What If – Dennis

What if… A certain young blonde haired mischief maker is at home, when two erudite gentlemen call on his mother and aunt? Let us find out…

“Hello Aunt Betty,” Dennis Mitchell said as he opened the door to his house. The ten year old was wearing his favourite clothes – a blue and black striped t-shirt under a pair of red dungaree shorts, with brown shoes on his feet.

“Hello Dennis,” the dark haired woman said, “is your mother at home?”

“Come through,” Alice Mitchell called from the kitchen, “did they come with you?”

“They did,” Betty said as she stood to the side, and two blonde haired sixteen year old girls came in, smiling as they looked at the young boy. One had her hair swept to the left, and was wearing a green zipped top, a black and orange checked skirt, orange knee length socks and green shoes. The other girl was like a mirror image, her hair swept to the right, her clothes identical but in alternating colours to her twin.

“Anna, Paula,” Alice said as she came out, “thanks you for agreeing and coming to keep an eye on Dennis while I talk to Betty. He’s grounded again after he tried to dig up Mister Wilson’s flowers again.”

“I told you, that was RUFF!” Dennis looked at the twins, and then smiled as he said “all right, we can play upstairs.”

“Go on through, Betty, I’ll bring some coffee,” Alice said as she went back to the kitchen. Dennis’ mother was wearing a long black skirt and a pink short sleeved blouse, a black silk scarf tied under the collar and tucked into the front of her blouse. Betty was wearing a light blue sleeveless dress with a white dove pattern on it -like her sister in law, the edge of her white petticoat peeped out from the skirt hem.

“So what exactly did my nephew get up to,” Betty said as Alice carried in a tray and set it carefully down on the coffee table, then sat next to her with her ankles together.

“Well…”

“So what do you want to play,” Anna said as they looked at Dennis. She was the one wearing the green top, as Dennis looked at them.

“I know a game we can play,” Dennis said with a smile, “we can play robbers. I have a pen pal in England who plays this game with his mother as well.”

“Robbers – so who is the robber,” Paula said as she sat on the bed.

“So glad you asked,” Dennis said as he opened a toy box, and took out a water pistol which he pointed at the two girls. “The thing is, are you going to do what the robber tells you to do?”

The twins looked at each other, before Anna said “don’t shoot us, Mister Robber, we won’t stop you.”

“No, we’ll do whatever you say,” Paula said as well, trying not to laugh.

“Good – you,” he said as he looked at Anna, “look in that box there. You’ll find two ropes.”

Anna slowly nodded as she opened the toy box, and took out the two ropes.

“Good – give one to the other lady, then both of you sit down – and tie your ankles together, before you put your hands on your heads.”

“Dennis…”

“You said you would do whatever the robber tells you,” Dennis said with a smile. The twins looked at each other, before Paula took the second rope and they both sat down.

“So that’s why he is grounded,” Alice said as she sipped from her coffee cup, and then watched Betty as she slowly shook her head.

“Oh that is too funny,” she said as she looked at the door of the room – and Alice noticed she was still looking there, as she turned her head.

“Good morning, ladies,” the taller of the two men said, “I must ask you not to do anything to raise the alarm – neither of us has any desire to hurt you, but be assured, if we have to, we will.”

Alice stood up and looked at the two men. They were identically dressed – black roll neck sweaters under black blazers, pressed trousers, highly shined black shoes, black leather gloves on their hands – and masks pulled over their heads, so that only their eyes and lips were visible.

The thing that really struck her, however, was the disparity in height – the one who had spoken, and was holding a gun pointed at the two women, was a good foot taller than the second man, who was carrying a kit bag.

“Who… Who are you,” she finally said.

“Of course, introductions are in order – you may call me Mister Tall, and this is my partner Mister Small. To be frank, Mrs Mitchell, we are here to rob you – and we hope you will cooperate fully with us, in return for which, you have my personal guarantee you will not be harmed, beyond the necessity to restrain and silence you. This lady is…”

“Betty, my sister in law,” Alice whispered, “oh my god, Dennis, the girls…”

“There are other people in the house? Then ~I recommend your silence – both of you – and if they come into the room, we will deal with that situation then. Mister Small, would you kindly hand me two lengths of rope, and then ensure the telephone is disconnected.”

“Of course, Mister Tall,” the smaller man said as he put the bag down and opened it, taking out two lengths of brown rope and handing them to his partner before he left the room. Mister Tall nodded as he said “may I ask you both to turn and face each other, and then I can ensure your hands stay behind your back.”

“We’ll do what you say,” Betty said quietly, Alice nodding as she sat facing Betty, then saw the gun as Mister Tall put it down, then guided her hands behind her back. She felt the rope rubbing on her wrists as the masked man crossed them, and then secured them together, the rope going around and between her limbs so that they were held firmly in place.

“Does it hurt,” Betty said quietly as Mister Tall stood up and walked behind her.

“No,” Alice said quietly, “but it feels strange…”

“Dennis, let us go this instant,” Paula said as she twisted round, then looked at her sister. Anna was sitting next to her, her ankles tied together with the rope, as she wriggled her fingers – but Dennis had made sure her wrists were tied together behind her back with more rope, so that as he stood up both she and her twin sister were his captives.

“There we go,” he said with a smirk. “Now all I need to do is to make sure you both stay quiet, and I can go about my work.”

“Stay quiet – howdhhuhhhnn…” Anna was taken by surprise as Dennis pushed a sports sock into her mouth, the edges sticking out from between her lips as she watched Dennis silence her sister in the same way.

“Right – now I can get some peace,” the young boy said as he pulled a pile of comic books out, watching his captives as they twisted round…

“This is – tight,” Betty said quietly as Mister Tall wound the rope round her upper body, forcing her arms against her sides as the bands framed her chest, the ropes rubbing on her bare arms.

“It is,” Mister Tall said quietly as he passed the rope round again, “but it needs to be, to minimize the risk of you hurting yourself. I trust you are becoming more comfortable, Mrs Mitchell.”

“I’m not sure,” Alice said as she wriggled round, her blouse stretched over her chest by the bands of rope above and below, and then by the smaller lengths that sat between her arms and body, drawing the two bands together.

Mister Tall tied off the rope behind Betty, and then used two smaller lengths to do the same to her chest bindings, making them even tighter as he pulled them together. He then retrieved more rope from the bag, kneeling down and crossing Alice’s ankles before he started to bind them together.

“I managed to open the safe,” Mister Small said as he came back in, “my thanks for providing the combination, Mrs Mitchell.”

“I did not have a choice, did I,” Alice said quietly as she watched the rope going between her legs, “I’m just worried about the girls and Dennis.”

“It is a fair point,” Mister Tall said as he took three more lengths of rope form the bag, and then looked at his partner. “Mister Small, would you please find the children, and make sure they cannot raise the alarm as well.”

“But they’re just children…”

“I share your concern, Mrs Mitchell,” Mister Tall said as he wrapped the doubled over rope round her legs below her knees, trapping her skirt against her limbs, “but be assured, we will be as gentle with them as we are with you.”

She nodded as the two women watched Mister Small pick up the bag, and walk up the stairs. As he checked rooms, he found nothing, until he stopped outside a door that had “KEEP OUT” on a sign. He could also hear voices behind the door, but he was surprised as he opened it and heard Anna say “DHNNHSMHSHHLLWHLLUH… hnh…”

He took a moment to take in the scene – the blonde haired girls sitting on the floor, their hands behind their back, their ankles tied together, the socks in their mouths turning grey. There was also a ten year old boy sitting on the bed, looking at him as he said “wow – are you a real robber?”

“I am indeed – my name is Mister Small,” he said as he closed the door, “and you are?”

“Dennis – where’s my mum and aunt?”

“With my friend -so, have I interrupted a game of robbers?”

“Hmhddhsdhths,” Paula said as she twisted round.

“Well, here is the problem, ladies,” Mister Small said as he looked at them. “I am afraid as a robber; I need to make sure you cannot raise the alarm.

“any of you. So, if you will be patient for just a little while, and turn to face the bed, I think I can provide a little revenge before I make sure you are really secure.”

The two girls looked at each other and then pushed themselves round as Mister Small put the bag on the bed, opened it and took out more rope as Dennis stared at it.

“Uh oh…”

“If you are going to take a lady hostage,” Mister Small said with a smile, “you need to be able to take it as well. So, young man, I need you to stand up, and put your hands behind your back.”

Dennis knew he had to do as he had been told, Anna and Paula looking at each other, trying not to laugh as Mister Small crossed the young man’s wrists behind his back and secured them together, then started to force his arms against his sides with a longer length of rope.

“this feels funny,” Dennis said quietly. “When I play Cowboys and Indians with Tommy and Joey, it does not feel like this.”

“I know – but reality can be so much more exciting,” Mister Small said as he tied the ropes off. “Now, sit on the bed, and I’ll secure your legs – and then I will make sure these two fine young ladies are properly secured and silenced.

“Just like you.” Dennis looked at Anna and Paula, seeing their lips break into a smile over the grey cotton…

“Are you all right, Betty,” Alice said as she looked at her sister in law.

“Define all right,” Betty said as she twisted round, the ropes round her ankles and her legs below her knees holding them tightly together, the skirt of her dress flaring out under the upper band. “But I’m not afraid, if that is what you mean – and they have not really harmed us.”

“But Dennis, the girls…”

“Will be just as comfortable secure and quiet as both of you,” Mister Tall said as he folded a clean white cloth. Two white scarves were over the back of the couch the ladies were sitting on, folded into wide bands as he looked at Alice. “Speaking of quiet, it is time for both of you ladies to be. I require you to open your mouth Mrs Mitchell -the sloth will feel strange at first, but you will soon get used to it.”

“I guess so,” Alice said quietly before she opened her mouth, feeling the cotton on her tongue as he pushed the cloth in and then closing her lips over it before he picked up one of the folded bands. The scarf was pulled over her lips, covering her mouth as the masked man secured the ends at the base of her neck, under her blonde hair.

“Satisfied, ladies?”

Anna and Paula looked at each other and nodded as they squirmed round. Bands of rope now held their arms to their sides, stretching their tops as they did so, while another band held their legs together below their knees. Mister Small has also eased the wet socks fully into their mouths, before tying white scarves round their heads to act as a further gag.

“Good – then I shall leave you to enjoy the sight,” he said with a smile as he left the room, both girls looking at Dennis as he lay on his bed, his cheeks red under the white scarf that was also tied tightly round his head. His cheeks were also puffed out - an effect of the pair of socks that the masked man had pushed into his own mouth, before he had pulled his bound ankles back and secured them to the ropes holding his arms to his sides. A final band of rope held his legs together below his knees, as he groaned.

Under their own gag, the girls smiled – revenge was so sweet.

Mister Small went to the master bedroom, finding jewellery and placing it in a bag before he walked down the stairs.

“Ah – the younger generation?”

“The young ladies are enjoying a measure of satisfaction at the expense of the young man,” Mister Small said as Alice lay on her side, squirming in the ropes. Betty was in an armchair, twisting round as the ropes held firm.

“Whtdhdhdh,” Alice said as she looked up.

“Oh, played a game,” Mister Small said as he picked up the tray, and carried the dirty cups and pot to the kitchen.

“Whttsshdhhhn,” Betty said as she looked at Mister Tall.

“Washing up,” Mister Tall said with a smile as his partner came back in. Picking up the bag, he smiled as he said “The Gentlemen Robbers bid you both adieu – may we never meet again.”

Both women watched as they walked out of the room, and the house, before they started to try and twist free. IT was no use, however, as they both started to fall asleep.

“Mrs Mitchell?”

Alice opened her eyes to see a twelve year old red haired girl standing there with her mother, wearing a pink puff sleeved blouse, a black skirt and black shoes. Her mother was holding her hand, her eyes wide open as she said “what happened, Alice?”

“Rhbbhd – chtthsfhrrr,” Alice said as she and Betty twisted round.

“Where’s Dennis, Mrs Mitchell?”

“Hpshtrrss,” Alice mumbled as Margaret ran up the staircase, before they all hear her laugh…

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