You want them to bloom this season? Like in the next month or two? There are no bulbs available now that will fit those requirements. They have been sold months ago. Or tossed out if not sold. It is too late to force them for this season. All spring flowering bulbs require a chilling period, whether it is in the ground under naturally cold conditions or refrigerated and potted for forcing. The exception would be paperwhite narcissus, but unless you find an unusual source that still has some left, these too will have all been sold. Most are forced into bloom for the holidays and are already sprouted at that time. They just don't keep well. What you can find now are prestarted bulbs that are either already in the process of being forced - like tulips - or ready to be planted out into the ground for blooms at their normal time. Sometimes groceries will have them but all the local garden centers here are featuring them now. Might be a bit later in your zone. If you leave these indoors in warmth and bright light, they will bloom early. I've got a pot of prestarted hyacinths indoors ready to bloom any day.

The hyacinths were not bred for indoors, but conditioned, i.e. refrigerated, to bloom indoors. You get conflicting reports about whether they are worth replanting. Last year I put mine in the ground and I will be happy if it comes up at all. I've been warned not to expect blooms the first year as it recovers from being forced. Hopefully next year. If you do try to save it, make sure you let the foliage go brown, either in the ground or in the pot, before you pull it off. It's the foliage that feeds the bulb to provide energy for the next year's growth and blooms. I don't know about the hardiness of Paperwhites in Chicago, although somebody here probably does, but I figure, what have you got to lose? Let them get as much sun as possible until the foliage dies down, and then slip the bulbs in your flower beds. They will take up no visible room, and if they come back, great. If they don't, you've supplied organic matter to your beds, which is better than just throwing them in the garbage. It would be nice if you reported back next year how successful the experiment was.

Hi Aimee :) I myself just bought 5 paperwhites of Ziva and the Chinese Sacred Lily from Hirts gardens and 3 days later they're at my door! Wonderful bulbs too, they're in great condition! I hope this link works :) Here is a link that might be useful: Hirt's Gardens Paperwhites

I force both paperwhites, amaryllis and hyacinths in water - be sure to keep the water surface just at the base of the bulb or slightly below. The roots should be in water but not the bulb itself. The mold and unpleasant smell may be because part of the bulb is submerged and is rotting. Amaryllis are a bit tricker, but only because they are such large bulbs. They need a substantial container and good amount of stones/glass to anchor the roots as the growth on the amaryllis will make it quite top-heavy. I prefer to use vases designed for this purpose with more of an hourglass shape, like hyacinth forcing vases only much larger.