said as he held the gun in front of himself, “we are going to rob this house, but we will not begin until your young granddaughter has had her birthday party. After that, we are going to play a game of Hostages and that is what you need to tell her.”

“A game? A GAME!”

“Donald, calm down,” Moira said as she held her husband’s arm, “they have guns, they are in charge.”

“Listen to your wife,” the masked woman said, “if you do this, then young Eve will not be scared when we do what we need to do and if she sees you all playing along, then it will be easier for all of you as well.”

Donald looked at his son, who was sitting with his hands together. “She’s right Dad, we need to do this,” he eventually said.

“And Peter and Paula are going to agree?”

“Peter and Paula?”

“My parents,” Hannah said as they all heard a car pull up. “Let me talk to them, please.”

“Come with me,” the masked woman said as her partner looked round the room.

“Not a word,” he said as the two women walked to the front door, Hannah taking a deep breath before she opened the door and said “hey you made it” as she smiled.

“Of course we did dear,” an older woman said as her parents walked in. Paula had snow white hair cut in a bob, and was wearing a red cheesecloth blouse with short sleeves, blue jeans and flat brown shoes. Her husband Peter also had grey hair, and was wearing a blue short sleeved shirt, dark trousers and dark shoes.

“It’s very quiet,” he said as he held a wrapped parcel in his hands, “is Eve not back yet?”

“No but I need to talk to you,” Hannah aid quietly as she closed the front door and both of them saw the masked and armed woman. “Come into the kitchen we’ll talk there.”

“Oh no,” Paula said quietly as Peter nodded, putting the parcel down as Eric came out.

“I’ll take that,” he said quietly as he picked the present up, the new arrivals walking with Hannah and the masked woman into the kitchen. “I’ll make some coffee,” Hannah aid as her parents sat down.

“Who are you,” Paula eventually said.

“Well, I’m someone who likes to play games,” the woman said with a smile, “and I am also a robber. So as we explained to the others, when Eve gets back, you can have your party and then we need you all to take part in a game of Hostages.”

“Hostages Game.. Oh.” Peter looked at her nd said “I have your word none of us are going to get hurt?”

“We need to make sure you cannot raise the alarm,” she said, “but that is all. No permanent harm, just an inconvenience for a while.”

“I bet Donald and Moira are not happy?”

“They’re not Mum,” Hannah said as she gave them each a cup of coffee, “but we really do not have a choice. All we can do is make sure Eve is kept happy.”

The two older arrivals looked at each other and slowly nodded, as the Player said “good bring your coffee with you into the front room.”

As they stood up and walked slowly in, Eric said “Hey guess we are ging to have a different day.”

“So I see,” Paula aid quietly. “Elaine are you all right?”

“I’m scared but I will cope,” the teenager said as her other grandparents sat down, and then they all heard the front door open and close.

“I’m back,” a young girl called out, “the film was fantastic, and I got a wonderful present from “

Eve was wearing a light purple sleeveless dress with a gathered waist, the skirt coming to her knees, her long brown hair coming to her shoulders, and gold sandals on her feet. She looked round the room, then at the masked man and woman, before she said “Mum?”

“Eve,” Hannah said as she knelt down and looked at her daughter, “we are going to have a very special afternoon, and we wanted to surprise you with it. They are actors, who are playing the part of a pair of robbers and we are going to be their hostages after your Birthday Party.”

Eve looked at them, before she said “hostages? What does that mean?”

“Well, after we have some fun as a family,” Hannah said, “they are going to make sure we all stay on different rooms and cannot call for help but we can they try to get free. I promise you; you won’t be hurt; we just won’t be able to move around for a while.”

“All of us?”

“All of us,” Eric said with a smile. “We’re all happy to do this so will you play the game with us as well?”

Eve nodded and smiled as she said “sure Dad so can I open my presents now?”

“Of course you can,” Moira said with a smile, “and then we’ll go and make sure the Party Food is all ready. Perhaps you will come and help us,” she said as she looked at the Female Player.

“Of course - my friend will stay in her and make sure nobody tries to spoil the game by calling for help, all right?”

“Come on Kiddo,” Elaine said as she picked up the package Peter had brought in, “you can start with the present Grandpa Peter and Grandma Paula brought for you.”

Eve nodded as she opened the parcel, then went over and hugged her grandparents after she put the Barbie house down.

As Eve and Elaine sat and watched the television, the masked man stood against the wall and watched everyone as his partner escorted Hannah, Paula and Moira into the kitchen.

“Well, we will play along,” Moira said, “but we don’t have to like it.”

“Just make sure Eve does not see you are upset, and you will be fine.” The Player turned the oven on as Hannah said “let’s get this all prepared “

“We can’t do a thing can we,” Donald whispered to his son as they and Peter sat on the other couch.

“No,” Eric said quietly, “all we can do is be there for our wives when the time comes I think we are all going to be in different rooms, in pairs.”

“So Elaine goes with Eve?”

“Yeah she’ll keep an eye on her “

“Happy Birthday, dear Eeeve,
Happy Birthday to You!”

Eve smiled as she blew out the eight candles on the cake, the others clapping as Hannah aid “why don’t we save the cake for later - I think we’ve all had enough now.”

“So we start to play the game of Hostages?”

“That’s right,” the masked man said as he opened his rucksack, “and we start by making sure you all have your wrist tied together behind your backs. Ladies first.”

“Stand with us, girls,” Eric said, Eve and Elaine standing with the father and grandfather and watching as the man went behind their mother, and took her hands behind her back, Hannah smiling as she felt the rope forcing her wrists together. “it’s not so bad,” she said as she looked at her daughters, Moira nodding as her hands were taken behind her back and secured, and then he did the same thing to Paula.

“Come and have a look,” he said as they walked over, while the female Player opened her rucksack and took out ropes, walking behind Eric as she said “time for the man put your hands behind your back “

“It does look tight,” Elaine said as she traced her finger over the ropes. “But it doesn’t hurt?”

“No so when your turn comes, you can let them do this to you as well,” Elaine said, the girls nodding as Peter felt his own wrists been bound tightly together behind his back.

“That’s right girls,” Donald said as she felt the rope with his fingers, “and they are going to put us in different rooms, so we have to get free and find each other.”

The female Player then took two more lengths of rope and came over to the girls, as her partner said “so I think Peter and Paula are going to stay in this room. I will start to get them ready while my friend makes sure you both have your wrists secured behind your backs.

The couple looked at each other as he took two longer ropes from his bag and walked behind Peter, passing the rope round his body and pulling it tight over his stomach, then taking the rope round his upper arms before he added to both bands. Paula looked over and smiled as he tied the ropes off, and then went behind her with the second length.

“it’s tight,” she said as the ropes were pulled tight, framing her chest before they were both told to sit on a couch each. Eve and Elaine watched as the Player took yet more ropes and knelt down, crossing and binding Paula’s ankles tightly together, and then securing her legs together below her knees.

As she twisted her legs to and for, she watched him do the same thing to her husband, before he stood up and looked at them.

“All right,” he said as he looked at the Female player, “you take them upstairs, and start to secure the other grandparents. I’ll join you in a few minutes.”

“Will you be all right, Mum, Dad,” Hannah aid as she looked over.

“We’ll be fine go and make sure you get ready to play as well,” Paula said, the others nodding as they walked up the stairs.

“So what are you going to do now,” Peter asked when they were out of earshot.

“Both of you, lie face down,” he said through the stocking mask, the two grandparents looking at each other before they lay down, then grunted as their ankles were pulled back and tied to their chest ropes. They then rolled onto their sides, as he took from his rucksack a large, wide roll of white tap and peeled a length off.

“Time for you both to be quiet “

As he walked into the guest bedroom, she looked over and said “all quiet?”

“All nice and quiet,” he said as he looked at Donald and Moira. They were kneeling on the large bed, facing each other, and he could see the ropes round their ankles and their legs below their knees, while the female Player was winding a long rope round both of them to hold them tightly together.

“I presume you asked to be this way?”

“We did we can keep an eye on each other and make sure we are-o enjoying the game,” Donald said as Moira nodded. The masked woman pulled the rope between them and then tied it off, as she said “want to see how we are going to make sure you won’t be able to call for help?”

“Yes please,” Eve said as she took the roll of white tape and tore a strip off, then pressed it gently down over Moira’s mouth. She then peeled the end free, and said “because of your grandfather’s beard, we need to wrap this all the way round, or it may come loose.” She then stuck the tape to Donald’s cheek, and wrapped it all the way round his head as the two girls watched.

“There now that should keep you both nice and cosy,” the masked woman said as she looked at the others. “I think it’s time the girls were secured let’s go to your bedroom, Elaine.”

As they walked out, Danald looked at Moira and said “whlhlhrwhher.”

“Yhsss,” she said before she kissed his taped lips, and blushed.

“Whtwhsthfhr.”

“Fhrrbhnuh “

“I think we’re going to secure all four of you in terms of your arms,” the male Player said as they walked into Elaine’s bedroom. “My friend will take care of the girls, and I will take care of you.”

“Well, at least we get it done together,” Eric said as the man took a longer rope, came behind him and passed it round his body, while the female player went behind Eve and passed the rope round her body.

“Thank you for making this such an exciting birthday,” she said as the rope forced her arms against her sides.

“It’s our pleasure,” the Player replied with a smile under the mask before she tied the ropes off, and then did the same to Elaine,” both of them watching her partner as he secured the parent’s arms to their sides in the same way.

“I want you both to lie on the bed now,” the female said, Elaine and Eve lying next to each other as she took more ropes from the bag, and secured their ankles together before tying the rope to the foot of the bed. She then tied their legs together below their knees, as Hannah walked over.

“Are you enjoying the game?”

“Yes, Mummy,” Eve said as the Player took the rope between her legs, Elaine looking up and nodding.

“Well, we can all tell each other how much we enjoyed it later,” Eric said as the masked woman took the white tape, and aged the two girls before she turned the radio on so that they could listen to music.

“Time to secure your parents,” she said as the four adults left the room, the girls looking at each other and smiling under the tape

“Right then,” the masked man said as he closed the door, “thank you for your cooperation. Eric lie face down on the bed, and my partner will secure you. Hannah tell me where your valuables are.”

“Do as he says,” Eric said as he lay down, looking back as he felt the rope forcing his ankles together, and then another length holding his legs together below his knees. He then rolled over as he heard the peeling sound, before the white tape was pressed firmly down over his mouth.

“that’s everything,” Hannah eventually said as she sat on the bed, watching as the masked woman knelt down and started to bind her ankles together. The male player nodded as he loaded the contents of the last case into his bag, and then took the white tape, peeling a length off and gagging her as his partner secured her legs together below her knees.

She then lay down as Eric rolled onto his side, looking at her as the two masked robes looked at them.

“We’ll be going now,” the man said, “good luck.” Eric watched them walk out of the room before he started to try and get free

The female player looked in the room to see Eve and Elaine still there then checked the other room to see that Donald and Moira had fallen onto their sides. She walked over and checked them as they grunted, and then closed the door before they both walked downstairs.

Peter and Paula were lying on the couches, hogtied as they twisted round.

“I would lie still fi I was you,” the man aid, “in case you fall off.” They both looked at them and nodded before they walked away

In the master bedroom, Hannah was watching as Eric started to rub his cheek on the pillow.

“Whhrhruhdhhnhn?”

“Thrrhrhnthghtthshf,” he said as he rubbed his cheek to and fro, his wife watching as slowly, ever so slowly, the edge of the tape gag started to come away from his skin. It took over an hour, but eventually he managed to get the edge to stick to the pillowcase. And slowly, slowly peeled the tape away from his mouth.

“Oh lord,” he finally said as he looked at his wife, “are you all right?” ~As she nodded he said “roll over I’m going to see if I can loosen any of the knots with my teeth.”

Hannah nodded as she rolled over, looking over her shoulder as Eric moved down the bed and put his mouth to the knot on top of her wrists. It seemed to take another agonising long time, but eventually she felt the rope slacken, and she was able to get her wrists free, sitting up and pulling the bands of rope up and off her upper body before she peeled the tape away from her mouth.

“My hero,” she said as she kissed Eric, “your turn roll over and I’ll untie you, then we can both free our legs and raise the alarm.”

Eric rolled over and waited until his arms and wrists were freed, then sat up as he untied his legs, Hannah doing the same. They then stood up and held each there, before they walked to Elaine’s bedroom.

“Girls?”

“Hhnknghd,” Elaine said as she looked over, and then at Eve, who was sleeping, her chest rising and falling.

“Can you hang on a while longer,” her father said, “we’ll free your grandparents and call the police.”

She nodded as they closed the door, Eric looking in the next bedroom and then going in as he untied the ropes holding his parents together.

“Chhlthtphlhhsss,” Moira moaned, Hannah nodding as she went down the stairs and looked in the main room. She then went to the phone, plugging it in and dialling a number as she said “Police please -we’ve all been held hostage in a home invasion.”

“Hnnhhh?”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” she called out before she said “the address is “

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