Leo Moon's Arc

Chapter 1 of 4

Leo sweeps the workshop floor and finds a scuff mark where no one should have stood. He kneels, traces the edge with his thumb. The mark faces the center stage, right where the light pools during his performances. Someone watched from the dark corner by the storage shelves. He moves to the corner and spots something wedged behind a crate. A shimmering orb, small enough to fit in his palm. It shifts colors as he turns it—violet to amber to deep blue. He's never seen it before. It's warm, like it's been held recently. His chest tightens. Someone was here while he performed, close enough to drop this. Leo scans the wall behind the shelves and finds a nail hole at eye level. The wood around it is lighter, like something hung there for weeks. He pictures it: a painting of a cat with green eyes and branch-like fur, red fruit nestled in the twisted wood. He'd noticed it once, months ago, thought it was strange but harmless. Now he realizes the frame could hide a gap in the boards. A perfect view of his stage. He walks back to center and looks toward the corner, seeing his workshop the way the watcher saw it. The jester poster from last month's performance still hangs near the lights, vivid and haunting. His throat goes dry. Someone witnessed that. Someone saw him alone, building worlds he thought were invisible. The orb pulses warm in his hand. He sets it on the workbench and doesn't put it away.