Postby KP Presents » Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:45 am
As the last bell rang, Alice and Tammy stood up, holding their folders in their arms.
“Well, as far as first days go, that isn’t so bad,” Tammy said with a smile. “So, want to spill the beans on what the escapology club is all about?”
“Well, in essential terms,” Alice whispered, “we get together each week, tie each other up, and see if we can get free.”
“Now why does that not surprise me,” Tammy said, shaking her head as she made her way with Alice towards the library.
“Ah – welcome mes amies,” Chloe said as she saw them walk into the library. “The others are already inside. Tammy, I would suggest for today you watch. Alice, I also need you to act as the monitor.”
“We take turns looking after the others,” Alice said. “Is Coach here?”
“She is – as a participant today. Come on through,” she said as she opened the door to the office. Tammy had to stifle a giggle as she saw Elena Dunbar lying on Chloe’s desk, tightly bound and hogtied with a band of white tape encircling her head, covering her mouth and keeping her quiet.
Heidi, Cindy, Jannifer and Nats were all sitting on the floor, their knees bent and their arms folded underneath. As Tammy looked over them, she could see the ropes holding their legs together, their thighs to their chest, their arms to their sides, and she presumed their wrists together under their legs.
“I’m curious, how did this start?”
“From a desire to learn more than anything,” Alice said, “although trust me – it looks as if Chloe has gone light on them for today.”
“This is going light on them?”
“Oui,” Chloe said with a smile, “Ask our good friend Natalie about some of the demerit punishments she has had to undergo some time.”
“Hnnnudntt,” Natalie said with a smile as she wriggled round – Tammy seeing the last rope linking their wrists to their ankles.
“So are these all the members of the escapology club?”
“Well, no – where are they?”
“I was going to check in the store cupboard – if you stay here, perhaps I can take Tamara to see them?”
“Go on – you might as well meet the youngsters.”
“And what will you be doing?”
“Oh I will find a way to keep myself amused,” Alice said as she opened a drawer, and took out a feather, Elena’s eyes widening as Alice started to remove her trainers.
“The youngsters?”
“This way,” Chloe said as she took Tammy back into the library, and down to a door. Opening it, she went in and said “Hello, girls – I have brought a new friend for you to meet.”
“hhhsthtt?”
“Tamara,” Chloe said, “allow me to introduce you to Britney and Margo, Jannifer’s younger sisters, and Fi. Girls, this is Tammy Hawkins. She is Alice’s cousin, and started here today.”
“Heeeltmmeee,” the three girls said as they looked up from where they were sitting on the floor. Britney and Margo were wearing blue bib shorts and t-shirts, with brown hiking boots and white sports socks, while Fi was wearing a grey tracksuit and trainers.
All three had their wrists bound together and lifted above their heads, then secured to one of the metal shelves, while their ankles and legs were secured with ropes wrapped around and between them. They had a rolled up scarf tied between their lips, the knot sitting behind their teeth and slowly darkening as it soaked up the saliva.
“Fi is in the grade below you,” Chloe said, “while Britney and Margo are freshmen. Girls, Tamara will be joining us in future weeks.”
“How are they meant to escape from that?”
“Ah, now that is a very good question, Chloe. Perhaps you can see the answer?”
Tammy looked along the shelf and then saw the files and scissors lying just above their reach. She could also see the way their wrists were secured, there was a way for one of them to reach them – when they were ready to.
“Ah, you have seen – let us leave before they read what you have considered,” Chloe said as they left the store room.
“I’m amazed – does the school know this takes place?”
“Let us say the principal is very – understanding,” Chloe said as they walked back to the office – only to see Nats as she was binding Alice.
“How...”
“We will teach you – in due course,” Chloe whispered, “as part of your training.” She then said out loud “excellent, young Natalie – we will end in twenty minutes.”
“There you are,” Margaret said as the girls came back in, “supper will be ready in thirty minutes. Go and get washed up.”
“So, think you’re going to fit in?”
“I think so – you guys really do understand the likes of me, don’t you?”
“Oh you have no idea,” Alice said.
“So this trip over the weekend?”
“Ah yes – the farm. Nat’s Aunt Heather has a place out in the hills – near where Sarah and Brian live actually. We’ll have a great time up there...”
The rest of the week passed as a normal school week – too much homework and not enough time. When the Saturday morning came, Alice looked in as Tammy was getting dressed.
“Throw a spare set of clothes and some night gear into a bag,” she said, “we’re going to stop over with Heather over night, and our parents will come out for dinner tomorrow.”
“Do they do this often?”
“Oh yeah – and you’ll understand why when we get out there,” Alice said with a smile. “Breakfast in thirty.”
“Gotcha,” Tammy said as she grabbed her bag and selected some clothes...
“That must be Katherine and Natalie,” Margaret said as they heard the car horn sound outside. “You girls go and have a good time, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you Mom,” Alice said as she grabbed her bag, Tammy following as Katherine opened the trunk of her car. Dropping their bags inside, they got into the back of the car, Nats turning and saying “hey there – ready for a nice, relaxing day?”
“I see you are,” Alice said with a smile as she looked at Natalie, wearing a sleeveless white blouse and her long gypsy skirt. “No shoes?”
“Absolutely none,” Nats said with a laugh.
“Her Aunt Heather has a number of rules for her place,” Alice said as Katherine drove off, “and rule one of Heather’s farm is...”
“NO SHOES,” Nats and Katherine said in unison as they headed to the interstate.
“Whatever the weather?” Tammy looked at her trainers and socks. She was wearing what she now liked to wear – a sweatshirt and jeans, while Alice had on a white smock top over a pair of black leggings, and black slippers.
“Whatever the weather, but don’t let that bother you,” Nats said as she looked out of the window, “it will still be fun.”
“The whole point of the weekend is to forget about everything, and power down – we’ll help Aunt Heather with some of her projects this afternoon, and relax for the evening.”
“So it’s not a working farm?”
“Well, it is – just not in the way you’re expecting,” Alice said, “you’ll see...”
“Well, here we are,” Natalie said as her mother pulled up outside the farmhouse, “Aunt Heather’s farm.”
Tammy got out and breathed in the fresh, clean air while Katherine popped the trunk. “Take your bags out girls,” she said quietly, “I need to head back and meet up with your father Natalie. We’ll see all three of you tomorrow.”
“Now this – this is a good place,” Tammy said quietly, “very peaceful, and very little electrical activity.”
“You can really tell?”
“I didn’t know until now,” Tammy said, “but yeah – I really cannot sense any heavy electrical equipment around here.”
“Well, Aunt Heather has a television and other things, but no computers,” Nats said, “so nothing here for you to wipe as far as I’m aware.”
“Better keep your watch on though,” Alice said, “just in case.”
“Wasn’t going to take it off – just in case,” Tammy said as Katherine drove off, and Nats led the way round the farmhouse and into the back door. Putting their bags on the floor, Alice and Tammy kicked their shoes off, while Nats had a look at the note which was on the kitchen table.
“Aunt Heather’s in the workshop,” she said with a smile, “she says to grab a drink, and then come out to join her. What’s she got in the icebox?”
“Water, juice, coke – what do you want Tammy?”
“Water will do me fine,” Tammy said as Alice passed her a bottle, and then took a can for herself and Nats. As they took a drink, Tammy took in the rustic kitchen, and smiled to herself.
“So what exactly does your aunt do for a living,” Tammy said as she sat down.
“She’s an artist,” Nats said, “does a lot of work for film companies creating bespoke set furniture and things. If she’s in her workshop, it means she has a commission to finish up, or she’d be out here. So I suspect this afternoon we will be helping her out. Want to go and see what she’s up to?”
Tammy nodded as they headed out of the back door, and across the yard towards the barns that stood behind the main farmhouse. As they approached the doors, Tammy could hear a sound like an acetylene torch.
Looking in, she could see a brown haired woman kneeling down in front of a metal bedstead. She was wearing a pair of denim bib shorts, one strap hanging down her back, and a white vest top, but she also had a welder’s face mask on, as the sparks flew from the acetylene torch she was using.
The trio watched as she slowly moved the torch up, and then turned it off, removing the mask and wiping her brow as she looked at the red weld.
“Hey.”
She turned round, smiling as she saw the three girls standing there.
“Hey – you made it,” she said as she put the torch and mask down, and then walked over. “And you must be Tammy. I’m Heather – pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Tammy gasped as Heather hugged her. “What are you working on?”
“That? Oh, that’s for a low budget sci-fi film. They wanted a frame to which a six limbed creature could be secured.”
Tammy looked at the bedstead, the six manacle attached to the sides, three on each, and shook her head.
“Come on,” she said as she wiped her hands, “let’s grab some salad stuff on the way back, and I’ll fix lunch.”