Too Good to Be True
Chapter 3
As the test is about to begin, i can’t help but have a feeling of both arousal and fear, at the same time. I am strapped to a chair undergoing an evaluation that could quite possibly spell employment for me if all goes well. My vision is affixed to Angela, the girl who is doing this evaluation, through the window in the booth that I am in. The only thing i can hear due to the headphones on my head is my own heavy breathing, and a slight bit of feedback.
Angela then talks through the microphone into the headphones. She says, “All right, we are going to start now.” She is so beautiful, how could i get so lucky as to be worked on by someone like her? She looks at me for a moment, then looks down at her control panel, then off to the right, and from what i can tell she flips a couple of switches. Once she does that, a series of lights above the window start to flicker in a dazzling array, going from left to right, and then from right to left. Normally, i would turn away from such a display but my eyes are taped open, and my forehead is rendered immobile at the moment. I try to follow Angela’s instructions but i am starting to find myself lost in the lights.
After a couple of minutes, Angela’s voice again comes through the headphones, and says, “OK, you’re doing fine. The lights will keep going in sequence for a few moments more, and once that is done, we will begin the hearing test proper.” I simply nod. The lights have grabbed my attention as i begin to gaze upon them, but i do what i can to heed Angela’s instruction. I begin to become slightly sleepy, but before i completely pass out, the lights then stop. For a moment, i felt as if i was being lifted out of my body, and then my senses come back to me again.
Angela then says, “All right, Wes. You did very well. I believe that Nora will be pleased with your progress so far. All of your readings show nominal, so we will now begin your hearing test...starting with your right ear.” I nod back in acknowledgment. I then hear a tone in my right ear, and as Angela had instructed, i move my index finger. More tones are introduced, and i respond accordingly with my index finger. I look at Angela as she is operating the control console, and she looks very focused as she is conducting this evaluation. I continue to respond to the tones for several moments, and then the tones stop.
Angela flips a few switches and then says, “All right, Wes. We will now move to the left ear. Do exactly as you did before.” Her voice this time sounded sensual, but more firm than she sounded before. I again nod in acknowledgement, except my response felt so...automatic. Like i did that without thinking. Could my fears about this evaluation be correct? I think to myself that i am just being paranoid, and that there is no sinister conspiracy behind this test or my entire interview. The tones begin to come in, and again i respond with my index finger. This goes on for several moments, and as it goes along, i am becoming more and more groggy. I then try to get up, but the straps hold me in place, so i try to move around slightly to keep myself awake. When the tones stop coming, i then ask Angela, “I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but this has taken a lot out of me. Could we possibly pick this up at some point tomorrow?”
Angela smiles, and looks at me through the window, and then says, “My apologies, Wes. There is one more thing that we need to do as part of the test, and then i will release you. Your readings have been impressive so far. Now we are going to do a loudness test. What i will do is i will slowly increase the volume of sound that is introduced into your ears. As i increase it, i want you to tell me when it gets too loud for you.” Angela then presses some buttons off to her left side, and then places both of her hands on the console to the left. From what i can tell, both of her hands are on the knobs of the console as she is getting ready to turn them. “All right, here we go..” she says.
I just noticed that she didn’t ask if it was okay, she just went right into this phase of the test. The sound in my ears begins to become louder. As the sound becomes leader, i can hear a female voice subtly say, “Obey,” very softly. I look at Angela and from what i can tell she is looking at the console and turning the knobs. The sound hasn’t gotten uncomfortable yet, but it is starting to get to the point where it is becoming somewhat painful. The words “Obey” continually ring in my ears at least once every 3 seconds while this is going on. My male pride now is on the line. Do i tell her to stop, or do i show her how tough i am, and keep enduring through the ever-increasing pitch of sound being introduced to me. I look at Angela again. She keeps one hand on the left control console, and shifts her other hand to the main console. I then go back to the beginning, and i think to myself, isn’t that what activated the lights? As she does that, the lights begin to flicker, but this time in a different pattern. The lights start off, one at each end, and then pulsate to meet in the middle, and it does this continually. By this time, the sounds have gotten very uncomfortable, and i tell Angela, “OK Angela, i think i reached my limit. Can we stop now?”
What follows next is eerie and terrifying silence. “Angela?” I then scream, “Angela?!” as i look to her through the window. She is turning the knob on the left control console, and then she briefly smiles at me with a wicked grin. I try to avert the lights and their sequence, but Angela has me in a position where i cannot move my head away from their hypnotic patterns. Nor can i shut my eyes because she taped them open. I become frantic and try to move my head, but the strap across my forehead has it completely immobile. I immediately try to tug and pull at the straps that are on this chair, but i am held fast in their embrace. I am truly helpless, and i am unsure now what plans this woman has for me. The sound pitch comes in at a higher shriek, as I see Angela turn the knobs further around. She then says, “Do not try to fight the voice or the lights. In doing so, you will cause yourself great pain. Pain beyond comparison or imagination. Pain that will only grow as you try to fight.” Unfortunately, she was right. My brain was on fire, but as i tried to retain myself, the pain only increased.
Angela then talks to me through the headphones again. “That’s it...that’s it...focus on the lights...focus on the sound of my voice. Yes, my beautiful voice.” I begin to feel as if...i want to obey the voice. All of my resistance is gone, and i ease back in to the chair, no longer struggling, my gaze affixed to the lights and my attention focused on the wonderful voice now flowing through the headphones. A few more seconds pass by, and then she says, “Now, I am going to give you several instructions, and you will follow them to the letter. You are to acknowledge your understanding of these instructions by replying, Yes Lady Angela. Do you understand me?” I reply blankly, “Yes Lady Angela.” Angela then replies, “Good. Now there are three things i want you to do for me: First and foremost, you are to obey the voices of Angela, Nora and Sonya, without question. When we command, you obey. Do you understand?” I again blankly say, “Yes Lady Angela.” Angela was smiling from ear to ear at her handiwork of having me as a captive audience. “Very good, servant. Number 2: you will modify your memories to remember nothing beyond the end of the hearing test proper, until such time as Nora, Angela, and Sonya deem it appropriate. Do you understand?” Again, i reply without any emotion, “Yes Lady Angela.” Angela is very pleased at this point and then says, “And the third and final instruction i will give you, you will carry out only when...” and then her voice trails off, and i sink into the murky waters of unconsciousness.
I find myself awake...in Nora’s office. As I come to, i look at the clock and the time reads 7:30PM. Nora is sitting at her desk, and looking at me, smiling, and she is flanked by Angela on one side, and the brunette secretary that initially let me in to see Nora on the other. As i awaken, i remember ending the hearing test proper, when we had just finished the pure-tone testing...and that’s where everything went black. Nora then says, “Angela was telling me that you progressed very well in your evaluation.” I look at Angela, and she smiled back at me. Nora then continues, “Angela told me that you were so relaxed after the test, that she just didn’t have the heart to wake you, so both her and my assistant Sonya brought you up here.” Sonya then smiles at me as well. I feel very apologetic, and i say, “Ladies, i am so sorry. I feel like i have kept you at the office much longer than you care to be. I really do hope that i haven’t wasted your time.” Nora leans forward and says, “No my boy. Quite the contrary. It looks like i have just found my next employee. I will let you soak in the joy of being part of the work-force once again.” Nora then sits back in her chair leisurely, and then says, “Why don’t you go home and sleep on this, and i will call you in the morning with all the details that you will need. How does that sound?” I smile nervously, and nod, and thank the ladies again for staying with me for such long hours after the office had closed, and excuse myself. As i am about to leave, Nora then says, “Be ready for my call,” in a firm but sensual tone, and for some reason, at least in my head, i have sworn a solemn vow to not miss the call from Nora, and as i leave, the everburning desire to not dissapoint this woman who has placed such faith in me becomes profound.
I then go downstairs via the elevator, and the female security guard that was there before is still there. I tell her “Good night” and she replies with, “Sweet dreams.” I get into my car and think how lucky i must be to have found this wonderful and unique opportunity. But what if things were too good to be true? Only time would tell as i entered into the next stage of my life...