Act I The black water bottle rolled across the rubber floor before the room stopped gasping. It spun past a chrome training machine, bumped against the base of a mirrored wall, and settled…

Act I The toy box slid across the polished floor like something precious escaping the wrong hands. It spun once beneath the glow of the giant holiday tree, glossy plastic catching the camera…

Act I The mop bucket tipped before the boardroom found its voice. A narrow stream of water spilled across the polished floor beneath the long black conference table, slipping toward the leg of…

Act I The white service towel fell first. It slipped from the young waiter’s hand and landed on the stone floor beside the oak table, soft and silent for half a heartbeat. Then…

Act I The passport wallet slid across the red carpet before anyone reached for the woman. It was brown, worn soft at the edges, and so plain that it looked almost out of…

Act I The black chip rolled across the red carpet before anyone remembered to breathe. It spun once beneath the gold wall sconce, scratched edges flashing under the warm casino lights, then came…

Act I The silver name badge fell before Mr. Liang did. It struck the cream marble with a sharp little sound, slid beneath the wheel of a brass luggage cart, and came to…

Act I The canvas tote hit the dock before Mrs. Blackwell did. It struck the polished wooden planks beside the velvet rope, sagged open, and spilled a navy scarf and a pair of…

Act I The art catalogue struck the marble before the boy did. It slid across the museum floor, glossy pages fluttering open beneath the spotlights, stopping beside the velvet rope that guarded a…