A Risky Affair: Chapter 1

His hands were tied behind his back. The cord was now being wrapped around his ankles. The cord connecting the two was yanked tight, ensuring his movement was limited. A silk scarf was stuffed inside his mouth preventing him from calling out. After checking the bound rope, his captor left the room.

      In his estimation he had about five minutes to break free before his captor returned. He needed to cut the cord to free his hands. Scanning around the room, there was nothing sharp enough to cut into the cord. His eyes traveled to the candles in front of the fireplace. One of the wicks still had a flame. Could he crawl over on his stomach? He shook his head. He would have to roll over to the candle and pray he did not burn himself or set the room on fire. He tried to move. The way his feet and hands were bound prevented him from rolling to his back. However, the movement did get him “closer. He then began to rock his way towards the flame.  After a few rolls he took a deep breath, then leaned to the side far enough to get the cord over the flame.

      “Damn,” he said under his breath.

      He could feel the heat on his toes. Was he too close to the flame? He wiggled his body down a bit, then leaned over again. The heat lessened from his toes, but had he moved too much? Was the flame reaching the cord? He sniffed the air, leaned a little further over, then waited a few seconds. If the scent of rope burning did not fill the air soon he would adjust his position. He leaned a little more. There it was. The scent of the rope burning reached his nose. The position was uncomfortable as hell, but if he wanted to break free he would have to endure the discomfort a little longer. He pulled his feet up as far as he could, stretching the rope. The more he could pull on the rope the thinner it would become, which could result in the flame burning through faster. Less than a minute later he heard the rope “snap. His feet fell to the floor. He kicked, pulling the rope apart, freeing his feet, allowing him to roll over and sit up. However, his hands were still bound behind his back. He took a few seconds to think. To free his hands, he could blindly hold his hands over the same flame that freed his feet or he could position himself against the footboard of the bed, bring his “hands under his behind, fall backwards on the bed, then bring his legs through. Decision made, he slid back to lean against the foot board of the bed, pulled his hands down under his behind. Pushing his body up, he fell backwards on the bed then pulled his legs up to his chest. His hands were now under his knees. Pulling one leg at a time through the opening, his hands were now in front of him. He then used his teeth to untie the rope. Shaking his hands to get the blood flowing, he checked the light shining on the ceiling, then grabbed his tablet from the nightstand.

      “So, you escaped.”