The Right Channel
This midnight walk through the park was proving to be quite relaxing. It felt freeing to just be out and about, not held by any walls, the only significant light coming from the few street lights nearby. This particular area was also pretty quiet. Not many cars were driving about and the ones that were are so far away that the cicadas were giving a greater volume.
You take a deep breath in, taking time to appreciate the natural beauty of the starlit sky. Upon exhale, trailing your eyes down to the trees, you find a particular light among the foliage. Its too low to be a star, and its glow seemed dimmer than one. You scratched off it being a firefly as well, as its glow was lacking any color. The light was gently swaying about like a bug, however.
You decide to walk towards it to decipher this oddity. A few steps in the light's direction, and it's flight pattern has changed. Opposed to, seemingly mindless direction, it now holds a steady rhythm of up and down. Up and down it moves as you approach.
A few more paces towards the trees and the light does not seem to get any clearer. Was it retreating to the woods? You stop at the foot of the trees. A part of your mind started to raise some questions once you felt the thicker grass beneath your feet under the trees. Was pursuing an ominous glow so late at night safe? Before you have enough time to really ponder this dilemma, a new sensation enters the atmosphere: a gentle buzz. It wasn't any insect, you'd be able to notice that instantly. It sounded like static from a television. Weren't you at a park? They don't have TVs there, at least not any that would be on this time of day. As these questions rose, the buzzing noise grew slightly, almost as if it detected your hangups and gently pushed them back down to snooze.
You've been to this park before. You know your way around enough to not get lost. The light, now flying in a figure 8 pattern, is still there. It looks, happy. You wanted to know why it was changing its pattern. Taking a few heavy steps forward, you continue your trek towards the glow. In return, the glow renews its up and down flight pattern. Up and down it flies as you move your heavy legs through the grass.
It does not retreat this time. It allows you to get closer, the empty white noise keeping any potential questions you'd have tucked away. It felt rewarding. Despite how heavy your body was feeling, each step brought you closer. Each movement you made caused that pleasant noise to increase. You feel even better, being able to make out what is causing the glow.
The flying TV is only a few feet away, continuing to bob up and down. Up and down, the screen's glow being the only clear visual to you right now. It is the only one you are interested in. You know you are in the forest. You know you are ok. You want to know what this TV is about. You want to see what pattern is on that screen.
A couple of deliberate steps forward and you can faintly make it out. Its a spiral. A swirling spiral going inwards to the center of the TV. This is, really perplexing you. Why is this here? The TV seems to notice your hesitation, as now it slowly approaches you, steadily going up and down. Up and down the spiral goes, leading your eyes and head, proving to be a rather tiring action. Just about a foot from your face, though, the fuzzy hum emitting from the screen feels wonderful. It successfully smothers your mind like a cozy blanket.
Feeling so warm, a smile begins to form upon your face as you take in the numbing sound and gentle spiral, its grainy texture subtly urging you to look deeply so you can appreciate each part as much as you can. As you feel your head grow heavy, bold text fades in front of the spiral.
"TUNE"
The television gently raises it's side up and down. As intoxicating as that spiral is, you focus on the moving side of the box, noticing a few controls. The biggest one that sticks out is a dial. Lethargically, you bring an arm up to hold and gently turn it. As you do, your ears are treated to several different hums and noises, the same sensation one would get manually tuning a radio. With this, however, each station sounded euphoric. You could stop at any station and would love to listen to everything it had to offer.
"STOP"
The sudden change of text in your peripheral brings your eyes back to that loving, swirly screen. Your hand retracts from the dial, wanting to appease this fantastic work in your presence. Seeing the message still displayed, you find yourself back in a state of motionless trance, eyes trapped by that intoxicating spiral, its spin bringing you deeper and deeper. The station the dial stopped on repeats low, droning binurals. It feels like each second the sound-waves are piling another light blanket around your mind. The exact noise didn't matter. It felt good to listen, that is what matters.
"GOOD THRALL"
Seeing the spiral and its messages is what matters. The television continues its steady movement. Up and down it goes, and your head follows. Seeing those praising words felt good.
"FOLLOW"
The screen begins to slowly fly backwards. You drag you heavy feet forward to follow. The message seems to fade in and out, making sure you know what to do while still allowing that wonderful spiral some moments to take up the entire screen as it deserves. Forward and forward, the TV leads you. Deeper into the woods, it brings you. You don't pay attention to where. The encompassing noise and visuals is all you can make out. Its all you want to make out. Its all you need to know. The television stops its path, prompting you to stop as well, eager to see its next command.
"SIT"
Ready to comply, you slowly lower your legs to sit on the ground, the screen making sure to stay eye-level as you do. How considerate. Once you finish sitting down, pressing your hands to the ground to ease the process, a new sensation stirs in your mind. Instead of the expected grass against your body, it feels more like a thick blanket. Before you can investigate that, the screen brings itself closer, leaving just a few inches between it and your gaze, that beautiful buzz increasing its volume.
"LEAN BACK"
The screen steadily eases itself closer to you, almost like it was pushing your head backwards. After a moment, you feel a pillow rest against the back of your head. Finding yourself in a reclined position, you feel truly relaxed. You let out a heavy sigh, finally able to rest your legs and focus even more on the screen. This television has lead you to such a blissful state of comfort. It retracts a small distance to make sure you can absorb its entire being.
"TUNE"
Without hesitation, your hand reaches up to the dial to slowly turn it. You didn't process what each station sounded like. Your eyes were still glued to the screen, awaiting its next command.
"STOP"
Your hand eases itself back down, knowing the screen has picked the perfect choice. Its hard to really make out given your fatigued state, but this station sounds like the very first one: a droning white noise. You may have heard a gentle, soothing harp added to this audio. Whatever it was, you loved this. You let out a yawn as you focus on keeping your eyes open so that can drink in that delicious swirl on the screen, the TV deciding to add another delectable flavor to it.
"GOOD THRALL"
The smile on your face widens. You loved this screen. It felt good to follow its commands and see it praise you in return. You sink more into the pillow and blanket, taking deep breaths. The message fades in and out, providing another lovely blend of affirming words and comfortably powerful spirals.
Another yawn escapes your mouth as you stare ahead. The screen slowly floats downward. Maybe realizing your struggle against the weight of your eyelids, it gives you one last message before you drift off.
"SLEEP"
