Daylight poured through the narrow window of Ally's dorm room as she rolled over in bed, turning her back to the unwelcome intruder.

 

 

Ally sat up, stretching her arms straight up in the air as she greedily sucked in a lungful of air. As she reached for her phone to shut off the imminent alarm, the screen lit up with a fresh notification: 

 

 

Ally smiled to herself as the phone illuminated her face.

 

"She just never stops coming through..."

 

Ally immediately replied. "Sure! Hopping in the shower now, drop by here in thirty minutes?"

 

Ally laughed out loud when she saw Maggie's response: an animated gif of Kermit the Frog holding his arms up, waving his hands in the air wildly and shouting "Yaay!"

 

Ally got out of bed, unceremoniously stripping out of her clothes to get ready to shower. As she turned around to toss them into the hamper, she noticed the black stain her damp, newly dyed hair left on the pillow.

 

"Oh, for fuck's sake," she grumbled to herself.

 

She tossed the whole pillow into the hamper before heading for the shower.

 

 

 

Exactly thirty minutes later, Ally heard a knock on the door. 

 

"It's open!" She called out, as she brushed her hair in front of the mirror.

 

She glanced at her door's reflection in the mirror to see Maggie walking in, eyes downcast, holding a piece of paper.

 

"Um..." Maggie says, unable to make eye contact with her friend. "This was taped to the door when I get here..."

 

Ally furrowed her brow in confusion as she held out her hand to take the paper from Maggie.

 

Maggie watched as Ally's eyes flitted from left to right, skimming the paper's contents.

 

"Right... yeah, I kinda-sorta... found out about that last night," Ally mumbled, choking back a tear.

 

Maggie dashed to her friend, quickly closing the distance between them, and squeezed Ally tight, giving Ally the biggest hug of their lives. Maggie felt, more than heard, Ally's casual facade break as Ally's body trembled against hers with every sob, every wail. Ally buried her face in Maggie's shoulder, refusing to see an encore of the night before.

 

Maggie stood still, not saying a word as she held her friend close, tenderly rubbing Ally's back while stroking her thumb back and forth. As Ally let it all out, part of Maggie glanced around, making mental notes of the extent of Ally's belongings.

 

Maggie reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of water, handing it to Ally. Ally wordlessly accepted it and gulped it down, trying to get ahold of herself.

 

As soon as Ally seemed to be settling down, Maggie held her friend by the shoulders and looked her square in the eye.

 

"You're moving into my spare room. Today. No arguments. I'm taking you to breakfast, and then we start packing."

 

 

 

Ally let out a hefty sigh as she set the last box down in her new space. Forehead glistening with sweat, she gently rubbed her back as she took a deep, cleansing breath.

 

Maggie saw her friend unwind for the first time since... ever.

 

"Looks like it's really shaping up," Maggie said, glancing around the once-empty room.

 

"Yeah, I should be able to get things all squirreled away by midnight," Ally replied, hanging some of her clothes on the closet rod.

 

"You got this, girl!" Maggie cheered, toasting bottles of water high in the air.

 

"Ok, so, now that things are a little more settled... I gotta know," Maggie started. "When I came to see you this morning, before... well, all that... you seemed fine. Better than fine. Was only when I showed you the notice that you were upset. How did you just forget?"

 

Maggie was surprised to see Ally actually smile a little before answering.

 

"I guess I haven't seen you since. I kinda... well..."

 

Ally absently rubbed her fingers against her leather jacket.

 

"I've been practicing with hypnosis, lately," she finished.

 

"What?! Hypnosis? Really?"

 

 

"Yep! Between psych classes and a few papers I wrote on it, I got pretty familiar with hypnosis. So when I got a call from my mother last night, I... well, I didn't take it very well... so I decided to try to hypnotize myself. Mostly it was just for stress relief, but at the same time, I kinda wondered what it'd be like, and... well, it worked!"

 

"You're serious," Maggie said, slightly taken aback.

 

"Yeah! Here, check it out."

 

Ally grabbed her phone and opened up her new YouTube page. Her eyes threatened to pop out of her head when she saw her subscriber count.

 

"100 subscribers?! Dude, I had only 20 last night...! Lemme check something." 

 

Ally navigated to her appointment calendar.

 

"... and four people have already signed up for hypnosis sessions with me over the next few days! It's been less than a day since I set that up!"

 

As Ally's sudden realization at her quickly growing demand began to fade, she realized that Maggie hadn't said a word since breaking the news. She looked over to see Maggie's eyes glued to Ally's phone, wide in disbelief.

 

"Wow, that's... amazing!" Maggie beamed.

 

"I know, right! And it felt so good going under hypnosis, Mags. Was just what I needed that night... Anyway, so on a lark, I recorded myself going under and put it on YouTube, and..." Ally finished her thought by gesticulating at her screen.

 

"That's crazy, girl! I might have to try it, sometime. For science," Maggie added, giving a sly smile.

 

"Well, I could use a little practice. I've only done it on myself, so far. Wanna try it?"

 

"Sure!" Maggie said, her eyes lighting up. "What do I do?"

 

"Just sit down over here," Ally replied, guiding Maggie over to the couch. Maggie sat down on the right side, with Ally taking the left, sitting next to her leather jacket, draped over the seat.

 

"Close your eyes, and take a few slow, deep breaths," Ally said, leaning in close to her friend. Ally took a few deep breaths, herself, syncing her breath to Maggie's as Ally shifted a little so her jacket was grazing her arm.

 

"In... hold it for a moment... and... let it out," Ally cooed, slowing her speech down as she guided Maggie along. "And another... in... hold... and, exhale, nice and slow," she said, audibly letting her own breath out nice and slow.

 

"Oh, that feels nice," Maggie sighed as she sank into the cushions.

 

"Yes, it does. You can just follow along, Maggie, you don't have to say anything. Just focus on the sound of my voice as I continue, ok?"

 

"Ok, sorry," Maggie said, smiling slightly and settling back into place.

 

"That's all right, you're doing great," Ally responded. "Now, I want you to become aware of your feet. Think of every little muscle in your feet, and feel them just... relax..."

 

Ally looked at Maggie's feet for a second, not seeing any discernible change. She absentmindedly played with her jacket as she continued.

 

"Good, that's right. And as your feet relax, you can almost see a wide, bright, white beam of light encompassing your feet. It's relaxing them further, letting you feel so good. You feel it, don't you Mags?"

 

Maggie smiled and nodded slightly.

 

"Good, and as I continue to speak, you notice the beam of light is moving up, slowly but surely. It's encompassing your ankles, your shins, your calves... below your knees, you feel so good, so relaxed."

 

Maggie smiled again, albeit less pronounced.

 

"That's right, and now the beam of light is moving up... up... up... up to your thighs, all the way to your waist. The entire lower half of your body feels loose, limp, and relaxed, now."

 

Ally noticed that Maggie's thighs fell open slightly. Distantly, she felt... something... deep inside.

 

"Good, you're doing great. Now, as the light keeps moving up, you find it's easier and easier to focus on my voice, on my words, as everything else just fades into the background. It's just you and me right now. Nothing else matters. As the light encompasses your stomach, your chest, even your shoulders, it's getting easier and easier to relax and let go..."

 

Maggie looked like she was sinking into the couch cushions, her body still, her breathing slow and even.

 

"Excellent, you're doing wonderfully. Now, as I count down from three to one, you're going to feel that soft, soothing light move from your shoulders right up your neck, and all over your scalp, and when I reach one, you'll be completely encased in light, feeling loose and relaxed. You want to feel loose and relaxed, don't you?"

 

Ally received another slight nod.

 

"Good. Three... light moving up your neck, now. Two, over your chin, your jaw, your nose... One, all the way up as you sleep deep, Mags..."

 

Ally looked at her friend, usually so vibrant, full of life, now zonked out on their couch.

 

 

"Good, very good. Drifting deeper and deeper, now, letting go as you focus on my words. Now, in a moment, I'm going to bring you out of hypnosis, and when I do, you're going to feel vivacious, full of energy, and ready to take on the rest of your day. Coming up on three, Mags. One, energy returning. Two, feeling great. Three, wide awake!"

 

Maggie's eyes snapped open as she took a deep breath in.

 

"Whoa, I feel fantastic! You're one heck of a hypnotist, Ally! I was just waiting for that spiral thing you were looking at in the video, and before I knew it..."

 

"Really?" Ally asked, surprised and flattered.

 

"Yeah! One minute, I was just chilling on the couch, next thing I knew..." she then pantomimed her relaxed, hypnotized posture on the couch.

 

"That's wonderful! I'm glad you had fun," Ally said, beaming.

 

"So, what did you leave behind? I'm not gonna cluck like a chicken on command, am I?" Maggie asked, half-jokingly.

 

"Oh, no no, I didn't leave any suggestions behind," Ally said. "We didn't talk about that, it wouldn't have been right."

 

"Well, you need your practice, girl! Let's do it again, but leave something behind for me this time. Let's see how well I respond."

 

"O-okay," Ally said, smiling from ear to ear. "Hold on, I'm gonna grab something."

 

Ally ran into her room for a moment before coming back with her tablet.

 

"You said you were waiting for the spiral. Let's use it this time! Is that ok?"

 

"Totally!" Maggie said, settling back in, actively working her bum into the cushions.

 

Ally sat on the coffee table in front of the couch, cued up the spiral, and turned the screen towards Maggie.

 

"Then just watch the spiral, Maggie. Focus on its centre as it spins around... and around... and around..."

 

Maggie's eyes instantly focused on the centre of Ally's tablet as she began to relax again.

 

"Good, just like that. And as you watch the spiral spinning... swirling... you can just focus on my voice once again and let it guide you down... down... down..."

 

Maggie responded more quickly this time. Already, her gaze was beginning to soften as she watched Ally's spiral spin before her eyes...

 

"That's right, just drifting down, further and further. Remember how you felt the last time I hypnotized you."

 

Ally felt an electric rush through her spine when she said that sentence. The last time I hypnotized you...

 

"Remember how good you felt. How relaxed your body was, how quiet your mind was..."

 

Maggie's eyes began to grow heavy as she started blinking more and more rapidly.

 

"And the more you remember how good it felt to be hypnotized by me, the more easily you fall deeply into trance for me, Mags. When I count down from three, you're going to fall right back down into trance once again. Is that ok?"

 

Maggie nodded, almost imperceptibly.

 

"Excellent. Three... your mind is in my spirals. My words are in your mind. Two... so focused on the spiral, so excited to fall into hypnosis with... one... deep sleep..."

 

Maggie's eyes slammed closed as her chin dipped down a little. Her breathing fell into a slow, easy pace as she slumped into the couch.

 

"Good, you're very good at this, Mags. Now, as you drift further and further down, you find it's easier and easier to accept my suggestions, isn't that right? Nod your head for me."

 

Maggie gave another small nod.

 

"That's right, and the deeper you go, the better you feel. The better you feel, the deeper you want to go..."

 

Maggie gave a small sigh, sinking further into the couch as she soaked up Ally's suggestions.

 

"Now, I bet you really like to fall into trance, where you can feel so good, so amazing. Isn't that right?"

 

Another nod.

 

"Then I'm going to give you a suggestion to make it even easier for you to do so. Whenever I say the words, 'deep sleep', and touch your neck like this..."

 

Ally softly stroked her fingertips up and down against the back of Maggie's neck.

 

"You're going to sink right down into this lovely, soft, relaxing trance for me. Would you like that, Maggie? Would you like to drop into hypnosis more easily?"

 

Another nod.

 

"Good, then we can just let that suggestion lock into place. Visualize it for me, Mags. Visualize it locking into your mind for me as you wake up. Up up up!"

 

Maggie's eyes opened more slowly this time without a proper wakener, and moved more sluggishly as her strength returned to her.

 

"Whoa, that was crazy! Uh... how long was that one? I'm not sure I remember all of it..." Maggie said, leaning in to Ally a little, cuddling up.

 

Ally flashed a mischievous smile.

 

"Oh, it wasn't all that long. I just showed you the spiral," Abby replied, nonchalantly holding up her tablet for a moment as Maggie's eyes seemed to latch onto it for a few seconds.

 

"... then I spoke to you for a bit, guided you back down, and told you to go into a..."

 

Ally stroked the back of Maggie's neck up and down.

 

"... deep sleep..."

 

Maggie stiffened as soon as she felt Ally's fingertips touching her neck. When she heard the phrase, though, her shoulders slumped and her eyes grew heavy, staring emptily ahead at nothing.

 

"Good job. Deep sleep, Maggie."

 

Ally kept stroking the back of Maggie's neck as she spoke, using the new trigger again. With the second utterance, Maggie's eyes closed as her body deflated. She sunk back into the couch again, her head feeling incredibly heavy.

 

"Well, looks like that one worked," Ally said with a snicker.

 

"Wake up, Mags." snap

 

Maggie slowly opened her eyes as Ally touched Maggie's neck again.

 

"Deeeeep sleeeeep..."

 

Maggie melted into the couch, body completely limp.

 

"Up up up," Ally teased, snapping her fingers.

 

"What wasss..." was all Maggie could say before Ally used the trigger again.

 

"Deep sleep," this time snapping her fingers with her other hand.

 

Maggie collapsed down into the seat, feeling so relaxed and open.

 

"Deeper and deeper down, that's right. Five, feeling so relaxed. Four, utterly focused on the sound of my voice. Three, feeling amazing. Two, things are so easy for you when you're like this. One, deep sleep.

 

"Now, Mags, we can agree that you're very focused on me right now, isn't that right? It's so easy to focus on me."

 

Maggie gave an almost imperceptible nod.

 

"And if you can focus on me, then you can focus on other things, too. When we sit down to study together, you find that it's so incredibly easy for you to focus on your schoolwork. Your mind laser focuses on the material and does what it needs to do to absorb all that information. It'll be so easy for you, won't it?"

 

"...Yes," Maggie replied, voice thick and dull.

 

"and since I've done you this wonderful favour to help you with your homework, it's only natural that you'd want to help me in return, isn't it?"

 

"... Um... I guess?" Maggie said, furrowing her brow.

 

"Yes, you want to help me," Ally said, stroking Maggie's neck again. "One good turn deserves another, and I just did you a great big favour, so a little one is perfectly reasonable."

 

Maggie's brow settled as she said, "yes, it is."

 

"Good, then whenever I start a sentence with the phrase, 'I'd love it if', then that sentence will persuade you to do as I ask of you. You'll feel so good when you do so, knowing you're helping me practice hypnosis and knowing it feels so good to help me. It's such a simple little favour, so it's so easy for you to accept it."

 

Maggie simply nodded again.

 

"Good, good job. Now, you mentioned before that you didn't quite remember everything while you were under hypnosis. That's perfectly normal, Maggie. It's perfectly normal for you to have some missing time while you're under hypnosis for me. So if, when you wake up, you find that some memories are hazy, or distorted, or just plain missing, you'll realize it's perfectly normal and nothing to worry about, ok?"

 

Another nod.

 

"Excellent. Now, waking up from trance in a moment, remembering how good it felt to be hypnotized and in awe of my hypnotic abilities. One, deep in hypnosis and open to my words. Two, drifting back to full awareness now. Three, all the way up, feeling incredible!"

 

Maggie took a little longer to wake out of trance this time, and Ally gave her all the time in the world to come back up. She stretched her arms all the way out, extended her chest out, and took a deep, cleansing breath.

 

"Wow, I never knew it felt this good to be hypnotized!" Maggie said, leaning over and kissing Ally on the cheek.

 

Maggie instantly pulled back, blushing heavily and looking down at the floor.

 

"Oh, Ally, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I don't know what came over me," she said, still looking at the floor.

 

Ally simply chuckled at her friend's discomfort.

 

"All good, Mags. It's already forgotten. I'd love it if you tossed me that pillow over there."

 

Maggie looked at the pillow Ally was pointing at and threw the pillow straight at Ally's face.

 

"Ow! What'd you do that for?"

 

Maggie looked at her with a playful smile.

 

"What? You told me to toss you that pillow. You didn't say how hard."

 

"... Oh, it is so on!"

 

The ensuing pillow fight left Ally a laughing, giggling mess while Maggie dominated the couch in an onslaught of pillows...

 

 

 

One cleaned up living room and hastily eaten dinner later, Maggie stood in the doorway to Ally's bedroom.

 

"What time are you looking for the shower tomorrow? I usually shower at 7."

 

Ally looked at her schedule for tomorrow. 

 

 

Ally walked toward the door, pretending to have noticed something behind Maggie. Maggie turned around, curious what Ally had seen, only to suddenly feel Ally's fingers on her neck.

 

"Deep sleep, Maggie..."

 

Maggie's knees as she nearly fell to the floor. Ally, luckily for both of them, was quick enough to put her free hand around Maggie's waist, holding her upright.

 

"That's right, standing and sleeping for me, deeper and deeper, your legs can hold you up as you fall into a deep sleep..."

 

Maggie stood help up by her friend, chin resting against her chest as trance overtook her.

 

"Maggie, when I wake you up, you're going to feel so incredibly tired. You're going to be so utterly exhausted that you want to get to bed early tonight. You'll sleep so incredibly soundly. It'll be the best sleep you had in months. When you wake up tomorrow, you'll find yourself up and about in plenty of time. You'll take a shower at 630, leaving the bathroom open for me by 7. It'll be so easy, won't it?"

 

Another nod.

 

"Good girl."

 

Ally found herself feeling a rush of pleasure as she said those two words. She sucked in a deep breath of air as her posture straightened entirely, feeling a rush of endorphins all through her brain.

 

 

"Now, just like before, you can just let the memories of being hypnotized just now fade away. You don't need these memories, it's so much easier if you just wake from trance and head for bed. Isn't that right?"

 

"Yes," Maggie said.

 

"Good. Now, head for your room. When you close your door, you'll wake from trance, not remembering this little session of ours," Ally said, snapping her fingers for good measure.

 

Maggie's eyes opened, albeit only halfway and seemingly lifeless. Slowly, lethargically, she turned around, headed for her own bedroom, and closed the door.

 

Maggie shook her head for a second, looking confused as she glanced around her room.

 

"What the...?" She thought to herself, before letting out an exaggerated yawn.

 

Maggie looked at a few papers on her desk on the way to her bed. She saw a post-it note stuck to some documents on top: "make sure to shower for 7 tomorrow, dumbass!"

 

Maggie stared at the note, confused. "Huh? I'm exhausted, I'm not staying up that late."

 

Maggie turned and moved toward the bed again. "Wasn't I...?" Maggie shook her head. "Whatever, it's probably nothing.

 

 

 

 

Ally stood in front of her mirror, wearing her leather jacket and boots, brushing her dark hair as she gazed into her own reflection. She kept playing the night's events in her mind over and over again: using the spiral on Maggie, triggering her under, even messing with her memories...

 

As images of Maggie's hazy eyes flashed through her imagination, Ally became more and more intrigued.

 

 

As the thought came to her, she remembered her own experiences with that spiral. She thought of how she felt then, and how she felt tonight. 

 

Ally looked at her laptop, at the recordings she made for herself. She looked at her phone, open to her YouTube page and its still-growing subscriber count.

 

She then looked at the notice she'd received from school that morning which she thought she'd shredded.

 

Ally sat down at her desk, cued up her recording from last night, and put her headphones on...