The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

I

“Can I help you, Sir?”

The clerk stood off to one side behind the counter. An older, white-haired man, probably the owner of Foster’s Sandman Shop, thought Mark. Another, younger clerk who was helping a woman look through a tray of pendants definitely looked like an employee.

“Er, yes. I’ve got a new neighbor upstairs who comes in late at night and makes a lot of noise and wakes me up. A guy at work suggested I look into a white noise machine. I saw your ad in the yellow pages and thought I’d check out these machines. Do they really cover up noise?”

“Oh, yes. They work very well. There are different models, depending on the intended use. All of them cover up noise, but some of them are intended to prevent others from hearing a conversation. Others are used to mask external noise. This is the Sandman 2100. We have them made specially to our design, and it’s one of the most popular models for nighttime use. It will effectively mask about 90 percent of external sound. The other 10 percent is usually not enough to wake anyone. Let me plug it in and turn it on for you.” The clerk placed a small, round white cylinder about three inches high and four inches wide on the counter and plugged it in. The plastic housing had slits in it, and the clerk twisted the top of the cylinder to open them up and then pressed a switch.

“This is a new . . .” The younger clerk’s conversation with the other customer was immediately cut off as the shop filled with a sound like a fan blowing. Both of them glanced over, the younger clerk smiled at Mark and said something. Mark saw his lips move but heard no sound. Mark suddenly realized that all the street noise had disappeared. “That’s amazing.” The older clerk smiled at him and turned the machine off. The sounds from outside came rushing back.

“What was that?” asked the other customer.

“It’s a white noise machine,” explained the younger clerk. “It drowns out other sounds. People use them so that they can sleep at night or so that they can talk or make noise without other people hearing. We sell a lot of them.”

“It’s also adjustable,” said the older clerk. “The switch can be set for either high or low volume, and the cowling around the machine can be moved to open and close these ports. You adjust it to the level you need. Most people start out with a low volume but find that within a few days they can tolerate the higher settings. Of course, the higher the volume, the more external sounds it drives out. If you’re using it to mask a conversation from others, however, you need to turn it down a bit or you won’t be able to hear what the other person is saying.”

“I want one of those,” said the other customer. “There is a new baby next door, and the crying is keeping us up. That’s just what we need.”

Mark decided he wanted one as well. “I’ll take one too.”

The shop owner gave the younger clerk a bright blue box with a picture of the Sandman 2100 on it. “I’ll just be a moment, Sir. That’s was the last of these machines I had out front. I’ll run back and get a unit for you. We just got a new shipment of these in, fresh from the factory. It won’t take a moment, Sir”

Mark wandered around the store looking at the other merchandise while he was waiting. The stock was varied, to say the least. A rotating stand of subliminal learning tapes sat next to a case filled with crystals; medallions with new age symbols were displayed beside books on meditation. The younger clerk rang up the other customer’s purchases and bagged them. “Thank you, and come again.”

“Can I show you anything else, Sir, while you’re waiting for Mr. Foster to come back?”

“What are these crystals for?”

“They’re used as an aid in focusing the attention, Sir. Here, let me show you.” The clerk pulled out a tray of crystals from a cabinet and held up a clear blue diamond-shaped crystal on a chain. It caught the light as it slowly swung back and forth on the chain. “You hang this at around eye level and then focus on it while you meditate. It helps clear the mind. You can see that the crystal is very clear. You just stare at it and then relax your thoughts and make the mind as clear and as pure as the crystal as you focus on it.”

The clerk’s voice was soft and relaxing, Mark could see that the crystal might work. He watched it swing back and forth. “I don’t meditate.”

“That’s all right, Sir. It can be used to help you relax. It’s good practice just to concentrate on it and then relax. It helps to remove tension and prepares you for whatever task you want to focus on. Many people use it just to train themselves to have better concentration.”

“I see that Jeff is introducing you to crystals,” said Mr. Foster as he came out of the back room. “You’ll find that they can be used with the Sandman 2100. The machine will eliminate all noise, and the crystal can be used to focus your attention. Let me give you the one Jeff is holding up. You can try it--if it works, you might want to come back and try out some of our other aids for training the mind. I’m sorry it took me so long. They’ve changed the packaging on the 2100 machine and I had to open a box to make sure that it is the same machine.” Mr. Foster held up a bright red box. “I don’t see why they changed the box, but it’s the same model. My advice is to start off at a lower level, Sir, and then increase the sound as you get used to it. For covering up noises while you sleep, the best place to position the machine is near your bed and above your head. Now, Sir, how do you wish to pay?”

Mark gave him a credit card. “Can we add your name to our mailing list, Sir?” asked Jeff. He was handing the blue crystal to Mr. Foster, and it sparkled in the light. Mark stared at it again. He might give it a try after all. It might work, and it couldn’t hurt to have better concentration. “We have a monthly newsletter. It’s mostly announcements about meetings of local groups and topics of interest to those of us in the Sandman community.” Jeff really had a dazzling smile, Mark decided. It occurred to him that that was an odd thought, but he suddenly felt that he wanted Jeff to like him; perhaps the meetings would provide an opportunity to meet him again.

“Sure, it sounds interesting. I’d like to know more,” said Mark. Jeff handed him a blank form and a pen. Mark filled in his name and email address and handed it back, receiving another dazzling smile from Jeff. Perhaps it was only his imagination that Jeff winked at him--Mark was startled to become aware that the shop had grown dark and only the streetlights outside illumined it, as they were refracted in the facets of the dozens of crystals in the store. He hadn’t realized how long he had been in the shop. Suddenly he couldn’t wait to get home and try out the Sandman 2100.

“Here you are, Mr. Simmons. I hope you enjoy your purchase. Please come again. Jeff, please unlock the door and let Mr. Simmons out.”

II

“Hey, Mark, you’re looking a lot more rested lately.”

“Thanks to you. I did what you suggested and got a white noise machine. It’s incredible. That elephant upstairs and his girlfriend can make all the noise they want, and I don’t hear anything.”

Mark did feel a lot better. It was amazing what a good night’s sleep could do. He had placed the machine on a shelf over his bed. From the very first night, it had made a difference. He awoke the next morning when his alarm went off at 6:30 and realized with surprise that he had slept the entire night without waking once. He hadn’t slept so well in the three years he had been in the city.

He had set the crystal on his night stand, where it caught the light each time he entered the room. For some reason, every time he looked at it, he thought of Jeff and the crystal swaying in his hands. The image of Jeff’s hands holding the crystal was quite vivid. A detailed vision of Jeff’s hands came into his mind as he stared at the crystal, the fingers strong and well shaped, nicely kept nails, and a fuzz of hair across the knuckles. Odd what the mind remembers, he thought. The clerk couldn’t have held the crystal for more than a few seconds.

For two weeks, the crystal lay on the nightstand. One night as Mark was preparing for bed, it caught his eye and he picked it up by the chain and swung it in front of his face. Strange how it caught the light. It seemed so much larger than it was. Well, it couldn’t hurt to try it, thought Mark. He hung the crystal from a bracket holding the shelf above his bed and adjusted it so that it swung just above his eyes when he lay down. Mr. Foster had said to use it with the machine, and so he turned it on. What he had come to think of as the comforting rush of sound from the Sandman 2100 filled the room and blanked out all other noise. It really was so easy to listen to the machine. There was a slight pulsing sound to the white noise. Occasionally it was almost as if there were words being spoken. Mark supposed that it was just his mind trying to transform the noise into meaningful sounds. Perhaps the machine used human voices as part of the background noise. That would make sense, to use voices to mask other voices.

The crystal swung slowly over his face. Without really thinking about it, his eyes began to follow it. He should relax, he thought, and just watch the crystal. Almost as soon as that thought came into his mind, he felt his body relax. He just suddenly seemed so tired, and his body felt so heavy. He felt warm and comfortable. The crystal swayed back and forth, catching the light. So clear, so empty, so relaxed. He felt wonderful, he thought as he fell into a deep, deep sleep.

When he awoke the next morning, he saw the crystal above his head. He would use it again, he thought. It just felt so good and so right to use the blue crystal and to stare into its depths and let his mind empty and become quiet, so good, so right, so natural.

III

“Mark, you are looking great. Have you been exercising?”

“Yeah, I finally decided to get serious about going to the gym.”

“What finally made you do it? You’ve been talking about this for a long time.”

“It will sound stupid, but it was a dream. It was so real. I dreamt that a doctor was examining me and then he told me to join this health club and hire Joe to be my personal trainer. He gave me the name and address of the club. The next day, I thought about it and decided it was good advice and that my mind was trying to tell me something. The odd thing is that the club really exists and it’s at the address in my dream. I must have passed by it at some point and just remembered the name. The really weird thing is that there is a personal trainer named Joe who works there.”

“Well, it’s a common name. Coincidences do happen.”

“I suppose. Anyway, Joe’s really good. He’s been helping me focus on the muscles I’m exercising, and it seems to be working.”

“That’s for sure. You’re looking good, buddy.”

Mark hoped he would look even better soon. He thought of the blue crystal that hung from the chain around Joe’s neck and how it dangled between his pecs. Joe just made it so easy to lift the heavier weights and do so many reps. Mark hadn’t thought he had it in him to concentrate on exercising his body, but with Joe everything seemed possible. It had only been a couple of months, but already Mark’s body had grown firm and defined. Joe had decided that it was best that he remain trim and not bulk up much more than he had. “The athletic boy next door type” was Joe’s goal for him. Mark couldn’t think of anything else but pleasing Joe when he was exercising. It was so important to please Joe. When he was at the club, nothing else was as important as doing what Joe said.

IV

The invitation arrived in the mail. Foster’s Sandman Store was holding a special meeting on Friday, at 8:00 p.m. There was a number to call to reserve a space.

“Foster’s”

“Uh, hi, I got an invitation in the mail to join a meeting on Friday, and I’d like to attend.”

“Very good, and your name, Sir?”

“This is Mark Simmons.”

“Mr. Simmons, it’s so good to hear from you. This is Mr. Foster. I hope you have found the white noise machine satisfactory.”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Foster. It’s perfect. I can’t sleep without it.”

“And are you using the crystal?”

“Yes, every night.”

“That’s excellent, Mr. Simmons. It’s important to use the crystal every day.”

“Yes, Mr. Foster.”

“And you will find the meeting on Friday very important to your development, Mark. You will be on time.”

“Yes, Mr. Foster.”

“Very good, Mark. I will talk to you on Friday.”

Mark felt so warm and comfortable when he hung up the phone. Mr. Foster remembered him. He was looking forward to Friday so much. It was important that he be there and please Mr. Foster. V Foster’s Sandman Shop was dark. Perhaps someone walking along the street early in the evening would have seen a young man ring the doorbell and be let in. The door opening onto a darkened shop and then closing, the sound of a deadbolt moving into place. Only a night light illuminating the interior, silhouetting two figures. If the passer-by thought about it at all, it would have just seemed to be someone visiting a friend on a rainy Friday evening. No one would have thought twice about it or remembered it the next day.

“Mark, come through to the back. We’ll be much more comfortable back here.”

The back room was lit only by a lamp in the far corner. A round table sat in the middle of the room, and on it a blue crystal caught the light and focused it. It seemed to glow with an inner light. “Sit here, Mark.” Mark sat in a chair facing the crystal. In the background, the familiar comforting sound of the Sandman 2100 masked all noise. There was only Mr. Foster’s voice to be heard.

“Just make yourself comfortable, Mark, and look at the crystal. That’s all you have to do. Just look at the crystal. Focus on it. Just relax and focus on it. It is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen. It’s so easy just to look at it. Notice how it catches the light. It seems so deep, so welcoming. Just relax and focus on it. Let yourself just enter the crystal and become part of it. Empty, calm, serene. There is only the peace and warmth and comfort of the crystal filling your mind now. Nothing else. Just listen to my voice and gaze deeply into the crystal. You have done very well so far, Mark, but now it is important that you do even better. The desire to become a servant of the crystal is so strong within you now, Mark, you want to merge with it and become part of it. Empty, calm, serene, wanting to please in all ways, Mark. Every time you look at your own crystal, this feeling will return to you. It will be so important to please and obey the person holding the crystal. You will devote all your energies to pleasing and obeying that person, Mark. Your own mind, your own desires, cease to be important. They are obliterated now. Pleasing, obeying, satisfying the holder of the blue crystal, that is all you can think of. Nothing else enters your mind now. Just pleasing, obeying, satisfying the person holding the blue crystal. . . .”

The time passed quickly as far as Mark knew. The next day, he couldn’t remember what had happened on Friday evening, but it wasn’t important, nothing was important except the blue crystal. He was to return to Mr. Foster’s that night, every night until he was programmed, that was all he had to remember. Nothing else was important.

VI

“Foster’s Sandman Shop.”

“Mr. Foster, this is Robert Dennis.”

“Mr. Dennis. How nice to hear from you again. I hope there is no problem with the unit.”

“No, Mr. Foster, the unit continues to satisfy in all ways. What I am calling about is that a friend of mine wants to purchase a similar unit. I can vouch for him, and he can well afford the cost. Of course, he understands the sensitive nature of the transaction and will be most discreet.”

“Very good, Mr. Dennis. We are always happy to accommodate one of our special customers and, of course, look forward to serving your friend. The units have been much in demand, and at the moment, I have only three of them in stock. As you no doubt appreciate, it is difficult to find raw materials of the best quality and takes time to develop the units to their fullest potential. I have videos of all three units. Your friend could look at them and then if he finds one of them promising, we can arrange for him to examine it in person. May I ask that you explain to him that the examination does not include actual use of the unit and that all sales are final?”

“Of course, Mr. Foster.”

“Thank you, Mr. Dennis. I will have a DVD with the videos of the units delivered to you. The files will automatically be erased after three playings. That should be enough for your friend to decide which unit he would like to examine.”

VII

“Mark, this is Mr. Foster. At 8:30 there will be a car waiting for you. You will shave and shower and wear your new black suit with the other things that were given to you as part of the interview outfit. Bring the blue crystal with you.”

“Yes, Mr. Foster.”

Mark was waiting in the lobby of his apartment building at 8:25. In the past few months, he had become a distinguished-looking young man, impeccably dressed and groomed. Even among the many handsome young men to be found in the city, he stood out.

“Mr. Simmons, do you need a cab?”

“Not tonight, Alan, thank you. Mr. Foster is picking me up.”

The doorman nodded and smiled. Such a pleasant young man; not at all rude like so many of the occupants of the building. But then, all of Mr. Foster’s tenants were so well mannered, a pity that none of them stayed very long.

At 8:30 a car pulled up to the door of the building. The driver got out and opened the door for Mark. Mr. Foster was already seated in the back. It did not occur to Mark to be surprised. In fact, nothing occurred to Mark. The driver closed the door and got in the front. “Very good, Jeff, the Albion, please.”

“Yes, Mr. Foster.”

“Give me the crystal, Mark. Now look into it. Empty your mind and let the blue crystal take over. In a few minutes, I will introduce you to a man. He may have questions for you. If he does, you will answer them. He may ask you to do certain things. If I tell you to do them, you will do them. You will not remember what happens.”

VIII

“Most satisfactory, Mr. Foster. And the unit will remain in this state?”

“Yes, it will obey and serve the person who holds the blue crystal. It has been programmed to think only of pleasing the person with the blue crystal. I don’t know how much Mr. Dennis told you, but if I might point out certain features of this unit. We have designed the Sandman units to be low maintenance. It needs to listen to the white noise machine every day. That will reinforce the programming. You should, of course, take care that others are not exposed to the machine, especially yourself. That might have adverse consequences for you, Sir. It is, of course, an organic unit and as such it needs to be fed and exercised. But there are now 28 Sandman-trained units in the city, and each continues to function as programmed. All of them age, of course, and after five years, you can return the unit to us as a trade-in on a new unit. The units depreciate in value as they age, and the value of the trade-in depends on the condition of the unit. The details are explained in our literature.”

“Robert Dennis assures me that your firm is totally reliable and produces only the finest products. I would like to purchase this unit, Mr. Foster. I believe you prefer a cashier’s check. Will I be able to take the unit with me at the time I pay for it?”

“Of course, it will be ready for you.”

“Does it have a name?”

“It was called Mark, Sir. You can, of course, call it what you like. It will respond.”

IX

“I think I’ll take the Sandman 2100 unit, then.”

“Very good, Miss. I’m sure that you will find it totally satisfactory. Jeff, we seem to be out of the Sandman 2100 units. Could you run in the back and get one for me--the one in the red box.”