It has been quite a while since I posted anything here. I have gotten several requests on another board I post on to continue this set of stories. I feel this board is a little better themed for them so, I decided to post here.
I set down the tote box on the floor and started digging around in my pocket from the key. It wasn't a particularly easy thing to do while wearing mittens, but after a minute of fishing around I managed to find them. I withdrew the ring from my pocket and cycled through them methodically until I located the one I was looking for. I slid the key into the lock of my dorm room door and turned the knob so I could gain entry to the room. I pushed the door only a few inches then I reached down to pick up the tote box again. I figured I could open the door the rest of the way by pushing on it with my whole body.
"Who's there?!" I heard Ashley, voice coming from over on the sofa.
I stepped forward a few feet into the room. I tried to reply but all that came out was a jumbled mess of muffled grunts. Ashley shot around quickly and looked over the back of the couch at me. She brought her hands up instinctively and defensively. I was surprised and I wasn't. It was 10:00 in the morning the weekend before everyone was due back from Christmas break. We were a couple of weeks into January and I hadn't expected Ashley to be there. Most people were moving back in that Sunday and I had come back early to beat the rush. Ashley was sitting on the sofa staring at me I with a look of surprise and fear in her eyes. I suppose I couldn't blame her I was wearing a new outfit and it was hard to recognize me. I took a few steps forward and set the box down on the floor. Then I reached up and pulled the large scarf down from over my mouth so I could talk.
"It's must me, Ashley." I replied.
The look on her face melted to one of relief at the sound of my voice. She shifted back to a sitting position on the couch and turned her attention back to the television set. I walked over and took a look down at her. The outfit she was wearing was new to. She had on some red flannel pajama pants, her Pikachu slippers and a brown and red turtleneck sweater with a Christmas tree knitted on the front of it. I looked down and noticed she had a set of hinged handcuffs around her wrists. They were in place and locked. I shot her a warm smile.
"I didn't expect to see you back today." I began.
"Me neither. I am sorry I didn't recognize you and." She stopped and held up her cuffed hands in front of her. I shot her a quick smile.
"No big deal. Nice sweater by the way. Did you get it for Christmas?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's new. So, are the pajamas and slippers." She replied lifting up one of her feet to show me. "My old ones were getting worn out."
I looked down and the Pikachu slippers were not as worn as the ones she had been wearing the last time I had seen her before the Christmas break. I nodded and looked down at her. My outfit was new as well. I was dressed in a one piece big purple snow suit. My head was wrapped in a blue hat that had little ear flaps that folded down and were secured by a Velcro strap under the chin. I also got a blue scarf that was wrapped around my head several times with the ends tucked inside. It was about 4 inches across and 7 or 8 feet long. My hands were wrapped in some heavy purple and pink waterproof mittens that were tucked under the cuffs on the snowsuits sleeves. The snowsuit and had were from my mother, the mittens and scarf I got from Sean. It was a warm outfit and I was happy to have them. I was wearing some white socks and some black mary jane flats as well. Although they were not new.
"You're bundled up like an eskimo." Ashley commented looking at me.
"Yeah I have my mom and brother to thank for that, how about you?" I replied.
"My Dad got me all this." She replied.
"Your father can knit pretty well." I commented back.
"Not really, but he can shop online to embarrass everyone for a matching family Christmas picture. By the way it's nice to have you back." Ashley replied.
"It's good to be back. I have a couple more trips of stuff to bring up. I would ask you to help but, you're not dressed for it. Besides you're all tied up at the moment." I commented
We both broke out into a quick laugh together. I gave Ashley a quick wave and made my way out of the dorm room. I closed the door behind me so nobody would bother Ashley in my absence. I made my way back down to the elevator and out to the parking lot to get the rest of my stuff.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
After my fifth trip up I had finally brought the rest of my stuff upstairs. The door was closed behind me. Ashley was still sitting over on the couch as I had left her. She had the television on watching it with the volume on low. I took a minute and peeled off my hat and scarf tossing them half hazard on the bed. Bonnie didn't seem to pay me much mind. I took a couple of minutes and moved the tote box under the bed and put a few bags into my closet. After I completed that I made my way over to where Ashley was sitting. I took a deep breath and sat down next to her. I forget what was on the television but it seemed to have her attention. She was sitting quietly with her hands folded on her lap. They were still hand cuffed together with the hinged shackles.
"So, did you have a nice Christmas break?" I asked looking over at her.
"Yeah, I got mostly clothes but that is alright. How about you?" She replied.
"The same, we went out to my grandmother's in Pennsylvania and had a family celebration out there. I ended up spending a whole day tied to a chair as well. I got some interesting new stuff too." I replied.
Ashley laughed looking at me.
"By the way what's with the handcuffs?" I asked looking down at her. Ashley had participated a few times in our games since I had met her. But she normally had to be asked if she would be restrained. I had never seen her do it to herself before and normally, she wouldn't have had the handcuffs on as long. There was also the strangeness of her outfit. She took a deep breath and gave me a reply.
"I went to bed last night. The PJs and slippers I am wearing now." She explained. "Part way through the night, the heater kicked off and I went down to look at it. I couldn't get it to turn back on and I was tired so I really didn't want to deal with it. After all there was nobody I could call because of the break or at two in the morning no less." She continued.
"So, I figured I would just put something warm on and deal with it in the morning. I had worn the sweater for the trip back up to make my Dad happy. So, it was sitting on the back of your chair where I had left it. So, I just slipped it on over my pajama top. Then I saw the handcuffs sitting on the shelf above your desk. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to try them on. So, I put them on in front of me as you see here. I also tried the leg ones." Ashley took a deep breath. I looked down and saw for the first time that Ashley was also wearing a set of leg irons I had brought out before the break. They were basically a set of big handcuffs with about 9 inches of chain between them designed for the feet.
"I figured I would just try them on. About 20 minutes after wearing them I realized that I didn't have the keys to them. I looked around a few places, but I had no luck. So, I just figured I would go back to sleep and look for the keys in the morning. I have been up for about an hour now and I had no luck. But, I didn't want to miss the new Pokémon episode. So, I figured I would resume my search afterwards and then you showed up." She finished.
I laughed a little and then the cartoon came back on the television set. We ceased our conversation and switched our attention to the television show. Well, at least Ashley did. I got up and walked over to my closet and began putting a few things away. I took a moment pretending to open my sock drawer and pulled a small ring of keys out and pocketed it. It was almost too funny having Ashley trapped. Once I was done in the closet I walked over to the heater that was situated under the wall. I opened a small side panel and hit a reset button on it. There was one in the old farm house where Mary lived. So, I knew how to restart them.
"Well, at least that will get the heat on. Let's watch the rest of the episode and then I will help you look for the keys." I suggested. Ashley nodded in response.
We watched the rest of the episode of Pokémon. The heater kicked in and began to warm the room up slowly but surely. I decided to shed my mittens as well. I undid the Velcro on the cuffs of my snowsuit and pulled the sleeves back. The mittens were a little bulky but warmly lined and completely water proof. They were a gauntlet style in that the cuffs went about half way up my fore arm and ended with a drawstring to keep the snow out. They also had a Velcro strap at the base of the wrist so they could be drawn tighter. I took a moment and removed them dropping them onto the couch. They were cumbersome to wear, but they were comfortable and quite warm.
After the end credits rolled. I got up from the couch quickly. Ashley was slower than I was because of the shackles.
"I'll check Stephanie's closet and you check my and her desk." I explained.
I ran over and dug into the top drawer on her dresser. I knew that it was the one place left where there was another set of handcuff keys. Ashley got up slower and headed over to the desk. I slowly and carefully pocketed them as well, knowing that Ashley would be stuck for a while without them. I didn't intend to keep her like that the whole day. But another hour or two would be some good fun. We spent about an hour digging through everything without any success for obvious reasons. In the end Ashley just threw her hands up in frustration and sat back down on the couch.
"I guess Steph took the keys home with her on break. I guess you're going to be stuck like that until she gets in tomorrow." I explained.
Ashley gave me a very sour look. I could tell she wasn't thrilled with the idea. But, I figured it was time she learned this little lesson about playing with handcuffs.
Well, that should about wrap up this part of the story. I will continue with this weekend adventure sometime in the near future. Thanks for reading and comments are welcome as always.
Jennifer