Alice passed the echo cup.
Callen caught the bell-side ring.
Emmitt held the handle still.
No one hurried him to sing.

Move one fold; leave one word.
Wait until the word is heard.

The bell-tipped cup cast half a shape
across the pumpkin wall.
Its folded panel hid the clue.
The shadow looked too small.

Alice asked, “Does the safe way turn
toward Cobb orchard press?”
Callen answered, “Shadow first.”
Emmitt left the last word blank.

“When you are ready, finish this:
The route needs room that is ___.”
The missing word stayed open.
No one filled it for him.

Callen passed the cup to Alice.
Alice moved one folded pane.
Because the panel opened wide,
the shadow changed its shape.

A five-minute sprinkle dotted ground.
Barely moving air stayed slight.
The cup stayed steady in Alice’s hands.
The stars supplied the light.

The widened shadow crossed one mark.
Four letters could be seen.
It showed W-I-D-E
where the narrow line had been.

Emmitt looked, then touched the blank.
He waited one more beat.
When he was ready, Emmitt said,
“Wide.” The invitation was complete.

The shadow showed a pretend view
of moss-log stage just once.
No one left for moss-log stage.
They stayed at pumpkin corner.

Alice placed a small choice board.
Callen set NEAR and WIDE.
Emmitt set LATER loose,
not fastened to a side.

One square stayed open for a change.
The cup rested below.
Near, wide, later, or another choice—
the answer could still grow.