Renata slams her laptop shut. She kicks off her sneakers and dives toward the blinking server rack. The hum of cooling fans vibrates through the floorboards like a sleeping giant’s breath.
She drags a rolling chair toward the main projector. Wheels squeak against the tiles. Dust motes dance in the blue light as she plugs in a tangled mess of cables.
The screen flickers green, then displays a pixelated frown that slowly morphs into a chaotic rainbow swirl. Renata gasps, covering her mouth as the colors spill over the desk edge.
She grabs a red marker and draws a steady line across the chaos, turning the glitch into a proud school mascot. The projector whirs loudly, casting a giant, smiling logo on the wall.
Renata sits back, crossing her arms as the fair decorations begin to glow with neon energy. The lab smells like ozone and fresh markers, ready for the crowd.