Costume Catastrophe by A. Nonymous

It was about a week ago when Joe got into a text debate with one of his friends about Halloween costumes and what they would do this weekend. Joe admitted he was a boring when it came to costumes often recycling the same costume year after year. His friend had challenged him to be bold, and “go crazy”. It's not like a lot was on the line in this friendly competition, but Joe had the perfect idea to win the crazy category.
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He was just returning home from the costume shop with his package of rented costume clothing. It took a little online research, but Joe had found that one of the costume shops in town had a straitjacket costume and it looked way better than the cheap costumes available for purchase online. Opening the package he pulled out the straightjacket and was surprised at the heft and strength of he canvas. His heart raced a little, and was reconsidering if this was actually a good idea. 

After reading about how to escape a straight jacket he had devised a plan for how to get in and out of the costume. However rather than wait for tomorrow he thought it a good idea to test out his plan.  After slipping on the jacket it was quickly clear that there was no way he could thread and tighten the back straps while he was wearing the jacket. So plan B was up next. After threading the straps through the back buckles he wiggled his way into the straitjacket.  It took a few tries before he could get the tightness correct so that the jacket didn’t look loose, but he could still get in and out of it. With the back done up securing his arms was the next challenge. He knew not to attempt to thread his arms through the loop on the front of the jacket, because getting his arms back up over his head was his escape plan. Again it took some effort as he did the buckle in front of him and criss crossed his arms working the strap down his back. He started way too loose and flipping the strap over his back was too simple, and the jacket didn’t look or feel secure at all. Next he took out too much slack and wasn’t comfortable with the amount of effort it took to get the strap past his shoulders and into place. In fact after getting the strap in place in caught on a buckle as he tried to get it back off. The struggle to get free surprised Joe as the jacket clung tight to his body. After some wiggling and rubbing the buckle against the edge of the couch he had finally freed his arms again. As he striped off the jacket he was definitely having mixed thoughts about wearing the straightjacket much less being trapped in it.
Pushing the thought a side he folded up the garment and put it away for tomorrow's halloween outing.
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Joe was meeting his friends at a party downtown and it was getting close to time to go.  Joe donned a pair of hospital scrub pants he had picked up at a thrift store to compliment the institutional look. We stuck his arms up into the straightjacket and wiggled it down into position. This time he was careful to tuck the two crotch straps into his pants and down his legs. Not only was he unsure how to do the crotch straps more importantly Joe didn't know how to undo them either. The thought of that extra challenge to removing his costume was not a welcome thought. Leaving the mark he left on the arm strap to guide how tight to make it he got in the car and drove downtown. Gripping the wheel with encased hands was not an easy task, but nor was it dangerous. Fortunately the drive was short and the parking was easy.  Joe fumbled with the arm strap buckle again cinching it up to his mark. He climbed out of the car locked the door put the keys in his pocket and crossed his arms flinging the buckle over his head. Working the strap into place wasn’t too hard as he had chose to go loose as opposed to tight on his arm restraint. 

As he walked to the venue he began to contemplate how life in a straightjacket would not be easy. This was confirmed when he got to the venue and realised that the door was a pull handle.  After mulling around a moment Joe easily tacked onto the end of another group going in.  The venue was a little lame, and he wasn’t quite sure why his friends had chosen this as the place to go for halloween.  Joe began to explore the venue and look for his friends. It was a clubish type atmosphere with a large open floor for dancing that was moderately filled. One side of the room had a large bar where he expected to find his friends. Maybe they just hadn’t gotten there yet, or their costume was too good a disguise... The other side of the room had a catered buffet, but the food was expensive, and Joe had no way to collect food or eat it on his own. Soon he settled near the back of the room to surveal the dance floor. 
......
Someone came up beside Joe and smugly said “looks like you just escaped my mental ward.” Turning he saw a women in tall black boots, and a very sexualised nurses outfit standing next to him. Smiling Joe returned “well that’s an introduction if I've ever heard one. I’m Joe, I’d shake your hand, but.... Trailing off he gave a fake tug against the straight jacket. 
“I’m Hailey, may I inspect your Straitjacket?” Slightly caught off guard, and pleased to impress someone Joe agreed. Hailey’s eyes traveled up and down the front of his straight jacket, and then she moved around to the back of the jacket. Just as it seemed like she was moving back beside Joe she grabbed the strap retaining his arms. She pulled hard on the strap while swiftly cinching the buckle very tight. Joe gasped involuntarily from surprise and as his arms squeezed his chest.

It’s a shame someone left so much slack in your straitjacket Hailey quipped as she came around to face Joe. It would have been far too easy for you to have escaped she added. Joe began to complain that was the point, and he needed to be able to escape at the end of the night. Before he could get the whole thought out she interrupted him. Please don’t complain, there is a lot more slack I can take out of your straightjacket if you don’t behave she interjected. Joe was still reeling from how quickly things had just happened and was quiet for a moment. 

Hailey changed the subject and began asking Joe questions about if he was meeting people, and what he was doing for the night. Not thinking very clearly and trying to impress the girl who had captivated him and his attention he answered her questions. Joe made a comment about going back to a friends house after they tired of the party unless something better presented itself. Hailey quickly responded “I don’t think that's what’s going to happen... I’ll be taking you back to the asylum”  Joe laughed trying to determine if she was joking or offering him a date in a very unique way. 

Hailey took a step and motioned Joe to follow which he did. She lead him over to a hall just off the main space. Stopping she spun Joe to face the wall. The tutorials on how to escape a straitjacket spun through his head, but he had already surrendered far too much slack in his arms for much chance of escape. Distracted he was befuddled when Hailey asked if he had a safe song to hum? Stuttering and struggling compose a full sentence he didn’t really answer the question when Hailey snapped your safe song tonight will be row row row your boat. Things were moving way to fast for Joe, and he didn’t really have a clue what she was talking about.  Still trying to understand what Hailey was saying he complied without thinking when she asked him to open wide. 

All of a sudden Hailey had inserted a ball into his mouth and was strapping it to his face. Joe was filled with the sudden realisation that he had just accepted a big ball gag from a woman he hardly knew.  Mumbling a protest through the gag was unintelligible. However Hailey spun Joe around and said yes I know that you tried to hide the crotch straps from me. This was not what Joe was trying to say, but it didn’t stop Hailey from pulling the straps out from where he had tucked them. She shoved Joe against the wall holding him there with surprising strength, and methodically began tightening each back strap starting at the top. When she reached the bottom she reached through his legs and drawing back the crotch straps and cinching them very tight. Finally with a squeeze Hailey drew even more slack out of the arm strap. 

Wide eyed and helpless Joe had no idea what to do. He was very turned on by this woman but also scared about what more she could have in store for him. Producing a black leather leash from her purse she clipped it to the d ring at his collar. She whispered into Joe’s ear. I’m going to take you back out onto the dance floor. However here are the rules. You must behave, no escape attempts, no tugging at the leash, no attempts to solicit help from strangers. If your friends find you I’ll introduce us and they can try to convince me not to take you back to the asylum. If no one recognises you, I take you back to the asylum right away. 

She tugged the leash and without much option Joe complied. Nervous and self conscious they appeared back in the crowded room and she lead him on a short tour of the dance floor. He looked frantically for his friends, but with the crowd, his restraint, and a gag he wasn’t sure he could catch their attention even if he saw them. Before he new it she was leading him to the door. Resisting slightly he was drug outside into the cool night and with that his plans for the night were completely changed and at the mercy of Hailey.  

She led him to the same parking garage where he had parked his car, but proceeded to a much higher level. Beginning to fear where she might take him he was lead down the row and to a vacant parking spot. She asked Joe to kneel while forcing him into a kneeling position. She looped the leash around the garage edge fencing and pulled it tight not leaving any space to turn around or see much other than what was directly in front of him. She whispered in his ear I’ll be right back.

Trying to compensate with listening he heard he boots tromp away behind him. A car door opened, but didn’t close.  After a moment her heals could be heard coming back. Trying to see what was coming next Joe tried to look up at Hailey. Just as he did a bag descended over his vision. No scratch that it wasn’t a bag it was a hood a well designed canvas hood nicely shaped to conform to a head. It was laced up behind him as he could do nothing to stop the further restriction of his freedoms. When it was snug she undid the leash and aggressively marched him across the garage and ducked him into the passenger seat of a car.  The door slammed shut and as it did dread set in. This crazy costume idea was well on its way to a catastrophe.