I have a beloved little brother who is a toddler, and he and I have always had a special bond. We share a love of playtime, cartoons, and simply being together. Our parents are kind and loving, and they have always encouraged us to be curious and creative. We have a comfortable home filled with toys, books, and all sorts of fun things to do. Whether we are playing outside, building with blocks, or watching our favorite cartoons, we always have a great time together.
My little brother is full of energy and wonder, and he approaches the world with a sense of joy and excitement. He has a contagious laugh and an infectious smile that brightens up our day. Watching him grow and learn has been a source of pride and amazement for our entire family. I feel so lucky to have him as my brother, and I know that our bond will only grow stronger as we continue to journey through life together.
However, a few weeks ago, I noticed something quite strange happening with my little brother. I walked into the living room to find him sitting in front of the TV, watching what appeared to be nothing but white noise. The screen was completely blank, yet my brother was transfixed, staring at the TV with wide eyes and a big smile on his face.
“Hey, little bro, what are you watching?” I asked.
“TV!” he exclaimed, still staring at the screen.
“But there’s nothing on the TV,” I pointed out.
“Yes, there is!” Ben insisted, gesturing towards the white noise.
I was puzzled by this. I couldn’t understand what he could possibly find entertaining about staring at a blank screen. But he seemed happy, so I didn’t want to disturb him and I let it go.
This went on for weeks but it did not bother me. I had no idea what could be so captivating, but my brother was obviously enjoying himself and that was all that mattered. He would sit in front of the TV, with watching the white noise while I was reading a book or playing on my phone. It felt like my brother was in his own little world, filled with mystery and wonder. He seemed to have an endless source of joy from this mundane activity, and I couldn’t help but marvel at how something so simple could bring him such happiness.
Eventually, I asked our parents if they had any idea why he enjoyed the white noise so much. They explained that sometimes toddlers can be strange, so there is nothing to worry about.
However, I started to notice a change in my brother’s behavior. He had become obsessed with staring at the TV, and would spend hours staring at the screen. I tried to engage him in playtime and our favorite games, but he seemed more interested in the TV than anything else.
“Hey Ben, do you want to go outside and play our favorite game?” I asked him.
“No, I want to watch TV!” he replied, his eyes glued to the screen.
“But we always have so much fun playing together,” I said, trying to entice him. “Remember when we built that awesome fort last week?”
“I don’t care,” he said, still transfixed by the TV.
I felt a pang of sadness in my heart. I missed our playtime together and our special bond. I knew that watching TV was not a bad thing, but I also knew that it was important for us to spend quality time together as siblings.
“Can we please play together, just for a little bit?” I pleaded.
“No, TV!” he insisted, ignoring my request.
I sighed and walked away, feeling a bit defeated. I knew that I couldn’t force my brother to play with me, but I hoped that he would eventually come around and realize the importance of spending time together as a family.
So, about a week ago, I decided to join my brother in his strange little world of white noise.
As I watched, I noticed that the white noise on the screen seemed to have a soothing effect on my brother. The flickering static and the soft hiss of the TV seemed to calm him down and put him in a trance-like state. It was almost as if he was hypnotized by the white noise.
“I don’t get it,” I said, trying to engage him in conversation. “Why do you like this?”
“I like it!” he replied, still transfixed by the screen.
I tried to engage him in conversation, but he was completely absorbed in watching the white noise. He didn’t respond to my questions or comments, and I realized that he was completely zoned out.
I found this whole experience to be quite weird and unsettling. It was as if my brother had found a strange and mysterious source of entertainment in something that should have been completely boring and uninteresting. Despite my confusion, I felt a strange sense of curiosity about what was going on inside my brother’s head. What was he seeing on that blank screen that I couldn’t see?
Then, I tried to focus on the screen. I did not move my eyes, I tried to find something. And then, very slowly, something was happening. From the millions of dancing black and white spots, I could make out some vague, animated geometric shapes such as circles, squares, and triangles, that moved and interacted with each other. They appeared to be engaged in communication with each other, as evidenced by their back-and-forth exchange.
“What the hell?” I said and got up to take a closer look at the TV and the cables behind it.
But as peeked at the back of the TV, the realization that it was not plugged in sent chills down my spine.
Since that moment, I moved to my girlfriend’s place and I have been unsure of what I should fear more: the house or my brother. Well, I have been avoiding both, just in case.
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