Edith stood on a golden balcony with lush red carpet and gilded chairs facing an elegant stage. On that stage, was the man. The man she followed here, the man who opened the door, and the man that locked her in. She was beginning to fear that the one who beckoned her to hold his hand just moments ago was, in fact, the Magician.
She looked at the gleaming chairs before her and took a seat, her mind racing with fool hearted explanations:
Maybe he’s not the Magician and simply another performer.
The Magician would never bring me of all people here.
That can’t be him, he just canceled his show.
Edith peered over the plush railing at the seats below her. There was no one else there. She looked back at the stage where her mysterious captor was standing. His overcoat was etched with gold swirls that shone like diamonds in the stage light. It reminded her of the stitching at the bottom of her cloak and her eyes flicked down. She then realized, she was no longer wearing it.
“How-”
“Ladies and Gentleman!” Her question was cut off by the quick speech of the man, and the sudden roar of a crowd. The red velvet seats below her were full of men, women, and children, all in their finest attire. Her chest swelled with sheer confusion and intrigue that tasted like the cool of midnight. Although, she could feel someone watching her.
“I would personally like to thank you all for coming out tonight. We’re very excited to be here.” The audience applauded and cheered.
“Without further ado, I am happy to introduce - The Magician!” The crowd roared as the man stepped off to the side. Seconds later, a platform was raised on the stage and the captivated audience quieted in anticipation. Edith looked behind her. She was becoming paranoid.
So he was only the announcer? That makes much more sense than-
Then the man reappeared on the platform grinning.
Edith cursed.
The crowd laughed.
“One of my favorite tricks, but I hope I didn’t disappoint any of you.” Edith could’ve sworn he looked directly at her as he said the last part. Then again, it was hard to see from her balcony.
She leaned against the railing and rested her palm on her cheek in dismay. She had ruined everything. The Magician was closer to her than ever before and once again, he slipped through her fingers. While she sat pouting, she soon realized she was missing the show. Her head snapped up as quickly as she could manage to find that the room had completely changed.
No longer the golden glowing form it had just been, it was broken. Everything was older than anything she would’ve dared to touch and coated with dust. The seats torn, and the stage cracked. Slivers of moonlight streamed in from high placed windows and the balconies moth-eaten curtains swayed in the breeze. Her pace was quickening, her breath becoming shallow. The damn dress was still too tight.
Edith had seen magic before, but nothing nearly this strong. She felt her head for a fever, perhaps she was just dreaming? Was the magician toying with her?
She was becoming faint, her head dizzy and her corset feeling tighter and tighter by the second. It was as if a snake wrapped around her chest and was squeezing till her lungs popped. She stood up and grabbed the curtain for support, her heartbeat pounding in her head. The rod holding up the dense fabric snapped, hitting her square in the forehead. She smacked the ground just in time to see the door open behind her.
Then she blacked out.
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