By Atlanta Stud

Original photographs by Cuffman85

“Uh, yeah. Can I have the keys, please, Seth?”

“I don’t know. Do you really want out? I mean, you did lock yourself up,” Seth said with a smirk. “Jacob Hawkins, shackled and ready to be hauled off to the county jail! Get up, prisoner Hawkins. If you behave yourself, maybe the county sheriff — that would be me —will release you after breakfast.”

“Come on, Seth, I need to get home to get my chores done.”

“OK dude, here are the keys. Hey, let’s go up to the cabin at the lake when you’re done with your work. We can spend the day up there and come back around 7.”

“Cool, yeah.  I’ll knock out my chores fast so we can try to get there around 9:30?”

“And I’ll get some things together and toss them in the Jeep so we can leave as soon as you get back here.”

The guys knocked out their morning chores quick and Seth loaded food, water and a few other things in the Jeep just before he saw Jacob pulling up the drive in his beat-up Dakota.

“Well, if it isn’t prisoner Hawkins!”

“Very funny. You ready to roll, Seth?”

“Yup, just need to grab my backpack and lock up.  Back in a few.”

Jacob was standing next to the Jeep when Seth returned and tossed the backpack in the cargo area.  He walked over to the passenger side where Jacob was standing instead of continuing over to the driver’s door.

“All right, prisoner Hawkins. Turn, face the Jeep and spread ’em.”

“What? What are you talking about, Seth!”

“You’re being transported to the county lake cabin, prisoner Hawkins.  Turn around, put your hands behind your back or I’ll charge you with resisting.”

“OK, very funny—”

Before Jacob could get anything else out, Seth had him spun around and his wrists cuffed in the chain link Peerless cuffs behind his back.  It was so fast he didn’t know what hit him.

“OK, let’s get these double locked.  Now you’re all set, prisoner Hawkins. Saddle up in the seat and I’ll get you buckled in.”

“All set for what?!”

“All set for transport to the lake cabin, prisoner Hawkins.  Now let’s go before I hit you up with that resisting charge.  I’m not going to tell you again, prisoner Hawkins.”

Seeing Seth’s stern look with that devious twinkle in his eyes, Jacob got in and the seat belt was buckled.  Seth climbed in, fired up the old Wrangler, and before putting the four-speed manual in first gear, he looked Jacob in the eyes then a quick glance at his crotch and back up to making eye contact.  “Don’t tell me you’re not enjoying this!”  Jacob was busted.

They guys made it up to the lake cabin about the time they expected, and Jacob unloaded the backpack and grub he packed while Jacob stood in the gravel drive still cuffed.

“How about you uncuff me?  Getting a little uncomfortable cuffed up behind the back.”

“Yeah, I think that’s fair.  Spin around so I can get to the cuffs.”

And just like the other day when Jacob was introduced to the cuffs in Seth’s bedroom, Seth had Jacob’s wrists locked in front before he had a chance to stop him.

“Hey, what gives?”

“You’re right, they can be uncomfortable behind the back, so you’ll be more comfortable with them locked in front,” Seth said as he ruffled Jacob’s hair.  “Shouldn’t prisoners have buzz cuts?  Anyway, let’s get this stuff inside then we can go for a hike and get back by lunch.”

Seth loaded up some water bottles and nutrition bars in the backpack and Jacob gave him a “what the hell” look when he strapped it on Jacob’s back.

“What!  You don’t expect me to carry the backpack, do you prisoner Hawkins?  You ready?  Let’s go.”

Jacob held up his cuffed wrists hinting that they should be removed.

“Yeah, not happening. prisoner Hawkins.  Let’s go.”

They started down a trail that most take and then Seth suggested they take the fork to the right.  That trail is rarely used as it’s narrower and a bit more challenging. About 15 minutes in on that trail Seth suggested they take a short break near the small boulder sitting off the right of the path.  “Turn around and I’ll get us some water and nutrition bars out of the backpack.”

With Jacob still cuffed, it made drinking and eating his nutrition bar a little more challenging, but he managed, and they chilled for about ten minutes taking in the fresh air and slight cool breeze.

“Stand up and turn around so I can put the trash in the backpack.”

While putting the trash away, Seth unzipped another pocket and quietly fished out the transport shackle set he stowed away before they left.  He was holding them up by the handcuffs with the leg irons dangling below and Jacob was still looking out straight ahead.

“Hey, Hawkins, how gutsy are you feeling right now?”

“I don’t know—you thinking about heading farther in on the trail for a while?” Jacob said as he started to turn around.  That’s when he saw Seth holding up the transport set.

“Nah, I had something else in mind, prisoner Hawkins.  How about we get you locked up in the transport set while we hike some more!”

“Uh, I don’t know about that, dude.”

“Well, it wasn’t really a question, Hawkins.  Set your ass on that boulder.  You can’t outrun me and you’re still cuffed. So, SIT!”

Jacob sat on the boulder and Seth bent down and locked the leg irons just above the tops of Jacob’s tan Timberland boots before removing the Peerless cuffs and locking on and double locking the transport set cuffs.

“There.  All set.  You look like an escaped prisoner on the run out in the woods, Hawkins,” Seth laughed as he pocketed the Peerless cuffs in his left front pocket. “Tell you what.  We’ll hike another ten minutes in and then turn back.  That will put you at about a half hour in the transport set by the time we reach the cabin.”

It was challenging for Jacob to say the least, but he managed the rest of the hike, though definitely taking shorter steps, and they reached the cabin about lunch time.

“Bet you didn’t expect getting locked up in the transport set for the hike, did you, prisoner Hawkins?”

“Not really, no.  Why do you keep calling me ‘prisoner Hawkins,’ Seth?”

“I don’t know.  It just sort of fits, I guess.  You’d look more the part, though, with a fresh buzz cut.  I’m the sheriff in these parts, Hawkins, and my prisoners don’t have hair growing past their ears.”

That was the second time Jacob heard Seth mention a buzz cut and it made him nervous.  This was his best friend. They knew each other better than anyone else did and they were very tight.  Jacob could read Seth like a book, and he could tell he might be up to something with that talk.

“How about uncuffing me, Seth?  I’ve been locked up for quite a while now.”

“OK, yeah.  You sure, though?”

Seth rolled his eyes and said yes.

“Don’t give me any attitude. I saw you rolling your eyes.  Remember who has the keys, prisoner.”

Seth removed the leg irons first and then the handcuffs.  It felt good for Jacob to be able to walk normal and have the full reach of his upper limbs.  They chowed down on the sandwiches and chips then went out to the wooden dock at the end of the drive to hang out and just chill.  The two sat at the end of the pier, legs dangling over the water, taking in the tranquility and checking out the fall colors just now starting to come through.  Seth put his hand on the back of Jacob’s neck.

“Hey Jacob, we’re good, right?  I mean about playing around with the cuffs and transport set.  I don’t want to do anything that causes a problem between us. You’re my best bud, man. I love you, dude.”

Jacob looked over and smiled.  “We’re good, buddy.  You’re challenging me, that’s for sure, but it’s all good.”

They hung out and talked another hour before they got up and decided to head back to the cabin.

“Hey Seth?”

“Yeah?”

“You still got the Peerless cuffs in your front pocket?”

“Yeah, why?”

Jacob turned around and placed his hands behind his back.  “How about locking me back up for the walk back to the cabin?”

With that, Seth locked up Jacob and grabbed him by the upper left arm.

“Let’s go, prisoner Hawkins!”

To be continued…

Metal would like to thank the author, Atlanta Stud, for this story!  And thanks to Cuffman85 for the pictures!