They had been friends for a short time him and her. They had a shared interest in Film Noir. She loved the plots, the background music and the hidden air of foreboding. He loved the immaculately clad elegant ladies. He continued to find them calming yet somehow endearingly sinister. But what he most loved were films of powerful women subduing men–especially through sleep induction and hypnosis.

One night he confessed this to her. She said that there may be something of interest to him at her friends house. That’s where they were now, a huge rambling building full of dark little rooms. The biggest one was near the front. In this room was a huge collection of DVD’s. “My friend made all these from archive footage that most people have never seen” she said searching one out. “Sit for a moment, I think you’ll enjoy this” He sat on a large couch with silver satin cushions at each end. He felt a little tired and yawned, she smiled and said “Careful now, you don’t want this to put you to sleep do you?” she said sliding a video into the DVD player and then sitting beside him as it began.

THE WOMAN IN GREEN-THE FIRST VERSION c 1946, WATSON IS HYPNOTIZED said the title

In the background was the promotional poster of the film that had partly attracted him to hypnosis. He saw the figure of Hilary Brooke the actress swathed in tight satin. He was disappointed that she never wore that dress in the film. He prayed she might in this scene.

The scene cut to Dr Watson finishing some food and watching Holmes rush out of the door. “Hold the fort Watson” he said, “Back in one hour”

Watson sat on a couch which strangely enough had silver satin cushions at each end. There was a knock at the door. Expecting Holmes to answer, the physician strode stridently to the door and flung it open. Instead a lady stood in front of him.

She wore a tight satin dress of deep emerald green with satin opera gloves to match. Her hair was up to reveal a slightly stern yet soft featured face. She was not Hilary Brooke.

“This isn’t right ” he said to his friend. “Shhhhh” she replied, “I think this was made before the one you know.”

On the screen Watson and the lady were talking. “My name is Lydia,” she said.

“Mr. Holmes is aware of me. He said that this recent case is giving him and you sleepless nights. Naturally, I said I would try to help. But Mr. Holmes seems very altruistic. He said he wanted me to help you first. You see, Dr Watson, I’m a hypnotist….”

Watson nearly jumped out of his seat. “Hypnotism” he growled, “What utter balderdash. He just wants you to try something on me that he’s not willing to do himself. I swear I’ll skin the blighter alive when I see him!”

“Oh come come, Dr Watson, where’s your spirit of adventure? You may not believe in what I do. But surely it is scientific to do a little experiment?”

“You mean you want to mesmerize ME?” said Watson incredulously. “Dear lady, you can try. But only weaklings and halfwits would fall for that. But ,then, I suppose you’re right. Fire away then, my good lady”

She sat beside him and swung her legs into his space. He was almost on the edge of his seat.

“Dr Watson! ” she exclaimed a little haughtily “This really won’t do. Now sit back! You are supposed to relax, relaaaxxxx, relaxxxx.” Gradually Watson leaned back. As he did, Lydia moved closer.

Lydia contemplated the dying embers of the fire in the grate. She watched Watson’s ruffled balding head and with a satin gloved hand gently stroked it’s dome.

“So nice, like the head of a baby” she said. She carried on and suddenly drew his attention to her other gloved hand. A large jewelled ring sat on her middle finger. Her voice grew soft and undulating in it’s tone.

“You have noticed my ring, haven’t you? See how reflective it is. Dr Watson, see how it reflects the dying flames of the fire, as it glows with gentle alluring incandescense.” She began moving her hand in a circular pattern..

“Now see how it travels around and around, like the cycles of the moon around and around every day. Starting at the dying embers of the day as it travels around and around. Reflecting the embers of the fire in it’s twighlight, around and around”

“I want you to imagine being in a field laying in long grass that carresses your hair like the silken fingers of my hand carress yours now. Beside you is an emerald pool. Emerald like the rich silken fabric of my gown. Towards it’s centre is a whirlpool. And in that whirlpool you see a jewel that reflects the light of the dying embers of the day. You see it compel and captivate you as it goes around and around and around. Reflecting the light as it travels around and around. Pulled by the gentle vortex of the water beside it. Yet not being pulled down into the sweet emerald space beneath. A space of peace, of tranquility. A space where you want to be, to relax, to be free of all cares. Yet It still goes around and around. How tired it must be. As tired as you with all your worries, longing for rest. Longing for the sweet emerald embrace of soothing sleep. Yet your thoughts keep going round and around. Yet you want them so much to stop. As you want the jewel in the water to be pulled down by the swirling peaceful emerald waters into the pool of beautiful dreams”

Gradually Watson’s eyes began to flutter. He looked haggard, like he longed for sleep but was somehow fighting it. Lydia’s soothing strokes stretched to his temples as she waved the ring in soft circles before him.

“You long for rest, she said. “You wish Holmes and his constant energy and demands would cease. You are weary of them. You just want to sleep, to be in this wonderful meadow by this pool. Wanting to be drawn down into the emerald waters.”

“Go there, she said. “Let those careworn eyes close all the way down. Let your head relax and be soothed by the carresses of the grass. Watch the jewel. And as you relax and are drawn into the deep deep waters of sweet hypnotic sleep, see it finally slip away. Slip away. Slip away down into the waters of rest. Wonderful balmy rest. See it sink deeper down now. As your eyes finally close and you fall willingly and inexorably into a wonderful deep restful sleeep. Sleeeeep! Sleeeep!! Sleeeep! Sleeeep!!!

Her jewelled hand drew away from his face. His eyes finally closed. She gently took her hand from his temples. His head fell towards her emerald silken bosom and nestled there. She smiled.

On the couch the woman who had invited her hypnosis loving man friend also smiled as he too had fallen asleep. His head rested on one of the satin cushions “Oh bleeesss” she said and then to others “You can come out now. It’s worked.

Suddenly at the rear of the room screens came apart to reveal a film set. The set of what they had just been watching. The Lydia in this set walked out to join her friend and confederate. “Well ” she said “I have enticed Dr Watson into the arms of Morpheus and your friend has succumbed too.”

“Our experiment to create interactive hypno TV might be in it’s early stages, but we’re well on our way. And the classical audiences seem to love it.” She took another look at the two slumbering men after she had laid “Dr Watson’s ” head on another of the cushions. “Nighty night my angels “, she said. “You have just become the unwitting pioneers in a new world of hypno entertainment.”

The End