Jail Break Copyright 2000 by Samantha Michelle.

Standard warning and disclaimer: All characters are fictional. If you see yourself, buy a new mirror. Contains subjects some people may find offensive. If you are one of them, why are your reading this? Protect your kids. If you are worried about them reading this sort of material, please censor free speech and use a safe surfing program such as net nanny. Or better yet, teach them early and lovingly to understand and accept different lifestyles. Before they learn from bad experiences.

Comments and constructive feedback are welcome. Please send to: sam@pobox.alaska.net or samanthas_michelle@yahoo.com

 

Jail Break                 by Samantha Michelle            © 2000

 

Our adventure began when three of my friends and I wound up spending our spring vacation as guests in the county jail. It's not like we were thieves or anything, but someone did not take kindly to one of our pranks.

It was our senior year, and we were all feeling our oats. Todd, who we were sure was the product of his parents' experiments with drugs in college, came up with the idea of doing "performance art", unannounced, at different places around town. The idea intrigued us, because we figured it would cause mayhem, without anyone getting hurt. And maybe give us a way to add to Jennifer's all-too-meager college account. She was sort of an orphan.

So we worked for a month, after class, to prepare the costumes and skits. As soon as it was warm enough, we started. It was a blast. Sometimes we would pup out of a car, set up and do a panhandle routine, complete with tin cups. We staged mock abductions of sweet young things by toughs. We had choreographed fights with stage knives and fake blood. It became a passion to try and out-do our most outrageous stunts. The local newspaper and TV station played it up, and when we did our panhandling, we made a mint. Every penny after costs, and pizza, went to Jennifer's college savings fund.

It was the panhandling that got us in hot water. To make money, we needed a crowd. And a crowd meant we were more exposed, which made it a bigger thrill. When we heard that there was a big business conference to be held at the county seat, we worked up our most outrageous plan yet. Maria, who was Todd's girlfriend, and Todd were both squirrel food. Jennifer and I were more slightly sedate, but still pretty wild. So when Maria suggested we stage a cat-fight, it sounded really good. Then she dropped the bomb.

To do it right, all four of us would have to dress as teenage girls. Todd didn't care, and I tried to object, but three against one in a tickle contest is not good odds. I finally capitulated before I laughed myself to death. Fortunately like most teenage guys these days, Todd and I had really long hair. Maria told us she would supply the clothes which, as she put it, would be shredded anyway at the end. Maria and Jennifer did the choreography which combined the best parts of mud wrestling and Apache' dancing.

When we looked at the video of our rehearsal, I got horny as hell. It looked so real it was scary. I had always fantasized about women wrestling, and now I was participating. Jennifer and I spent a lot of time playing touchy-feelie afterwards. I had to go home and spend some time with a soap bar in the shower.

So it was after school on Friday just before the spring break that we went to Maria's place to change. She and Jennifer informed us that we had to really look the part, and so we had to shave from the neck down. It felt funny, but I had done worse things for productions, like dying myself blue. What I was not prepared for was the feeling of the silky stockings on my now-bare legs. Or the skirt. I got really aroused. And sent to the bathroom with a towel and some hand lotion. Despite my begging Jennifer for assistance.

When I got back, I was handed a very tight satin elastic panty, and told to shove everything out of sight. It worked. With the skirt up I looked 100 percent female. I wondered about Todd, and he grinned, lifting his skirt. He was wearing a pair of white satin panties, and looked like someone had cut it off. I stared at him, and he snickered. "Dancer's gaff." That I understood. Soon we were all made up, and hopped in Maria's Dad's old work van.

Todd and I were the innocent looking coeds. Maria and Jennifer were dressed like big-city streetwalkers, complete with stiletto heels, spandex skirts, and fishnet stockings. I tried to get aroused again. Not in that underwear. Todd commented about pure thoughts, and I almost hit him with my purse. This was also going to be our longest skit, a good five full minutes. We managed to find a parking spot right near the town hall, where the conference was being held. Todd had scoped the place out, and said there was a depressed grass area right by the flag pole where we could be seen by everyone.

We waited until there was a big crowd returning from dinner. Todd and I hopped out of the van, and circled around so we came in from one side. Maria and Jennifer then jumped out and strutted their stuff for a couple of minutes, getting all sorts of attention. When they signaled it was time, Todd and I came charging up and confronted the two 'bitches" about seducing our boyfriends. We had a blast. When we were finished, all the four of us were wearing were shoes, bras, panties, torn stockings, and smiles.

We pulled out our banner announcing we were the performing for donations to our college funds, and grabbed our beggars bags. We got a standing ovation. Our plan was to panhandle for a couple of minutes, then split. But the contributions kept coming, and we stayed a bit too long. As we were all heading back to the van, we were grabbed by two county sheriff's deputies, and gently, but firmly handcuffed and stuffed in their squad cars.

Jennifer and I were in one car. We looked at each other in shock, and when we tried to explain, we were told to be quiet and save it for the judge on Monday. I thought I heard a bit of laughter in the deputies voice. But I was shaking too badly to think about it. Jennifer looked like she was about to lose it, so I told her I loved her, and she rested her head on my shoulder, and shook worse.

When we arrived at the county jail, we were hustled inside where we were met by Sheriff Adams and a large, stern looking woman who was wearing a uniform and name-tag that said "Jail Matron". The sheriff thanked the deputies, and told them he would take us from here. The moment they left, he pulled up a chair, and seated us on a bench, locking the handcuffs to a cable that ran along the back.

I started to say something, but the matron's stern look was enough to freeze me to my seat. Maria and Jennifer started to cry, and she brought them tissues, and gave each of them a hug, saying it would be okay. Then the sheriff read us our rights, and said we had been apprehended for creating a public disturbance, lewd and indecent behavior on county property, and panhandling without a license. He then told us that after we were fingerprinted, we would get one call each, and spend the weekend in the lockup because the magistrate was out fishing, and would not be back till Tuesday.

I was never so humiliated in my life. Each of us was individually released, fingerprinted, and re-secured. A deputy returned and said that out van had been towed to the jail, and handed him all the wallets and purses from inside. I had a sick feeling when the matron started to pull out identifications. She got Jennifer's first, and then Maria's. All the information was written down on the fingerprint sheets. When she pulled out my ID, I wanted to crawl under the bench. She looked at it twice, and at me, and started to giggle. She quickly pulled out Todd's, and compared pictures. By now she was giggling so hard she had to sit, and the sheriff was looking at her strangely.

"Dear, this is going to go down in the books as one of the strangest busts of all times in this small town."

He looked at her. "Fran, there are four probably underage girls here, and you think this is something special?"

Still giggling, she handed him Todd's and my IDs. Soon he was holding her and laughing. The finally separated and without a word disconnected us from the bench, and motioned for us to follow them. We wound up in a large conference room, and the woman brought us each a striped gray long-sleeved jumper bearing the words "prisoner" in bright orange stenciled front and back. The sheriff removed our handcuffs, and told us to put the jumpers on, then remove our shoes and what remained of our stockings. We were told to sit at the table, quietly, and wait for him to return. The woman stood over us like a warden.

We were still sitting quietly when he returned a few minutes later. He motioned to someone, and a moment later one of the deputies brought in a tray of sandwiches, and several cans of juice and soda. He was laughing as he departed.

The sheriff spoke up. "I just finished talking to several of your parents, and the local newspaper editor. It seems you four are celebrities, and have thoroughly pissed off your moms and dads. Because two of you are juveniles, I have exercised the option of not releasing names. So the question is, what do I do with the four of you?"

Jennifer spoke up in a tiny, trembling voice "Um, let us go, please?" He shook his head.

"Nope, the papers would hang me. Besides, I have to justify paying my deputies and my wife overtime." He gave the woman a hug. So, for at least tonight, you are guests of the county. He looked hard at Jennifer, and she started to shake. However, you are a problem, young lady. It seems that your official address is a vacant lot. Care to tell me what is going on? Jennifer took care of any further conversations by passing out onto the floor. The woman was at her side in an instant, and carried her over to a couch. We were all surprised when she sat with Jennifer on her lap, and hugged her like a little kid, softly rocking her back and forth.

I looked at the woman, and then the sheriff. "I hope you are as caring as you seem. Or you will have her death on your consciences for the rest of your lives." That got their very concerned attention. I continued. "You will browbeat her till she gives in, so I'm going to give you the truth first. Her father died when she was real little. A few years back her Mom started doing and selling drugs, so Jennifer ran away and stayed with friends for a while. When she found her Mom had overdosed and was in jail, the welfare types said they were going to put her in the state school. So she ran away again and swore she would kill herself before they would take her away.

So we" I pointed to the three of us "who really care about her, got together and found her a safe place to hide, and brought her food and clothes. When school started that fall, Maria dressed up and pretended to be Jennifer's mother, and got her registered with us. That was almost two years ago. She lives a tiny room with a cot in the back of a grocery store, where she gets to live free, and take the food she eats in exchange for helping keep the place clean. The lady that owns the place usually treats her okay, and sometimes she gets to earn some spending money helping stock shelves."

I paused, and looked at them with tears in my eyes. "She is really special to us. Most of the money we get is going into a fund so she might be able to go to college some day. It will kill her if she has to quit school, or is sent away."

The sheriff looked at us strangely, and the woman had tears running down her face. We sat silently for a bit, then Jennifer started to shake, and grabbed the woman, and wailed "Mommy, don't let them take me away." We stared at her, and the woman broke down crying, and hugged her tightly. It was about a minute later Jennifer realized where she was, and started to scream and thrash around like a wild-woman. Between Todd, myself, the sheriff and the older woman we managed to pin her to the carpet without hurting her, or getting clawed or bitten. The sheriff asked if we could keep her pinned, and we nodded.

He dashed out of the room, and returned a couple of minutes later with a bundle of leather and canvas. When he spread it out, it was a straightjacket. It took the better part of five minutes, but when we were done Jennifer was secured from any chance of hurting either herself or us. The sheriff had also found some extra straps, and some leather cuffs, and we had locked her ankles together, then pulled her feet up against her bottom, and secured them to the straightjacket. She was still fighting and spitting and cursing, but was not going anywhere.

The sheriff looked at us with alarm. "Does she do this often?"

I shook my head. "Never before. I think she was so scared she lost it. I'm sorry, I hope she didn't hurt anyone." He looked around, and everyone shook their heads.

He spoke up "I'd better call the state hospital, and see if they can take her."

Maria's screamed "No!" caused him to pause.

"If she is taken there, she will kill herself or hurt herself trying. Please, let us take care of her." Maria was crying, and I was surprised when the woman told the sheriff to come with her so they could talk in private. Maria looked at them, and said we would behave. They nodded, and left the room. Todd and I carried Jennifer to the couch, and sandwiched her in a community hug between us. Soon she quit struggling, and sagged quietly in her restraints. That scared Maria, but when she came over, Jennifer managed to open her eyes and whisper that she was okay. Todd grabbed a soda and straw, and soon Jennifer was sipping slowly as Maria used a napkin to clear off much of what remained of her tear-streaked makeup.

Jennifer wanted us to release her, but I told her firmly "no", and explained we were afraid for her safety. She nodded, and then looked terrified, asking if she had hurt anyone. She cried when we said no. She then said she was hungry, so we carried her back to the table. We released the strap holding her feet to her butt, and used a couple of extra straps to fasten her to a chair. We were eating and feeding her bites of food when the sheriff and woman, now in civilian clothes, came in smiling.

"We were watching" as they pointed to a camera mounted on the wall. "You told us the truth about how much you care for each other." The woman smiled at us. "I think we need to be introduced. I'm Frances Adams, Sheriff Adam's wife, and the Matron for the county jail. And the sheriff here, despite his usually gruff exterior, is not an ogre." We looked at them and nodded. Jennifer started to shake again.

Frances came over and gave her a hug. "We're not going to call the state, at least not yet, so relax." Jennifer visibly relaxed, then giggled.

"Um, like I can do anything else?" she wiggled a bit against her restraints, and smiled weakly. "I always thought that being forced into something like this would be horrible. But as scary as it is, I feel, well, warm and secure." I gave her a hug.

The sheriff broke in. "But we do have to do something about your little escapade. We called your parents back on a conference call, those we could reach, and suggested a solution to them. They almost laughed themselves silly, and said it was fine with them. So unless you have some major objections, and want to discuss them with the magistrate on Tuesday, you are going to be guests of the county for the rest of spring break. We stared at each other.

"Don't think it will be a vacation. We intend to put you to work, which should more than cover any costs the county will incur for your room and board." Todd and Maria sighed with relief, but I suddenly realized that Jennifer was still in a straight jacket.

"Um, what about Jennifer?" Mrs. Adams smiled.

"I called up a friend who is a psychiatrist, and she suggested that we keep Jennifer under observation and in restraints for a few days. She agrees with your assessment that her throwing a fit was probably just overload, but wants to make sure. She gave Jennifer a hug. So she is going to be wrapped up like that for a while, except for showering, when she will be handcuffed and hobbled. Jennifer nodded shakily.

She then looked at Todd and I, and snickered. "We can't put you two in the men's holding area, as we have a couple of real criminals there. So for the rest of the week, you are honorary female prisoners, and will get to stay in the women's wing, which hasn't had any occupants other than a couple of drunks for almost a year." Todd started to laugh, and I turned red.

We were told to finish eating, and when we were done, Jennifer's legs were released, and we all walked back to the main part of the jail. Jennifer and Maria were put in one cell, and Todd and I in another. We were told to take off all our clothing except the jumpers, and place it outside the cells. When Fran, as she told us to call her, came back, she handed each of us another jumper, and some underwear. Women's underwear. Once we had put the underwear on, she told Maria how to assist Jennifer if she needed to use the facilities, but that Jennifer was under no circumstances to be released. Maria agreed, and we talked quietly among ourselves for a while, then decided that sleep was a really good idea.

Fran woke us the next morning. She released us from out cells, and told us to bathe and give Jennifer a good scrubbing. She left us two pairs of handcuffs, and a key, and instructions for securing Jennifer as she was released from the straightjacket. She said we had an hour.

Jennifer was red as a beet when we finished peeling her out of her restraints, and had strapped her wrist cuffs to a ring in the ceiling of the shower room, stark naked. Maria shooed us out, despite our pleading requests to help, and soon called us back in to help get Jennifer dressed. One arm at a time we freed her, pulled on the jumper, and finally the underwear, then secured her back in the straightjacket. I was surprised when she asked us to make it tighter, and when we finished, she was smiling.

'You know, I could almost get used to this." We all looked at her like maybe the restraints were a really good idea. Maria took a quick shower, and Todd and I took ours at the end. We were all dressed and ready when Fran returned, and escorted us back to the jail's kitchen for breakfast. Which we had to fix. And clean up after. She then measured our feet, left, and returned with cotton socks and prison-issue boots. We looked at each other, and broke out laughing, with Jennifer saying "your mother wears combat boots."

Because it was Saturday, the sheriff showed up in his golf clothes, and told us about our task for the next week. It seemed that the jail we were in was a new addition, and that across the street was the old jailhouse, which was built back before the turn of the century. It had been used mostly for storage since long before he was hired. They wanted to finally get it cleaned out, because the local kids needed a place for a recreation center. But the county refused to pay to have it done. So we were to be the low-cost cleaning crew.

We were marched across the street, and into what looked like a warehouse full of broken furniture. He said he checked, and the bathroom in the front office worked, then handed Todd a cellular phone and a list of emergency numbers. I asked who was going to supervise us, and he asked where we would go dressed like we were. He had a point. Especially in Jennifer's case. Before he left, he said a deputy would bring us lunch around one, and told us exactly what he wanted accomplished. It was going to be a busy week.

We found Jennifer a chair, and against her protestations strapped her to it. Then we got to work. By the time lunch arrived, courtesy of the county and a local burger joint, the main office and entry were almost spotless, and there was a huge pile of trash for the county to haul off sitting outside, under a tarp. We speculated on why every piece of broken furniture for the last fifty or so years had been carefully saved.

Fran came by at about five to collect us, and was surprised that we were almost finished with the entire office area. Dinner was home-cooked, and we were famished. Since Jennifer had not gotten dirty, she was secured to her bunk while the rest of us showered and changed. We played cards and some board games until Fran locked us up for the night.

Sunday we were told that we didn't have to work, but sitting around the jail sounded way too boring, so we volunteered. Once across the street at the old jail, Jennifer seemed awfully quiet. When we asked, she shocked us by saying she was the most relaxed he had been in years.

Her, "You should try it" got a lot of discussions going as we cleaned. She told us that because she did not have to be in control, she was able to let herself go and listen and feel what was around her. It did make sense, but none of us volunteered. We all walked back to the jail for lunch, and the deputy on duty let us use the kitchen. We made sandwiches, and delivered one to him. He smiled and thanked us, saying he would come and get us at five.

We had been working for about two hours when Todd let out a whoop, and shouted for us to come over to see what he had found. We grabbed Jennifer, and rolled her and her chair over to where he was working. He had opened an old trunk, and we stared at the contents. He carefully pulled out sets of chains and manacles, and finally a cloth bag containing several large keys. We carried them back to the office area, and spread them out on the floor. Todd thought there might be more in two similar chests, so we left Jennifer staring at his treasures, and soon were toting the other chests back to the office.

When we finally completed our inventory, we were grinning at each other. We had the makings for a horror movie. Or a comedy. There were leg irons and wrist irons and even a couple of ball-and-chain setups. Lots of extra chain, and heavy, antique locks. There was even a "chain gang" rig with four sets of restraints. Todd found a packing slip dating back to the 1930's. When he checked the keys, the locks seemed to work fine. Jennifer was giggling, and began to sing "Working in a chain gang, going down, down, down..." We looked at each other. Dressed the way we were, it would make a great skit.

We put everything back into the chests, and decided to search that part of the old cell block more carefully. By the time the deputy returned, we had hauled another ton or three of trash outside, and moved the chests to a closet in the office. After dinner we returned to our cells. Later Fran came by to lock us up, and found all of us asleep except Jennifer, who was firmly secured to her bunk. She and Fran apparently talked for quite a while before Fran locked the cells and left.

Monday morning Fran told us to plan on being in the old facility all day, and said she would bring us lunch. She also brought us a bunch of fresh jail clothes. We finished cleaning the first cell block before lunch, and had begun on the old solitary confinement cells when Fran arrived. She and the sheriff stayed for lunch, and complemented us on our hard work. "You four are proving to be really good kids. I'm almost sorry we had to apprehend you, and make you spend your vacation doing this."

Todd summed it up for all of us. "Hey, we are the ones who got ourselves into this, and none of us are afraid of working off our debts." That got each of us a hug from Fran, and a pat on the back from the Sheriff.

It was just after lunch, when Maria was pulling more junk out of the second old solitary unit that she screeched, and we came running. And stared. She had uncovered a heavy steel frame that looked like it came from a Frankenstein movie. It was had adjustable manacles for the feet and hands, a segmented belt for the waist, and even a wide, segmented steel collar to hold the head in place. The frame was mounted on wheels, and looked like it weighed half a ton. There were keys hanging on a hook at one side. Todd found a metal plate that described the getup as a washdown stand.

I almost screamed when Todd took the keys and checked the locks. He had a strange expression on face.

Ten minutes later Jennifer was firmly confined in the frame. We had padded the manacles, belt, and collar with pieces of soft cloth we had found. She was smiling, and catching up on her stretching. So we left the straight jacket, which really needed an airing out, on a chair in the office, and wheeled her over to where we were working. And forgot entirely about her being secured like a denizen of a dungeon as we finished cleaning the cells.

Our concentration was broken by a scream from Fran, who came dashing back holding the empty straight jacket. She was about to lay into us when Jennifer's laughter from behind her made her jump. She stared at Jennifer, tried to say something, and slowly sat on the floor, giggling.

When she finally recovered enough to speak, she called the sheriff on her radio, and in a moment he too was staring at Jennifer's new restraints. Maria looked at them. "I, well we, figured it was as secure as the straightjacket, and would let her stretch out. I hope you are not mad at us..."

They checked her restraints, and shook their heads. "Where in god's name did you find this thing?" Maria told him. He and his wife looked at each other, than at Jennifer. She smiled.

"It's pretty comfortable with the padding, and I really like being able to stretch. Besides, I sure can't get loose or hurt myself trussed up like this." She demonstrated struggling. It was pitiful. They both nodded, and told us to put her back in her straight jacket before dinner. It took a few minutes, and she made us lace and buckle it tighter than before. Once she was secured, I swore I heard her purring.

Tuesday was pretty routine. Jennifer was transferred to the frame on arrival, and spent the day watching us. By five there was only a storeroom, the old cell-block showers, and the large community area left for us to clean. All of the trash we had moved outside was hauled off by some county workers, so we now had a place to put the remaining junk.

After dinner Fran came in to lock us up, and said that Jennifer could be released from her straightjacket and secured to her bunk at night. We complied, but Jennifer tossed and turned, and we heard her beg Maria to put her back in the jacket. That was how we found her, sleeping soundly, when Fran woke us. Fran was scared that she had to be re-restrained, and seemed shocked when Jennifer told her she had requested Maria to do it.

Wednesday we finished everything but the community area before lunch. Jennifer wanted to help, so Todd went and found the ball and chain. Soon she was working beside us, but had to work slowly as she was weak and stiff from being inactive for so long. The deputy that delivered our lunch stared at her, then shook his head and left. When Fran came to get us at five, we were half-way through the big room.

She looked at the ball and chain, and chuckled. When we went to get the straight jacket, she suggested one of us carry the ball for her instead. Sheriff Adams laughed himself into hypoxia when he saw her. As we were getting ready for bed, Todd suddenly started to laugh. When he managed to calm down, he told us he had left the keys in the other building. Jennifer pouted, then laughed. After Maria made sure she was firmly attached to her steel anchor, Jennifer curled up on her bunk, and immediately fell asleep.

Thursday morning was a lot easier, as all Jennifer needed was help carrying the ball to the shower and back. She seemed more animated, and I was beginning to think she was going to be okay. Just after lunch, we finished the last area, and did a quick inspection. We were proud of our work. So we decided to stay all afternoon, and Todd pulled out the chests we had found earlier.

Jennifer found the chain-gang setup. There were four sets of leg-irons and hobbles, connected together by a long chain. Soon we were firmly locked in place, and had removed the ball and chain from Jennifer's ankle. It took us a little while, but soon we were able to move smoothly in unison, and not trip someone. Jennifer then dug out four sets of heavy manacles, and in a little while we were clanking along doing a burlesque routine. That is how Sheriff Adams and Fran found us.

So we showed them the chests full of antique restraints, and the Sheriff shook his head, saying most of them had not been legal for police use in many years.

Fran then told us that we would be able to leave around noon on Saturday. I felt Jennifer start to shake, and she managed to whimper out "me too?" Fran hugged her and said all four of us. That got her to really shake, and she asked to be put back in the straight jacket for a while. Once secured, she immediately calmed down and seemed, well, content.

Friday we spent the day wearing the chain gang setup at our request, and doing the yard and grounds around the old jail building. That got us a lot of visitors. And permission from the Sheriff to panhandle. The local paper and TV station showed up, and the Sheriff agreed to let them photograph us if we received the rights to all the shots. So we did some poses for what was to become a "law and order" campaign for youths. And a spot on the local news.

We were exhausted by the end of the day, but when we totaled up our donations, we had over a thousand dollars. I did some quick calculations, and told Jennifer that we probably had enough for her first year. That got a flood of tears, and a request after dinner for "her" straightjacket. The three of us were beginning to get concerned that was becoming addicted to being restrained. When we asked, she said she was fine, but she really loved the freedom being restrained gave her. I got a headache thinking about it, until I realized she was right. We were locked up each night, and as soon as the cells were closed, there was a sort of secure feeling.

Saturday we were told to shower and, except for Jennifer, were given the clean clothes we had brought with us in the van. She got real nervous when she was firmly told to wear a clean jumper. Fran met us before breakfast, and told Jennifer not to worry, but that she was to be secured in the straight jacket until it was time for us to leave.

Jennifer panicked, but we were now experts in how straightjackets fit, and quickly had her wrapped up without injury to anyone. She fought the restraints for a moment, then seemed to relax, and asked passively if she was being taken away. Fran shook her head. "Just relax, we have a surprise for all of you later this morning, and we were afraid as miss flighty you might decide to do something crazy, so now you can't."

With that she took us to the conference room for breakfast. When finished we were sent back to our cells, and told to do a final cleanup "for the next guests". Jennifer just watched us with a peaceful smile on her face.

It was about eleven when Fran collected us, and escorted us outside to a picnic area in the park behind the station. We were surprised to see several men in suits, and older women wearing business clothes. Jennifer started to shake, and I hugged her against me. Fran excused herself, and headed back to the jail.

The sheriff got up on a bench, and told everyone to gather around, then introduced the guests as members of the town council.

"As you all are more than aware, these four youngsters caused a real stir with their antics in front of the town hall last weekend. And most have seen the morning paper or the local TV news featuring them cleaning up the outside of the old jail outfitted as members of a chain gang.

What you probably don't know is that they did it superbly, and without complaint. I just came back from a special meeting of the county board, and have a small present for these youths." He got down, and picked several large photographs off the table. "These are from yesterday's work, courtesy of the TV station. Each has printed on the back a commendation from the County board, and is signed by all the board members, and my wife and me. He showed each of us the pictures. Maria and Jennifer cried, and Todd and I felt several inches taller.

We were all congratulated and given a lot of encouragement by the council members. But they seemed to be afraid of Jennifer. The sheriff came to her rescue, and said she was still really jumpy from being apprehended, and the straight jacket was to help her feel secure. It was the truth.

After the guests departed, a deputy brought out a picnic lunch, and we sat around and chatted. I noticed Fran coming our way with an older woman, and I was startled to see she was wearing a white, hospital-looking straightjacket. Fran saw me staring, and put her finger to her lips, indicating I should not say anything. So despite my curiosity, I sat there and fidgeted. It was a minute later Fran spoke up, telling Jennifer there was someone who wanted to talk to her.

When Jennifer turned around, she gasped, and launched herself against the woman, screaming "Mommy, I've missed you for so long..." They stood there crying and pressing against each other for quite a while.

Finally Fran separated them, and sat them both on a bench. "When Johnnie here told us about Jessica's parents, I contacted the department of corrections to find out where her mother was. They said she had been transferred to a psychiatric unit for help after she tried to commit suicide when her daughter disappeared."

Jennifer looked fearfully at her mom, who nodded. "I was so worried that you would be hurt and I blamed myself for everything." Jennifer sniffled and laid her head on her mom's shoulder.

"Anyway, the psychiatric unit confirmed that she was still considered a suicide risk, but had responded very well to counseling. They said except for her being a danger to herself, she was otherwise long overdue for release to a half-way house. So after I talked with her doctors, they said it would be a good idea to have her meet her daughter under controlled circumstances. When I suggested we bring her here, they told us to keep her restrained for her own safety, saying she did not object to having to wear a straight jacket."

That caused Todd, Maria and me to almost fall over laughing. And got us stared at by Jennifer's mother. I managed to say we would explain later.

Fran continued. "So we checked her out on a weekend pass, and brought her here." She looked at Jennifer and her Mom. "Would you two object to spending the next few days as cellmates?" If the two of them had free arms they would have hugged her to death.

Maria looked at them, and volunteered to stay as a helper, since they would probably have to stay restrained. Fran said that was a great idea, and I told them I would advise the school. By the time Todd and I were ready to depart, Jennifer and her mom were comfortably locked in a cell, still restrained, and catching up on a lot of lost time.

When we got home we were expecting to get barbecued, but out parents were supportive and congratulated us on our taking responsibility for our actions. We didn't even get grounded. Maria's parents were very upset that she was not with us, but when I explained why, they gave us both hugs, and said they were proud of her. The school agreed to let the two of them take a couple of extra days off without penalty. Todd and I drove back to the county seat on Monday night, and brought them both back.

My parents almost had a fit when I brought Jennifer inside, still firmly secured in "her" straight jacket. It took the better part of an hour, but when they finally understood what had happened, and why she was secured, they insisted she move into the spare bedroom next to mine. She tried to decline, but my mom pointed out that she was in no position to argue, tapping the straightjacket. That got a bunch of giggles, and Jennifer's agreement.

By Friday her few possessions had been collected and moved, and she was catching up on her homework. We were all surprised on Tuesday of the next week when Sheriff Adams called us, and asked us to all come back to the jail on the following Saturday morning for a picnic. And to return Jennifer's jail jumper, shoes, socks, and underwear.

Jennifer was really skittish about going back, so we put her back in her straightjacket, and she relaxed and enjoyed the trip. When we arrived, we were told the picnic was ready to begin, and to head on back to were we were before. When we rounded the corner, Jennifer took one look and ran screaming to the tall woman in a jail jumper setting the table. It was her mother. At Jennifer's request, we released her from her restraints, and she and her mom stood and hugged until Fran appeared, and asked when the food would be ready. It was only after they separated that we noticed the ball and chain her mom was wearing.

She explained that the psychiatric types wanted her to be restrained when outside her cell, until they were sure she would not run away and hurt herself. She said she remembered what Jennifer had said about Todd finding the portable anchor, and using it to secure Jennifer. She suggested it to Fran, who thought it was a great idea.

Soon we were all eating grilled hamburgers, and enjoying the fresh air. When Jennifer asked her mom how she managed to get another pass, Fran snickered, and told us to put Jennifer back in her restraints. Her mom was smiling, so she shook only a bit, but did not object. Once secure, Fran dropped the bomb.

"Judy has been turned over to us for the six-month stay in a half-way house that she must complete before she is released. The city has agreed to hire her as one of the operators for the new recreation center. She will live at the jail, which will keep the psychiatric types happy. And will remain very attached to her anchor until they give us the green light to let her go."

Jennifer was bouncing up and down "Mom, does that mean I can come visit on weekends and..."

Fran broke in laughing. "As long as you are willing to share a cell with her." We all gathered around them and shared a group hug. There were a lot of tears when we finished. Including mine.

Sheriff Adams spoke up. "There are a couple of other matters that need to be settled." He looked at Jennifer. "When your father died, you became eligible for social security benefits. Long ago your mother had them sent to a savings account, which she forgot all about. I found out when I did some checks on your social security number. There is more than enough saved up to pay your way through college." Jennifer snuggled against her mom, and wept happy tears.

He looked at the rest of us. "The town council decided that all the moneys collected by the four of you during your little stunt on their front lawn should go towards your education's. So they asked me to present you with a check for the amount we had turned over to them." He handed an envelope to me. When I looked inside, I nearly fainted. The check was for almost five thousand dollars. I showed it to the others.

He spoke up again. "There is one final item. He looked at Jennifer and her Mom, then me. For several reasons, the state won't let Judy be Jennifer's' legal parent or guardian until she is released. I talked with Judy, and Johnnie's parents, and the state. As of Friday, Johnnie's parents are officially Jennifer's guardians until she turns eighteen late in the summer." That got me an armful of Jennifer, and a wet shoulder.

We left Jennifer with her mom, and headed back home. I gave my parents a lot of hugs and thanks for what they were doing. Fran drove Jennifer back on Sunday night, but kept the straight jacket, saying it really was county property.

Fran brought Judy, unrestrained, to our graduation. Jennifer was so happy she cried the whole time.

Todd, as usual, came up with a weird idea for Jennifer's eighteenth birthday present. So we took up a collection, and at her party she was presented with a custom made, beautifully fitted straightjacket. It was made of thick, soft leather, and once on, it could be laced tightly. And it had an attachable hobble skirt that came all the way to her ankles. Her mother looked jealous. And I got the honor of putting her into it. I was right. She does purr. Todd had made sure there was one special feature. All the buckles and straps could be locked.

In the fall we will all be attending the state university. Maria's mother is a real-estate agent, and found the four of us a tiny two-bedroom house on a couple of acres fairly near the campus. We discovered we could buy it, and even pay utilities for just a little more than that what it would cost us to live in the dorms for four years.

Jennifer's mom has decided to stay at the county seat. She really likes her youth-center job, and will probably become the manager. She says she should have enough saved up by the time she is free of the State's supervision to put a down payment on a cottage. She will be released in October, and has volunteered to help Sheriff Adams and Fran as an assistant matron at night if needed. She will even be able to get a driver's license once she is released.

Oh yes, Jennifer. We are now roommates, and will share a room in our place at the university. With Todd's help, we have a wonderful four-poster bed, complete with enough restraints to equip a dungeon. And thanks, I think, to Todd, I am the proud owner of a leather straight jacket just like Jennifer's. Jennifer was ecstatic when they gave it to me as a birthday present. We wound up spending that night together, firmly locked in our straightjackets by Todd and Maria. Talk about enforced birth control.

But since then we have restrained each other, and been restrained together several times. Jennifer was right. Once I quit being afraid of not being able to free myself, I've found I can really let myself relax. At least until she starts nibbling on my ears and toes.

Finis

 

 

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