Kevin wiped the sleep from his eyes and glanced at the bedside clock just in time to see the numbers change to 1:00 am. He reached around looking for something that he could use to silence the incessant ringing of his phone. Finally he just resigned himself to the fact that the only way he was going to silence it was to answer the thing.
"This is Kevin," he said as he picked up the phone.
"Kevin! Thank goodness..." he heard a distant soft feminine voice from the other end.
Kevin stifled the groan that almost escaped his lips. He should have known it would be her calling at this hour. Whatever was going on he was certain it wasn't good. Charlotte was true to her namesake, always getting tangled up in something or other, and usually due to some insane plan she was spinning.
"What have you gotten yourself into this time, Charlotte?" Kevin asked roughly.
"Now... no need for that tone, Kevin. Why do you always assume the worst of me?" she asked in a loud sweet voice.
"Because I know you, Charlotte, and a call at this hour from you means nothing but trouble... for me," he stated in just as rough a tone.
"Well... I am not going to say you are right, but I am kind of in a bind here and I need your help." She quickly replied.
"Where are you, Charlotte?" Kevin asked soothingly. Despite the aggravation she caused him, there was no way he could stay mad at her for long. They had known each other since grade school and he was always bailing her out of some mess or other. It was just a fact of life... Charlotte screwed up and Kevin saved the day.
"I'm at my apartment..." she said, "and I need you here as quick as you can get here. I'm really sorry, but I don't have anyone else to call."
"Charlotte, honey, you never have anyone else to call..." he started.
"Kevin, you can lecture me later! Just hurry up and get over here!" she pleaded.
"Fine," he replied abruptly, "I will be there in 15 minutes."
Kevin disconnected the call and jumped out of the bed. He smacked himself in the head as he remembered putting his underclothes in the washing machine earlier. He had forgotten to put them in the dryer before falling asleep, and now on top of everything else he had no underwear. Rummaging through his drawers, he finally settled on a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, hoping it would hide the fact that he was running around "commando".
The roads were all but deserted at time of night and thankfully the drive to Charlotte's apartment proved to be uneventful. He pulled into the parking spot next to her car and rushed up the stairs to her third floor apartment. Not wanting to wake any of the neighbors he lightly knocked on the front door and waited patiently.
After a minute of no response, he knocked a little bit louder. Kevin began to worry when there was still no answer after the second round of knocking. He placed his hand on the doorknob and breathed a small sigh of relief when it turned in his hand. Pushing the door open, he slowly stepped into the small apartment.
"Charlotte..." he called out.
"Kevin, thank god! I am in the bedroom," he heard her reply. "Please come back here."
He shut the front door behind him and quickly made his way to her room. The door stood slightly ajar and when he pushed it open, he was greeted with a sight he hadn't expected.
Charlotte was spread eagled on the bed. She was completely nude with her hands and feet bound to the bedposts by some sort of cloth. A blindfold covered her eyes and her cell phone was in her right hand. Kevin took in her naked form and shook his head in disbelief.
