No one knows who Daedalia is. The anonymous artist’s labyrinthine drawings don’t just mesmerize— people walk away from them changed. Some see a version of themselves they’ve been avoiding. Others are compelled to act on what they see.
One winter morning, twelve of her panels appear overnight around the World Trade Center plaza. Commuters stop, transfixed, unable to explain what they’ve seen. Within days, Daedalia is a folk hero. Months later, after the towers fall, whispers turn to accusations. Had her work foretold or even caused it? The faceless artist becomes a public enemy.
Lefty Moody is the one man who knows the truth: he invented Daedalia. A washed-up baseball player who can pitch anything but has nothing left to sell, he finds his purpose in Kelly, a feral young woman from his hometown with a fierce, otherworldly artistic talent and no ability or desire to navigate the machinery of a career.
Together they build the lie that will change their lives. Kelly doesn’t mind disappearing behind the persona– she’s always felt her hand guided by an unseen presence. But as her art begins to steer the lives of strangers, nudging them toward choices of life and death, Kelly must reckon with her role in the conceit and her very identity.
Daedalia is the story of an artist and the man who becomes her champion, lover and ultimately, her eraser. It asks what art is for, who it belongs to, and what happens when the work itself begins to decide.
Chapters
Keep Your Place, Show Your ❤️
We’re kind of hacking Substack to be a place to read long-form fiction. One of the downsides is it can be hard to find where you left off in the story if you miss a couple of weeks. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix. When you ❤️ a chapter it’s as good as a bookmark— a clear indicator of the last thing you read. It also helps elevate my work on Substack so other readers can find it.
I popped in here to re-read the chapter before the most recent, which I haven't actually done yet... Ben, even your table of contents is polished to perfection... I am in awe of your meticulous planning and 'mise-en-page' as we say here... that you have aged Kelly in the header image too... the video is a short story on its own! So much thought and effort has gone into this and I just wanted you to know I appreciate every second of it! No need to reply BTW. Just accept praise where praise is due.
Now on with the story...