Eric sits cross-legged at the foot of the bed, fiddling with a small, shiny object in his hand. John stands awkwardly nearby, eyes shifting between his older brother and the door, while Tyler sprawls across the bed, every so often bursting into giggles.
"I got potty trained before kindergarten," Eric boasts, a sly grin on his face.
"I didn’t stop wetting the bed until I was ten," John admits, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.
"I stopped at eight!" Tyler chimes in, unable to stifle a giggle at John’s confession.
"I can’t believe you brainwashed your brother," Tyler whispers, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief. "How long did it take you? Maybe I’ll try it on my brother."
"It took about a year and a half with John," Eric replies, twirling the pocket watch. "I’ll teach you—just swing it like this." The watch spins in slow, hypnotic arcs, catching the lamplight with each pass.
"Just watch the watch, Tyler. Let your thoughts drift, your eyelids grow heavy..." Eric's words wash over the room, the only sound the gentle ticking of the pocket watch.
"I... I feel funny," Tyler mumbles, already sinking into a trance. Eric smiles, satisfied, as both boys now look to him for direction.
"What are you, my brother?" Eric asks, testing the depth of Tyler’s trance.
"I am your brother," Tyler replies flatly, devoid of his usual humor.
"Change your clothes and bring me a soda," Eric commands.
"Yes, master," Tyler responds, shuffling off to obey as John remains at attention.
"Soon, I’ll have two mindless followers doing whatever I want," Eric murmurs to himself, already scheming his next move.
"Here’s your soda, Eric," Tyler says, his voice steady but his gaze lingering on the pocket watch, as if somewhere deep inside, he remembers.
