Synopsis: Six friends get together for their quarterly reunion. When one of them claims to have become a master hypnotist, things take a turn for the unexpected.
The Kissing Factor
(by S.B.)
21 — The Long Wait
The wait was agonizing. Each second was like an eternity weighing down on Denise’s weary mind. Try as she may, she couldn’t sit still, mumbling to herself, and imagining all the worst scenarios the rest of the night could still bring. It was pure madness, the specter of doubt infecting each thought.
“You’re losing control of your emotions,” Deanna noted. “You need to calm yourself.”
“No offense, but it’s easy for you to say, Deanna. They’re not your friends who are in trouble. You don’t know them or the things we went through together. If more harm comes to them, I’ll never be able to forgive myself.”
“No offense taken, and you’re right. I don’t know them. I only have glimpses of the whole story, but I do know this: guilt is already a terrible burden for the things that are indeed our fault. Don’t let it fester everything else you could have never foreseen or do anything about it. What you said to Gloria is as true as it can be. You’re not to blame for what she’s doing. Her actions are her own responsibility.”
“I still feel I could have done more. It’s stupid, but...”
“Stupid? Not at all. It’s called ‘having a consciousness’ though too much of it in the wrong situations can be a burden itself. Your heart is in the right place, Denise. Please, take comfort in that while we sit this through.”
“I’m tired...” The younger woman laid her head on the car’s dashboard. “It’s only been five minutes and Time refuses to go forward! It’s so fucking annoying!”
“You’re clearly in need of a distraction. Shall I put on some more music?”
“No. Not right now, please.”
“Okay. In that case, tell me more about your friends. Help me understand the people they are when their minds aren’t being distorted by drugs, hypnosis, and brainwashing.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything you wish to share. What they like, what they don’t... what experiences marked them the most... your real connection with them... things like that. I’ll need that information to help deprogram them anyway so we might as well get started.”
“If you really think that will help...”
“I do. You said Kabir’s revelation was a complete shocker, so start with him. What’s Kabir like?”
“He... he’s a dreamer, mostly.”
“Mostly?”
“Yeah. He wants to be a writer, and he tries really hard when he sets his mind on it but mind alone isn’t enough. He’s not very good though he still hopes to improve to the point where he is.”
“That seems like a noble goal. No one ever gets better at anything without trying at all. How did you meet him?”
“Oh, he played the hero role perfectly. You know those scenes in movies when there’s a mugging and an unexpected third-party comes in clutch to save the day? He was it, the unsung stranger. We all liked him after that. Seeing him then and seeing him now is just heartbreaking.”
“I’m sorry, Denise, but you need to believe he can be that hero again. Hold on to that.”
“I’m trying.”
“Natasha is his girlfriend, right? Tell me more about her.”
“Oh... Nat is a genuine sweetheart. She’s an amazing person with a major flaw: she always had a knack for bad boys and got into a lot of trouble because of them. When Kabir came along and showed her the respect she deserved, we were thrilled to finally see her get a slice of happiness.”
“What kind of trouble did she get herself into?”
“Some beat her up, another one wanted her to steal for him. She was always involved in sex orgies and there were drug suspicions at one point, too. She really had it rough and almost didn’t come back from the darkness. How cruel is it that when we thought those bad days were gone for good, this shit happens?”
“Traumas are never easy to deal with. I’m glad she had such a supportive group by her side. Others aren’t so lucky.”
“I know, but with the wounds still fresh in her mind, she’s the one I’m scared the most for in all of this. If her personality shatters again, how is she ever coming back from it?”
“While I understand your concerns, it’s too soon to speculate about that. Everything she went through surely strengthened her.”
“I’m not sure about that.” Denise closed her eyes and sighed.
“Are we still talking about Natasha?”
“What else would we be talking about?”
“Your own insecurities. Seeing what happened to your friends made you think what would be the result if Gloria had been successful getting inside your head too, didn’t it?”
“I... yes, of course!”
“And it’s terrifying, right? You just want to be yourself and not a distorted facsimile. You’re also afraid that you might enjoy the idea of losing control like that just a little too much...”
“Why are you shrinking me, Deanna?”
“It’s part of what I do, sweetie. I read others all the time for my shows and while most of what I uncover is just for mindless fun, sometimes there are things that are too obvious yet run deeper than people realize. You’ve been projecting yourself for quite some time now and that’s what’s really troubling you.”
“I don’t want to be a slave!” Denise retorted despite her recent dreams continuing to suggest otherwise. The fascination was certainly there, lurking in the shadows of her brain. In a more controlled environment, with none of Gloria’s antics and weird power plays, would she really shun the idea or embrace it?
“You don’t have to be anything you don’t want to be but you don’t have to be afraid of any fantasies you might have either, and I think you have plenty you would love to see explored. I’ll be happy to help you get there if we get a chance after this is done.”
“I don’t know what to say to that...”
“Just say you’ll be open to other possibilities even if you feel they don’t exist yet. That’s the first rule in my code, so you’ll know.”
“It’s a nice rule. You’re a strange woman, Deanna.”
“Yes, I know I am. Thankfully, I’m proud of it. “Tell me about Belinda.”
“If I had to describe her in one word, that would simply be ‘badass’, because that’s what she is. She’s one of the strongest persons I know and, sometimes, I’m jealous of how confident she is. She also has a great sense of humor, so if you ever need a good laugh, she’s the person you should talk to. Or was. I hope that part of her is still in there somewhere.”
“I see.” Deanna continued to take mental notes, for they were sure to come in handy. “Anything else?”
“She loves pussy as much as she loves cock, and though she flirts a lot, she never really talks about her actual conquests. In that regard, she’s extremely reserved.”
“Something we have in common then.”
“You too?”
“Yeah. Privacy is important. We all need boundaries. It’s difficult being in this business so I compartmentalize my public and private life as much as possible to avoid excesses. it doesn’t always work, but it’s an extra safety net.”
“How hard is it?”
“More than I can say although that’s probably less than half than what it truly is. The life on stage is a way out for many, the perfect getaway from all the stress of everyday life. I love being able to give them that though it definitely takes a toll on you after a while. Being constantly on the road doesn’t help either. Constantly changing locations and time zones and whatnot interferes with my sleeping patterns a lot.”
“Do you ever get stage freight?”
“No, not anymore. I’m always trying to do better than last time though and that can a reason for stress, too.”
“So, you’re a perfectionist?”
“Yes, and no. I take great pride in my art and the nature of the spectacle so I like to see things running smoothly, of course, but I soon realized that whenever I acted like a control freak about something, I was inviting it to go terribly wrong so I’ve learned to take it easy with time. Besides, it’s always good to leave some margin for impromptus. Some of my best ideas and memories of past shows came from unscripted moments.”
“Have you ever had something go terribly wrong during an event?”
“Who hasn’t? Not everything works and connections can be broken when you least expect it, but that’s part of our personal growth as well. It’s how we respond to the adversities that come our way that ultimately define our character, not the adversities themselves. I too have my demons and they made me cry a lot of tears and lose plenty of things I thought were here to stay forever, yet I never faltered. If they didn’t break me until this point, they sure won’t do it now.”
“Thanks. I... I really needed to hear that.”
“I know you did, and I appreciate your insight as well. Now... about Paula... What can you tell me about her?”
“Family means everything to her, and I mean everything! She’s also extremely loyal and can’t stand people who break their promises. Our relationship has been solid from the get-go and when I saw her acting like her soul had been stolen from her, I... I... I’m sorry... I need to catch some air.”
Denise dashed out of the car, her stomach finally giving expression to the torment her body and spirit had gone through. It was too much, all at once, the complete destruction of everything she thought she knew and, no matter how strong and independent she was, it was enough to crush her. She was no Atlas, possessed no superhuman strength or any other power worthy of a god. Furious bile ran down her lips as she pushed everything out, trying to clear her system.
Sitting quietly, not daring to interrupt the moment, Deanna observed Denise’s bodily catharsis, a necessary first step for her to be reborn. Just as she had hoped, getting her to talk about her friends had made her come to terms with her losses, too. Traumatic experiences were a bitch far worse than any sadistic hypnotist with a drug-enhanced lipstick and while she believed with all her heart she would push through, it wouldn’t happen overnight. No, even though the harrowing experience had lasted only a couple of hours max, the aftermath would reflect on her psyche for many months to come, if not more.
“Just stay strong, Denise.” She thought, holding back the tears.
Meanwhile, slave Kabir and the rest of the thralls were perplexed as to their Mistress’ next course of action. It made no sense, and yet...
“Goddess, are you sure about this?”
“Of course, I’m sure.” Gloria replied with a slap.
“But...”
“Dare you question me after your blunder? This is how I want things done and that’s final. Go get things ready. We leave in five.”
“Yes, Goddess.” The four drones said in unison, although lingering doubts still permeated their minds. Were the last kissing effects wearing off? If so, she needed to take care of it as soon as possible, but first it was time for her secret weapon, the one thing Denise and her new companion would never see coming. Smartphone in hand, she made another call.
Timothy Harris sat in his personal man-cave, watching a football game. He wore a silky robe and had a gigantic bowl of salted popcorn next to him. His coach was sure to rain down hell on him if he were ever to find out about his forbidden appetites, especially so close to the first playoff game, but he didn’t care. In case of an emergency, his personal trainer would have him lose the extra pounds. His favorite solutions were always horizontal, and he had the stamina to go the extra mile, as she had already testified countless times.
The bout had been incredibly boring until that moment, with both teams defending more than anything else. He was already frustrated by it, cursing to the walls as if they gave a damn. Slurping his greasy fingers, he barely registered the phone’s ringtone, calling him.
His Chemistry teacher? What the fuck did she want? Better yet, why did he have her number saved, anyway? As far as he remembered, his hook up attempt had resulted in absolutely nothing, so why was she...? Something was not right! Still, he was compelled to answer and find out what was going on.
The moment he heard her voice, a wave of triggers flooded his senses, and he remembered his place and everything he had done for her, including the taste of Kabir’s cock. Goddess Gloria had an important task for him, one she didn’t trust anyone else, and it was an absolute honor to comply. He turned off the TV, got dressed, and ran out the front door, eager to carry out her commands. No matter the cost, he would make her proud.