Chapter 3

After Otto left, Kaylee tried her best to get free, but she was tied too tightly and with too much rope to make any progress. Her eyes darted around the room looking for some avenue of escape.

The kitchen was a few feet away and there could be a knife or scissors in one of the drawers, but she had no hope of getting there as long as she was tied to the pole. She wriggled her wrists trying to get access to the knot, but the ropes around her arms prevented her from getting any leverage.

Then she tried pulling her arms in, hoping the ropes would slip down, but Otto had apparently accounted for that, too, as her bonds were anchored around her shoulders and only shifted a few centimeters. Realizing time was running out, her maneuvers turned to violent thrashes in desperation.

Just as she was getting tired, the door opened, and Otto entered carrying a large duffel bag.

"Still here, I see," he said, dropping the bag near Kaylee's feet. He cupped a hand under her chin and looked at her face. "You're very pretty, and we're going to have fun together."

Kaylee shook. This was the second time he mentioned having "fun" with her, and she was afraid of what he meant.

Otto tapped her gag with his index finger. "First, I think we'll change this." He squatted down and unzipped the duffel bag. Kaylee spotted more rope, stuff she thought looked like bondage equipment, and a few other items she couldn't identify inside.

He stood, holding a red rubber ball with straps on either side of it. "Ever wore one of these?" he asked.

Kaylee shook her head, not to answer his question, but to beg him not to make things worse for her.

Otto cupped the ball in one hand and reached around with the other to untie the cloth. In one motion, he pulled the rag free and pushed the ball into Kaylee's mouth. She twisted her head in an attempt to fight the rubber invader, but having nowhere to go combined with Otto's obvious strength advantage, she felt the ball compress slightly as it passed between her teeth and pop back into shape, locking itself into place.

"A perfect fit," remarked Otto as he began buckling the straps behind her head.

Kaylee grunted at the sensation of having her mouth forced open and completely filled. She gasped as she tried to breathe around the ball.

"A ballgag takes a little getting used to," said Otto. "Breathe through your nose and try not to hyperventilate. Fortunately, we've got plenty of time for you to get accustomed to it."

Otto began untying the ropes around her torso, and Kaylee considered her options. If he untied her completely, she might be able to make a break for it, especially if she could land a shot to his gut or groin, which could give her enough time to open the door and run. At best, she was going to have one chance, so she had to wait for a near-perfect opportunity.

Otto left her legs tied, however, and untied her wrists. Kaylee wanted to reach up and take the gag out, but she knew he would put a stop to that before she even found the buckle.

"Take off your shirt," said Otto.

Kaylee paused. Did he just ask her to undress?

Otto reached into his pocket and flicked open a switchblade knife. "Take off your shirt, or I'm going to cut it off of you."

What could she do? Her legs were still tied to the post, she was gagged, her captor was much larger than her, and now he was armed. Kaylee nodded, then reached down toward her waist, hooked the bottom of her turtleneck, and pulled it up over her head. Otto grabbed a hold of it, pulled it off of her arms, and tossed it aside. Instinctively, Kaylee crossed her arms over her chest.

Otto retracted the blade and put the knife away. "Don't be so modest. I'm letting you keep the bra... for now." He walked behind Kaylee, bent her forward slightly, and pulled her arms behind her back. He positioned her arms so her hands were near their opposite elbow and tied a long rope in the center. He pulled the remainder upward, placing his fist near her shoulder blades and wrapped her chest and upper arms a few times before tying a series of knots at the center of her back. With the last bit of slack, he pulled upward, circling Kaylee's neck twice, tying a final knot to keep it in place.

Kaylee's hopes sunk, realizing if she tried to struggle, she would inevitably choke herself, and Otto could put any amount of tension on the rope to control her.

Otto knelt down and began untying her legs from her ankles upward, ensuring she couldn't kick and run away until he finally undid the ropes binding her thighs.

Once she was free of the pole, Otto picked up the duffel bag and motioned toward a door near the kitchen. "Let's get out of this main room," he said.

Kaylee hesitated for a moment, but realized she didn't have a choice. She walked toward the door he indicated and came to a stop at the entrance. The room was obviously a bedroom, dominated by a sheetless king-sized mattress sitting atop an ornate cast iron frame. Otto's intentions were no longer a mystery, and Kaylee began to panic.