The storm of the century was howling outside, rain coming down by the bucket-load, the odd flash lighting up the sky, but inside it was warm and cosy. My cousin, Carl, and I huddled in front of a fire, his arm lovingly around my shoulders. We were both casually dressed in footed pyjamas, and had been all day, as we weren’t expecting any visitors, most especially not a day like this. That was why we were totally unprepared for what was to come, because suddenly, there was a hard knock on the door. We looked at each other, and Carl went to answer it. When he returned, he was escorted by a man and a woman, both soaking wet. We, of course, invited them to stay with us, until the storm had passed. In retrospect, a lousy idea, as it turned out.
They gratefully sat down beside us and we offered them coffee and sandwiches, which they accepted.
The couple told us their names were Ida and Emil. We introduced ourselves as Carl and Carla. As the conversation got started, we gradually found more and more things we had in common. Soon the topics ranged from horses to cars and pretty much everything in between.
I don’t know why, but the more we talked, the more I started getting an uneasy feeling about those two. Something about them wasn’t quite as it should be.
My suspicions were confirmed a while later, when the storm had died down enough for them to feel safe enough to leave.
”Thank you or a lovely time! It really was!” Carla said, “But, I’m afraid we’re going to have to tie you up. You see, we’re burglars and on the run from the police. We saw your house, and thought it would be a perfect place to hide for a few hours. When we’re done tying you up, we’re going to relieve you of some of your possessions. But don’t worry; we’ll only take the most precious things!” While she held her little speech, they had produced a lot of ropes, and were now tying our hands behind our backs.
Then, still too stunned to put up any sort of a fight, we simply let them take us out into the kitchen and push us down in to two chairs. Carla told us to spread our legs, and then expertly tied our knees and feet to the legs of the chairs. Last but not least, she tied our waists, wrists and chests to the backs of the chairs.
Before leaving us to search the house, but after having gagged us with napkins in our mouths and scarves to hold them in place, Carl generously said: “I’ll let you know, when we’re done! Then you can start trying to get free. But please promise me, you won’t start until we’re gone?”
Still not fully recovered from the chock, we could only look at him, then at each other, then back at him and nod.
“Thank you, so much! It won’t take long, I promise!”
After both of them having gone through the house, room by room, top to bottom, he put his head through the kitchen door and said:”We’ll leave you now, so get to it!”
As soon as he said that, we started wiggling to get our hands free.
Suddenly, the director in a loud voice called out: “AND CUT! THAT’S A PRINT!”
Scene two:
She was fast asleep, dressed in an ankle-long, pale pink, cotton night gown, covered in white lace. She had a pair of knitted socks, made of wool, on her feet, to protect them from the cold. Her waist-long hair, dark brown, almost to the point of being black, flowed freely all over the pillow.
Down stairs, the door silently swung open and two figures, one male and one female, tip-toed inside, and up to her bedroom. One of them gently opened the door, and they sneaked in. Then, they just stood there, watching her sleep for a long time. When she moved, and it looked like she was going to wake up, the man quickly sat down on the bedside. She opened her eyes and saw them. She opened them even wider, and being big and brown, she looked very much like a scared deer.
“What are you doing in my bedroom?” she asked.
“Don’t worry!” Carla gently answered. ”We just wanted to ask you something!”
“Ask me something? What? In the middle of the night? Can’t it wait till tomorrow?”
“Um, no, I’m afraid it can’t. You see, we’re looking for your valuables. We’re kind of in a hurry. So, if you don’t mind?”
She most certainly did mind, and before long, she was on her stomach, her hands in the process of being tied firmly behind her back. Then, her feet and knees were tied together, before being gagged with a bandana in her mouth, a scarf tied around her head, keeping it in place.
“We’re going to search your house now. Don’t even think of trying to get free, before we tell you too! Do you understand?” Carl said. Shocked, she nodded and lay perfectly still, until he put his head through the door, and gave her the go-a-head, a while later.