Amanda Phillips moved nervously from one side of the room to the other, incessantly shaking her head.

"Where has this girl gone?"

Amanda was a 42-year-old woman. He had curly brown hair, and was tucked into pajama shorts and a white tank top. Despite her age, and having been pregnant at the age of twenty, it didn't reflejct on her figure. Her perky breasts maintained their perfect volume, and her legs ended in perfectly toned buttocks which she hard-worked to keep in shape. The reason she was so nervous was that she had done numbers, and they were broke. Her ex-husband had declared bankruptcy, and she could not pay for the house, the many expenses and the university of her daughter Leila just with her salary.

However, she had found a very risky solution. To achieve this, he was going to need her daughter's collaboration, whom she was waiting for, and a friend. After a few minutes, a jingle alerted Amanda to her daughter's arrival.

   - Leila! You have finally arrived!

Leila was a younger image of her mother. Also brunette with green eyes, she was somewhat taller and more stylized than Amanda, but they really looked like two drops of water.

   - Mom! What's the matter? You scared me by phone.

   - Well ... no wonder, darling. Turns  I've been making some calculations, and I've come up with the conclusion that we won't last more than two months before they evict us.

   - Are we that bad?

   - Worse.

   - Mom, I can leave Uni, and start working.

   - Don't even think about it. I'm not going to let your father's uselessness ruin your future. I've thought about something ... - She added putting a grinny face. - I thought we could fake a robbery. -

   - What do you mean?

   - You know, pretend that someone has entered the house and has taken all the valuable things that they have found, in order to report it to the insurance and replace some of the expenses.

   - Mmmmm ... I don't know, mom, I don't know if I'm convinced.

   - We don't have a choice, honey.

After some time trying to convince her daughter, she finally succeeded. - Now we just have to wait for Kyle, and we can start.

   - Who is Kyle?

   - He is a friend of mine, whom I have asked to do us this enormous favor, and he has accepted.

Kyle arrived ten minutes later and, greeting Amanda in a friendly way and introducing himself to Leila, he began to pack everything that her friend asked of him, and thought it might have some value, into his backpack. From a sculpture of a conceptual artist who had become quite famous, to the most exclusive dresses in the young woman's wardrobe, who sadly witnesssed this stranger ransacking her wardrobe without being able to prevent it.
  - Well, now what? - the guest asked.
  - Now we have to do what I told you. - Amanda answered, who immediately turned to her daughter. - Baby, there's something else. I think that, if we want the robbery to be as real as possible, Kyle has to leave us tied up.
  - WHAT?!
  - Trust me, Leila. That way they won't be suspicious.
  - And how can we escape?
  - A little while after we're done, Kyle will call the police from my phone, and he'll dump it in some sewer.
  - Mmmmm ... well, okay. But I hope it is not too long. -She agreed, looking at Kyle, who shook his head.
Then, the man took some ropes and a pair of scarves from the other bag that he had brought.
  - Is this what you asked me to bring? - he asked her friend.
  - Yes it is. - Amanda agreed. - I think we better start with Leila, so I can correct you if I see that the knots are not credible enough.
Without further delay, and pretending to ignore the young woman's doubts, Kyle began to tie her wrists awkwardly, wrapping the rope around her hands, and tying it in a tremendously weak and loose knot.
  - Can I know what the hell you're doing? - Amanda asked, annoyed.
  - What are you talking about? - Kyle replied innocently.
  - With that kind of knots, Leila could free herself in less than an hour. Are you really so stupid not to notice?
Leila was frightened by her mother's fit of anger. Normally, she was very loving and calm, but this time she was really nervous.
  - Give me that, let me show you.
With no time to reply, Amanda took the rope and folded it in half, then wound it around her daughter's wrists, and twisted several times to finish in a perfect knot.
  - It's too tight, Mom. - Leila protested.
  - Sorry babe, but we have to make sure it's credible. If not, we could go to jail.
The word jail scared Leila enough to stop her protesting, as her mother prepared to tie her arms to her chest, with surprising skill. Later, she did the same with her hips, to then add another piece that would join to her wrists. Leila could barely move from the waist up, and Kyle watched her friend's movements, taking note of all of them carefully.
When she finished with the top, she continued with his legs, tying her ankles with equal force, and her knees, above and below.
  - Are you paying attention? - she asked condescendingly, turning to Kyle.
  - Yes do not worry. I think I got it.
  - Okay, now baby we're going to lay you down on the couch, okay? And I want you to put your hands and feet together as much as you can.
  - Ok mom. - Leila replied, still doubtly.
Amanda and Kyle together pulled Leila onto the living room couch so that Kyle, guided by Amanda, could practice a hogtie to make her even more helpless. Leila tested her bindings, and found that she was completely inmobile. Her mother had really done a good job.
  - What did you bring for the gag? - Amanda asked Kyle, causing her daughter to wince.
  - The gag? - Asked scared.
  - It's all part of the robbery, babe. Trust me, it will be best.
  - I brought these scarves. - Kyle answered, with the sweetest voice he could put out.
  - And the stuffing?
  - Stuffing?
Amanda slapped her forehead in a condescending gesture and explained.
  - I can't believe you're such an idiot, Kyle. An effective gag must have some stuffing kept inside the mouth. Everybody knows that. - Kyle and Leila looked at each other, but Amanda ignored them. Suddenly, a gleam appeared in her green eyes. - Wait, I have an idea!
Then she adressed to the kitchen, leaving behind an awkward silence that neither of them wanted to break, or even knew how to. She came back in a few seconds with two rolls of duct tape.

   - We will use the scarves as stuffing. And we will surround them with the tape.
  - Mom, but have you gone crazy?
  - Leila, do you want to go to jail? - Amanda repeated the word, knowing the effect it had caused on her daughter the first time. - Well then, we have to gag you, and we have to do it well.
Leila nodded reluctantly, barely watching her mother reach for one of the white scarves Kyle had brought in her backpack.
  - Open your mouth, honey.
The young woman obeyed, and her mother introduced the piece of cloth inside her, and then began to wrap the tape around her daughter's dark hair.
  - How do you feel, darling?
  - MPHHHH. - Leila tried to answer.
  - I don't understand you, so I guess it's okay. - Amanda replied. Then, turning to Kyle, she added,  - My turn.
Kyle looked into his backpack, and saw the worst.
  - I have no rope left.
  - What? - Amanda asked, drawing a murderous look on her face.
  - I ... did not know ... that we were going to use so much.
  - But how can you be so stupid? - She screamed, furious. - I only asked you to bring enough to leave us bound and gagged, and you have not been able to do even that.
  - MPHHHHHH. - Leila protested, who wanted to be ungagged while the problem got fixed. Anyway, Amanda and Kyle were ignoring him.
  - You better go buy more. But you can't go to a nearby store, or it will be suspicious. I'll stay to keep Leila company.
  - I can't pay by card, it's easy to track. - Kyle said. - And I don't have pocket money.
  - Are you incapable of doing anything right? - Amanda was tremendously nervous. - Okay, I'll go with you. That way I'll make sure you don't keep shitting it.
  - Can't you just give me a couple of bills?
  - No. Having seen what I have seen, it would be better for me to come with.
“Do they mean to leave me here alone? Like this?" Leila thought, who began to protest behind her gag.
  - MPHHHHHH!
  - Baby, we're going to have to leave you like that for a bit, okay? There is no time to untie you, but I promise you that we will be back as soon as possible.
  - MPHHHHHHHH! - Leila continued protesting. She was trying to explaing them that Amanda could also be tied up just with the duct tape. There was plenty. More than enough. She couldn't believe they hadn't thought of it.
   - I know, baby, I know. - She replied, caressing her cheek. - I promise you we won't be long.
And, along with Kyle, they left the house. Leila couldn't believe it. How could her mother left her like this? She tried to move, and fight against the ropes that clutched her beautiful body, but couldn't loosen a single knot. She also tried to scream, but all her attempts were muffled out by the tape. She wanted to test the strength of the rope that bound her hands and legs, trying to stretch the last ones, while moaning under her gag. After more than half an hour of fighting and struggling, she decided to surrender to her current  and wait for her mother's arrival, hoping that she would at least allow her to get rid of the gag.
Every now and then, she tried to yell for help again, with the same result. The gag was really effective. It wouldn't be until an hour and a half later, when she heard the sound of a lock opening.
Finally! She thought.
Her mother stepped through the doorway followed by Kyle. They were arguing. Apparently, Amanda's nerves about everything going well were taking its toll on her relationship with Kyle.
  - We already have the rope. Sorry babe, we got distracted. I hope you didn't wait too long.
  - MPHHHHH! - The young woman protested again, hoping that her mother would free her from the gag, but Amanda didn't understand her, or decided to ignore her, because she immediately turned back to Kyle.
  - You know what you have to do now, don't you? - He nodded.
Then he began to tie Amanda's wrists in the same way that Amanda had taught him with her daughter. They both ignored Leila's screams, who was beginning to feel an unstoppable thirst. He continued with the rest of the body, showing that he was a very good student.
  - Yes, this is better. - Amanda intervened, who nevertheless added: - Maybe you're not so useless after all.
Then the mother lay down on the carpet on the floor.
  - You can't complain, Leila, I have given you the couch. - She said laughing.
Kyle, without saying a word, performed a similar hogtie than the one he'd applied on Leila, and went to the backpack to get the other scarf.
   - All right, gag time. Do you know what you have to dompphhhhhh? - Amanda couldn't even finish the sentence, since the man introduced the remaining piece of cloth in her mouth while she spoke. The hostess, far from being angry, received it warmly.
Then he began to roll up a thick layer of duct tape in the same way he had done with her daughter.
  - Try it. - He just said.
  - MPHHHHH! - Amanda yelled, delightly checking that she was unable to vocalize any words.
  - MPHHHHHHH! - Leila agreed, visibly upset by her mother's attitude.
  - Are you happy? - Kyle asked. Amanda nodded, drawing a smile under her gag. - You know? You've been a bitch to me all day.
The phrase scared both mother and daughter, who looked at each other with an expression of fear on their faces.
  - I just wanted to help you, and you have treated me like shit and useless. I think you deserve a lesson. I'm not going to leave you to your own luck, especially because Leila doesn't deserve it. But I'm going to wait a couple of hours or three until I call the police.
  - MPHHHHHHHHHHAT! - Mother and daughter screamed in unison.
  - This is how you will learn, Amanda. I'm very sorry for you, Leila, I really do. But I think your mother deserves it.
Leila couldn't help but nod. Amanda had been a harpy all day. She, regardless of her thirst, could endure another two hours in that situation. In fact, she had started to get used to it. And it is true that perhaps this way her mother would learn to treat him better in the future.
  - Good luck, girls. - Kyle said to farewell, ignoring her friend's gasps.
When he was out the door, Amanda tried to free herself from her bonds, shifting and shifting on the carpet, as her daughter had done hours before on the sofa, with equal success. The ropes bit into her smooth skin, and her strong gag muffled out all her attempts to call for help.

Leila, who had been in this situation before, watched with some amusement her mother's pathetic attempts to free herself from the captivity she had faced herself. She even let out a giggle that didn't go unnoticed by her mother, who glared at her. Leila ignored her, and simply moved sensuously on the couch and moaned under her gag.
  - MPHHHHHH! - Amanda screamed, with uncontrolled rage and fury.
  - MPhhhmphhh. - Leila replied, calmer and more relaxed.
After an hour and a half, Amanda decided to stop struggling, exhausted, and relaxed into sleep. Leila did the same as her mother, and closed her eyes, relaxed.
Amanda woke up when she heard the sound of the doorbell. She looked at the clock. It had been six hours since Kyle had left! "Damn bastard", she thought.
  - MPHHHHHHHHH! - She yelled with all his might, trying to alert whoever was calling.
Leila was awakened by her mother's scream, and looked at her for an explanation. She found it when she heard the second ring.
  - Police! Is everything  alright?
However, something was wrong; the sound was too weak, too far. Soon, Amanda found an explanation. They were calling their neighbors! Kyle must have given the wrong door number.
"Damn idiot."
Understanding the situation, Leila joined in her mother's pleas, forgetting about the relaxed and almost comedic situation that she had experienced when she saw her mother try to scape in vain.
  - MPHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! - They shouted with all their might, but it was useless.

They heard their neighbors' door open, and the policemen talking to them.
  - Good evening. We have received a call from a supposed-to-be robber saying that he had entered to rob this house, leaving two hostages tied and gagged, Calle The Bind, number 2-A.
- A policeman said. 2-B! Amanda thought. - But it seems everything is correct.
  - Completely, Mr. Agent. No one has come here, and certainly no one has tied us up.
  - I'm sorry, sir, it must have been a joke. Have a good night.
  - Same to you, and thanks!
Mother and daughter listened helplessly as the door closed after the last word. Again, they tried to scream as loud as they could, but the long scarf and several layers of duct tape drowned out all their efforts.
  - MPPHHHHHHH!
They managed to hear the footsteps of the police going downstairs, which made them lose their hope. They kept fighting and screaming for several more minutes, until they were exhausted again. Leila watched her mother with tears in her green eyes, who was giving her an apologetic look. After all, she had put her daughter in that situation.
After a while, they decided to stop fighting, to try their luck the next day. After all, they had a very long night ahead of them