Bonnie's Arc

Chapter 1 of 4

Bonnie stood on the cracked stage of the old theater, singing to rows of empty seats. Her voice bounced off the peeling walls as she belted out a mashup of opera and a cereal commercial. She wanted to be rich and famous, loved by crowds who would fill every seat and cheer her name. For now, the theater was silent except for her voice. She finished her song with arms spread wide, imagining the applause that would come someday. The dust sparkled in the light from the broken windows above. The next morning, Bonnie walked through the nameless city searching for new places to perform. She turned a corner and spotted an old stage in an overgrown lot. Wooden planks stretched across the ground, weathered and gray. Vines twisted up through the cracks and wrapped around the edges. Bonnie's eyes went wide. This was perfect. She climbed onto the stage and tested the boards with her foot. They creaked but held. She pictured hundreds of people gathered around, watching her sing. They would clap and cheer and tell all their friends. This stage would be her path to fame. She cleared her throat and began to sing a pop song mixed with a pizza jingle. Her voice rang out across the empty lot.