I Saw the TV Glow

In 1996, a timid seventh grader named Owen found an unexpected connection with Maddy, a ninth grader, when he stumbled upon her deeply engaged in an episode guide for the young adult show “The Pink Opaque.” The series depicted the psychic journeys of Isabel and Tara, as they battled against the sinister forces commanded by the shadowy figure known as Mr. Melancholy. Captivated by the allure of the show, Owen seized the opportunity to sneak over to Maddy’s house to watch an episode with her and her friend Amanda.

However, just two years later, tragedy struck when Owen faced the grim reality of his mother Brenda battling a terminal illness. With his father’s disapproving views on “The Pink Opaque,” dismissing it as a mere “show for girls,” and an early bedtime curfew weighing down on him, Owen struggled to keep up with the series. Maddy, in a display of compassion, began recording episodes for Owen, ensuring he wouldn’t miss a single moment.

As his mother’s condition deteriorated, Owen became increasingly isolated, unable to share his love for the series with anyone, including his father Frank. This loneliness triggered him to reach out to Maddy; she confided her own pain, revealing the harsh rumors that had marginalized her at school—a false allegation concerning Amanda. When Owen confronted his own feelings, he admitted to Maddy that he was uncertain about his sexual identity, hinting at the turmoil brewing within him. Meanwhile, Maddy faced her own demons, enduring abuse from her stepfather.

Time marched on, bringing Owen more heartache with his mother’s passing and the abrupt cancellation of “The Pink Opaque” after five seasons, leaving him to grapple with the bittersweet transience of joy. A decade later, still under his father’s oppressive presence, Owen worked at a local theater to survive. When Maddy appeared once more, her tear-smeared face told a story of despair as she shared her aspirations to leave her troubled past behind. Yet, as fate would have it, Owen faltered and she slipped away into the night.

Years dragged on, suffocating Owen under the weight of his monotonous life. One pivotal evening, Maddy returned, beckoning him back to the enchanting realm of “The Pink Opaque.” This encounter reignited memories of the show’s devastating finale, where Owen realized his own mortality and the urgent need to confront reality. As the credits rolled, desperation consumed him as he thrust his head through the TV screen in a fervent plea for liberation from his dreary existence. Frank rushed to rescue him, only for Owen to scream, “This isn’t my home! You’re not my father!” before regurgitating luna juice, echoing the dark magic that had ensnared Isabel and Tara in the show’s closing moments.

The haunting solitude of her troubled past lingered with Maddy in arid Phoenix, Arizona, as she sought refuge amidst the banalities of a mall job. In a moment of desperation, she devised a chilling plan to pay an unidentified figure to bury her alive, an act of rebirth that would ultimately transform her consciousness into Tara. She insisted that their current predicament was merely an ephemeral moment in Mr. Melancholy’s mysterious midnight realm, where time’s grasp contorted the mind.

With unwavering resolve, Maddy returned to save Owen from a fate similar to hers. Yet, her earnest pleas fell on deaf ears as he reconfirmed his retreat from vulnerability, leaving her in perpetual obscurity. The uncertainty of what lay ahead haunted him, whispering promises of an alternate existence, almost within reach.

Time proved to be merciless; it soon claimed Frank after a debilitating stroke, leaving Owen to live on in the shadows of memories within their family home. He claimed to have discovered solace in this new phase of life, adorned with the innocence of children. Amidst the monotony of working at a family entertainment center, he stumbled upon “The Pink Opaque” on a streaming platform, only to find it had devolved into a quaint and childish rendition.

Two decades elapsed, leaving Owen’s body weary from chronic asthma and the heavy burden of sorrow. During a birthday occasion at the same entertainment center, the emotional dam within him burst, revealing a soul grappling with mortality, expressing his fears of succumbing to death itself. As he cried out, his pleas were met with unsettling indifference from the guests and co-workers. In a state of despair, he isolated himself in the bathroom, resorting to self-mutilation, revealing a glowing TV screen nestled within his chest.

Embracing his grotesque fixation, Owen emerged from the shadows, offering insincere apologies for his outburst, attributing it to recent medication changes. Unaware of his profound struggle, the partygoers continued their festivities, leaving Owen to face the abyss that enveloped his existence.

Last Updated: November 17, 2024 at 15:45