Opposite Sides

Spencer comes from the low garden side.
Alice Mole comes from the dry-stone side.
Emmitt and Zylar enter by separate lines.
No group line forms.

Carlisle Rain Porch

The water-marked ladder leans beside the porch edge.
One blue rung points toward pumpkin corner,
but the next clue is missing.

Spencer: Follow the blue rung?

Emmitt: Or move what is covering the mark?

Alice slides one shifted rung aside.
Under it, a pale print points back toward the porch.

Zylar: The clue was here in another place.

Spoken-Sung Decision

All: Draw the way; clear the way.
Keep what helps; brush the rest away.

Alice: We can test the pale print.

Spencer: We can leave the bright arrow unchosen.

Emmitt: We can watch who has not entered.

Zylar: We can leave a space in the song.

Path Drawn and Erased

Spencer steps one damp mark.
Alice brushes it away behind him.

Emmitt steps the next mark.
Zylar brushes it away behind him.

Alice steps the third mark.
Spencer brushes it away behind her.

Zylar steps the fourth mark.
Emmitt brushes it away behind him.

The route exists only ahead of their feet.
Nothing remains behind them.

Reversal

Before pumpkin corner, the pale print curls back.

Spencer: The route ends somewhere else.

They reverse toward Carlisle rain porch.
The opening verse cannot return to following the bright arrow.

The Audience Becomes the Final Verse

The group leaves one measure open.

From off-scene, an expected audience hums the missing phrase.

Alice lowers her brushing hand.
Emmitt turns toward the sound.
Zylar opens one hand toward the empty place.
Spencer holds the ladder still.

The audience completes the final verse without appearing.

Four-Piece Image

At Carlisle rain porch, Spencer lays down one cloth square.
Alice places the first ring.
Emmitt places the second ring.
Zylar places the third ring.

The square and three rings make a flat lantern shape.
It has no flame and no glow.

Closing Lines

All: The path is gone.
The listening place remains.