Beauty and
the Best - Christyne
“There you are,”
Christyne said as she opened the door to her house, and saw her three
grandchildren coming up the path, “come in, come in, I’ve got some lunch ready
for all of you.”
“Thanks Gran,”
Lucy said as she, Ellen and Tommy came in. Lucy was twelve years old, and was
wearing a peach polo shirt and denim style leggings, her feet in grey ankle
socks and black slippers on her feet. Her long dark brown hair fell down her
back, while her sister’s light brown hair did the same.
Ellen was ten
years old, and was also wearing a peach-coloured top and jean style leggings
she was wearing a t-shirt and her leggings had stripes of varying shades of
blue. Her ankle socks were purple and she had on white trainers.
Then there was
Tommy, her nine-year-old grandson. He had short brown hair, and was wearing an
orange ribbed top and jeans, his white socked feet in black trainers.
“Shoes off,”
Christyne said as she waved to the car setting off and closed the door,
watching as all three of them left their shoes by the door. “Now, come to the
kitchen and we can have some food.”
She smiled as
they ran in front of her it was going to be good to spend the afternoon with
them before their mother came to pick them up. She looked at herself in the
mirror her white hair styled that morning, the light pink short sleeved wool
top, the tan pants and the grey socks and then followed them in saying “right
who wants a drink “
“And you carry
the four see?”
“Thanks Gran,”
Ellen said as she closed her book. “That’s my homework done.”
“Good,”
Christyne said as she heard the doorbell ring. “I’ll go,” Lucy said as she went
into the hallway, Tommy reading a comic on the seat.
“Hello can I help you?
“Gran can you
come to the door please?”
“Who is it
Lucy,” Christyne said as she came to the door where her oldest grandchild was
standing and then she saw the young couple in the doorway. The man has short
dark brown hair, and was wearing a black jumper, pants and shoes with a black
woollen cap on his head. His partner had longer blonde hair, also with a black
woollen cap on, and was wearing a tight black sweater, and leggings tucked into
over the knee black suede boots.
“You must be
Christyne,” she said with a smile, “you don’t mind if we come in, do you?”
Christyne held
Lucy on the shoulders as she whispered “come in,” the young couple entering as
the man closed the door. The woman stood there, the pistol in her gloved hand
as she said “Apologies for the intrusion but this is a robbery, and I need you
and your granddaughter to do exactly what we tell you to do.”
“What do they
want Gran,” Lucy said, “they scare me.”
“I’m sorry if
we scare you,” the masked woman as she squatted in front of Lucy, the young
girl looking at the Black eye mask which covered her eyes, the skin darker
under. “But I am serious we are going to rob your grandmother, and I need you
to be a very brave girl for me and the Best.”
“The Best?”
“That is what I
am called,” the masked man said, “and this is Beauty. Now, who else is at home
Christyne?”
“The The rest of my grandchildren Please, don’t hurt them “
“Gran who are
you, and why are you pointing a gun at my grandmother?”
Best looked at
Tommy, who was standing there with his fists clenched, and smiled as he said “hold
on there, little one I think your grandmother needs to talk to you first.”
“Let’s let’s go in here,” Christyne said as she took Lucy and
Tommy in, Ellen looking over and then staring at the masked couple who came in.
“Ellen come and
join me,” Christyne said as she sat down. “I’m afraid that this young couple
have come to rob me and I think that means we may have to be stopped from
raising the alarm.”
“You mean they’re
going to tie us up,” Tommy said quietly. Beauty nodded as she said “we are and
we’re going to be here for a while, but so long as you do as we ask and don’t
try to escape or stop us, then you won’t be hurt.”
“What’s your
name?”
“Beauty Ellen.”
“Are you called
that because you are pretty?”
“That’s right and
you are a very pretty young girl as well. And your
brother is a very brave young man, so we are going to make sure you all stay
nice and safe. Now, what I need to do is make sure you three stay in this room,
so could you all turn round and face your grandmother please?”
“What are you
going to do,” Lucy asked as she looked at Christyne.
“Whatever it
is, Lucy, they will do to me as well,” Christyne said as Best put down the bag
he was carrying, and handed a length of white rope to Beauty. She knelt down behind Tommy and took his hands behind his back,
winding the rope around and between his wrists to hold them tightly together.
“Look at what I
have done to your brother,” Beauty said as Lucy and Ellen walked behind them,
while Best whispered into Christyne’s ear “put your hands behind your back as
well.” She did as she was asked to, and felt the rope on her own wrists as they
were bound tightly together as well.
“Does it hurt,”
Ellen asked as she touched the rope.
“Not really,
no,” Tommy said as he looked round, “let her do it to both of you as well.”
“Tommy’s right
girls Best has tied my wrists as well, so now it is your turn.”
Lucy looked at
Christyne, and then slowly moved her hands behind her back, Ellen watching as
Beauty bound her wrists as well.
“I don’t want
the lady to do that to me,” she said quietly as Lucy tried to move her hands.
“I know it’s
scary,” Christyne said with a smile, “but will you let her do it for me? I don’t
want us to be afraid Ellen.”
“I promise you,
it does not hurt,” Beauty said as she knelt and stroked Ellen’s hair from her
face. The young girl slowly nodded and turned round, Tommy saying “it will be
all right, honest” as Beauty crossed Ellen’s wrists behind her back and tied
them together.
“I still don’t like
it Gran,” Ellen said, “but if you can do it, so can I.”
“That’s my
girl,” Christyne said with a smile as Beauty stood up.
“I want you
three to sit on the small couch,” she said as Tommy led his sisters over,
sitting between them and watching as the masked woman used more of the white
rope to secure their ankles tightly together as well.
As she stood
up, she said “now, where are your mobile phones?”
“They don’t
have any,” Christyne said, “mine is in my handbag, by the chair.”
Best picked the
handbag up and retrieved the phone, turning it off and putting it on a high
shelf, as Beauty said “be a dear, Best, and disconnect the phone and internet
as well.”
“Of course,”
the masked man said as he went out, Beauty sitting and looking at Christyne as
she said “when he comes back, I will take you for a walk round your house
Christyne. I will need, however, to make sure your grandchildren cannot call
out or raise the alarm while I do that.”
“You’re going
to gag them?”
Beauty nodded
as she looked in the bag and took out three black silk scarves, the eyes of the
children widening as she said “it is soft, it will not hurt but it will keep
you quiet until later.”
“What will
happen later,” Christyne asked quietly.
“Well, that is
to happen later.” Beauty picked up and rolled up one of the scarves, looking at
Lucy as she said “open wide.”
As she allowed
Beauty to pull the scarf into her mouth, and tie it round her head, Ellen shook
her head again and said “no “
“Ellen,”
Christyne said, “if she ties it over your mouth, do you promise not to call
out?”
Ellen looked at
Christyne and nodded as Beauty pulled the scarf over her mouth and tied the
ends at the base of her neck, and then cleave gagged Tommy as the three
grandchildren looked at each other.
Best came back
in and smiled as he said “well, they seem to be behaving themselves.”
“Of course they
are they’re not going to argue with armed robbers, are they?” Christyne twisted
round as she said “do you mind telling me why you targeted me?”
“Let’s go for a
walk,” Beauty said as she helped Christyne to stand up and they walked out of
the room, Best saying “do you like cartoons” as they
did so.
“Well,”
Christyne said as they walked up the stairs, “why?”
“You have
funds,” Beauty said, “and we need funds.”
“What for?”
“To eat, keep
warm, pay the rent you know, survive.”
Christyne
looked at Beauty, and said “how old are you eighteen, nineteen?”
“It’s not
important Christyne what is, is the fact the system means we have
to rob homes just to pay bills. We don’t want to, but well, we are good
at it.”
“You scare kids
just so you can eat?”
“Sad but true.
Now, allow me to save you time cleaning. Tell me where your valuables are “
Christyne
looked at her and shook her head. “Insurance will cover some things, but some
are sentimental what the “
Both
of them stopped as
they heard the front door open and close, and a voice say “Mum, I’m early,
where are the “
“Your daughter?”
“Yes their
mother “
“Well, Best
will take care of her. As I was saying, let us discuss “
When they came
back into the main room, Christyne saw a dark-haired woman sitting there, her
hands behind her back and white rope visible over the ankles of the black boots
she was wearing. She was wearing a black jacket and skirt over a red jumper,
and a questioning look in her eyes as the black scarf sat between her teeth.
“Yes, we’re
being robbed Mary,” Christyne said as she sat down, and Best
knelt to secure her ankles together. “The kids are fine aren’t you?”
All three of
them nodded as Beauty said “they have been very brave as you both will be for a
while longer.”
“Whtshggnhhnnmhhmmmm.”
“Well, as I
say, I am being robbed,” Christyne said as Best stood up, “and I suspect they
are wating for an opportunity to leave safely. So we just have thghrhhhnbhrht.” Her last words were muffled as the rolled
up black scarf was pulled between her lips and tied tightly round her head.
“There,” Beauty
said as she looked at Tommy, who was squirming round. “Do you need to go
somewhere?” As the young boy nodded, she looked at Best and said “will you do
the honours?”
“Dhnntuhdhr .”
“Mary,” Beauty
said as she looked over, “he will not touch him there, he will just untie his
hands and let him take care of himself, then re-tie them. All right?”
Mary relaxed
and nodded as Best helped Tommy to stand up and hop put of the room.
“Fhhkghdfhrthdhnndhthrsrhm,” Christyne said as she looked
over, Mary nodding in agreement
“I need you to
come with me now,” Beauty said as she untied Christyne’s legs and helped her to
stand up.
“Whrhruhthknhr,” Mary mumbled as she twisted her wrists
again.
“To prepare
some food and then we give you a chance to call your husband, and tell him you
will bring the children home with you. What would you like to eat kids?”
“PHSSSE!”
Christyne
nodded as she looked at all three, seeing how damp the gag was at the corners
of the mouths of Tommy and Lucy, and how Ellen had the shape of her lisp
visible under the stretched silk. She was walked into the kitchen where Beauty
untied her wrists and said “you may remove the gag as well, so long as you
agree not to call for help.”
The older woman
reached behind her head and untied the black scarf, taking it out of her mouth
and pouring herself a glass of water before she said “thank you. I think they
want pizza I have some in the refrigerator, as well as garlic bread and
doughballs. Will you and Best join us?”
“We would be
honoured,” Beauty said as Christyne went to the fridge. Beauty put the oven on,
and then said “thank you for understanding Christyne.”
“Well,” the
grey-haired woman said “it’s not the first time I’ve been robbed or tied up but
you were concerned for my grandchildren, and you were honest with me. I
appreciate that. Just tell me what happens after supper.”
“Your daughter
calls her husband, and then we have to really make sure none of you can raise
the alarm.”
“You saw how
frightened Ellen was?”
“Yes, but she
is calm now and we’re not going to put anything in her mouth, just cover it.”
“With what?”
“Micropore tape
“
Christyne
turned and looked at the masked woman, before saying “all right but do me and
Mary first, so they know there is nothing to be afraid of.”
“As you wish so
what are we putting in first?”
“We’ll see you
later honey have fun with the boys,” Mary said before she ended the call, and
then handed the phone to Best. “Dad says you are to have fun this evening is
that allowed?”
“Oh yes,”
Beauty said, “we can watch a film together before we leave. They can pick the
film.”
Ellen looked
over at the masked couple and said “thank you for not making me have something
in my mouth, but what happens later?”
“Well, we do
have to tie you all up again, and make sure you cannot call for help,” Beauty
said, “but we’ll do it in a different way, and nothing will be in your mouth.
So don’t be afraid, all right?”
Ellen nodded as
Beauty brushed the hair from her face, and Christyne said “look they will take
care of me and your mother first, then you. Just watch us, and you’ll see we
are fine, okay?”
“I was brave,”
Tommy said before he took a drink from his glass.
“You all were,”
Mary said with a smile, “as was your grandmother. We’ll get through this
together but why do this to kids?” She looked at Best, who said “would you
believe, we have no choice?”
“There’s always
a choice “
“For those with
money, yes,” he said, “but people like us, who have come from nothing and have
nothing we need to take more drastic measures. If we did not have to do this,
we would not do it.”
“You You’re
serious aren’t you?”
“Yes they are
dear,” Christyne said quietly, “so we count our blessings, and we enjoy what we
have all of us. What is going to happen will happen “
“That better,”
Mary said as Ellen came back in. The young girl nodded as she walked over and
hugged her mother, Mary putting her arms round her as she said “we’re going to
all right, love “
“Miss Beauty if
we are going to be tied up, I want to be tied up with Mum.
“If that is all
right?”
“Of course it
is but I need to make sure your mum and grandmother are secured first, all
right?”
Ellen nodded as
she sat with Lucy and Tommy, watching as Best said “Christyne, Mary, please
stand in front of the children, and put your hands behind your back.”
“Here we go,”
Mary said to her mother, Christyne nodding as Best took her hands behind her
back and she felt the rope again as he bound her wrists tightly together. She
then let out a soft gasp as he passed a longer rope round her body and pulled
it tight under her chest then wound it round her so that two bands held her
arms against her sides.
“You are going
to do that to us,” Lucy asked quietly as Best tied the ropes off, and then
moved to her mother.
“Actually, we
are going to do something a little different for you,” Beauty said with a smile
as Ellen and Tommy watched them.
“Oh what?”
“Wait and see,”
Beauty said with a smile as Best pulled the rope round Mary’s arms and body.
The two women looked at each other before they sat in armchairs, watching as
Best knelt down and started to bind Mary’s ankles
together, the rope squeaking on her boots.
“You turn now,”
Beauty said as she knelt in front of the children and put some ropes on the
floor, picking one up and winding it round Lucy’s ankles as she started to bind
them tightly together. After she took the rope between her legs to make it
tighter, and tied the ends off, she took a second length and wound it round the
young girl’s legs below her knees.
“Well, that’s
different “
“Best is doing
it to us as well,” Christyne said as she felt her legs being secured together
as well, while Beauty moved on to Tommy. When she knelt in front of Ellen, she
smiled and said “if it hurts, tell me, all right?” The young girls nodded and
watched as her ankles and legs were secured together as well, then nodded as
she said “no it doesn’t hurt “
Beauty smiled
as she took more ropes from Best, and said “right Lucy, will you cross your
wrists in front of yourself please?”
“You’re not
going to tie our wrists behind us?”
“No something
different,” Beauty said, Tommy and Ellen watching as the masked woman secured
their sister’s wrists together in front of her, while Best
tied a longer rope round her upper arms and body to hold them together. Beauty
then put Lucy’s wrists on her lap, and tied them to the rope below her knees so
she could not lift them back up.
“Oh wow,” she
said softly as Beauty started to do the same thing to Tommy, while Mary said “well,
Mum, we’re going nowhere quickly.”
“Looks like it what film do you want to watch children?”
“Barbie!”
“Inside Out!”
“The
Incredibles!”
Mary and
Christyne looked at each other and laughed at the three different suggestions.
“How about the
Lion King,” Best said as he pulled the rope round Tommy’s arms, and Beauty tied
Ellen’s wrists together, “then you can sign along to it.”
“But won’t we
be gagged?”
“You can still
sing along.”
The three
children looked at each other as Ellen felt the rope pushing her arms against
her sides, and watched Beauty tie her wrists to her legs.
“There does it
hurt?”
Ellen shook her
head as Beauty stood up and fetched a roll of white tape from the bag. Tearing
a strip off, she looked at Christyne and said “anything you need to say?”
“Just thank you
for looking after us.”
The three
children watched as Beauty pressed the tape down over their grandmother’s
mouth, and then their mother’s. They both looked over, their lips visible under
the material and nodded as Mary said “htssthmm.”
As Beauty
pressed the tape over their mouths, Best turned the
television on and then lifted Ellen up, placing her across Mary’s lap as the
young girl rested her head on her mother’s chest.
“Fhnkkuhh,” Mary said before she pressed her taped lips on
Ellen’s head, the young girl smiling as the film began and they tried to sing
along
“Well,” Beauty
said as Best looked out of the curtains, and then at the family. Ellen was
asleep, her chest rising and falling as Mary rubbed her cheek on her head,
while Tommy and Lucy looked at their grandmother.
“We’re going to
go now,” Beauty said, “thank you for your cooperation.”
“Stthshf,” Christyne mumbled as the young couple left, and
she tried to move again with no success.
“Whhtnhmhm?”
“Nhh whhhpuhrhsbhndchms,”
Christyne said, proud of her grandchildren for coping so well
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