Beauty and
the Best - Babysitting
“So, when are
they going to come round,” Fiona asked her mother as they sat in the front
seats of the SUV.”
“Later this
afternoon,” Sarah Campbell said with a smile. The forty-year-old had brown hair
styled in a bob, and was wearing a V-necked cream jumper and dark blue jeans,
with black Chelsea boots on her feet. Her sixteen-year-old daughter Carolyn was
sat next to her, her long blonde hair falling down
over the light brown fur gilet she was wearing over a long-sleeved purple dress
that came to her knees. A pair of loose-fitting brown leather boots covered the
lower half of her legs.
“I can’t
believe it has been that long,” Fiona said with a smile.
“Well, it will
still be good to see them,” Sarah said as they pulled up outside a detached
house. “Come on Tilly you have homework to finish.”
“Don’t remind
me,” twelve-year-old Tilly Campbell said from the rear seat. The young daughter
had longer slightly darker blonde hair and had a grey sheepskin gilet on over a
long-sleeved white top, the legs of her bleu corduroy pants tucked into a pair
of knee length burgundy leather boots.
The family went
into the house, Tilly going to her room and ten coming back with a satchel
which she took into the front room, while Sarah and Fiona headed to the
kitchen.
“Want some
coffee?”
“Are you going
to allow me it?”
“Yes, I am,”
Sarah said with a smile as she started the coffee maker. “So, how is sixth
form?”
“Yeah kind of
enjoying it,” Fiona said quietly, “I get to wear my own clothes rather than a
uniform, but at the same time nobody told me Economics was that hard.”
“I can’t believe
you two are growing up so fast,” Sarah said as she handed Fiona a mug, “it
seems like only yesterday I was bringing you home with your father “
He daughter saw
the sad look on her mother’s face and said, “I know I miss him as well.”
“Every day,”
Sarah said with a smile as she turned to the fridge. “Let me get Tilly a What
the “
Both
of them looked at
the kitchen door as it opened, and a young couple walked in. The man had short
dark hair, and was wearing a black jumper, pants and shoes, while the woman had
blonde hair and was wearing a tight sweater, leggings and over the knee fabric
boots. They also had other things in common the black wool hats on their heads,
the black gloves on their hands, the guns in their gloved hands, and the black
eye masks with the skin noticeably darker under the mask itself.
“Oh my god,”
Fiona said a ssh stood up, but the young man smiled and said, “let’s not shout
and scream the place down where is your other daughter Mrs Campbell?”
“Doing her
homework oh my god what are you going to do,” Sarah said quietly.
“Well, for
starters, if you and your daughters keep nice and calm, we will all have a
better time,” the man said as his female partner put a large bag on the kitchen
table, and removed from it a length of white rope, moving round and taking
Fiona’s wrists behind her back before she started to bind them tightly
together.
“Who are you,”
The teenager asked.
“I’m called
Beauty, and this is The Best,” the masked woman said as she took the rope
between Fiona’s arms. “We are going to rob your mother today, so you’re right
about that and that means everyone needs to be kept nice and secure, but just
do as we say, and you won’t be more than slightly inconvenienced.”
“But you’re
tying my daughter up,” Sarah said as Beauty went back to the bag, took out a
longer rope, and then wrapped it round Fiona’s arms and chest.
“Indeed but we
do it so that there are no problems,” Best said quietly, “so relax, all will be
well.”
Fiona and Sarah
looked at each other as Beauty tied the ropes off behind the teenager’s back
and said, “stand up let’s go into the front room.”
“You as well,
Mrs Campbell,” Best said as he picked up the bag, and waved the gun to the
doorway, both women walking down the corridor and into the front room.
As they walked
in, Tilly looked over and then looked again as she said “oh no “
“You must be
Tilly,” Beauty said as she walked over, “My name is Beauty. Are you doing your
homework?”
“Yes “
“Well, I need
to make sure you cannot get off the chair, and that you stay quiet,” Beauty
said, “but then you can finish your homework.”
“Are you going
to tie me up as well?”
“Your legs,
yes, and some rope to keep you in the chair, but you need your arms to write,
true?”
Tilly looked at
the smiling masked woman, and then nodded as Best said “take a seat Mrs
Campbell Fiona, I want you to sit in the other armchair, and stretch your legs
out.” He took some lengths of rope and handed them to Beauty, before he knelt down and crossed Fiona’s ankles, Tilly hearing the
squeaking sound as he bound them together.
“Am I going to
make that noise as well?”
“Let’s find
out,” Beauty said as she turned the chair Tilly was sitting on, and then
crossed and bound the young girl’s ankles tightly together as well. She heard
the squeaking sound and giggled, as Beauty then secured her legs together below
her knees, and she watched the masked man do the same to her older sister.
“Back to work
now,” Beauty said as she turned the chair back, and then used her final length
of rope to secure Tilly’s waist to the chair.
“If you’re
robbing us, how are you going to stop us calling for help?”
“Like this,”
Best said as he took a roll of white tape from the bag, peeled a length off,
and then pressed it firmly down over Fiona’s mouth so that Sarah could see the
shape of her lips underneath. He then tossed the roll
to Beauty, who peeled a second length off and pressed it down over Tilly’s
mouth.
“Fhlslsfhnnhh.”
“I know now
back to your Maths homework .”
“Why us?”
Best looked at
Sarah and said, “Why are we robbing you?”
“Yes why?”
“Because we
can, and because we must,” Best said quietly as he looked at her. “Now, where
is your mobile phone?”
“In my bag in
the kitchen.”
Best looked at Beauty,
who nodded and walked out of the room, before he said, “so this is what is
going to happen we are going to stay for a while, and once young tilly there
has finished her homework and is with her sister, we are going to take a walk
round the house and take whatever is valuable.”
“But “
“Mrs Campbell,
I promise you, this is not personal no harm comes to anyone so long as you don’t
raise an alarm or try to stop us.”
“Do you get off
on terrorizing families?”
“No but this is
what we have to do.”
“Why?”
“To survive,”
Best said as Beauty came back in and then there was the sound of the doorbell
ringing.
“You are
expecting guests?”
“Yes my sister
and her family.”
Best smiled as
he said, “then welcome them, and bring them in here and just remember Beauty is
in here with your daughters, so no warning them.”
Sarah slowly
nodded as she stood up, Fiona and Tilly looking at her as she slowly walked to
the front door. Taking a deep breath, she opened it and said “hey come away in.”
“How are you
sis,” Esther Brooks said as she came in. She was two years older than Sarah,
and wearing a brown cardigan over a blue top, her blue jeans tucked into knee
length leather boots.
“Fine, Esther
my she’s grown, hasn’t she?”
“She sure has,”
Gail Freeman said as she came in. Esther’s daughter was 21, and she was wearing
a black quilted gilet over a cream top, her own blue jeans tucked into long
brown suede boots. In one hand was a baby chair, the six-month-old girl sitting
in it looking round and smiling. She had been dressed in a white jacket and
blue leggings, little brown booties on her feet and a red bow in her hair.
“Hello Jilly,”
Sarah said with a smile as she waved at the baby girl, before she closed the
door.
“So, where are
my nieces?”
“In the front
room -Tilly is doing her homework,” Sarah said quietly, “come along in.”
“Okay then but
I am not helping her with “ Esther stopped as she saw
Tilly and Fiona, and then said “Sarah “
“I’m sorry they
just came in a while ago, and now “
“And now,” Best
said as he looked at them, “we need to “ He then saw
the baby chair, and looked at Beauty, before he said “we need to make sure you
cannot raise the alarm but we also need to make sure this little one is looked
after. What is her name?”
“Jilly “
“And you are?”
“I’m her
mother, Gail. Aunt Sarah, what is going on?”
“We are robbing
your aunt, Gail,” Beauty said as she came behind the young woman. “And that
means you and your mother are also going to have to be secure.”
Gail blanched
as she said “please, not Jilly “
“Gail, what do
you take me for? We’ll make sure you can take care of your daughter as needed
but you may have to do it quietly. Also, Best and I can help with any hygiene
matters?”
“We can?”
Beauty looked at
Best as she said “yes, we can. Do you have a changing bag?”
“I left it in
the hallway “
“Good But Jilly
down in her seat, and then both of you sit on the couch, hands on your head,
and stretch your legs out.”
“Why?”
“I’m going to
tie your ankles and legs,” Beauty said as she took more ropes from the large
bag.
“I guess we’re
all going to be like Fiona, right?”
“Maybe but we
can manage,” Sarah said as she watched her sister and niece sit down, Beauty
kneeling next to Esther as she wrapped the rope round her booted ankles and
pulled it tight. Esther was not able to take her eyes off as the rope went
around and between her legs, and then was tied off, before her legs were
secured together below her knees.
As she twisted
her legs round, Gail said “how bad is it, Mum?”
“It’s actually
not that bad,” Esther said as Beauty brought Gail’s ankles together.
“Well, the
girls seem to be all right.”
“Whcchnhchnphln,” Tilly mumbled, Sarah smiling as she
watched the masked woman securing Gail’s legs below her knees, while Best took Esther’s hands behind her back and began to bind
her wrists together.
“When are your
husbands expecting you,” Best asked as he tied the ropes off, and then began to
wind rope around Esther’s arms and body.
“Not until
later,” Esther said as she felt how tight the ropes were.
“Where is your
mobile phone?”
“In my handbag,
why?”
“You’re going to
tell your husband you are staying here for dinner and ask him to contact Gail’s
husband as well. No sense in them worrying, is there?”
“Or them
stopping you,” Gail said quietly.”
“Or, indeed, them stopping us. A happy coincidence,” Best said as he
tied the ropes off, and then opened Esther’s handbag.
As he held
this, Beauty noticed Tilly opening her eyes. “I’m not going to tie your arms,”
she said to Gail, “so that you can hold her as if everything was normal but I
am going to stop you from talking for a while.”
Gail slowly
nodded as the white tape was pressed over her mouth, before Beauty lifted the
young girl out of her chair and put her on Gail’s lap. She looked round, and
seemed to be curious before Gail lifted her up and kissed her on the forehead
which made her giggle.
“Thanks Tom I’ll
let you know when we are on our way back. You and Jeff enjoy the game,” Esther
said as Best ended the call.
“Very good now
put your lips together.”
From the table
Tilly watched as her aunt was gagged, and then Best helped her mother to stand
up. Beauty looked at her and smiled as she said, “are you finishing your work?”
Tilly nodded, before Beauty said “good let me know when you are done, and you
can come over here as well.”
“You said you
have to and need to rob us,” Sarah said as Best walked her up the stairs, “what
did you mean by that?”
“Where is your
bedroom?”
“In here,”
Sarah said as she opened the door, both of them going
in before Best said, “you are comfortably well off, want for nothing, true?”
“Not quit e- I
wish my husband was still here,” Sarah said quietly, “but he would not have
been able to stop you, would he?”
“No if I may
ask “
“Two years ago.”
Nodding, Best said
“Beauty and I have nothing except what we can get to survive so to answer your
question, this is how we survive, pay bills, buy food.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously, Mrs
Campbell this is what we need to do to survive. I know it scares and upsets
you, but we are as gentle as we can be, and we do not cause any more stress
than we need to. So, make it easier for all of us where do we start looking?”
“There you go,”
Beauty said as she tied the ropes off that held Tilly’s arms against her sides,
“Like a big hug, isn’t it?”
Tilly nodded as
Fiona nudged her, and said “Ghththhlfhhnhshd?”
“Hmmhmh nhthththrd.”
“Ohdhr,” Gail said as she looked at Beauty. The masked woman
went into the hallway and brought in a floral bag, detaching the mat from the
outside and laying it out on the floor before she took Jilly from her mother
and put her on the floor, taking from the bag a clean nappy, wipes and a pink
bag. A few minutes later she gave the baby back to her mother, who moved her
top and allowed Jilly to start to feed.
“Huhhlrht,” Esther said as she looked at her daughter.
“Nhthtrhllhh,” Gail said as she tried to smile, “httshshthmhnhn, rht?”
Esther nodded
as Beauty turned the television on, and then sat to watch the captives.
“Did you have to
look here as well?”
“It is only
fair,” Best said as Sarah sat on Tilly’s bed, watching as he looked in her
jewellery box, “but relax, there is nothing here of worth to me.”
“Unlike Fiona?”
“Well, she is
older,” Best said with a smile, “and if it makes you feel better, it covers our
fuel bills for the next couple of months.”
“It does,
funnily enough,” Sarah said as Best looked at her. “So, what now I get tied up
as well.”
“Not yet we go
downstairs,” Best said as he looked at the bedside clock. “I imagine they are
getting hungry downstairs so you can cook some food with Beauty’s help, and you
can all eat.”
“Seriously?”
“Well, we will
not leave until it gets dark so yes, I am serious. Shall we?”
Sarah stood up
and walked down the stairs, seeing as they went into the front room Beauty with
Jilly over her shoulder, walking her around and patting her back as Gail
watched her.
“Did she have a
good feed, Gail?”
“Fhrrnh,” Gail mumbled as she sat with her hands on her lap,
Beauty smiling as the baby girl burped.
“There now,”
she said as she gave Jilly back, Tilly watching and trying to make faces as the
baby giggled on her mother’s lap.
“Beauty, will
you please help Mrs Campbell to prepare some suitable food for all of them,”
Best said, Beauty nodding as she and Sarah left the room
“Thanks Mum,”
Tilly said as she took the plate from Sarah. Oen by one, they had been untied
and ungagged, and allowed to go to the toilet before Sarah and Beauty had
brought through a selection of finger food for each of them. Jilly was now back
in her chair, giggling as her mother made funny noises and faces in front of
her.
“So, what
happens when we have eaten,” Esther asked Beauty.
“We secure you
again, just as tightly, before we leave, but it will help if Jilly is fed,
changed and asleep for all of us. So, you do what you would normally have done
for her, Gail, while we get the rest of the family ready.”
Gail slowly
nodded before she bit into a slice of pizza.
“And who is
going to rescue us after you left?”
“I suspect your
husbands will wonder where you are,” Best said as he looked at Esther and Gail,
“and come to see where you are eventually.”
“The game kicks
off at seven,” Esther said, “so that’s after half niner at the earliest.”
“More than
enough time for us to get away,” Beauty said with a smile. “So, eat up you need
the strength.”
“Well, at least
we don’t have to worry about eating everything before leaving the ah.”
“Fiona?”
“I was meeting
the girls tonight “
“Then I will
give you your phone, you call them, and explain why you cannot make it in a way
that does not raise the alarm,” Beauty said.
“Yeah yeah, I guess I can do that,” Fiona said as she smiled. “It
might be fun to have a quiet night anyway.”
“Yeah real
family bonding,” Esther said, the others looking at her before they burst out
laughing “
Sarah looked at
the door as Tilly walked back in with Beauty. She was sat on one end of the
long couch now, the ropes holding her wrists together behind her back and two
bands of rope pressing on her chest as they held her arms against her sides.
Fiona was at on the other end, watching as her younger sister looked round, and
then at Best as she bound her mother’s ankles together.
Esther and Gail
were on the other couch, watching as Jilly sat with them. Beauty took the ropes
and said “its’s time” as she took tilly’s hands behind her back and bound her
wrists tightly together, and then forced her against her sides her gilet opening up as the bands got tighter.
“You’ll be all
right,” Fiona said as the ropes were tied off, while Best
bound their mother’s legs together below her knees. He then looked at Fiona and
said, “your turn come with me, do what you need to do.”
Fiona nodded as
she stood up and left the room, Beauty helping Tilly to sit next to her mother
and then binding her ankles and legs together the same way as before. She
twisted her legs around and looked at her mother, before she said, “are we
going to have the tape again?”
“I think we
are,” her aunt said as the white tape was smoothed down over Sarah’s mouth,
keeping the folded cloth best had pushed in in place as it covered her lips and
chin. She looked at Tilly and nodded, as Beauty folded up an old green triangle
of cotton and said, “open wide Tilly- we need to make sure you stay really
quiet.”
Tilly nodded as
the masked woman pushed the cloth into her mouth, and then covered her chin
with a de strip of the white tape. She then nodded as Beauty said, “do you want
to lie down?” before she was allowed to lei on her side, her head on her mother’s
lap.
“I think she’s
asleep now,” Gail said as she gave Jilly to Beauty, smiling as the little girl
was placed back in her seat next to her mother’s feet. She then stood up as
Fiona came back into the room, her wrists and arms already bound and then
sitting on the couch as Gail went with the masked man.
“Is what Sarah
said about you right,” Esther asked as Beauty began to secure Fiona’s ankles
together.
“That Best and
I do this to get the money and resources we have to
live? Yes this is not about greed, this is about survival, Esther,” the masked
woman said as she bound Fiona’s legs together, and then gagged her with a
folded cloth and the white tape.
“I don’t get it
there must be other ways. The new government “
“Needs to deal
with whatever the previous one left,” Beauty said as she stood up, “and that
might take some time, so for now, we do what we need to do. Do you need to go
to the toilet?”
Esther shook
her head as Beauty said, “okay then time to get you secured as well.” Esther
looked at her granddaughter, and then slowly stood up, putting her hands behind
her back as Beauty brought more ropes over and started to bind her
“Time?”
Best nodded as
he looked out on the dark street, and then at the others in the room, Beauty
checking the binding ropes on each of them. Tilly was asleep, her chest rising
and falling as she breathed in and out through her nose, while Fiona was
watching a film on television. Gail was using her booted feet to rock the chair
Jilly as in, her boots squeaking as they moved to and fro,
while Sarah and Esther looked at each other.
“We are going
now I’m sure your husbands will come later,” Beauty said, Esther and Gail
nodding as the two masked robbers left the room. They heard the front door open
and close, before Esther said “Chuhmhf?”
“Whythlllhthrh?”
Esther nodded
as she tried to find the knots, but they were out of reach of her long fingers,
so she settled down, the only sound apart from the television the squeak of
leather on leather as they occasionally moved their legs
It was half
nine on the clock when they heard the front door open, and a voice say “hey why
is it so quiet in here?”
“HLPHHSSSSS!”
Esther called
out as she saw her husband and son-in-law walk in, her husband saying “What the . Call the police son, I’ll find some scissors to cut
them free.”
Return to the Relative Perils index