“A hypnotist! I’ll believe that when I see it.”
We are all waiting in the lobby for the others to arrive and Jo looks at me with a bored expression.
“Those acts are so lame. Full of an audience of planted people to give the impression that he is kosha. Sounds like a nightmare to me.”
Shrugging, I look around the reception once again for Luke. This is starting to become a habit. I’m on edge all the time and it’s ruining this whole trip.
Jo looks thoughtful.
“It may be interesting in some ways though.”
I groan inwardly. No prizes for guessing what’s on her mind. Poor Pete.
Rachel and Jenny soon join us and Jenny looks worried.
“I’m not sure we should be anywhere near a hypnotist. What if we get affected by his hypnotising rays? It could completely mess with our heads.”
Jo rolls her eyes and Rachel grins.
“It’s all pretend, Jenny. It’s just a show and done to entertain. We will be perfectly safe.”
By the time the rest of the crew join us I’m feeling like offering myself up to be hypnotised. I need to erase every thought of Luke from my brain before I self-destruct.
Marcus claps his hands.
“Right then bitches. It’s time to step into the mystical, magical world of the unknown. What we will experience tonight will change our lives forever. Now, remember, what goes on in Acapulco stays in Acapulco. If any of you think you’re a horse or a rabbit by the end of the night, no photos on Instagram of Facebook. It will be our little secret.”
Giggling, we all follow him into the Bar.
The Bar is crowded, and it takes some doing to grab a table. Due to the size of our party we have to spread out, which is probably a good thing. There is a small stage at the end with a silver curtain and spotlights trained on a man getting his act together.
We order some drinks and once again, I scan the room for a sighting of Luke. All I manage to see is the First-Class passenger, pressed against a poor unfortunate woman near the Bar. At least he’s moved on which fills me with considerable relief.
Jo looks around and frowns as she sees Pete laughing with Caitlyn at another table. Rachel nudges me and pulls a face.
“She’s a nightmare. She’s treated him so badly and yet still gets jealous when he talks to another woman. Even Caitlyn, who is married to a car mechanic from Weybridge and expecting her first baby.”
I roll my eyes. “What are we going to do with her?”
Rachel grins. “I’m sure they will work it out.”
Before I’m tempted to ask what’s bothering her, we hear the shrill shriek of the microphone as the Great Ernesto taps it to test that it’s working. He clears his throat and shouts.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the unexplained. I am the great Ernesto and am here to show you the power of the mind. What you will see will amaze you, dazzle you and change your lives forever. You will not believe your eyes and talk about it for eternity. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be hypnotised.”
Marcus claps his hands and looks excited.
“Oh my god, this is so exciting. I hope he chooses me.”
Jenny looks worried and Rachel giggles.
“If Jo’s got any say in it, he’ll choose Pete.”
Looking over, I see her looking thoughtful and Pete looking slightly nervous. This could be interesting.
We watch as the great one points to a man in the second row and beckons him up. He then proceeds to look deeply into his eyes and swings some sort of medallion in front of his face.
Jo snorts.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, how cliched. This is like some cheap show at a holiday camp.”
She takes a swig of her wine and looks around with a bored expression.
We all watch as the man starts clucking like a chicken and disappears off into the audience, strutting like he has wings. My heart sinks. Jo’s right, this show is lame.
The next victim is a woman who is convinced into believing she’s an opera singer. That is fairly amusing as she can’t sing for toffee but believes she’s amazing. We’re all in fits as she sings at the top of her voice, completely out of tune as the man chicken struts around her.
He then scans the crowd and picks another man to come forward who is skulking at the back.
His friends start howling with laughter as the man is hypnotised into believing he is God's gift to women. We all watch as he sidles up to the nearest woman and starts flirting with her outrageously.
I am now starting to enjoy myself watching these people make complete fools of themselves. Even if it is a hoax, it’s very funny.
Then to our complete and utter amazement, he calls up his next victim and we watch in total shock as Jenny climbs onto the small stage.
Rachel grabs my arm and Jo breathes in heavily.
“Oh my God, what is she doing?”
We watch as if frozen as Jenny cowers before him and whispers something in his ear. He nods and then addresses the audience.
“This is the brave Jenny. She has told me that she holds much fear in her heart. It is consuming her and stifling her ability to live a normal life. Jenny needs our help to drive the fear from her body and mind. Silence, ladies and gentlemen, Jenny needs to embrace the power of the mind.”
Suddenly, you could hear a pin drop and the lights change to a ghostly blue. Rachel whispers, “We should stop her.”
I shake my head as Jo says softly, “Leave her, this may be just what she needs.”
We watch and listen as the Great Ernesto waves his medallion from side to side in front of Jenny’s eyes. He speaks in a calm, soft voice.
“Jenny, feel the fear leave your body. Watch it tick away with the movement of time. Watch it go and feel the release. Every swing of the pendulum will take a little more away. Open your mind to a future with no fear. All the things you fear are locked on the wind of change. Watch them go my brave Jenny. Say goodbye to them because they will never return. You are strong. Feel the strength fill your mind and body and repeat after me - I am strong.”
Jenny watches the moving medallion and says in a clear, strong voice. “I am strong.”
He says.
“Louder my angel. I want to hear you shout.”
She shouts louder.
“I am strong.”
He says in a loud voice.
“Watch the fear disappear. Everyone shout, ‘You are strong,’ to Jenny.”
The audience starts to shout the words and Jenny joins in. We watch as she starts screaming, “I am strong,” all the time watching the medallion swing.
Ernesto holds up his hand and the room falls silent. He says in a strong voice.
“Relinquish your fear, Jenny. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. Banish the fear and let the light in. Do you relinquish the fear, Jenny?”
She shouts.
“Yes, I have no fear.”
Then he closes his hand around the medallion and clicks his fingers. Jenny’s head snaps up, and she looks at him in astonishment. He says in a strong voice.
“How do you feel, Jenny?”
She looks around at the audience, her eyes wide. Shaking her head, she looks at everyone in complete astonishment.
As she stands up a huge smile breaks out across her face.
“I feel amazing. I feel liberated and happy. It’s as if a huge weight has shifted from inside me and I feel light and carefree.”
The audience starts clapping and cheering and I look at the others in total astonishment.
“What just happened?”
Rachel looks worried.
“I hope she’ll be ok. What if he’s messed with her mind?”
Jo looks thoughtful.
“Even if he has, it may be in a good way. Maybe this is just what she needed to shake off her fears. Who knows, our little Jenny may have just changed her life forever.”