Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-25907694-20150127213550

The video was on the TV. It played throughout the day, the night, and the next day. There was no one there to turn off the TV. It was a black, sleek, plasma screen TV. The TV was in the middle of a large, empty, living room. Thick, red, draperies blocked the sunlight from bathing the room. There was no sound coming from the TV, it was just endlessly playing a video, of people, talking, walking, and other everyday activities. There had been no one in that house for years, until yesterday.   Yesterday      The man mysteriously looked at the door, he was never one to be curious, after all, his mother was very protective and some of that carefulness rubbed off on him , even years later . The  man  decided against entering the door, not wanting to get into unnecessary  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">mishap <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">. After more hesitation, he stood his ground and left the neighborhood, only to come back hours later. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{159}" paraid="1444846480" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">-- <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">- <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{166}" paraid="5257608" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">All right, it’s not a huge deal, it’s just a door, where there are probably, hopefully,  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">normal things <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> inside. What else could there be? Ghosts? Monsters? Other thin <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">gs from my imagination? W <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">hy does this house still taunt me? <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{176}" paraid="1673783345" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">Ever since I was younger, this house has been around here, and nobody talks about it. But no one makes rumors about, not even a word. It’s obviously strange. Especially for some of the older folks around here who have been longer than Mr. Arthur’s terrible accident. That accident was ages ago. I vaguely remember the day. <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">We  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">are <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> a <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">strange town, no one  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">ever marries <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> here, now that I think about it. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{179}" paraid="988627971" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">The point is, I feel something unique about this house. It’s not fear. It’s…something. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{182}" paraid="1803822381" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">I’m not one to be scurrying around, investigating. But this house is long overdue. After I eat dinner. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{185}" paraid="2110427419" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{188}" paraid="1213079344" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">The apartment is medium sized, judging by the complex. I open the knob, and inside, I find a TV. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{191}" paraid="224946115" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">I look at the TV, there were people projected in the screen. However, there was nothing perverse, or profane, it was just… people. I look over at the house and it’s pretty damn old. No furniture, just a TV in the middle. I almost laugh at the situation before me. I expected something mysterious, or at least, more than this old, no, new, TV. I go to turn the TV off, when I see a familiar video on the screen. It was me. In fact, I only recognized myself, because I saw my friends. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{194}" paraid="866311422" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">It was a video of me getting married. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{201}" paraid="518125993" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">I frown, and think that this must be some  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">‘realistic’ <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> joke. Someone must’ve made this in their spare time to scare someone. Well, mission accomplished mysterious prankster, because the footage looked  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">very  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">real. I look at myself, and over at my wife. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{204}" paraid="586853923" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">They were so happy. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{211}" paraid="2131497359" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">The video fades into another, this time it’s my wife having a baby. I almost smile. Strangely, somehow, I find this…  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">calming <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">. <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">Oddly, <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> a recurring name popped in my head. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{214}" paraid="194842234" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">Daniel. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{225}" paraid="1694637794" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">The  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">video zooms in, documenting the birth of my son. <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">It felt somewhat <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">nice <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">. <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">Following the footage was even more moments of happiness. My promotion t <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">o a better job (I like money <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">), success at my favorite hobbies, my son secretly uncovering his genius talent for Piano. It was perfect. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{231}" paraid="1594720413" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">The TV shuts off, an <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">d starts humming a  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">very low hum, almost from a sci- <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">fi movie. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{236}" paraid="266584315" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">The video came back, however, this time, it did not show the <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> birth of my son, rather,  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">his death. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{243}" paraid="10861308" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">It must’ve been a birth defect, he was deformed. The TV started showing me images of death, around my family, around me <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">. My wife, gone. <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> I saw my life go to chaos. <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US"> I try to look away, but the images are so alluring. After hours of watching, I stumble back. <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">   <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{246}" paraid="1516659474" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">The TV shows plain words, reading: <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{250}" paraid="1545002109" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">You can choose your fate. Decide which version you would like to have. Would you like the first option, or the second option? There is a remote by the floor, pick it up, and  <span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">choose. <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{c2bba250-3667-434b-9424-2a08b8478c0c}{253}" paraid="1712779786" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">What? <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;"> <p class="Paragraph SCX267545789" paraeid="{e602e91e-f7a2-4878-9c75-2ef8941c507f}{1}" paraid="707323632" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;word-wrap:break-word;color:windowtext;font-size:6pt;"><span class="TextRun SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;line-height:19px;" lang="EN-US">Was this not an obvious choice? Were they trying to trick me? <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">  <ac_metadata title="Video on the TV"> </ac_metadata>
 * <span class="EOP SCX267545789" style="-webkit-user-select:text;-webkit-user-drag:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;font-size:11pt;line-height:19px;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;">