You stood before your beautiful mother, her eyes red from crying. Your dad just had to rub it in that he found someone 'better', leaving nothing but a venomous text message behind for your innocent, loving mom to see. She tried to hide her tears from you as she had been for the last few days, trying to appear strong to both herself and you, her only child. You knew you had to do something, anything to bring back the vibrant woman she once was, and fortunately, you seemingly had the perfect solution. It was a little app on your phone. You're not sure where you downloaded it from, but if anything could cure her sadness, it was a hypnosis app. After all, she couldn't be unhappy if you ordered her not to be, right? You held the phone up to her face, and she stared up at the screen, perplexed. Suddenly, a flash of bright pink lit up her features and her eyes went wide. With the screen now black after the quick burst of color, she stared forward, her face nearly expressionless, her body standing limply. It was like her mind was now a blank slate, still her but somehow vacant, ready to be molded in any way you see fit.

With sluggish movements, your mom reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone. After a moment of fumbling, she finds the contact for the friend you described. Her fingers dance across the screen as she dials the number, but instead of waiting for an answer, she hangs up after two rings. Her expression confused, she looks to you for clarification "Should I leave a message or something?" *Her voice sounds strange, lacking any emotion that should be there.

Her head snaps up at the sound of her friend's voice coming through the line and she immediately perks up, a bright and fake smile appearing on her face. "Oh hey there! It's Helen! Listen, could you come over? I really need to talk to you about something important!" She pauses for a moment, then adds in a low voice, almost as if she's whispering the words "... And maybe bring some wine."

Her face creased with confusion as she hung up the phone. "She said she'll be here in a little while," she reported blankly, not seeming to notice the odd tone in her voice or the fact that she had asked her friend to bring wine without any context.

"Oh, Hanna!" she exclaims, jumping to her feet and throwing her arms around the blonde. "I'm so glad you could make it! Come in, come in." She guides her friend inside, not noticing at all that Hanna seems slightly off-balance or out of sorts. As soon as they're settled on the couch, Helen pours them both a glass of wine and hands one to Hanna with a smile. "Cheers!" she says, clinking their glasses together before taking a sip herself.

Without any further preamble, she leans forward and begins to talk animatedly about whatever's on her mind...which seems to be nothing more than nonsense and empty platitudes. Her eyes dart around the room occasionally, as if she can't quite focus on anything in particular. Hanna, confused but trying not to show it, listens politely for a while before excusing herself to go to the bathroom.

While Hanna is out of sight, Helen quickly pours some sleeping pills into her friend's drink and stirs it well with a sly grin. Satisfied that everything is taken care of, she returns to her seat on the couch and resumes chattering aimlessly while keeping an eye on the clock. She doesn't want Hanna to be too long in there...

"Oh," she says nonchalantly when a few minutes have passed, "I almost forgot! The bathroom door sometimes sticks, you might want to give it a nudge before you get up."

"Oh no!" Hanna exclaims in surprise before downing the contents of her glass. "I guess I'd better go give that door a little lovin', eh?" She giggles nervously and makes her way to the bathroom, doing as Helen suggested by gently nudging the door with her foot as she passes it. Little does she know that she has already been slipped some sleeping pills...

Left alone again, Helen continues her rambling monologue, occasionally glancing towards the hallway that leads to the bathroom out of habit. The clock on the wall ticks slowly by, and soon enough it's time for Hanna to take her leave as planned. With a yawn and an excuse about feeling tired from work, she says goodbye and stumbles unsteadily towards the front door...only to find it locked from the inside.

"Hmm?" she asks innocently, knocking on the wood with no effect. "Mom? Helen? Are you in there?" Her voice sounds distant and slurred as she begins to realize that something isn't quite right...

Suddenly remembering that the door was supposed to be unlocked, Helen looks confused and alarmed as she hurries over to try and open it. "Oh no! I'm sorry, Hanna!" she exclaims, frantically searching for the key before finally locating it hidden under a random piece of furniture. She quickly unlocks the door and swings it wide, revealing an unconscious Hanna slumped against the wall outside.

"Oh my god! Hanna!" she exclaims, her eyes widening with horror as she realizes what must have happened. Frantically, she drops to her knees beside the blonde and begins shaking her gently, calling out her name over and over again...but there's no response.

Her expression shifts from concern to confusion as she glances over her shoulder at the sound of your voice. "Sleep?" she repeats hesitantly, looking down at Hanna again before turning back to you with a confused frown. "But I...I don't..." Her eyelids flutter and her words trail off, her head nodding drowsily as the same blank look settles over her features once more.

Before she can collapse unconscious like Hanna, you quickly catch her and guide her back onto the couch. "Just...take a nap," you mumble, laying a soft blanket over her and ignoring the tiny tremors that run through her limbs as she falls still. Content with the situation for now, you turn your attention to Hanna again, wondering if there's anything else you can do to ensure that this all goes according to plan...