"Jewel!" Dylan, her roommate, burst into her room, flinging the door open so it crashed against the wall. Jewel jumped out of her chair and ripped her headphones out. "I need your help!"
"With what? What happened? Are you okay?"
"I have a project that's due in a week and I haven't worked on it at all in the last two months and now I really need a test subject and you're the only available person I could think of," Dylan blurted, all in one breath. They panted, running a hand through their hair.
"Okay, why don't we calm down?" Jewel said gently. "What's the project for?"
"Behavioral studies." Dylan was a psychology major. "Umm, I'm studying how hypnosis affects people."
"Hypnosis... Really?" Jewel snickered.
"Don't laugh."
"Isn't hypnosis for, like, dweebs and college dropouts with fake degrees?" Dylan grumbled and turned to leave. "Hey, don't get all pissy! I never said I wouldn't do it."
"So you'll help me?"
"Yeah, sure. Just as long as you don't fuck with my head too much. I just... don't like the thought of not being fully in control of my mind. Does that make sense?"
"Of course it makes sense. I promise I won't do a lot. Just, like, put you to sleep a couple times and, I dunno, make you do the Cha-Cha Slide or something." Jewel laughed.
"Then sure, go ahead."
"Great. Can we start now? You're not busy, are you?"
"I mean, I have some homework to do, but I'd rather not." Dylan smiled and sat on the bed. She turned to face them.
"No, here, just..." They turned her chin so she was looking at the stark-white wall. They lowered their voice. "There... Just stare at the wall. Don't think about anything else."
Jewel stared, studying the miniscule bumps and cracks in the wall. Dylan leaned over and began tracing circles on her back.
"Relax, Jewel... Relax your body and your mind..." She took a deep breath, her muscles visibly relaxing. "Every thought in your head is silent. All you can hear is my voice echoing in your empty brain."
Jewel's eyes started to glaze over. Her breathing was slower and her jaw was slack. Dylan lifted her hand, and when they let go, it fell right back into her lap. They smiled and took out their phone, jotting down a few, quick notes.
"Good... Now, picture a little Bubble floating in front of you." Jewel's gaze focused on an invisible Bubble that only she could see. "All your thoughts have been nice and quiet, haven't they?"
"Mhmm..."
"Wouldn't it be nice if they weren't even inside your head? Wouldn't it be nice if all your thoughts floated out of your head and into this shiny, little Bubble?" Jewel smiled dumbly. "When I say Bubble, your brain will become empty as your Bubble fills with your thoughts."
Jewel started drooling with no brainpower left to tell her to close her mouth. Dylan didn't mind. They simply took a few pictures of her, laughing at how dumb she looked.
"Doesn't it feel so good to have this Bubble taking care of your thoughts for you?"
"Uhh..."
"Yes, it does. Now your brain is completely empty except for the sound of my voice echoing in your head. Doesn't that make you feel happy and airheaded?" Jewel smiled, giggling. Dylan grinned and slid closer. "Bubble... Bubble..."
"Bubble..." Jewel softly echoed.
"When I count to five, you'll wake up and your thoughts will return to your head. You won't remember your trigger, but your subconscious will."
"In one... two... three... four... five."
"Huh?" Jewel blinked, yawning widely. "Hm, what happened?"
