squabbling over gags (F/FF)

[Stiletto Amore]

The fortune teller was sitting on an ornate wooden throne behind a table on which were spread the various tools of her trade, a tarot deck, a crystal ball, various coloured crystals and, rather incongruously among all the detritus from the ancient world, a contactless card reader.

She had been looking in my general direction and as I caught her eye, she raised a heavily bejeweled hand in greeting - it was like she had not just expected me to visit, but had somehow foreseen it.

I glanced at my watch.

20:30

There was still half an hour until my rendezvous with my fellow sleuth and best friend - surely time enough to get my palm read.

Drawn by idle curiosity I made my way over to her stall.

The fortune teller was a large, voluptuous woman draped in various colored shawls with a shock of red curls and mascara an inch thick - she looks like the singer in a Fleetwood Mac tribute band I thought to myself.

“Welcome child. Would you wish to have your fortune told?”

She had a heavy foreign accent that sounded like it was straight from central casting.


“Can you tell the future?” I asked.


“I see all” She purred


There was a footstool opposite her in a cramped space and I struggled to lower myself onto it.

She held out her palm as I straightened my pleated skirt.


“How much?” I said, opening my purse.


“Five dollars”

I crossed her palm with green and allowed her to take my hand and spread it out in front of her.


She stretched out her ring covered finger and began to slowly trace the lines on my palm.

It tickled, but I tried not to laugh for fear it would ruin the ambiance of the moment.


“You are a student, no?”


Well, the fact that I was still dressed in my green and yellow school uniform was probably something of a clue, but I was far too polite to point this out.


“Yes” I replied, hoping that I was going to get a little more for my money than what I could see in the mirror of a morning.


“You are a writer of some kind yes?


“I’m a journalist on the school paper” I found myself agreeing.


“Ah!” She exclaimed “And something of an amatuer detective as well I think?

I nodded, although again, I was snooping around a circus after dark so this wasn’t too much of a leap.


“And I see that you are often imperilled - like the Penelope Pitstop”


And how could she possibly know that I wondered to myself.


“In fact, I’m getting a vision of you, and a young friend, tied up, and with a gag in your mouths - but, you’re not afraid. Hmm, how curious,..”


“You are quite correct on all counts” I conceded, suddenly desperate to learn the source of her trickery “But how?”


“Elementary dear Sam, you see the smudges on your right hand and ink spots on the sleeve of your blouse indicate someone who writes for a living”


“But that could have just been from my school work? I suggested


“It could, but the professional looking dictaphone in your purse suggests otherwise”


I couldn’t help but be impressed

“Everything you say is true” I admitted “But how did you know I was a detective?”


“Simplicity itself, the lockpicking kit in your blazer pocket, coupled with the abrasions on your wrists (which you attempt to conceal with your shirt cuffs) suggest you have a history of being locked up, almost certainly by the kind of villainous curs who would menace a teen detective”


“That is quite remarkable - But wait, how did you know my name?”


“Ah, well I have to admit I had a little help there”


At that point a strongman with a wax moustache and leopard skin tights emerged from behind the caravan - in his arms and over his shoulder was the wriggling, shapely form of my best friend and fellow sleuth Velma Daniels’ derrière.


Dressed in a red and black lion tamer costume, true to form, she was also thoroughly trussed up with what appeared to be heavy chains.


“Unhand me you brute!” Velma shouted, as she kicked out at her burly captor.

Despite her best efforts, Vee’s flurry of blows seemed to be having very little effect.


“Cut that out” The strongman said with a bored, sullen tone that suggested this was not the first time he’d had to reprimand his prisoner.


“Never!” Velma exclaimed “I’m giving you the thrashing of a lifetime!” and commenced with dispensing yet more of her spirited, if rather stunted offence.


“Look, if you don’t stop that right now, I’m going to have to spank you” He warned.


“I hope she didn’t give you too much trouble,” I interjected with a grin.


“Nothing I couldn’t handle” The strongman replied, striking his prisoner across the backside with a playful, if rather firm slap causing Velma to yelp excitedly.


“Are you okay Vee?” I asked cautiously.


“Me? Never better” She replied sounding somewhat elated, even as she nursed her sore backside “You?”


“Oh, mustn't grumble” I remarked with a smile.


An hour later and the two of us had been tied back-to-back in an abandoned caravan.

Unfortunately, (for both of us) Velma couldn’t help fidgeting in her ropes which was making it even harder for me to slip free.

In her defence, the knots were undoubtedly biting into her bare arms and stopping the flow of blood.

Not for the first time in my life, I found myself feeling grateful for the thick sleeves of my school blazer which prevented the thick hessian cord from rubbing up against my skin.

“I’m afraid that the more you wriggle, the tighter it will get,” I explained patiently.


“That’s easy for you to say” She said straining against the coarse, itchy rope “try getting tied up in a short sleeved top once in a while and see how you like it”


“Well, maybe next time you’ll think twice before teasing me about my uniform” I said proudly


“Haha! Ok, you made your point - but I still think it’s a little weird that I hardly ever see you wearing anything else”


“What’s weird about that?” I asked, feeling relieved that Vee couldn’t see me blushing.


“So you do have other clothes then?”


“Of course!” I said rather more emphatically than I had intended.


“So this is a sartorial choice?”


“Partly, but it’s also a multipurpose sleuthing outfit”


“Oh?”


“Well, mock me all you want - but at least when the time comes for me to be gagged, they’re going to use my school scarf and not any old thing they have lying around”


“That’s only because you insist and threaten to throw a giant hissy fit if they don’t"


"Well? What's wrong with that?"


"Nothing. Except you don't seem to complain whenever I get a sweaty sock in my mouth”


“‘Tomato, tomahto’, the point is - no oily rag for Mrs Ward’s little girl”


“Well, I see you've thought this through,.." She remarked, in an odd tone of voice.


At that point, seemingly right on cue, the Fortune Teller appeared, flanked by the burly strongman.

I was facing away from the door so could only listen to the interaction that followed.


“Wait, wait - before you silence us, can you grant me just one simple request? - Will you let me have the first choice of gag?”

Our captor appeared to mull this over.


“It’s unconventional, but I’ll allow it”


“Awesome - thanks. Ok, I cho-cho-choose,.. my friend’s school tie!”


“Wha?!” I said, too flabbergasted to speak “Objection!”


“Overruled. Your friend called ‘dibs’ - Go ahead, Tyrome!”


“But- but-” I stammered as the musclebound creep struggled to tug loose my tie, leaving my collar buttoned.


“Thanks so mmphhh!” Vee mumbled happily as my school scarf was tied firmly between her teeth.


It was clear that I had been thoroughly outmanoeuvred and outflanked, the only thing left to discover was the nature of my consolation prize - I hoped against hope it would be one of her freshly laundered scarves, but feared the worst.

To my considerable surprise the Fortune Teller produced a bright red ball attached to a black leather strap. Although I’d never seen one before in the flesh, it’s purpose was obvious.

I couldn’t help but laugh

“You sly old dog Vee - you knew this was going to happen didn’t you?”

She didn’t have to reply, the muffled guffaws and shaking of her shoulders told me all I needed to know.


Strangely, for all the many times I’d been restrained in the course of my career I’d never before been ballgagged before.


‘Oh well’, I thought to myself ‘I guess there’s no time like the present’’


“Okay Vee, you win this round” I said, sounding thoroughly amused “But you’re paying the dry cleaning for my tie”


“Mmp mmph mppphhhh” (‘It’s a deal’) She mumbled, chuckling away to herself as the gag was placed in my mouth and strapped tightly in place.

[ninterz]

That's a cute and funny one.

[slackywacky]

I agree with [mention]ninterz[/mention] . A great read.

[Headmistress]

Very good story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the gentle humour in it.

[Beaumains]

This story had an interesting composition. Great dialogue and a few good twists and turns, playing with the reader's expectation. Thanks for sharing!

[Stiletto Amore]

That's a cute and funny one.

Thank you so much. So glad you enjoyed it

[Stiletto Amore]

I agree with @ninterz . A great read.

Stop, you'll make me blush
So glad you (both) enjoyed it

[Stiletto Amore]

Very good story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the gentle humour in it.

That's lovely to hear - thank you!

[Stiletto Amore]

This story had an interesting composition. Great dialogue and a few good twists and turns, playing with the reader's expectation. Thanks for sharing!

My absolute pleasure. Thanks for reading/ the positive feedback

[TimChimp]

Great story! I think Penelope and Vee make for a lovely duo in stories like this.

[Stiletto Amore]

Great story! I think Penelope and Vee make for a lovely duo in stories like this.

So glad you're a fan of the (not quite so) Dynamic Duo

[JulieG]

Very funny.

[Tapejake101]

Nice story

[Nicorinne]

Really cute little story! Loved the overall tone, it was comical and reminded me of older cartoons