The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Todd was walking down the street when he first saw the guy. It was Saturday morning and he had decided to stroll down to the coffee shop and read for a bit before figuring out what to do with the rest of his day. Walking down the sidewalk, which was still not terribly crowded at ten in the morning, he was thrown to see a group of people up ahead near the entrance to a park. Intending to squeeze past them, he noticed they were all crowded around staring at a well-dressed young guy in his 20s standing next to a sign: “GET HYPNOTIZED!” it read. “BECOME A YOUTUBE STAR!”

“...as I said, ladies and gentlemen: we are looking for the MOST hypnotizable candidate—someone among you who is incredibly good at going deep into trance. It might be you! You never know ’til you try. Get hypnotized for FREE and become the star of my channel if you desire. Don’t worry—nothing will be uploaded without your consent, and you’ll be given a share in any and all profits. Come on... What are you guys, chicken?” he asked. Todd smirked. This guy was a born showman. He had the carnival barker routine down pat.

The entire crowd looked bemused but not terribly interested in participating. Todd knew how they felt. He was just turning to continue on his way when the guy’s voice stopped him: “You there, redheaded guy! Come on, give it a try. What have you got to lose?”

Todd turned around. As he feared, the guy was staring right at him.

“No thanks,” he said. “I’m good.” He held up his book and gave it a jiggle, indicating he had other things to do.

“Come on, just five minutes of your time! I promise, when it doesn’t work, you’ll be back on your way,” said the guy congenially. Todd felt bad for him. He was clearly hustling, trying to get a talent show to happen and not having an incredible amount of luck. And besides, he was pretty cute. Normally, Todd wouldn’t have gone out of his way to help someone like this, but the prospect of being in close physical proximity to this handsome young man pushed things over the edge. Fine, what the hell? He could waste five minutes letting this hot dude try to work his mumbo jumbo.

Making a show of sighing as he turned around, Todd slipped through the last ring of the crowd and into the center of the circle, eliciting a round of applause from some of the closer spectators. “Thanks so much, man, you’re a lifesaver,” whispered the hypnotist, slipping an arm over his shoulder and ushering him up to the “front” of the little human amphitheater. It was embarrassing to admit, but Todd’s heart skipped a beat when the guy touched him. Already this was paying dividends.

“What’s your name, brave volunteer?” the guy asked theatrically.

“Uh, Todd,” said Todd, smiling bashfully.

“Hey everybody, how about a hand for Uh-Todd,” said the hypnotist, raising his free arm to beckon applause. A smattering more came this time, and a little whistle from off somewhere. The guy’s other arm was still over Todd’s shoulder. That was nice.

“Have you ever been hypnotized, Todd?” asked the guy.

Todd shook his head no. “I don’t really believe in it, actually,” he said, unsure if that was a polite thing to say right now.

“Well, let’s see if we can’t make a believer out of you,” the guy replied. “Are you ready to be hypnotized, Todd?”

Todd shrugged. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“You mind saying it to that guy over there?” said the hypnotist, pointing at a guy a few feet away in the front row of the crowd, holding a small digital camera with a microphone attached. “Don’t worry, that’s just my cameraman. But we won’t put anything online without your permission, okay?”

“Uh, cool,” said Todd. His shoulders relaxed a little. He hadn’t realized he tensed up at the presence of the cameraman, but he did. Todd was introverted and rather private—definitely not a public performer. He didn’t even relish being in the center of this group, but considering he expected to just stand there with his eyes closed for a bit before being dismissed, he was willing to do so for this guy’s sake. Having it posted on the Internet was definitely something he wasn’t down for, though. He figured it would be easy to say that later and didn’t want to cause a fuss, so for the moment he decided to humor the guy. Broadcasting any kind of public humiliation online was definitely a no-go.

“Can you say it to him? It’s just something I do in the start of my videos,” prompted the guy, again.

“Oh, uh... My name is Todd, and I’m ready to be hypnotized,” said Todd, turning to the camera guy. He tried to put a little emphasis on the back end, but it was so half-hearted it probably came out sounding goofier than anything. Come to think of it, the camera guy was also kinda cute. It was making Todd sort of nervous.

“Great,” said the hypnotist, stepping around so he was facing Todd, pulling his arm around and off Todd’s shoulder in the process, until only his fingertips remained.

“Now, I want you to stare in my eyes and take a deep breath, Todd,” he said. Todd barely had time to get a closer look at the guy and his outfit. He was wearing burgundy slacks and a t-shirt with some band logo under a jean jacket. His shoes were fashionable designer sneakers, and he had a fedora on his head. It was honestly a bit of a douchey get-up, but Todd had never felt terribly fashionable, so there was an element to it that he kind of got off on. He was jealous of guys with the confidence to pull off something like this... in front of all these people. Todd could barely get up to give a presentation at work.

“Just stare into my eyes,” the guy said again, and Todd focused on his blue-green pupils. He did have pretty eyes, and there was an element of intimacy to the act that left a strange lump in Todd’s throat. He could imagine being on a date, this guy sweeping him off his feet, just staring into his warm eyes all evening... He probably had a girlfriend that he spent most nights with going to stupid bars.

“That’s it, Todd. Just stare deeply into my eyes,” he cooed. Todd did as instructed and felt his lids become a little more sluggish and heavy. There was something so soothing, calming, about this guy’s voice, and the gentle, intimate touch of his fingers on his shoulder. Todd barely noticed as the man’s right hand slid up and gently grasped his left.

“I’m going to begin shaking your had now, but don’t worry about that. Just continue to focus on my eyes and my voice. So easy to get lost in my eyes. Yesterday is past and tomorrow a million miles away. You can simply relax and let everything go... You’re here with me now... I’ll take care of you...”

Unconsciously, Todd nodded. His lids continued to sag as he stared into the young man’s eyes. Outside his field of vision, Todd nevertheless remembered this man’s shoulders were broad, his chest stout. He could imagine inching just a little closer, so close—so terribly, terribly close—and slipping into the warmth and comfort of his arms. Unbeknownst to Todd, the man had begun to shake his hand, gently, so imperceptibly that Todd indeed remained unaware of it—a steady, rhythmic movement that helped further lull him into a state of relaxed submission.

“That’s it, Todd. You feel so safe and warm. You’re doing wonderfully. You know there’s nothing to be afraid of, nothing to make you resist. I’ve got you and I’ve got you completely. You can completely and totally trust me to take care of you during this process. To care for and watch over you as you just focus deeper on making yourself relax. Listen to my voice, Todd, and relax. Relax deeper and deeper, stronger and stronger, letting every ounce of tension drain from your body. Feel your eyelids growing heavy, not with sleep, but relaxation—it’s simply more relaxing to have your eyes closed, and you can continue to stand here and listen with your eyes closed whenever it feels right, and you know for certain you won’t miss a thing. Whenever you feel ready and comfortable, just let your eyes drift closed and feel yourself relaxing deeper. Feel yourself relaxing deeper now, Todd. Deeper and deeper now...”

Todd took a deep, relaxing breath in, feeling the oxygen flood his lungs and pour into the rest of his body. So relaxing to breathe deep. Somehow in the back of his mind he barely registered that he was staring at nothing but blackness. When had he closed his eyes?

“That’s it, Todd. Deeper and deeper. And as you breathe deeper and deeper and relax, I want you to know that soon you’re going to drift off to sleep. In just a moment, at the count of five, I’m going to tug your hand gently, and when I do, you’re going to drift off completely, deeply and totally asleep. Your legs will remain standing, but you’re going to drift deep, deep to sleep and let your whole body relax. At the count of five, Todd. One...” said the hypnotist. (When had he become The Hypnotist? Wasn’t he just “the guy?”)

“Two...” he pulled down again, in time with the shakes.

“Three...” Todd could anticipate and follow the gentle rhythm. He was strangely looking forward to the end, though relaxed as he was, he still wasn’t sure he was hypnotized.

“FourfiveSLEEP,” said the hypnotist, tugging down sharply on Todd’s arm. While the hypnotist had told him to remain standing, Todd’s mind, overloaded, couldn’t process things fast enough, and he felt his legs crumple, his body sliding forward into the hypnotist’s waiting arms. His head rolled onto the guy’s chest and shoulder—exactly where he’d dreamed of resting—as the hypnotist caught him under the armpits, pushing him back to his feet.

“Very good, Todd. Remain standing and go deeper,” he said, propping Todd back up to his feet and gingerly pulling his hands back by an inch, just to confirm the young redhead wasn’t going to fall. “Deeper and deeper to sleep,” he said, resting a hand on Todd’s right shoulder and snapping gently into the ear on his left. For his part, Todd was aware of what was happening but didn’t much care—he was just focused on relaxing and going deeper, deeper with each snap and every touch.

“This next round of applause will not wake you,” said the hypnotist, before turning to the crowd. “How about a hand for Todd?” he asked, raising his free arm again. A louder round of applause rippled through the slowly growing crowd. A few people besides the cameraman were even filming now. Finally, they had a sight to see. The nerdy little redhead had seemed quiet and ordinary when pulled up to the center of the ring. Dressed in unassuming slacks and a dress shirt, he looked like any mid-level employee of a corporate office. It was fascinating to see him now, like a robot that had been powered down, standing immobile, his head slumped and arms dangling—a wind-up toy ready to be sent off on its first task.

“Todd, in just a moment, I’m going to awaken you. When I do, I want you to be listening for two very important words. The first is ‘Freeze,’ and the second is ‘Sleep.’ Whenever I say the word ‘Freeze,’ you will immediately stop what you’re doing and become frozen like a statute. Whenever I point at you, click my fingers, tap you on the forehead, or simply say ‘Sleep,’ you will immediately return to this state of peaceful and blissful relaxation, standing just as you are now, body keeping you from falling or doing anything that might injure yourself while always letting you sink deeper, deeper, deeper. Nod your head if you understand, Todd.” Todd nodded. They were simple enough instructions, though he didn’t give a second’s thought to whether he intended to follow them. He was simply enjoying standing and relaxing, drifting peacefully.

“Very good, Todd. Rising back out of hypnosis and wide awake at the count of three. One... two... three!” the hypnotist snapped. Todd’s eyes blinked and fluttered open as he drew a deep, relaxing breath. That had been odd.

“How you doin’, Todd?” asked the guy.

“Fine...” muttered Todd, disoriented.

“That was weird, huh?” asked the hypnotist.

“I feel relaxed...” Todd said, blinking again.

“For sure. What we’re doing now is a process called fractionation. It’s meant to take you deeper and deeper into relaxation. So now, taking a deep breath, I want you to just close your eyes and SLEEP for me,” said the hypnotist, snapping on the word “sleep” directly in Todd’s ear. Immediately, Todd felt his head slide back into his chest and his arms and shoulders go limp.

“Very good, Todd, and at the count of three, two, one, wide awake,” said the hypnotist, snapping again. Once more Todd’s eyes popped open and he raised his head, blinking confusedly.

“How’s that?” asked the hypnotist.

“I don’t know, I—”

“SLEEP,” the hypnotist interrupted, snapping again and pushing Todd’s head back into his chest with a hand placed gently on the back of his skull. Todd felt his mind and body go limp. It was so easy to just focus and do what the man said.

“That’s very good, Todd, each time taking you a hundred times deeper. Deeper and deeper... At the count of three, I’m going to awaken you one last time, and when I do, I want you simply to count backwards from three to one and immediately put yourself back to sleep. One, two, three, do that now, Todd,” he said, snapping.

Todd breathed in and raised his head again. Everything this guy did seemed so smooth, so practiced. It was like each sentence, each gesture just bled into the other ineluctably, so there was no way to interrupt. He just flowed on and on, and he made Todd part of it—made him want to be a part of that flow. It was impossible to stop him, impossible to think of doing anything besides what he had to say.

“Three, two, one...” Todd found himself muttering, almost before realizing it, and by the time he did, his eyes were already fluttering closed and he was drifting back into a deep, relaxing sleep...

Poor Todd. He had no idea when he volunteered how susceptible he would be to hypnosis. It’s understandable, as the subject can often seem quite silly when portrayed in the media. Yet there’s a certain segment of the population, the somnambulists, who are intrinsically given to following orders and submitting to voices of authority. Todd was one of those people. He was intelligent and imaginative, with a brain capable of conjuring up whatever images or feelings might be required by someone suggesting them. That made him a perfect subject for the right people willing to take advantage—and what poor Todd also didn’t know was that that was exactly the type of person whose clutches he had stumbled into.

There are a lot of people out there trying to make a name for themselves, and Mark Ryland was one of them. Like everyone else on the internet, he was trying to find something to distinguish himself, a signature persona or gimmick. Having always loved pranks when he was younger, he eventually gravitated to the subject of hypnosis, as it seemed like a natural fit. After all, why stop at throwing a pie in your best friend’s face when you could get him to do it to himself? As Mark saw it, hypnosis was—rather than something therapeutic or beneficial—nothing but a chance to take pranking to the next level. He’d long ago gotten bored with putting his little brother’s hand in warm water while he was asleep to see if he could get him to wet the bed. He wanted to make him do it while he was awake, in public, with the snap of his fingers. (Achieved in a video dated August 28, 2016.)

Evidence of Mark’s past experimentation is amply documented at markmywordz2009, his YouTube channel. The first video, dated June 6, 2015, features him hypnotizing his then-girlfriend, a feat he’d already accomplished several times and was quickly learning to perfect. In the first version he’d posted, running 7 minutes 16 seconds, he takes her down into a trance and has her perform a few simple tricks—arms raising up, barking like a dog, forgetting her name. When the two broke up a few months later, a second video appeared, seventh in his queue overall, that featured a few notable additions toward the end. Now in addition to barking like a dog, 6 minutes and 41 seconds of new footage featured her orgasming on command, modeling suggestively as though she were a centerfold (though still clothed), kissing and worshipping Mark’s sneakers, and finally a 2 minute 13 second coda in which Mark guides her through hypnotic multiple orgasms, with the video finishing as he lifts up her skirt (after putting her back under) to reveal a large wet stain on her panties. She’d been furious when she found out about it, but after confronting Mark and having a surprisingly calm 15-minute discussion, she agreed it was best just to forget about it...

To say that Mark Ryland was the kind of person that took advantage of other people was an understatement. Truth be told he was an emotional sadist, and it didn’t much matter to him who he was doing it to in order to give him his thrill. Mark was a Mark-sexual, and as long as Mark was the one coming out on top in a given interaction, it was enough to excite him. Like most straightish guys, the majority of his friends were men, and so a number of his earlier videos feature him performing pranks on friends and family. In addition to the aforementioned video of his brother—one of several that include him as a dog drinking out of the toilet, a hooker making passes at guys outside a suburban Arby’s, and one in which he pours an entire pitcher of water on his head in the middle of a family dinner—there were plenty of others of him and his friends, most of whom he’d cajoled into letting him try this hypnotism bullshit on them. Like Todd, some were pretty skeptical at first, though most found themselves recanting by the time they watched the footage. Just ask Connor Donikian, unwitting star of “HYPNOTIZED GUY HUMPS LAMPPOST ON COMMAND,” or Jake Marciano and Declan Marsh, whose antics in “HYPNOTIZED HIGH SCHOOLERS MOON LUNCHROOM” had gotten them detention for a week, what they thought of Mark Ryland’s hypnotism skills, and you’d get a pretty strong (and embarrassed) testimonial. All parties further swore they had no intention of getting hypnotized again, though that didn’t stop Jake and Declan from giving a repeat performance of their famous stunt at Dakota Lee’s graduation, where Mark added the further twist of leaving Jake’s hands glued to Declan’s bare ass for most of the evening.

As Mark headed to college and continued to practice his craft, he found himself not just growing more adept at hypnosis, but also bolder in approaching subjects. As the years wore on, an increasing number of his videos came to feature pretty young sorority girls at college parties, generally getting increasingly hot, stripping off articles of clothing, and wandering around asking sexed up frat boys if they wanted to pet their hairless cat—or, as they inevitably seemed to phrase it, “stroke my bald pussy.” A few of these girls even fell under Mark’s romantic sway, and you could always tell when and who he was dating by a sudden and marked uptick in private videos shot in his or another girl’s apartment or dorm, generally long sessions featuring Mark giving them extended, earth-shattering climaxes (sometimes as a cow or a donkey) that were more about showing off his own unique form of control than trying to ensure their pleasure. Generally, these relationships didn’t last long, as each girl would eventually attune to Mark’s controlling nature and become disenchanted. Like clockwork, their presence would fade away, becoming more sporadic and eventually ceasing altogether. Miraculously, however, few of their videos were ever taken down, as Mark’s exes seemed to have a strange propensity for, after a bit of gentle persuasion, putting the past behind them.

After college, Mark returned home, where he found a job as a retail associate at a clothing store that allowed him to fuck around enough for his own satisfaction. He knew he was destined for bigger things, and continued to hone his craft for hypnotism, killing plenty of time on breaks and at lunch by putting his coworkers under and getting them to do something embarrassing. He kept posting to YouTube, confident that one day he was finally going to hit a video that struck it big. While he liked trying to sweet talk girls at the store into letting him practice his talents on them, it was clear to him that his greatest successes tended to be with guys, whose brain patterns he just for some reason seemed more attuned to. He had had a complete falling out with Josh Mondell after nearly getting him arrested for sending him naked through a drive-thru (completely unaware the whole time), and had racked up well into the five digits of views with the long-distance footage of the confused (and still very naked) young man trying to explain himself to a cop before Mark finally interceded.

Mark was convinced it was these types of stunts that would really make his name for him, and he could see parlaying it into a show of some kind—like Jackass, but where everyone else acted like an idiot instead of him. To that end, he’d been increasingly taking things onto the street, trying to find someone he clicked with, someone who could help catapult him to that level of stardom. As he stared at Todd, neatly dressed, head bowed obediently against his chest, he wondered if this might not finally be the person. He’d worked with a few decent people over the past few months—the MILF he’d gotten to have massive orgasms whenever anyone shook her hand, the frat bro he’d made sing the chorus of Annie and then perform a ballet in front of his laughing house brothers, even the old man he had to stop halfway through a sultry strip-tease because it was getting too gross—but everyone balked and started coming out of it when he started trying to do the really gonzo shit, the shit that was going to make him famous. The MILF had had her orgasms but refused to rub her face in her friend’s crotch to cure her “headache,” the old man had done his strip-tease but resisted going to the bathroom to change into panties for Mark’s projected “pervert” bit, and while he’d gotten the frat boy to cluck like a chicken, he’d been half-hearted at best about actually eating the sunflower seeds Mark scattered on the ground. What he needed was a subject so totally malleable, so open to suggestion, that he would do absolutely anything. As he stared at the unassuming nerd standing before him, the boy who’d been so skeptical but sunk so deep so quickly, he wondered if this might not finally be him. But first thing’s first. You gotta test the basics.

“All right, Todd,” said Mark, stepping forward and laying a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s play with your brain.”

The boy blinked his eyes, drawing in a breath and raising his head. He seemed to have zoned out. He looked around to catch his bearings—he was standing in the middle of a large semi-circle of people, many holding phones, all watching expectantly.

“Hey, man, how’s it going?” asked someone in front of him—a handsome young man wearing a jean jacket. He seemed familiar, a warm and comforting presence.

“I’m okay...”

“I don’t believe we’ve met, man. I’m Mark,” said the guy, extending his hand.

He shook it. “I... uh... I don’t...”

“Sorry, what was your name, man?” asked the guy, still shaking.

“I- I... I don’t...” He was nonplussed. What was his name? People called him something, didn’t they?

“I just need your first name, super simple. Then we can get going here.” Still shaking.

“I don’t... what’s my...?”

“Sleep,” said the hypnotist, tugging down and sending the nameless boy’s head flopping back into his chest. “Let’s give him a name he’ll remember,” he said with a smirk.

“The gentleman I’m touching,” he continued, laying a hand on a redheaded boy’s shoulder, “at the count of three you’ll be wide awake again—still feeling refreshed, still believing you’re not hypnotized. However, from now on you’re going to believe the following... you’re going to be completely convinced that your name is Dickhead. That’s right. That’s been your name since you were a little boy, and it’ll be your name until the day you die. You’re very proud of that name, and if anyone should get it wrong, you’re going to immediately correct them, because your name is Dick—Head. Nod if you understand...” Dickhead nodded. “At the count of three, wide awake... One... two... three.” Snap.

Dickhead’s eyes popped open and he took another breath, looking around. Why was he in the center of all these people?

“Sorry man, one more time, I don’t believe I got your name. I’m Mark,” said the guy, stepping forward and again extending his hand.

“Dickhead,” said Dickhead, taking it back and trying to give a hearty handshake. Manly handshakes had never really been his forte.

“Donald?” asked the guy, still continuing to shake.

“No. Dick. Head,” said Dickhead, a little annoyed. He hated when people called him by the wrong name.

“Oh, I’m sorry... Dick—Head. Like Dickhead?”

Dickhead nodded. “Yeah.”

“Oh, sorry, man. I just never met anyone who called themselves a dickhead before. I mean, I’ve met plenty of dickheads, but no one who really went around saying it, you know?”

“Uh, I guess...,” said Dickhead. He was confused. How many other Dickheads were there?

“That’s okay. I guess you’re just... proud to be a dickhead, aren’t you?” asked the guy.

“That’s right,” said Dickhead matter-of-factly.

“In fact, I think you’re so proud you just wanna shout it out. Tell all these people you’re proud to be a dickhead.”

“I’m proud to be a Dickhead!” Dickhead said, raising his voice.

“Louder, man, they can’t hear you.”

“I’m proud to be a Dickhead!!” he yelled, projecting for the back.

“One more time, for everyone on the moon!”

“I’M PROUD TO BE A DICKHEAD!!!” Dickhead screamed, yelling to the heavens.

“Sleep,” the hypnotist said, pushing Dickhead’s head down into his chest at the nape of his neck. The young man’s body instantly slumped—arms, shoulders, and neck going limp. “That a boy, Dickhead, deeeep sleeeeep,” he cooed, massaging the young guy’s neck and sending him deeper into dreamland. Mark turned to the audience and flashed a thumps-up. “We got this guy good...”

Todd had never been hypnotized before and had actually never even thought about it. Hypnosis isn’t a subject that comes up terribly often for most people, and for Todd it had mostly seemed like the kind of thing he would read about in comics—a sci-fi phenomenon with little implication on the real world. He knew there were shows that went on at fairs and stuff, and of course hypnotherapists, but he had never really given a thought to what he would have done if he’d encountered either of those things. He wasn’t a big fan of shows anyhow, nor watching public humiliation, so he probably would have just as soon skipped one of those events, and if for some reason he’d had to see a hypnotherapist he probably would have given it the college try. No big deal either way.

Never would he have suspected, though, that he was about to become more famous than he had ever imagined through the power of hypnosis, or that it would have such a shocking and significant influence on his future and life. Such is the risk one takes when crossing paths with a stranger, and in this case, poor Todd, a quiet, sweet, imaginative and unassuming young man, had met up with a pure sociopath—someone who thrived on taking advantage of the trusting and submissive. But first thing’s first. Mark was smart enough to know that before anything else happened, he had to ensure he had the rights to do whatever he needed with Todd’s performance. When you have a fish on the line you reel it in, you don’t let it flop around in the water, no matter how amusing you may find it.

That’s why Todd was currently signing his life away, in a brief break from the show’s broader spectacle. It might not have looked like much to the assembled crowd, but to Mark Ryland it was a crowning achievement, a true sign that he’d found the perfect subject that was going to make him famous. He’d agonized over the wording of the contract, even ran it by a friend semi-versed in law (who still largely rejected it on the grounds that it was essentially being signed under duress or compromised mental capacity). But Mark was undeterred. For him it symbolized truly being inside someone’s head—having their mind malleable like putty in his hands—and in that regard it was a moment of triumph, pure and unadulterated dominance over a weaker human being.

For Todd, of course (who’d had his proper name returned for the purposes of signing), the paper on the clipboard before him was not in fact a contract but a treaty for world peace, which he as the benevolent president of the US was honored and obliged to ratify. Neatly signing and dating on the dotted lines as well as writing out his email, cell number and home address, Todd smiled a smile of intense satisfaction as he heard a gentle snap next to his ear and felt a hand gently guide his head down into his chest, back into a profound, deep sleep. Even presidents need to relax.

The voice continued to speak, and Todd smiled and nodded along with its commands, happy and eager to obey. When he felt himself patted on the shoulder, he raised his head, looked around until he found the guy nearby pointing a camera at him, and cheerfully stated, “My name is Todd F—, and I’m ready and willing to be hypnotized by markmywordz2009.”

“Great, thanks, man,” said the cameraman, smiling and shaking Todd’s hand, and Todd smiled back as he turned off the camera.

“Great job, Todd. Sleep,” said the hypnotist, giving Todd’s arm a quick yank in place of one of his shakes. Todd relaxed instantly and obediently. Unbeknownst to him he was getting quite good at hypnosis. All he had to do was relax, focus on Mark’s words, and do as he said. Easy and simple. Thankfully Mark had a lot to say, and Todd, smiling and relaxing deeply, was more than eager to listen.

“One, two, three, and you’re wide awake...” Snap.

“How did that feel, Todd?”

“Uh, it’s Dickhead,” Dickhead said gently, trying not to make a big deal out of it. He had no idea why this guy kept getting his name wrong.

“Oh, I’m sorry, man, my bad. How are you enjoying the hypnosis?”

“I don’t think it’s working,” said Dickhead. He looked over at the guy, hoping he wouldn’t be too disappointed. He was cute, and part of Dickhead didn’t want to see him make an idiot of himself in front of this crowd of people. But, he had said this mumbo jumbo wasn’t going to work, and he had been right. Dickhead had just been listening to the guy talk in his ear for a minute or two, in that deep, sonorous, relaxing voice, and the next thing he knew the guy was snapping his fingers and telling him to open his eyes. Nothing more than that, just standing there and listening to some handsome idiot. Dickhead supposed there were worse ways to spend a Saturday, but he was looking forward to sitting down at the coffee shop and reading his book. Considering he only got sucked into this by a pretty face, the whole thing would’ve been more fun if he’d gotten to keep his eyes open.

“You sure?” the hypnotist asked, sounding a little incredulous. Dickhead hated to disappoint him, but again he had to nod.

“Just one quick question: can you tell all these people—do you enjoy dancing?”

The hypnotist’s cameraman, holding a weird crouch, was scooting up on the side, making Dickhead nervous. He hated crowds and being in front of people, so he was really looking forward to wrapping this up and getting out of here. Dickhead had never been a big dancer. As a matter of fact, he hated it—nothing more embarrassing than trying to move with coordination with a crowd of people watching.

“Uh, not really,” he said with a smile, trying to play it casual. Dickhead usually found it best not to let on how much he hated dancing—it was a perfect invitation for someone to try to force him to do it.

“Well, we’ll see about that,” said the hypnotist, holding up his phone and pressing a button. Dickhead was alarmed—was this all some elaborate prank? Were a bunch of dancers going to swoop out from the wings? Or maybe everyone in the circle was in on it, like the Harlem Shake?

Instead, melodramatic classical music began to play—if Dickhead had been in any shape to recognize it, he would have realized it was from Swan Lake. Instead, Dickhead began to leap around the semi-circle, stretching his arms wide and even pirouetting as he danced. As the music swooned, Dickhead would swoop down, raising himself on one knee and posing dramatically. As the music soared, Dickhead would soar, leaping back to his feet and twirling in the air. Of course, to Dickhead’s brain, his frenetic movement was a poetic accompaniment, the perfect physical embodiment of the swelling grandeur and glory of the momentous composition. To the assembled crowd, it was a redheaded dork stumbling around drunkenly and making an idiot out of himself. The group began applauding when the music stopped and Dickhead stumbled in mid-stride, skidding to a stop.

“Can I help you with something?” asked the hypnotist.

“I... I was just...” Dickhead sputtered, surprised to find himself inexplicably out of breath.

“Come over here if you wanna be hypnotized,” said the hypnotist. Dickhead looked around awkwardly. For some reason he thought the whole thing was done.

After considering his options, he started back toward the hypnotist. A promise was a promise, and he didn’t want to let the guy down. He just couldn’t imagine what the sudden bout of confusion had been over.

“Do you like ballet, Todd?” asked the hypnotist, fiddling with something on his phone.

“My name is Dickhead!” Dickhead replied, irritated. “And not really. Why?”

“No reason,” shrugged the hypnotist. The music started again and immediately Dickhead sprang back to life, beginning with what he believed to be an extremely elegant twirl and then leaping toward the audience.

The entire spectacle continued for another thirty seconds or so before the music shut off again, sending Dickhead tumbling in mid-twirl half onto his knees before he caught himself.

“Dude, seriously, what the hell are you doing?” asked the hypnotist, sounding frustrated.

“I... I don’t know...” Dickhead muttered, for some reason panting again. Why did he keep coming to his senses out of breath?

“Don’t worry about it, you’re doing great,” said the hypnotist. “Now, sleep.”

When Todd closed his eyes and let his consciousness go, it was just about the best feeling in the world. Even better were the intimate moments that followed, with the hypnotist guiding him, relaxing him further and taking him deeper and deeper. It was unclear if Mark had picked up on the fact that Todd was gay, but if he hadn’t consciously, perhaps he had at least unwittingly, as he seemed to be using even more touch and caress than usual. Typically, such actions would occur incidentally—a hand on the shoulder or the back of the neck, a finger on the forehead—but something about Todd and his demeanor instinctively guided Mark toward a more intimate approach. Stepping over to Todd, now deep asleep where he’d been standing, Mark laid a hand on his shoulder and stood in front of the boy, pressing his chest close as he leaned to whisper in Todd’s ear.

For poor Todd, the closeness, the warmth, the gentle touch of Mark’s strong body served only to turn his mind into more malleable putty. Todd felt so close to Mark, so safe and warm, that he would follow his voice anywhere, do anything requested. It just felt good to be near Mark, to be listening to Mark, and it felt right to want to please Mark.

After a lengthy and extremely relaxing talk about... something... Todd found himself being swiftly but gently led out of the darkness, the full faculties of his consciousness slowly returning as Mark reached the count of “…two… and three.” Snap. Todd blinked his eyes, wide awake.

“All right, Todd. We’re just about to begin the hypnosis. Any worries or reservations before we get started?”

The cameraman pressed in, making Todd a bit nervous.

“Um, I guess... I just don’t want to do anything embarrassing,” he said sheepishly.

“What stereotypes do you think of when you think of hypnosis?”

“Uh... I guess like in comics and stuff... Swinging a watch and people going, ‘Yes master.’ Oh, and making people act like chickens.”

“You definitely wouldn’t want to do that, right?” asked the hypnotist.

“Heh, no,” said Todd, shaking his head sheepishly.

“Well, don’t worry, I never make my volunteers do anything embarrassing like that,” said the hypnotist. Todd smiled. His sense of relief was palpable to the audience.

“Not unless I say ‘barnyard.’”

Immediately, Todd’s smile faded and his gaze seemed to go blank. Opening his mouth halfway, he jutted his chin forward just a bit and emitted several quiet “bwuck”s before folding his firsts into his armpits, squatting slightly at the knees and waist, and slowly starting to strut around the circle. The crowd spontaneously burst into laughter and applause at his well-trained response. It was clear to everyone that the boy was completely under the spell of the hypnotist, as he scratched and strutted about the circle, jutting out his chin at the people he passed while emitting louder and louder “brawk”s.

The hypnotist let this go on for nearly a minute, milking it for all it was worth as Todd gave a perfect performance, even stooping on occasion to peck at imaginary seeds on the ground. Finally, when he thought he’d gotten about as much laughter as he could wring out of his poor subject, the hypnotist stated loudly: “At the count of three, wide awake with no idea what you’re doing. One... two... THREE!”

Todd snapped back to consciousness and looked around. Fuck. What the hell was he doing in the middle of this circle of people, squatting as everybody was watching him? The entire crowd chuckled at his predicament.

“What on Earth are you doing, Todd?” asked the hypnotist.

“I... I don’t remember...” he sputtered. That seemed to be the theme of the day, unbeknownst to him.

“Oh yes you do. Right... now,” said the hypnotist, clicking his fingers. Todd blinked as suddenly the memory came rushing back... His hands under his armpits... Flapping his wings... Clucking like an idiot. It had all seemed so natural...

Todd’s face turned a burning crimson as the full realization hit him. Oh god. Everyone here had seen him. All these people... And the cameras...

The crowd burst into laughter as they saw Todd’s face transform into a scarlet mask of horror. He wanted to run, to run screaming, but he was so humiliated he was frozen. The hypnotist moved in beside him.

“Can you try not to have any more episodes before I get you hypnotized?”

Todd looked up and nodded, shaking. He was so confused. So scared and disoriented. Why had he just been doing that? In front of a crowd of people—in public? It was so humiliating.

“I want you to promise me you’ll concentrate as hard as you can and swear not to act like a chicken. Do you promise?”

Todd nodded, still quivering. He really just wanted to run.

“I told you I don’t do any of those chicken routines, so I don’t appreciate you making fun of me while I’m trying to hypnotize you. Got it?”

Todd nodded again. Had he been doing that as a joke? He honestly didn’t remember.

“You swear you’re not gonna act like a chicken again?”

Todd nodded again.

“Not even if I say ‘barnyard?’”

“Bwuuuuck, bwuck bwuck bwuck...” Todd immediately started clucking again, sliding his fists back under his armpits and stretching his legs as he squatted and started strutting around the circle. There was big laughter and applause from the crowd, so amused were they by the poor boy’s plight. Most felt thankful they didn’t volunteer, though a few still wondered what it would be like to truly feel like a chicken. No one stopped terribly long to meditate on poor Todd—a prisoner in his own body and mind, trapped and completely under the hypnotist’s command.

When the hypnotist woke him again, Todd was just as bewildered as the first time, and they went through a similar routine.

“What are you doing, Todd?”

“I... I don’t know...”

“Well can you stop it? I’m trying to hypnotize you.”

“Yes... Yes, sorry...”

“Can I ask you a quick question, Todd, before we begin?” asked the hypnotist, sidling up to his victim again.

“Uh, sure...” muttered Todd, still disoriented from not knowing what he’d been doing.

“You seem like a pretty straight-laced guy. Are you a fan of rock music?”

“Uh... not really,” said Todd, looking perplexed.

“Not really the head-banging type?”

“No...,” Todd mumbled.

The hypnotist tapped Todd on the forehead and his eyes immediately fluttered shut, head falling to his chest as his body remained standing.

“Oh yes you are,” said the hypnotist, and the people laughed. They’d already seen how much control this handsome young man had over the quiet, nerdy boy.

“Todd, in a moment, when you wake up, you’re gonna believe you’re the lead guitarist in a rock band. When you hear rock music play, you’re instantly gonna whip out your air guitar and start strutting around this circle, banging your head and really getting into it. Nod if you understand.” Todd nodded obediently.

“Great. Now of course, any time this music stops, you’ll be back to your regular self and will have no idea what you’ve been doing. However, whenever that music starts again, you’ll pick that guitar right back up and start thrashing even harder. Nod if you understand.” Again, Todd nodded.

“Wonderful. Wide awake at the count of three, the best rock musician in the world... One... two...” The hypnotist took a long pause as he fiddled with his phone, finally pressing a button and starting some piece of music from the middle with pretty loud guitar jams. “Three,” he concluded, snapping his fingers next to Todd’s ear and causing the boy’s eyes to pop open, returning him to full consciousness.

Almost immediately, Todd’s head began nodding in gentle time with the rhythm of the music, picking up speed quickly until he was fully banging his head up and down only a few cords in. Closing his eyes, Todd raised his left arm up to about shoulder height and his right to just below his waist. The fingers on his left hand curled half way, simulating the fingering of the guitar, while the right slid diagonally up and down, mimicking the playing.

There were some whistles and scattered applause from the audience, which seemed suitably impressed by Todd’s transformation. As the music progressed, he seemed to sink even deeper into it, opening his eyes and beginning to strut around the circle, kicking out his legs spasmodically in an awkward approximation of a showman’s footwork. It was quite a sight to see—the young man, who looked like any quiet guy who sat next to the office copier, strutting around wildly in his dress-casual attire. As if to underline the impressiveness of the feat, the hypnotist called out loudly, “Let’s give it up for Todd!” and raised a hand high. The entire group applauded, which seemed to only fuel Todd further. He strutted around even more confidently and even waggled his tongue out at the group at one point, raising his own arms to call for more. The audience clapped again, obligingly.

“Now let’s see how he feels about his newfound career,” said the hypnotist, jabbing another button on his screen. The music shut off and Todd immediately froze, looking down at his body in bewilderment, then back up at the staring crowd. Everyone burst into applause as Todd’s face flushed bright red.

“What are you doing, Todd? I told you to stop disrupting my show.”

Todd seemed to finally unfreeze and stared down at his arms like alien creatures. “I... What was I doing?” he sputtered.

“It kinda looked something like this,” said the hypnotist, jabbing the phone screen again. The music started back up, and immediately so did Todd, strutting around just as cockily as before.

“Anybody got some sunglasses, maybe a scarf?” asked the hypnotist. A teenage girl a row back in the crowd raised up a thin scarf she’d been wearing and the hypnotist nimbly hopped over and grabbed it, turning and holding it out toward Todd. Still banging his head, Todd grabbed the scarf and swung it over his shoulders, wrapping it around with a quick whoosh. Thinking fast, the hypnotist also doffed his fedora and held it out, which Todd quickly plopped atop his own head, flashing the hypnotist a pointer-and-pinky “rock” sign.

“Oh, watch out, man, here comes the big guitar solo!” said the hypnotist. Indeed, the song did stop dead for a pretty insane guitar riff, and Todd immediately sunk down to his knees, thrashing his right hand over his chest as though he were the one playing.

About halfway through, the hypnotist shut off the song again, abruptly bringing Todd back to his senses. Looking down and noticing the scarf across his chest (not to mention that his knees were touching the ground), Todd jolted and stumbled back, quickly rising to his feet.

“Enjoying that rock music, Todd?” asked the hypnotist. Todd looked around in shock, confused why an entire group of people was staring at him and why he was wearing some stranger’s clothes.

“What am I doing? What’s going on?” Todd sputtered in confusion, pulling off the scarf and the hat from his head (which the hypnotist deftly grabbed a heartbeat later).

“Don’t worry about it, man. These fine people were just enjoying you rocking out.”

“I... what?” Todd asked again, nervous and perplexed. “I don’t like rock music.”

“That’s right, you said you’re more of a classical guy,” said the hypnotist, pressing a button on his phone again. Immediately, the melodramatic classical music started, and Todd went back to leaping around the circle. Apparently energized by the last routine, he threw in a whole bunch of twirls and leaps.

“When the music stops, frozen in time!” the hypnotist yelled, after milking it for as much as he could. The audience was eating things up.

Tapping the pause button on his phone, the hypnotist watched as Todd obediently froze in place, arms spread wide in opposite directions in a ridiculous pose.

“If anybody wants to get a selfie, go ahead,” said the hypnotist. “Just make sure to tag me on Facebook or Insta at markmywords2009.”

A couple girls squeezed out of the circle and bounced over to either side of Todd, snapping a quick photo as the rest of the audience laughed.

The hypnotist slipped in beside Todd when they were done. “Remaining standing just as you are,” he said gently, “arms and head dropping down at the snap of my fingers as you go deep asleep... now,” he said, clicking next to Todd’s ear. The boy’s arms dropped to his sides and his head fell into his chest just as he was told, and Todd continued to go deeper.

“Now, just out of curiosity, is it anyone in the crowd’s birthday?” The hypnotist looked around. “No? All right, this is for all of you, then,” he said, laying a hand on Todd’s shoulder.

“Todd,” he continued, “The next time you wake up, you’re going to hear one more piece of music. This is going to be a very sexy piece of music. You know why, Todd?” The hypnotist paused for effect. “Because you’re a sexy stripper. That’s right, Todd: you’re a professional exotic dancer, and you’re here to entertain this crowd of people with your superior stripping skills. At the count of three, when you open your eyes and hear the next piece of music, you’re going to start dancing very sexily, and begin removing your clothes, one article of clothing at a time. You will strip off all of your clothes...,” he paused, allowing gasps and giggles to rise through the audience, “...down to your underwear. When the music stops, Todd, you will stop, and have no idea what you’re doing. However, whenever that music starts again, you will be the world’s sexiest stripper, giving this audience a nice, seductive show. And of course, when I say ‘freeze,’ you will again freeze in time, just like before. This all happens on three... two... one...” Snap.

With his free hand, the hypnotist tapped his phone and the old burlesque standby “The Stripper” blared to life just as Todd’s eyes were blinking open. Looking around, a mischievous smile crept across his lips as his body began to gyrate. Strutting forward, he slowly began to undo the buttons of his shirt as he approached the crowd, pulling the striped fabric open to offer some alluring glimpses of his scrawny bare chest.

Swaggering around the perimeter of the semicircle, Todd slipped his shirt out from inside his belt and let it flutter to the ground, stopping to throw his arms flamboyantly around an athletic young man in the front row and plant a big kiss in his blushing cheek. The guy swatted him away, which poor hypnotized stripper Todd took as a form of gentle teasing. Strutting off, he turned and blew a big wet kiss over his shoulder, which the crowd ate up.

Slipping off his shoes and kicking them to the side, Todd left his socks on, apparently aware, even in his semi-conscious state, of the harshness of the ground. Turning away from the audience, he began to unbuckle his belt and slowly unzip the fly of his slacks, wiggling his butt the whole time. Slowly, ever so slowly, he let the pants cautiously creep down the length of his legs, eventually sliding into a fabric puddle around his ankles. The audience applauded wildly.

Turning around, Todd strutted confidently to another side of the circle, marching as though he had the bronzed body of an Adonis rather than the pale, skinny nerd’s frame he actually possessed. It was quite a sight—the young man with barely an ounce of fat on him, strutting across the public square in broad daylight wearing nothing more than a tight pair of blue briefs. Again reaching the perimeter of the circle, Todd located another young man—thin this time, like him, with shoulder length black hair and wearing a black t-shirt and gray shorts—and threw an arm around his shoulder, nuzzling into the nape of his neck as he ground his near-naked body against him. Again, the boy reacted by blushing and shoving Todd away, though Todd was undeterred. This time he continued to press his body against him, to the boy’s chagrin, while his girlfriend, videoing the whole encounter, laughed louder than anyone else. Much like with Mark, it was unclear whether the audience realized Todd was gay or simply thought he believed himself to be a woman. In all likelihood it was probably the latter.

“Wide awake... NOW!” shouted the hypnotist, turning off the song at the same time, right in the middle of its climax. Todd blinked, snapping back to reality, and glanced to the boy at his side, then down. Jaw dropping, Todd immediately turned a blazing shade of crimson as he lunged back into the circle, grabbing for his shirt and pants.

“Let’s hear it for Stripper Todd!” said the hypnotist, raising a hand theatrically as the audience applauded. Todd continued to blush brighter and brighter. He had already stuffed his arms into his shirt sleeves and was trying to pull his pants back on as the fabric billowed around his body. He didn’t know what had happened but he wanted to escape and disappear instantly. The only thing still keeping him here was the effort to get at least half-dressed before running away.

“Hey Todd, is the hypnosis working yet?” the hypnotist asked jeeringly. Todd barely heard him as he yanked his pants back up around his waist, just trying to flee as quickly as he could.

“I say it’s time for an encore,” said the hypnotist, jabbing again at his phone. The music—skipped back a bit in the track—blared to life again, and immediately Todd rose up, his pants falling back around his ankles as he stepped out of them. Turning back around, he shook his torso like a belly dancer and the shirt billowed around it, accenting his gaunt frame. Slowly, he shrugged first one, then another side of the shirt over his shoulder, finally letting it fall to the ground again. Stepping forward, Todd gyrated his barely-clothed pelvis obscenely, closing his eyes and rubbing his hands around his torso, clearly convinced he was cock of the walk.

“Freeze!” the hypnotist cried, and Todd obeyed, head tossed back and hands playing across his chest and stomach obscenely. The hypnotist stopped the music a second later. The audience chattered with laughter and a smattering of applause.

“Quite the statue,” mused the hypnotist. “But I think we all agree he’s acting like he belongs in a barnyard!”

Without missing a beat, Todd immediately returned to his chicken pose and began clucking and scratching around the circle again, occasionally stooping to peck at imaginary seed. The audience continued eating it up, laughing and photographing as the poor boy, nearly naked, made an absolute fool out of himself.

“I wanna thank you all for coming out today,” the hypnotist said, stepping forward as Todd continued obliviously clucking and scratching behind him. “We’re nearing the end of my show, but if you liked what you saw, please check me out on YouTube at markmywordz—that’s M-A-R-K, my, W-O-R-D-ZEE, two-thousand nine,” he emphasized, “and keep an eye out for more videos starring our boy Todd here, ’cause I think we just found our next YouTube star. At the count of three, let’s all give him a big round of applause... One... two... three... WIDE AWAKE, Todd!” he yelled, turning around.

Caught in the middle of a peck, Todd blinked, looked up, then down, then up again, and immediately turned bright red as the crowd went wild with applause.

“Thanks for comin’ up, man, you were a great subject,” said the hypnotist, striding toward him and extending a hand.

“Wha- Where are my—” Todd started to babble, looking around for his garments.

“Sleep!” said the hypnotist, snapping and pulling him forward into his body. Todd immediately went limp like a rag doll, collapsing into the hypnotist’s chest as his head came to rest on his shoulder. The hypnotist took a step or two forward, propping him back up, and whispered, “Remaining deep asleep, standing normally.” Stepping back, he left Todd like a perfect statue—a near-naked mannequin with the strings cut loose.

“Todd, in just a moment, I’m going to awaken you and you’re going to be fully dressed. At that time, you’ll realize you’re the hypnotist’s assistant, and I’ve left some clothing props scattered around the performance area. My assistant Tyler has already put down a shopping bag, so you’re going to gather up those clothes except for the shoes, neatly fold them, and put them into the bag. Nod your head if you understand.” Todd nodded. “Very good, Todd. At the count of one, two, three.” Snap.

Todd blinked and looked up, immediately looking around the circle and stooping to grab his lost clothes. Starting with the pants, he shook them out, folded them nearly in half, then into quarters, and placed them in the bag near his feet. The crowd milled about, the show having clearly passed its climax but apparently not fully ended. It was still a marvel to watch the boy, seemingly oblivious to his own near-nudity, calmly walking around the circle collecting and folding his things.

Todd slipped his folded shirt into the bag as well and turned back to the hypnotist expectantly, and with just a hint of pride.

“Very good, Todd. Thank you for all your help today,” he said, laying a hand paternally on the young man’s shoulder. “Why don’t you just take a nice, deep breath and sleep?” he said, tugging gently on the boy’s bare shoulder and sending his head flopping back into his chest.

“Does anyone have lipstick or a tampon?” the hypnotist called out to the half-dispersed crowd. Eventually the couple of girls that had taken the selfie earlier stepped forward, proffering a thin, white wrapper. “Great, thanks,” he smiled. The girls giggled and smiled back. Maybe he could get their numbers after he finished humiliating this nerd. There was nothing like totally cucking a beta like Todd to prove one’s masculine bona fides.

“Todd,” he said, squeezing his hand on the hypnotized boy’s shoulder, “in just a moment I’m going to hand you a sucker. When you wake up, you’re going to put on your shoes, then take the sucker and put it in your mouth. It’s very important that you do this. Other than your shoes, you know you are fully dressed. Nod if you understand.” Todd nodded. “Very good, Todd. One, two, three,” he snapped. Todd’s head popped back up and he glanced down, spying the shoes and quickly stooping to put them on. Meanwhile, the cameraman pressed in on Mark, who turned and whispered in close-up:

“This is for anyone who thinks this shit is fake,” he said, trying to affect a badass tone. The camera stepped away and Todd turned back to him, shoes on, as Mark extended a hand holding the tampon.

Taking it, Todd smiled, quickly ripping open the wrapper and grabbing the object inside. Holding it up, he wrapped his lips around the white tube, pressed to extend it, and pushed the thin white pad into his mouth before dropping the wrapper and tube into the shopping bag. Todd smiled, the little white string protruding from between his lips.

“Sleep,” said the hypnotist, tapping Todd’s temple. Todd’s head slumped back into his chest.

“Last set of instructions, Todd, but these are the most important. Focus and follow completely. In a moment, I’m going to wake you up for the last time. When I do, you will be fully dressed. You’re fully dressed, Todd, wearing all your clothes. Nod if you understand.” Todd nodded.

“Very good. You have also never been hypnotized. The hypnosis did not work on you. If anyone tries to tell you different, you’ll call them on their bullshit. You have no patience for this, Todd. Nod again if you understand.” Todd nodded.

“Good. Now Todd, when you wake up, there’s a bag by your feet. It’s very important that you bring this with you. These are the clothes from the shopping you did today. It’s very important you don’t forget these clothes. When you wake up, you’re going to walk straight home. When you get to your house or apartment, you may need to grab some keys from the jeans inside the bag. This is normal, Todd. You left them in there when you tried on the clothes. It will not cause you to realize anything is missing or different, because nothing is missing or different. You’re wearing the clothes you were when you left the house today. You just threw the keys in the bag for convenience. Nod if you understand.” Todd nodded.

“Very good. So, you’ll walk home with a big happy smile on your face, and wave to all the friendly people you pass. Anytime you stop at a traffic light, you’re going to be so happy you’ll want to yell out at the top of your voice, ‘I’m a pretty princess!’ You’ll do this all the way home, do you understand?” Todd nodded.

“Very good. Now Todd, when you get inside, you’re going to feel very good. You had an awesome day and a lot of fun. It’s only when you see yourself in a mirror that you’ll finally realize what you’ve been wearing. You still won’t remember anything that you’ve done today, but you will instantly realize how you’re dressed. From that moment on, you’ll be completely awakened from the effects of the hypnosis... for now. Nod if you understand.” Todd nodded.

“Excellent. One final thing, Todd. While looking in the mirror will awaken you from this trance, any time in the future that you should hear me, and only me, say the words ‘Sleep’ or “Deep asleep,’ whether in person or over the telephone—not on YouTube—you will instantly and immediately return to this peaceful and relaxed state of trance, ten times deeper than you are now and ready and willing to obey anything. Nod your head if you understand.” Todd nodded.

“Very good. At the count of three, wide awake and ready to head home... One... Two... Three, wide awake.” Snap.

Todd blinked, raising his head. He looked around. There was still a smattering of people—maybe half that had been there before. As he suspected, the hypnosis hadn’t worked. Poor guy. Still, it had been nice to stand next to the handsome man for a while, feel his hands across Todd’s shoulders and chest. Todd smiled awkwardly, pulling his lollipop out of his mouth. “See? Didn’t work.”

“No?” asked the handsome man before him.

Todd shook his head. “Better luck next time.”

“What if I told you I had some great video footage of you clucking like a chicken in your underwear?” the guy asked.

“There’s no way in hell you could get me to do that,” Todd said, grinning.

“One last big hand for Todd!” said the man, eliciting a final round of applause from the remaining crowd. Todd appreciated their enthusiasm, but it seemed a little misplaced. The guy really hadn’t done anything. Popping his soggy lollipop back in his mouth, Todd grabbed his bag and headed off. It had been a long day, between the shopping and the failed hypnotism, and he was looking forward to getting home and just taking a break. Yet for some reason, despite the complete failure of the “hypnotist,” Todd couldn’t help smiling. He waved at a couple on a bench as he passed by, who looked at him strangely as he continued on his way...