Tina was laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling when she heard it. The sound of her mom having sex.

Not again…

She pressed her hands against her ears, trying to block out the noise, but her mother’s screams of joy echoed throughout the house.

“I can’t take this,” she groaned, grabbing her headphones. She put them on and started playing music, but the mental image wouldn’t go away.

Tina ran down the hall to her sister’s room, her bare feet slapping against the wood floor. She knocked on the door until it opened.

“They’re at it again,” Tina muttered, her face pale.

Emily sighed, closing the door. “Yeah, I know.” She said, rubbing her tired eyes. “She’s getting worse.”

Tina sat down, her arms wrapped around her knees. “It’s like she’s a whole different person. Like he’s turning her into some kind of…” She stopped, not wanting to finish.

“I know,” Emily said. “We have to fix this.”

“How? He’s so careful.”

Emily clenched her fist. “I don’t care how careful he is. We’re getting Mom back. No matter what.”

Tina looked at her sister and felt a glimmer of hope. Emily always knew what to do. If anyone could find a way to stop this, it was her.

***

It all started a month ago, when Dr. Cooper showed up at their door. Their mother, Anna, had posted an ad looking to rent out the spare bedroom. She’d been out of work for a couple months and needed the extra money.

The ad specified women only, so Tina found it strange when her mom agreed to let Dr. Cooper move in. Even then, he had a way of making her see things how he wanted.

Everything seemed fine at first. He was polite and kept to himself. A little odd, but not in a way that Tina could explain.

Then one day, he offered to help Anna with therapy sessions to “lift her spirits.” She’d been depressed ever since losing her job, spending hours each day searching for something new. Tina figured it was harmless. Maybe it would even help.

That’s when everything started changing.

The transformation was slow. So slow that Tina didn’t notice anything at first. But day by day, her mom, the strong, independent woman who’d raised her, starting acting different.

It began with her clothes. She used to dress pretty normal. Business professional at work, and sweaters, jeans, and other boring mom stuff at home. She was never the type of person who liked showing off her body, but then her necklines starting dipping lower, while her skirts got shorter. She seemed to really enjoy all the attention.

Then it was her personality. She started acting…weird. Spacey and forgetful, like she had trouble focusing. She’d laugh at things that weren’t funny and shrug off her usual concerns. She became more and more dependent on Dr. Cooper’s suggestions, letting him make all her decisions. What to wear, what to eat, when to relax. Obsessed with doing whatever he wanted.

They even started having sex.

When Dr. Cooper first moved in, it was obvious that there wasn’t any sexual attraction between them. He wasn’t her type. But now, she couldn’t keep her hands off him.

And every day things continued to get worse. Tina worried they were running out of time.

***

“We can’t keep letting this happen,” Emily said, pacing the room.

Tina nodded. “But what are we supposed to do?”

“We need proof. He’s doing something to her—hypnosis or brainwashing—we just need to prove it. We need to record one of his “sessions”.

“How? He’d never let us go anywhere near there.”

Emily stopped pacing. “You’ll have to do it.”

“What?”

“It’s the only way. We’ll hide a mic on you and record everything. Something we can use to prove what he’s been doing to Mom.”

“What if he tries messing with my head too?”

“It took weeks for her to start changing,” Emily said. “It didn’t happen overnight. It’ll just be this one time.”

Tina considered the idea. The thought of being alone with Dr. Cooper made her skin crawl. She didn’t even like being in the same house as him. But Emily was right. They needed to do something.

Emily placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

Tina sighed. “Alright. I’ll do it.”

***

Tina stood outside Dr. Cooper’s office. It used to be her mom’s home office, but like everything else, he’d taken that from her too. Her heart was pounding, and for a moment, she considered turning back. But Emily’s words echoed in her mind.

We have to figure out how he’s doing this. We need to save Mom.

Tina took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Her hand was shaking. Moments later, the door opened and there he was: Dr. Cooper. His smile was cold, and his stare made her shiver.

“Tina, come in. I’m so glad you decided to take me up on my offer.”

She forced a smile, trying her best to act natural. “Yeah, well, I figured it couldn’t hurt to talk.”

The room was softly lit with a large recliner set up in the middle. Everything was perfectly arranged. This was the place where he’d been brainwashing her mom.

Dr. Cooper sat down. “Relax. No need to be nervous.”

Tina tried to steady her breathing. She felt small under his intense gaze. Hidden underneath her baggy sweatshirt, was the microphone, silently recording everything.

Stay calm, she told herself. Just get through this. It’ll be alright.

“So tell me, what’s been bothering you?”

Tina hesitated. She didn’t know where to start. Should she bring up her mom? Talk about school? Or maybe just make something up?

“I guess I’ve just been feeling really stressed out lately.” It was the truth.

“That’s perfectly understandable,” Dr. Cooper replied. “Change is difficult. Especially when we feel like we’ve lost control. But you don’t have to deal with it all on your own. I can help you.”

“I don’t know…” she stammered, trying to sound uncertain. She needed to lure him into saying something they could use. “What exactly would you be doing to help me?”

Dr. Cooper smiled. “Therapy is about changing how you see things. Sometimes we just need to let go of certain…burdens and embrace a new way of thinking.”

A strange feeling washed over Tina, and her thoughts began to slow. His voice seemed to wrap around her mind.

“Let me help you, Tina. All you need to do is focus on my voice.”

Tina blinked, trying her best to shake off the strange feeling.

“Just relax.”

Tina’s breathing slowed as Dr. Cooper’s relaxing voice entered her thoughts. Each word was like a gentle wave, washing over her. Her heavy eyelids started to close. Though her mind was still resisting, her body was giving in.

“You’re doing so well, Tina,” Dr. Cooper said. His voice was warm and comforting. “You feel relaxed now, don’t you?”

Tina struggled to keep her thoughts clear. She reminded herself why she was here. I have to stay strong. I’m here to help Mom. But his voiced continued, soothing her anxious mind.

“It feels good to relax, doesn’t it? To not think. To not worry. To just let go.”

Tina blinked, her head dipping as she sank into the chair. There was something about his voice that made it feel so easy to…relax.

“No more worries. Just my voice, guiding you.”

Tina’s muscles relaxed. Her hands rested in her lap. Her mind felt distant as Dr. Cooper’s words drifted through her mind like a thick fog, making it hard to think. She tried to focus but couldn’t.

“Good girl.”

His words were soft but they hit her hard, overwhelming her senses and igniting something deep inside. A rush of warmth spread through her chest. The phrase echoed in her mind, growing louder and louder.

Good girl…

Something about being called a “good girl” made her feel…safe. She didn’t question it.

Tina liked the way it felt.

***

The two sisters sat quietly. The glow of the laptop screen lit up their faces as Emily scrolled through the files.

Tina’s heart was still pounding from her session with Dr. Cooper. She hadn’t told her sister about everything that happened—how strange it felt, how hard it was to focus. She kept replaying the words in her head.

Good girl.

It was such a simple phrase, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Emily opened the audio file, but there was only silence. “What the hell? Where is it?”

“…Maybe we set it up wrong,” Tina said nervously.

Emily slammed her fist on the desk. “I can’t do anything without proof! This recording was supposed to be it.”

“I’ll go again,” Tina blurted. She wasn’t sure why she’d said that. “We’ll make sure the mic actually works.”

“No. Absolutely not,” Emily said. “I’m not putting you through that again.”

Tina felt conflicted. Part of her knew her sister was right. She should be staying far away from Dr. Cooper and his strangley relaxing voice. But another part of her…almost wanted to go back. Like there was something that was left unfinished.

“We have to, Em,” Tina insisted. “It’s the only way to save Mom.”

Emily considered the idea. “Are you sure you didn’t feel anything weird? He didn’t say anything strange?”

“What? No! Everything was normal. We just talked for a little bit.”

Dr. Cooper hadn’t done anything to her. He couldn’t have. She would’ve known.

“Talked about what?”

“School,” she lied.

Deep down, Tina knew her sister was right. It wasn’t a good idea. Going back there was dangerous. But every time she thought about it, it wasn’t fear she felt, it was…anticipation.

“I can handle it, Em. Trust me.”

Emily sighed. She knew it was a bad idea. Too risky, too dangerous. But it was their only chance to save their mom.

“Fine. But if we do this, we need to be smarter. I’ll triple-check everything. And if you feel even the slightest hint of him messing with your head, you get out of there right away. Understood?”

Tina nodded, feeling a surge of excitement. Just one more time, she told herself. One more and I’ll have it all figured out.

***

The next morning, Emily sat at the kitchen table with her laptop. She been up all night reading article after article about hypnosis and mind control.

I shouldn’t let her go back, Emily thought. But what choice do I have?

The sound of Tina coming down the stairs interrupted her thought. She was dressed casually, in jeans and a hoodie, but something seemed…off. She looked a little too calm.

“You ready?” Tina asked.

Emily nodded. “Yeah, I triple-checked everything. It’ll work this time.”

As they walked down the hall, Emily kept looking over at her sister. “You sure about this, T?”

Tina took a deep breath, then smiled. “I’ll be fine. Really.”

Emily watched from a distance as Tina knocked on the door and went inside. Now all she could do was wait.

Inside Dr. Cooper’s office, Tina sat down. Her heart was pounding.

Dr. Cooper smiled. “Welcome back, Tina. How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay, I guess.”

“Good. Let’s pick up where we left off. You did so well last time. Just relax. Feel yourself let go, just like before. You remember how easy it was, don’t you?”

Tina’s eyelids fluttered, her mind slipping into a pleasant haze. She wanted to resist, but each word pulled her deeper, leaving her feeling so…calm. So relaxed.

“I remember,” she whispered, her body sinking into the chair.

“Good girl.”

Tina took a shaky breath. Her fingers curled into her palms. That phrase again. It had haunted her thoughts. She could feel it in the edges of her mind. But she couldn’t let it in. Not again. She needed to focus—had to…remember why she was here.

Outside, Emily paced in the kitchen, filled with anxiety. This has to work.

By the end of the session, Tina’s mind had drifted far away, her body melting into the chair.

“Say it again, Tina.”

“Dr. Cooper knows what’s best for me.”

“That’s right. You trust me now, don’t you?”

“Yes, Dr. Cooper.”

“You need more.”

“I need more.”

Dr. Cooper smiled. “Good girl.”

Good girl. Good girl. The words echoed through her mind, louder and more insistent.

“Now when you think back on this conversation, all you’ll remember is that we had a good conversation. You realized that I understand you more than anyone else. You want me to help you.”

“Yes, Dr. Cooper…”

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door to Dr. Cooper’s office opened. Tina stepped out, her face calm, eyes glazed over.

Emily rushed over. “Well?” she whispered. “How did it go? What happened? Did you feel anything strange?”

Tina blinked a few times, as the fog cleared from her mind. “No. It felt…normal. Just like last time.”

Emily’s brow furrowed. “Okay…well, let’s just listen to the recording.”

They hurried back to Emily’s room, her hands fumbling as she inserted the memory card into her laptop. The audio file loaded. It had recorded the entire session. Emily held her breath and pressed play…but there was only silence. No voices. No sound. Nothing.

Emily’s heart sank. “No. No, no, no!” She pressed play again. Silence. “What the hell? It was working! I know it was!”

Tina quietly watched as Emily frantically scrubbed through the audio.

“How does this keep happening?” Emily groaned. “This was supposed to work. We were supposed to get proof. Something’s seriously wrong.”

“Maybe...we just need to...try again?” Tina asked, her hands nervously fidgeting.

Emily’s head snapped up. “No! I’m not letting you go back there. It’s not safe.”

Tina wanted to say something but didn’t. Deep down, she knew Emily was right. But despite that, part of her wanted to go back. Part of her craved the calm, the warmth, the certainty that came with listening to his voice. And that scared her.

“I know, Em,” Tina said. “I… I just want to help Mom. Maybe if I go just one more time, I can figure out how he’s doing it. Maybe he’ll slip up or something...”

“No!” Emily shouted. “It’s too risky. We don’t even know what he’s already done to you.”

“He hasn’t done anything,” Tina said, defensively. “He’s not—we just talked. It’s not like what he’s doing to Mom.”

“I’m not letting you go back,” Emily insisted. “I’ll figure something else out.”

Tina was torn between wanting to listen to her sister and the growing urge to see Dr. Cooper again.

“You’re right,” Tina finally said. “It’s a bad idea. I won’t go. I just wanted Mom back.”

Emily let out a relieved sigh. “I know, T. We’ll figure out another way. I promise.”

Later that night, Emily sat in her room, searching for information while Tina stood outside Dr. Cooper’s office. Her hand hovered over the door. The temptation to knock and go inside was overwhelming. It had only been a few hours, but the urge was already creeping back in.

One more time, she told herself. Just one last time.

She thought about what Emily said, pleading with her to stay away. But there was another thought. One that urged her to just…give in.

Tina knocked on the door.