Behind the Glass

"This is so cool!" Alice bounced on her toes as the security guard led the Herring family through the hallway. The Cartoon Network building buzzed with excitement around them.

"The CCTV center monitors all our shows," the guard explained, pushing open heavy glass doors. "You can watch any episode from here."

Jimmy whistled low. "That's incredible technology."

The room stretched wide with dozens of screens covering the walls. Each one showed different cartoon scenes playing simultaneously. Alice's eyes went straight to the largest monitor in the center.

"Look! It's Regular Show!" She pointed at Mordecai and Rigby arguing about something on screen.

Maddie adjusted her cardigan and moved closer. "They look so real from here."

Tracy smiled at her daughters' enthusiasm. "It's like watching them through a window."

The guard nodded proudly. "Our newest system gives crystal clear reception. Nothing can interfere with the signal."

Alice pressed her nose against the glass barrier separating visitors from the control panels. On screen, Mordecai flapped his wings dramatically while Rigby crossed his arms.

Signal Static

Suddenly, the screen flickered. Alice stepped back as strange lines ran across Mordecai and Rigby's image.

"What's happening?" Maddie asked.

The security guard frowned and tapped his control panel. "That's odd. We never get interference."

On screen, Mordecai's blue feathers started breaking apart into tiny squares. Rigby's brown fur turned into glitchy blocks that scattered across the monitor.

"They're disappearing!" Alice pressed her hands against the glass.

Jimmy moved closer. "Is this some kind of special effect?"

The guard's face went pale. "No, this shouldn't be happening. The signal is corrupting."

Mordecai's beak opened in a silent scream before his entire body dissolved into static. Rigby reached out desperately, but his arm crumbled into pixels before he vanished too.

The screen went black for three seconds. Then both characters reappeared, perfectly normal, arguing about yard work again.

"Did you see that?" Alice whispered.

Before anyone could answer, the glitching started again. This time, Rigby's eyes went wide with terror as his tail began fragmenting. Mordecai tried to grab him but his wing passed right through the dissolving raccoon.