The Nuisance Passenger

This story features bondage and humiliation; reader discretion is advised. Also prepare yourself for some rather lazy national stereotypes. No offence is intended to American travellers.

1

An impeccably dressed flight attendant stood up at the front of the plane, smoothed the navy blue skirt of her uniform, and cleared her throat.

Ugh, thought Madison. Here we go. Welcome to Dullsville, population me. She fidgeted in her uncomfortable seat - the middle seat, as always, because she felt, no

insisted

that this entitled her to sole ownership of both armrests - and pushed her knees against the seat in front. There was a squeak of protest, which she ignored.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen," said the flight attendant in a clipped British accent. "My name is Diana and it is my pleasure on behalf of Captain Doug and the entire crew to welcome you aboard Damsel Air flight U69, a non-stop service from Washington DC to London, England. Our flight time will be seven hours and fifteen minutes. Please ensure your tray tables are in the upright position and that your seat belts are fastened. Enjoy the flight!"

Rolling her eyes, Madison turned the pages of the in-flight magazine, searching for something remotely interesting. Tequila cocktails in Tallinn? Boring! Jive dancing in Jaipur? Boring! Base jumping in Bratislava? So boring she could scream. Why wasn't anything entertaining?! She tossed the magazine across the passenger to her left - the mousy woman flinched with surprise and alarm but Madison literally could not have cared less - and into the aisle. Letting out an audible sigh, she turned to the right, where a blond-haired man was selfishly blocking her view out of the window.

"Come on now, lean back," she barked rudely. "Quit hogging the view."

"We did offer to swap with you," the man replied, looking aggrieved. He had a faint German accent. "We said you could take the window or the aisle seat. We just wanted to sit together."

"Hey, buddy, I booked this seat, I'm keeping it. If you don't like our freedom, you can leave the USA."

"That's what we're trying to do," the man replied rather sadly, but Madison wasn't listening any more. She had noticed another plane taking off, and felt it was deeply unfair that she wasn't on it. How hard can it be to get a plane in the air, she thought. I'm surrounded by idiots!

"Excuse me, miss," came a polite voice from the left. "I believe you dropped this."

Madison turned, surprised to be getting pushback from the Mouse. Instead, she was treated to the sight of a stunning, slender redhead, maybe late 20s or early 30s, in effortlessly chic business attire. This goddess had a seat across the aisle and was holding up the crumpled magazine.

"I didn't drop it," she replied. "I just didn't want to read it any more."

"Then perhaps you might like to put it in the pocket of your seat instead of littering the plane."

Was this (admittedly extremely attractive) woman scolding her? If there was one thing Madison didn't like, it was being scolded.

"You know what, Red? If you like it so much you can cram that magazine up your ass."

Madison giggled and put in her AirPods. If there was one thing she liked, it was telling people to mind their own business. (Second on the list would be doing whatever she liked and getting away with it.)

"There is no need to treat the rest of us like dirt."

"What?"

Madison reluctantly took out her right earbud.

"I said, there is no need to treat the rest of us like dirt." The guy in the window seat had, she now realised, quite large muscles.

"I treat people however I choose," she said, winking and pushing out her breasts just enough to be noticeable. She wasn't wearing a bra under her tight white cardigan and knew her nipples were visible. Paired with her tiny black skirt and long black stockings, it was a dynamite outfit; the pretty brunette knew she was irresistible when she dressed like this. "But don't worry, Tough Guy, you seem like someone I could get along with."

"I am here with my fiancée," said Tough Guy, blushing and clearly embarrassed, "and I should appreciate it if you could refrain from exhibiting yourself in this way."

"Whatever, hunk." Madison put her earbud back in and cranked up Nickelback on her phone. She knew other people didn't like them, especially when they were blaring out of someone else's headphones on a plane, but once again, she simply. Didn't. Care.

2

Madison opened her eyes and realised she had fallen asleep. Someone was tapping her on the shoulder. It was Tough Guy.

"The flight attendant says you need to put on your safety belt."

"And put down your tray table," added the flight attendant named Diana, who was standing by their row of seats and fixing Madison with a look of strong disapproval. "Also take out your headphones, please, and stop throwing magazines on the floor."

There was a moderate round of applause, and Madison realised half the plane was watching. Had she annoyed

that

many people?

"I pay your wages, Lady Di. So why don't you say 'toodle-pip' and make me a cup of tea?"

There was a collective gasp from the passengers. Diana's eyes narrowed.

"Just to be clear, miss. Are you refusing to follow the instructions of a designated flight attendant?"

"You know what, Camilla Parker-Troll? The designated flight attendant can kiss my American butt, and god bless the USA."

Diana smiled, then called to a colleague in the galley at the back of the plane.

"Melissa, would you bring three rolls over here, please? We've got a Code Pink."

"A Code Pink?" Madison was suddenly worried. "What's a Code Pink?"

"Don't worry, miss. We are well trained to deal with these situations. But you can help by remaining calm and quiet while we make you… comfortable."

"I'm comfortable already, thanks. I suppose you think this will scare me into putting on my belt?"

"Oh, it's a little late for that, I'm afraid. Besides, we're going to strap you down good and tight. We'll make sure there's no danger of you hurting yourself, or anyone else. Would you mind stepping out of the way please, miss?"

The Mouse got out of her seat and moved a few rows away, glaring at Madison rather spitefully. This gave Diana room to come closer. Passengers in other rows were now standing up to get a better view; several were holding up their phones.

"There's someone sitting there," Madison pointed out.

"Not any more there isn't. I've found some space in first class for your poor neighbours. Would you hold her arms please, sir?"

This was directed at Tough Guy, who nodded. His strong arms whipped out and grasped Madison's wrists, holding them down firmly against the arms of her seat.

"Hey! You can't do this!"

"On the contrary, miss," replied Diana. "We

must

do this. It is federally mandated."

The British flight attendant began to wrap duct tape - why did they have duct tape on board a commercial airliner? For moments like this, presumably - around and around Madison's wrists. They were quickly secured to the arm rests, and the formerly arrogant thirtysomething, flexing her limbs uselessly, realised she had no chance of wrenching free.

"Let me go!"

Diana chuckled. "That would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it? We must consider the wellbeing of the other passengers. Could you hold her legs now please, sir?"

Tough Guy obliged, and the flight attendant duct-taped Madison's ankles together, then her knees, and then taped her shapely legs to the seat.

"Thank goodness for that," said the nerdy-looking gentleman in front, peeping over the seat back. "She won't be kicking me any more." Laughing, he took a photo with his phone. Madison tried her best to give his seat one last kick but couldn't move her legs at all.

"Dammit!" she cried, wriggling and squirming. "This is against my human rights! Cut me loose!" This was met by laughter from the entire cabin.

"I think she's still got too much slack," said Red from across the aisle, smiling cruelly. "We don't want her to hurt herself, do we?"

"That's a very good point, madam," said the flight attendant. "As one of the injured parties, would you like to do the honours?"

"Certainly."

Diana stepped back, and Red settled into the aisle seat, looking at Madison like a piece of meat. A roll of tape was pressed into her hand. She leaned in close, and Madison could smell her perfume, and see down her white blouse. She was wearing a turquoise bra.

"I think you need to be strapped down a little more securely," said the redhead, unfurling the tape with an ominous SKRITCH.

First, she wrapped tape around Madison's chest, above and below her breasts, securing her arms to her sides and reducing her leverage. Then she started taping Madison to the chair until she could barely twitch her torso. At several points, the redhead's hands brushed against her breasts. You did that on purpose, she thought.

"There! A nicely wrapped package, ready to be sent off by airmail." There was more laughter at this, and a healthy round of applause. Madison thrashed and bucked against her tape bonds, but couldn't move a millimetre. She was trapped. Red smirked at her feeble attempt and slipped out of the seat.

"Well!" said Diana. "Hopefully that puts an end to this unpleasant incident. I trust you've learned your lesson."

Madison looked at the flight attendant sullenly, doing her best to resist temptation.

"And that you will remain obediently silent for the duration of the flight."

There was an intake of breath, and Madison could almost hear the other passengers zooming in on their phones to catch her reaction to this blatant provocation. She didn't want to react, but she couldn't bear it any longer.

"I'll give you obediently silent," she yelled, "you stupid cowardly limey, just you cut me loose and I'll give you a beating you'll never forget…"

"Oh dear," laughed the flight attendant. "It seems we need to fetch the captain. He always insists on getting to do this part himself."

3

Captain Doug had the swagger of a vain man doing what everyone kept telling him was a cool job. He was a conceited fortysomething with a public school accent and a rather dashing ginger moustache.

"What would seem to be the trouble, ladies?" he inquired in his most charming voice. "I thought perhaps we might like to take off some time today, if you're not all too busy."

"A passenger is refusing to comply with the instructions of the flight crew," said Diana. "Including a clearly stated command to remain silent."

"Oh!" Captain Doug's eyes lit up. "Thank you. Quite right to fetch me. Is this the felon here, wrapped up so prettily in silver tape?"

"I've done nothing wrong!"

Madison's protest was immediately drowned out as 20 other passengers tried to speak at once. They were all, in different ways, making it abundantly clear that she had done plenty.

"Case closed, I think," said the captain. "We'll need something to put in that big mouth of yours, won't we? Is her luggage nearby?" This last part was directed at the flight attendant.

"Yes, sir." Diana opened the overhead compartment and brought out Madison's little pink suitcase. It had cost a fortune.

"You can't open my luggage!"

"Aviation regulations would disagree with you there," smiled Diana, fiddling dextrously with the lock until it sprung open. "Oh, this is very nice!"

She held up a hot pink wraparound skirt. Madison had been planning to wear it when visiting Buckingham Palace.

"That's cute," said the Mouse, who had found her voice from somewhere. "Would it be all right if I kept it?"

"By all means. What about this?" Diana held up a pretty white sundress with a see-through embroidered skirt and tie-up straps. It had a faintly bridal vibe; Madison had planned to pair this with a preppy blazer at Henley.

"You can't give away my clothes!"

"Of course we can." Red took the white sundress and blew Madison a kiss.

"Oh now, here we go. Does this seem suitable, captain?" Diana held up a pair of red and white striped bikini briefs. They were part of Madison's patriotic two-piece for a day trip to the beach. She wasn't entirely sure if England had beaches, but the outfit didn't take up a lot of space.

"Perfect for a loudmouthed American," said Captain Doug, beaming his approval. He took the briefs and loomed over Madison's seat. "Open wide, honey."

"I'm not your hnmmmpphh!"

The second she parted her lips to complain about the captain's sexist phrasing, Madison received a mouthful of cloth. It muffled her voice to almost nothing.

"Hnmm dnnrm ymnn!?"

"I'm a rather daring man, my little damsel in distress. But we don't want you spitting out those charming knickers, do we?"

SKRITCH! He unpeeled a length of duct tape and pressed it across Madison's lips, sealing in the cloth. She expected him to tear off the piece... but instead he passed the roll around the back of her head and across the other side of her face, wrapping tape around and around her mouth until the lower half of her face was cocooned by half a dozen tight, shiny layers. Her complaints were now very nearly inaudible. The captain completed the job by taping Madison's head in place with a layer across her forehead. She tried to shake her head but couldn't move.

"Well done, captain! She's as quiet as a little mouse now." The other passengers laughed at this, but it was true. She was thoroughly gagged and securely bound, and could barely make a sound. It was infuriating. She had so much to say, but instead had to sit there like a piece of furniture and listen to all the mean comments.

"What a selfish Karen. I'm glad she's got her comeuppance."

"Looks good all trussed up, doesn't she? This video will do well on TikTok."

"Got something to say have you, sweetheart? You'll need to speak up."

"Lmph mm gn!" It was no good. The gag forced her to remain obediently silent, just as the flight attendant had commanded.

"Captain," said Diana, "you do remember, I hope, the regulations concerning labelling?"

"Oh you're right. How silly of me. What would those regulations be again?"

"We must label the captive with a detailed explanation of why she is being punished, as a warning to other passengers."

"Yes. Hmmm." Captain Doug took a black marker pen out of his pocket and tapped it thoughtfully against his teeth. "Why she is being punished… I think I know what to write."

He leaned over and started scribbling on the tape gag. Madison tried to pull her face away but was held immobile. What was he writing, she wondered? It couldn't be good, based on the giggles from passengers close enough to read it.

"Mmhnph nrm ymnn mmrnphnng?"

"I suppose it wouldn't do any harm to let you see." The captain took out his phone and snapped a quick picture of Madison's gagged face, then turned the screen so she could see it. She was shocked by how humiliated and submissive she looked with the tape across her mouth. The tape now featured the words ANNOYING BIMBO.

"Nnnnmnng hnmhn?" Madison's eyes widened with shock and fury and she blushed deeply. She couldn't believe this was happening.

"Seems appropriate, doesn't it? You

were

an annoying bimbo, but now you're just a nice little decoration we can all enjoy." He turned to the rest of the passengers. "Feel free to tease this one as much as you like. Be sure to humiliate her as much as possible - I hope to see videos going viral on social media so everyone knows how much she embarrassed herself. And now I'd better get on with flying the plane."

The captain swaggered off in the direction of the cockpit, while the laughing flight crew started handing out the rest of Madison's luggage to anyone who was interested. Diana, meanwhile, returned to her place at the front of the cabin.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I would like to apologise for the delay, but the issue has now been resolved and we are free to depart." This elicited yet another cheer and several whistles. "Our flight time will be seven hours and fifteen minutes. Please ensure your tray tables are in the upright position and that any damsels near you remain tightly bound and gagged throughout the journey. Cabin crew, we are clear for takeoff."

Madison sighed. It was going to be a very long flight indeed.

FIN