The Offer
by Wrestlr
6.
Jack knocked on the Doctor’s door at ten minutes before noon. The Doctor seemed happy to see him, told him to sit down, asked if Jack had any questions.
Jack was dressed in his own familiar clothes, the ones he had been wearing when he arrived, now freshly laundered. He felt more like himself in them, especially after two good nights of sleep and good meals. Still, the Doctor’s inquiry made him blush. Jack shook his head. “No, no questions.”
“And do you have an answer for me?”
“Yes, I do. I’d like to stay. My answer is yes. I’d like to stay.”
“Very good. Let’s get started. Are you ready to be hypnotized?”
“Uh ... Right now?”
“Of course. Don’t worry. You don’t have to prepare or get ready at all. It’s easy. Just close your eyes, and listen to my voice.”
Jack was not sure what to expect, but he had not expected this. He shrugged and closed his eyes and settled back in his chair.
The Doctor told him to imagine he was entering a forest, walking down a trail. Jack knew about forests from camping trips organized each summer by his father, and the make a man out of him wilderness interventions with his father’s Army buddies. The Doctor told him to imagine the sunlight through the leaves overhead. Fill in the details; as if it were real. The feel of the breeze. The scent of loam. The leaves brushing his arms. The shape of the leaves themselves, the texture, the deep and light green colors. The calm, peaceful feeling these woods gave him. The safety. Walking ever deeper into the forest, just following the trail.
Jack saw and felt it all in his mind. He had always prided himself on having a vivid imagination, and he decided it came in handy now.
The Doctor told him to breathe deeply. To feel his arms and legs relax and grow limp. As the Doctor suggested, Jack imagined the feel of the ground under his feet, the sounds of birds in the trees. He tried to make it all as real as he could. He could feel the summertime sunlight warm his face. He could still hear the Doctor’s voice as if from far away, but he enjoyed focusing more on the breeze whispering through the limbs above him, the chirps and calls of birds and squirrels overheard, the burgle and gurgle of a stream somewhere nearby, just off the path.
Yes, he realized, I do feel peaceful and calm.
Yes, he thought, I do feel relaxed and drowsy.
The path led him to a clearing. A peaceful, quiet clearing in the middle of this forest. The ground was covered with soft grass and moss, so inviting. He wanted nothing more than to sit down and enjoy the stillness, the calm and quiet peacefulness. He sat in the middle of the clearing. He looked around and understood the thought that came to him from the gentle whispering breeze: So this is how it feels to be deeply hypnotized. He looked back and could not see the path. The clearing had sealed protectively around him. He was alone here, so happily, peacefully alone here. He could sit. He could relax, finally really relax. He could lie back on the so-soft grass and moss; just let himself sink down into it, deeper down. He could relax, and he could sleep ...
“—and three. Wide awake now.” The Doctor snapped his fingers for emphasis.
Jack blinked and looked around. He still sat in the same chair. His clothing was all in place. He had not drooled on himself. He blinked again.
“You did fine,” the Doctor said, answering Jack’s unspoken question. “Beautifully, in fact. That’s all for today. Please close the door on your way out.”
“Uh ... That’s it?”
“Yes, that’s it for today. You may stay tonight. Each day you want to stay here, I get to hypnotize you; so if you want to stay tomorrow night too, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Jack was clearly being dismissed, so he stood up and walked to the door. “Uhm—Thanks, Doctor,” he said.
“Ah, thank you, Jack,” the Doctor said. “Now off with you. I’ve got other work to get done. Check in with Ike, please, and see if he needs help with some of the chores.”
“Yes, sir,” Jack said, and closed the door behind himself.