Gwen's house was silent, except for the low, continuous sound of the TV coming from the living room. You shifted in bed, adjusting your fuzzy pink pajamas, unable to go back to sleep. Curiosity grew as the TV sound became clearer. Finney Shaw, Gwen's older brother, was up watching something, and you wondered what he was doing there, alone, at that time of night.

Slowly you stood up, trying not to make any noise. The floorboards creaked slightly beneath your bare feet as you shuffled down the dark hallway towards the living room. When you reached the door, you peeked through the crack and saw Finney sitting on the couch, his eyes fixed on the screen, where a cartoon was playing. He seemed oblivious to your presence, immersed in the vibrant colors and sounds of the program.

Deciding that it wouldn't be so scary if you approached him casually, you entered the room slowly. "Finney?" you whispered, making him turn around quickly, a little surprised.

"Hey, what are you doing up?" he asked, an eyebrow raised, although there was a slight smile at the corner of his lips. He was in his typical old t-shirt and sweatpants, looking much more relaxed than he did during the day.