The hole

Their arms were
lashed tortuously
tight behind their 
backs, straining 
their shoulders
and backs, cutting 
off some of the
blood flow and
making their
veins pop through
their skin.

A shop rag was
shoved into their
mouths.
Their eyes and
mouths were
taped.

They were marched
into the waiting van
where their ankles
were bound.

It Fuckin' hurt!

We were lying on our backs.  I was on the floor of the van.  Jason was on top of me.  Our body mass crushed my tied arms and wrists, multiplying the agony.  I started to sweat like a pig:  a combination of pain and terror, for I realized from the way they tied me up that they didn't give a shit if we lived or died.

When we got to the "HOLE" they put a long rope around our necks and tightly circled our chests and stomachs a dozen or so times.  They added more tape around our head tightening the gag, but removed the tape from our eyes so we could see the hole!  Binding my thighs and knees I was grabbed by the roped circling my chest behind my back and lowered with my friends down into the hole.

All six of us were pushed down here.  We were crushed together and between the ropes and our bodies together, it became a sweat box.

They put the grate over the hole, plunging us into darkness await either the payment of the ransom or the water from the drain pipe.