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23 photos; 3:07 video

Ben and Todd were recreational XXXX users, but not dealers. Ben, especially, was always on the lookout for some good blow, even though it sometimes took him far from the gentle neighborhood where the young men lived. Stating that he planned to clean the joint up, Todd had willingly emptied both his wallet and his pockets and antied up his car keys that Saturday morning so Ben could go make a score for the both of them.

True to his word, as soon as Ben left, Todd got out the floor sweeper and threw all the windows open. After a while, he decided the autumn breezes were uncomfortably cool, but the joint DID need airing out . . . so he shrugged into a warm vest and resumed his chores.

Todd decided he'd get the living room and the kitchen, and it was Ben's turn for the bathroom. At least, Todd thought it was, but he wasn't too sure.

Todd heard the door opening and without looking up, said, "Yo, bro. What'd you get?"

"Uh, Todd," said Ben, in a way that made Todd look up.

Behind and slightly to the side of Ben was a man wearing grease-stained jeans, engineer's boots, and a muscle tee. The man's arms and what Ben could see of the man's chest were covered in tattoos.

"What's up?" asked Todd.

Then Ben stepped aside, At the same time, the stranger gave Ben a push with a hand in the middle of his back that sent Ben sprawling artlessly on the floor.

"Oh, fuck," said Todd. "Wait a minute. What the shit's going down here."

"Shut your trap," ordered the man. He was looking around the house,

Todd saw the man's narrowed pupils, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck spring erect. Slowly, he raised his hands.

"That's right," said the man. "You," he pointed at Todd, "on the couch." He turned to Ben, who was still on the floor. "And you run fetch that clothesline I see in your back yard. Pull any shit, and it's your friend's funeral."

"Uh, yes," said Ben, and he scrabbled on his elbows and knees for the door.

"What is it you want?" asked Todd. He saw the stranger watching Ben through the back door.

"I want the rest of your roll," said the man. "I saw what your buddy was flashing, and with that kind of dough, I knew there'd either be more of it, or I'd find some really good stash here."

"We don't have anything here," said Ben. "Todd had all our money, He was supposed to go score for us this morning."

Todd appeared. In his haste, he had ripped down all three clothesline segments and returned with them, clothespins and all. With his eyes wide, he dropped them at the strangers feet.

"You, too," the man said, "on the couch."

Todd nervously took his place beside Ben. Both men watched as the tattooed guy knelt to slice the clothesline into manageable pieces.

"What you gonna do to us?" asked Ben.

"Gonna tie you up, and maybe gonna beat the shit outta you if you don't tell me where your stash and cash are right now!"

"Crap, man. I already told you. We ain't got no stash, and Todd had all the dough we could scrounge up."

"For your sake," said the man, "that better not be so." He pointed the XXXX at Todd. "Stand up," he ordered, "and put your hands behind your back."

Minutes later, Todd and Ben were bound at wrists and ankles. Ben sat on the edge of the couch, with fight or flight resounding within him with the adrenaline that thrummed in his veins. It was a totally helpless feeling, and it peaked when the stranger pulled an old sock between Ben's teeth and used the last of a roll of duct tape to gag Todd. Then the man left the room.

Todd, to Ben's amazement, then came to his feet and hopped over to the door. Ben heard the tattooed man rummaging around in the kitchen, and he hopped over to his roommate. Ben then shook his head. Count on Todd to be anal retentive, he thought. Todd had secured the safety chain before dumping the clothesline on the floor.

Then Todd had an idea. He turned his back to Ben and touched the other man's bound hands, asking, imploring his assistance, but Ben's vest was pulled down over his bound wrists, and there was little that the other man could do.

"Ya'll ain't got shit in the fridge," called the man from the kitchen. Then he returned and found the two men at the door. He was instantly annoyed. "Okay," he said. "You two dumb shits get down on the floor right this instant. I'm gonna turn this place upside down, and I ain't gonna have you wandering around while I do it!"

He then roped Ben and Todd together, back-to-back.

Ben and Todd then watched as the man carted out their possessions. Then they heard the sound of Ben's car start up. As the sound of the motor dwindled in the distance, Todd heard Ben say something. It was muffled by the sock gag, but it sounded a lot like, "This is all your fault, you dumbass."

And Todd, for once, had to agree, but there was no way he was ever going to admit it to Ben.

Todd played by Sammy

Ben played by Mike

Photography by Caitiff