That Was Then, This Is Now - Dark Night (M/F)

[KP Presents]

October 31st, 2024

“Why do we have to come to Grandma’s tonight, Mum,” Sabrina Court said as she looked out of the passenger window of the car. The eighteen-year-old was wearing a black leather jacket over a grey t-shirt, tight blue jeans and trainers her wavy brown hair falling over her shoulders.

“I’ll’’ explain when we get there,” Harriet Court said as she looked into the darkening gloom. She was in her mid-forties, with shorter light brown hair, and was wearing a black blazer over a crimson red knee length wool dress, as well as dark tights and knee length black leather boots.

“Yes, but tonight? I had plans…”

“I know,” Harriet said quietly as she turned to go along the tree lined driveway, “but I had forgotten you had turned eighteen – and that means there is something we both need to do with your grandmother tonight.”

“What?”

“It’ll be easier to show you what is going to happen – your father and grandfather will be there to help us.”

“I thought they had gone to the club?”

Harriet just nodded as she pulled up outside the large Georgian style house, both of them getting out and walking to the front door as it was opened by Harriet’s father. Oswald Moore was wearing a black jumper, pants and shoes, and Sabrina noticed the black cloth gloves he was wearing as well.

“There you are,” Emily Moore said as her husband closed the door. She was in her late sixties, her long grey hair falling over the shoulders of the black top she was wearing. The rest of her outfit consisted of black leather trousers, the legs tucked into a pair of tight black leather boots.

“Grandma,” Sabrina said, “what’s going on?”

“I know you had plans for tonight, ym dear,” Emily said, “but believe me, this is far more important. Come in both of you – we can have a drink.”

The three women walked into the drawing room, Emily pouring liquid from a decanter – deep and red as she handed one to her daughter and one to her granddaughter.

“What is this?” Sabrina asked as she took a sip.

“A very old vintage,” Emily said as she took a sip. “Sabrina, how have you felt today?”

“Today – well, truth to tell, I did feel a little lightheaded this morning, but I pushed through it. Why?”

“That will be anticipation – Sabrina, now you are of age, your mother and I need to introduce you to a family – well, a family tradition is the wrong word, more something the females of the family have to do together on this night.”

“I know you and Mum always go out on this night together,” Sabrina said as she saw her father come in, dressed in the same way as her grandfather and holding a canvas bag in his gloved hands. “So, what is going to happen?”

“First,” her father said as he opened the bag, “you need to be prepared. Robert?”

Sabrina’s eyes opened wide as her father opened the bag and took out two lengths of brown rope, handing one to Oswald and doubling over the second one before he stood behind his wife. “Just watch,” Harriet said to her, “and see that they are not harming me or your grandmother - then it will be your turn.”

“They’re – they’re tying you up?”

Both Emily and Harriet nodded as their husbands guided their wrists behind their back and then secured them tightly together with the rope. She saw them both sigh as the men worked – and she had to acknowledge a growing curiosity within herself about what might be happening.

She then watched as Oswald and her father drew out a longer rope and double It over, before they passed it round Emily and Harriet from behind and pulled it tight above their chests, and then around their arms so that they were locked against their sides. As the ropes were taken over their shoulders, fed under the chest band and crossed before they went back under the arms, Sabrina gasped slightly.

“It doesn’t look too bad, does it?”

Sabrina shook her head as she father took more ropes from the bag, and looked at her before saying “are you ready?”

“You’re not going to hurt me?”

“No,” he said as he smiled, “I am not. Put your hands behind your back.

Sabrina drained the glass and then moved her hands, biting her lower lip as the rope held her wrists tightly together behind her. As the rope went round her body, she looked at her mother and asked a one-word question.

“Why?”

“Why do this?” As she nodded, Harriet looked at Emily, and then said, “the three of us need to be kept in a locked, soundproofed room, because when the clock gets to none – well, we start to do something.”

“What? I mean, I guessed something was going to happen, but what?”

As the ropes were pulled tighter, Emily said “the adult women of our family have a genetic line that stretched back to – well, to Ancient Greece.”

“Really? But why do this?”

“To protect you and us,” her father said as he tied the ropes off behind her.”

“From whom?”

“Each other,” Harriet said, smiling as they were led out of the room, and down to the cellar of the house, where a long couch sat in the room. The three women sat down, watching as Oswald took rope from the bag and knelt down to bind Emily’s ankles tightly together, as well as her legs below her knees.

Her father secured her mother’s ankles and legs and then started to bind Sabrina as she let out a sigh.

“You can feel it, can’t you,” Harriet said as she twisted round, “that feeling of anticipation and pleasure?”

“I am – what does it mean Mum, Sabrina said as her father took the rope between her legs and tied it off.

Emily looked over and said “we have half an hour before we have to be ready. Let me tell you what happened when your father inducted your mother to what is going to happen…”


October 31st, 1998

“Why is Dad doing this to you Mum,” Harriet said as she watched Oswald securing Emily’s arms to her sides with the brown rope, both of them with their wrists already secured together behind their backs. She was wearing a brown cardigan over a white blouse, a light brown knee length pleated skirt, and a pair of black leather boots that came to just below her knees. Her mother was wearing a black jumper with allow round neckline over a cream-coloured blouse, as well as a matching skirt and boots.

“I know it sounds strange,” Emily said as her father walked over and took the glass from her daughter the red liquid still inside, before he took her hands behind her back and secured her wrists together, “but do you deny the excitement you feel?”

“What excitement?”

“Darling, I feel it as well – I have felt it ever since I as eighteen and your late grandmother inducted me to this as well.”

“Grandma? You mean she had this done to her as well?”

“All of us have down through the centuries,” Emily said as her husband then passed the longer rope round Harriet’s arms and upper body, smiling as she watched the way the ropes held her daughter secure.

“But why?”

“All will become clear in a little while,” Emily said as Oswald led them both to a pair of chairs that sat in the centre of the room. “Once I am finished, I will leave you here and see you again in the morning.”

“We’re going to be like this all night?”

Emily nodded as they both sat down, and Oswald knelt in front Harriet’s mother before starting to bind her ankles tightly together, and then her legs below her knees, that band of rope sitting on top of her boots. He then started secure Harriet as her eyes opened wide, the moonlight starting to come through the doors behind them.

“What… What is that?”

“It is beginning,” Emily said quietly. “Oswald, you need to make sure we are all safe.”

Her husband nodded as Emily opened her mouth and he pushed a folded white cloth in, then tightly tied a white scarf around her head, covering her lips as Harriet looked at her.

“Open your mouth - this is important,” her father said as Harriet allowed him to push the clean folded cloth into her mouth, and then to tie the scarf over her mouth as well. She was starting to shake as she heard her mother say “lhtthhphhnuhllbhfhn” as Oswald looked at them both – and then his eyes closed as he fell to the floor.

Emily and Harriet stared at the black clad and masked man who had crept up behind Oswald, as he said, “well now, at least I don’t need to take care of you both as well.”

As he turned round, Harriet looked at her mother as her eyes slowly turned black – but there seemed to be lights shining in there as well, as she heard a soft mumbling sound. A tuneful sound – and to her surprise, she realized it was her who was making it through the gag. What was more, her mother was joining in, as the man slowly turned and looked at them.

“What are you doing?” He felt the black eyes boring into him and heard the tune filling his mind – filling it with curiosity, desire. He slowly walked over and looked at Emily, and then slow pulled the gag down from over her mouth, looking at her as he did the same to Harriet, and then removed the cloths from their mouths.

The music was soft, soulful, a call to him that he wanted to answer, all other thoughts leaving his mind as he said, “what is your desire?”

“Gag us both again,” Emily sang as Harriet nodded, “and then lie down, sleep, wait for my husband to find you – and you will confess to all your sins.

“Won’t you?”

He slowly nodded as he pushed the cloths back into place, replaced the cloth gags, and then lay down, his eyes closing as Emily and Harriet looked at each other, before the music started to fill the room again…

As Oswald slowly opened his eyes, he stood up, rubbing the back of his head as he saw his wife and daughter, still securely bound, still gagged, but looking now like Greek goddesses as an aura of light covered them.

He then saw the man sleeping, a smile on his lips, and nodded as he left the room…


“Are you telling me,” Sabrina said, “we are descended from - Sirens?”

Her father looked at Oswald, who nodded as one by one he pushed the cloths int their mouths, and then covered their lips with white tape before the moonlight came through the cellar window. He stared at them as their eyes slowly turned black, and heard their muffled singing as Oswald guided him out of the room.

“They will be fine and enjoy the time,” he said quietly, “come – we will have a drink and talk…”