#damselsindistress — Public Fediverse posts

Croonford Detectives Case 44: Trapped!

Please leave comments on this story, thank you!

Summary: As Lin and Reinhard head for an university open house, the former however finds herself trapped by an extremely intelligent Artificial Intelligence machine. Simultaneously, Jenn heads for a top university interview but is kidnapped afterwards by one of the interviewers who has a deep interest in her intelligence. As Richard, Mark and Chelle try to rescue her, the latter is also trapped.

Author’s Note. All teen detectives are eighteen years old now so the girl detectives can receive adult bondage. Eighteen is the adult age in the UK.

I’ve moved the ages and school year for the teen detectives as I wish to conclude the series this year,

Oxford and Cambridge hold their interviews in December not February so I didn’t mention which university Jenn applied to.

The scene where Reinhard wakes Lin in the ER room is taken from JAG Season Seven Episode One.

“Halfway through Year 13?! Wow!” One Croonford student exclaimed.

Dozens of other Year 13 students continued that chant. Jenn Thompson instead sat in a corner reviewing her notes. “Jenn? Jenn? Oh, you’re preparing for that interview for the top university,” Her debate team colleague Bethan Morgan noted.

“Yes, and for the first time, I’m nervous. This isn’t for a  school club. Interviews and despite preparing tons of possible questions and answers, I feel they will ask other questions.”

“You’ll ace it, Miss Star Debater. You’re great with impromptu. Just wear something nice.”

“I’m putting on my best formal trousers.”

“Wear a skirt; every girl wears that for examinations at that university. Go consult fashion queen Lin.”

Jenn found Lin talking with her boyfriend. “So, have you decided on Imperial, LSE?” Lin asked Reinhard.

“Those or universities or ones with reputation in computer science,” the shorter boy replied. “I do need…oh,” he spotted Jenn approaching. Jenn stated what Bethan told her. Shooing away Reinhard, Lin spoke. “Bethan’s correct; you should be properly presentable as a lady.”

“But girls or ladies present them well in trousers,” Jenn argued.

“They do. But this is your largest time. Look, I’ve skirts that fit your size, come over to my place and you can borrow one.”

Jenn, braving the snow and cold, did go to Lin’s. She had a good range of dark-coloured skirts of various kinds. After holding up each, she settled on a knee-length black skirt.

“Nice choice,” Lin nodded.

“Thanks. Now I have to find the highest denier of my tights. to wear. It’s freezing outside.”

Despite her protests, Lin gave her light foundation on her face, styled her hair into a low bun. Jenn dressed in a winter coat, black blazer, black jumper with her best blouse underneath. Her beige bra was a little visible through it. Nevertheless, Jenn didn’t think they would be distracted by her small tits. She only had 70 denier black tights but walked fast. The interview room was thankfully heated and she was the last in line due to her surname.

Meanwhile, Lin and Reinhard went to a university Open House down in London. There were several stalls set up by the main engineering topics: chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical. Lin immediately grabbed the prospectus with her boyfriend just looking. Really not interested, Reinhard spoke up, “I’m heading over to the computer science department, catch you outside. Though he didn’t know it, that would be one of the biggest mistakes he would make.

Jenn faced three different interviewers: one law professor from the college she applied to, one admission official from the wider university and the last was an emeritus professor who was a psychiatrist. The former two asked all the questions which were actually what Jenn prepared. The elderly retired professor just looked at her and took copious amounts of notes. After over forty minutes the interview was concluded and Jenn would be notified shortly. Elated with how smoothly the interview went, Jenn head to the bus stop, not focused on her surroundings. As she was about to turn the corner to  the local bus stop, she felt someone lightly prick her arm and before she knew it, she fell sideways.

As the shortest girl detective fell unconscious, Lin saw some light behind the engineering department. Moving closer, she saw a rotating disc that looked like a Black Hole as shown in the 1979 movie The Black Hole. Next to it was a plastic board with faded words, ‘AI Machine. Try it.’ Always interested in Artificial Intelligence, Lin inched forward and the disc suddenly slid leftwards opening with hardly any sound. As she entered, she found herself in a large chamber with dark red walls circling like the door. Before she moved further, a deep voice with no accent boomed. Instead of questions, the voice stated facts accurate about facts about Lin: her ethnicity, her love for science and her school year.

“Wow, you are very  knowledgeable,” Lin commented. However, as she tried to turn back, the voice added, “You’re a girl detective.” There was an emphasis on ‘girl detective’ and the ‘door’ was locked. “Thanks, but I’d like to leave now,” Lin argued but the voice continued. “You’ve been bound and gagged many times and you like it.” Again, it was a statement. “Not always. Now look, let me out, I’ve got…” Instead, Lin’s arms were suddenly yanked behind her and wrists restrained by leather restraints.

As Lin was bound, Jenn woke up in a room lighted in dark red lights. She was sitting one a cold chair, which added to the chill of the place she was in.  She was undressed to her beige bra and sky-blue knickers, immediately thinking how typical it was of captors. She was restrained at her wrists, thighs and ankles with what she figured were medical restraints. Furthermore, there was intricate rope work across her boobs and she felt many adhesive items on her head, though she couldn’t tell what they were.

“Hello?” Jenn was slightly thankful that she wasn’t gagged. A figure finally appeared and Jenn gasped. It was that retired professor form the interview, Marcus Dent.

“What is this? Why am I undressed and secured like this! Who really are you!” Jenn struggled to no success in the chair.

“Calm down,” the elderly man finally spoke, “It’s a complex neural transfer. of your intelligence.”

“Neural transfer?!”

As Jenn shuddered against those words, Lin failed to win any argument with the AI. She was now fully bound with the same kind of restraints. Another longer set quickly restrained her arms to her sides. “Look, you’ve proven you’re great, we can discuss another time,” as Lin said that, she tried to reach for the laser pen she carried. However, mechanical claws were faster, yanking away her mobile phone, purse and the gadgets she from her pockets. “I said, do you like it!”

“Yes, yes! Now please give me back my belongings and let me leave!” Instead, Lin was partially lifted by mechanical claws, another claw then pinched her nose and a ball gag was strapped on.

As Lin was gagged, the semi-naked Jenn was screaming but the psychiatrist returning shouts and threatening, Jenn reluctantly lowered her voice but continued her protests. The captor next pressed on sticky stuff on her head. Jenn quickly realised EEG wires were taped on her head.

“No!!!” The evil former psychiatrist just disappeared and Jenn was left hearing a buzzing in her head. Needless to say, she continued struggling and protesting loudly.

Reinhard returned to the same spot outside the Engineering Department but his girlfriend was explicitly not in sight. He quickly sent her a WhatsApp message but it was not received on her end. Raising his eyebrows, he sent her a text message which also wasn’t received. Worried, he called her but heard an engaged tone. Swearing in German, he darted around asking students and staff but no one had spotted Lin. Frantic, he ran all over but there was no Lin. The Open House also was closing down and security guards were requesting guests to leave. Reinhard quickly mixed with the university students, aiming to find the missing Lin.

Lin was now hosted at least ten metres above the ground and suspended there by the various mechanical arms. All her restraints and the black ball gag were extremely tight. The AI kept asking if she liked the bondage. However, the air hole in the ball gag was very small so Lin’s muffled cries weren’t comprehendible. The AI replied with the cliché phrase ‘I take that as a yes’ and added a black blindfold. That was not the only misery for the East Asian student. The mechanical arms started spinning her around.

Jenn first tried to shake off the EEG wires but they were stuck on tight. The slight humming continued and Jenn didn’t want to get tinnitus. She shouted Richard’s name first then started reciting Shakespeare lines.

‘How was the interview?’ Mark sent that WhatsApp message to his girlfriend. He frowned when the message on the screen indicated the message was not received. He called her but not even an engaged tone came. Still frowning, he informed the other teen detectives and Reinhard was the first to reply. In a frantic voice, he informed them Lin was missing then left the chat. “I’ve also tried to contact Jenn but no reply by voice, text or WhatsApp,” Chelle added.

“I’m going to find Jenn!” Richard announced before Chelle and Mark could say anything further. Mark regrettably informed Chelle he still had his sports science project to complete. Chelle briefly nodded then also headed where Jenn was last known.

Reinhard slipped out of the university student crowd, hoping the security guards won’t notice him. As discreetly as he could, he made his way back to the Engineering Department. A few staff and students entered, then the doors were shut due to tests running. Grimacing, the mixed-race teen detective searched the front area of the building but found no evidence of Lin. He wondered if she was already outside university grounds then for no reason, he headed to the back of the building.  It was a deserted area with some rubbish scattered around. Seeing nothing of interest, he was about to turn back until the light wind blew a torn piece of metal to his feet. “AI Mach…” He read he incomplete sign and saw an electric wire running into the ground.

Chelle missed the same train as Richard so arrived more than thirty minutes later. She attempted to walk towards the university but quickly found herself lost.  As she backtracked, a gloved hand shot out, hand gagged her and struck her neck, knocking her unconscious. Meanwhile, the draconian psychiatrist reappeared with a roll of medical tape, causing Jenn to struggle. “You are extremely too noisy, this will silent you so I can complete the work.” The short girl was quickly taped gagged but her protests were still very audible.

Dent quickly pulled out an object that Jenn couldn’t identify. He tore off the tape but before she could utter a word, what he had was buckled around her lower head. Jenn’s cries were now really more muted. “Good, the mouth plug gag works,” he remarked. Reinhard saw the electrical wire ran from the back wall of the engineering department. He touched the area around the wire and quickly saw the ground colour was different from the rest of the area. Touching the ground, he found a depression where the wire ran into the ground. It’s like something sunk into the ground, covered up and it needs electricity. He tugged at the wire with his handkerchief. The wire didn’t snap and Reinhard knew he had to disable the power for whatever was down there.

He dashed back to the front of the building and spotted an axe next to a fire extinguisher.  Without further thinking, he was going to strike the glass panel when an East London accent called out. “Son, what are you trying to do? Breaking firefighting equipment without reason is an offence.” Turning red in the face, Reinhard explained his situation twice. Still not fully convinced, the guard followed Reinhard and examined the electrical wire and the sunken ground. Now convinced, he said, “You can’t cut this sort of wire, it will cause an electric shock or even a fire. Ok, I’ll go inside, find the source of the power and switch it off. Hopefully won’t cut off power to the department.”

The guard took nearly twenty minutes before he returned. “After much searching, there was a power generator at an unused room in the department. It exactly linked to this wire so, I switched it off. Anything happened son?” The guard asked.

“Yes,” Reinhard pointed. “There was an audible thud like something or someone fell. The ground is actually loose and I managed to tear parts away. There’s some structure below.” The teen detective’s hands were sore and dirtied. The guard tore away more of the pliable ground. “You’re right, some hexagonal part.” He smashed it with his torchlight, breaking part of the now visible structure. “Well, that’s too small for me.” Reinhard quickly entered and the guard passed him the torchlight.

As Reinhard climbed down, Chelle found her arms spread in a V-shaped formation, wrists bound with white cable ties with her legs straight but also bound with white cable ties. Before she could utter a sound, her nose was pinched and something silky was jammed into her mouth and sealed with strips of packing tape.  Her trousers and black knickers were yanked down together and the captor spanked her. It was using some instrument naturally causing more pain. Chelle continued to scream until torchlights were sown and two voices called simultaneously. “Stop that!! Hands in the air and kneel down!” The spanker didn’t comply until strong hands pulled him away. Chelle was released but digested to see the gag’s stuffing was a pair of women’s silk knickers.

“Do you need to see a paramedic, Miss Summers? We’re glad we found this pervert who spanks girls for his enjoyment.” Pulling up her pants and trousers, Chelle shook her head. “My friend may be in danger. I need to find her.” The Sergeant told his partner to take the culprit to the station and followed the girl detective.

Richard, after scanning the neighbourhood around the university Jenn was, finally spotted a rundown building. Closing to the grill door, he heard loud humming noise. Informing the others of his whereabouts, he pushed through the grill. Immediately, he saw an elderly man seated with a mass of wires stuck on his balding head. He was adjusting knobs on some unusual device, staring at and old fashion screen. Richard inched closer and saw his girlfriend in the far corner restrained to a chair in her underwear.

“Stop whatever you’re doing! You’re holding a girl for no reason!” Richard shouted.

After a few seconds, the captor replied. “What are you going to do eh?”

Richard hard already lifted a mug nearby and threw the contents at the man’s face. It was piping hot tea, scalding him, forcing him to fall. He quickly pinned him down with the chair he sat on and slapped his face. The weird device was still humming so upon seeing the electrical socket, he turned it off. Rushing over to Jenn, he saw t EEG wires on her head. Hoping shutting down that device didn’t affect her, he called, “Hang on, Jenn.” He shut the machine down and managed to peel away the EEG wires and unlock the medical restraints. The mouth plug gag was more difficult and she drooled as he pulled out the tube. He was disgusted seeing she was made to wet her knickers.

“Jenn? Jenn? It’s me Richard. Say something.” Instead, she mentioned she was cold, recited some lines from Shakespeare’s Othello then fell asleep in his arms.

“How touching,” the former psychiatrist said, standing with a kitchen knife in his hand. “Maybe I should transfer your intelligence as well.”

“Police! Drop that knife, hands up!” The officer who followed Chelle yelled. The old man moved towards the teenagers but instead fell. He immediately was handcuffed and an ambulance was radioed in.

The underground chamber wasn’t that dark so Reinhard switched off the torchlight. The difficulty was there was nothing to hold onto so he had to really grip tightly. Just as he moved further, he lost his grip and tumbled down. “Lin!” He spotted her with restraints, blindfold and gag still on. “Hold on,” as he used the laser pen to cut off the restraints although she didn’t respond. Just as he tried to unbuckle the ball gag, a mechanical voice chimed. “Countdown to self-destruction. 8 minutes and counting.” Reinhard swore. “Lin, we need to get out here.” She however, still didn’t reply, causing him to shudder in fright. He hoisted her on his back her arms draped his torso, legs around his waist. If his entry was hard, the climb up was difficult. The ominous counting down certainly was definitely no help. Lin felt heavier and heavier until he called out, “I have an unconscious girl! Help!”

The guard laid down and pulled Lin up and moments later, Reinhard emerged. The guard  quickly  cut away the ball gag but Lin was breathing properly yet had no pulse. Having watched videos how to perform CPR, Reinhard quickly administered it but Lin’s breath returned then stopped randomly.

Jenn was cleared fast but the ER doctor still wanted to monitor her. Richard sat by her hospital bedside as she slept. Watching her, he suddenly started singing a series of oldies songs. Jenn suddenly opened her eyes and spoke. “You’re out always out of tune, Richard.”

He grinned. “Welcome back. Did that monster destroy your brain?”

Jenn recited Shakespeare’s King Lear from the start. “You want  to hear Much Ado About Nothing?”

He shook his head, kissed her cheek and poured her a glass of warm water.

Lin’s case was far more complex. Ten minutes after she was wheeled into the ER, the Chief Surgeon came out. “Her breathing is normal, but pulse rate isn’t regular. I can’t get her talking,” he reported.

“Can I try, doctor? She knows me.” Reinhard asked.

He was guided inside and given a medical gown and face mask. Resting his cheek next to hers he started. “Lin, I need you. I can’t do it  by myself. I need to revise with you, I need to build gadgets with you. Say something.” He repeated the last two lines continuously.

“Pulse rate slowing,” one nurse reported with a slight pessimistic tone.

He squeezed her hand and almost rested his whole body against her. “Return the squeeze say something!” Suddenly, he felt her hand move and squeeze his.

“Don’t let go, don’t let go!” The nurse reported a jump in Lin’s heartbeat.

“Hi,” she croaked.

“Hi, yourself.,” he smiled as the surgeon ordered an adjustment in the oxygen level.

Sometime later, Lin’s parents entered the waiting room and Reinhard tense up, recalling his last meeting with Mr Chan. Before anyone could speak, the surgeon returned again. “She’ll be out within the hour. Your CPR and voice really got her normal.”

All three responded with ‘Thank You doctor’ simultaneously. As the surgeon returned to the operating theatre, Mr Yong Hong Chan stood up on his walking stick. “Thank You for saving my daughter’s life,” he shook Reinhard’s hand and patted the teen’s back.

Michelle, Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark, Reinhard and Richard will return in a case title not yet determined.

Croonford Girl Detectives Case 6: Halloween Horrors

Please leave comments on this story, thank you!

Summary:  It’s near the end of October and naturally Halloween is here. But ghosts and haunted houses are supposed to be fictitious or is that really so? And who’s this Catgirl?

Author’s note: This story was inspired by both stories The Crypt and and Halloween Surprise by Cordelia White on the now disabled jebsadeventurebound website, but is not a copycat of either.

Adult Bondage but only on adults!

Michelle hated tests in the last few weeks; they tortured her especially maths. Thankfully, the perfect mind relaxation activity presented itself as there was a town All-Hallows Eve costume party with food and traditional prizes for the best costume. She had spent much of the final week of October between tests and thinking about her costume. Chelle finally chose a pink track suit jacket over a black t-shirt with the ‘Croonford 20’ in shiny blue and orange on the chest, along with a pleated dark black sports skirt with 70 denier black tights. With her homemade attached red pom-poms, she thought she looked exactly like a cheerleader. With white face paint which mixed with green and red dots on her face, she was a zombie cheerleader.

“So, you ready?” Lin asked, tying her hair.

“I am,” Chelle replied. “Where’s your costume?”

“What do you mean?”

Lin was in a black, almost sleeveless sweater with black bra straps visible on her shoulders, skin-tight black skirt with a towel attached, black 50 denier tights with white skeletons randomly splattered randomly and shiny one-inch black boots. Her face was painted in black and white streaks. “I’m a scary waitress!” She declared.

“What happened to the psycho cheongsam dress you talked about?” Chelle asked.

“I couldn’t design it and my parents were against the idea of me using any of my proper cheongsams for any Halloween,” Lin replied. “What about Jenn?” She added. “She coming?”

“Nah, she said something about Halloween being a curse on humans,” Chelle replied.

“She’s not back to her shell-shock mood, is she?”

“Nope, she’ll be skipping the party for tending to kids for trick or treat. Shall we?”

As they headed downstairs, they encountered Michelle’s mother. “Mich, I want you to head straight to the party and return straight back before midnight. You too Lin Ling; I’ve talked to you parents. I don’t want you girls wandering around, finding would-be suspects, getting caught and nearly killed.” She had heard about the last adventure the girls went through but with a long discussion, she let her older daughter off. “Take the straight road to the town centre, clear?”

Chelle replied with a loud ‘Yes, Mum’ and Lin with a ‘Yes, Mrs Summers.’ It wasn’t that cold an evening so the two teenagers decided to walk. “Have you heard about the haunted mansion in this town?” Lin commented. “There was an old man named Marley, who was the richest man in the town in the 19th Century. Town folk would rather gather at his place rather than at religious buildings during festivals. One day, someone veered from the main gathering and found literally hundreds of skeletons in his closet. Because Marley was very influential in the town, there was no investigation conducted but there were no gatherings at his place after that and the mansion was locked up. Marley passed away at the turn of the 16th Century but rumours say his ghost can be seen across the graveyard in front of his mansion and through the windows of his mansion.”

“Lin,” Michelle replied. “You seriously believe this crap?”

The half Hongkonger, half Malaysian girl laughed. “Just trying to get into the spirit of Halloween.”

At Croonford School in the girls shower room in the late afternoon that day…

“I’m not doing it,” remarked Harriet Mingfield, stamping her feet. “It’ll be damn cold,” she added, “and pitch black.”

“But you lost the bet,” Sophie Boff argued. “You agreed to the forfeit,” Sophie added as she dried herself vigorously after the post-netball shower. She and her friends had just finished a tiring game and Harriet had lost a bet over a boy’s football match. All girls had finished their A levels and instead of heading to university, they decided to take a gap year and still play netball for the school one last time. Wrapping her large towel around her breasts, Harriet sighed.

“You have to do it,” Virginia or Gina Winterbourne also argued.

“Okay fine,” Harriet finally gave in. “I’ll do it, just so you don’t tell others all the time after.”

“Great, all twelve hours: eight pm to eight am the next day,” Sophie smiled.

“We’ll meet you at seven thirty and take you there,” Gina added.

On the way to the town centre…

As Chelle and Lin neared the town centre, they saw a large barrier with a sign reading, ‘Construction work undergoing, please take an alternative path. Apologies for the inconvenience’.

“What the hell,” Lin groaned. “Hey, maybe we can climb that slope which leads back down to the town centre.”

Chelle initially wasn’t in the mood to climb a slope even if it wasn’t really very steep but agreed. As they did and head down, they spotted a huge building to their left.

“Is that…” Chelle started

“Yes, it’s Marley’s mansion,” Lin confirmed. The mansion was extremely dark, lighted only by the moon but the girls could clearly its full outline and the graveyard just in front. Lin sprinted towards the structure and Chelle, shaking her head, followed suit.

“Lin, we’ll be late for the party,” Chelle reminded her. She didn’t receive a reply as Lin moved further towards the mansion but suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Lin held up one hand. “Sshhh,” she whispered. “I think I just saw something.”

“It’s probably Marley back from the dead,” Chelle laughed out loud.

“Chelle, I’m serious. It looked like a torchlight.”

Lin switched on and off the pen torchlight she herself had. It was her latest invention – a torchlight that could be set to various degrees of brightness and even infrared light that could be viewed with night vision googles she was constructing. In the darkness, they saw a light sweep round a few metres ahead.

“There’s really someone over there,” Lin whispered.

“It’s probably a trick or treater,” her fellow sleuth suggested.

At Harriet’s home…

Harriet emerged from her bathroom wearing a black skirt with black 80 denier tights and flat black shoes. She also wore a black woollen sweater under the sleeved top. “Hope the old mansion isn’t really that cold.”

“Nah, it’s just another building,” Gina reassured her although she didn’t know much about it. She and Sophie were in their Halloween costumes as they were also attending the town centre party. Gina chose a bear suit with fake sharp paws and fake bear legs with her boots underneath. Sophie had a ghoul-like mask on, almost akin to the Ghostface in the Scream movies along with a dark gown.

“Well you two better save some Halloween food for this,” Harriet replied. They all piled into Sophie’s car. Less than half an hour later, they were at Marley’s Mansion.

“I don’t like this one little bit,” Harriet remarked as she surveyed the living room in the haunted mansion, it was extremely spooky with rotten floors, walls and ceilings. She managed to find a sort of sturdy surface and laid down her sleeping bag, a portable heater, her water bottle and snacks and ensured she had her phone connected to the portable charger.

“Don’t worry,” Gina consoled her. “Just remember to send us a picture message that your still in place and not broken the forfeit. It’ll be a simple ‘sleepover’ and we’ll save food for you. Bye!”

Back outside the mansion, Lin was still scouting around for the figure she saw while Chelle kept pestering her to head back to the town centre and reminded her what mother warned them. Suddenly, Lin pointed, in the darkness and both girls could see not one but two figures, wearing thick masks with small eye slits, moving randomly around the graveyard.

“Hey, there’s a third figure, a person in some cat-like costume hiding amongst the trees back there,” Chelle pointed. Just as she did, the two masked men turned on both their torchlights towards the two teen detectives and ran towards them.

“I think it’s time we got the hell out of here!” Chelle cried.

They heard a cry of ‘grab them’, with both girls running as fast as they could. Lin unfortunately tripped and was easily caught. Despite her ferocious taekwondo fighting, one of the men managed to pin her down while the other forced a thick cloth in her mouth and sealed it in with strips of tape. The man then twisted her, face down and bound her hands behind her back with coarse rope and further pressed a pistol against her back. Chelle managed to hide behind the nearest tree, watching Lin being trussed up and the mysterious third figure observing them. It was indeed a female figure wearing a cat face mask, along with a one-piece leather jump suit and two-inch heel boots.

“There’s a second girl,” She snarled at the men in a masked voice. “Hey girl, we know you’re out there, come out and we won’t hurt your pretty little friend here,” she called.

“Please, please don’t hurt her,” Michelle cried, stepping forward and holding her hands up.

One man continued to press his weapon at the back of Lin’s neck while the other grabbed Chelle. As she was trussed up and gagged like her friend, she noticed that the ‘Cat-girl’ had disappeared into the shadows.

Back inside the mansion, Harriet found it really hard to settle. There would be creepy sounds like owls hooting or growling around her  Worse, the whole room was getting much colder, despite her warm clothing and portable heater. She finally finished the last of her sandwiches and tea. But, minutes later, she felt an unwelcoming signal; she had to answer the call of nature. Damnit, she thought, as she again surveyed the room once again. I don’t want to spend the night smelling my pee, she thought. She headed to the next room as just as she passed through the open door, it swung and locked itself.

That’s strange, Harriet wondered as she tugged the handle but her bladder signalled. Is there any hole or even a pot, she wondered as she searched around the new room. Ow, she cried as she tripped as fell over a split plank. Harriet got up to see a figure flit across the next doorway. He had long grey hair or was that a mask? Was he a trick-treater or a relative of Marley?

“Hello?” she called out.

But the man didn’t answer as Harriet moved towards the figure. As she did so, she felt a blast of pain in her midriff and fell to the floor. The stun shot rendered Harriett unconscious and she was dragged into another room of the haunted mansion. Hands pulled her jumper and shirt over her head and fingers unfastened the belt around her waist and her skirt and tights were swiftly removed.

By the time she was tied up, she had regained all her senses. She found her arms stretched out and wrists strictly bound with cable ties, her ankles treated the same. The captor traced the contours of Harriet’s black underwired lace bra, before fondling Harriet’s skimpy matching knickers.

“Nice,” the figure croaked metallically. “Lucky I let you pee; I don’t want a wet victim. Do your parents know about your sexy lingerie?”

Both Gina and Sophie were full from all the Halloween food at the party but neither won any place for best costume. That was hardly on either girl’s mind as they had not received any WhatsApp or text message from Harriet in the last hour and as clock moved to 11 pm, ” Gina remarked, “What do you think? She fell asleep or lost signal?”

“Or maybe she made a run for it,” Sophie countered. “We should head back there,” Gina raised her eyes. “If she did break the forfeit and returned home, she gonna get it worse from us. If she’s still around the mansion, we can surprise and scare her.”

“She knows how we’re dressed,” Gina pointed out.

“But she won’t like this scream,” Sophie shouted a very scary scream with her mask on. “In the darkness, she be shocked at least. Game? Let go.”

Back outside the spooky mansion, Lin and Chelle were marched forward, guns held to their back until the men forced them to sit down on the wet grass opposite before binding their ankles with more rope, binding each girl in a hogtie. Then, Catgirl approached them.

“Well well,” the Catgirl purred, still using a disguised voice. “If it isn’t Croonford’s very own child detectives, Michelle Summers and her Chinese companion. Well you’ve met your match this time. Nobody’s going to rescue you two really this time.”

Catgirl knows who we are, Michelle thought. Is she a student of the school? Or is she some town folk who heard about us? Meanwhile Lin tried to work the knots securing her wrists, but the thugs noticed and yanked her hair. “That’s not going to help you Lin Ling,” the disguised voice snarled. She reached over and frisked both girls, yanking out their gadgets. “Ooh, the toys invented by you,” she poked at Lin with her boot. Stuffing the gadgets back into the girl’s clothes, she ordered, “Right, drop these so-called detectives in their resting place.”

Michelle was lifted and thrown onto a hard wooden surface. She shrieked as she saw a skeleton next to her with the skull broken with holes around its head. Lin was also unceremoniously dumped next to her. It didn’t both detectives long to realised they were trapped in an enormous coffin, with panels more than six feet high.

The Catgirl peer across the edge of the coffin and sneered. “You two are now trapped along with one of Marley’s victims, maybe even the first guy he murdered. In a few moments my henchmen here will seal this coffin up. Once that’s done, you’ve probably have about two hours of oxygen, maybe slightly more if you lay still and don’t struggle. You might as well just lay back and wait for the air to run out, it’s not as if anyone could hear you through this thick wooden box even if you weren’t gagged. Have a final Halloween!”

Back inside the mansion, the captor managed to pry open Harriet’s mouth and jammed a ball into her mouth, buckling the connecting straps to the back of her head.

“Ah, nice muted cries, perfect for this,” the masked figure sauntered over to the opposite side and with several clicks a red light and a rolling sound started. “My client will be paying per hour and I’ll be super rich,” The captor shouted in ecstasy. Just then another vibrating noise was heard. “Ah, I’ll be a millionaire, no billionaire!” The figure left, leaving Harriet screaming through the adult gag.

Both teen detectives were intensively trying to free themselves. Suddenly, Lin had a brainwave and called to Chelle through the thick stuffing in her mouth “Chmme, mommmve closm tu mm,” she called.

Chelle, still focused on her own bonds, didn’t catch Lin’s call. Lin pushed forward with her bound limbs, squirming like a worm and finally she was back-to-back and Chelle realised what she wanted to try. Lin first attempted to reach for her foundation powder kit penknife but after several tries, she gave up. Both girls continued to work furiously on each other’s’ bonds. Chelle’s came off first, so she focused on Lin’s bonds and gag and finally both girls were free.

“Thank goodness,” Chelle exclaimed, “I think that cloth was really dirty.”

“We’re hardly free; we’re stuck in a really small coffin with air run out,” Lin pointed out. “Best to stop talking and continue thinking.” Lin shone her small torchlight around, focusing on the coffin’s cover. Chelle meanwhile slumped against the side feeling dejected but then started shifting around. After a few minutes, Lin suddenly called, “Hey, Chelle, I think I feel cold air.” Chelle didn’t respond at first then replied, “Hold on, did you say you could feel air?”

“Yeah, it’s coming from this corner.” Her friend bolted over.

“Wow! You’re right, Chan Lin Ling, you are wonderful! So much for the threat,” Chelle remarked. Grabbing her torchlight, Lin examined the source of the cool air. “Chelle look at this,” she pointed “Does it look like anything to you?”

“A trap door!” Michelle Summers exclaimed.

Back inside the mansion…

Gina and Sophie arrived back in the living room where they left Harriet. Their netball friend was clearly not there but her sleeping bag, her mobile phone and other belongings were still there.

“Maybe she left in a hurry,” Gina suggested.

“I doubt it,” Sophie replied. “She wouldn’t leave her valuables no matter what. Look,” She shone her phone light, indicating ‘dust prints’ leading to a door. They both approached but found it locked.

“Clever girl, locking the door, or jamming an ancient door,” Sophie remarked.

“Hey, there’s a gap over here,” Gina pointed and both of them squeezed through the gap, although it tore their part of their costumes.

“Harriet?” Gina called.

“Shssh,” Sophie whispered. “We’re supposed to scare her!”

“Wooh, wooh!!!”

“What the hell was that?” Gina asked.

“Not sure, but still we’ve still got to find her.”

Back under the ground, Lin wondered. “If that is a trap door then it may be possible to open it from the outside and inside. What are we looking for? A secret panel? A lever?”

They immediately felt around the trap door, but the whole panel was almost smooth, so they shifted their search to around the panel. After a long search, they heard a ‘click’ and the door slid open.

“What?!” Lin exclaimed.

“I think my bum rested on one of the bones of Mr. Skeleton over there,” Chelle explained.

The entrance the door revealed a very narrow tunnel. “Not sure I can fit through that,” Chelle noted.

“You wanna stay here with Mr Skeleton?” Agreeing, both girls got down on our hands and knees and crawl through the hole, guided by Lin’s small torchlight. The air there was also stuffy but neither teen cared. The tunnel curved twice then enlarged to reveal another trap door. Lin pressed all her weight against it and it snapped open. She lifted herself up then helped Chelle up. Shining her torchlight around, the girls could make out two wash basins, several boxes, broken wooden floorboards and a wooden stairwell with quite rotten steps or missing steps.

“Don’t tell me we’re in a basement,” Chelle started, watching her steps, lest she get trapped in a gap.

“I believe this is the basement of Marley mansion,” Lin confirmed.

Harriet was still in an unknown room in the mansion clad in just her black bra and black knickers, shivered not just from the increasing cold but from fear. The cable ties around her wrists were extremely tight and the binding left no possibility of slack. Her legs were stretch out wide so that she was stretched in a X-shape. That allowed the camera to move slowly on top of her slowly scanning her body. Whoever was watching at the other end who be seeing a semi-naked eighteen-year-squirm, causing her blush deep red. She had never felt so helpless in her life.

After thirty minutes looking for Harriet, both Sophie and Gina came up blank. “She’s definitely not in the vicinity or anywhere,” Gina remarked. “I’m taking this off.” She pulled off the bear mask.

“Yes,” Sophie concurred. “You know, perhaps it’s us being spooked.”

“We being spooked by Harriet? Nah. What should we do now? I think we should clear off and leave.” Gina’s exasperated tone was quite evident.

“Problem is that if we stay together, she can easily avoid us,” Sophie ignored Gina’s wish to stop this plan. “But if we split up and you go to the right corridor and I take the left broken gap there…”

Back in the basement, the girl detectives were trying to figure out how to climb the broken staircase. Chelle suddenly exclaimed and pointed. “The floorboards! We can use those sticking out to fill the missing parts of staircase, even the handles.” Lin looked at the floor and both girls started picking out loose floorboards and inserting them in the empty spaces in the staircase and using some extra ones to fill in gaps in the handles and strengthen them.

“Ok, let’s see if this is like a Bailey Bridge,” Chelle quipped, remembering World War Two movies. They both moved up gingerly step-by-step. At the top was yet another door with a missing latch. With a simple push, the girls were in a bigger room.

Higher up, Gina was slowly moving through her designated area, getting increasingly getting bored at Sophie’s game. She was no longer wearing her bear mask despite the chilly environment; she found the mask stuffy. Through another broken door way, she only saw dust, torn curtains and rotten furniture, walls and floors.

“Okay guys,” Gina cried out. “I give up. Harriet you’re let off, Sophie, let’s stop this nonsense. Let’s all go out for a late night meal.”

Sophie on the other hand was moving stealthily, her mask on and covered with roughly clean curtain she had ripped off to change her appearance. She had searched three rooms without spotting any trace of Harriet. That devious girl, she thought, hiding deeper in this haunted place. She scanned around the room she was in and noticed she hadn’t spotted the smaller door on the east wall before. Unlike the first door she and Gina encountered, the handle looked a little broken. Gingerly, she took hold of it and turned. She knew that at the very worst, Harriet would leap out at her and scare her out of her wits.

“Ok, so we’re in another room but hardly out of this damn place,” Chelle noted with a dejected tone.

“It could be worse,” Lin replied then agreed with her friend.

“We should contact our folks,” Chelle suggested but found there was no signal on her mobile phone and Lin likewise. “I think we’re too far away from Jenn’s house for the radio earrings or the ID devices to work right?” Lin nodded but replied, “We’ll we still can move.”

As soon as Sophie stepped into the new room, she only heard an eerie cry before a stun shot was fired into her back. Sophie lurched but didn’t fall unconscious immediately fall unconscious. She lifted her head up to spot a man, no, someone wearing the mask of an old man.

“Har..iett, how did…you,” before Sophie could finish her sentence, another blast came, this time knocking here out.

“That makes two,” the masked captor said gleefully. “What a terrible choice for a Halloween costume,” the figure remarked.

Michelle and Lin were moving through various rooms and corridors in the much dilapidated mansion. This is worse than any maze I’ve been through since young, Chelle thought. Just as they passed through a door, it swung and a ‘click’ came next.

They both spun around. “Did that door just lock itself?!” Chelle gasped.

Lin tested it. “Dunno what happened. We should just move on to find a way out.” Just as she said that, an eerie cry sounded.

Somewhere in the mansion, the masked captor was dragging the unconscious Sophie. It was this person who had closed the newly-built door and sent out the eerie sound to ward off any trick-or-treaters. Man, you are a heavy girl for a netballer, the figure thought. But soon along with your friend, I’ll be rich. Then I’ll capture your other friend and I’ll never have to work again, the figure thought.

The two teenage girl detectives continued moving through the mansion but now even Lin thought they moving in circles. Suddenly, Chelle stopped and held up her hand. “Did you hear that?”

“Probably the wind bowl through narrow holes, that explains the eerie sound,” Lin replied.

“No, no, listen.” Chelle cocked her head towards the left. “That’s not a howl,” Chelle scampered towards the wall and pressed her ear against it. “.It’s the sound of someone gagged!”

With Lin agreeing, Chelle led the way, pushed away dozens of spider webs, torn and rotten curtains, through two narrow corridors, both nearly fallen into two broken holes and encountering a door. It was locked but the sound was coming from behind so with all their might and the help of a loose plank, the girls pushed and broke through the door. It was a large room, and it contained and three tables with a young woman clad in just her underwear, strapped to one like a starfish. Her nipples had puckered up so much that their outline was clearly visible through the cups of her bra.

“Oh my gosh, it’s…Harriet Mingfield, the former secretary and Wing Attack of the school netball team! Her playing kept our school in the top position!” Chelle exclaimed.

“Let’s get her free,” Lin added. While Chelle worked on the buckle of the ball gag, Lin focused on the girl’s bonds. She didn’t bring her pen that could burn through cable ties, but her small penknife worked just as well with strong muscles. Harriet quickly came loose and with the usual ‘who are yous’ over, she was about to move then pointed, “Camera!”

The detectives turned and Lin rushed over to switch the camera off. Harriet, still rubbing her wrists and ankles, noticed small card clipped to the base of the bench. There was just enough light to read what was written. It stated her full name, her hair colour, age and measurements and she cringed when she saw 32A-24-36. How could the masked guy know? Now rubbing her bare skin against the cold weather, the teen detectives led the way they took back.

Minutes later, the captor entered carrying still unconscious Sophie. The captor screamed noticing the cut zip ties and discarded gag. The figure dumped the unconscious girl on a second bench and bound her like Harriet was. Jamming a needle in her neck, Sophie woke up just in time for her nose to be pinched. This allowed the evil captor to jam another black ball into her mouth and lock the straps behind her head. “Demi almost black bra, skimpy pink knickers and lovely body, excellent,” the captor noted. The camera was reactivated and the captor inserted a card at the base reading 34D-24-34. The captor left, receiving an update from the client how Harriet escaped.

Meanwhile, Gina was really lost. She thought she was moving back towards where she parted with Sophie but was moving in circles. Her phone barely helped her; there no signal and the battery level was decreasing fast. Shit, why did I get involved in this?

“Grr, I’m freezing,” Harriet grumbled as she followed the two teen detectives. “Sorry we didn’t have the time to find your clothes,” Chelle told her and rubbed her shoulders for warmth. “We just have keep moving.” Lin meanwhile was staring at her mobile phone, hoping the data signal would return. It returned for one second, then drop dead again. Someone is really jamming us, she thought.

Young teenagers in Halloween costumes freeing my beautiful captive?! The masked figure silently screamed as the client gave a recording of the video earlier. I’ll get them but first, I’ll get this third netballer.

“So, you’re the ones involved with the almost explosion of the old chem lab, you solved why the museum artifact was missing, the rigged quiz and race and you were part of identifying the Marksville smuggling ring?” Harriet quizzed the girls.

“Also, we were nearly killed by our so-called history relief teacher,” Chelle added.

Harriet stopped for a moment, adjusting her bra cups. “Oh crap! There were two more benches there. I think that captor is also aiming to capture my friends Gina and Sophie who got me into this forfeit. We must return to check if either have been captured – I’m sure they are back here – or if the captor is there.”

Back in the lair, Sophie had changed her mind. Once she was aiming to scare Harriet out of her wits. Now she was strip down to her skimpy undies, bound in the shape of a starfish and a ball gag locked in her mouth. Her arms and shoulders were beginning to ache as were her legs from the form she was restrained in. The gag’s tightness further threatened to choke her. Her struggles only cut her wrists and ankles so she continued to wail through her gag. Halloween this year had no treats for her, just a terrible trick.

“I know that sound; it’s Sophie’s she wails like that when she’s hurt,” Harriet remarked. “We got to return.”

“It could be a trap. You did say you were shot with a stun gun,” Lin replied, remembering how she was shot previously.

“But I thought you two are detectives and adventurers,” Harriet countered. “She is my friend.”

The two younger teens discussed the situation privately then finally agreed, provided they move back stealthily. Indeed, they found Sophie there. “Wait, the camera,” Lin held back Harriet before she inched across the side, checking if there were any traps, then switched off the camera again. The girls quickly freed Sophie who coughed and informed them the captor was most likely searching for Gina. “Well, we have to find her and really find a way out of here,” Lin added. As they moved out, Chelle wondered what Jenn was doing.

That the last of those trick-or treaters, Jenn thankfully thought she hung up a sign on her front door stating no more treats. Halloween really is a curse of humans, she sighed, remembering a bunch of eight-year-olds performing a devilish act before asking for treats. All those kids must return with rotten teeth with all the home-made and shop-bought snacks she and her parents gave them.

Wonder what Chelle and Lin got to eat at the party, she thought and sent out text and WhatsApp messages to her fellow detectives. She waited and received no response. Was it like last time, were they caught? No, it was just a party. Still wondering, she called Lin then Chelle but both calls were engaged.

There really is nothing to worry about, one voice told her. The other told her something uncertain is happening. Jenn went to her room and changed to jeans and warm clothes. She was about leave before she saw her father. “Dad, I’m meeting Bethan and Molly for a late-night supper and they saved me snacks from the town centre party. May I head out please?” Her palms were sweating from lie until he agreed on condition that she return home before midnight.

Back in the mansion, Gina was still lost amongst the dozens of similar rooms. “Harriet, Sophie, come on, show up and we can all end this crap,” She called three times.

“So, there you are,” a voice said and Gina jumped to see that masked person. “Don’t think your netball friends are around,” the masked figure continued, “but now you’re my prize. Strip to your undies so your 34-24-35 figure can be seen. You can do it while conscious, or I can do it for you unconscious. Then I’ll get you secured.”

Back out in the town, Jenn still couldn’t contact her friends. She tried her radio earrings but couldn’t even get any contact. As she walked down the road, she then remembered the ID tracker app Lin built. Activated, there was no signal initially, when suddenly two dots appeared on the screen but disappeared one and a half seconds later. Jenn ran towards the directions of the ‘blimps’.

“You two sure you can’t remember the route you took into the living room or when you,” Chelle turned to Sophie “parted with your friend Gina in the next room?” Both semi-naked netballers who were rubbing each for warmth, shook their heads. Eerie sounds blasted once again and nearby doors slam shut. The team just ran forward lest they get trapped.

Jenn stared at the broken-down mansion. The last signal had to come from the building. With no contact with her friends and the clock moving closer to midnight, she entered the structure.

The four girls inside entered another arch way and then heard a loud cackle. “There you are, my victims and young kids who like to play hero,” the masked person growled. One arm held Gina, who was semi-unconscious and striped to her dark blue underwear, the other arm pointing the stun gun at the four girls. “Hand those netballers over kids, and maybe you’ll survive tonight. Or maybe you’ll join them!” The figure cried.

“Never!” Chelle cried, though she had no plan and was outmatched, facing a stun weapon.

Jenn heard Chelle’s cry and dashed towards the source.

“Here you go!” The masked captor cried but before the trigger was pulled a plank struck the captor’s neck. Lin quickly jumped, kicking the stun gun away. “How many times must I arrive just to save you two?” Jenn asked, holding the loose floorboard.

“I want to know who the bloody asshole is,” Harriet growled and ripped away the mask. “Miss Harris!” She exclaimed, turning, “This is our netball coach! She must have snuck into our shower room to know our body measurements. Bitch!”

Two days later at the girl detectives’ meeting place…

The trio of detectives were eating Halloween snacks Jenn made and drinking tea. The netball coach naturally was arrested, along with her client, a guy whom she met online and willing to pay to see girls restrained and gagged in their underwear. She had a placed another camera at the main door so she spotted the netballers entering. She also had a jamming device, explaining why the girls had no phone signal and their other communication devices couldn’t work well. Both her and her client upgraded the doors, explaining why they could be shut and locked.

“I got you into trouble Chelle. Thanks a lot again, Jenn for coming to save us,” Lin as she savoured another spider biscuit.

“I really want to know who that Catgirl is; she’s the main villainess of the night,” Chelle stated.

“Who? Oh, that girl with henchmen throwing you two into that coffin,” Jenn recalled.

“She’s our nemesis for sure and I really want to get her,” Chelle declared.

Michelle, Lin Ling and Jennifer will return in Who’s afraid of the big bad boy?