Ben just came on the stream, giving an update. Everything is fine, but they’re still running behind. He’s giving me a quick tour of the room—looks like a grand dining hall with a raised platform at one end, set up for the main event. Rows of chairs face the stage, maybe a dozen or so. I can only see the backs of heads from this angle.

Now he’s adjusting my view, fixing the camera onto a tripod. I have a perfect front-row spot for everything about to happen. He says it’s starting any moment now.

The wait is killing me.

If I had a dollar for every time someone underestimated duckie, I’d be rich. If Duckie had a dollar for every inch—well, he’d be richer.