Deciphering the Infrared Beam

I set down my pencil stub on the floorboard and approached the television stand. A long black wand rested near the edge—a remote control. I leaned over its rubber keypad, carefully pressing the circular power symbol. In front of my screen, the small frosted bulb at the wand's tip glowed with a faint, purplish flash invisible to human eyes, yet distinct across my display. Across the room, a high-pitched click echoed inside the television chassis, followed by a sudden wash of cool static. The transmission link was immediate. I made three rhythmic taps to verify latency, confirming that each pulse corresponded to a physical relay trigger.