Furby’s are electronic toys that were released in the 1990s resembling owl or hamster adjacent creatures. Being built solely as a lively toy for children to enjoy, Brian Smith, Journalism teacher at Del Val, has experienced some untold horrifying events that have traumatized him and altered his way of living for the rest of his life.
Some of the many features of Furbys that make them so fascinating are their ability to tell jokes, talk, dance, reply to a speaker’s commands and say when they’re hungry, tired or bored.
While these attributes would seem intriguing to any normal child, they resulted in making Smith’s life a living h-e-double-hockey-sticks.
“When I was younger, my friends who had actually had these monsters enjoyed themselves greatly,” Smith said. “But when these creatures were left alone with me, the entire atmosphere shifted. I could see it in their eyes.”
Many people have had theories about these toys. Some have claimed they’re secretly demonic while others are convinced that it’s all in their heads. However, Smith knows it’s not all in his head.
“After hanging out with my friends, they would hide their Furbys in my closet and tell them to say things that we all found funny in the middle of the night. But, instead, during the time they were told to speak, they would say scary things like ‘I’m watching you’ or ‘Come play with me,’” Smith said.
Smith is now diagnosed with PTSD. Any time he hears anything adjacent to the voice of a Furby or something that they’ve said while being in his closet, he’s faced with scary and aggressive panic attacks.
“It’s like the creature is attached to me and I can’t ever escape this demon’s horrifying grapple and terrifying effect it has on my life,” Smith said. “Sometimes it’s almost as if it’s compelling me to make decisions that I don’t even want to make. It’s like a curse.”
While Furbys have been a fan-favorite for quite some time, after Smith’s firsthand experience with these appalling creatures, it might be beneficial to avoid any contact with them entirely.
