Beauty and The Best - Saturday Morning Pictures (MF/Ffm)

[KP Presents]

“You’re kidding me,” Barbara said as she sat at the kitchen table, the mug of coffee in her hands. She was wearing an electric blue silk blouse over a black top, tight leggings and heels, while her partner Tom sat across from her, still wearing the courier uniform for his job.

“No – we delivered the packages today and she asked us to take them to what she called ‘the entertainment room’,” Tom said with a smile. “It’s a huge cinema with a large screen in their basement, big enough to seat about twenty – and I heard her talking about how her friends were going to bring their children round on Saturday for a movie day while the friends talked.”

Barbara nodded as she looked at the papers in front of her. “Well, I looked at the online presence – and she certainly is a high earner, so we could make it a profitable visit, but how many friends and how many children?”

“She mentioned four names – and the room could seat twenty. I think we make sure we have more than enough supplies to ensure however many come, they are all secure and comfortable – and we make sure they enjoy the movie day as well.”

“Can we do this with that many to take care of?”

“Oh I think we can,” Tom said with a smile, “if we plan this out carefully. I suggest we time our arrival for about ten on the morning of the day…”

Barbara nodded as she said “okay then – we’re busy on Saturday…”


When it happened, at first I genuinely had no idea what was going on – I thought it was just a prank or something. Then I saw the guns, I heard what they said they were going to do, and I knew this was no prank…


“What are you doing up there,” Lottie Cairns called up the staircase as she hear the bumping and thumping.

“Just getting dressed, Mum,” a young boy called down, Lottie smiling and shaking her head as she said “well, try not to make too much noise” and then walked into the front room. Her eight-year-old daughter Dottie was sitting watching television, her blonde hair falling over the shoulders of the black cap sleeved dress she was wearing over a long-sleeved chocolate brown top. The dress had coloured butterflies printed on it, and she was wearing a pair of short black boots over leggings that matched her top.

Lottie herself was thirty-three years old, and had a thin band holding her dark brown hair away from her face, three red flowers on the band. She had a yellow cardigan on over a white top, a knee length black velvet skirt and knee length black baggy leather boots, her tights just visible between the tops of the boots and the hem of her skirt.

“Can I have a glass of juice, Mummy,” she asked as she looked up.

“Of course,” Lottie said as she walked to the kitchen and poured some squash into a glass. She heard the doorbell ring, and then Dottie say “Hello.”

“Hello there, young lady – could we talk to your mother please?”

“Who is it,” Lottie said as she came out – and then she saw her daughter walk slowly back as a young couple came in, black wool hats on their heads and domino masks over their eyes. They looked young – barely teenagers – and the young woman was wearing a tight black sweater, leggings and over the knee boots. The young man was wearing a black jumper, pants and trainers – but both of them were also wearing black leather gloves, as she saw the young woman point a gun at her while her partner closed the door.

“Hi,” she said quietly, “please do nothing to raise the alarm – we have no desire to hurt you, your children, or anyone else today. Just do as we say, and everyone will be just fine.”

“Mummy,” Dottie said, “why are they dressed like that?”

The young man smiled as he said “what is your name?”

“Dottie…”

“Well, Dottie, the truth is we are robbers, and we have come to rob your mother today – but we know you have some friends coming to see films, and we’re not going to spoil that for you. It just means you will be watching it – in a slightly different way.”

Lottie swallowed as she said “please, I’ll do whatever you want, but don’t hurt them…”

“We won’t,” the young woman said, “but Dottie would like her drink. Why don’t you come with me into the main room, and I’ll explain what is happening – Best, be a darling and fetch the two boys down, will you?”

When Tod and I looked at the door, and saw the masked man standing there, it seemed as if it was some sort of dream – and in some ways, it turned out to be as he spoke to us…

Best smiled as he stood in the hallway and looked into the bedroom door, seeing the two boys standing there. The oldest was twelve, with short blonde hair, and was wearing a white shirt over an orange top, brown pants and brown shoes. His younger brother was eleven, and he had on a brown short sleeved shirt over a mustard-coloured jumper with long sleeves, jeans and black shoes.

It was him who saw him first, and whispered “who are you?”

“I was going to ask you boys the same thing,” Best said as he stood in the doorway, “what are your names?”

The older boy said “I’m Tod, and my brother is Eric. Why do you have a mask on, as if you are a burglar?”

“Well – that would be because I am a burglar,” Best said as he put the bag he was carrying on the bed, “and as a burglar, I have to tell you my friend is with your mother and sister right now. In a few minutes, we’re going to join them, but there is something I need to do to both of you first.”

“What’s that,” Eric said quietly, and then his eyes widened as Best opened the bag and took out two lengths of rope.

“Make sure you both have your wrists secured together behind your back. Don’t worry – everybody is going to be the same today, so nobody gets left out.”

The two boys looked at each other, before Tod said “you promise you will not hurt us?”

“I promise – so who is going to be first?”

“I will,” Tod said as he turned and put his hands behind his back, Eric watching as the masked man used one of the lengths of rope to secure his crossed wrists tightly together.

“Does it hurt,” he asked quietly.

“No,” Tod said as he wriggled his fingers, “you’ll be fine. Let the man do it – what do we call you.”

“They call me Best.”

“That’s a funny name – why do they call you Best?”

“Because I am,” the masked man said with a smile as he secured Eric’s wrists together behind his bag as well. As he tried to move round, Best picked up the bag and said “right – let’s go and see your mother and sister.”


“Oh my god – boys!”

“Mum, we’re all right – are you and Dottie okay?”

“I’m fine,” the young girl said as she sat with her mother, both of them with their wrists tied together behind their backs as the boy stared at the masked woman.

“This is Tod and Eric. Boys, this is my friend, Beauty.”

“She is,” Tod whispered as Beauty smiled at them. “Hello boys – I need you to come and sit with your sister and mother, while we wait for all your friends to come.”

“All of them are going to be like us?”

“They are,” Beauty said as they sat on the couch, “but we need to make it a surprise for them, so we need to make sure you cannot tell them we are here.”

“How?”

“I’m so glad you asked – once we do this, just sit nice and quiet.”

Lottie heard the peeling sound, and then nodded as the white tape was pressed down over her mouth. She watched as her children were gagged in the same way, as Best said “I’ll take care of the telephone and security – don’t go anywhere. I think the next arrivals may be here very soon…”



When we walked in and saw Lottie and the family, I was shocked – but my children could not believe this was really happening, and I have to admit that girl – Beauty – was honest, and put them at ease even as she tied them both up like the boys and Dottie…


“Lottie, I hope you have got the coffee on,” Sharon Cairns said as she opened the front door of the house, her two children running in front of her. Margo was seven years old, and was wearing a red corduroy dungaree dress over a grey top, dark tights and black ankle boots, while her twin brother Simon was wearing a light blue shirt and brown corduroy pants with black shoes. Sharon was two years younger than her sister-in-law, and was wearing a short denim waistcoat dress that buttoned up the front over a red sweater, dark tights and knee length black leather boots with a false cuff at the top.

“Hey -where are you,” Sharon said quietly as she walked into the front room, and then stopped behind her children as Simon said “wow – cool.” She could see her sister-in-law, her niece and nephews, sitting on the couch with their hands behind their backs, and tape covering their mouths.

“Hmshrrhshrhn,” Lottie mumbled as she also saw the masked man standing behind the couch, a gun in his gloved hand.

“Well, hello there – and what are your names?”

She turned to see a masked woman, her blonde hair falling from under the wool cap to the shoulders of her jumper, ad Simon said “We’re Simon and Margo – who are you?”

“Well, my name is Beauty – and my friend over there is The Best.”

“The Best at what?”

“Whatever he wants to do,” Beauty said with a smile. “So this is your mother – I take it the others are your cousins?”

Margo nodded as she put a finger to her lips, and said “are you a robber?”

“Yes, Yes I am,” Beauty said as she stroked Margo’s brown hair away from her face with her gloved hand, “and I know you are expecting a fun film day today. Well, that I still going to happen – but in a different way. Right now, I want your mother to stand in front of you, and then I want you all to put your hands behind your back.”

“Are you going to tie us up?”

“We are – but it will be fun, and it does not hurt, I promise you.”

“Why,” Sharon finally said, “why are you doing this?”

“To survive,” Best said as he walked round, “please do as Beauty asks.”

“Mummy, I think we have to,” Simon said as he turned and put his hands behind his back, Margo doing the same as Sharon nodded and turned to face them.

“What do you mean when you say they can still watch the films,” she said as she felt Best cross her wrists, and the thin rope as they were bound tightly together.

“We have no reason to deny them their fun, and we are going to be here some time,” Beauty said over Simon’s shoulder as she bound his wrists together, and then did the same to Margo, “so once everyone has arrived, you will all – with the exception of Lottie at first – be in the entertainment room. It’s just that snacks and drinks may have to wait.”

“I guess we don’t have a choice, Mum,” Margo said quietly, Sharon nodding as she watched Beauty turn her children round.

“Now, we need to keep you all nice and quiet as well – just stay calm and do as we say, all right?”

They both nodded as she tore two strips of tape from the roll, and smoothed them down over their mouths, before they went and sat on a smaller couch, watching as Best gagged their mother as well before she sat between them.

“We appear to be running out of room, Beauty?”

“Oh let’s see who comes next,” Beauty said with a smile, “we can always move some of them to the small cinema after that…”


It was the strangest feeling – sitting with Mum and my brother and sister, seeing Margo and Simon either side of Aunt Sharon with the tape over their mouths as well and their hands behind their back. I did think Margo looked cute, but then Dottie pushed her elbow into my side and looked at me, Mum shaking her head as Tod just looked straight ahead.

I did wonder what was going to happen next – and then the Masters of the Universe arrived with their mother…

Olivia Coulthard stood at the door, tapping her foot as she waited for her fiend Lottie to allow them in. Her long light brown hair fell over the shoulders of her grey V-necked sweater, the legs of her blue jeans tucked into knee length black riding boots.

“What’s keeping her,” Thirteen-year-old Charles said as he looked round. He was wearing a gey and white checked jumper with tight black jeans and blur trainers, while his twelve-year-old brother Edward was wearing a dark blue cardigan over a light blue pinstripe shirt, brown jeans with the cuffs at the end of the legs turned up, grey socks and yellow sports shoes.

“Here we go,” Olivia said as the door was opened, and the three of them walked in – and then they turned as the door was closed to see a masked man standing there ,a gun pointing at them in his gloved hand as he said “hello- - I ned you to slowly, carefully, put your hands behind your back and stand perfectly still.”

“Oh my god, we’ve walked into an armed robbery!”

“Mum?”

“Do a sis ask,” the man said with a smile, “and then we can see about starting the film day you are all here for.”

Charles and Edward looked at Olivia, and then slowly put their hands behind their back, gasping as someone took their wrists and crossed them before they felt rope holding them together.

Olivia was surprised to feel a pair of hands guiding her own behind her own back, and looked over her shoulder to see a masked woman securing her wrists with rope there as well.

“Who are you?”

“A pair of robbers,” the woman said as she turned Olivia round and walked her into the front room. “Best, make sure the two boys are quiet and then bring them in please.”

“Naturally, Beauty,” Olivia heard the masked man said and then a ripping sound as she was walked into the front room, her eyes widening as she said “oh my god…”

“Hllhffhhfhhh…”

She saw the two women, three boys and two girls,. All with their hands behind their backs and tape over their mouths, before she saw Charles and Edward come in, white tape now covering their mouths as they looked round.

“It’s getting a little crowded in here – why don’t you take the boys to watch their film first, Best?”

“Why not,” Best said as he collected some lengths of rope from the bag. “Eric, Tod, Simon, please stand up and come with us please.”

“Where are they taking them,” Olivia said as the five boys joined Best.

“Tthtehnthrhtmhntrhm,” Lottie mumbled, Sharon nodding as Megan and Dottie looked at each other.

“Let’s go,” Best said as he held the lengths of cord in his hands and the boys walked out, Beauty sitting Olivia next to Sharon as she said “now then – lips together please.”

Tod led the way down the staircase to the cellar of the house, then waited as Best opened the door and the group walked in, Charles looking round and saying “Hwhhhh…”

The room had a large screen to one side, and two rows of large hairs, Best smiling as he said “sit in the chairs, boys, and then put your ankles together for me.” They sat down and watched as one by one he used a length of cord to secure their ankles together, and then pressed a button on the side of each chair, the boys lying back as the seats reclined.

“Hwddhduhknhhbhtthm?”

“I checked the layout of the room earlier,” Best said as the five boys looked at each other and wriggled round, before he turned the lights down and started the projector, all of them watching the start of the Transformers movie…



So Best walked the boys out as Megan and I looked at each other. I had a bit of an itch on my nose, but there was no way for me to scratch it -but Beauty saw what I was doing, and came over to scratch there with her gloved finger before she brushed my hair away from my face again.

“Don’t worry, once we have everyone here, you can come and watch a film – and the boys will have to watch it with you,” she said with a smile -and that made me feel better as well.

She stroked Megan’s hair away and nodded to her as well, before Mum said “Whhruhhnddths?” Beauty walked over and peeled the tape away from her mouth, before she whispered “what are you doing this?”

“I’ll explain later – right now, you need to come and welcome whoever has just pulled up,” Beauty said as she helped Mum to stand up, and walked her to the front door…

“I hope they have the Barbie movie for us to watch,” Zoe said as she sat in the passenger seat of the car and looked at her mother. Aubrey Jones worked with Lottie, and she had been invited with her daughter to join them for the day. The forty-year-old woman had long light brown hair, and was wearing a black lace sleeveless dress that came down to her knees, as well as white shoes. Zoe had the same colour and style of hair, and was also wearing a sleeveless dress, but hers had alternating white and black horizontal stripes.

“Well, whatever it is, you’re going to have to be the big sister,” Aubrey said with a smile as she pulled up outside Lottie’s house. “We’re at least not the first ones here, nor the last – Mandy still has to arrive with her girls.”

Zoe nodded as they got out of the car and walked up to the front door, Lottie looking round as it opened and said “hey – come away in, the boys have already started to watch something, but I have a surprise for you first.”

“OH what…What…”

Aubrey and Zoe stopped in the hallway as they saw Lottie standing there, her hands behind her back as a masked woman closed the front door, and then pointed a very real pistol at the two new arrivals.

“Hi,” the young woman said, “I am Beauty – and I need you both to put your hands behind your back now, because my friend Best is going to secure your wrists together to make sure you cannot use your hands.”

“Lottie, what’s going on?”

“I’m being robbed,” Lottie said quietly, “the boys are all watching a film, and the others are in the front room – but you need to do what they say.”

As Zoe felt the rope forcing her wrists together, Aubrey said “hang on -everyone is being held hostage?”

“Indeed – we are here for a while, and it makes sense for us to make sure you all support Lottie in what we ask her to do.”

Aubrey slowly nodded as Beauty said “Best, please fetch a drink for Margo and Dottie. In the front room, if you will?”

As they walked in, Aubrey saw Sharon and Olivia, with the white tape over their mouths, and then the two younger girls as Best brought in a glass of water with a straw in it. The two new arrivals sat down as Beauty pressed strips of tape over their mouth, while Best peeled the tape away from Dottie’s moth and allowed her to take a drink.

“Thank you,” she said as she looked up. “This is actually fun, Mummy.”

“I’m glad you are having fun,” Lottie said quietly as Best re-gagged her daughter, and then allowed young Margo to have a drink as well.

“Are we going to get to see a film as well,” she said as she moved her mouth away.

“Oh yes – and the boys will be able at least to listen to it,” Beauty said as the tape went back over her mouth. “Ah – I see your final guests are arriving.”

“I am so sorry,” Lottie said as she looked at Aubrey.

“Nhhuhrfhlt,” she mumbled under the tape as Beauty walked her to the front door, and stood to the side.

“Now remember – even though they are the last to arrive, not a word until they come in.”

“I know,” Lottie said quietly as Beauty opened the door, and a woman in her early thirties looked at her. She was wearing a green cardigan over a grey top, and blue jeans tucked into a pair of dark brown knee-high boots.

“Hi Boss – thanks for inviting me and the girls along.”

“Glad you could come – come in on in,” Lottie said as she stood back and the woman came in, accompanied by two young girls. One was nine years old, with long light brown hair like her mother, and was wearing a long-sleeved brown print dress with white tights and brown ankle boots. The younger girl was six years old, and was wearing a brown corduroy pinafore dress over a white jumper, blue tights and white ankle boots.

As they came in, they both stared at Beauty as she closed the door, Kylie staring at her as she said “Lottie, what’s going on?”

“Well, what is going on is a robbery,” the masked woman said as she pointed a gun at the new arrivals, “so please, do what I and my friend asks you to do.”

Kylie stared at her, and said “How old are you? Eighteen? Nineteen?”

“How old I am is less important than the fact I have a gun, or the fact your hostess has her wrists tied together behind her back, or that everyone else is the same – only with tape over their mouths,” Beauty said as Best appeared in the doorway, also armed. She put her gun down and squatted in front of the girls, saying “so what are your names?”

“I’m Violet,” the older girl said, “and this is Rose. You scared us.”

“I’m sorry if I did,” Beauty said with a smile, “but we are robbers, and we have tied everyone else up – would you like to come and see?”

Violet and Rose looked at their mother, Kylie nodding as she said “go with her – I’ll be along in a minute.” Beauty took them both by the hand and walked them into the front room, as Rose said “Dottie? They did that to you?” before Kylie looked at Best.

“Why take us all hostage?”

“We have our reasons,” Best said as he took her wrists behind her back, and tied her wrists together.

“How long have they been here?”

“Long enough for the boys to have watched most of one film,” Lottie said as she looked round. “They say they are going to take the girls down in a few minutes.”

“Why don’t you go in now,” Best said as Kylie and Lottie walked into the front room, Kylie seeing the tape over the mouths of her daughters as Beauty bound their wrists together behind their back. “Sit down, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Lottie sat down as Kylie walked to where Olivia was sitting, as Beauty got the other girls to stand up. When Best came back, he said “okay – they’re ready.”

“Come along girls,” Beauty said as she led the girls out of the room, Zoe leading them as Best said “Now, we’ll take you along in a few minutes…”

This was certainly not how I expected to spend a Saturday – the shock of seeing Margo and Dottie with their wrists bound and tape over their mouth somehow became less as the same thing happened to me, and then the other girls arrived. But the way the man – Best – let them both have a drink before he re-gagged them, and then the way Beauty calmed Violet and Rose down before she covered their mouths with tape and then bound their wrists…

They were in charge, but none of us was actually afraid – they had been totally honest with us, and I actually respected them for that. So when Beauty said we were going to join the boys, I led them along the corridor, and down to this enormous room that looked like a small cinema.

The boys were there all right, still with their hands behind their backs and tape over their mouths – but they also had tape over their eyes now, as they turned their heads when they heard our footsteps.

Beauty helped each of us to sit in a seat, and then we watched as she used cord to tie our ankles together, before she reclined our seats – a big surprise for me.

And then Barbie started, and I was happy…


“You have got to be kidding me.”

“I wish I was,” Best said as he looked at Lottie, the other mothers looking at him with disbelief in their eyes, “but it is the truth. Beauty and I do this because we need the funds to survive – nothing more, nothing less.”

“So it’s not greed that motivates you?”

“No – it is survival.” He stood up from where he had been using cords to secure Olivia and Kylie’s ankles together, and then took their handbags over to where other bags and phones had been stored. He then came back over and looked at the four women sat there.

“Beauty is with the children, and she will keep an eye on them. I am going to take Lottie round the house – I have a choice. I could trust you to remain here, or you can join the children. Which will it be?”

They looked at each other before Sharon mumbled “thkkhsththm.”

“If I do that, when we are done, Beauty will bring you to join Lottie – they will be hungry and need some food, as will you. Acceptable?”

The four of them nodded as they stood up, and shuffled out into the hallway.


“Hllhmhm,” Zoe said as she saw them come in and sit in the second row, Beauty walking over and reclining their seats as Best took Lottie out.

“It appears the new cinema is a great success.”

“It at least keeps them distracted,” Lottie said as they walked up the stairs. “So you rob people like us to pay your bills, but food, and so on?”

“I know it may seem hard to someone like you, but there are many people in the same situation as me,” Best said as they made their way to the upper floors, “this is the way we choose to cope, and it works for us. I hope you understand this is not a personal attack – you merely have what we need in terms of funds we can employ.”

“So what happens when the film is over, and we have all eaten?”

“You all get to watch a film together….”

It may have been the fact I genuinely could do nothing about it, or the fact they were so calm, but as we went round the house and he helped himself to my money and valuables, I was glad to be able to help him.

We then collected the mothers and we gathered in the kitchen, Beaty coming and then releasing our hands as we peeled the tape away from our mouths. We looked at each other and then fell into a massive group hug of reassurance and mutual support, before we started to prepare pizzas, chicken dippers and other food that everyone could share in. It was as if our experience had bonded us even more strongly together.

Bonded – funny and appropriate choice of word there. Anyway, we took the cooked food into the front room and put it on the table as Beauty brought the kids up. They were hungry all right, as we sat with our own drinks and looked at each other…

It was starting to get dark outside as the mothers sat in the armchairs, the ten children talking to ach other as they sat on the floor and shared in the food.

“He has taken my jewellery, money and coins from the safe,” Lottie said as she held a drink in her hands, “but somehow I understand what might have driven them to do this.”

“I understand, but I don’t like it,” Aubrey said. “Bu the kids enjoyed the films – even the boys with the second one.”

“We could only hear it – but that somehow made it better,” Charles said as he looked over. “So are we going to be tied up and gagged again.”

“You are,” Best said from the side of the room, “but more tightly, because we have to make sure you really cannot raise the alarm.”

“Are you going to tie us up,” Zoe said as she looked at Beauty.

“No – with so many of you here, we have to do this in a different way,” Beauty said with a smile, “but trust me -it will be fun. Has everyone had enough?”

As they all nodded, Beauty said “all right – girls come with me to the toilet. Best?”

“I need the rest of you to come back to the cinema,” Best said, and then he looked at Charles and Edward. “When we go out, you two pick up one of the large bags out there each and bring them down. Shall we?”

“What are we going to watch, Mum,” Edward said as he looked at Olivia.

“Something suitable for all of us, hopefully,” Olivia said as they walked back into the large room, the boys putting the bags down.

“Ladies – take a seat and keep your hands on your laps. Boys – open one of the bags, take out a length of rope each, and then wait for the girls to come in.”

“What do we want this for,” Tod asked as Eric nervously held the rope.

“You are going to tie the girls up, doing what Beauty and I say – and you need to make it as tight as possible,” Best said, “then your mothers will tie you up, and then we tie your mothers up.”

Lottie looked at the other women as Beauty led the girls in. “Now then,” she said with a smile, “Zoe stand in front of Charles. Margo stand in front of Simon, and Dottie in front of Eric. Violet you stand in front of Edward, and finally Rose in front of Tod.”

As the girls walked over, Beauty said “so, put your hands behind your back and cross your wrists. Boyd, double over the rope you have in your hands, then wrap it round the wrists of the girls in front of you, and pull the ends back through the loop so they are held together.

“I’m sorry,” Charles whispered into Zoe’s ear as she felt the rope round her wrists.

“Don’t be – I know you won’t hurt me,” Zoe whispered back as Best said “now, keep it tight and wrap the rope round their wrists three times, making sure you keep the coils on top of each other. Then tuck the rope under the top band, separate eth ends and take them round between their arms, before tying the ends off with a tight knot.”

“Does it hurt,” Tod said to Rose as he tied the ends off. Rose shook her head as she wriggled her fingers, while Best took longer lengths of rope out of one of the bags and handed them to the boys.

“Okey – double those over, then pass them round the girl in front of you, put the ends through the middle loop, and pull it back nice and tight so that tit sits round her stomach, and her arms are held against her sides.”

“That feel strange,” Margo said as she flet the rope tightening. “Nice, but strange.”

“Now take it round her again, this time round her upper arms.” As the boys did this, Zoe bit her lower lip, as the bands were added to and then pulled tighter before the boys tied the ends off.

“Excellent,” Best said as he checked the knots. “All right girls – take a seat and then stretch your legs out as the boys recline the chairs.”

“Let’s do this,” Violet said as she sat down, and then Edward used the button on the side to let her recline. The boys were then each handed a new length of rope as Beauty said “now do exactly the same to their ankles as you did to their wrists. Best will then give you another length, and you can tie their legs together below their knees.”

They all watched as their ankles were secured together, Zoe wondering why it felt so different this time, and then she giggled as Charles began to secure her legs below her knees.

“You’re not ticklish are you?”

“Not really – it just felt different,” Zoe said as her legs were secured.

“Now, we need you to be quiet – so each of the boys is going to be given a sponge ball, which they are going to squeeze down – then each of the girls open their mouths, and the boys push them gently in. Girls – you need to remain calm and try not to struggle too much, understand?”

Zoe looked at Beauty, then down the line as she said “let’s do this girls.” As they nodded, Best handed each boy a sponge ball, and they gently pushed them into the mouths of the girls, before Beauty tore strips of wide white tape from a roll and pressed them gently down over their mouths.

“I hope you were paying attention ladies,” Best said, “because it is your turn. Please come forward – Tod, stand in front of your mother, Simon in front of yours, and Charles in front of yours. Eric, you stand in front of Aubrey, and Edward in front of Kylie.”

As the mothers stood up, Kylie said ”is it wrong if I say I’m actually quite excited about doing this?”

“You are?”

“Think about it – the boys have no choice, we have no choice, and the girls look happy enough. I’m interested to see how it feels.”

“Know what – I am as well,” Aubrey said as they were each handed a length of rope, the boys turning and putting their hands behind their backs before the mothers got to work.

“It feels as if you’re hugging me,” Eric said quietly as the ropes forced his arms against his sides. “It’s nice.”

“Well, just keep thinking it is Lottie hugging you,” Aubrey said as she saw Beauty watching her, and then tied the ends off. The mothers looked at each other as the five boys wriggled their fingers and twisted round, their arms held against their sides.

“Good,” Best said quietly. “Sit down boys, and we make sure you are as secure and quiet as the girls.

“I’m sorry I had to do this,” Olivia said as she bound her older son’s ankles together.

“I know they are making you do it,” Charles said as he felt the rope tighten round his ankles, and then his legs below his knees, “and I’ll tell dad you did a good job.”

“So will I,” Simon said, smiling as Sharon pulled the white rope between his legs.

“Thank you,” Sharon said quietly as she took the sponge ball from Beauty’s gloved hand, and compressed it in her own. “Open wide…”

The boys looked at each other as the white tape covered their mouths from nose to chin, and then their mothers stood facing them, Best taking Lottie’s hands behind her back and binding her wrists tightly together with the rope.

Dottie, Eric and Tod watched as Beauty then wound rope round their mother’s; body, pulling tight under her chest and then taking it round her upper arms as well as her cardigan was stretched and opened up under the tight bands.

All the children watched as their mothers were secured, and then the compressed sponge balls were pushed into their mouths by Best before Beauty smoothed the white tape down over their mouths.

“Settle down now,” Best said as the mothers were then escorted to the second row of seats, the group listening as they heard the squeak of rope rubbing on leather, and the muffled comments of their mothers before Beauty came and stood in front of them.

“Have any of you seen Wonka yet?”

They all shook their heads as Best turned the lights down, and the film started on the big screen, as Beauty and the Best slipped to the side of the room….




“They seemed happy,” Barbara said as they slipped out of the house, moving their masks and hats before they walked towards their waiting car.

“Well, they were entertained - – come on,” Tom said, “I think the first dad may come looking for them soon…”

[Detective-Gag]

A great installment of Beauty & Best!

Quite the large-scale hostage scheme.