**Chapter 1: The Unexpected Session**

Charlie fidgeted nervously in the waiting room, flipping through a worn copy of a magazine. He hadn't scheduled a hypnosis session with Dr. Lee, the renowned hypnotherapist, but his friend had insisted it would be good for him to try hypnosis for relaxation. The door to the office opened, and a suave-looking man with a kind smile beckoned him in. "Ah, Charlie, right this way. Please, have a seat on the couch," Dr. Lee said, gesturing to a comfortable-looking couch in the center of the room. Charlie sat down, feeling a bit apprehensive. He had never been hypnotized before and wasn't sure what to expect. Dr. Lee sat down in a chair beside him, a notepad and pen in hand. "So, Charlie, I understand you were brought here by a friend. Can you tell me a bit about what brings you to this session?" Dr. Lee asked, his eyes locked onto Charlie's. Charlie shrugged, feeling a bit uneasy. "I don't know, to be honest. My friend thought it would be good for me to try hypnosis for stress relief or something." Dr. Lee nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Well, we'll take it one step at a time. I'm going to ask you to relax and focus on a visual stimulus. Can you do that for me?" Charlie nodded, feeling a bit skeptical. Dr. Lee pulled out a small device from his pocket and pressed a button. A small, spiral image appeared on a screen attached to the wall. "Okay, Charlie, I want you to focus on this spiral. Just stare at it and let yourself relax," Dr. Lee said, his voice soothing. Charlie felt his eyes drawn to the spiral, which seemed to be pulling him in with its swirling patterns. As he stared at it, he began to feel a strange, creeping sensation in his mind. "Deeper and deeper, Charlie," Dr. Lee's voice seemed to be coming from far away, echoing in Charlie's mind. "Let go of your worries, your fears, your doubts. Just focus on the spiral." Charlie's eyelids began to feel heavy, and he felt himself being pulled down into a dark, swirling tunnel. He tried to resist, but it was too late. The spiral seemed to be expanding, filling his entire field of vision. As he stared at the spiral, Charlie felt his mind begin to slip away, leaving him at the mercy of Dr. Lee's soothing voice. He didn't realize it yet, but his life was about to change in ways he couldn't even imagine.