EXCERPT
From the original 46,500 word story titled
'HOUDINI CONNECTIONS' by Jim Stewart
(For introduction to the character and situation see MORE)

TOPIC: Fire gear manacled

Robert has persuaded Chunky to bring in his fire-fighter kit - to be used for some photos of the genuine work gear, manacled or chained. Nothing sexual and BA mask to make sure the face won't be recognisable.

Provocatively, as they prepare, Robert asks if the fire-fighter has ever worn his heavy gear with no clothes underneath - and Chunky admits "yes" when he's been 'messing about' at home. Robert persuades him to go naked under the suit for the session - it won't show in the pictures - but the younger man would get a kick out of it. As a sign of his new-found confidence - Chunky agrees.

Psyched-up and dressed Robert produces a heavy gas mask with sealed latex back - and Chunky accepts it enthusiastically. The photo session begins ...

Chunky settled his safety helmet securely above the wide-visored face mask and deftly tightened the chin strap. He felt ready for action - but suddenly remembered something and pulled plastic coated work gloves from his coat pocket and held them up for Robert's approval.

“What I want is a feeling of authenticity” said the younger man.
Chunky nodded pulling on the gloves and once again adjusting the solid rubber face mask as much as the tight latex back would allow. He then said something incomprehensible into his mask.
“What?” asked Robert.
“I said ...” enunciated Chunky from behind the wall of rubber and coat collar “This - mask - is not - exactly - authentic!”
“Wear it for now - we'll talk about alternatives after the first few shots. Now, I want to do a few with manacles then some with rope. OK?”

Chunky gave the thumbs-up as he was used to doing when masked-up and working. But secretly he was grateful for the protection of the mask that hid his flushed face, and the bulky suit that somewhat masked the tingling if not shaking he felt in his arms and legs.

Robert set to work with manacles as Chunky just stood. Handcuffs in front, solid weighty ones that fitted easily over the thickish gloves and showed up well against the dark tough fabric suit. The leg-irons Robert had chosen were the big ones specially made to fit around wide-ankled boots. Chunky could not see down that far but felt the rubber tighten against his tense ankles. Soon as the second lock clicked shut and was dead-locked he moved his feet to feel how far they would separate. Not far!.

Robert picked up the camera and chose a position.
“Look at your wrists not the camera for this one” he said and Chunky did as he was told. The camera whirred. “Now try and work out if you can get at the key-hole”.
Chunky automatically followed instructions wondering how, even with a key in those gloves it would be a struggle.
“There's a seat behind you. Back onto it and inspect the leg-irons” .
It seemed a logical thing to do. As he sat, Chunks pulled the jacket waist tighter so he could see past it to where his rubber boots were clamped and wrinkled by the metal ratchets.
The camera whirred a few more times as Chunky tried to evaluate the manacles and consciously offer a few photo opportunities.
“Great” said Robert putting down the camera. He moved towards the seated fire-fighter and a metal clip clicked first around the leg-iron chain and then the link between the handcuffs, fixing them together.

Before Chunky was fully aware of the dramatically reduced ability to move, Robert was back behind the camera moving in for close shots of the gloved hands anchored close to the manacled rubber boots. He changed the angle to get the face mask in shot with the hands and feet. These pictures would be hot, thought Robert - what a pity he hadn't got a video operator in with him - but he knew Alan was busy in the shop area panning and zooming a couple of remote controlled cameras that covered the studio. Alan knew a lot about surveillance systems and CCTV.

While Chunky's attention was still on his predicament, Robert asked him if he could stand up. He discovered that he could but only if he remained bent almost double with his feet close together.

More shots and clicks then Robert was again walking towards him to unclip the link. He also had with him what turned out to be the end of a winch rope. Having unclipped the ankles, the rope was attached to the centre of the cuffs and Robert was walking away. A roving electric control switch soon caused a winch in the ceiling to spring into life, and the rope between Chunky's wrists was suddenly shortening upwards. Robert was back on camera and as the rope continued to shorten slowly, Chunky first let his wrists rise but then moved closer under the pulley, leaving himself a bit more slack - but this gradually got taken up by the unstoppable electric winch. As the manacled hands were hauled past his masked head and helmet he thought, ‘Shit! He's not going to hang me by my wrists!' As the position became more intense he started to pull down more determinedly. The bulk of his jacket and the feel inside his pants intensified as his manacled boots shifted to retain solid ground.

The body language was dynamic as the fire-fighter was slowly stretched to full limit - before the winch stopped winding. Relieved, but suddenly aware of the stressful position, Chunky noticed that Robert was still snapping shots from various angles. He came in close, shooting almost into the visor - then low from floor level capturing shots of the boots as, almost on tip-toe, Chunky fought to keep the weight off his wrists.

Robert somehow found a free hand to suddenly push Chunky quite violently, making him swing, lose and regain his balance in the cumbersome boots, The winch was lowering before Chunky realised it, which again forced him to re-balance ... and Robert was still snapping. The hook only lowered a foot before stopping again, and with hands now almost level with his mask, Chunky explored his less stressful but off-balance position. He eventually tried rubbing the mask aside ... but it was rock solid ... as was his knob.

Robert walked towards him standing grinning into the visor. “You OK?”
Chunky nodded dumbly as Robert unclipped the rope. “Good man. Just a few more shots in handcuffs and then you can have a breather if you want”. Disappearing from view for a moment Robert was suddenly threading a strap between Chunky's elbows behind him and the manacled wrists tightened across the front of the jacket, pulling it tight into the waist. Robert re-appeared heading for the camera. “What does that feel like?” he asked as he took aim.

Chunky hunched his shoulders and tested the arm pinions for strength. This only tightened the wrist manacles. Wrenching his wrists from side to side experimentally, achieved nothing ... but Robert was getting some excellent shots of the tugging and straining of the folds in the tough jacket and even the expression in the eyes behind the visor - where the perspiration was building up. A drip on the end of his nose distracted Chunky for a moment and suddenly Robert was walking towards him with a cuff key. A flash of disappointment crossed Chunky's mind - was it over?

Robert smiled into his visor as he unlocked one wrist.
“OK?” he asked and the Chunk admitted that he was. The one still locked cuff was then guided around behind the bulky suit and Robert held it there, waiting. Chunky moved his unlocked wrist to behind him where he felt the second cuff re-locked, leaving his hands cuffed but his elbows feeling rather loose.

This suddenly changed dramatically as Robert cinched the elbow strap as tight as it would go. In the mirror ahead of him Chunky saw his chest almost burst the fastening down the front of the jacket as his elbows were dragged together. Robert didn't reappear so Chunky thought there would be no picture - but a chain was being passed around his waist and a lock clicked behind him with the jacket now tightened against his naked waist under the bulk of jacket and pants.

“That looks a bit neater” said Robert going back to his camera.
It felt fantastic, thought Chunky as he spread his legs as far as the leg-irons would allow and watched the mirror through the rapidly steaming up visor. He gave Robert some alternative positions by tensing against the pinioned elbows and shifting his boots to try and find any sort of slack.

“Turn round” ordered Robert and Chunky turned, discovering that with tethered ankles this was not achieved in one movement. Several shots recorded the process and ate up the sight of manacled boots, then the manacled wrists and strapped elbows complete with a chain belt padlocked tightly around the bulky suit. Robert knew there was more to come. The hanging rope was re-attached between the handcuffs before Chunky knew what was happening behind him, and Robert was back at his camera before the rope started to rise taking Chunky wrists with it.

Panic swept over the now profusely sweating fire-fighter. His naked body was sensitive to the extra pressure as his strapped arms were dragged higher behind him and his body bent forward. Unless he spread his legs he would fall - but the chain between the ankles only reminded him of the limits. His wrists were hurting and all he could see was the floor through a fog of steam inside the helmet ... and a drip of sweat dropped down onto the visor - but the winch had stopped and he was still on his feet - just.

The camera was having a field day and Robert was turning the tortured figure under the rope so, with an effort, Chunky could see himself in the mirror, bent almost double with Robert (camera and all) reflected in the mirror standing close behind him still taking pictures directly into the mirror. That will be a great shot thought Chunky - and so did Robert - and so did Alan - and so did another tough-looking character who had arrived in the shop by special invitation.

END EXCERPT - manacled & manipulated (6)

The session continues as Robert decides to find out more about what makes Chuky tick
QUESTION & ANSWER TIME (7)

Other excerpts from the same story
can be read in sequence from page-end to page-end - or choose a topic - or
view the COMPLETE TEXT in a printer-friendly version.

1 - INTRODUCING LEADING FIRE-FIGHTER PROCTOR = where he is 'at'
2 - HANDCUFFS AND MORE = a range of cuffs described and demonstrated
3 - HANDCUFF EXPERIENCE = first time into a pair of handcuffs
4 - SOLID CENTRE HANDCUFFS = an efficient control device efficiently used
5 - TEAMWORK = shared experience and team involvement

8 - SHOWTIME = video footage of games men play at 'The Inner Man'
9 - SECOND SITTING = continuation of 'Showtime' - self-applied restraint sequence.
10 - ARRIVALS = different folks / different strokes
11 - ARMY GAMES = heavy action in army gear
12 - BAGGED = an efficient restraint sack efficiently applied
13 - DE-BRIEFING = as far as the story goes (or is it?)

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