Vero tales

I made a short short story, enjoy~

Spoiler

Magician’s Box​

                It was late at night when it wasall over, the crowd was gone and the stage was empty, except for the box and a wand. It was a prop, a tool, the box and wand was. Yet it was the only evidence we had for the missing girl. A hundred or so empty seats filled the stage, each one was occupied when the show began. Even with over a hundred witnesses, no one saw the girl leave. Well that’s not entirely true.

                The show began a bit afterdinner and it was a nice show I have to say. I was with my son and wife. My wife was excited for the show since we don’t always have entertainment around here. Once a concert was held at the stage, just because the musicians stopped by on their way to the city and was delayed because of a traffic incident. The stage really had no use except for when the town’s council had a meeting. I of course was invited to the meetings, because of my leadership in the police department. It was a treat really to have someone come upon the stage for other matters than politics.

                Yet the treat turned sour. Theshow started off with a word from our mayor, thanking everyone for coming to see the act, he then told us what we were going to see. Most of what he said belonged in the circus I believed, for he spoke of a group of jugglers and sword eaters. People who ate fire and clowns were also involved with the show. We even had a comedy act by a person named Percy Lewws, who in my opinion was incredibly funny. I must have been the only one who thought he was funny, since it was only my laughter filled the stage after Percy’s act was done.

                My son was so entrapped by theperformance, his eyes glued to the stage. I would sometimes steal a glance towards him, I would see his mouth wide open as one the of sword eaters pull a sword out of their mouth. He could have jumped a mile high when he saw one of the fire eaters pull out his torch towards the crowd and sent a stream of fire in the air above the crowd. If I wasn’t so caught up in the show too, I would have fined the fire eater for endangering the crowd for such an act, but my head wasn’t in my work when I came for the show.

                After another act that came froma group of some men and women juggling, the leader of the performers came up to the stage. He cleared his voice, once, twice. Then he stared at the crowd, some of the members of the earlier acts shuffled behind the stage, moving objects off and onto the stage. The leader then spoke to us. “Gentlemen and Ladies,” He started out, “I thank you for your willingness to come and see us tonight, but we have one more act to show.” His voice carried through the stage and into the crowd with such ease. Behind the man, the stage was set again.

                “Tonight I will show you one of mymost prized students, for he is special beyond belief” said the leader as he started backing away from the stage almost hitting a table because of his backwards walk. The stage held a number of tables, each holding objects that I couldn’t see from my viewpoint and a black box that could have easily held a man or two. “I would like to welcome, Alex, our Magician!” the leader stopped in his tracks, did a small bow to the crowds and promptly left the stage in a rush.

                The stage was clear of people,only the tables and boxes where on the stage. Then a soft thump was heard, then another. People could hear it and were looking for the source until the box in the center of the stage opened, in it was a man. He jumped out of the box in a flash, his black cape streaming behind him as he did. He was wearing mixture of black and white and carried a small wand. “I am Alex!” he roared to the crowd as he stopped at the center of the stage, “Presto!” he yelled out, his wand pointed at the ceiling. A top hat appeared out of thin air and lazily floated down on top of Alex’s head.

                After that it was madness. Alexyelled magic words and pointed his wand everywhere. Things happened that shouldn’t have been happening. Rabbits jumped from under the seats and would quickly turn into flowers of random verities. The rabbit near me turned into a shrub. People were screaming, some laughed, and my wife fainted. My son and I were with the laughing people. Alex stopped his magic long enough for the crowd to relax, and then said with his loud, but confident voice, “Who wants to be my lovely assistant for my next trick?”

                A few nervous hands came up;Alex dismissed almost all of them with haste, except for one. She was a lovely girl who would reach the age of marriage in a few months and she was not afraid of anything. It almost made sense that she was the one chosen. She quickly walked up to the stage and Alex helped her up. He whispered into her ear and pointed to the box he came out of. The girl nodded and walked up to it. Alex spoke up again “I want to give you one final act,” Alex said in a loud voice. “I’ll make this woman disappear.” A collective gasp came through the crowd as Alex opened up the box for the lady. Many thought she would falter, but she didn’t.

                Alex closed the box around herand locked the small door. He then spun the box wildly around in a circle, yelling presto every so often, pointing the wand at the spinning box. Soon, the box stopped turning and came to a stop, the door facing the crowd. Alex yelled another magic word and the box opened all by itself. The girl was gone. Alex closed the door to the box and yelled another magic word. He opened the box by hand this time, but it was empty. For the first time Alex looked concerned. “Presto!” Alex yelled, closing the box’s door and opening it again. The box was still empty. “Alakazam!” This time Alex’s voice yelled with concern. Slowly he closed the door and opened it, the girl was missing.

                The crowd was in an uproar, “Gethim!” yelled an audience member, but I was already on my feet. I was rushing towards Alex, for he was raising the wand. I tackled him right when he spoke the word “presto” and in a blinding light, he was gone, so was everyone else that was in the show. It was only me and the audience that was left.

                I stayed long after everyoneleft, trying to puzzle out how the girl disappeared in the magician’s box, the only evidence I had was the wand that Alex dropped and the box that she disappeared in.  I held the wand in my hand,for I had a crazy thought. I pointed the wand towards the box and quietly said “Presto” and opened the box’s door.