hypnosubtyler

Joey had been working under Mr. Stirling for 3 months by now and he was in a routine.

He would wake up at 5:30am sharp, shower, do his hair, eat his pre-planned breakfast, and head to work to make sure Mr. Stirling got a proper greeting when he arrives at the office for 7:00.

And like clockwork, at 6:58, Joey gets himself ready to greet his boss.

Joey is fully prepared to serve his boss however he sees fit.

At 7:00, Mr. Stirling walks into his office.

"Good boy, now, get under my desk and service me while I plan the day out." Mr. Stirling says, walking over to his chair, getting his notepad out.

"Yes Sir." Joey drones, taking his usual position.

90 minutes pass by and Mr. Stirling strokes Joey's hair and gently tells him that he has finished planning his day out.

"Joey, get up, I'm finished."

"Yes Sir." Joey drones in the same monotonous voice.

"Busy day for me Joey. I need you to take my calls until your lunch break at 13:00."

"Yes Sir." Joey turns around and walks out of Mr. Stirling's office, no thought ever popped into his mind about cleaning himself up. He didn't have to, it was part of his job...

Joey was really in his element in his new job, he took to the admin work so quickly that even Mr. Stirling was impressed and told Joey how much of a good worker he was for him, deepening the hold he had on Joey's mind and will.

But 13:00 soon rolled around and Joey went to have some lunch at the coffee shop across the street.

As soon as he left his place of work, his phone buzzed. A message from one of his old school friends, Mike, "hey mate, I'm back in town, should totally go out for a few drinks tonight, got a couple other mates from back at school to come, you in?"

Joey initially hesitated at responding to the message, but in the same moment, a message from Mr. Stirling appeared, "go for it Joey"

Naturally, Mr. Stirling had any message sent to Joey's number forwarded on to his own, he needed to keep track of his most favoured employee.

Joey respond with a swift, "I'll be there, 8pm good?"

"Yeah sound mate see u then"

Joey completed the rest of his work day, doing whatever he could for Mr. Stirling, and headed to the pub down the road to meet his friends.

Joey was slightly early, arriving at 1945, but used the time to get a head start on drinking.

As part of his contract with Mr. Stirling, Joey was prohibited from drinking alcohol while on call... and he was on call 24/7, even when he wasn't at the office.

So Joey sat there, slowly drinking his orange juice, until the first of his friends arrives, Mike.

"Hey Joey mate!" Mike called out from across the pub, pushing through a crowd of people, "how've ya been bud?"

"I've been really good thank you, I have this new job which I absolutely adore."

"Is that why you're dressed like that then?" Mike enquired, eyeing up Joey's satin unifrom.

"Yes, my boss has a strict policy on uniform."

"Aight then, the other two should be here in a sec, said they missed their bus, I'll get a round in for us while we wait. Mike said, not even lookking up from his phone.

"No thank you, I don't drink anymore" Joey responded with a smile.

"What?! You used to out-drink everyone back at uni, until I dropped out anyways..."

"Times have changed...."

Mike didn't even know what to talk about anymore with his old friend, he seemed to have changed so much. He went to the bar anyways and got himself a Stella while he waited for the others to arrive.

A couple minutes of waiting at the bar, Mike heard someone yell his name from the entrance, his friend Troy.

"Sorry man missed the bus, Brett shouldn't be too far behind, he had to stop by his house on the way."

"Nah it's all good man, Joey's back there but... he's a bit weird. He says he don't drink anymore... and he's all dressed up weird, says it's for work."

"Maybe it just is?" Troy responded, watching Joey from afar.

"I don't know man, sounds like a cult to me..."

Troy just gave a little laugh back in response, "you really think Joey of all people are dumb enough to fall into a cult? I'd expect that from you but not from him."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!

"Dude, you dropped out of uni because it was 'too slow and boring'"

"Yeah... so what? I got a decent job now."

"Sure.... Warehouse Worker at B&Q sounds mint... I'm going to go talk to Joey now, might get some intellectual conversation out of him."

Troy walked over to the table, Mike lagging behind, a bit red in the face after talking with Troy.

"Hey Joey, not seen you in a couple months! How've you been?"

"I've been really good thank you, I have this new job which I absolutely adore."

Mike's eyes widened, he grabbed his phone and typed out a text to Troy about how he said the exact same thing to him with the same mannerisms.

"Hate to break up this moment but Troy ya phone just buzzed, not gonna answer it?"

"No... I'm talking with my friend... anyways... is that why you're dressed like this now, you used to wear baggy hoodies like the rest of us; well, except Brett..."

"Yes, my boss has a strict policy on uniform."

Mike couldn't contain himself anymore, "Troy! Drinks! Now! Come!" Mike grabbed Troy's arm and pulled him up to the bar.

"Look at my text dude, applies to everything he's said to you tonight"

Troy looks at his phone and goes red, "you sure?"

"100% Bro is definitely in a cult.."

"Probably just coincidence, we probably just asked him the same questions. You do get a bit delirious when tipsy anyways..." Troy disregarded the talk he had with Mike and went back to Joey who was sat on his phone."

"Yes S----- Yes I understand, I will be there shortly. Sorry gentlemen, but I have been called into work, my boss needs me for something."

Joey didn't even wait for them to respond, he just got up and left.

"Ok... let's follow him" Mike said, watching Joey walk across the street through the pub window.

"Dude... are you crazy? It's his place of work, and Brett isn't even here yet..."

"Don't you want to know what he does?"

"Kinda, but I've had a couple drinks, I don't want to get done for intoxication or something." Troy quivered, despite his tough look, he'd always been afraid of breaking the rules.

"Well I'm goin even if you don't come with me." Mike bolted out of the pub, and a mild-mannered Troy began following him.

They got to the massive building where Joey works, but it was one where each floor is a separate company. Lucky for them, Mike spotted Joey getting into a lift.

"Look at him, fixing himself up, he doesn't even have a mirror... how does he know how he wants to look..."

Troy just gave Mike a side eye, "dude, you never just run your hand through your hair?"

"Whatever... shut up! Floor 8!"

The two snuck up the back stairs up to the floor Joey went to and tried to find him.

They looked in the small food area, no one, in the general workspace, no one.

They then walked down a long corridor and came across an office room so they peeked inside.

"Dude!" Mike yelled in a whisper

"What the--" Troy couldn't get the rest of his sentence out he was too shocked.

"Don't think this is a cult...." Mike admitted

"Yeah..... I don't think so..... still..... pretty messed up..."

They had caught Joey crawling under Mr. Stirling's table ready to service his boss.

Mike and Troy went to leave, when Troy's phone had a loud notification sound go off.

They got up and ran away, but they had managed to get themselves lost...

Meanwhile, in Mr. Stirling's office, Mr. Stirling seemed to notice a disturbance, "Joey my boy, go to see Garrett in security and see if he can find out what's going on..."

"Yes Sir..." Joey groaned, getting up from under the table.

Joey marched down the hall to Garrett's office, barely missing Mike and Troy hiding in the mini canteen.

"Good evening Garrett, our boss would like you to check on something for him."

"Anything for our boss" Garrett droned, in the same monotonous voice as Joey, "what does he require?"

"He heard a sound from the hallway and would like you to investigate"

"Certainly... Just at first glance, I see motion at the 'Rejuvenation Area. I will do investigate'"

"Thank you so much.." Joey droned.

Mike and Troy had recently left that area but had lost track of each other after trying to stay silent in a dark office.

Troy was hiding under a desk in the back of the shared office. Meanwhile, Mike hadn't moved from the rejuvenation area, and just stayed scrunched up onto a vending machine.

Garrett had little trouble in finding Mike, as the luminescent lights gave him away instantly, "I'm unsure what's dumber, you coming here uninvited, or your hiding spot" he said, still with the same monotonous tone but with the smallest hint of sarcasm.

"Wha-? Get off me!!" Mike yelled, as Garrett picked him up and carried him into Mr. Stirling's office.

"Hello there... what brings you to my offices? Why do you fee entitled to break into my space?" Mr. Stirling enquired with a stern look.

"I aint tellin you nothin!" Mike yelled back, trying to shake off the grip Garrett had on him.

Mr. Stirling just let out a little chuckle, "alright then, you just sit tight here and we'll get your other little friend to help jog your memory..."

Mr. Stirling motioned to a chair in the corner of to room which Garrett dragged Mike to and pushed him down into it, a mechanism popped out of the arms and strapped Mike to it, making him unable to move.

"Oh... and before you leave Garrett, please do something to make him unable to disturb me."

"Yes Sir" Garrett droned, pulling a rag out of his back pocked and positioning it over Mike's mouth, tying it at the back.

Garrett went back to his office where Joey was awaiting his return.

"I have found the other, an acquaintance from my host's previous life, he is residing in the stairwell, using his personal device."

"Brilliant Joey, Mr. Stirling would be so proud of the man you are becoming..." Garrett said as he left his office once more to find the remaining stoaway.

Troy was hiding in the middle of the stairwell he used to get up to the main offices, frantically trying to message Brett, who by now was just waiting at the pub wondering where all his friends went.

HELP US... OFFICE... FLOOR 8

Troy desperately tried to get a message to Brett, but he had no signal, not a single bar or data where he was. He was trapped, and all he could hear was the faint footsteps of someone coming toward him...

"I can see you... don't run..." Garrett taunted, staring at Troy from the railing above, "you have no where to go..."

Troy just froze, he wasn't as brazen as Mike and didn't know what else to do other than give in.

Garrett took Troy's hand, along with his phone and led him up to Mr. Stirling's office...

"Hello.... and here's our final intruder"

"Well I----" Troy mumbled

"Stop! Garrett, deal with him like you did the other"

"Yes Sir"

"Excellent... thank you Garrett, please go back and bring Joey in."

"Yes Sir.."

30 seconds passed, which felt like 30 years for Troy and Mike, until a faint knock on Mr. Stirling's door came through to end the deafening silence.

"Enter." Mr. Stirling commanded.

Joey came in and seemingly ignored the fact that Mike and Troy were sat right behind where he was standing.

Despite the muffles of Mike and Troy, Joey didn't even flinch...

"What do you think we should do with our intruders dear Joey?" Mr. Stirling asked, motioning at the 2 men sat at the back of the room. "Do you think we should let them go? Or should we welcome them into the company?"

"I believe we should do whatever suits your needs best Sir." droned Joey, salivating at the mouth.

"Agreed... Joey, go and fetch two conversion sets."

"Yes Sir." Joey left just as he arrived, not even looking at his former friends, desperatly trying to look for an escape.

But it was no use... Joey unboxed two identical pairs of headphones, very similar to the ones used in his own job interview...

Joey placed the first set over Troy's ears.

Mike was still shuffling about in his chair, and he somehow got the cloth off from his mouth and starting screaming, "you'll never get away with this you know! Get off him! Troy! What's happening?!"

All Mr. Stirling could do was try to tune out the sounds of a man with no escape, and he rolled his eyes...

"Gag him again Joey..."

"Yes Sir."

Within a minute, both Mike and Troy had the headphones on, and could hear nothing at all thanks to the headphone's noise cancelling technology.

The final touch, Joey pressed a button and soft waves came blasting through the headphones, instantly calming their minds.

Next came the binaural beats, invading their brain.

In sync, Troy and Mike fell into a deep sleep...

In the meantime, Brett had been waiting at the bar, for 45 minutes, just on his own, relentlessly trying to get in contact with either Troy or Mike.

It wasn't until he was about to give up and go home that his phone buzzed... a message from Troy, "HELP US... OFFICE... FLOOR 8..."

Brett just brushed it off as a prank and responded with, "don't play games with me today, had a shitty day at the office, just tell me where you are."

Within seconds, a reply came back, "Meet me in the foyer on Floor Eight of the office building across the street."

Brett was confused, Troy never used proper grammar in his texts, maybe he was a polite drunk?

Nevertheless, Brett got up and headed across the street to meet who he thought was Troy.

Back in Mr. Stirling's office, the transformation was going smoothly, Joey was watching it all unfold with his signature empty look and Mr. Stirling was watching with great anticipation. After all, we was getting two new employees without even putting out a job advertisement.

A mantra had been playing for them for 10 minutes by now, re-wiring their brain to see Mr. Stirling as their boss, making them think that it is their duty to do as he says.

"They are almost finished. Joey. Go and fetch their new uniform."

"Yes Sir..." Once again, Joey left and came back minutes later with two sets of clothes, identical to his own.

However, Brett had just reached the main office building, and seeing how there was so many floors, he thought he'd ask someone for the quickest way to the 8th floor.

It didn't take Brett long to find someone...

"Hey, sorry to bother you, do you happen to know how best to get to the 8th floor? My friends told me to meet them there."

"Ah yes, you can just follow me there, I'm heading that way anyways"

Brett followed the man, unknowing of Garrett's true identity... unknowing of how he had been messaging Garrett after he took Troy's phone after capturing him.

While Garrett was escorting Brett, Mike and Troy's conditioning came to an end when the audio stopped, and Joey stepped in to remove their headphones.

"Stand for me" Mr. Stirling commanded.

"Y----esss.... S--ir" Mike and Troy groaned, their body still adjusting to their new brains.

"Fantastic, Joey, take them away to change, and make sure to freshen them up a bit, they look dishevelled."

"Yes, Sir." Joey droned perfectly

In only 90 seconds, Mike and Troy emerged into Mr. Stirling's office again, both now wearing their new uniforms.

"You two look perfect. And I know you feel perfect too. Isn't that right?"

"Yes.... Sir" they drones with increasing eloquence.

"Now... serve me while I finish working, Joey, show them how it's done."

"Yes Sir" the three of them chimed.

Mr. Stirling had only been able to work for a matter of minutes before another knock came on his office door.

"Who is it?" he demanded

"Garrett Sir. Our two intruders had another friend whom I lured here to you Sir."

With a facial expression full of ecstasy, Mr. Stirling responded with a cheerful, "Enter."

"Hey, so apparently, you are who I'm suppos....ed... to--- see...... what... the....... What's going on?!" Brett exclaimed in fear.

He tried to run, but Garrett made sure he couldn't get anywhere...

"Welcome to your future..." Mr. Stirling jeered, as Brett could only look in awe at what has become of his prior friends...

Jason, 30, had been serving in the police force for 6 years.

He had gone through rigours training and a lot of paperwork to get to where he was today. But he was happy.

He had been working with his partner, Derek, 45, for all his time on the force.

Derek had been Jason's partner his entire time on the force, he was all Jason knew.

Jason had been recruited by Derek at some event, but he couldn't remember any of the details it was so long ago.

While Jason was doing paperwork for his recent case, Derek approached his desk.

"Hey mate, since you're finishing up your foundation years on the force, it's time you got a new partner. Someone to train like I did for you."

Looking up with a look of disappointment Jason responded, "Seriously? I don't really think I'm up for something like that..."

"Nah mate, you got it, it's what I've been training you for. You might not realise it, but I've been giving you all the tools you need to be just like me.

Just as Derek was walking away, as he passed Jason, he grazed the back of his neck, slightly pulling Jason's collar down.

"Dude, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, sorry man, depth perception isn't what it used to be..."

Jason's chip was still installed from when Derek recruited him all those years ago. He shouldn't be feeling like he isn't good enough for this...

"Actually Jason... would you be able to pop down to the training room after you finish that so I can go over some last minute details with you?"

"Sure, should be 15."

25 minutes pass and Jason walks into the training room, "sorry I'm late, messed up a bit on the paperwork."

"It's ok Jason. Just take a seat while I put on this training video."

As Jason sat down, the screen lit up, and his chip activated, freezing him in place and opening his mind.

"You are a proud member of the force"

"You are strong"

"You are capable"

"You are a leader"

While Jason was undergoing his training, Derek started to reminisce on recruiting Jason.

He didn't find Jason at a recruitment rally like he thinks, Derek found Jason because 6 years ago, he was called to a burglary at the local fish shop. Someone had made off with the little money from the till during the nightly rush.

And after a little investigating, Derek found Jason, slouched over in an alleyway, smoking a joint while clutching the stolen till.

He took him back to the station and the rest was history...

20 minutes pass until the training video is complete and Jason's chip de-activates, hiding intself back under his skin.

"How do you feel partner?" Derek asked

"I feel ready to take someone under my wing" Jason replied with a wide grin.

Jason went back to his paperwork when Derek came back and told him that they had just been called to a drunken man scaring everyone outside the local Ladbrokes.

When they arrived at the scene, it didn't take long to deduce who they were looking for.

"Stop! You're under arrest!" Jason yelled, jumping out of the car.

The man quickly ran away, while Jason pursued him on foot, eventually catching him in the park around the corner.

He made eye contact with Derek who was still in the police car, who nodded at him, which Jason understood instantly.

Back at the station, Jason brings the man to the interrogation room and sits opposite.

"Name?"

"Mikey"

"Age"

"20"

"How about we make a deal"?

"What kind of deal?" Mikey asked, slurring his words

Jason didn't even respond. He just stood up, picked something up out of his pocket, walked behind Mikey and placed his hand over his neck.

"What're you doin'?!" Mikey yelled out before his body completely shut off, his head hit the desk and he fell fast asleep.

Jason got on his radio, and told Derek that he had found his new partner and that he was following protocol.

Derek watched from the one-way glass, smiling as he watched his own recruit follow in his footsteps...

2 weeks later, it was like Mikey had been a part of the force his whole life,

"Hey Jason! Got those reports done you asked for!" Mikey said with a happy smile.

"Thank you so much Mikey, its time for your bi-weekly training session, are you ready?"

"Yeah I'm ready, should be fun!"

Chase, 24, had just gotten to the bar he was supposed to meet his friend at later on.

Somehow, he managed to get there a full hour late, so he thought he may as well just start drinking without him.

After about 20 minutes of swirling his straw around he gets a light tap on his left shoulder.

Chase turns around and greets the man with a polite smile.

"Hey there." the man said, "As the owner of this establishment, I must ask, why are you sat here all by yourself?"

Flustered, Chase turned bright red and told him how he was waiting for his friend to arrive and that he had arrived an hour early.

"Oh... sounds like you need something to do then. How about I take you upstairs to the VIP section?.."

Taken completely aback, Chase responds, "no no, I can't afford that. And even if I could, just look at me, I don't belong up there."

The man looks Chase up and down, and twice more, "I can fix you up, just take my hand and let's go to my office."

Feeling overwhelmed and nervous, Chase takes his hand and follows him into the back, walking past one of the bartenders, who winks at him before whispering something to another bartender.

Chase took a seat on the sofa in the office, noticing how badly it smelt but deciding not to comment on it since he was getting bumped to VIP.

"Names' Trevor by the way." the man said with a grin, before taking a step back toward the door.

"Nice... to meet you Trevor?.. So... what now?" Chase asked uncomfortably.

The lights turn off and the only sound is a voice, coming from the darkness.

"Now.... you will stare into my eyes."

The lights switched back on and the man was right in Chase's face, his eyes, swirling black and white.

Chase couldn't look away, the hypnotic pull of the eyes made his mind go blank and his body completely shut down.

Trevor moves closer to Chase and begins to whisper in his ear:

"You really thought I'd let someone like you just waltz up into VIP? The only way you're getting in there is if you work for me. And just your luck, you're about to start an eternal contract..."

Trevor dragged Chase off the sofa, and changed Chase's clothes, making sure to fix his hair while he's at it.

"Stand up." he ordered.

"Take these contacts, go upstairs to VIP, your first shift is starting."

"Yes Sir"

"Before you go, unlock your phone and hand it over, I remember the old you telling me you were expecting someone..."

Chase had been working the VIP floor for only 15 minutes before the friend he was meeting finally showed up outside.

Peter, Chase's closest friend had just arrived at the spot he said the two would meet up, the only person missing was Chase...

Peter took his phone out of his inner pocket, and sent a text asking where Chase was.

Trevor, sat in his office, saw a notification banner appear on Chase's phone.

A message reading, "Hey, I'm outside the place now, where are you?"

Trevor, smiling as wide as he could sends a message back saying, "just around the back, had to get away from all the noise, come meet me back there."

Trevor stood up, grabbed his coat and headed out to meet his new catch.

Meanwhile, Peter walked around the back of the club, but he couldn't see anybody there.

"Chase..?" he calls out before getting a tap on his shoulder.

Trevor put his hand over Peter's mouth and stared into his eyes, watching Peter as he slithered down the walls of his club.

"Mmmphhh" Peter desperately tried to call out for help, but it was no use. The music from the club drowned out any sound he was making.

"Just keep looking, stop trying to resist, it's worthless..." Trever whispered

It didn't take long for Peter to succumb just like Chase did.

Trevor took Peter's hand, pulled him up and dragged him down to the cellar.

A new uniform was already laid out for him.

"Put this on."

"Yes... Sir..."

"Perfect, now take these contacts and head up to the VIP lounge, they are in need of a new bartender ever since getting a new waiter."

"Yes Sir" moaned Peter as he marched upstairs and stood behind the bar, with a memory full of the nightclub's drink's recepies.

Peter took to his new role amazingly, making sure the VIP customers were treat well.

It didn't even click to him nor Chase that they were working together.

Afterall, their past memories had been completely erased. They belonged to Trevor now...

"Table 17" Peter droned

"Understood" Chase responded in the same tone, like it was the first time they had ever met.

Chase and Peter worked their shifts side by side, taking orders, cleaning, getting to know their new co-workers.

And when the sun came up in the morning and their shift came to an end, another co-worker told them that the boss would like to see them as part of their training as new hires.

Chase and Peter walked together to Trevor's office, not saying a word to each other.

When they arrived, all Trevor did was point downward and they new exactly what needed to be done.

They had just served in the club, and now it was time to serve their Master...

George, 50, and his son, Matt, 23, had just moved to a new town for George's work. He had just gotten a new job a year prior and quickly raised up the ranks and they wanted him to move away to their new branch, which he was happy to oblige.

The new town, Northbridge, was bustling with men in suits, posh little coffee shops and boutiques.

George had never felt more at home anywhere else.

Matt however, just hated the place, he thought everyone looked fake and almost creepy. He kept telling his dad this place was just like a cult, but George just brushed it off.

Matt was supposed to finish university back home, but now that they had just moved, he was supposed to start his final year again and finish at Northbridge University.

George was adamant that this was the best thing for him, as all Matt had done in his previous university was go out and party. There would be none of that here, George hoped that living in Northbridge would give Matt some new direction.

A week living in their new home, there was a knock at the door, and when Matt answered it was a man dressed in a butler's uniform who stated that he was here to make sure they were settling in well and to take Matt to university every day.

George mentioned how the company he works for sent him to make sure they settled in, but Matt just thought it was strange...

He was 23... he could make his own way to university. Not that he wanted to, but he could if he wanted....

Monday quickly came and their new butler, William, promptly knocked on the front door at 6:00, let himself in and marched straight to Matt's room.

"You're late." he yelled.

"Dude?! What?! Class doesn't even start until 10:00 why are you here?" Matt shouted back.

"I am here to take you to initiation. Get ready and meet me in the car in 15 minutes, or I will come drag you.

"Whatever man"

An awkward car ride later and William parks up at Northbridge University, and guides Matt over to the main hall where the assembly is for the new starters.

Matt looked around and saw how everyone looked the exact same, they all look like they came from money with a silver spoon in their mouth from birth.

Reluctantly, he walked into the assembly, sat down at the back and watched the head of the university speak about the values that this institution will instil into them, and how they will come out of here as the perfect Northbridge citizen.

After the longest hour of his life, Matt went to his first class. Not paying any attention to what was going on at all, just playing on his phone when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Another student in his class asked him why he wasn't paying attention to the professor, why he came unprepared and why he looked "like that?"

Matt completely flipped and started yelling at him until the professor got involved and dragged him out, demanding he went to the head's office.

Slouching in the chair opposite the head, Mr. Westport, Matt just looked around the room at all the pictures of golf teams, championship medals, and all the classes that came before him. And they all looked the same...

"Matt..." Mr. Westport said, "we can't be having this in our initiation can we?"

"Tell whoever that guy was, he started on me"

After a back and forth between the two for 5 minutes, Mr. Westport said he would send Matt home for the day but to return to his office first thing tomorrow morning, and not to try to avoid it because he had cleared it with William.

A massive eye roll crossed Matt's face as he went home, spent the rest of his day in his room, hearing his dad come home from work and talk to William about his day. He didn't even sound shocked, it was almost like he already knew...

Matt just ignored it and waited until the next day, William came storming in again, demanding him to hurry up and get to the car, expect this time was at 5:00.

Arriving at Mr. Westport's office, Matt waited in the reception while he saw Mr. Westport talking to someone on the phone, nodding and writing things down.

"Enter." his voice beckoned when he put the phone down.

Once again, Matt slouched in the chair, while Mr. Westport talked about how these actions will not be tolerated, and how George had given him permission to admit him into their barracks to live on campus for the semester.

"What??!" Matt exclaimed, visibly livid.

"It's not up for discussion, William will take you to your new room."

When he arrived he saw a note on his new pillow reading, "This is for your own good, we just want the best for you - Dad"

Who was 'we?' he thought. George had been a single dad since he was 12...

Before he had any more time to think, William left the room while another man came in and said, "Hello there, I am your mentor, Kyle, and roommate, a pleasure to meet you."

'Amazing...' Matt said to himself in his head, this guy looked just like the rest of them, polo shirt, posh trousers and the kind of hair that just makes you hate someone.

As the days pass by, Kyle stays at Matt's side all day, every day, escorting him to class, making sure he does his homework and making sure he goes to bed by curfew.

After two weeks pass, Kyle mentions how Mr. Westport would like to see him.

As Matt arrives, he still has the same attitude, careless and angry.

"Hmmm... it seems Kyle was right to inform me of this. No matter, I have the tools to deal with this. William. If you will."

Before he could even react, Matt felt something get placed over his head, his vision completely covered, his ears cushioned against something.

In a matter of seconds, lights came flashing onto the screen, low, calming waves played into his ears.

Pictures flooded his eyesight, men, dressed properly, smiling, perfect posture, perfect hair, perfect etiquette.

The calming waves soon turned into words:

Sink

Obey

Give in

Become one of us

You are one of us

A preppy boy is who you are meant to be

Seconds turned to minutes, Matt couldn't think for himself anymore... Did he even want to?

Mr. Westport removed the device from Matt's head just to tell him that George was exactly the same apparently, too headstrong, resisted the changes for weeks, until his boss, Kyle's father did to him what he was doing to Matt.

And with an evil smirk, he placed the device back onto Matt's expressionless face as it continued to take him deeper.

Matt was left there all night, images flashing in front of his eyes, words being etched into his brain.

When William came to collect him the next morning he carefully removed the device and told him that everything was going to be okay, how he was going to love his new life.

William guided a motionless Matt through the halls, into a large wardrobe and dressed him in his new attire.

Matt slightly smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror.

With haste, William dragged Matt into the adjoining room, applied some gel to his hair and styled it the correct way.

Again, Matt slightly smiles as he sees what he is becoming.

Finally, he is escorted back to his room, where Kyle and Mr. Westport are waiting for him.

Mr. Westport walks up to him and whispers into his ear, "A preppy boy is a happy boy." Which causes Matt to shoot up to attention and greet him with a "Good morning Sir."

"Welcome to your room while you finish your studies with us Matt" Mr . Westport says, stroking Matt's cheek.

"Kyle here will be your partner from now on, you two will live together just as your fathers do. Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir." They said in unison, as Mr. Westport leaves with William, the two are left on their own and immediately start filling their superior's orders without any hesitation.

Nathan had booked the holiday after another brutal month at work.

Deadlines. Noise. Endless meetings. His friends kept telling him he needed to “finally relax for once,” so when an advert for the exclusive all-male Mirador Cove Resort appeared on his phone, he booked it impulsively.

Luxury. Brotherhood. Reinvention.

The private shuttle dropped him off just before sunset.

The resort looked unreal, white stone walkways, glowing pools, palm trees swaying in warm ocean air. Soft electronic music drifted through hidden speakers.

And then there were the staff.

Every employee at Mirador Cove was male.

Young. Attractive. Immaculately groomed.

Their fitted green uniforms hugged toned bodies, and every single one of them wore the same sleek hairstyle: combed perfectly back with a glossy shine that somehow never moved in the breeze.

Nathan couldn’t stop staring.

A tall concierge greeted him with a flawless smile.

“Welcome to Mirador Cove, Nathan.”

His voice was smooth and oddly calming.

Nathan smiled awkwardly. “Thanks. Uh… nice place.”

“We know,” the concierge replied.

The other workers nearby turned in perfect sync toward Nathan for just a second before returning to their tasks.

All smiling.

All identical.

Nathan’s suite overlooked the beach.

He dropped onto the bed, exhausted but impressed. The whole place felt strangely quiet despite being full of guests. Men lounged beside the pool downstairs, drinking cocktails while handsome staff attended to them with almost obsessive attentiveness.

Everyone looked relaxed.

Too relaxed.

Nathan loosened his shirt and reached for the remote—

The television switched on by itself.

Static flickered briefly before a polished commercial appeared.

A beautiful man in a Mirador Cove suit filled the screen.

His slicked-back hair gleamed under soft golden lighting.

“Welcome,” he said warmly. “At Mirador Cove, every guest deserves the chance to become his best self.”

Slow music pulsed underneath his voice.

The screen showed workers laughing together at the beach bar, exercising together, serving drinks together, all handsome, obedient, perfectly styled.

Nathan frowned slightly.

Something about the advert felt… heavy.

Hypnotic.

“We believe confidence begins with presentation,” the spokesman continued. “That’s why we proudly offer complimentary Hypnogel treatments for select guests.”

Onscreen, a worker dipped his fingers into shimmering silver gel and slowly combed it through another man’s hair.

The recipient’s expression melted into calm obedience.

“Slick,” the spokesman said softly.

Nathan blinked.

“Slick,” he quietly repeated.

The advert continued.

“Hypnogel removes stress. Doubt. Resistance. It helps you become part of something greater.”

Nathan’s eyes stayed locked on the screen.

The spokesman smiled directly at him now.

“You don’t want to leave Mirador Cove, Nathan.”

Nathan’s breathing slowed.

“You want purpose.”

Images flashed faster now.

Rows of handsome male workers smiling together.

Serving drinks.

Making beds.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with identical glossy hairstyles and empty, blissful expressions.

“You want brotherhood.”

Nathan nodded faintly before realizing he was doing it.

The spokesman’s voice became almost gentle.

“Tomorrow morning, you’ll attend your complimentary grooming session.”

Nathan swallowed.

“Yes,” he whispered.

“You’ll look beautiful in green.”

“Yes.”

“You’ll wear your hair slick.”

Nathan slowly raised a hand and pushed his own messy hair backward.

“Slick,” he murmured.

The commercial ended abruptly.

The room fell silent.

Nathan sat motionless for several seconds before standing and walking toward the bathroom mirror.

He stared at himself.

Then carefully flattened his hair back again with both hands.

A small smile spread across his face.

Down below near the pool, dozens of identical male workers looked up toward his balcony at exactly the same moment.

And smiled back.

The next morning, Nathan attended his compulsory grooming session, received his uniform and headed out to work.

This was the only life he had ever known.

"Welcome to Mirador Cove, I know you'll enjoy your stay here." He said to an upcoming resident.

Joey was fresh out of university after initially taking a gap year to travel. He had just finished his degree and was ready to jump straight in to work.

He thought it was a stroke of luck he found the perfect position at a new company in his home town. Working as the CEO's personal assistant for a couple months before taking on more responsibilities. Seemed good enough for him.

Joey walked in to the building, and was called up the CEO's office almost immediately.

Joey cautiously knocked on the door and was met with a deep voiced reply, "You may enter."

Joey slowly opened the door and walked in, trying to look at confident as he could, but deep down he was terrified of messing it up.

The CEO looked Joey up and down and smiled at him, "Sit. I am Mr. Stirling."

"So... tell me about yourself." Mr. Stirling asked

"Well, I'm a very hard worker and a quick learner, as well as being keen to get stuck in and get my head down."

Mr .Stirling looks him up and down again, smiles briefly, puts his hand onto the table and replies with a soft, "you can stop there, you sound perfect for the role."

Joey was taken aback, "th- thank you so much!" he eagerly responded, "what happens now?"

"Well, we shall continue to have a brief discussion, and begin to get you ready for the role, how about starting today?"

Joey eagerly nodded back, not being able to speak due to his excitement.

The 2 kept chatting for about 10 minutes until Mr. Stirling gave him a glass of water, "here, drink up, you're bound to be parched after talking for so long." he said with a comforting smile.

Joey gulped the water down and kept on talking, not realising how Mr. Stirling's words were pulling him in, making him feel drowsy.

20 minutes pass and Joey is apologising for yawning and having droopy eyes, when Mr. Stirling takes the chance to say, "it's okay... that reaction is normal" as he steps forward, closing Joey's eyes with his own hands, watching him fall into a deep trance.

Mr. Stirling opens his drawer, pulls out a pair of headphones and places them carefully over Joey's ears.

"Listen to the sounds, Joey Listen to what they are telling you..."

Listen

Obey

Sink

Listen

Obey

Sink

A deep hum pairs itself with the repeating voice, pulling Joey into the deepest sleep of his life.

Mr. Stirling removes one of the speakers so he can whisper into Joey's ear.

"Fall deep for me boy. You want to become my new worker. You want to change yourself for me."

Mr. Stirling puts his hand through Joey's hair, "we'll have to fix this first..."

2 hours pass and the recording finally ends.

Joey is still un-responsive in the same pose as when he came in.

Mr. Stirling took Joey's hand, and led him into the adjoining room.

"Listen boy. Change your clothes first, I have laid out your new uniform for you. Do you understand?"

"...Y-Y-Yes Si--r...." Joey slowly droned, barely managing to get any words out.

Joey stepped into the wardrobe, and after 2 minutes he emerged in his new uniform.

Mr. Stirling circled Joey like a predator with his prey, "I think we need to make you look even more suitable to serve me, don't you think?"

"mmphhh" Joey couldn't even get any words out at all anymore, as Mr. Stirling took his hand once more, taking him into the office basement.

Joey was pushed into a leather chair, eyes closed once more, and the only sound in the room was a soft buzzzz from the clippers.

"Need to make you smoother and neater boy." Mr. Stirling beckoned across the room.

The clippers worked their way across Joey's face, removing all hairs from his face.

Afterall, all of Mr. Stirling's workers needed to be entirely smooth.

After Joey's treatment was completed, his eyes opened, but there was nothing there.

"I am your servant to be used however you see fit." Joey moaned.

Jake was 21, about to finish his university studies and begin a career in the world of accounting. He had just finished the term and, along with his boyfriend, Ryan, were getting ready for a nice and relaxing 2 weeks off.

Jake and Ryan had been together for 2 years, and were already looking at places to move after finishing their studies. Both hoping to make a good life together...

They could not be more different if they tried. Just looking at them together, no one would assume that they were a couple, but that kind of thing pulled them closer together. Each other's differences made them feel a sense of safety around each other.

Jake had always been a bit more rough than the average guy and Ryan had always been more refined, but they found themselves drawing closer together when they stopped acknowledging their differences.

They had been relaxing for the first couple days of their break at Ryan's parent's house, just lounging around watching TV.

Ryan's dad had been hanging about the house too after also being off work coincidentally. But neither of them minded. Ryan's dad was a nice guy, looked a bit rough with the tattoos, but a man with a kind heart.

The first 3 days was spent the same way each day:

Wake up

Have breakfast together

Watch TV for hours

Cuddle

Eat dinner

Cuddle

Eat tea

Cuddle

But they didn't care. All they wanted was to be in each other's company.

Every now and then, Ryan's dad would come in and make some joke about them getting stuck to that sofa or standing in front of the TV just to annoy them.

It wasn't until a week had passed when a thought popped into Jake's head as he struggled to sleep; they hadn't seen Ryan's dad all day 2 days ago, and ever since he came back he's been so distant. Rarely ever talking to them, if he does its just a couple grunts and he'll leave.

Ryan told him it must just be stress, something work related most likely, but Jake couldn't stop thinking about it. He knew that Ryan was probably right, like he always was so he slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next day they spent in the usual way, until Ryan mentioned that he was going to the spa with a couple of his friends from his school days, so Jake would have to entertain himself for the day.

Jake was pottering around the house for a couple hours, doing a whole lot of nothing.

It wasn't until 15:00 that he remembered Ryan's dad was even home. He had been in his room all day...

He tried texting Ryan to ask when he was coming home, but he just responded with a sarcastic comment about being too much of a baby to talk to his dad.

That message tipped Jake over the edge. If there is one thing that he wouldn't tolerate, it was being called a baby. So he got up, marched over to Ryan's dad's room and knocked and opened the door simultaneously.

What he was met with on the other side shook him to his core.

Jake jumped, let out a gasp and dropped his phone as Ryan's dad looked up.

He wiped his mouth and began trying to explain what had happened, but his voice was too monotone, Jake knew something was up.

"Your mouth! What was that?!" he yelled.

"What was what? You must be seeing things boy."

Jake knew what he saw, he didn't understand what it was, but he knew he had to get out of there fast.

He turned, and bolted down the stairs and tried to open the front door.

Locked

He ran to the back door.

Locked

Every door and window were locked, without a key in sight.

"Jake. Come back." A voice travelled downstairs.

Jake, feeling as if he had no other option, slowly went back upstairs and back into Ryan's dad's bedroom.

"Join us. Join me and serve the collective." Ryan's dad moved closer to Jake, holding a mass of black goo.

Jake tried to step back, but Ryan's dad jolted forward, pushed Jake against the wall and shoved the mass of goo into his mouth.

Jake only struggled for a couple of seconds. That was all it took for the goo to start taking control.

Ryan's dad couldn't help but let out a little chuckle.

He was happy, but mostly proud that he has initiated another member of the hivemind.

He watched Jake roll around on the floor for a couple seconds, until it stopped and a black puddle emerged from under him

20 minutes had passed and Jake's initiation was complete.

Jake and Ryan's dad were now linked. Together, they serve a higher purpose.

Together, they make up part of the hive mind.

For a couple days after, Jake and Ryan's dad lay low, trying to avoid Ryan as best they can, slipping away to grow their connection even more and make their connection to the hive stronger.

Ryan was growing increasingly angry with Jake because he wasn't being very chatty or emotive with him.

They had been sat on the couch all day and Jake had barely spoken a word to him, and when Ryan looked back at the pictures he took of them, he just hated them.

Jake just had this annoying, blank expression on his face in every single one.

He wouldn't even sit close to him anymore.

Jake, completely unaware of Ryan's feelings spoke up for the first time in 2 hours to say, "I will be back. Need to take care of something."

Ryan was furious... so mad to the point he didn't even say anything, he just waited a couple seconds for Jake to get up and followed him. "why was he going into the boiler cupboard"? Ryan thought and he slowly opened the door...

"Wh- wha- what's going on!?" Ryan blurted out, stumbling back.

Jake and Ryan's dad paused for a second, looked at each other, smiled and in unison chanted, "another one for the hive..." before following Ryan into the living room.

Ryan was stumbling around, legs shaking, trying to run away. He didn't know what he just saw but he knew he had to run.

As he was running away, he tripped on the coffee table leg, fell to the ground and scuffled into the corner of the room.

"Please!! Don't hurt me!" he yelled, trying to move back but there was no hope. He was trapped.

"You will join us..." Jake and Ryan's dad said in perfect unison.

Ryan's dad walked closer, kneeling down and holding Ryan's nose to force his mouth open as Jake knelt down, black goo in hand, shoving down Ryan's throat.

Just like Jake, Ryan begins to roll around on the ground. But they know the hive will claim him eventually.

They just have to wait.

And 45 minutes later, Ryan's initiation is complete.

"We serve the hive."

"We serve the hive."

Rain pressed softly against the tall windows of the townhouse, turning the city outside into streaks of gold and grey. Inside, everything was warm light and careful.

Adrian Vale stood in the kitchen with one hand braced against the marble counter, watching ice melt slowly in a glass of bourbon he’d stopped drinking ten minutes ago.

He was 46.

Most people guessed younger. Not because he chased it, he didn’t bother with desperate things like dyed hair or flashy clothes—but because time had settled on him gently. Silver threaded his dark hair at the temples. His face had sharpened instead of softened with age. He moved with the kind of confidence that made younger men straighten unconsciously when he looked at them.

And they always looked.

Especially the frat boys.

Loud in packs. Sunburned shoulders in summer. Cheap cologne layered over beer and detergent. They arrived everywhere like they owned the room, then folded embarrassingly fast under direct attention.

Adrian liked that moment best.

The shift.

The instant confidence turned into nervous laughter.

He crossed the kitchen and picked up his phone from beside the sink. Notifications glowed across the screen, messages stacked on top of each other, invitations, ignored conversations, half-finished replies.

None of the names mattered much anymore.

His townhouse sat just off campus territory, close enough that students drifted through the neighborhood constantly. Over the years the place had developed a reputation. Not openly. Nothing obvious. Just whispers passed between people after parties.

Adrian always hosted the best afterparties.

Enough music. Enough alcohol. Enough mystery.

No one ever asked too many questions about who actually knew him.

He walked into the living room, pausing near the massive windows. Across the street, wet pavement reflected neon from a bar sign down the block. Groups of students moved through the rain in clusters, jackets over their heads, laughing too loudly.

A fraternity house stood three streets away. Tonight would be busy there. Friday nights always were.

Adrian loosened the cuffs of his black shirt and glanced toward the hallway mirror. Calm expression. Relaxed posture. The exact right amount of warmth in his eyes.

Practiced.

He opened Instagram first, then another app after that, scrolling slowly through stories and tagged photos from campus parties already underway.

A familiar pattern emerged quickly: Red plastic cups. Kitchen counters. Sweaty shoulders. Group photos taken too close.

Then he stopped.

A blond guy leaned halfway out of frame in someone’s story, laughing at something off-camera. Broad shoulders under a varsity jacket. Baseball cap backwards. A face that was handsome in the careless way youth made effortless.

The caption tagged a fraternity house Adrian recognized immediately.

He watched the clip twice.

Then a third time.

Outside, rain tapped steadily against the glass while Adrian smiled faintly to himself and picked up his coat from the back of the sofa.

Tonight, he decided, he was going to invite someone over.

Adrian sat at the kitchen island with his phone in one hand and bourbon in the other, scrolling through fraternity stories until he found the blond guy again.

Ethan Mercer. 22. Sigma Tau.

Every photo looked the same, laughing with friends, baseball cap backwards, arm around somebody’s shoulder. Comfortable. Social. Exactly the kind of guy who never expected anything strange to happen to him.

Adrian posted a quick story to a private circle connected to students he’d met before.

Afterparty at mine tonight. People heading over around 11.

Almost immediately, reactions started rolling in.

A few minutes later, a new message appeared.

yo is this actually happening tonight

Adrian smiled slightly.

Depends who’s asking.

Ethan. Saw Tyler repost it

Adrian waited before replying.

Yeah. Swing by if you want. Few people already here.

That was all it took.

By the time Ethan arrived, rain clung to the shoulders of his jacket. The townhouse stood quiet at the end of the street, warm light glowing through tall windows.

No loud music outside. No crowd.

Still, he walked up the steps and knocked.

The door opened almost immediately.

“Ethan,” Adrian said, like he’d been expecting him.

Up close, he was intimidatingly attractive. Older, confident, perfectly relaxed.

“Hey,” Ethan said with a nervous laugh. “Hope I’m not too early.”

“Not at all. Come in.”

Ethan stepped inside.

Soft music drifted through the house. Amber light reflected off dark wood floors and expensive furniture.

Then he glanced toward the living room.

No people.

No noise.

No party at all.

"Where's the party at?" Ethan enquired, sounding nervous looking around the townhouse.

That's when his fate was sealed...

"The party has just begun" Adrian whispered, his eyes glowing red, starting into Ethan's soft eyes.

Ethan felt his whole body weaken. He tried to fight it off but he couldn't.

He fell to the floor and felt Adrian start dragging him somewhere...

When Ethan came to and tried to open his eyes, he couldn't see anything. He could just feel something pressing against his face.

"Wh-where am I?" He desperately groaned, trying to wiggle free.

"Where you belong now. To me" Adrian responded coldly. "Just watch as the spiral comes on and relaxes your mind, it makes the next part a lot easier for you..."

Sink deeper

Give in

Sleep

Sink deeper

Give in

Sleep

Sink deeper

Give in

Sleep

All Ethan could do was resist. He tried to resist as long as he could but he was falling drowsy.

Ethan heard rolling along the floor, and something long go into his mouth...

Ethan tried to resist but he couldn't.

He felt a thick substance go into his mouth and he did everything in his power to spit it out.

Until Adrian walked over and held his mouth shut, whispering into Ethan's ear, "this is my favourite part, you'll be one of them soon..."

Ethan finally mustered up the strength to ask, "what's happening to me?"

Adrian laughed, "well, firstly, the headset is calming your subconscious mind to make this process a little quicker. But, my favourite part, this substance flowing through your entire body right now. Spit. That's right, the spit from the lucky guy before you. And this bucket under your chair catching your drool. Spit to be used by our next plaything. Isn't that fun?"

Ethan couldn't talk any more, but after hearing that, thoughts were racing through his mind, someone had to get him out of this. Someone had to know where he is...

Almost as if Adrian knew what he was thinking, "no one is coming to get you... I sent a story from your phone telling everyone how you're done for the night. They won't notice for at least 12 hours..."

Ethan grew completely hopeless, and seemingly gave up, feeling Adrian stroking his cheek, feeling the spit course his veins...

Ten minutes later, Ethan became entirely unresponsive...

Adrian knew his work here was done and went back upstairs, ready to come back down in an hour when the transformation should be complete.

Adrian started scrolling through all of Ethan's social medias.

Looking at his life, who he used to be, his friends, his boyfriend...

Adrian cherished getting to know each of his victims. After all, they were about to spend eternity together.#

About 55 minutes later, Adrian stood up and headed back down to the basement.

And what he saw was exactly what he wanted.

He could not be more pleased.

Every hint of life, erased.

"Follow me." Adrian ordered.

"Yes Sir." Ethan droned in a robotic tone.

Adrian took Ethan into an adjoining room, removed Ethan's clothing and placed a collar and some new shorts onto him.

"Doesn't that suit you much better?" Adrian jeered.

"Yes Sir." Ethan droned in the same monotone robotic tone.

"Wonderful. No one would even recognise you anymore..."

Adrian took Ethan's hand and took him into a deeper room.

"Go. Join the others, you might recognise a few familiar faces..."

Ethan stepped into the crowd without question.

Adrian was right, many of Ethan's old classmates and frat brothers were also down here, supposed to have just dropped out or moved away.

No one could have expected this.

Ethan would have been mortified.

That was, if he could still think for himself...

2 days later, Adrian came back down to his collection of toys.

"Ethan, I have a visitor coming. Your buddy Matt, if only you could remember him... Anyways, I need your spit so he can join you."

Adrian walked close to Ethan, started stroking his cheek and whispering in his ear, and just like that, Ethan began to drain his seed for his master, after all, his only purpose was to serve and transform others...

Two months after Liam's transformation he had fully committed to his new lifestyle.

He had been making love to his new partner Troy every day as a part of their transformation process, building an unbreakable bond.

The two had just moved into a new apartment bought for them under Sigurd's place.

Sigurd's goal was to eventually have everyone living in his building be one of his conquests. Didn't matter if someone was already occupying the place, he would make them leave...

Just as Liam was getting ready to settle down for the night, the front door squeaked open and Troy walked in.

He put his bag on the side table, and adjusted his shorts, releasing his pride and joy, the source of the stench, his fluffy tail.

"Hate having to hide this away out in the world." Troy complained

"Well, in 4 more hours, I should be ready to transform people myself" Liam responded. Liam had been bound to the loft for months while he waited to fully finish his transformation and gain the ability to spread the smell.

"Amazing! We should go out tomorrow and find our next brother." Troy whispered in his ear, cuddling up next to Liam

"I can't wait." Liam responded, reciprocating the cuddle.

The two went to bed, waited for the next day to come and set out looking for their first shared victim.

The next day they got dressed, with one goal in mind. To stay hidden. Under the radar. To allow them to find their target.

They headed down to the local park near their loft and just watched people passing by.

40 minutes passed and Liam gave Troy a nudge.

"Him" he said, pointing to a man just over the lake.

Liam and Troy looked at each other and nodded.

They had found their target.

They spent the rest of the day following him around to understand his patterns.

To the supermarket.

On his lunch break.

And to his home.

They followed him for 2 weeks. Everyday he did the same things, in the same order.

They had grown attached to this man, arrogant and full of himself, they knew he'd be a valuable asset.

Liam and Troy hatched a plan to slowly weaken his mind...

They had spent the 2 weeks filling up a bottle of both of their fumes, and on Monday, Liam went to the supermarket and sprayed some around the path the man follows.

On Tuesday, Troy does the same in the cafe and Liam spreads his seed around the front lawn of his home...

As the week goes on they notice he becomes sluggish, following his same routine but much slower.

On Friday, they head to his place to complete their plan.

They knock on the door and greet the man with big smiles.

"Hey there!" they said in unison "We would just love the opportunity to tell you about the wonderful word of our all-loving God! Please, spare us just 5 minutes of your time and we can alter your reality."

"Ughhh... whatever" the man motioned them to come in, he didn't have the energy to yell at them like he normally does, for some reason he's been feeling awfully groggy lately."

Liam and Troy step into the house and ask if they could have a glass of water while they get set up.

Troy heads to the living room to make first contact with their victim as Liam locks the doors and windows and heads upstairs.

"Ok guys here's your water, let's just get this over with... what the----"

The man completely froze seeing what was in front of him.

"You should really be careful about who you let in your home. You never know what they're hiding beneath the surface." Troy said with a large grin as he crept closer

"St-stay away from me!" The man yelled, falling to the floor.

Troy took a couple more steps closer and...

pppppppppppfffffftttttttttt

The man immediately began coughing and spluttering everywhere. Desperately trying to run.

"You won't make it far. My beautiful boyfriend has made sure of it." Liam jeered, walking closer, pushing him to the ground again.

"Just let it take over your mind"

"N-no... I won't!" He yelled back, tugging on Troy's tail, pulling him to the ground.

"You're going to regret that!" He yelled "but it's too late, I can see it taking over you, no matter what you do it's only a matter of time..."

An hour passed and the man's brain had finally shut down. Troy had never seen someone get transformed like this, but he was sure it would be fine.

The fur's embrace had manifested more like a hoodie than a blanket. Unusual, but nothing to worry about, as Troy led the man upstairs, to his own bedroom where Liam was waiting for him.

"Welcome brother. Time to finish things up.."

3 days later, after spending 72 hours inhaling the toxic fumes. The man had fully completed his transformation.

Liam and Troy had been so excited to get things going that they hadn't even found out his name. So, after going through his belongings, which he wouldn't even need anymore they finally found his name.

Caleb

"Caleb. You are one of us now."

"Yes Sirs."

Caleb's transformation didn't go as expected. Instead of a new brother they got a drone that would do anything they asked.

Liam and Troy were elated, Caleb was their creation. And they would use him to take over more of the city. His previous arrogant, selfish attitude was no more.

Liam was wandering around outside the club he just got kicked out from for being too intoxicated. The night was only young at 1:04am and Liam wanted to stay out so he decided to take a little rest out back to regain himself.

About 2 minutes later and he started to walk back to the main street but he bumped into someone on the way back.

"Sorry mate, didn't see you there" Liam apologised, rubbing his eyes.

"No bother. Was hoping to meet someone tonight..." The man responded, smiling back.

"Woah.. what's that... thing??" Liam asked, stepping closer for a closer look.

"What do you mean?" The man responded, putting a confused look on his face like a mask.

"That... tail?" Liam pointed at it, and took a step back, scratching his head. He wasn't that drunk surely?

"Think you're imagining things boy..." The man stepped closer, and Liam felt a pull between them, nothing like he'd ever felt before.

Liam took a step forward again and talked to the man for a couple minutes before he suggested Liam came back to his place so they could talk properly. Liam agreed with little hesitation, still fuzzy in his head.

An hour later, they stepped out of a taxi and Liam walked up to the man's apartment.

"What's your name anyways?

"Sigurd. Come inside now, I'll get you a drink."

Sigurd handed Liam a glass of water which he downed instantly. The ride to Sigurd's apartment was long, and there was a strange smell in the taxi that seemed to linger in Liam's mouth.

Within seconds, Liam's head grew heavy and he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer and fell asleep.

While Liam was sleeping, Sigurd couldn't help but smile. He loved this part, where he was waiting for his prey to awaken. They never know what's about to hit them...

Three hours passed before Liam woke up, and when he opened his eyes, he tried to move. But he couldn't. He was stuck. Paralysed.

Sigurd sat opposite, admiring his catch.

"Wh-whats happening?" Liam quivered, trying to get up and run.

"Everything is falling into place" Sigurd responded, stroking one of his tails, "see, they were real all along, you shouldn't have doubted yourself. he laughed.

"Someone will notice I'm missing, you won't get away with what you're planning!"

"Heard it a thousand times before. Never stopped me. Now. shall be begin" Sigurd softly said across the room, before taking a big breath in and...

ppppffffttttttt

Thick, green, gas came pooling out from behind Sigurd and a foul stench filled the air. Sigurd couldn't hold back his cackling as the gas filled the air, "oh I love this part..."

Liam couldn't hold is breath any longer, the foul smell began to find its way into his nose and his mouth, infecting his entire body.

Liam's body twitched and spasmed as more and more gas entered his lungs. Not long after, a black and white fur blanked wrapped its way around Liam's body, encasing him whole, keeping him trapped.

"That's right Liam... let my stench take over your body. You will soon be mine. You will soon join me and my subjects and we will take over this town one man at a time."

Liam's eyes were fully rolled back into his head now, he was barely conscious the the world around him, all he could smell was the foul stench of Sigurd, and all he could hear were Sigurd's words.

But inside his mind... Liam was trying to fight it, he was trying a shard as he could to move, to yell out, anything to save himself. But it was no use...

"I guess you'd like to know, why you? Why did I choose you to become one of us? The greatest thing is. I didn't. He did..."

Sigurd stepped aside and a man came wandering around the corner.

"Remember him?" Sigurd jeered.

Liam managed to make a slighting grunting sound, after recognising the man as someone he met while inside one of the clubs. They got talking, had lots of drinks together, but he disappeared when Liam went to the toilet.

Now that he was remembering more, Liam did remember how he started to feel even drunker after the man left him and he finished his drink...

"I had Troy here seek a mate out himself, yesterday, he was in your position. And now he needs someone to be with, roam the night with. And he chose you. How romantic. He's very new to this though, hence why he's still dressed in the clothes he was wearing where I stole him from after his basketball game. But that's something you can do together."

Liam eventually loses consciousness altogether and collapses to the ground.

"Ugh... I hate it when this happens. So weak. Troy... Finish him off and go take him to get changed before coming back." Sigurd demanded, heading out back into the night.

"Yes Sir" moaned Troy, stepping closer to Liam, pulling his face up by the chin and staring into his eyes...

The way Troy's eyes glowed as the smell continued to seep into Liam's system was making Liam feel so ethereal. He didn't even feel like he was inside his body anymore. The pleasure was building and no more thoughts about running were invading his mind.

"Come with me my new mate. We must make ourselves presentable for our Master and finish you off completely."

Troy pulled Liam to the next room, shut the door and a faint...

pppfffttt

could be heard from the other side.

20 minutes later, Troy emerged from the room, dressed in a luxury suit, not long followed by Liam who steps out looking exactly the same, with an added tail on his back.

Liam's transformation is complete and he couldn't be happier.

Liam and Troy can't hold their excitement any longer and gave into their instincts, embracing one another into a tight kiss.

Sigurd watches from a distance, gleeful at his most recent transformation, taking in the fumes that Liam and Troy were letting out in excitement.

Soon... all the men of the city will become one of them...

Jamie adjusted the stiff collar of his new shirt as he stepped through the glass doors of the Job Centre for his first day. The place smelled faintly of old carpet and printer toner. Behind the front desk, people queued in a loose line, some scrolling on their phones, others slumped in plastic chairs.

He watched them for a moment before signing in.

Tracksuits. Hoodies. Trainers that had clearly seen better days.

Jamie sighed quietly.

“So these are the people I’ll be dealing with,” he muttered under his breath.

He’d worked hard for this job, studied, passed the assessments, sat through the interviews. To him, the benefits section was supposed to help people who had fallen on hard times. But the crowd in the waiting area didn’t exactly look like people trying very hard.

A loud laugh broke his thoughts.

A group of lads near the vending machine were joking around, one of them leaning back in his chair with his feet stretched out, talking about how he’d “sorted his claim” so he didn’t have to work for a while.

Jamie shook his head.

Lazy, he thought. The lot of them.

His supervisor, Mark, appeared beside him with a clipboard.

“First day nerves?” Mark asked.

Jamie glanced back at the waiting area. “Just didn’t realise how many… regulars there’d be.”

Mark gave a small shrug. “You’ll get used to them. They’re in here most weeks.”

Jamie followed him through the security door into the staff area, still hearing the laughter from the waiting room behind him.

The door shut with a heavy click, cutting the noise almost completely. The staff corridor felt different, quieter, calmer, like a barrier between two worlds. Posters about employment schemes lined the walls, and rows of grey desks filled the open office ahead.

“Right,” Mark said, leading him toward a workstation. “You’ll be working the benefits desk. Mostly claims, appointment check-ins, that sort of thing.”

Jamie nodded, taking in the rows of monitors and stacks of paperwork. It looked exactly like the sort of office he’d imagined when he applied.

Mark pointed toward the front of the room, where a glass window looked out into the waiting area.

“You’ll see the same faces a lot,” he said casually. “Some people are genuinely trying to get back into work. Others… well, they’re just part of the furniture.”

Jamie glanced through the glass.

One of the lads from earlier, the one who had been joking loudly, was still by the vending machine, talking to a friend. He was wearing a blinding puffer coat and leaning against the wall like he had nowhere else to be.

Jamie folded his arms.

“Let me guess,” he said quietly. “He’s here every week.”

Mark chuckled. “You’ll learn them all soon enough.”

Jamie sat down at his desk as Mark logged him into the system. The computer hummed to life, bringing up a long list of appointments scheduled for the day.

Mark tapped the screen.

“First rule,” he said. “Don’t take things personally. People get frustrated in here.”

Jamie nodded, though his attention had drifted back to the waiting room. The same group was still laughing, one of them now tapping rhythmically on the vending machine while they talked.

He shook his head slightly.

“I just don’t get it,” he muttered. “If I was out of work, I’d be doing everything I could to fix it.”

Mark gave him a look that was half amused, half knowing.

“Give it time,” he said. “You’ll see all sorts in this job.”

Jamie leaned back in his chair, convinced he already had.

Jamie had barely finished reading through the morning’s appointment list when the first name flashed up on his screen.

Tyler Briggs – Benefits Review

Jamie glanced toward the waiting room through the glass panel. The lad from the vending machine was now slouched across two chairs, hood half up, scrolling on his phone.

“Briggs?” Jamie called, opening the door.

The lad looked up. “Yeah, safe.”

Jamie paused for a second, unsure if that meant yes. Eventually Tyler stood and wandered over, hands in his pockets.

They sat down opposite each other at the desk.

Jamie straightened a file in front of him. “Right. Tyler Briggs. You’re here about your claim review.”

“Yeah, bruv,” Tyler said, leaning back in the chair. “They said I gotta come chat to you lot ‘bout it, innit.”

Jamie blinked.

“…Right.”

He glanced at the screen, then back at Tyler.

“So… you’re currently listed as seeking employment.”

Tyler nodded slowly. “Yeah yeah, I been lookin’, fam. Proper lookin’. Nothin’ decent tho.”

Jamie hesitated again.

“Sorry... when you say ‘fam’…?”

Tyler frowned. “You what?”

Jamie cleared his throat and tried to stay professional.

“Never mind. So, have you applied for any positions recently?”

“Couple, yeah. But they’re long, bruv. Want bare experience and that.”

Jamie typed slowly, trying to decode what he’d just heard.

“…Right.”

There was a short silence while the keyboard clicked.

Tyler leaned forward slightly. “So like… my money’s still calm though, yeah?”

Jamie looked up.

“Your payments are still active for now,” he said carefully. “But we need to schedule a follow-up appointment to check your job search progress.”

“Safe.”

Jamie paused again.

“I’m… going to assume that means you’re agreeing.”

Tyler grinned slightly.

“Yeah, bruv.”

Jamie clicked through the calendar.

“Alright. Let’s schedule another appointment in three days. Same time.”

“Sound.”

Jamie printed the slip and slid it across the desk.

Tyler stood up, tucking it into his pocket without really looking at it.

“Nice one,” he said, already halfway to the door.

Jamie watched him leave, shaking his head slightly once the door closed.

He stared down at the notes he’d typed.

Applied for jobs… maybe. Communication… unclear.

Jamie leaned back in his chair.

This job was going to be harder than he thought.

Three days later, Tyler Briggs walked back through the same door and dropped into the chair across from Jamie’s desk like he’d been there a hundred times before.

“Alright, bruv,” Tyler said casually.

Jamie looked up from his screen.

“...Alright."

Jamie had spent most of the last three days thinking about that first meeting.

Not about the paperwork, or the claim itself.

About the way Tyler talked.

At first it had sounded like a different language entirely. But the more Jamie replayed the conversation in his head, the more the words started to make sense. Certain phrases meant certain things. “Safe” meant okay. “Long” meant difficult or annoying. “Bare” meant a lot.

By the time Tyler walked in for the next appointment, Jamie felt strangely prepared.

The word came out a little stiff.

Tyler raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.

Jamie cleared his throat and pulled up the file.

“So,” he said, trying to keep his tone casual, “you been lookin’ for work then?”

Tyler nodded. “Yeah, bruv. Been checkin’ a couple places online. Nothin’ proper yet though.”

Jamie nodded slowly, this time actually following what he meant.

“Yeah… fair enough,” Jamie said. “Some of them listings are kinda long, innit.”

The word slipped out before he could stop it.

Tyler leaned forward slightly, studying him for a moment.

Then he gave a small grin.

“Yeah, exactly.”

Jamie felt oddly pleased that the conversation seemed smoother this time.

He typed a few notes into the system while Tyler talked about a warehouse job he might apply for and a mate who said there were shifts going somewhere across town.

For once, Jamie didn’t feel like he was translating every sentence in his head.

When the meeting finished, Tyler stood up.

“Safe, bruv.”

Jamie nodded.

“Yeah… safe.”

Tyler left, and Jamie sat there for a moment staring at the screen.

The conversation had been easier.

Much easier.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of appointments and paperwork. Different claimants came and went, some quiet, some frustrated, some clearly bored with the whole process.

But Jamie noticed something strange.

With a few of them, he found himself adjusting the way he spoke without really thinking about it. Shorter sentences. More casual tone. Words he wouldn’t normally use.

It just seemed to make things easier.

By five o’clock the office was beginning to empty.

Monitors shut down one by one as staff packed up their things. Chairs rolled back under desks. The quiet hum of the office slowly faded.

Jamie logged out of his computer and grabbed his coat.

As he walked down the corridor toward the exit, the waiting room was almost empty now. Only a couple of chairs were still occupied.

He pushed through the same glass doors he’d entered that morning.

Outside, the air was cool and the evening sky was starting to dim.

Jamie loosened his tie slightly as he stepped onto the pavement.

“Long day,” he muttered to himself.

He paused for a second.

Then frowned.

He wasn’t entirely sure when he’d started talking like that.

A few months later, Jamie barely noticed the waiting room anymore.

What had once felt like a barrier between two different worlds had slowly faded into routine. The same faces came through the doors most weeks. The same conversations. The same complaints about job listings, interviews, and paperwork.

Jamie knew most of them by name now.

Tyler Briggs was one of the regulars.

The office door swung open and Tyler walked in, glancing toward Jamie’s desk.

“Alright, bruv.”

Jamie leaned back in his chair and nodded toward him.

“Yeah, all good, man. You?”

“Sound,” Tyler said, dropping into the chair across from him.

Jamie clicked through the claim system while they talked, but the conversation felt nothing like those early meetings anymore. Half the time they drifted off topic—football results, people they both recognized from around town, the usual complaints about how slow the system could be.

Mark passed by Jamie’s desk at one point and paused.

Jamie barely looked like the same new employee who had started months earlier.

The stiff shirts and carefully knotted ties were gone. Today he was wearing a loose hoodie under his work jacket, and his once neatly styled hair was now much more relaxed.

Even the way he sat had changed, leaning back in his chair, talking casually between typing notes.

Mark watched the conversation for a moment before shaking his head with a small smile and continuing down the corridor.

The meeting wrapped up quickly.

Jamie finished typing the last line of notes and tapped the keyboard.

“Alright, bruv,” he said, turning the monitor slightly. “You’re sorted for now. Just keep checkin’ them listings.”

“Safe,” Tyler replied, standing up.

Jamie leaned back in his chair.

“You headin’ down the pub later?”

Tyler stopped halfway to the door and looked back.

“You serious?”

Jamie shrugged.

“Yeah, why not.”

Tyler grinned.

“Alright then. Couple the lads’ll be there anyway.”

Jamie nodded toward the door.

“Sound.”

By the end of the day, the office lights were dimming as people packed up their desks.

Jamie shut down his computer and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair.

As he walked through the corridor toward the exit, the security door clicked open and he stepped out into the evening air.

Across the street, Tyler was already waiting near the corner, hands in his pockets.

“Oi,” Tyler called. “Bruv.”

Jamie walked over.

“You ready then?”

Jamie zipped up his jacket and glanced down the street toward the pub lights glowing at the end of the road.

“Yeah,” he said casually.

They started walking down the pavement together.

Just another regular evening.

Connor was a new starter at his new job, doing some sales work for a pharmaceutical brand. He had been working in the office for about a week, just getting people coffees and doing their printing, until his boss called him into a meeting to let him know that he would be given some fieldwork in the "interesting" part of town.

But Connor wasn't really listening to him anymore, all the heard was that he had finally been given some real work to do, it was time to make a change in the company and climb the ladder. He could handle a tough guy or two.

It had been 4 hours of knocking on doors, getting rejection after rejection, people yelling in his face, a couple people opening the door without any clothes. This part of town really was interesting. But Connor said he would sign up at least 7 new clients today, and he wasn't going back to the office without 10...

It had just turned 4:45pm and Connor had only got 6 people to signup and his workday was over in 15 minutes, he was really going to have to make this final street count. He knocked on the door, stepped back and waited while he heard keys rustling in the door.

Just a moment later, the door opened, and Connor was met with a wave of sweaty musk and aftershave...

"Alright mate, was just on me way out, what you want?" the man asked in a thick accent.

"Just a moment of your time Sir, to discuss a possible business venture you would love!" Connor responded with fake enthusiasm, he had seen guys like this before earlier in the day, none of them wanted to talk to him, just slammed the door in his face.

The man stepped back into the house and grinned slightly. "Sure mate why not, come in and I'll get a drink for ya"

Connor gasped slightly, he wasn't expecting that, still... he was apprehensive that he was just going to waste his time, but with only 3 signups he thought why not, so he stepped into the man's home.

Feeling slightly defeated, Connor walked into the living room where his eyes lit up. Not only could he get the guy who answered the door to sign up, but there were also 3 other guys here, he could get the 10 he wanted, he just has to play his cards right.

"Oh, hello gentlemen." Connor said with passion, "how are you guys fairing in today's economy? You'd love something we offer I'm assuming..."

The 3 lads just glared at each other, smirking.

"This is gonna be fun" one of them whispered to another.

As Connor walked more into the house, listening to the men whisper to each other, he couldn't help but feel nervous. This must have been why he was told never to go into someone's house in his training. He knew he should have listened but he really wanted these signups he was willing to take the risk...

"Here... take a drink, you look nervous mate." the man from the door said

"Oh... I- umm... thank.. you." Connor responded, not wanting the drink but also not wanting to say no to a guy like that "what's your name by the way, I don't think I caught it before."

"Dom. Now. Have a little drink and we'll chat."

Connor took a couple sips of the beer Dom gave him, but it was warm, and tasted strange, in fact, it didn't taste like beer at all.

After 4 swigs of the drink, Connor collapsed onto the sofa.

Dom stepped back into the other room and returned swiftly, placing something over Connor's eyes.

The 3 men on the opposite sofa sat watching. Almost like they were waiting for something.

2 minutes later, the lights dimmed, deep red neon lighting came on, illuminating the room.

"Boys. Deal with him." Dom demanded, watching his 3 men seemingly restart themselves like a program.

Each man's eyes lit up bright red, and they all stood up simultaneously.

Two of the men went to grab a speaker, plugged it into a box under the TV and placed a speaker besides Connor's ear.

The other man walked over to the headset, and inserted a USB into it.

Instantly, Connor's headset began illuminating a deep red and black spiral, and the sounds emitting from the speakers were telling him to give in, sink deep, and sleep.

Each minute passed, and Connor was slowly going deeper and deeper. The spiral starting showing him images of men, men like him, men dressed in smart suits, getting ready to go to work. He felt safe, he felt at home.

But the audio... was telling him that this was wrong, people like that hate people like him.

"You are one of us..." the speakers chanted.

Connor fell deeper, and by minute 10, the audio stopped, and the men left. Leaving Connor all alone, watching the spiral in complete silence.

5 minutes later, the spiral stops. Everything turns blank, and footsteps approach slowly and remove the headset.

"Master will see you now, new blood." One of the men from the couch before droned.

Without hesitation, Connor stood up, walked to Dom's bedroom like he knew where it was already, and nodded at the other 2 men from the couch as he entered.

Dom just stared at Connor, smiled, and pointed to the ground.

Without hesitation, Connor dropped to his knees and instantly started drooling. He knew what was coming, and he was ready.

Dom snapped his fingers and a man came to the door, brought in a box, smiled, and turned away to leave.

On his way out, he mentioned something to the men standing outside the door, "I wish I was him..." and they all laughed simultaneously, in a sort of robotic tone.

But the laughing got quieter and quieter as he closed the door, and as Dom started to move closer...

Intense, muffled gargles came from the bedroom for about 15 minutes, until all noise stopped completely.

Dom began to chant something about how Connor belongs to him now, he will be his chav lad to use however he sees fit, once the transformation is complete.

Dom opens the box, removes Connor's clothing and dresses him in something more fitting for one of his boys.

Meanwhile, Connor lays there, like an empty shell...

In the meantime, the group of men were going through Connor's personal items. A watch, a receipt from a luxury café, and a silky tie in the pocket of his bag.

In his blazer, they pull out a phone, and use Connor's sleeping face to unlock it. They started a new email to his boss, detailing how he won't be back in the office ever again as he has found something new to pursue.

How he greatly appreciates the opportunity this job has given him to find his true calling in life.

The men laugh with the same robotic tone as earlier, and they begin to hear movement from the back bedroom...

Daryll was 27, and had spent nearly every day of his life on the same stretch of struggling countryside his father had left behind. The farm had once been respectable, but the years since his father’s passing had not been kind to it. Fences leaned, machinery groaned, and the soil never seemed to yield quite enough to keep the accounts comfortable. Daryll was a blunt man who trusted his own hands far more than any outsider, especially the sort that came from the city with polished shoes and easy smiles. As far as he was concerned, those people had never done a real day’s work in their lives. Still, he kept the place running as best he could, determined not to let the land slip away.

One grey afternoon, the distant hum of an unfamiliar car rolled up the dirt track toward the farmhouse. Out stepped a sharply dressed man in his mid-forties, his suit immaculate despite the muddy ground beneath his shoes.

He introduced himself as Victor Hale, a businessman representing a development company interested in purchasing the land. He asked if he could have a moment of his time inside, which Daryll reluctantly agreed to.

Victor asked for a small cup of coffee before they chat, causing Daryll to roll his eyes, but still obliging as his father always told him to treat the people in their home like family. While Daryll was in the kitchen, Victor went into the tiny living room, went straight for the TV and inserted a small USB drive, leaving it in until it started emitting a red light. When Daryll came back with their drinks, Victor put a huge smile on his face, ready to start his pitch...

Before Victor began, Daryll noticed a large ring on his finger and tried to make some conversation, in hoped on distracting Victor.

"Hey nice ring man, got a nice wife have ya?"

"Not at all... got a very nice husband actually, met each other at work and have been living our best life ever since"

"Oh... alright then let's hear this pitch" Daryll responded, trying to hide the disgust in his voice. Daryll had been raised by extremely religious parents who had always taught Daryll about the evils of homosexuality, ideals which he still held to this day...

Victor spoke calmly and confidently about plans for a modern shopping centre, parking facilities, and new investment for the surrounding towns. Daryll listened with his arms folded, his jaw tightening more with every polished sentence. When Victor finally finished his pitch, Daryll shook his head and told him plainly that the farm was not for sale. Victor did not argue; he simply handed over a sleek business card and said he would return in the near future, leaving Daryll alone again with the quiet wind across the fields.

Later that night, Daryll sat on his couch after a hard day, still annoyed at Victor showing up like that, no way he'd ever sell to a guy like him. He starting laying back, looking for the remote in between the cushions, and when he found it he tried turning in the TV, but nothing happened, he tried again and the same thing...

Daryll got up and gave it a little kick, turned around and could see from the corner of his eyes that it worked, but when he sat down he wasn't ready for what channel was playing...

He couldn't even get up, he was frozen in place, forced to stare at the spiral.

WATCH AND OBEY

WATCH AND OBEY

The spiral went on for hours, displaying messages and imagery about how Daryll should live his life. When the TV turned itself off, he instantly fell asleep, and woke up the next day with no memory of what had happened... not even of Victor.

One month had passed... Daryll was now following the same daily routine, although he couldn't tell you what it was. He would wake up, and go straight to the bathroom after getting dressed into his new polo shirts, and attempt to style his hair.

He would then sit in front of his new favourite TV channel for 12 hours, before going to do a quick workout in the back with some weights he ordered.

He would then head to bed, open his phone, find the contact labelled, "Victor" and send him a picture he took of himself in the bathroom, captioned, "Another day ready to improve myself..." before swiftly drifting to sleep, with a voice in the back of his mind always saying how he needs to let the farm go.

Two months have now passed, and Daryll does the same routine... but he is now getting the hang of how to dress properly, and how to properly style his hair. He has now also got a much more desirable physique, just like Victor's...

Three months after that first visit, the same black car appeared again at the end of the long dirt track. Victor Hale stepped out just as neatly dressed as before, though this time Daryll greeted him at the gate rather than the farmhouse door. Their conversation was shorter than the last one. Daryll spoke calmly about the offer, about opportunity, about how the land could be “put to better use.” By the end of the discussion, the papers were signed and the farm no longer belonged to him. Victor also extended another offer, an entry position at the company overseeing the development, and Daryll accepted it without hesitation.

Months later, Daryll stood high above the construction site in a glass-walled office overlooking the city. His beard was gone entirely now, his hair styled neatly, and his tailored suit fit him as naturally as his old work jacket once had. From his window he could see the cranes and machinery tearing down what had once been his father’s farm, clearing the ground for the foundations of the shopping centre project he now helped manage. Strangely, the sight stirred no memory of hard work in muddy fields or long mornings fixing fences. To him, it was simply another successful development.

After work, Daryll drove back through the evening traffic toward the sleek apartment he now called home. The countryside roads he once knew so well had been replaced by wide city streets and rows of glass buildings glowing with reflected light. His flat sat high above the city, modern and spotless, a place that felt perfectly suited to the life he now lived. When he stepped inside, his new boyfriend Marcus looked up from the kitchen with a curious smile; after all, the company requires all men to be fully gay to work there... Daryll loosened his tie slightly and poured himself a drink before casually mentioning that the company had given him a promotion. Instead of working behind a desk all day, he would now be travelling to different rural areas, meeting landowners directly and offering them the same kind of corporate buyouts that had launched his own career.

Marcus listened with clear interest as Daryll explained the details, impressed by how quickly he had climbed through the company’s ranks. Daryll spoke confidently about identifying struggling properties and presenting “opportunities for progress,” describing the role as an important step in the company’s expansion. There was a calm pride in the way he talked about it, as though this had always been the path he was meant to take. Marcus raised his glass in a quiet toast to the promotion, and Daryll returned the gesture by pulling him up and giving him a big kiss goodnight.

Not long after, Daryll drove out to a neighbouring rural town on company business. Waiting at the edge of another worn farmyard, he adjusted his cufflinks and stepped from the car with the same calm confidence he had once seen in Victor Hale. The farmer who greeted him looked wary, dirt on his hands and suspicion in his eyes. Daryll smiled politely and reached into his pocket, producing a sleek business card. He began to explain the benefits of a corporate buyout and a promising new project planned for the land. And as he spoke, not a single memory remained of the life he had once lived on a farm just like this one.

Matt was sat in his Dad's work van eating his lunch after just finishing up a job earlier in the morning.

But just before he was about to start eating, his Dad, Chris, knocked on the side of the door, shouting at him to check his phone for a new job they just got.

Disgruntled, Matt stuffed his face and put in the address of their new job as Chris got in and started driving.

As an hour went by, the father and son duo became increasingly confused as their sat-nav started to glitch out as they drove through the winding country roads. That was until they came across a grand manor at the end of the road...

The two got out of the van, grabbed their tools and knocked on the front door, being greeted by the owner, Mr. Henderson.

"Come on lads... the jobs' downstairs in the wine cellar."

Matt headed down into the cellar while Christ headed back to the van for their tools.

"What's the problem then man?" he asked, looking around the perfect cellar, not a single bottle out of place or stain on the wall, "looks perfect down here, what're we even here for?"

"You're here because I want your service..." Mr. Henderson said with a deep voice, taking a few steps ahead of Matt, pulling something out of his pocket.

"What's that?" Matt asked

"Just a tool to help with your service" Mr. Henderson responded, pushing Matt to the ground, planting the ears on his head.

Matt slowly fell backward, slouching against a shelf of wine, Mr. Henderson whispering in his ear...

"You're contracted to me now boy... you will serve me..."

After 5 minutes of conditioning, Matt had completed his transformation and a new uniformed hugged tight to his body.

"I am your butler slave Sir." droned Matt

"Very good, now, make your old man like you as well."

"Yes Sir."

Matt marched upstairs to where his Dad was stood on his phone, and called for him to come down to the cellar to work on a busted pipe.

As Chris made his way down the stairs, Matt sneaked up behind him and put another pair of ears onto him, making him fall to the ground. The control of the ears was too much for Chris to handle.

Mr. Henderson came up next, whispering the same mantra into Chris's ear, and after 5 minutes, Chris too had a new uniform encase his body.

"Ready to obey Sir." Chris moaned

"Good, go and join your son, my toy, when I require your assistance I shall call on you both."

"Yes Sir.

Oliver prided himself on appearances. At 25, he wore tailored suits, spoke crisply, and carried himself like someone already halfway up the corporate ladder.

His new sales job suited him perfectly, or so he thought, until he noticed the janitor. Matty was impossible to ignore, mid-twenties, loud trainers squeaking against the polished floors, skin-fade haircut always sharp.

Their interactions were brief but frequent: Matty holding doors a moment too long, cracking jokes Oliver didn’t respond to, asking how “the big important meetings” were going. Oliver remained polite, but every conversation felt like an inconvenience, a reminder that not everyone understood ambition.

After a few days, Matty caught Oliver by the lifts and casually invited him out for a drink with his mates after work. Oliver laughed it off at first, but something about the way Matty didn’t seem offended, just amused, unsettled him. Against his better judgement, and telling himself it was networking in its own strange way, Oliver agreed. When five o’clock came, Matty jingled his car keys and offered to drive, adding that he just needed to nip home first to grab something. Oliver hesitated, then followed, already irritated with himself for agreeing.

Matty’s flat everything like Oliver expected. It was messy, takeout boxes and beer cans everywhere and it had a potent stench of sweat.

As Oliver stood awkwardly near the door, Matty’s tone shifted, still casual, but firmer somehow. He talked about how people like Oliver were always so tense, so desperate to prove themselves. Oliver snapped back, saying he’d never lower himself to being “scum,” never dress or talk like Matty, never waste his life. That was when Matty smiled, unfazed, and gently but firmly placed a sleek VR headset over Oliver’s eyes before he could properly react.

The world dissolved into light and motion. Patterns spiralled and pulsed, Matty’s voice echoing calmly through the headset, steady and persuasive. Oliver resisted at first, arguing, mocking, clinging to his sense of superiority, but the longer he listened, the harder it became to remember why he was fighting. His thoughts softened, reshaped, simplified. When the headset finally came off, Oliver barely recognised his own reflection. His hair had been clipped into a clean skin fade, sharp and identical to Matty’s. The suit was gone, replaced with a grey tracksuit that fit him too naturally, a black shiny puffer jacket zipped up to his chin. The words that came out of his mouth surprised him most, relaxed, slang-filled, familiar. Matty clapped him on the shoulder and called him “Olly,” and the name felt right.

They went out drinking that night, shoulder to shoulder, laughing loudly, Olly feeling more comfortable than he ever remembered being. The office, the job, the ambitions that once defined him felt distant and pointless, like someone else’s story entirely. By morning, Olly didn’t go back to work. He didn’t feel the need to explain himself to anyone who wouldn’t understand anyway. The memories of being Oliver, the suits, the judgement, the constant looking down on others, faded quickly, replaced by an easy confidence and a sense of belonging he’d never had before.

In time, even the name Oliver disappeared completely. Olly had always been like this, hadn’t he? The idea that he’d once been anything else felt strange, almost funny. As he pulled on his puffer jacket and followed Matty out the door, there was no regret left to feel, only the certainty that this was exactly where he was meant to be.

The pub was loud, sticky with spilled lager and familiar faces, and Olly fit into it like he always had. He leaned against the bar beside Matty, puffer jacket gleaming under the neon lights, laughing along as if this had been his life forever. At some point between rounds, Matty nudged him and nodded at Olly’s phone. He asked, casually, whether Olly’s brother had been in touch lately. The question stirred something faint and distant, a half-formed image of someone older, sharper, who used to look down on him the way Olly once looked down on Matty.

Matty suggested Olly invite him down to see the new place once Olly had properly moved in. “Show him you’re doing well,” Matty said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The idea settled easily in Olly’s mind. By the time he typed the message, it felt like his own thought entirely. A few drinks later, Olly was talking excitedly about the spare room, about how his brother wouldn’t even recognise him now. Matty just smiled into his pint, satisfied, already a step ahead.

A week later, Olly’s brother stood in Matty’s flat, stiff-backed and unimpressed, eyes flicking over the furniture and then lingering too long on Olly’s tracksuit and jacket.

The old dynamic tried to reassert itself, the raised eyebrow, the condescending tone, but it didn’t land the way it once would have. Olly felt nothing but amusement. Matty took the lead, friendly and disarming, offering a drink, making jokes, drawing him in. Together, they talked about letting go, about how exhausting it was to keep pretending to be better than everyone else.

When the moment came, it felt almost gentle. Familiar words, familiar lights, the same calm reassurance that had worked on Olly. This time, Olly stayed close, repeating the phrases Matty had once used on him, watching understanding dawn and resistance fade. By the end of the night, the sharp suit was folded away, replaced by borrowed clothes that didn’t look borrowed at all. Another skin fade, another easy laugh, another life quietly rewritten.

However, this time was different... Olly's brother didn't turn out like he did. He became a more obedient lad, one that would live in with Olly and Matty and be their own personal slave. He was no longer Olly's brother, he was his property. And Matty knew just how to put him to use first.