Todd's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Todd's fuzzy red paw caught on a loose thread as he waved to the crowd outside the sporting goods store. The seam under his arm ripped wider. Again. He forced his smile to stay bright while parents pointed and kids rushed over for high-fives. This costume was falling apart for the third time this month. Todd dreamed of owning a real professional mascot suit, one with reinforced stitching and fur that didn't shed in clumps. A costume that lasted. After his shift ended, Todd walked three blocks to the community center. He needed more work. Better paying gigs. Inside the lobby, a sleek photo stand caught his eye. The display showed spinning images of people at events and parties. A sign read "360 Photo Stand NYC - Book Now for Your Event." Todd pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the contact number. Party entertainment paid well. Maybe he could work these events between his regular mascot jobs. Every extra dollar brought him closer to that professional costume. On his way home, Todd spotted a clothing donation bin on the corner. A small rat sat on top, washing its whiskers. Todd checked his pockets and found two quarters and a dime. He dropped the coins into his savings jar later that night. Sixty cents wasn't much, but it added up. The jar sat on his kitchen counter, half full of bills and change. Todd counted it every week. Three hundred and forty-seven dollars so far. A professional costume cost two thousand. He needed more work, more hours, more anything. But tonight, he'd made progress. That photo stand job could change everything. The next morning, Todd searched online for costume shops. Most places sold cheap party suits or rentals. Then he found Thorn Academy. The baby pink building with black accents specialized in performance wear. Their website showed mascot costumes with double-stitched seams and professional-grade materials. Todd stared at the prices. Two thousand dollars for the basic model. Three thousand for premium. His chest tightened, but he bookmarked the page. This was where he'd buy his costume. He just needed to save eighteen hundred more dollars first.