The player piano began the "Yoo Hoo" song: Stalky's cue.

Her sibling held the curtain aside as she made her way to center stage, her right arm in the costume's sleeve, and her left supporting the large, mostly-hollow head. It was warm and muggy, and Stal…

Everything seemed to happen at once. Stella lived at two speeds simultaneously. In what felt like it should have taken only a second or two, the moon sprang upon her back and spread out like an effulgent tarpaulin, pressing her skin into the pricking fenc…