Later
in the story of British fire-fighter A.J. 'Chunky' Proctor ... he
has agreed to allow himself to be photographed manacled in his fire-fighting
gear.
After a tactful introductory photo session (wearing breathing mask
so to remain anoymous) Robert, the guy who runs the store, offers
to let Chunky see some of the footage shot on previously occasions
at 'The Inner Man'.
Chunky, still in his heavy kit and strapped to a chair (and gagged
for the first time ever) watches the younger man prepare him for
the next 'experience' as he calls it.
In the
mirror Chunky watched as Robert finished lacing the back of the dark
mesh hood which now replaced the breathing mask.
He could see himself clearly in the mirror, but the suited and strapped
person he saw was totally unrecognisable. The black mesh of the hood
that allowed him to see out so freely, from the outside looked dense
even under the bright photographic lights. (Were there CCTV cameras
still running, he wondered?).
Robert walked to a TV monitor on a trolley - and re-positioned it
for him to watch comfortably.
'A captive audience' thought Chunky, somewhat absently. How could
he feel so relaxed in this wildly improbable situation? He must be
fucking mad .. or had he died and gone to heaven? Whichever, he was
in no position to argue ... or go anywhere ... and certainly nothing
was going to make him nod three times, the pre-agreed 'get out' signal.
The screen flickered into life and Robert walked towards the door,
where he adjusted the lighting so that there were dark shadows but
the featureless figure strapped to the metal chair was brilliantly
illuminated as he sat before the mirror and TV screen and the show
began.
Chapter
heading: SHOWTIME
There was no introductory caption ... and no sound as far as he could
tell. Black and white. Somebody dressed in leather ... motorcycle
leather; heavy pants and jacket and boots ... and a leather head mask,
tight fitting ... standing lashed to a metal grille ... the one Chunky
had stood chained to for the early photo session, he thought. As the
figure stood there motionless on the screen the immobilised seated
figure in real life began to take in more details. Same familiar immobilisation;
fixed at neck, chest, waist, upper arms, wrists, thighs, above the
knee, below the knee and ankles ... legs well spread.
Just when he started to wonder if it was a still photo he was watching,
a knee moved. Not much could move. Chunky saw how the rope pressed
into the thick leather (armour padded motorcycle gear) so the rope
sank in noticeably. 'I bet it's hot in there' the voice of experience
told Chunky as his own situation trapped in the padded waterproof
call-out suit re-entered his consciousness.
He looked away from the motionless figure in the video to the mirror
where the equally anonymous bundle sat strapped to the metal chair.
Chunky felt a sense of kinship. He knew how it felt.
A LONG
SEQUENCE WHILE CHUNKY WATCHES THE VERY SLOW AND AT TIMES SUSPENSEFUL
'ESCAPE' BY THE ELABORATELY ROPED LEATHER-CLAD FIGURE
Another
smile of triumph directly into the camera before the Leatherman on
the video bent forward to tackle his still tied lower legs. First
one knee and foot eased free and then the other ... and then a cautious
movement away from the metal screen ... followed by a wide and satisfied
grin.
Chunky could have cheered had it not been for the soggy plastic bung
that filled his mouth behind the padded leather cheeks of the near
enough sound-proof gag. The screen went white suddenly. The fireman
half expected the adverts to come on ... Commercial Break. He could
murder an ice cream like at the interval in the cinema in the old
days. The old days ... he was lost in time. He was strapped to a chair
and he could see himself strapped to a chair ... but another image
had appeared on the screen and his attention swung away from consciousness
of his own predicament. What new shared experience had Robert chosen
for him?
The
scene continues into the next chapter: SECOND
SITTING in which he watches an army type sytematically put
himself into complicated restraint.