Cheap Magic Trick Gone Wrong

A pathetic small-town magician's cheap trick to make his barmaid assistant "disappear" goes awry when she actually vanishes into thin air, suggesting he has stumbled into forces beyond his rudimentary

Thomas the Tremendous tipped his top hat low over his brow as he stepped out onto the small stage of the Ruraltown Theater. Only about 30 people filled the rickety seats, but this was typical for one of his magic shows these days. 

As he surveyed the disinterested crowd, Thomas couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. This was hardly the celebrity magician life in Las Vegas he had dreamed of as a young illusionist. His tricks were the same stale rabbit-from-a-hat numbers he'd been performing for decades in these small towns, lacking any real pizzazz or originality. 

With a weary sigh, Thomas launched into his opening patter, going through the familiar motions as he produced a bouquet of limp flowers from his sleeve. He could see the audience was already losing interest, those not napping outright giving him bored looks.

"And now for my final trick," Thomas projection in his most booming vocals, "I will make this lovely assistant...disappear!"

He swept the red velvet curtain aside with a theatrical flourish to reveal Maisie, the barmaid he'd been having an affair with. He paid her $50 under the table to play the part of his lovely assistant each night.

Maisie gave him a withering look as he guided her to the center of the small stage. Thomas avoided her gaze - he knew she was less than enthused about the indignity of playing along with his lame prestidigitation. 

With a few mumbled gibberish incantations, Thomas produced a tall cabinet and ushered Maisie inside. The trick, as always, was for her to slink out the rear trap door and hide beneath the stage. He'd throw open the curtains to make it appear she had vanished into thin air.

"Abracadabra!" Thomas cried, swirling his cape and producing a cloud of smoke to conceal Maisie's exit beneath the stage. He could almost hear the audience's collective groan at his overplayed showmanship.

With a final dramatic flourish, Thomas whipped the curtains open to reveal...nothing at all. The cabinet was empty. Maisie had disappeared.

For a stunned beat, Thomas didn't react. Then the smattering of half-hearted applause began. The audience assumed it was all part of the uninspired act, too jaded to be truly amazed.

"Thank you, thank you!" Thomas took his bows, playing along. But as the audience dispersed, he hurried to the rear of the stage in confusion.

Maisie was nowhere to be found. He searched every nook and cranny, calling out her name. But she had well and truly vanished.

A cold prickle of dread ran up Thomas's spine. Was this some sort of ill-conceived prank on her part? Abandoning his props, he raced out into the streets, panic rising within him.

He sprinted to the bar where Maisie worked, then her flat, then even her sister's home, screaming her name and pounding on doors. But it was as if she had been plucked from existence itself. 

At last, Thomas collapsed against a brick wall, heaving for breath and wrestling with tears of terror. He was just a two-bit street magician - how had his pathetic disappearing box trick actually made Maisie vanish into thin air? And where in God's name had she gone?