The Games Player - Double Play

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It started with me sitting in a cafe in the store, looking at the mother and daughter Steve had told me about from the reports in the local news. Gail Secombe was in her late thirties, with long brown hair, and was wearing a crimson duffle coat over a red sweater, a straight black knee length skirt, dark tights and black knee length leather boots with a lace cuff.

 

With her was her ten-year-old daughter Sophia. She had short dark hair, and was wearing a pink Puffa jacket over a black t-shirt and blue leggings, which were tucked into her own knee length black leather boots with a white trim at the top and round the sides. She was having a glass of Coca Cola while her mother sipped on a coffee, the shopping in the bags at their feet.

 

Gail’s husband had, some time ago, won a substantial amount on the lottery and his ‘celebrating’ had ultimately led to their divorce and a handsome payout to her as well as their home. Steve felt enough time had passed for us to help them enjoy some close family time together, so as they stood up I left some money on the table and followed them.

 

I was wearing a black leather jacket over a white jumper and dark leggings tucked into short suede boots, a woollen hat on my head, but I still made sure I followed them to the Tube station from a safe distance, and then out to the end of the Central lien in the town of Epping. It’s a lovely little town, almost a village in the way it feels, so I walked along until they turned into a path and walked to the front door of a detached house.

 

As thy went in, I walked quickly behind them and pulled the stocking down from under the hat with my gloved hands, and then I let myself in surprising Gail as I did so. She would have screamed if I hadn’t taken the starting pistol out of my jacket pocket, showed it to her and put my gloved finger to my lips.

 

“Mummy, who is this?”

 

I smiled as Sophia came out, still wearing her coat, and said “well, Sophia, I’m here to play a game of Hostages with you and your mother she booked me some time ago, and I was just waiting for both of you to come home so that we can begin the game.”

 

“Hostages? How do you play a game of Hostages?”

 

Gail looked at me as I smiled, and said “Well, I’m going to pretend to be someone who needs to do something in your house - and that means I have to keep everyone in the house somewhere where they cannot get in the way, or stop me. Don’t worry - I’ll have the television on for something you like, so you won’t be bored, okay?”

 

Gail shook her head as I said “you signed for it, Mrs Secombe shall we begin? Both of you can go in the front room, with your hands in the air.”

 

“This is exciting, Mummy,” Sophia said as they both raised their hands and walked into the front room, and I looked round. Putting my hand on Sophia’s shoulder, I said “all right Mrs Secombe pull the drapes across the windows, and then sit in the armchair, with your hands where I can see them.”

 

As Gail did this, I slipped my rucksack off my back, and said to Sophie “how do you think I make sure nobody can stop me?”

 

“Are you going to tie me and Mummy up?”

 

“That’s right,” I said with a smile as Gail sat down, “so put your hands behind your back and I’ll use some rope to make sure you cannot bring them back round.”

 

“Can we at least take our coats off,” Gail asked.

 

“Oh no I had to make sure as soon as you came in you could not stop me.” as I answered her, I took some white rope from my bag, doubled it over and then used it to secure Sophia’s wrists together behind her back. I then took a longer rope and doubled it over, before I made sure her arms were held against her sides, the two bands of rope round her upper arms and her stomach.

 

“There,” I said as I tied the ropes off behind her back, “is that so bad?”

 

Sophia shook her head as I told her to sit on the long couch, and then walked over to stand behind Gail. “Your turn now, Mrs Secombe,” I said quietly, “hands behind your back please.”

 

“Are you all right, Sophia,” Gail said as I started to bind her wrists behind her back.

 

“Yes Mummy I really can’t move my arms,” the young girl said as she twisted round, then she watched as I used a longer rope to force Gail’s arms against her sides, the bands framing her chest as I secured them behind her.

 

“There now I now need to make sure you and Mummy cannot get up and try to raise the alarm. Which reminds me Mrs Secombe - where is your mobile phone?”

 

“My My handbag,” Gail whispered as she nodded to a set of shelves, and I looked in the red handbag and drew out her phone.

 

“Do you have a phone Sophia?”

 

“No Mummy says I am too young.”

 

“Quite right now, I want you to cross your ankles for me.”

 

As Sophia did that, I came back over and took more ropes from my handbag, before I doubled one over and used it to bind her ankles tightly together, Sophia giggling as she heard the squeaking sound of the rope on the leather. I then tied her legs together below her knees, before standing up and saying “And now it is “

 

We all hear the front door open and close, so I put my finger to my lips and said “not a word let’s see who else is playing” before the door to the room opened.

 

“Aunt Gail, are you and MUM!”

 

“What is it,” an older woman said as she came in behind the two young girls and then Gail said “hi Gina you’re just in time to be part of the game.”

 

“Game? What game?”

 

“Hostages come and look Alex,” Sophia said as the older of the two girls walked over. She was about nine years old, with long hair the same shade as Gail, and was wearing a pink fluffy jacket over a dep pink dress, pink tights with flowers on them, and short cream leather boots.

 

“Game what sort of game,” Gina said she was identical to Gail, except for the fact her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she was wearing tithed glasses. She had on a light purple jacket over a deeper purple top, and light purple leggings tucked into over the knee grey suede boots, a scarf tied loosely round her neck. She was holding the hand of a seven-year-old girl who was wearing a sheepskin jacket over a red top and jeans, as well as pink trainers.

 

“Well,” Gail said as she looked at the new arrivals, “I had booked this lady to play a game with me and Sophia she was talking about her Enid Blyton books, and wondered out loud how it would be to be a hostage. So I found this agency that does realistic role play and today’s the day. I had forgotten, or I would have warned you but now you’re here “

 

“We’re going to play this gam as well? It looks scary,” the younger girl said as she gripped her mother’s hand.

 

“It’s not scary Poppy come and look at me as well,” Sopiha said as I looked at Gina.

 

“I’ll make sure your girls play in a few minutes right now, I need to make sure you are like your twin sister. Please stand in front of me, and put your hands behind your back.”

 

As Gian walked over and I started to bind her wrists together, she looked at Gail and said “a game?”

 

“I know but they must not, or they may be too scared,” Gail whispered, Gian nodding as I forced her wrists together, and then tie the ropes off before making sure her arms stayed by her sides.

 

“Have a seat,” I said, Gina sitting in the other armchair as I looked at Alex and Poppy. “Now then I have to make sure you two are the same as Sophia, because I cannot have anyone stopping me.. Both of you, put your hands behind your back, and I’ll use the rope to keep them there and then your arms against your sides.”

 

“It feels nice actually, Sohpia said as I started with Alex, making sure her wrists and arms were secured while her sister watched.

 

“Does it hurt, Alex?”

 

“No you’re going to be all right Poppy,” her sister said as I made sure young Poppy was secured just as tightly, and then helped them to sit either side of their cousin before I made sure their ankles and legs were just as tightly secured.

 

“We’re going to watch Powerpuff Girls,” Sophia said as I walked over and knelt in front of Gail, crossing and binding her ankles tightly together as the three children tested their legs round and laughed at the squeaking.

 

“You make it a game so they stay calm?”

 

“Yes,” I said quietly as I took the rope between her legs and pulled it tight before securing the ends. “And thank you both of you for making sure it stays a game.” I then passed the rope round her legs above her knees and started to bind them together as she looked over to the couch.

 

“We’re going to be kept quiet, aren’t we?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How?”

 

“I’ll tell them, and tell them how to breath,” I said quietly as I tied the ropes off, and walked over to Gina. I knelt and started to bind her ankles, as she watched the way the soft grey suede lightened under the tight bands of rope. I then secured her legs together below her knees as well, before I stood up and watched her twist her legs around.

 

“There now,” I said as I turned the television on, and found the right program, “none of you are going to go anywhere are you?”

 

“But we need to be kept quiet,” Sophia said.

 

“I agree,” I said as I took Gina’s scarf from her, folded it and tied it round her head with the ends secured at the back of her neck. “Do you have any more scarves, Mrs Secombe?”

 

“In the hallway,” Gail said, and I returned with four more scarves which I used to add detective gags to each of them.

 

“That should keep you quiet for the moment but later I need to make sure you really stay quiet,” I said, “right now I need to go and make my preparations for the things I need to do. I’ll see you all later.”

 

The girls nodded as Gail and Gina sat still, while I left the room and went to search the bedrooms

 

 

 

When I returned a short while later, I had three juice boxes, and I put them down and put a straw in one before I pulled the scarf down from Poppy’s mouth and allowed her to have a drink.

 

“Thank you you’re very nice for someone who is holding us as hostages,” she said quietly.

 

“You’re very welcome, “I said as she finished her drink, “but I need to make sure you stay really quiet now. Are you ready?” I waited until Pippa nodded, and then took some white micropore tap from my rucksack, peeled a length off, and then gently pressed it down over the young girl’s mouth.

 

Phpphe?”

 

Htsshlrht,” Poppy mumbled as Sophia and Alex saw the way her lisp moved under the tape. Gina visibly relaxed as I pulled the scarf down from Alex’s mouth, let her have a drink, and then pressed the tape down over her mouth before moving to Sophia.

 

“Thank you for playing this game with us,” she said as I allowed her to drink from the third carton.

 

“You’re welcome,” I said as I smile dunder the stocking mask, “are you ready?”

 

She nodded as she pursed her lips, and I tape gagged her before I walked over and puled the grey and cream scarf down from Gina’s mouth. She worked her mouth, and then said “I’m glad you are all enjoying the game girls.”

 

Whrrhmhm,” Alex mumble as I covered her mouth with the micropore tape as well, and then I replaced the scarf over Gail’s mouth with the white tape.

 

“There now I need to be about my work. Stay still, stay calm, and you will all be just fine.”

 

Fhnkuhh,” Gail mumbled, the others nodding as I stepped outside and watched for a while, then slipped out of the front door

 

 

 

 

 

 

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