I don't know what I was expecting, really.

The ad said "Sale! Custom hypnosis file recording session: only $50." It was a limited-time offer, so I had to act right away. I didn't read the fine print, you know? But it seemed like a good deal, especially since the regular price was $100. I think I figured I'd email an outline or some ideas, and he'd write a script and then record that.

Yeah turns out doing it that way is a lot of work, and improv is more fun. Also he said that, to get the timing right, it helped to be able to see and hear the subject's responses. All that sounded reasonable. I could've asked for a refund, you know. Withdrawn consent because this wasn't quite what I was expecting. But it sounded fun. I figured, why not go for it? We set a time and date, and I put the address of the recording studio into my calendar so I couldn't lose it. He had me fill out a worksheet with likes, limits, and preferences. Some of them made me blush. I had never really discussed my kinks with anyone else before. It had always just been me, my headset, a bottle of lube, and fervent prayers that no one would ever find out what I pervert I was. But I was a college student, after all. There would never be a better time to find myself. Experimentation was practically a requirement.

 

I wasn't really sure what to wear. He had just said, "Comfortable clothing, nothing too tight. Don't worry about how you look. No one will be able to hear that. Just wear what you can relax in." But I guess I wanted to make a good impression, too. And the waistcoat was comfortable. The shirt collar was a little tight, but overall, I could definitely relax in this, and look fantastic while doing it.

 

I double checked the address. Was this the right place? It sure seemed to be, but it didn't look much like a recording studio. Or, well, not what I imagined. It was pretty much just a regular storefront, but without windows. I couldn't see inside at all. The door just had the number on it. It matched what I'd been given, though, so I walked up. When I got closer, I could see that the logo from the content creator's website was on the door, too small to be seen from a distance, but now that I was here, it offered some reassurance I was in the right place. Smiling, I opened the door.

 

I found myself in a dimly-lit vestibule. There were spiral patterns on the wall, and I found myself looking at them, wondering if they were moving, or if that was just an optical illusion.

 

I didn't have long to wonder before the door opened. For just a moment, I couldn't breathe. It was him! Was I really doing this? What had I been thinking. I had just a moment to consider turning around and running back out the door before he said, "Good, good, you're right on time. Even a little early. I like that. Shows respect." He held out his hand, and I guess I looked at it suspiciously. He laughed. "I'm not going to just handshake you into trance. We're here to make a recording, after all. I want to get the timing right, so don't go falling into trance on me yet. You can relax; I won't bite. Follow me." And with that, he turned and strode through a door that led deeper in, utterly confident I was right behind him. Without quite deciding to do it, I found my feet moving.

 

As soon as the door closed behind me, I heard him taking out a key and locking it. "Wait, what are you - "

He chuckled. "Relax. You can leave any time you want to, just say so and I'll let you out. I'm only locking it so we won't be disturbed. I value your privacy, so I'm making sure we'll be safely left alone, just the two of us. Remember I said, any time you want to, you can say 'red' and I'll stop? If you say it, I'll unlock the door. But if you want to continue, all you have to do is say 'green'."

 

I swallowed nervously. "Green."

 

"That's right. This way, please. You're going to be in this chair."

 

In the center of the room, there was a recliner, like a really expensive gaming chair. Next to it was a big, fat pair of headphones, almost as big as my head. I picked them up and looked at them quizzically.

 

"If you wear those, you can hear me like I'm right there in your head, even once I go back into the booth." He gestured to another, more upright chair behind a thick window. "I'll adjust them for you. For now, just relax into the chair, that's it." I sat back in the chair. It was very soft and comfy. I felt like I was sinking into it from the moment I sat down, and when I laid back, it practically embraced me.

 

Only after I was in the chair did I notice the screens. There were five of them, they were huge, and they were right in my field of view. At the moment, each one was displaying a different hypnotic visual. This one had two different-colored spirals following each other around slightly out of synch. That one, a series of hearts radiating out from the center in rainbow colors. The third looked like flying through space, stars rushing by. I wasn't quite sure where to look. The overall effect, especially with two more I hadn't really registered yet in my peripheral vision, was disorienting and confusing. I was about to open my mouth to ask him to pick one and stick with it or turn them off, when I noticed him tightening a restraint across my chest. "W-wait, I –"

"Now remember, we're only doing what you said you wanted. Any time you need me to adjust something, say 'yellow' and I will. If you want to stop, all you have to do is say 'red'," he bound my left wrist to the armrest of the chair. "And I'll stop and let you out. But maybe you like what's happening, in which case –"

 

"Green." I heard myself saying it with surprise, and a hint of distant alarm. My eyes had come to rest on the heart visual, and as soon as they had, it had spread across all five screens.

 

"Ah, I see you've chosen which visual you find most relaxing. Good. Very good." I squirmed a bit. "Oh, is that collar a bit too tight? Tsk, I told you to wear comfortable clothes. Let me get that for you." He leaned in and undid the top button. I could feel the blush rising to my cheeks. "That's better, isn't it?" He smoothed the hair out of my face. "More comfortable." His fingers brushed across my forehead again. "More calm." My eyes felt like they were glued to the center screen; I couldn't look away. His fingers caressed down my cheek. "More relaxed, that's right." I didn't want to look away. "Are you ready to listen and go into trance for me?"

 

"Green." This time my voice sounded soft, distant. I felt like the restraints were all that kept me from floating away.

 

"Mmm, good. Very good." I felt him lowering the headset onto my ears. It was surprisingly soft and comfy. All the little sounds of the world outside stopped in an instant, as if he had just switched them off. I gazed up at him, blinking slowly, and smiled. He smiled back warmly, and pointed to the screens. Looking back to them, I could see words had started fading in and out among the pulsing shapes: "relax", "let go", "obey", "submit", "listen", "keep staring", "surrender". I felt them washing over me, beginning to take the place of other thoughts. Distantly, I thought I ought to be scared. But I just felt so relaxed, so calm, so good, there was no room left for fear.

 

I heard soft sounds in the headphones, slowly resolving into familiar music. "Aww, you've been so good for me, so patient, waiting with your eyes open. But when you're ready to obey, ready for me to wash away all those pesky thoughts, ready for my voice to guide you to deeper submission, you can simply let go and..."

 

I could barely keep my eyes open. It didn't matter. Everything was wonderful, exactly as it should be. I was so ready to relax and obey.

 

"...drop."