Postby KP Presents » Thu Jun 21, 2012 12:20 am
So this morning, Granny insisted that both Jenny and I had to put on smart clothes. I didn't want to do this - I thought if we were going to play games, we might get messy - but Granny was very determined.
"We are visiting a friend of mine," she said as she cleared away the breakfast plates, "and I do not want my two granddaughters to be seen to be scruffy. I've laid out the outfits I want you to wear on your beds."
So we both went up to our rooms. On my bed was a pale blue short sleeved blouse, some clean pants, a floral print skirt and white socks, with my black shoes on the floor. I put my clothes on, and then went into Jenny's room. She was putting on a new black sleeveless top, which went to her waist at the front and then ran down to the back of her knees behind, over a white t-shirt and black trousers.
"Do you know where we're going today," I asked as I plonked myself on her bed and swung my legs to and fro.
"No idea," she said as she sat next to me and pulled on he shoes, "All I know is she's driving us there in Old Bessie."
Old Bessie was the name we gave to granny's car - a long, grey car with a funny "V" sign on the front, and the lights on which never went out when she was driving it, even in bright sunshine. Granny said it was because they built it in a country that is always very dark.
"Cassandra, Jennifer," we heard her call up, "It's time to go." We went down to where Granny was standing, putting on a pair of leather gloves. She was wearing a dark jacket and skirt over a dark yellow jumper, and she had her black pull up boots on as well. We all left the house, Granny locking the door behind us, and climbed into the car.
We must have driven for about half an hour before we pulled into a gap in a stone wall, and made our way up a tree lined road to a big old house of red stone. Parking the car, we all climbed out and walked up to the front door, which was open. There was another woman standing there, wearing a cream coloured jumper and cardigan with a tartan skirt and brown shoes.
"Miranda, how nice to see you again," she said as she and Granny hugged, "And these must be your granddaughters. I'm very pleased to meet you both."
She looked like a nice woman, as we walked into the biggest hallway I have ever seen. "Why don't I take you up to meet the other girls," she said as we walked to the staircase, a big spiral thing that went up and up, "They're looking forward to meeting you."
We climbed up and walked along a corridor to a door, which Granny's friend opened before ushering us in. "I'll bring some drinks in a moment," she said before closing the door, leaving all of us to look at each other.
It was obviously an old playroom, with all sorts of toys scattered round the side. There were three other girls in there, the youngest of whom came up to me and said "Hi, I'm Suzie. What's your name?"
"I'm Cassan... Cassie," I said as I looked at her. She had red hair done up in pigtails, and was wearing a pair of striped dungarees over a black long sleeved top, with white socks. She was about my age, and I knew I was going to like her.
This was more than I could say for Jenny when I saw the way she was looking at the second girl. She looked to be about the same age as her, with dark hair, and was wearing a black jumper and skirt with dark tights.
"Jenny Craig," she said in a strange voice, almost angry.
"Alicia," Jenny said, and I could tell she wasn’t too happy about the fact this girl was here. I began to wonder what was going to happen next, when the third girl walked up to Jenny.
She was a little older, maybe - what, thirteen, with short blonde hair. She was wearing a t-shirt with the words "Ladies love Patriots of New England" printed on the front, a pair of white knee length pants, and a pair of sneakers on her feet.
"Hi," she said as she hugged Jenny, "I'm Heidi, Alicia's pen friend from the US. I guess you two know each toher then - school friends?"
"Not exactly," Jenny said quietly as she turned to talk to the American girl, "but it’s nice to meet you. How did you two get in touch?"
She sat and talked to Heidi, as I went over and chatted to Suzie. The other girl, Alicia, picked up a book she had put down and started to read it again.
A few minutes later, the door opened and Granny came in with a tray, drinks and biscuits lying on top of it as she put it on an old box. "It's nice to meet you, girls," she said as she smiled at the others. "Alicia, your grandmother and I are going to be talking downstairs if you or any of the others need us."
"Yes, Mrs Craig," Alicia said quietly as Granny turned and left the room. "So," Suzie said as she picked up a drink, "Granny said at breakfast that you were held hostage a few weeks ago."
Jenny nearly spat her drink our when she heard this, and I swear Alicia went slightly pale as she put her book down. Only Heidi seemed unperturbed, as she said "Really - what happened?"
"Some nice men in masks stayed the night with us, and played games with us," I said as I took a drink, watching how Jenny would react.
"Really - what sort of games?"
"We played Sorry, and then we had to let them tie us up and gag us before they left us to get some sleep."
"It was a bit scarier than that," Jenny said as she put her drink down.
"Yeah, I bet you cried all night," Alicia said without looking up.
"No, I didn't cry at all," Jenny said, and I heard something of Dad in her tone - when he is angry or upset with us. "Which is more than what I heard about you, Alicia, when you were robbed."
Now Alicia was the one who was angry. "Really? Who did you hear that from?"
"The nice man who tied us up after school a few weeks before that night," I said with a smile. "He told us that you were..."
"Wow," Suzie said before I could finish, "It sounds like I missed out on a lot when I had to cancel that visit. What's it like?"
"What's what like?"
"Been tied up - what does it feel like?"
Jenny shot a warning look at me, but come on - this was an open invitation. "Have you got any old skipping ropes in here," I said as I looked at the others. Suzie got up and went to an old box, opened it and took our several lengths of rope. "Here," she said as she handed me one and put her hands in front of her, "You show me."
"Suzie," Alicia said, "This may not be a good idea."
"Oh, stop fussing, Ali," Suzie said as she stuck her tongue out at her cousin, "Go on, Cassie - show me what happened."
"Put your hands together behind your back," I said, and as Suzie turned round I wrapped one of the ropes around her wrists, tying them together before taking the ends round her waist and securing them in front of her. "Hey, this isn't too bad," she said as she looked round at her arms, "Can you tie my feet as well?"
She sat down on the floor and watched as I tied her ankles together with a second length of rope, passing it between her legs to tighten it up snugly. "Oh," she said as he twisted her feet round, "I think this is really exciting. Come on, Ali - why don't you as well?"
"No way," Alicia said quietly, "I am not going to do that again."
"Oh," Jenny said with a smirk, "Chicken, are you?" She stood up and walked over to me, putting her wrists behind her back and crossing them. "Do your worst, Cassie," she said as she looked over her shoulder.
Well, who can resist such a challenge? Ten minutes later, she was sitting next to Suzie, her hands pinned behind her back and rope around her waist to hold them in place, her ankles crossed and bound, and rope around her legs below her knees. I didn’t do everything I normally would, but it was still fun to do that.
So much fun, in fact, that I said "I want to be tied as well!" I looked at Alicia, who was reading her book and peeking over the top occasionally, before Heidi walked over to me.
"Come on, squirt," she said with a smile, "I'll do you."
"You will? Do you play these games too?"
"I've been tied up a few times," she said with a smile as she turned me round and guided my hands behind my back. I felt the rope on my wrists and closed my eyes. She was good - better than me, as she tied my wrists together and then secured them round my waist, before letting me sit down on the other side of Suzie. She then put my ankles together before tying them tightly, as well as my legs below my knees, folding back my skirt which had come slightly too far up.
"All right," she said with a smile, "Let's see who can get free first." She picked up an old stopwatch from a shelf and said "Ready... Steady... GO!"