Chapter 1: Meeting
It all started when I wanted to quit smoking. I'd tried everything before, all the online tricks, gum, whatever. It just didn't stick.
So when I read an ad online for hypnosis 'to unlock your most essential self' with the subheading 'quit bad habits build new ones', I decided "fuck it, I'll give it a shot."
The place was on the second floor of a crystals and tarot shop. Behind the counter sat a pretty younger woman with a black hair done in the complex braid and a flowing robe, with glowing green eyes that perked up with her customer service grin as I entered.
"Hey, how do I get to the hypnotist's office?" I asked.
She didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at me. I shuffled uncomfortably. I know I didn't look like much, all five foot four with an expanding beer belly in a loose work shirt and jeans, but those green eyes seemed to cut into me, peeling back layers.
Then, she blinked, and her vacant, kind smile was back. "Oh, through that curtain and upstairs," she said cheerfully. I followed her pointing gloved finger to a beaded curtain I hadn't noticed before. "You're lucky, Mister Anderson is between clients."
I just thanked her, nodded, and made my way upstairs.
The office door was ajar and opened as I knocked. The space inside seemed to be just a boring old office, maybe a little sparse, with the strong smell of incense.
Mister Anderson was a stocky, tan man with a shaved head and face, a jaw like a brick, and a pair of hazel eyes that seemed to dissect me much much more than the girl downstairs did.
"What are you here for?" He asked impatiently.
"Uh, I saw the ad about quitting smoking?" I said.
"Sit, sit" he waved at the trio of plain office chairs in front of his desk. "I'm quite busy, so let's just get to it." He pulled out a small red disc on a chain, and as I sat began to swing it back and forth.
"Aren't you going to try and get me in a trance?" I asked, eyes unconsciously tracking the swinging disc.