Stories of Tie Up Games

When Barbara and Tom selected to visit the Barnes family and offer them the chance to help support them, they had no idea as to what was going to happen – but they had learned to come prepared, and prepared they had come – although it did require some improvisation, and searching to replenish supplies for the end game.

The home was a large farmhouse outside of a major city – so they borrowed a car and drove to within a mile of the home, parking on a quiet lane and walking the last mile together. It was a cold day, and nobody paid much attention to the young couple, black woollen hats on their heads as they approached the farmhouse. The young man was wearing a black jacket over a sweater, dark trousers and walking boots, while the young woman was wearing a black leather jacket and a tight sweater, with leggings tucked into high black fabric boots. They were carrying a large rucksack on their backs – but nobody noticed the black eye masks covering the dark makeup around their eyes.

They walked up the short drive to the farmhouse and looked at each other, before they knocked on the front door…

“Can you see who that is please,” Carol Branes called out from the kitchen as her twelve-year-old son Donald came out of the front room. Donald was wearing a blue striped top over a t-shirt, jeans and brown shoes, his dark brown hair cut short.

“Sure Mum,” he called back opened the front door- and then stepped ack as the young couple walked in, the man closing the door behind them as the masked woman squatted down and looked at him.

“Hello Donald,” she said quietly, “you can call me Beauty, and this my friend The Best. Where are you mother and sister?”

“Mum’s in the kitchen,” he whispered, “and Joan is upstairs. Why do you look like this?”

“Well, why don’t we come into the front room, and wait for your Mum to come in…”



“So who was it,” Carol said as she walked in – and then saw the masked couple and Donald sitting on the couch, his hands behind his back, thin white rope holding his ankles together, and a white cloth sticking out from between his lips. She was wearing a grey cardigan over a black top, dark blue jeans and black ankle boots.

“Hello, Carol,” the man said with a smile, “I am The Best, and this is Beauty. We’re here to ask you to assist us in our quest, and to do so, we wanted you to know your son and daughter are going to be the way to make sure you do what we say. Beauty, would you go and invite Joan to join us please?”

“Of course, Best,” the masked blonde said as she walked out of the room, Best taking a length of white cord from a bag and saying “please come and stand here, and I will explain what is going to happen…”

As she walked up the staircase, a length of cord and a white cloth in her gloved hands, Beauty could hear music coming from one of the bedrooms. She smiled as she put her gloved hand on the door and slowly turned the handle so that she could see in the bedroom.

A young girl was sitting at the table, her long light brown hair falling down her back and over the red woollen dress she was wearing. The dress had long sleeves, and came down to her knees, a pair of black felt boots on her lower limbs. She was writing on a sheet of paper, her feet kicking to and for under her chair as Beauty quietly closed the door and said, “hello Joan.”

The young girl turned and stared at Beauty, as she said, “my name is Beauty – and I need you to come downstairs and join your brother and your mother.”

“What… What’s going on?”

“Well – my friend and I are robbing your mother is what is happening, and we need to make sure you come and stay downstairs while we do that. So I need you to stand up and put your hands behind your back?”

“Why?” Joan saw Beauty hold up the rope as she said “because I am going to tie your wrists together behind your back, and then make sure you stay quiet for a while with Donald. Will you please come and stand over here?”

Joan slowly stood up and walked over, turning and biting her lower lip as the masked woman took her hands behind her back. The rope rubbed on her bare wrists as they were secured together, and then she was turned round as Beauty said, “open wide.”

“Why? Oh.” As Joan opened her mouth, Beauty pushed the folded cloth into her mouth and said “keep that in there for now” as she took the young girl by the arm and walked her down to the main room.

“Mhhhmmm?”

“Sit next to Donald, Joan,” Carol said as she watched her daughter sit next to her brother, the two of them looking at each other as Best knelt down and tied the young girl’s ankles together.

“Now,” Beauty said, “Best will stay with them while I take you round the house, and…”

They then heard the front door open and close, and a female voice call out “hey Sis – you in the front room?”

“Not a word,” Best said quietly as he stood by the door, Beauty standing with Carol as the children saw the gun she was holding now. There was the sound of footsteps, and then a blonde-haired woman walked in, wearing a red jumper with a grey Orleans Cross on the front over a white blouse, and faded jeans which were tucked into a pair of knee length brown leather boots.

“Claire,” Carol said quietly as the new arrival stared at the scene, “don’t say a word, just nod – are the girls with you?” As the new arrival nodded, Carol swallowed and said, “all of them?” As she nodded again, Beauty said “will you do the honours?”

“This – this is my sister Claire, and she just told em her three daughters are here as well.”

“I see – Claire, invite the girls to come in as well – and remember, we are armed, and we have the family as captives.” The new arrival nodded as she drew out her mobile phone, sending a message before Best took it from her hand, and took her arm, the pressure of a second gun pressed against her back.

All of them watched as three girls came in. They stopped in the door as Beauty said, “will you introduce us, Claire?”

“Martha, Margaret, Mary,” Claire said quietly, “we have walked into a robbery it seems. They have guns, do what they say, all right?” Martha was the oldest, a fifteen-year-old girl with a white hairband holding back her hair and wearing a blue chintz top with faded jeans also tucked into brown leather boots. Margaret was eleven years old, also wearing faded jeans tucked into brown leather boots, but she had a taupe long sleeved top on. Mary was a year younger and was wearing a purple long sleeved floral top and white jeans – but like her mother and sisters, she was also wearing high brown leather boots.

“Mum,” she whispered as she held Claire’s hand, “what’s going on?”

Beauty looked at her and said “well, you are going to have to stay in one place for a little while as a family – we have business to conduct here with your aunt.”

“Why? What right do you have to tie up my niece and nephew, my sister, and threaten us?”

“The one right – desperation,” Best said quietly as he guided Claire’s hands behind her back, Mary watching used thin white cords to secure her mother’s wrists together behind her back. He then took her own wrists behind her as Beauty said, “so you will sit in here, nice and quietly, until we have done what we have to do.”

The three girls looked at their mother, and at each other, as their wrists were secured before they were helped to sit against the far wall of the room, watching as Best knelt down and bound their ankles tightly together, and then ran ropes between each of them so that their ankles were secured in a line.

“Open wide,” Best then said as one by one they had a cloth stuffed into their mouths, the four of them looking at Donald and Joan as Carol said “I am truly sorry this has happened to you – just try and remain still and calm, and we can talk later.”

“Chhllhrrrhnnhhdthshshmhfhn…”

Best looked at Clare and said, “just sit quietly, don’t try to talk,” as he looked round the room. “Now, hopefully, these are all the guests that we have to deal with…” There was then a knock on the door, Beauty and Best exchanging a look before she took Carol by the arm and walked her to the door.

“Whoever it is, deal with them quickly and quietly,” she said as she untied Carol’s wrists, and then stood behind the door. Carol nodded as she opened the door and said “yes, can I help you?”

“I am really sorry to disturb you, but my car has broken down, and my girls really need to use the toilet. Would you let them do that and allow em to call for help? I don’t have a mobile phone and neither do their sisters.”

Carol glanced to the side and then said “of course -they can go to the downstairs toilet, it’s just down the corridor there, and the phone is in the hallway.”

“Thank you.” As Beauty watched, two teenage girls brought in two five-year-old girls and they walked towards the rear of the ground floor. She then saw an older woman with long blonde hair come in, wearing a black and white patterned dress and knee length black leather boots. As she came in, Carol closed the door and said, “I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

“It’s Betty.”

“Betty – I am really sorry,” Carol said as the new arrival saw Beauty standing there, pointing a gun at her as a gloved finger was on her lips. She indicated the doorway, Best looking out and beckoning as Betty slowly made her way into the room.

A few minutes later, Beauty and Carol watched as one of the pairs of sisters came out of the toilet. The older girl looked to be about sixteen, and was wearing a white scoop necked top, and jeans with brown desert boots. The younger girl was about five years old, a green hairband holding back her long light brown hair, and was wearing a long-sleeved purple top, black leggings and mid-calf black leather boots. They stared at Beauty as the younger girl said, “where’s mummy?”

“Your mother is waiting for you in that room,” Carol said quietly, “but I need to tell you girls that you will not be going for some time. I’m afraid you have walked into a robbery – so be brave and go into the room please.”

As they walked in, the second pair of girls came out. The older girl was wearing a black top, Jeans and dark brown cowboy boots, while the younger girl was wearing a long-sleeved green top, black leggings and short boots. They looked at Beauty and then walked into the room where their sisters were sitting on the floor, a masked man using a ball of twine to secure their wrists and ankles together and to each other.

“Mae, Hazel, what’s going on,” the older girl said. “Look at us, Holly,” Hazel said as she wriggled her black boots “we’re being tied up.”

“Mo,” Betty said as she looked over, her hands behind her back and her ankles tied together, “it seems we have walked into a robbery. Just do what they say, all right?”

The other two nodded as Beauty said, “sit down next to your sisters – we’ll make this an experience for all of you, a good one – if you so as we say, isn’t that right Carol?”

Carol nodded as she looked round the room, while Best made sure the other two girls were secured – and then as he stood up, he said “well, this is busier than we thought it would be. Promise not to call for help?”

The four girls nodded as he said “okay – we’re trusting you,” and motioned for Beauty to leave the room with him. He then whispered “Barbara, this is far more than we had planned for. Any thoughts?”

“We can’t just let them go, not now,” Barbara said quietly, “search the house, see if you can find more ropes and things. I’ll keep an eye on them, and then you can take Susan for a walk.”

Tom nodded headed to the rear of the house, Beauty sighing as she walked in and said “well, you get to make new friends today, everyone – especially you Donald.”

Donald was blushing as he looked round the room, the cloth soaking in his mouth. He looked over and said “hmfhhrhshth.” As Beauty looked at the other children, she said “do you all want a drink?” As they nodded, Carol said “int he kitchen – I have some cartons.”

“Don’t move,” she said as she left the room, Carol looking over as she said “betty, I am so sorry you and the girls have got caught up in this.”

“Who are they,” Betty asked quietly as she looked at her daughters on the floor.

“She’s called Beauty, he’s called the Best – and we’re all their hostages until we can get free – whenever that is.”

“So, this is a genuine robbery?”

Claire and Carol both nodded as Beauty brought some cartons in, put a straw in one and then pulled the cloth from Donald’s mouth, before letting him take a drink. When he was done, he said “thank you.”

“If you promise not to scream for help, I’ll leave the cloth out.” As Donald nodded, he looked at his mother, who smiled as Beauty moved on to his sister.



A few minutes later, Best came in and untied Caorl’s ankles before he helped her to stand up and walked her out of the room. As they walked up the stairs, Carol said “so just how worried are you?”

“About what?”

“About having to keep so many people captive.”

“We are not worried,” Best said quietly, “we deal with the situation we find as well as we can. I have found additional material for later – the real question, you need to ask is, do you have enough in your kitchen so everyone can get something to eat before we leave?”

“I’m sorry?” Carol looked at Best as he said, “we’re not sure when we will leave, but when we do, we have to be sure you and nobody else can raise the alarm – and the children will be hungry.”

“What, you care about how the kids feel?”

“Of course we do – we know how it feels to be scared and not sure what is happening, so we tell them what will happen – and we take what we need to survive, in the hopes they never have to face what we do every day.

“Now, where do you keep your jewellery…”



“Thank you,” Mary said as Beauty took the carton away, and then smiled as Best brought Carol back down.

“Beauty, would you take the three ladies into the kitchen, and supervise them while they put some food together,” he said.

“Of course,” the masked woman said as she untied Clare and Betty’s ankles, walking the three women into the kitchen at gunpoint as Best said, “so let’s watch some television.”

As Clare pulled the cloth from her mouth, she coughed and said, “you’re asking us to cook for them?”

“Of course – I’m here to make sure you do nothing that might make me or Best think we have to be – harder.”

“My husband will be wondering where I am,” Betty said. Beauty smiled as she handed over Betty’s handbag and said, “call him, tell him you have decided to go out as a family for the night – and then give em your phone.”

“Give me a hand,” Carols aid as she looked at Clare, “and then we can find out what they are planning to…”

As the doorbell rang, Beauty put a finger to her lips and pointed a gun at the three women, listening as the door opened and a new voice said “I’m sorry Carol, but…”

“Please, all of you, come in. Keep your hands where I can see them – you can walk down to the kitchen and remember – your children are with me.”

“Who is it,” Betty said as she looked at Carol.

“Believe it or not, my neighbour from the next farm over,” Carol said as an older woman walked in, wearing a grey top with a long grey skirt, and brown suede boots. She looked at Caorl, and then at Beauty as she said, “oh my god – you’re being robbed?”

“Yeah Bethany,” Carol said with a sigh, “problem at the farm?”

“John’s not back until later, and I forgot my keys, so I hoped we could stay here until he came home – guess I’m staying a real while.”

“A fair assumption,” Beauty said with a smile, “so why don’t you help the ladies prepare some food…”



The four women watched as the children sat round the large table. At one end sat Donald with Joan, while Martha, Margaret and Mary sat along one side. Hazel, Mo., Mae and Holly sat along the other edge while three more children sat at the far end. Elizabeth was thirteen years old and was wearing a green wool dress and brown knee length suede boots. Eleven year old Debbie was wearing a blue cardigan over a blue top, a knee length corduroy light brown skirt, and mid-calf brown leather boots. Finally, eight-year-old Sam was wearing a blue woollen jumper aver a checked shirt, jeans and brown shoes.

“What’s going to happen Mum,” Debbie said as she picked up a chicken dipper.

“Well,” Behtany said as she looked at the masked couple, “I think they are going to make sure we can’t move or call for help - all of us, so don’t panic and don’t worry, all right?”

Debbie looked at his brother and sister and nodded as she said, “so when is this going to happen?”

“Later,” Beauty said with a smile, “for now, just enjoy the supper…”




As the plates were cleared away, Best pulled a chair back from the table and said “Well, we need to make a start on getting ready to leave. Bethany, please take a seat with your family.”

“What are you going to do with us,” Bethany said as she sat down, while Best brought over four coils of rope.

“Well, allow em to show you with your son first,” Best said with a smile, the others watching as he shook loose and doubled over the first coil of rope, and then passed it over Sam’s head. As Debbie and Elizabeth watched, Best pulled the rope tight round Sam’s waist, pushing him against the chair back before he took the rope up and tied it round his arms and the chair back. He then said “cross your wrists” before wrapping the rope around and between the young boy’s wrists, securing them together before he wound the rope round his legs and the chair seat, and then pulled his ankles back under the chair before they were secured together as well.

“Think you’re going to get up,” Best asked, Sam shaking his head as Beauty took a second coil and then began to bind Debbie to her chair in the same way. As Best picked up a third coil, he said to Bethany “Hands behind the chair back please – I really need to make sure you cannot get free.” Bethany nodded as he watched Beauty securing his daughter so their chairs, feeling the ropes as she was forced against the chair back, and then her wrists were secured together and to the chair back. As her ankles were bound and pulled back, Beauty picked up a clean tea towel and rolled it up, the others watching as she gagged Sam, his lips over the cloth roll, and then oved on the silence the other girls.

Best then gagged Bethany and said, “now don’t move,” as the others were escorted out of the room. Bethany looked over and said “dhnnttbhschhrhdd.”

The children nodded as they heard the others talking…



As they entered the main room, Beauty said “now it’s time to make sure you are secure and quiet,” looking at Betty and her daughters as they did so. As Betty put her arms round Mo and Mae, the masked woman said, “sit down on the couch, hands on your head,” to Holly and Hazel. The two teenagers sat down and watched as Best knelt down and used lengths of cord to secure their ankles together, and then their legs below their knees.

“Now then,” Beauty said as she looked at the younger twins, “you need to be really brave and do what I say. Can you both turn round an out your hands behind your back?” The girls looked at their mother, who nodded as they did what the masked woman said, feeling the rope as their wrists were tied together behind their backs, and then the rope take round their waists to keep them in place.

“All right,” Betty said, “I want you to go and sit on your sister’s lap.” The twins walked over Beauty helping Mo to sit on Holly’s lap and Mae on Hazel’s. They then felt the older girl’s arms round them as Beauty knelt down and tied their ankles together, as well as their legs below their knees. The older girls then hugged their younger sisters as Best bound their wrists together and then tied their wrists to the leg of the younger girls.

As this was done, Beauty secured Betty’s wrists together behind her back and then passed a longer rope round her upper body to secure her arms against their sides. She was then helped to sit in an armchair facing her daughters as Beauty secured her ankles and then her legs below her knees.
Best then took a roll of white tape and peeled lengths off, pressing them down over the mouths of the girls and then their mother as Carol said “I think we are being taken upstairs. Will you be all right?”

Betty nodded as Best turned on the television, and as an episode of Horrible Histories started the other two families were walked up the stairs.




As the door to the guest bedroom opened, Best indicated for the others come in, Beauty taking some rope from a bag and guiding Carol’s hands behind her back looked at Clare, Martha, Margaret and Mary.

“Now then,” he said with a smile, “sit on the bed and take your boots off, and then put them against the wall.”

The family looked at each other and then sat on the bed, unzipping and removing their boots before they stood up and placed them against the wall. As they did this, Best took the pillows from the bed and paid them on the floor, while Beauty indicated Caorl and her family should stand against the wall. She then put the bag down and took out some rolls of silver duct tape that Best had found.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, “now stand still and put your hands together behind your back.” Clare looked at the three girls and said “od as he says” as Best took one of the rolls of duct tape and then taped Clare’s wrists and hands together behind her back. He then went down the line, from Martha to Margaret to Mary and made sure their wrists and hands were secured together in the same way, before he wound bands of tape round their arms and body to keep them secured as well.

Clare looked down the line, the bands of tape round the upper arms and stomachs of the other three girls, before Beauty helped her to lie on her back on the floor, her head on one of the pillows, and used the second roll of tape to secure her ankles together, the hem of the jean legs sticking out under the silver band. She then taped her legs together, above and below her knees, as Martha lay down next to her, before she watched the masked woman secure her legs in the same way.

Best then tore a strip off his roll, and said to Clare “anything to say?”

“Be brave and keep still girls,” she said before her mouth was taped over, and then he moved along the line as all four members of the family were taped and tape gagged. They wriggled round, looking at each other before Best and Beauty led Carol and her children out of the room.

As they walked into the master bedroom, Beauty said “put your hands behind your back.” She then started to bind the wrists of Joan and Donald together, taking the rope round and between their arms as Donald bit his lower lip.

“Scared Donald?”

“No Mum,” Donald said as Best took Carol’s wrists together behind her back. “I just feel – different like this.” Carol looked at her son, and as Joan said, “oh yeah – how different?”

“We can talk later,” Carol said as the rope went round her arms and upper body, framing her chest as her arms were forced against her sides. Donald, watched, hoping she did not see his blushes before he heard Joan grunt, and turned to see Best was doing the same thing to her, the two bands securing her arms.

He barely felt the masked man doing the same thing to him before the ropes were tied off behind his back. He then stood with Jon and watched as Beauty helped their mother to lie on the centre of the bed, Best then securing her ankles and her legs below her knees, and then pressing white micropore tape over her mouth as Joan was helped by Best to lie on one side of her.

Donald could only watch as her legs were secured and her mouth covered in the same way, before he was helped to lie on the other side of his mother by Beauty. He tried not to move as he felt the rope on his own ankles and legs, and then the soft pull on the skin around his mouth as the rope was smoothed into place.

He felt his mother’s taped lips on his forehead as he looked at Beauty and Best, who said “we will check you,” and walked out of the room. Looking in the guest bedroom, they saw the four captives lying on the floor, looking at each other before they walked down the stairs.

Mo and Mae were asleep, their heads to the side and resting on the chests of their older sisters as Bethany said “whhrrhrhthhfhrs?”

“Secured and quiet,” Beauty said as Best walked into the dining room and checked the family from the next farm over, before he came back in.

“Tiem to go,” he said, Beauty nodding as she picked up the bag and they left ttrhe farmhouse…