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by Dingbat
This story is a work of fiction, all characters and plot lines are fictional. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Mark Turns 11 remains the property of the author. The story or characters may not be reproduced or republished elsewhere without the expressed written consent of the author.
One week to go! No more being the troop mascot. In seven short days, Mark would put away his blue cub uniform, and trade it for the greenish brown uniform of a boy scout. The almost 11 year old was excited, and was even looking forward to the initiation he knew was going to come.
He wasn't really worried. For the last several months, he'd been virtually a part of the troop anyway, and what could they do to him that they hadn't already done? He'd been tied gagged, blindfolded, used as a "practice dummy" for Red Jeff, Little Kevin, and a couple of others to practice their knots on, and even "kidnapped" three or four times. He'd even gone through an Indian initiation, courtesy of Little Beaver, Red Horse, and Wild Horse. He'd been tied up in his cub uniform, several different pairs of jeans, sweats, his own pajamas, "borrowed" pajamas, and a boy scout uniform from the troop's clothing and uniform exchange. And with just one or two rare exceptions, every time his friends tied him up, he got to return the favor later in the day, that evening, or the next day. Even when his "enemies" - the kids from Mike Hayworth's troop - tied him up, he almost always got payback.
Mark's older brother, Ronnie, had been quietly instrumental in setting up an "after party celebration" and sleepover at the scout house. There was a lot of room, old army cots to sleep on, no restriction on the number of guests allowed, and, best of all, all the boys' parents trusted them enough to let them have this sleepover without supervision, so there'd be no adults.
The formal birthday party would be on Friday afternoon at 1:00, and it would be over around 4:00. Two hours later, after everyone had eaten dinner, the boys would meet at the scout house, and Mark would begin his transition from cub scout, to boy scout.
News of Mark's pending party and initiation quickly spread throughout the neighborhood, due in no small part, to Mark, himself. Invitations had gone out to the "usual suspects," including Mark's best friend, Little Kevin, Big Chris, Red Jeff, and even Little Chris.
Birthday parties were always something to get excited about, and this one was no exception. Charlie, Allen, Scott, and Doug had all picked up gifts, and were eager to stuff their faces with birthday cake, ice cream, and whatever else was available. "But we ought to give Mark something better than a Monopoly game, a scout handbook, a backpack, and a canteen." Scott said.
Nods of agreement came from the others. "Anybody got any ideas?" Allen asked.
For several minutes, there was silence. Then Doug spoke up. "Let's give him Ronnie!" he said.
"Huh? How we gonna do that?" Charlie asked.
"Easy!" Doug replied. "He owes all of us some penalties, so one of us demands he pay as soon as we get to the scout house for the sleepover. Mark'll come a little late, as he'll have to put away all his gifts, and when he gets here, we'll have Ronnie all tied up and gagged for him!"
"Yeah!" Scott exclaimed. "Wrapped up like a Christmas present!"
"Or a birthday present!" replied Charlie. "We could gag him with a long bandage, and instead of tying it off in a square knot, we could tie it in a bow. Sorta like a ribbon."
"He'll strangle you if you do that." Allen cautioned.
"No, he won't!" Charlie retorted. "I'm his best friend!" This brought a round of laughter from Scott, Allen, and Doug, and an idea from Scott.
"If you're his best friend, how 'bout we give Mark you, right along with Ronnie!" Scott suggested, which caused Allen and Doug to make comments about what a great idea that was. But Charlie had an idea that was better received.
"Let's let him tie us all up, and take us through the portal!" Charlie shouted. Doug and Scott blew off the idea, saying it was silly and stupid, but Allen waved the other two to silence, and said "Explain!"
"He can't tie worth a crap, so we should be able to get loose, and he'll like it. After all, it IS his birthday." Charlie said.
Scott and Doug thought about what Charlie had said, and reluctantly agreed. "Just make sure that nothing goes wrong!" Doug cautioned.
"What can possibly go wrong?" Charlie asked.
"For one, we could wind up as pajama Indians again, and for two, we could have our escape abilities diminished!" chided Allen.
"Yeah!" echoed Scott, "And we could wind up with Mark having a bunch of penalties on us that would carry over back here!"
Doug grinned. "You say that like it's a bad thing. Are we a bunch of wussies that can't handle what one 10-year-old can dish out?"
"He's 11 now." Charlie reminded Doug. "And in case you forgot, he'll have help, as in Little Kevin, Packy, Israel, Little Beaver, Red Horse, Wild Horse, Pokewah, and anybody else his size or age, and maybe older, like Rusty, Tagg, Pee Wee, and Attuma."
"Maybe we ought to go back to the original idea, and give Mark Charlie, right along with Ronnie!" exclaimed Scott.
Doug grinned, looked at Charlie, and said "You talked yourself right in to that one!"
A few days later, Mark hit the birthday jackpot. His friends gave him just about everything he needed to be a scout, including an old uniform out of the troop clothing exchange that he could wear on campouts and other adventures, while he saved the new one his parents gave him, for meetings and other special events.
For his friends, there was more than enough cake and ice cream for them all, and some left over for desert after dinner. And after dinner was what Mark was really excited about. He was to be the "guest of honor" at a big sleepover at the scout house, plus, Scott, Allen, and Doug said they had something really special for him.
As had been expected, Mark was told to pack up his presents before heading over to the scout house. Ronnie went on ahead, unaware of his fate, and by the time Mark got there, Ronnie and Charlie had been tied and gagged, and seated next to each other on one of the several cots.
Charlie did not look happy, and Ronnie appeared to be equally unhappy about the situation he was in, but seemed resigned to it. His facial expression was 180 degrees from the expression on Mark's face, when Allen told him he had two more "birthday presents" all wrapped up in the uniform exchange room, and showed him Charlie and Ronnie, both tied hand and foot, and gagged with blue bandanas.
Mark was, in a word, delighted. His face lit up with a big grin, and then he asked if his best friend, Kevin, could help him. "Sure!" Allen answered.
"Yeah!" piped up Little Kevin. "Thanks, Mark!"
"No sweat, Kevin!" Mark answered. "Just remember this eight months from now when you turn 12!" Kevin grinned and nodded.
"Oh, Mark!" teased Allen. "There are a couple more things."
"Yeah? What?" Mark asked.
"I'll tell you tomorrow!" Allen said. "Meanwhile, enjoy your 'presents.'"
For the next four hours, Charlie and Ronnie endured the ropes and knots of Mark and Kevin. The others allowed the birthday boy and his friend to get in an occasional free tie, sort of an additional present, but as Charlie had observed earlier, Mark couldn't tie all that well, and anyone he did tie, easily got loose, even Big Chris, who had a notoriously low escape ability.
Kevin was a different story. He was one sixteenth Cheyenne Indian, and had learned to tie from his cousins in Wyoming. They had taught him well, and it was obvious from the trouble even Allen and Doug had, in getting loose from his knots.
The hour drew late, and the boys changed out of their street clothes, into their pajamas, in preparation for sleep. Of course, on a sleepover with nine boys, sleep was kind of late in coming, much to the dismay of Ronnie and Charlie, who suffered through several more ties by Mark and Kevin, while wearing pajamas. Clearly, they were not thrilled with the idea, especially when Little Kevin tied them, and they could not get loose. Both boys figured they had some payback coming, on Allen, Scott, and Doug, who had dreamed up this "birthday present;" on Big Chris, and Red Jeff, for going along with it and laughing at them while they were tied and gagged in their pajamas, and on Little Kevin and Mark, for doing it to them.
Finally, they got tired, and crawled into their sleeping bags. According to Allen, tomorrow was a big day, and Mark looked forward to it with anticipation. Charlie and Ronnie were just glad the day was over.
The boys awoke, dressed, and ran home for breakfast. An hour and a half later, they were all gathered back at the scout house, and when the last boy - Big Chris - arrived, they trooped off down the trail through the woods that led to the portal.
"All yours, Mark." Allen said, and again Mark asked if he could have Kevin as his helper. Again, the others agreed, and Mark pulled Kevin off to the side, and asked what they should do. Kevin grinned, and said "Let's make 'em pajama Indians! They all hate it, so it'll be fun!"
Mark smiled, and said that they could use some help. "It's always good to have Israel Boone and Packy Lambert on our side!" he said.
"Don't forget Little Beaver, the twins, Red Horse and Wild Horse, and Pokewah." Kevin said. "Indians are always good allies, and they are always on the warpath against pajama Indians."
"What about Pokewah and the others?" asked Mark. "Aren't they on the warpath with each other?"
"Not if you don't want it." Kevin replied. "Just say there's a temporary truce between the Indians with one name, and the ones with two."
Mark nodded, and then asked Kevin what was in the bag he'd been carrying. "Rope!" Kevin told him. "In case you wanna take them through the portal tied."
"Neat idea!" Mark said, and opened up the bag to reveal several lengths of rope, and numerous bandanas, neckerchiefs, and bandages. Immediately, he called for his brother, Ronnie, and told him to put his hands behind him.
Ronnie did as he was told, and Mark bound his wrists together. Kevin did the same to Charlie, then tied Doug and Red Jeff. Mark tied Scott, Big Chris, and Allen. "I'll lead!" Mark proclaimed. "Kevin, you bring up the rear!"
At the mouth of the portal, Mark shouted "It's my birthday, and everybody knows it! All the 10 and 11 years olds are my friends, and our seven captives are all Indians!" With that, he led the parade into the portal, while Little Kevin prodded Big Chris, the last boy in the line of seven captives.
What adventures await our two young scouts and their seven captives? Will Kevin or Mark say something stupid while transiting the portal? Will they get assistance that they need and want? Tune in later, and find out what's in store for Mark and his friends as they celebrate his 11th birthday.
© Copyright Dingbat 2007
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