**Charismatic Shoemaker Lloyd**
Benton stretched out on the couch after fourteen hours of sleep, every muscle aching from the restless night before. His eyes were dull with fatigue, he traced his hand and found the water jar on the low table. He poured himself a cup and drank slowly, hoping it might wash away the heaviness in his head.
Checking the time, he pushed himself up. Today he’s supposed to be at Clairfair. He rolled the best suit in his closet onto his shoulders, a deep charcoal one that carried quiet elegance. On the counter by the right, next to his perfumes and hair care products, sat the slim black card.
He stepped outside, scanning the familiar corner where his scooter should have been waiting. The space was empty. He blinked, then looked around, as if it would magically
