The Greatest Showman #1088 – Spreading Rapidly

During a break at work, Hope-Bates leaned against the door frame, idly scrolling through her phone. She opened the photo gallery, swiping through images to clear her mind. Her fingers paused on one particular photo—a colored pencil drawing of Renly.

In the image, Renly stood in a simple white shirt and jeans, holding a large red bucket above his head. His eyes were shut, but his smile was wide and infectious. The moment captured in the artwork seemed to leap off the screen, bursting with life and energy, as if it had broken free from its digital frame and come alive on paper.

Hope couldn't help but smile as she looked up at the account name: "Brando Mania."

It was no surprise. The account, known for its exquisite depictions of Renly's essence, had done it again. No one else could capture his spirit quite like this. But Hope's curiosity piqued: what had inspired this drawing? What had Renly been doing at that moment?

She clicked on "Brando Mania's" profile and was greeted with an array of stunning watercolor works. The latest series, a set of six hand-drawn colored pencil illustrations, stood out. Hope had never seen such an update before—Brando Mania usually posted one image at a time, carefully crafted, giving up quantity for quality. This time, however, there was a whole set.

The first three images focused entirely on Renly. The first showed him greeting someone with a smile and a wave. The second was the image Hope had just admired. The third captured a messy moment as Renly, drenched in ice water, wore a sheepish grin despite the awkward situation.

The other three illustrations featured Renly indirectly. One showed him holding a phone, pointing it at Paul Walker, who shyly waved it away. The other captured Paul in the act of dumping ice water over his own head, mimicking Renly's moment.

The final picture was not directly about Renly, but was undeniably connected. It depicted a girl in a wheelchair, a guitar resting in her lap, her face beaming with joy as she seemed to sing freely. Beside her was a red bucket, just like the one Renly had used. The title in the lower right corner confirmed it—this was Heather Cross.

Hope's confusion deepened. The artwork was breathtaking, but what was the connection? Why was this series so different? And what was Renly's role in it all?

Just as Hope pondered, she noticed a new image had been uploaded. It was a simple white page filled with black text, nothing remarkable at first glance. But as she clicked on it, her heart skipped a beat.

She read the text over and over, her excitement building with each word. Unable to contain herself, Hope let out an audible gasp, causing a few people in the café to look over. "Oh my god!" she screamed, jumping up in excitement.

She quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment, apologizing to the surrounding guests, but her voice still quivered with excitement. "Renly just opened a social media account and posted a video! He's doing the Ice Bucket Challenge!"

Hope couldn't wait to share the news. She eagerly sent the update to her colleagues at the café. The room buzzed with curiosity. "Is it true?" they asked, gathering around her to see the post.

Hope nodded vigorously, showing them the image from Brando Mania's account. It detailed Renly's participation in the Ice Bucket Challenge, along with Brando Mania's personal note of support. The artist had even donated to the Heather-Cross Foundation, contributing $50,000—a staggering sum for a freelancer.

Hope immediately followed Renly's new account. In less than 30 minutes, Brando Mania's post had already garnered 10,000 likes, with Renly's account "Sisyphus" gaining 20,000 followers in record time. Hope was the 24,777th follower. Renly's Twitter account was now at more than 40,000 followers, and his Ice Bucket Challenge video had gone viral, amassing over 67,000 retweets.

Hope replayed the video multiple times, laughing at Renly's infectious energy. Yet, as she watched, a pang of sadness hit her. She thought of his Grammy performance of "Beast" and the message it carried. The Ice Bucket Challenge had taken on a deeper meaning, and Hope understood its significance.

She quickly called William Taylor, her voice shaky with emotion. "Did you see it? Renly's Ice Bucket Challenge. How should we show our support? He's been encouraging us to work hard, and I want to do my part."

William, equally moved, shared his idea. "What if we organized a group of students from our college to participate in the challenge? We could start with thirty, fifty, or even a hundred people, then upload the video to Facebook. We can encourage students from other schools to join, and make sure we're all supporting Renly in this."

The idea grew as they spoke, expanding into a global movement. "What if we had Don Quixote statues all over the world join in? Don Quixote in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco... they could all take part and show their support for Renly," William suggested.

Hope wiped away her tears, determination setting in. "Not only that, we could all donate to the Heather-Cross Foundation—$100, $10, whatever we can. Together, we can make a real difference."

The Ice Bucket Challenge had become more than just a viral sensation—it was a platform for giving back, a way to show solidarity for Renly and the cause he supported.

Hope and William got to work, quickly spreading the word and organizing support. The power of social networks was in full force as their message rippled across the internet.

Renly's industry connections, including Paul Walker's endorsement, had already ignited interest. In no time, Renly's Twitter and photo wall had captured the attention of millions. Paul, along with other celebrities, showed their support, helping Renly's accounts soar to new heights.

Hope continued to watch the Ice Bucket Challenge video, each viewing reaffirming her belief in the movement's power. And as the challenge spread, so did Renly's influence—transforming from a simple viral trend to a global cause that united people across the world.