Magic Trick

Seven years of part time Uni, two unpaid internships and hundreds of job applications later, yet the only thing Ethan was paid to do was put his top hat on and perform like a local court jester. Australia’s most overqualified magician. 

‘Is this your card?,’ he said, with about as much enthusiasm as his father when he agreed to come and watch. 

‘The Seven of Hearts, yes!,’ the woman in the front row cackled with her friends, at least four wines deep. It would have been a fun night out for them, Ethan thought, as he graciously accepted the muted applause from the rest of the forty-strong room at the pub. His usual weekend gigs were barely paying off his HECS debt, so he had been hitting the comedy circuit hard. The only problem was, he wasn’t very funny.

‘Ok friends, any volunteers for my next trick? Who is ready to reach into my Box of Mystery?,’ his joke half hearted, met with equally dulled laughs. He drew the black shade back to show his disappearing box, fixed to a lectern, obviously hinged at the back to the floor. He almost rolled his eyes at how easy this trick was to spot, but it was a crowd favourite. His engineering degree helped obfuscate the more complex tricks.

‘Go on Susie! Hey Magic Mike, can you make her disappear?’ One of the ladies in the front was gesturing to her slight friend. 

‘Yeah disappear, that will teach him!’ her red faced friend bellowed. Susie went slightly red. 

‘Oh trouble in paradise. I’ve got just the thing for you!,’ Ethan forced a smile and flourished his hands to produce a rose from his sleeves. Her friends clapped and elbowed her forward as she climbed up the stage.

He looked over to his father, leading the applause as ever. He waved, motioning at who he was standing next to. Ethan felt a chill as he was helping Susie into position. He froze. She actually came, he thought. Radiant with a beer in hand, she matched the sounds of the woo girls in the front row. 

Panic rose and his mind went blank. How was this supposed to work again? He pointed to the secret ladder in the floor of the box and Susie understood and relaxed. He opened it up, brandishing the rabbit, the fireworks, the endless piece of string. The crowd’s laughter seemed more earnest with each gag. 

‘And finally, my wonderful assistant Susie is going to disappear!’ he proclaimed. He guided her behind the curtain, he saw a note stuck to the inside of the box. There were only three words written on it, in her beautiful familiar handwriting. 

‘It’s all temporary’

He felt a chill up his spine as he turned to the audience. He smiled at her, as Susie appeared at the entrance of the pub. ‘Ta-da,’ she said nervously. 

The crowd cheered in unison. 

‘And if you check your pocket, you’ll find the seven of hearts. Goodnight everyone!’ 

Your story must feature SEVEN of something. Your story must include a character who opens a box. Your story must include the words LADDER, BLANK and CHILL (Longer “s”, “ed” or “ing” variations are acceptable.)