Stories of Tie Up Games

Alicia

“That, my dear Anne, was a delicious meal.”

“Almost as good as yours?”

“I didn’t say that,” Grandpa Bowden said with a smile, “but it was delicious.” It was the first Sunday after school had started again, and we were having lunch with Grandma and Grandpa Bowden – the first time they had visited us since we had found out the truth in Cardiff about them last year. It’s a long story, but essentially, they had pretended to eb divorced because Grandpa had infiltrated a gang as part of his work – and last summer, the last of that gang were arrested.

Since then, he had moved back to living with Grandma, in the small village near Cardiff, but they had come to visit Holderness this weekend and to see my other grandparents. Angela was back at University for her third year, so it was just the four of us there as well.

“Can I have some more juice, Mummy,” Andrew said as he sat in his booster seat. It was amazing just how much he had grown as well – he was now at a nursery and just as I was now at a sixth form college, soon he would be starting at school. For today, however, he was in a polo shirt and jeans, looking at Grandma and Grandpa.

“Can you give me a hand with the coffee, Angela” Mum said as she stood up, Grandma nodding as she did as well. Both of them were wearing grey jersey dresses, while Dad and Grandpa were in shirt and trousers.

And me? Well, I was in a pair of jeans with a blue smock top. And I was also suddenly aware of Grandpa looking at me, his head to one side.

“You know, Simon,” he said with a smile, “I do think there is a lot of Angela about her.”

“Well, there is – and hopefully most of the good stuff has come to the fore Robert,” Dad said as he looked at me as well.

“I know, I know,” I laughed.

“So – sixth form. How are you enjoying it?”

“It’s good – although I don’t see the girls all the time now, given we’re all doing different courses.”

“Naturally – but that just gives you all the more to talk about when you get together, no?”

“That’s also true – so how is it working for Colin’s dad?”

Grandpa had worked for the Fraud Office in London, but now he worked as a consultant for the Holderness police from Wales. Strange, I know, but he worked remotely.

“Well,” Grandpa said as he sat back, “it’s interesting, put it that way. But at my age, you take what you can get.”

“At least you have no plans to follow that line of work,” Dad said as he stood up. “Robert, you still okay to come with me and Andrew to the party this afternoon?”

“Sure – give three generations of Bowden ladies the chance to talk us down,” Dad said as he winked at me. Remember I said Andrew was at a nursery now? Well, one of his friends there was having a party at a soft play centre, and he was going.

And as if we would bad mouth them? That’s what we do at school…




“Have a good time,” Mum said as we waved Andrew off in the car. Going back into the house, Grandma smiled as she said “are you sure you would rather not be with Martin this afternoon, Alicia?”

“Moot point, Grandma – He’s with his parents at a recital today. He did say he’d pop by before you had to head off, however.”

“Well, that’s something,” Grandma said with a smile. “So, got any decent films to watch?”

“Well,” Mum said as she looked at me, “I wonder if Alicia here would let me and you watch a musical.

“In silence?”

Well, there was a challenge, so I said “okay – if that’s what you want. I do have to get an assignment finished today if possible.”

“Good – get what you need,” Mum said, “while we go and make sure we don’t need to go anywhere for a while.”

Well, I knew better than to argue with Mum – and Grandma nodded, so I went to find a bag of things while they prepared themselves. When I came into the front room, I said “I presume you don’t want the full works?”

“No – but make sure we can’t move,” Mum said as they both turned their backs to me and crossed their wrists behind their backs. I took two lengths of rope from the bag, and then bound their wrists together, before taking some rope round their waists to make sure their hands stayed there.

“What about your arms,” I said as I tied the rope off round Grandma.

“Go on – you may as well,” she said with a smile as I took a longer length out and wrapped it round her, forming a band above and one below her chest, and then cinched t between her arms and boy with two shorter lengths. After I did the same to Mum, they sat next to each other on the couch and watched as I bound their ankles, and then their legs below their knees.

“Okay then,” I said as I stood up and they squirmed round a little bit, “what blast from the past are you both going to watch today?”

“It’s in the player already,” Mum said, “so let us be quiet – and if you hear us sing along, just let us be.”

“Gotcha,” I said quietly, “open wide now.”

“Talk to you later, Anne,” Mum said before I gently pushed a folded scarf into their mouths, before covering them with the white tape. They both nodded as I turned on the player, and heard the dulcet tones of Antonio Banderas as I went to my room.

The assignment was on Sixties music, so I turned on my CD player and listened to the Dusty Springfield album I had picked up while I started typing on my laptop. I guess I really lost myself in it – because when this deep rich voice said “well, I have to admire your musical taste” it took me completely by surprise.

Believe me, that wasn’t the only surprise, as I turned to see who had spoken. She as a few inches taller than me, with long red hair that fell over the shoulders of her white blouse. The blouse was open at the top two buttons, while she had a red girdle round her waist, tight brown riding britches, and knee length burgundy leather boots. She also had short gloves in the same shade of leather – and a gun in her hand.

“Thanks, I think,” I said quietly. “Where are my mother and grandmother?”

“Oh I left them watching the film – you did a very good job on them, and I haven’t disturbed them,” she said as she smiled, “but I am afraid you are going to take a short break from your studies.”

Looking at her, I shrugged and said “not the first time it’s happened – so long as I can still listen to the music.”

“Now why should I be so cruel – please, sit on your bed, and put your hands behind your back.”

As if I could refuse? I did as she asked, feeling her sit behind me and then securing my wrists tightly together, before she tied more rope around my arms and body. Whoever she was, she was strong, and she knew what she was doing – right down to taking the rope between my arms and body to tighten the ropes.

She then knelt down and tied my ankles together, side by side, as well as securing my legs together below the knees, and then she stood up and smiled at me.

“How old are you?”

“Sixteen – why?”

“Just curious,” she said as she went to a drawer, and took a pair of panties out, before saying “open wide now.”

“At least they are clean,” I said to myself before she stuffed my mouth with them, and then wrapped a white bandage round my head. Laying me on my side, she smiled and waved as she left me in the room.

I could hear her in Mum and Dad’s room, and then caught a glimpse of her as she passed my room, and went downstairs. I wondered where she had got to – and after a while, that turned to concern as I got myself onto my feet, jumped out of my room and along the corridor, before sliding myself down the stairs.

As I jumped into the room, Grandma looked over at me and raised an eyebrow as she said “Dhduuthuhrshlf?”

Mum then looked over and said “whtshshpphnd.”

I looked at both of them, and said “Dhhddushhhrr?

“Shhhwhhh?”




“We were robbed, and we didn’t know it?”

Dad and Grandpa had come back to find all three of us in the front room, and while Grandpa had untied us Dad had uncovered the search of their bedroom.

“Yeah – I had no way to tell you, but she left you alone at least,” I said as we sat round the table, Colin’s father looking at us.

“Who was it anyway?”

“A woman, yea high, red hair…”

“She calls herself the Fox.”

We all looked at Barry Hampton as he said “you’re not the first family she’s visited this last day or two…”

Well, it seems appropriate:



Drawscore

What a pleasure to read unashamed English. Thank you, KP.

drawscore wrote: 6 years ago Well, it seems appropriate:



Drawscore

Very much so - it's one of my favourite films, and Victor Mature in particular is magnificent in it.

Oh, I was just wondering if you would have let The Fox meet the families.
Just a little quibble:

KP Presents wrote: 6 years ago Angela

It's Alicia, not Angela the narrator.

KP Presents wrote: 6 years ago

drawscore wrote: 6 years ago Well, it seems appropriate:



Drawscore

Very much so - it's one of my favourite films, and Victor Mature in particular is magnificent in it.

Ah, Victor Mature! I love him, one of my favourites actor. Also because he starred in The Robe, one of my favourites film.

Freddy and Louise

“Was that Dad,” I asked Mum as she came into the front room. It was about nine at night, and we were already dressed for bed – a routine we liked to have on a Friday each week. I was wearing a pink Hello Kitty pyjama top, and red bottoms with little white hearts on them, while Freddie was wearing a brown t-shirt and checked shorts. As for Mum, she had a pink nightdress on, and she was smiling as she watched the film with us. Betsy was asleep in the nursery, and all was right with the world – even if Dad was away on business.

“We need more popcorn,” Freddie said as he stood up and took the bowl into the kitchen, Mum looking at me and saying “you two seem to be getting on a lot better – what happened, Eric have a word with him?”

“Eric – have a word with Freddie? He is getting better Mum, but seriously?”

She looked at me and we both started laughing while Benedict Cumberbatch made all sort of funny hand movements on the screen, and we waited for Freddie to come back.

And waited.

And waited some more, before Mum stood up and said “I wonder what…”

“Well now – the family are all here. That’s nice – convenient.”

I stood up and looked to see Freddie in the door – but he wasn’t alone, and he couldn’t talk. That was probably because of the silver tape that was over his mouth – and the fact there was rope around his arms and body, with his hands behind his back.

It was the woman that was with him who caught my eye. She was tall – taller than Mummy – and she had long red hair that fell over the shoulders of her grey blouse, which was open at the top. She had long grey gloves on, and what looked like a grey girdle round her waist, as well as tight riding britches which were tucked into red riding boots.

“Freddie? Are you all right?”

“Oh the little man is fine,” the woman purred as she pushed Freddie in, and I saw the blush in his cheeks as he looked at me. “In fact, her insists you are both just like him – take this,” she said as she handed Mum a length of rope, “and tie your little daughter’s wrists together behind her back. Do it properly – I hate to have to correct sloppy work.”

“Well, I don’t think we have a choice,” Mum said as she walked behind me, and wrapped the rope around my wrists. She made sure it was tight, but not uncomfortable, as Freddie watched.

“Good,” the woman said as she inspected Mum’s handiwork, “now take this, and tie it round her so like her brother.”

“Who are you,” I said as I felt Mum pull the rope tight round my arms.

“Oh I am sorry, forgive my manners,” she said as she looked at me, “I’m called The Fox, and today you are the first stop on a little tour I am doing round here.”

“The Fox? Surely if you’re a woman, you’re a Vixen?”

“Ah, but that name is already taken,” she said with a smile as Mum tied the ropes off. “Now, be a dear and sit with your brother, while I make sure Mum here is nice and secure as well.”

“Do as she says,” Mum said as I went and sat with Freddie on the couch, the two of us looking at each other. We both knew we could get out of this, but unlike a certain pair of young Teen Tornadoes, we both realised this was not the time to reveal that. Instead, we watched as the Fox bound Mum’s hands together behind her back, and then tied more rope around her arms and body so that she could not move them either.

As she wriggled round, the woman made her sit on the floor, and then bend her legs before she tied her ankles together, and then her legs around the skirt of her nightdress, just above her knees. She then pushed a folded cloth into Mum’s mouth, and covered it with silver tape, before she looked at me and said “open wide, little girl.”

“Talk to you later Freddie,” I said, my brother nodding as I felt the cloth on my tongue, and then the tape pulling on the skin of my face as she tape gagged me. We then both watched as she tied our ankles, and our legs below our knees, before making us sit either side of Mum on the floor while the film continued.

“Now don’t move,” she said with a smile as she left the room, Mum looking at both of us and shaking her head as we wriggled round. It certainly was not the tightest we had ever been tied, but it was firm, and I prayed she did not go down to the basement and see our supply boxes there.

A prayer which was answered as she came back in, checked the ropes and then left us alone. We sat for a few minutes, before Mum looked at both of us and said “Nhhhh.”

That was the cue as we all started to twist our mouths, the tape giving slightly before I managed to push the cloth out of my mouth, taking the tape with it as it fell to the floor. I looked at Mum as the tape hung from her cheek, and then we both looked at Freddie as he took a deep breath.

“She grabbed me in the kitchen,” he eventually said, “tied me up, gagged me, and then made me walk back in here. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is?”

“I can guess,” I giggled as I twisted my back to Mum, and started to pick at the knot holding the rope around her wrists, “I guess we should call the police once we’re free, right?”

“Yeah,” Mum said, “and count our blessing she seemed to be in a hurry…”



Colin Hampton’s dad came into the front room as the officer finished taking our statements. “I was up at the farm when you called,” he said as he looked at us, “are you sure she said she was the Fox?”

“That’s what she said Mister Hampton – why?”

“We’ve heard of her – a high end jewel thief. Did she get much?”

“Not really,” Mum said, “the real stuff is at the bank. But she said we were only the first, Barry – where else is she going?”

“That’s what worries me,” he said as he looked at his mobile phone, and groaned. “And I just got an answer…”

Rachel

“Thanks, Mum,” I said as I took the glass of milk from her, and looked at the television. Dad was at the restaurant, and Chris was asleep in his cot, so Mum and I were having some time together without any interruptions.

Patty was away for the weekend – she had finally persuaded her mother to let her go and stay with her boyfriend in Newcastle. All the other girls were, shall we say, otherwise occupied.

I was in a comfy pair of joggers and a sweatshirt, with thick socks pulled up over the legs, while Mum was wearing a blue smock top and black leggings. “You know,” she said as we watched Hugh Jackman singing, “I think you’re about the right age to start to appreciate this musical now.”

“Well, it helped that we went to see it in the theatre,” I said with a smile, “so what are we going to do this weekend Mum?”

“Shopping, tidying – your dad is going to be late back tonight anyway, so…”

She was interrupted by the sound of Chris starting to stir coming over the baby monitor, so she stood up and said “will you warm up one of the bottles of milk while I go and fetch him Rachel?”

“Sure Mum,” I said with a smile as we both stood up, Mum heading up the stairs as I went into the kitchen. One of the things that Mum and Dad did when we got the money – and that’s another story – was to completely refit the kitchen so Dad felt it was up to his standards – one part of which was a very large refrigerator.

I opened the door on one side, and took out a prepared baby bottle, walking to the side and putting it in the white heater before I switched it on. The last thing I expected at that point – and yes, this is going to sound daft coming from me – was a gloved hand going over my mouth and a smooth female voice saying “so what do we have here?”

No, I did not jump for joy – for once, I did not recognise who it was, and when she took her hand away and turned me round, I really did not know her. She was dressed like someone from Pirates of the Caribbean – a red blouse, open at the neck, with a grey girdle and long gloves, tight grey pants and over the knee red leather boots. She also had incredibly long red hair, and smiled as she looked over my shoulder.

“Well, I guess your little brother or sister is hungry – is your mother upstairs?”

I nodded and said quietly “Please, don’t hurt me?”

“I won’t hurt you if you do as I say, little girl,” the woman said as, seemingly from nowhere, she produced a large roll of a wide grey tape. “And the first part of that is making sure you stay on one place for a while. So turn round, and put your hands behind your back.”

“Okay,” I said quietly as I did as she asked, and I heard the tape peel away from the roll. In my mind, I was grateful it was not duct tape, but it certainly kept my wrists together behind my back, and my arms into my sides as she wrapped it around me in two bands.

“IS the bottle about ready Rachel?”

The red haired woman looked at me as I said “yeah – I’ll take it through to the front room Mum.”

“Good girl,” she said quietly as she picked the bottle up in her gloved hand, and then made me walk into the front room, indicating I should sit down as we both heard the footsteps on the stairs.

“Okay then, little one,” Mum said as she came in with Chris in her arms, “why don’t we…”

“Have a seat,” the woman said as she showed the gun she had drawn from behind her, “and give the little one his bottle while I finish making sure your older daughter stays quiet?”

Mum looked at me as I wriggled round, and nodded as she sat in her armchair, Chris giggling before he took the teat into his mouth and started to have his feed. “Can we know who you are,” Mum said as she looked at her.

“I’m known as The Fox,” she said with a smile before she knelt down and taped my ankles together over my socks, and then taped my legs together below and above my knees. As she stood up, I said “so are you robbing us?”

“Maybe of one or two little things,” she said with a smile as she stood up, and walked behind me. I then felt something pressing my tongue down as she stuffed a cloth into my mouth, and then wound the tape round my head before she took my glasses off, folded them and put them to the side, and helped me to lie on my side.

“He seems to be enjoying the feed,” the Fox then said with a grin as she knelt in front of Mum, and taped her ankles and legs together in the same way as me. Mum nodded as she said “at least let me get him fed and back off to sleep before you do anything else.”

“Fair enough – just remember, your daughter is already captive,” she said as she looked at me wriggling on the couch. If truth be told, it was very tight, and very comfortable – but there have been far too many times with Patty when showing that has been a problem, so I just acted the scared little girl.

Mum stroked Chris’ brown hair away from his face as he continued to drink, while she wriggled her legs round, the tape making a strange sound before he finally let go of the empty bottle and smiled. Mum looked at him, then at me, and at the woman before she said “he needs changing – can you lay out the mat on the floor, and then I should be able to kneel down and do it?”

I watched as the Fox unpopped the changing mat from the travelling bag and did that, before she held Chris while Mum slipped off the chair and knelt down, the tape stretching over her legs. She then took Chris back and laid him down, unfastening his sleep suit and then very quickly removing the soiled nappy.

Yeah, I wrinkled my nose – not like I had the chance to complain at that point, was it? I just had to stay calm as Mum cleaned and change Chris, then put him over her shoulder as she gently winded him.

“Nice kid – does he sleep through the night?”

“He should do now,” Mum said as she looked at the redhead, “look, can you lie him down next to Rachel, and then you can finish doing whatever you are going to do to me? Can you also put him back into his cot, when you – well, when you go looking to see if I have anything worth stealing?”

She had some class, this Fox – she took Chris from Mum and I shuffled back a bit as she laid him next to me, his eyes closed as he gently slept. I gave him a little taped kiss on his forehead as she took Mum’s hands behind her back, and then taped her wrists tightly together, as well as her arms to her sides, the grey bands as tight as mine.

As I watched, she then pushed a white cloth into Mum’s mouth and wound the tape tightly round her head, lifting her hair out of the way as she did so, and then helped her to sit back in the seat.

“Enjoy the rest of the film,” she said as she gently picked Chris up, Mum and I looking at each other as they started to build the barricade.



“Hey, are you two still up – I thought you would have…” Dad stopped and looked at us as we wriggled in our tape bonds, and then said “oh my god,” before he ran to the kitchen, coming back with a pair of scissors and cutting the tape band away from Mum’s mouth. She spat out the cloth, which was now wet and grey, before she said “we’re fine – check Chris, see what she may have got, then phone the police before you cut us free.”

“She?”

“It was a woman,” Mum said as Dad went upstairs, and she looked at me. “Guess I know how you feel now when that happens a bit more,” she said with a smile as I nodded, and Dad came back down.

“Some of your jewellery has gone, but that can be replaced. Let me cut you free, and then I’ll call them…”




“Louise and Freddie? The same women robbed them tonight?”

“Looks that way,” Colin’s dad said as he sat with us, “I think we have a one woman crime wave going on.

“For a change – get some sleep, I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”

As they left, Dad said to Mum “do you think she’d be stupid enough to go for the Craigs or any of the Holderness family?”

“I hope so,” Mum said, “she’d be taught a lesson or two…”

hope to see updates of this and other stories sometime soon!!