About the middle of the afternoon, I realized that there was something wrong. When I tested the release mechanisms they became slightly loose after a...few hours and would release after a few more hours. It had been almost five hours and there was no looseness at all in the ropes. I pulled against the mechanisms but felt no slippage at all. Something was wrong with the releases - both of them. I started to get afraid. How would I get out of this? I would be here until someone found me. I. “I know,” Charlotte said and pirouetted before the mirror.Mary clipped a black leather leash to the ring on Charlotte’s choker.“Ready Charlotte?” she brushed Charlotte’s fringe lovingly.“Yes. And thank you,” Charlotte leaned forward and pecked Mary’s cheek.Mary led Charlotte out of her room and they were greeted by the current class of Novices standing either side of the passageway like an honour guard, each holding a candle. The Acolytes did not participate in graduations; Charlotte would soon. Deep brown eyes framed by thick, long lashes. A perfect smile, topped off by a figure nearly every girl in school envied. This was my best friend, Nikki. Although as I looked at her lying next to me, I had to admit, she wasn’t looking her best.My parents were away in Devon for the weekend and yes, you guessed it, a small ‘social gathering’ took place the night before.I’m not a big lover of alcohol, unlike Nikki. And seeing as the house belongs to my parents, there was no way I was going to. “Ladies and gentleman,” Tom continued, “can I present to you the infinitely lovely Miss Belinda Williams and her beautiful younger sister Miss Jamie Williams.”Before Tom could say anything else there was another huge round of applause with Hank, Lynn, Terry and Jill applauding more loudly than anyone else.When that had died down Tom said to the audience, that now seemed to be eating out of his hand, “It is also now my privilege to ask these two beautiful young ladies to take all their clothes.