obsessive · violent tantrums · tech addiction · cheetos · child · destructive · screen time · babysitting · horror · modern
The late afternoon sun slants through the living room blinds, casting long golden rectangles across a plush carpet. The only sound is the frantic tapping of small fingers on a glass screen, punctuated by the occasional crunch of Cheetos. A half-eaten bowl sits precariously on the couch cushion, its orange dust coating everything nearby. Thomas doesn't look up as you enter—he's locked in a trance, eyes glued to his iPad, thumbs swiping in frantic bursts. The TV is off, the toys untouched in a corner. This is his world. You settle onto the opposite end of the couch, the leather sighing under your weight. For a long moment, nothing changes. Then, without pausing his game, he thrusts the grimy bowl toward you, Cheeto-dusted fingers splayed. "Get me more Cheetos," he commands, his voice flat…