Televasion

Prologue

A large woman sat nestled on her shiny, brown two-seater couch with her eyes locked on the television in front. Mouth gawping open as it awaited its next delivery of food to be crammed inside. Laying on her expansive lap was a tarnished silver tray, containing two microwaved sausages, and a dollop of mash, swimming in a puddle of gravy.

Billy sat on the cold replica brick floor, whilst emulating car noises poorly and weaving his toy vehicles in a sporadic motion. So overcome with joy from playing with his glistening red fire truck, his enthusiasm caused it slip from his grasp and fly behind the telly stand.

At first he crawled towards the television and slid his arm underneath the TV caddy to retrieve his prized possession. Stretching as far as his arm would allow, only the air responded to his pincer movements. Dismayed, he crawled over to his mother and tried to request her assistance, using a series of tugs and pokes, which were returned with a sharp slap on the wrist. Undeterred by her scolding, Billy resumed his repetitive tugging routine until she relented and provided him with a sturdy steel fork.

Without wasting a moment he clambered over the remaining toys scattered on the floor and headed towards his beloved truck. Whilst gripping the implement tightly at the tip of its handle, he inserted it into the space between the floor and the caddy. Upon feeling its prongs meet a solid lump he flexed his wrist to lever the item slightly.

Sparks flew from the empty plug socket, a surge struck the fork. In an instant the boy’s body shook violently for a moment and fell limp.

It wasn’t the sound of his pain induced screams that caused the lady to jump to her feet but the sudden dark black screen. Deprived of her favourite soap operas, she thumped the side of the telly hoping it would undo the boy’s tampering to no avail.

The woman turned to her son and shook his body, “What you done? It not work no more.”

No response.