Helping One Another

“What do you think they are talking about up there,” Rhona said as she sat in the armchair, a cup of hot coffee in her hands.

“Probably about that boyfriend of hers,” her sister Pippa said. In her mid-forties, the younger of the two sisters was wearing a light pink jacket with large silver buttons, blue jeans and over the knee burgundy red leather boots that sported a three inch square heel. She smiled as she took a sip of her own coffee, before she said “have you heard from him?”

“Nope – and I don’t want to,” Rhona said as she shook her head. The older of the two sisters was in her mid-fifties, her greying hair cut short as the top of her black jacket exposed the white vest underneath. A tartan print mini-skirt covered her modesty, with dark hose hugging her legs and her lower legs in a pair of snugly fitting black over the knee boots.

“So the dress is your way of hitting back?”

“Hey – you’re as young as you feel,” Rhona said with a smile. “But I’ve kicked him out, and that’s the end of it. I just need to change the locks later today.”

“And his stuff?”

“What stuff? Anything of value in this house is mine,” Rhona said as she looked at Pippa, “and he’s not getting a single bit of it.”

“Quite right too,” Pippa said with a smile as the doorbell rang. “That must be the locksmiths now.”

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Rhona said as she stood up and made her way to the door, Pippa finishing her coffee as she put it down on the low table.

“So was it the locksmiths,” she said as she looked round, and then sat back in the chair…

“Who is that at the door,” Peggy said as she looked at her cousin.

“Probably the locksmiths – Mum booked them after she kicked Dad out,” Xandra said with a smile. She had her dark hair up in a bun on her head, and was wearing a black and white striped jersey dress, a pair of straight brown leather boots on her lower legs. By contrast, Peggy was wearing a white t-shirt with a thin white belt round her waist, a floral print skirt, white tights and knee length black leather boots.

“Anyway – what about this creep of a boyfriend?” Xandra asked as she looked over.

“Oh him,” Peggy said quietly, “it’s just some of the things he wants me to do – talk dirty to him, things like that…”

“You? You could not talk dirty if your life depended on it.”

“I know,” Peggy said with a shy smile, “so what am I going to do…”

“Please, forgive the intrusion,” the taller of the two men said as they came into the front room with Rhona, “and allow me to make the introductions. I am Mister Tall, and my friend here is Mister Small. And you are?”

Pippa stared at the two men – both were identically dressed, in black leather jackets over roll neck sweaters, jeans and trainers, and both had black leather gloves on their hands – as well as black balaclavas over their heads, allowing only their eyes and mouths to be seen. One held a black bag in one hand, the other round Rhona’s arm, while the taller of the two had a handgun pointing at her.

“Iiiiiii I’m Pippa,” she finally said.

“And are you the resident of this fine house, Pippa?”

“No, I am,” Rhona said quietly, “who are you?”

“Gentlemen with a trade and a skill,” Mister Small said, “and today, we are practising that trade and skill here. Before we do so, however, I regret to say that you and Pippa need to be kept where we know you will remain. May I enquire as to your name?”

“Rhona – oh no, the girls…”

“We can discuss who else is in the house once we have you both appropriately secured,” Mister Tall said with a smile. “For now, may I impose on you both to kneel in front of that fine couch, and to put your hands on your heads?”

“Why would we do that,” Pippa asked quietly.

“Because,” Mister Small said as he released Rhona, and put the bag down, removing two lengths of cord from it, “with regret, we are going to have to secure you in such a way you do not raise the alarm or prevent us as we go about our work.”

The two sisters looked at each other, before Rhona said “we don’t have a choice, do we?”

“No I am afraid you do not,” Mister Tall said as Pippa stood up, and then the two women knelt side by side, looking at each other as the two masked men took a length of cord each, crossed their wrists behind their backs, and started to bind their wrists together.

“I know it feels tight,” Mister Tall said quietly, “but if it is not tight, it will do you more harm in the long run.”

“That seems a contradiction in terms,” Pippa said as she felt the rope being passed between her arms, tightening it still further.

“Like much in life, it is a contradiction that holds true,” Mister Small said as both men tied the ropes off, and tucked the loose ends into the binding. They then took two longer lengths of rope from the bag, and doubled them over, before passing them round their bodies, pulling their arms into their sides as the rope went above and below their chests, framing their upper bodies as their arms were forced more and more into their sides.

“Would it sound strange if I said this was exciting,” Rhona said as she felt the bands rubbing on her chest, her black jacket popping open.

“Yes it would,” Pippa grunted, “But, given your recent experiences…”

“Ah – does this mean you have had other visitors recently?”

“No,” Rhona said as she felt Mister Tall pass a length of rope under her arms, and tighten the two bands together, “more a philandering husband I kicked out.”

“Ah – hence the wish to look and feel younger. I can understand,” Mister Tall said as he tied the cinching ropes off, and helped Rhona to sit on the couch, Pippa joining her. “Now, will you both please cross your ankles, and rest your feet on the coffee table.”

“Mum – Peggy and I are going to go out for a while,” they then heard a younger woman call down.

“Ah – regretfully we cannot allow that. Mister Small, would you ensure the two ladies upstairs remain in that room?”

“Of course Mister Tall,” the smaller of the two men said as he handed Mister Tall four lengths of rope, and then took the bag with him as he headed up the stairs.

“Now then,” Mister Tall said with a smile as they wriggled round, “who will be first?”

“Ready,” Xandra said as she slipped on her leather jacket, in the same colour as her boots.

“Just about,” Peggy said as she adjusted her own Denim bolero jacket, “let’s hit the shops and ohmygodwhoareyou?”

“Good afternoon ladies,” the masked man said as he stood in the doorway. He was barely five foot seven tall, dressed in black literally from the balaclava over his head to his sneakers, a holdall in one hand and a knife in the other, “My name is Mister Small, and as we speak my friend Mister Tall is talking to… Well, I presume your mothers in the front room. I regret to say, whatever your plans were have just been cancelled, as you will be remaining in this room for the foreseeable future.”

“Oh my god – are you robbing us,” Xandra said quietly.

“Well – yes we are, and so with deep regret, I must ensure you stay in this room. Would you both kindly hand me your mobile phones, and then remove your coats, laying them carefully on the bed.”

“Our mums are downstairs – we don’t have a choice,” Peggy said quietly as she slipped her jacket back off, and looked in her handbag, handing her phone to the masked man as she looked at Xandra. The other girl nodded as she put her hand into the pocket of her jacket, removing and handing over the phone before she took her jacket off and laid it on top of Peggy’s.

“Excellent – now, I would ask you both to sit on the bed, put your hands on your head, and cross your ankles.”

“Why?” Mister Small just smiled and waved with his hand, the two young women looking at each other before they sat and crossed their ankles, watching as he knelt down, took a length of cord from the bag, and started to bind Xandra’s ankles tightly together, the cord going around and between her legs as she watched.

“Why are you binding our ankles first,” Peggy asked as Mister Small tied the knots off, tucked the ends in, and then took a second longer length of cord, using it to secure her cousin’s ankles together below her knees.

“Why, isn’t it obvious? To stop you running off,” Mister Small replied with a smile as he moved over, and began to bind Peggy’s ankles.

“Gotta admit, he has a point,” Xandra said as she tried to move her legs, the leather squeaking as her boots rubbed together. Peggy nodded as she felt her own legs been secured together, the rope sitting above her boots and over her tights as she watched.

“I understand your father has just been kicked out by your mother,” Mister Small said as he tied the rope between Peggy’s legs, before standing up and looking at Xandra. “That must have been a shock.”

“Not really,” Xandra said as Peggy twisted her legs round, “but Peggy here has boyfriend problems as well.”

“Ah – nothing too serious I hope?”

“He wants me to talk dirty to him,” Peggy said quietly, “I wonder how he would react if he saw me now.”

“A moot point – now girls, sit back to back on the floor, and bend your legs…”

“That is tight,” Pippa said as Mister Tall tied the rope around her legs below her knees, the rope rubbing on the burgundy leather as he pulled the rope tight around and between her legs.

“But kinda exciting,” Rhona said as she looked at her own bound legs, twisting them round as the leather squeaked as well. “I think I finally have some excitement in my life!”

Pippa looked at her sister, and shook her head as Mister tall stood up. “Now then, Rhona,” he said with a smile, “it will save a lot of unnecessary mess if you tell me where your valuables are.”

“I can imagine it would,” Rhona said as she twisted round, “there is a safe in the back room, but I will not tell you the combination?”

“Oh I think you will,” Mister Tall said quietly, “because if not, Mister Small may have to use a small charge to blow the door open, and who knows what might happen after that?”

“He’s got a point,” Pippa said, Rhona nodding as she said “very well,” and gave a combination.

“Excellent – and now, with deep regret, it will be necessary to keep you both silent.”

“And how do you propose to do that,” Pippa said as she looked over, and then saw Mister Tall fold a white cloth into a pad. “Ah – stupid question really.”

“Kind of, yes – open your mouth please.” As she did so, Pippa felt the soft silk touch as the cloth was pushed into her mouth, and then heard a squelchy sound as Mister Tall tore a long strip from a wide roll of white tape, and then pressed it firmly onto her mouth, using his gloved fingers to form the tape to the contours of her lips and chin.

“How does it feel,” Rhona said as she looked at her sister.

“Vreeddfrnt,” Pippa mumbled, Rhona seeing her lips moving under the tape as Mister Tall folded a second cloth, Opening her mouth, she calmed herself as the cloth was pushed in, and then a length of tape firmly pressed over her own mouth as well.

“Please, remain where you are,” Mister Tall said with a smile as he collected the coffee mugs, the two women looking at each other as they wondered where their daughters were…

“There – how does that feel?”

“Different,” Xandra said as she tried to twist her wrists round, but the rope holding them firmly together as well as to the rope that held her legs together below her knees. Her ankles were also crossed and secured together with rope.

“Hey – careful when you do that,” she heard Peggy say, and smiled. For a moment, she had forgotten they had linked arms on each side before the masked intruder had tied her cousin’s wrists together and then down to her own leg binding.

“Live with it Cuz,” she said as she tried to look round, and then gasped as Mister Small wrapped some rope around both of them, securing them together above and below their chests as the ropes framed their breasts.

“Now this is different,” she heard Peggy say, “we are not going anywhere, are we?”

“No I don’t think we are,” Xandra said as the ropes were pulled tighter, and she felt them rubbing on her chest. “So what now – you rob us?”

“Well – yes,” Mister Small said as he took from the bag a velvet bag, and started to search through the drawers, finding and placing jewellery into the inside.

“You know, for a masked home invader, you’re kind of cute,” she heard Peggy say, and then her gasp as she wriggled round again.

“I thank you for the compliment,” he said with a smile as he looked to the door, Xandra smiling as a taller masked man came in. “Mister Tall, may I present Xandra and Peggy, the daughters of the two ladies downstairs.”

“Ladies,” he said with a smile, “I am afraid the time has come to be quiet. Would you kindly open your mouths as wide as possible?”

“Whyhhhegtttnw,” Xandra heard Peggy say, and then she saw the folded cloth in front of her own mouth. Swallowing, she allowed the tall masked man to push it in and behind her teeth, her lips closing over it as she watched him tear a wide strip of white tape from a roll, and press it firmly over her lips, forming a seal as she heard the tearing sound again, before Peggy whimpered behind her.

“There now – Mister Small if you would check the other bedrooms?”

“Of course Mister Tall,” his partner said as he left the room.

“Now – your mothers are downstairs, just as tightly bound and gagged as you, but unharmed. Stay here, do not struggle, do not try to escape, and you’ll be just fine. I’m sure help will turn up in due course.”

“Hwnnubshr,” Xandra heard herself mumble.

“Because we will arrange help on your behalf – once we have a chance to get a suitable distance away. On that you have my word.”

“Dwwwtrsthm,” she said, and she heard Peggy mumble in agreement as Mister Small returned.

“All done?”

“All done – forgive us ladies, but the Gentlemen Robbers bid you adieu – may we never meet again.”

They watched as the two men left, and walked down the stairs…

“Well, we are finished here now,” Mister Tall said as he looked at Rhona and Pippa, struggling in their bonds on the chair, “the Gentlemen Robbers bid you adieu – may we never meet again.”

“Ehhpssttuuu,” Rhona said as the two men left, then looking at her sister.

“Wll, whhttdwwudnnnw?”

“Dnntskmm,” Pippa said as she twisted round, feeling the saliva as it was soaked up by the scarf in her mouth, “whtbbtthgrls?”

Rhona nodded, and then slid onto the floor, her sister watching as she bent her legs and pushed herself along the carpet, her skirt riding up as she did so. Taking some deep breaths, she slid herself off and followed her as they pushed themselves out of the room, along the hallway and to the bottom of the stairs.

“Urrkdddnrht?”

Rhona shook her head as she pushed herself onto the bottom stair, and managed to get her feet side by side, using them to push herself up one step at a time. Pippa twisted her legs round, the leather squeaking until her ankles were uncrossed, and then followed her sister up, step by painful step.

As she reached the top, she saw Rhona waiting for her, and heard the muffled sounds from Xandra’s bedroom. She could also see into the master bedroom, and the opened and empty drawers there.

Rhona indicated with her head as she started to push herself along the corridor, Peggy following until they reached the open door of Xandra’s room. She looked in at the two cousins, bound back to back as they turned and looked at her.

Peggy looked in as well, the two girls nodding to show they were all right. The doorbell rang, and then the door opened as they heard a man say “Locksmith – you wanted the front locks changed… What the hell…”

His jaw dropped as he saw Rhona at the top of the stairs, wriggling in the ropes as she mumbled “Hllppssss…”

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