NIX

Once a year a sky-whale named Old Hollow crosses the cloud sea, and once a year she sweeps past a floating lighthouse where Seren Aldaine weaves the lamp's light from silk. For five years her rider, Rowan Aerwyn, has tossed Seren one gift as he passes. Tonight Rowan asks the whale to stop, and she does. He clips his mooring line to Seren's railing and steps off onto her gallery.

For six years webtoon artist Jiho Seo and his best friend Ethan Ryu have spent Friday nights in the same Koreatown noraebang room, and for all six years one sappy love duet has been banned. Tonight Jiho uses his last-song dare on it anyway, and they sing it side by side on the burgundy sofa. Then the screen starts the same duet over, and the remote shows the second request came from Ethan's phone.

Velvet Orbit Roller Rink closes at midnight, but Simone always plays one last song. All summer the same request has arrived under a different fake name each week. Tonight's slip has a real one on it, and it invites her out of the booth.

Mateo runs the Ferris wheel on Bright Tide Pier. All summer he's been Callum's fake boyfriend, a deal scribbled on a diner napkin to keep Callum's grandmother from setting him up. Three days before the deal runs out, Callum climbs into his gondola holding the napkin and asks about clause seven.

Sabine builds department-store windows overnight in Philadelphia and hides a tiny paper bus in every one. For a year, the driver of the 12:40 route has slowed at the red light outside. Tonight is her last window before she transfers to New York, and he finally parks the bus and knocks on the glass.

The Midsummer Faerie Fair has one night left, and the court has sent you to close it. Lorcan Thistlewood has spent all week undoing your spells. At midnight the enchanted carousel stops dead, and the brass ring with his name on it falls into your hand.