Hide and Seek

"So that the game only ends when everybody's found. That way there's

only one round. And two people have the good or bad luck depending on

your point of view- to be tied up hand and foot in an old dark house,

waiting for the game to end.

"How does that sound?"

Nobody responded for a minute or two. We just looked at her.

Steven looked astonished.

"Ropes? Why not chains, handcuffs? What is this, The Story of 0? Till

Eulenspiegel? I didn't know you were into kinky shit, Case. I thought

you were just nuts."

"Can you think of a better way to make somebody stay put?"

"I can think of a better way to spend a Saturday night, if you really

want to know the truth."

"The car's waiting."

"Aw, Jesus, Case. Come on."

Personally I had to give it to her. You know the saying about

somebody's walking over my grave? Well, I had whole troops marching

over mine, making the hackles rise. You could imagine it so easily,

that sense of helplessness in the dark. Waiting, while the old house

creaked and trembled. Still kids' stuff but with an added fillip of

tension. That extra risk she'd promised us.

"I like it," said Kim.

"I think you're both very sick," said Steve.

"You playing or aren't you?"

"Listen to yourself, Case! "You playing or aren't you?" What are we,

twelve?"

"What's bothering you, Steven? Kink or dignity. Or maybe you're just

sea red."

"Shit." He thought about it, though. In a minute he started to smile.

We all did. "Dignity," he said. "Okay, let 'er rip. Let's have

"For this we'll need a light."

She flicked hers on. She drew four rope ends out of the green book

bag. Nylon climbers' rope. Thin, pliant and very sturdy. I asked

her, "How short's the short one?" She grinned. "You'll know it when

you see it. Patience."