in parentheses

Tom Ball has published novels, novellas, short stories and flash in 36 publications. Website: https://tomballbooks.com Online Journal Website (he is senior editor/co-founder): https://fleasonthedog.com

The Future Looks Bleak with Hypnosis

I, William, say to you, Nala, the future is undecided. Of course we are both wealthy entrepreneurs. And have eternal youth to enjoy our riches. You say, we need never work again. I said I plan to host parties for the rich and famous. I’ll never tire of parties. You explain how you want to tour the Solar System and experience the varying new cultures in such places.

     So I invited Nala to my next party, the theme was “virtual.” So people from all over the Solar System could attend and even have 3-D sex with one another. I thought it would be a good introduction to Space for Nala. And Nala said, she liked some people from Mercury and that would be her first destination.

     And at the party, a famous tycoon announced everyone here was invited to his palace by the sea on Moon Triton. He was one of the top 10 richest personae in the Universe. And he said writers and scientists friends of ours were invited too.

     I, myself had dabbled in the arts and had written, a documentary about the richest man in all creation, his name was Kofi. He was little known before I brought out my book. And I told the tale of his humble beginnings and how he had made his fortune in stem cell meats. His meats were the tenderest and tastiest of all. Then he made another fortune in producing Space cars which could go anywhere in the Solar System in a matter of an hour and could go to deep Space. The Space cars were stocked with Earth entertainment and could produce any drug known to humanity. And this tycoon had built a colony in the Centauri Star System. It was a colony which had the stock market for the System and new immigrants from Earth were given free land and housing on an Earth-like Planet where the air was breathable. And he regarded the colony as a stepping stone to deeper Space. And he was mayor of the colony, but could almost instantly communicate with people on Earth. And I interviewed him from my base on Mars several times and found he was a great communicator and a brilliant mind. And he was one of the first to ban AI in his territory. AI was the bane of modern society, he said. And it was wholly unnecessary. He attracted many AI haters to his colony. And he proclaimed he had created an Utopia for humans. It was the best possible World he said. And he had the best architects from the Solar System and the best poets and writers and musicians come to his colony. And he attracted the best engineers and scientists and architects to build his colony which was a modern wonder. It featured a number of spires of different shapes and forms. And the spires blended together under a red-colored dome, and the spires moved around on gears to keep changing the view.

     Nala, you tell me, he is an interesting man, for sure. But you say, AI cannot be stopped. I said, maybe not, but his World is a good alternative to AI ruled Worlds. You say, Earth is now run by AI androids and holograms, and there is no turning back.

     And I wrote another documentary about the Universe’s best lover. She is a call-girl for the richest men. And she is amongst the top ten richest people also. She has a patented look that really appeals to most clever men. I have loved her and found her to be full of brilliant anecdotes and a very energetic lover. And she allowed me to hypnotize her, and I programmed her to love me whenever I wanted.  You say it was a selfish thing to do. I say but I love her well and I am sure she is content with her life.

     And Nala you say you are off to Mercury. And I tell you to learn how to do hypnosis, it will make your life sublime. You say it is cruel to hypnotize people, who don’t realize its power. I say I have been hypnotized by women before and they still have a hold on me. You say, I am crazy, but I tell you, I am most content. If you are going to be hypnotized it is best to have kind people do it.

     You say, it’s too much power, hypnotism should be banned outright. I said, but the modern-day police need to use it to fight crime. You say, everyone should be free to think and feel as they wish. But I tell you everyone has been brainwashed to live according to our leaders’ wishes. As if we were a herd of sheep. And our leaders don’t want us to think for ourselves, but rather be sheep who consume goods and services. You say do I mean to hypnotize people to think for themselves? I say that’s exactly right. But I am afraid I’ll be arrested any day now. And be cross-hypnotized and driven insane. You say, you want to get out of here. I say there’s no escaping modern reality, and everyone must do as our android overlords wish. You say you can’t believe we are ruled by androids. I said that’s what happens when we give them the vote and it will be the same on Mercury. Androids dominate every facet of society more and more and their agenda is to promote androids, not humans. You say there must be something we can do? I say the die is cast and the future predecided.

In Parentheses Literary Magazine (Volume 10, Issue 1) October 2025

By In Parentheses in Volume 10

48 pages, published 10/15/2025

The October 2025 issue of In Parentheses Literary Magazine.