"Come on, hurry up."
I can't hurry up when all I see is stars!

Bam!
Fucking hell!
Stop punching my face!

As if hearing me, I get a tight punch on my abs that pushes the breath out of me!
I cry out in pain and reflexively try to pull my hands and cover myself.

But damn it!
That's the whole point!
Untie those fucking hands!
Untie that fucking knot!

Bam!
Another one on my guts.
If it keeps raining like this, I'll have to go on liquid diet for weeks straight.

Come on James!
HURRY UP!

"Stop panicking first. You'll make the knot tighter."
Neil scolded standing behind me.
I tried to calm down despite Charles raining back to back punches on my abs.

"Look for the free end."
He guided and I frantically started touching everywhere.

"Calm down. You can take this pain for hours straight. Don't try to escape these punches. Learn to act in hard times."
Neil's voice had a sterner end to it.

I nodded slightly despite being blindfolded.
I could see nothing.
I had to rely on my other heightened senses.

Right now, touch has to do it.
I moved the pulp of my index and middle finger over every loop of the damn huge rope tied over my wrists.

Once I found it, I hear "Good. Now trace it back. The knot must be on the other end."
I did as told and reach the knot.

"Wiggle your index under the outermost loop and try to reach the centre of the knot."
My wrists were hurting just as bad as my abs and the effort I had to put in to insert my index finger into the knot was indescribable. There was hardly any scope for movement.

Neil couldn't have gone easy on me for the first ever 'Escape rope bondage' lesson. On top of it, he had to bring in Charles!

I loosened each loop till I reached the innermost loop and tried to hook my finger in. As soon as I wiggled it in, the knot started coming off.

I few more twists and it was loose enough for me to get one hand out.
With one hand free, I brought it to the front and held Charles's wrist tight.
He paused right there, must have been stunned.
Soon my other hand was in the front with the loose rope over my wrist and I punched with all my strength.

I knew it hit hard because my Knuckles hurt and Charles groaned. He never saw that coming.
Getting a momentary break, I took the blindfold off and was awarded by a painful hit of bright light.

It took me a few moments to get adjusted.
"You're wasting time! Get on it!"
Neil shouted from behind.
I looked down and tried to free my ankles that were bound in a similar fashion.

With my eyes helping to find the free end and my hands free to wiggle into the knot easily, I took four seconds to untie this one.

Now all four of my limbs were free and I stood up in defensive stance.
Charles got over the pain I gifted him and turned back to see me ready to face him.

"That was quick!"
He said impressed.

Neil patted on my shoulder.
"For first time, yes. But there's a lot of scope for improvement. Come, next session after dinner."
He said leaving.

"I'm not hungry, thanks."
I lied.
"Fine. Instructor Charles will not target your abs. Just your face. Come now."
Neil said seeing through me.

Damnit.
My face.

We came back to IR after dinner and Neil picked up the rope again.
This time instead of tying me up directly, he went one step behind in his lessons.

He looped the rope around my wrist and started explaining.

"This is for the situation where you give in and volunteer to be captivated. But you don't plan on staying with them forever like a family."
How does he find such situations funny?

"The more loosely you're bound, the easier it will be for you to escape. Resist letting your captors tie you as tightly as possible. For example, if your wrists are being tied in front of you, hold your knuckles from both hands together, and pull your hands in towards your chest. Although it looks like you're cooperating, this gesture will create a gap between your wrists. "

I did what he said and he tied a tight knot. He was right. As soon as I got my wrists back together close, it was like buttersmooth to get out.

"See?"

I nodded and he went for it again.

"Also, you can present your hands to be tied with both hands in front of you, crossed at the wrist. Rotate your lower wrist about 45 degrees while you're being tied, so that, once the ropes are tight, you can straighten out your wrist and loosen the rope. This trick works better but don't try it with the smart ones. Crossing your wrists is a sign of utter submission and will create suspicion."
I gathered all the information and stored it inside.

"Now sit on the chair."
I did and the rope was looped from my ankles to my neck.

"Tense all of your muscles while you are being tied up. If more than just your wrists or ankles are being bound, this will help you escape. When your muscles are tensed, they expand and take up more room than when they're relaxed. This will make your body larger, while your captors are tying you tightly. Consequently, when you relax your muscles, your body will shrink slightly and the ropes will be looser, giving your more room to move and eventually escape.
This is a technique used by most escape artists and allows the ropes to be slightly looser when you relax you muscles.
If captors are tying a rope around your chest, take a deep breath and expand your lungs as much as possible. If you can make a loose spot big enough to do so, slip out of it."

He said pointing at each area of my body that can create enough space for later.

I had no clue there's so much behind getting tied up.
It's like a science.
Wow!

I used my body parts as he explained earlier and was out in no time.

He shrugged his shoulders in a 'Told you' attitude.

"Next up is Duct tape. You'll find these when your mission is inside the city, not field. That thing sticks like a lizard!"
There's no doubt Neil hates it.

"Three tried and tested options -"
He tied my wrists with the tape looped thrice.

"First - Break the tape in front of you. Although duct tape is incredibly adhesive, it is still vulnerable to tears and breaks. If your hands are bound in front of you, raise them above your head, and then bring them down quickly against your abdomen, pulling your elbows apart at the same time. Like this."
He showed me how to do it and I did it myself. It didn't work the first time so I tried again. This time it tore like a paper.

Immediately another layer of tape was around my wrists.
He can't see me at ease, can he?

" Second - Chew through the duct tape. Since duct tape is not quite as sturdy as rope, it can be bent and torn more easily. Use this to your advantage. You may be able to chew through it, or use your teeth to tear the tape, and then pry the tape apart."
I tried getting my teeth under the tape but there was just no space.

"If you can't break the tape with your teeth, try to peel it away from your skin with your teeth or mouth. This will give your more space to wriggle out of the tape."
It worked.

"Third - not too easy. Get the duct tape wet in order to loosen it. Like any other type of tape, duct tape loses nearly all of its adhesive quality when it is wet. If you are near water bottles or a natural water source - even if there's water on the floor or in a sink of the room where you're tied - get to the water and moisten the tape. After a period of time, the tape will loosen and you'll be able to pull your hands or feet out. If you can lick or spit on the duct tape, even saliva from your mouth will help loosen the adhesion."

I looked at him waiting to say something I hope he won't say.

"Also that one chance you'll forgive yourself to dip your hands in your own pee."
"Jeez!"
I almost threw up.

"What if you have tape over your mouth you can't chew?"
I ask trying to think of all the situations one can face.

Immediately there was one big piece over my lips.
"Fuck!"
I said confidently knowing it will get muffled.

In no time, I bent double with a punch on my guts.

"It's not soundproof."
Neil said as a matter of fact.
"Sorry"
I said as I straightened up.

"Curl your lips in as much as possible and lick the tape. Eventually that would dull the stickiness and it would come off."
It took me good ten minutes to get the tape wet enough and take it off.

It was morning by the time we went through hundreds of escape routes.
I wouldn't have ever dreamt all that.

"How's Kelly doing, Instructor Charles?"
Neil asked.

"Better than I expected. He'll prove that your decision to take him in was right."
Charles said proudly and I wonder how hard Kelly must be working to get these words from him.

"He'll turn out to be a fine man. I had seen that. Good that he approached me before I did."
Neil said.

"He's a fearless man. He'll put his life on line for you. Keep him by your side."
"I'll be by his side rather."
Neil replied proudly.

"I can see potential of a good instructor in him. I pity his boys in future."
Charles said impressed.

"Really? Like you?"
Neil teased him.

"Better than me. For sure."
Charles laughed.

Kelly? Worse than Charles?
Oh the boys.

************************************

Lessons lessons.
All we have here are lessons.

And wait.
Worse than Charles?
Guess who was right. 😂😂
Kelly did turn out fine.

Funny to say - but don't try these rope and duct tape stunts at home. Please.

************************************

Vote and COMMENT what do you expect to happen here onwards.
Any particular character that you're waiting for, any specific scene, anything - tell me.