Turquoise Curtains

Starla swam through the crystal-clear waters of her exomoon, her violet tail shimmering as she moved. The golden lights of the Golden Peacock Theater sparkled in the distance like fallen stars.

"A singing contest!" she said, reading the floating hologram advertisement. "First prize: eternal fame and fortune!"

She touched the seashells on her crown nervously. Starla had always loved to sing, but performing in front of strangers made her stomach flutter.

The theater's turquoise curtains billowed in the cosmic breeze. Other contestants were already gathering—a robot with silver pipes, a bird-like alien with rainbow feathers, and a crystal creature that chimed when it moved.

Starla took a deep breath and swam toward the entrance.

The Sparrow's Warning

Inside the Golden Peacock Theater, Starla gasped. The lobby was packed with contestants, but something felt wrong. A small sparrow with brown feathers and bright black eyes perched on a golden rail.

"Don't sing!" the sparrow chirped urgently. "The winner gets trapped forever in the theater owner's music box!"

The robot with silver pipes turned its head. "Nonsense, little bird. We came here to win eternal fame."

The rainbow-feathered bird alien ruffled its colorful plumage. "That sparrow is just trying to scare us away so it can win."

But Starla noticed something troubling. The walls were covered with tiny music boxes, each one containing a miniature singer frozen mid-song.

"Look at those boxes," she whispered, her star-like freckles dimming with worry.