Nostalgia

Gently he opens the case

“Thin Places” he reads aloud

Removing the disc within

He eyes the scratched surface

Reflective rainbow glistening

With greatest care places within console

Tray whirs closed with a click

He holds his breath

Disc spins to life

A moment of nothing

Then the splash screen

It has loaded

A sigh of relief

The screen transitions

A pulsating mess of reddish hues

Throbbing low bass crawls from speakers

The console growls low thumping softly

Steadily

Rhythmically

TV bulges at its edges

Red glistening flesh peaking through

He picks up a controller grinning eagerly

Something thin and sinuous wraps around his thumbs

“Best game…”

His voice comes

Unbidden from the TV’s crackling speakers