LONGHOLME ISLAND
JONAH’S JOURNEY
Part 25
Jonah Takes First Watch
Jonah told the older Pirates that he would take first watch and swap Koff for one of the others after a couple of hours. He said it loudly enough and clearly enough for Roy and Dave to hear him explain that he would release the best-behaved prisoner first. Dave’s sarcastic reply of, “Oh, that’s big of you, Thanks, Oh Generous Master,” was clearly understandable and probably completely ill-advised. Two bound, gagged and blindfolded captives struggled to find a posture that was even remotely comfortable even after Rob has given each of them one of those inflatable camping pillows. The language, as each one blamed the other for causing his discomfort by moving, certainly did not moderate to any appreciable extent. What a good job it was still quite early.
Jonah seemed quite satisfied with his work and headed for the folding chairs to where he was followed by Koff who threw the unused roll of gaffer tape onto his lap. “Oh sorry, Carpet-‘Ed, forgot about you there.”
“Yeah, roigh’.” Koff pouted his already prominent lips, nodded and knelt with his back towards Jonah and his wrists crossed behind him.
“Oh well, seeing as you asked so nicely. Go and get some gagging and blindfolding stuff and I’ll get you ready to replace one of those losers later.” Koff stood scouted, the site and returned with enough kit to incapacitate a rhino. He dropped it at Jonah’s feet, said, “OK, Grockle Boy, don’t say you weren’t spoilt for choice,” knelt and this time put his hands on his head. He didn’t believe in subtlety.
“Bit rude there just now, weren’t you, Koff?” Rob thought he would make sure that Jonah registered his mate’s indiscretion.
Jonah soon had an unresisting Koff taped just like Dave and Roy had been before being tied together except that he didn’t tape Koff’s forearms, merely taping his wrists. Koff would have been unlikely to complain if he had done but, with his broad shoulders, Jonah did not want to cause too much distress to someone whom he was starting to consider to be a potential friend.
So, Koff was bound at his wrists, arms, ankles, calves and his thighs and was blindfolded with a cloth and even more tape that overlapped the cloth. There was only so much mercy Jonah cold extend without the older boys noticing. Nobody bothered trying to support Koff who soon obligingly fell down but without denting anything other than his dignity. Rob and Stewart started chi-iklng and Koff told them what he thought of them.
“Oh sorry, boys, nearly forgot. Need to gag him.” With there being no monkey’s fists left, Jonah thought he would demonstrate his versatility as Koff struggled more for form than for any other reason. Every time he was in any danger of rolling into the fire, someone would drag him away from it while Jonah selected a shortish nylon rope into which he seemed to be tying a hangman’s noose not all that near either end.
“Tha’ looks loike a Bridpor’ Dagger.”
“Wha’ yer gunner do; ‘ang un?”
“Just wait and see.” Of course, both Rob and Stewart knew exactly what Jonah intended but the lads had a certain sick pride in the fame of the West-Country factory that provided the hangman’s rope before that particular barbarity was abolished.
Jonah’s skilful hands soon fashioned a noose wrapped with the traditional thirteen rounds of rope.
“Bit big, even for Koff’s girt fat gob, i’nit?”
“Might not hurt so much if it sticks out either side.”
“’S ‘e your boyfriend?”
“What!?”
“Yeah, you’re spoiling that kid.”
A few well-chosen words were cut off as Jonah shoved the knot between Koff’s teeth. A token resistance preceded Koff allowing Jonah to adjust the gag until it was positioned symmetrically and pushed further back against the sides of his mouth. Jonah threaded one of the strands poking out from the wrapping through the loop at the other end, tightened the loop around it before pulling it as far through as possible. Just a slight, “Nghh,” betrayed Koff’s opinion that it was possibly tight enough now. Jonah secured the gag with a reef knot that gave very little when he had completed it.
“Say, ‘Thank you,’ Koff”.
Koff’s reaction to Stewart’s sarky instruction was completely indecipherable but did have a passing resemblance to, “Wanker,” but I suppose it could have been, “Thank you”.
Jonah asked Koff if he wanted to be helped into the mozzie net. He nodded and Jonah dragged him into place on his sleeping bag liner but without the li-lo that remained outside where Koff had used it as a cushion earlier. Jonah gave it not a single thought (I think) and, for some reason, Koff said nothing about it.
Three Pirates had been accommodated for the night and the others sat by the fire until Rob and Stewart retired to the hammocks leaving Jonah to watch the prisoners. Jonah made Koff promise, by a nod of the head, that he would react if Joanah asked if he was alright, and Stewart said he would help with the swap over and take the next watch when Jonah called him. Other than the spasmodic mutual abuse between Dave and Roy, things became surprisingly quiet and Jonah sat contentedly by the fire contemplating what had been, so far, the best Summer Holiday he had ever had.
Jonah Waves the Rules
Over the next couple of hours, Jonah started planning which aspects of his adventures he might not need to mention his parents, taking into account that his mother was sure to want to know all the ins and outs of a jackdaw’s arse once he got home. He thought he could get away with it if he said that he spent his time with the local lads in the photos, kicking a football around, swimming and sunbathing. Well, it would be the truth, wouldn’t it? – Just not the whole truth.
Jonah poked the fire, banked it up and even put more wood on it, not that it was needed, but it would do no harm all the wile there was someone to watch it and it would be back to cooking fire spec by the morning. He was being sufficiently entertained by the sound of the nocturnal wildlife and the antics of Roy and Dave to keep him happy. His only duty was to offer the prisoners the chance to beg for release every half-hour or so and to deplete some of the less healthy food items from the stores. He was a happy boy.
The time came for all good things . . . Well, at least it would be advisable to give Dave and Roy relief from the worst of their torments. Jonah did, however, think that Koff would feel robbed if he didn’t get his turn. Well, too bad. Jonah had come to a decision in the light of what he had observed. Koff’s rather scanty yellow briefs did their best to contain his contentment while he slept but every so often that contentment was only too obvious. Who the hell could get to sleep with a gag like that parting his teeth in any case?
Koff’s clasp knife was about to be pressed into action again so Jonah dislodged it from the log into which it had been stuck and approached Dave’s ear. He spoke very quietly and Dave nodded. When the same offer had been put to Roy, two lads were very much relived.
Jonah had decided to free the conjoined boys from each other and to release them from some of their bindings. He would think what to do about Koff later. He also promised Roy and Dave that, if either of them did anything to make him upset, then Koff would get his turn after all. That was clearly understood so Jonah explained that the sharp knife was about to come into play and that any untoward movement would be most ill-advised. That was also clearly understood.
Jonah slit the loop of tape round Dave’s neck and clamped his hand over his mouth in an ‘avisory’ capacity. Dave nodded. Roy was soon in the same situation and Jonah did not bother to remove the remains of the tape tether from their ankles, merely slipping free the ropes attaching them to the stakes. Dave even managed a quiet but heartfelt, “Thanks, Mush,” as Jonah slit the tape securing his forearms almost all the way to his wrists, which remained secure as did Roy’s under similar conditions. Once more Jonah didn’t bother to remove the loose tape.
The tapes securing the prisoners’ calves and thighs were slit and, leaving Roy and Dave with a few words to the wise about what Stewart might do to them if he were to give him the call, Jonah lied, “Sorry I can’t remove your gags, I think you might need a reminder about being quiet.” Dave tried to point out that his gag was really quite painful. Checking with his torch, Jonah had to agree, he undid Koff’s work and re-tied it rather more loosely as he had done Roy’s originally. Once more Jonah heard an only slightly distorted, “Thanks, Grockle Boy.” Then he left his prisoners and returned to Koff. Even if they could afford to escape, neither Dave nor Roy could do much all the while he was blindfolded.
On his way back, Jonah met Stewart, who said he was reporting for duty to help with the change-over and was a bit confused about what he saw. Jonah explained his change of plan and said that he realised that his original intent was too extreme and that he thought that Dave and Roy would be good boys all the while they thought that Stewart would help him reinstate the situation with Koff and whoever was unwise enough to upset Jonah. Stewart realised that he wouldn’t have to take his turn on guard and made remarks concerning sticks of dynamite and Rob’s arse. Now they wouldn’t have to try waking him to take his turn. Stopping to remind the newly relieved prisoners that they had better remember to express their gratitude to Jonah in a very acceptable manner once their gas were removed, Stewart scratched his balls and returned to his hammock.
That left Koff to receive the disappointing news that he would not have to be staked out with one of the others.
TBC