'Hurry up, Meredith,' Mrs Harrison called upstairs. 'We have to be going now - unless you want to be late.'

'Mom,' came the thirteen year old's voice from her room. 'I can't go out dressed like this!'

Gina Harrison sighed. She was sure she wasn't like this when she was her daughter's age. 'What's wrong now?' she enquired, trying to keep her patience. They had less than thirty minutes to get to the Center and if the traffic was heavy on Oaks Avenue, they'd be late. Again.

'This dress is what's wrong,' came the voice again, more of a wail this time.

'Honey, it's the uniform.' Gina was sure they'd had this discussion last week, and the week before. 'You haven't got a choice.'

'Mom! Look!' The teenager appeared at the top of the stairs, gesturing at her dress. Blue latex with purple trim at the short sleeves, yellow at the scoop neck. Of course, it was too short: she'd grown a lot since they bought the uniform for her last year.

But there again, it looked worse from the bottom of the stairs, looking up. The style of the dress was a narrow bodice and flared skirt. The skirt was meant to be short but from this angle Gina could see her daughter's latex white pants quite clearly - and the matching garter belt.

Gina pursed her lips. It was the uniform and that's what they all wore, but maybe she should have bought the size larger. She hadn't expected her daughter to grow that quickly: even her daughter's developing breasts were beginning to create a distinct bulge at the front of the dress.

'I can't do anything about it now,' said Gina, trying not to sound exasperated both with her daughter and her choice last year. 'We can go to the mall on Saturday and get you a new one. In the meantime you have to wear that one.'

Meredith flounced down the stairs, trying to push the flared skirt down as if it would magically make it longer. 'I could be sick. You could call in for me.'

'Meredith,' frowned the girl's mom. 'You do want this award, don't you?'

The girl wrinkled her nose as she arrived at the bottom of the stairs. 'I got my Elementary Chains Endurance award last month,' she said. 'No one else tries for Intermediate Rope so soon.'

'Uh-uh. Like Jill Morgan and Charlotte Denny and Katy Holstein. Seems to be they were all doing it so you wanted to, remember? Now, let me look at you.'

'Mom!' grumbled the girl, but she did the customary twirl.

It made her skirt fly out a little more and yes, Gina conceded privately, the girl's stocking tops were quite visible. But her daughter had good legs, there were no runs in the stockings and once she was tied up everyone would probably see what she was wearing underneath anyway. 'You look fine honey. No one will notice,' soothed the woman. 'You could be in the blindfolds group and no one will see - and I doubt Miss Gavros will care.'

'We're not doing blindfolds until March,' snorted the girl. 'Don't you read the curriculum?'

'Sure, but I do know plans change. When I did KE at school, they were always changing the schedule. Now, there's no time for talking so turn round.'

Meredith pouted but did as her mom wanted, crossing her wrists behind her back. 'No one calls it KE anymore,' the thirteen year old said over her shoulder. 'It's ES: Endurance and Survival, not Kidnap Escaping. That's old stuff. We're meant to survive kidnapping, not escape from it.'

'Maybe, but old stuff is still good,' said Gina as she wrapped the thin cord round her daughter's wrists, cinching it neatly. 'Names might change but if you have a good teacher, you learn a lot. I know I did, with Mrs O'Leary. Hard, but fair - that's what you need.'

Meredith thought about mimicking her mom's regular 'Hard but fair,' speech but left it alone. She felt her mother flick up the three short ribbons dangling from her daughter's right sleeve, making sure they hung properly. Her mom was proud of the fact her daughter was in the top ten students at the ES Center - only thirteen and she already had the new pale green Elementary Chains Award ribbon alongside the light yellow Beginner's Ropes and Gags and the pink Punishment Preparation ribbons.

Most girls of Meredith's age didn't have three ribbons to show until they were fourteen. But Gina had to remind herself that she played her part and made sure her daughter did all her home bondage sessions. That was the only way she would get to be All State Bondage Endurance. Gina remembered how close she'd been to being chosen twenty years ago but her own mom hadn't pushed her, back when she was fifteen. That wasn't going to happen with Meredith. The prospect of the gold All State ribbon was too good to miss.

'Mom,' Meredith's voice brought Gina back to the here and now. 'You going to gag me now, or in the car?'

'Really, I should do it now. You know Mr Suarez is very keen you leave home as you intend to arrive.'

'Yeah, I know,' Meredith mimicked the Center Director's deep voice: 'Kidnappers don't give you the choice - you leave home the way they choose.'

'That's not fair,' said Gina, stifling a smile. Her daughter's impression was good, but the point was right. Kidnappers would gag a girl in her own home before taking her, which was why Centers for ES (or KE as the woman preferred) did such good business. 'Teaching them to feel, endure and survive the ordeal,' the ES logo boasted, and it was true. Kidnaps were nowhere near as common as thirty years ago but the careful preparation of children in all aspects of bondage - including gags, punishments and more - had ensured kids weren't scarred mentally by the ordeal.

Meredith was pleading. 'Mom... not the ball gag just yet, please?'

Gina shook her head. 'If the Center staff see you arrive without a gag they could old back your next ribbon, but... I guess I can pull over on Hayton and gag you then.'

The girl beamed. 'Thanks mom. I promise I won't object when I do my chair tie home bondage work.'

'You bet. Okay, now let's hurry or we will be late!'

---

'Lean forward, sweetie. Let me get the gag in properly.'

Meredith, as she always did when she was being gagged, gave a groan. It wasn't just for her mom: it was every time a rubber ball went into her mouth.

'You know,' continued Gina as she tightened the strap at the back of her daughter's head, 'For someone who wants to get a few more awards you shouldn't be making that noise when you're gagged. I'm sure they taught you to be quiet when you wore gags way back in First Bondage class.'

Meredith sat up in the front of the car and nodded. Of course she'd been told to stay quiet when being gagged: you never let the kidnapper know you're either objecting or enjoying it. But it was a habit she had, right from being a small girl and her dad would tie her hands behind her and her mom would gag her at the same time. The feeling of two restrictions at once was always delightful.

So delightful she had gotten into the habit of groaning when being gagged.

Still, the girl accepted her mom was right. You don't get good grades if you moan or gasp when being bound and gagged.

Gina started the car and pulled out into the traffic on Hayton. A red four wheel drive went past with Mike Vernon sitting gagged next to his mother, glancing at the Harrison car. Gina gave a wave, hoping Mike's mom Karen would notice. She did, returning the wave through the rear window.

'Mike's turning out to be a nice boy,' said Gina as she followed the Vernon's vehicle the few blocks to the Center. She smiled, aware that her daughter was wriggling in embarrassment. Boys and dates weren't important yet for Meredith but they would be soon enough. Gina always said it would be nice if Meredith could date a boy like Mike Vernon - they could even go to All State together as he was the one everyone predicted big things for.

It gave Gina quite a buzz thinking of her daughter and Mike going to a big event together, maybe handcuffed together with matching gags. But that would only happen if Meredith excelled at the Center - and she had some way to go to be top girl. Briony Langer was the favorite to get the honor and everyone knew how much bondage practice she put in, especially as she had such a pushy mom in Teri Langer.

Gina drew the car up next to the Vernon's and got out of the car a few moments after Mike had emerged from his side. He looked even more cute than usual in his latex dress with six ribbons at his right arm. It was still a point of some controversy that boys wore dresses like the girls - without the need for latex bras and garter belts, of course - but the argument was always that kidnappers liked to humiliate boys by putting them in skirts and bondage, so it was better to get used to wearing a dress. The only difference was that where the girls wore blue dresses, the boys wore pink.

Like they said, humiliation. It was just another thing for them to get used to, along with arm-binders and ankle chain weights and adjustable wedge gags.

'Hi, Gina,' smiled Karen Vernon. 'How's Meredith? She looks really cool today,' she nodded at the girl - and her too short skirt - as her mom helped her out the car.

'Oh, she's fine mostly - but like most teenage girls,' chuckled Gina. 'You know how they complain about everything and anything.'

Meredith snorted a well-stifled objection, which was ignored.

Gina however winked at her friend. 'How's Mike? I can see he's ready for his Heavy Chains award.' The boy was wearing heavyweight chains at wrist and ankles. He'd probably had them on for a whole day, reflected Gina. He was pretty dedicated and his parents liked their son restrained all day. Perhaps that was the difference, Gina thought. Boys could lie around tied to beds and things while girls were expected to work, help out round the home.

'He's good,' answered Karen, helping her son round the vehicle. 'Slow going with this lot on. You know, I'm sure they add more weight every year.'

The boy was moving slowly and he stumbled a little as he had his eyes on Meredith's short skirt and stocking tops rather than on where he was going. Gina smiled: he was ready for dating, she decided. And who could blame him? When Meredith was properly tied she was the cutest kid at the Center.

The two women guided their restrained kids towards the building, nodding to Mr and Mrs Swennson as they hurried their neatly bound and hooded twin daughters, Lisa and Lois, in ahead of them.

'We're not late are we?' asked Karen.

'No, I think the Swennson's want to make sure they are on display early today. You see the girls had collars on? I think they'll be used for the Family Capture class.'

'You think Mr and Mrs Swennson will be joining in?'

'Martha Swennson will,' laughed Gina. 'She had her collar on too.'

'You ever thought of going for the Family award yourself?' Karen asked her friend, as she helped her son up the last step.

'I would but Eddie's not so sure. He's up for promotion at work and is putting in a lot of time at the office.' Gina shrugged about her husband. 'I just hope it doesn't hold Meredith back.'

'It won't,' said Karen. 'I was talking to Sharon Gelling the other day and she thinks Meredith is in line for City honors this year.'

'I know. It's so exciting to think of her bound and gagged on stage at the Finals.' Gina grinned.

It was at that point that Sharon Gelling herself approached the two women and their secured children. As Co-Director of Girl Bondage at the Center, she was taking a special interest in Meredith's progress. Karen recognized that Sharon wanted a quiet word with Gina so she said goodbye and steered her son towards the room where his Heavy Chains class would be held.

'Sorry to interrupt you and Karen,' said Sharon pleasantly, 'but I want to have a quick word with you and Meredith before her class begins.' She pointed to a small office to one side. 'We can talk in there.'

The office was empty and Sharon indicated there was a child restraint point on the wall. When Gina had put the neck strap on her daughter to secure the girl to the wall she sat down across the desk from the Co-Director.

'How can I help you, Miss Gelling?' asked Gina.

'Please, call me Sharon. Actually, I think it's how I might help you and Meredith.'

Gina could see the young woman was excited. 'Go on, Sharon.'

Sharon leaned forward to say something but the shortness of Meredith's flared skirt caught her eye. The position of the neck strap meant the thirteen year old was stretched slightly and her dress had ridden up a couple of inches: the child's already obvious stocking tops were on full display now. 'My, Gina - Meredith really likes showing her legs and panties, doesn't she?'

Gina laughed but Meredith, behind her ball-gag, simply frowned.

'As I was saying,' the Co-Director turned back to the mother. 'We think Meredith has an outstanding chance of City honors. I know, to be fair, she's not as good as the Langer girl and also, Maggie Ouspensky is coming on a lot quicker than we thought. She's already on target for her Whipped Prisoner award which for a fourteen year old is pretty good.'

'Sharon, with respect, you didn't bring me here to discuss the likes of Maggie being flogged before she's fifteen, did you?'

Sharon shook her head. 'No, but I was going to say that to beat out Maggie and Briony - if you and your husband want the best chance for Meredith - I can enrol her in a special booster program.'

Gina raised her eyebrow, a smile on her lips. 'You mean, there's a place for Meredith at Mrs Bruckmeyer's?'

Sharon was grinning. 'Absolutely. We heard last night that one of the four girls she takes on each semester is leaving early. That means there's a spare cell at her house.'

'You haven't discussed this with the Langers and the Ouspenskys yet?' Gina doubted Sharon would have, but it was better to ask.

'No. You're the first to hear. Of course, if you don't want it I'll have to offer it, though my favorite second choice wouldn't be Maggie or Briony. I like the look of Charlotte Cooper - she looks so good in straps. However, Meredith is the one I think would most benefit from four weeks under the tuition of Mrs Bruckmeyer.'

'Old Ma Iron Fist,' mused Gina as she nodded. This was great news: Dionne Bruckmeyer was a fearsome woman who ran a private and select training school for girls in bondage. They always said it was the one place you knew your child would get the best ES preparation. Better still, the woman was the chairperson of the All State selection committee. It was hard to avoid the fact that if she knew about your child and their bondage abilities, you had a good chance of having him or her selected.

'The answer is yes,' said Gina, glancing at her daughter who had been listening closely. 'Meredith would love to be a student of Mrs Bruckmeyer, right honey?'

Meredith nodded as best she could, fastened with her neck strapped to the wall. She looked both pleased and slightly terrified, having heard rumors and stories of how hard girls were punished there, what they had to do (and endure) to impress the old woman.

'I'll get her things ready after her lesson today,' continued Gina.

'No, we haven't time,' said Sharon. 'To take this place Meredith must go now. Mrs Bruckmeyer is, shall we say, impatient. She wanted the place filled by this morning but I persuaded her to wait until noon today. Your daughter has to go now or I guess Mrs Bruckmeyer will make other arrangements.'

Gina nodded. Now was the best time, she conceded. She stood and said: 'If you give me the address, I'll take her over straightaway.'

'Excellent - I'm really pleased.' Sharon picked up pen and paper and scribbled the address. 'It's on the East Road, out past the old river bridge turn. Oh, and one thing. Mrs Bruckmeyer likes her pupils naked.'

'No problem,' said Gina, taking the address. 'I'll strip her here if you don't mind and I can take her straight over. Gag and wrist ropes okay for delivery?'

'Try ankles, knees and elbows too. And a full size gag,' Sharon opened a drawer in the desk and brought out an adult size ball gag and handed it to Gina. 'Mrs Bruckmeyer prefers her students to be really quiet all the time. That means, Meredith Harrison, no grunting when being gagged, got it?'

Meredith blushed a little and nodded.

---

It was just before noon when Mrs Bruckmeyer answered the door of her large, rambling house. A woman and a girl, naked and securely tied with a large ball gag, stood on the porch. The woman was smiling and the child looked happy enough, though that rarely interested the old woman. She had been binding and tying and punishing young girls for almost forty years, getting them to the right standard for All State.

Even All Nation, if they were really, really good.

The girl's happiness wasn't a factor. She'd be joining the other three in the cell area soon enough and any pleasure the youngster got was incidental. The child was here to work hard at being tied up and harder still at being punished. A new girl with just four weeks to get as good as the ones who'd been there three weeks already had a lot to do to catch up. That would mean extra sessions in hemp ropes and wire bondage, confined in small spaces, wearing iron chains while standing up to her neck in cold water, breathing control, suspension by wrist and ankle, kneeling on different surfaces, flogging while hauling weights...

The list was endless and they'd already lost a morning. However, she was here now and the child's sessions could begin. Mrs Bruckmeyer glanced over the girl. Naked, of course, properly tied, well gagged, hairless slit and small but prominent breasts. And yes, she'd heard good things about this one, how she had a lot of promise.

Well, that would be tested fully in the next few weeks. Make or break was her motto, and although she was disappointed she broke the last one - Michelle - with a strict Bath Time and Toilet Endurance program, this one would be more promising. Anyway, she enjoyed the challenge of so little time to prepare a girl.

'Mrs Bruckmeyer, hi,' said the woman next to the tied girl. 'I'm Teri Langer and this is my daughter Briony.'

---

Gina groaned into her gag and struggled a little in her ropes. She shouldn't have after all her training in KE, but this kidnap probably didn't follow the pattern. Next to her on the cold floor of the garage was Meredith, lying quite still.

It was no doubt convenient for Teri Langer that Gina had done such a good job tying up her daughter, ready for presentation at Mrs Bruckmeyer's. Better still, that Meredith was gagged with an adult size ball and couldn't make a sound. The teenager lay still, eyes closed, her neck chain no longer rattling as she fought her ropes.

But that had made Teri Langer snicker as she left the tied and gagged mother and daughter lying on the cement floor, severely hogtied with necks secured to an iron staple in the floor. 'I always said she wasn't good enough for honors,' the woman had said as she watched Meredith try to wriggle to test her bonds and neck chain. 'Not like my Briony, who knows how to behave in bondage.'

The gagged child had looked pleased at what her mother had said, and more so at what her mom had done to her rival. Briony had never really liked Meredith Harrison and here she was, all tied up in this cold garage. Their prisoners, her place at Mrs Bruckmeyer's.

'Let's get you ready and ready for Mrs Bruckmeyer's,' Teri had said, taunting Gina. 'Naked, lots of ropes and this big ball gag.' The woman had held up a large size ball gag just like the one that filled Meredith's mouth. She unbuckled the one Briony was wearing and slipped the new, bigger one in.

Briony hadn't make a sound as the large gag invaded her small mouth, and that made Teri gurgle with pleasure. It was easy to tell she thought her daughter was perfect for All State. With a goodbye wave, the mother and gagged daughter had left Gina and Meredith alone and locked the door.

Gina lay in shock after they'd gone . She still couldn't believe the way the kidnap took place, how Teri Langer had pulled her car up in front of them on a quiet stretch of the East Road, how she'd pushed a gun at Gina, made her gag and cuff herself. How they had been loaded into the back of Teri's big blue vehicle and brought here to this seemingly derelict old house.

Not the Langer home, that was for sure. But wherever this place was, it would be the Harrison's home for a while yet. Their prison.

Gina wondered if somehow this had been a trap, that maybe Sharon had been involved to set it up. Perhaps it was a test, part of the training plan. But then, why was she involved? No, the more Gina thought about it, the more she understood this was a real kidnap. Her and her daughter kidnapped, not for money but for another child's chance at a place in the All State event.

Perhaps Gina reflected, she couldn't blame Teri entirely. Maybe she would have done the same in her circumstances. She quite liked the idea of Teri and Briony Langer bound and gagged at her disposal, wide eyed as they contemplated various punishments and strict bondage positions. A glow spread from Gina's sex through her body. She wriggled gently to squeeze her thighs together, get some pleasure, trying not to let her neck chain rattle.

It did and Meredith opened her eyes. She looked as if somehow she too understood.

The woman winked at her daughter to give the child some encouragement. Meredith winked back and closed her eyes again.

Gina wished she could get her hands - or just one hand - free to get between her legs and play with herself. But that was unlikely, tied like this. Kidnap victims aren't expected to have chance to excite themselves, the woman thought, unless they are lucky. She wished she'd slipped a fully-charged self-stimulation device in her pussy before they left home that day. Well, she would have done if Meredith hadn't been wasting time, arguing over how short the uniform was.

Perhaps later Teri might allow Gina the chance to finger herself. Some kidnappers were kind that way, between the punishments.

Gina craned her neck from where she lay to look round. There were chains and manacles on the walls, hanks of ropes, other punishment devices, no doubt intended for Gina and her daughter. Teri and maybe her husband would return later and put these things to good use. As they say, there's no point in keeping a well-stocked punishment center if you don't intend to use it.

At least Gina and Meredith had been trained to deal with being kidnap victims. So there was nothing to do but lie motionless and silent and wait.

The mother just hoped her daughter wouldn't disgrace herself by making a noise when she was re-gagged at some point. Gina always hated it whenever Teri Langer smirked at her over that.