Part 2: The Hypnotist

"So what burns within you, do you think, to make-a, to make-a you such fear?"

Martha tried to keep her composure. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Yeah, what?" Hal mirrored.

"He's asking what's got your panties in a bunch." The hip decoration actually talked. She blew into a balloon of gum before popping it, loudly.

"I'm sorry," Martha repeated, "WHAT?"

"Hahahaha," Hal curled, "whaaat!"

She punched an arm. "Shut up!"

"Fuck, that hurt!"

"It's simple," the hypnotist broke their glaring contest and pulled out an amulet, dangling it in front of them. "What-a makes you go 'ahhh'?"

Martha flung her arms in resignation. "How the fuck am I supposed to even understand this guy?"

"What's holding you back from doing the scene, miss." The assistant popped another bubble. "That's all."

Martha glared at the gum chewing ho. Her co-star nudged her with an elbow.

"Just tell 'em and get it over with, Martha," he prompted impatiently.

"Fine," Martha coughed into a free hand then turned back to the hypnotist weirdo. "But why do I have to explain it anyway?"

They all stood in wait.

She sighed.

"It's... it's just kind of hard to absorb, I guess? I mean, it's a weird story -- I didn't even know it would get so borderline pornographic! My agent just said this was a special indie flick, but, whatever, the point is, I have to get in-character and basically act like my logical functions are being refitted to allow... well, for one, his character to jizz all over me and my face, after which I'll want to have sex and even a gotdamn baby with him, and--and so on!"

Hal was shrugging. "Sounds fine to me."

Another arm punch. Another catfight.

"Starlings, starlings," cooed the flashy hypnotist, "please-a make peace-a. With just-a one, two and a three, your worries will be poof, and your mind open..."

"Go ahead Martha." Martha turned to see Hal getting snug on the couch.

"Hey, you're just gonna leave me here!?"

"Shh," a finger landed on the young woman's lips. Martha nearly flipped that wrist to China, but her eyes were caught by the shiny gleam before her.

Almost instantly her jaw slackened. Her shoulders drooped. Both eyes followed the swinging amulet, spinning and spinning and spinning.

A few bystanders down at the floor mumbled in surprise. "Wow," one leaned to a sound guy, "can't believe it's working."

"Maybe the director wasn't pulling us," admitted another.

"Quiet, please!"

Their attention was drawn to bespectacled eyes. "Redarje needs true silence in all 360 degrees to complete the induction properly!" With a pop of gum, the female companion returned to looking at her pedicure, taking the space she occupied by the amulet swinger as no mere grunt work.

Pop, another bubble deflated.

"Hey!" objected a rook from the second camera unit. "That's not fair!"

After being silenced by a tide of 'shh'-es, the tranquility was preserved, and besides the rhythmic chew of popping bubblegum, Redarje the Hypnotist chanted his soft incantations with rapt focus until finally winding down.

"...now, when I reach 1, you will-a wake up feeling happy and re-dominating. 3... 2..."

The crowd held their breath.

"...1!"

Fluttering open, Martha's eyes shined as an unnatural gleam lanced over her. The hypnotist put away the amulet, folding his arms complacently. The rest of the crew looked at each other, then again at Martha, heads tilting sideways.

The co-star, meanwhile, turned to a dozing Hal.

"AGHHH FUCK!"

"COME TO MISTRESS MARTHA, HALLIE! COME TO MISTRESS MAARTHA!"

Hal jerked his head. "Make it stop! Make her stop!" he yelled in vain, jumping through a fake window.

"I'm-a sorry! I-I don't know what went wrong!"

There was a cascade of footsteps and clamors flooding from the set as a chunk of film-hands ran back and forth in aimless directions.

"She's gone berserk!" cried the camera person from earlier. "And groping everyone who comes near her like some hotblooded nymphomaniac fresh out of Catholic school!"

"What the fuck did you do?!" A woman with a clipboard was buttoning back up her blouse, glaring daggers at the dumbstruck hypnotist.

"I'm-a sorry! I just-a told her to accept-a her full character person, exo-sert her inner person that-a burns within her, and feel-a happy and re-dominating!"

"Re-what!?" shouted back miss halfway-buttons, throwing the clipboard at Redarje's spleen.

"What do you mean burning?!" a distraught lighting aide slapped him with a pair of goggles.

"HAAA-AALLLIEE!"

The crew winced, as others automatically took shelter.

A crack of a whip suddenly broke the air. One of the set designers in charge of props looked horrified, and muttered 'shit' under his breath.

"Where are you, Hallie?! I want to feel the buuurn..!! Don't you want to feel the buurn!?"

Another storm of cries emerged as whip cracks filled the air. The downstage refuge watched as a unit assistant one of them knew as Tommy ran out with his pants over his legs and a hand rubbing his blue-briefed ass. Suddenly, the familiar fiery voice of Martha rang out in the distance.

"There you are! What's wrong, Hal, it's me! Martha!" Giggle. "Oh I'm so glad I finally found you!! Now, we can have some bonding time..."

Whip!

Crack!

Crow!

"AHHG FUCK ME, FUCK THIS, AHH FUCK, NOT THERE, AHHHG!" Deeper winces creased the battered collection of faces as they gathered outside the studio home and listened on to the crackling leather reverberating from behind the walls. "FUCK YOU, YOU HYPNOTIST SHIT!"

After a few seconds of lashing whip noises, Hal's provocative cries, and a cackling Martha, someone finally turned to the person next to them and asked, "So... second break?"

He shrugged. "I'm up for it. Dunkin' Donuts?"

"How about some Red Lobster?" pitched in another behind them. "I got a whole bunch of coupons in the mail too. Been hogging them ever since."

"Oh," Redarje added enthusiastically, "and I-a just love their bisdicks!" His traveling assistant nudged him. Perplexed, he asked, "Did-a I say something incorrect?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. Hey everybody!" the first man raised his voice for them to hear. "Red Lobster?"

A chorus of agreement called back in response and the crowd dispersed and climbed off the set as they headed off for lunch.

Meanwhile, Martha could be indistinctly heard in the background cheering in glee at the discovery of some cuffs and a stray rope while Hal droned out an unintelligible -- part-sensual? -- moan.