The Soft Remote

A long black bar rested near the sofa cushion. It had dozens of small rubber bumps. I stood beside it for three minutes. Watching. Nothing stirred. I climbed onto the fabric armrest and stepped directly onto the red button at the top corner. A sudden burst of blue light painted the opposite wall. Voices whispered from the large black screen. I stayed still, feet locked in place, staring back at the glowing glass.