The Volunteer
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls.. I have been trained in the art of magic for many years.." The Fairfax Follies was located inside of the last yet largest tent within the dirty fairgrounds that afternoon. Forty muggles, the local sheep farms around the area, had decided to attend the weekend's first show. What they didn't know was that The Fabulous Fairfax, (who was born John Walters) had just as much magic inside of him as almost everyone in the dismal crowd. ".and to prove that to you now I will need a volunteer."
His dark, doll-like eyes scattered through the dismal crowd. Three children pushed each other down as they eagerly raised their hands. "Sorry children, for now I need someone who is a bit older." A teenager boy was gently nudging his husky father to raise his hand. "I need someone.who has a secret magic power inside of them." Fairfax methodically pointed his hand out in the air. "Think magical thoughts everyone. Keeping thinking magical thoughts. EVERYONE STOP! I can now sense someone in here who has that power I need."
Sitting alone, four rows up with his hands in his pocket was Fairfax's first victim. "You , sir." The person did not look up. "Yes I can sense something coming from the chap in the plaid shirt and dark hair!"
Noticing that the small crowd was hunched over and looking at him, the hand- picked volunteer looked up at the magician. "Me?" His voice creaked to the disappointment of the few hopeful audience members.
Dressed in an awful arrangement that looked like it was supposed to have been a clown suit, was Fairfax's assistant - Jolly. Rushing up to the startled volunteer, Jolly haphazardly pulled him down the bleacher's steps towards the dirt ground.
As if a great stage fright had conquered the reluctant new part of the show, Fairfax put one hand on his shoulder and asked the volunteer a pre- arranged question. "Tell us, what is your name?"
But before he could ask Fairfax smiled and interrupted. "No No No. wait..let me guess!"
"Bill?"
The volunteer shook his head.
"How about Mark?"
The volunteer shook his head.
"Is it. Jack?"
Although the same, blank expression still lay on the man's face the head nodded.
"Ah yes..Three is the magic number!" Fairfax said, wiping sweat off of his brow as the crowd looked unamused. "Now tell me, Jack, do you believe in magic?"
"No, I suppose not," the volunteer said putting his hand in his pockets. A few of the children in front gasped and some of the crowd gave a courtesy laugh to Fairfax's startled face after reacting to the words.
"Well then why would such a person come to a magic show?!" Fairfax asked.
"Guess it just seemed interesting." The man shrugged.
"Well sir, you as well - as everyone else here - will believe in magic by the time today's events are over. No one leaves the Fabulous Fairfax's show without believing in the power of magic!"
A get black cylinder wand appeared from midair into Fairfax's hand and the younger part of his audience clapped.
"Tell me, Jack." The magician said circling the statue of a volunteer, mischievously. "Do you believe in snakes?"
A puff of smoke spread out onto the floor. Right in front of the volunteer was a long, black snake slithering over the volunteer's feet. A few faintly woman shrieking didn't stop the magician from continuing his act.
"How about ..rabbits?" The magician said, once again pointing his wand down causing the snake to disappear and a fluffy bunny rabbit hop up into Fairfax's open hand causing the shrieking to turn into light hearted "awws."
"Now if you can believe in those. then why not magic, Jack?" He pointed the wand to the rabbit as it disappeared.
"I. " The somewhat unenthused volunteer looked at the anticipated crowd. "I guess.. just didn't know enough about ?"
Fairfax's antagonizing mood quickly changed as he gave out a smile. "Well you shall surely learn tonight, Jack."
Jolly pulled a chair from behind the small stage and placed it behind the volunteer.
"And the best way to learn is to conjure up the spirits. The evil spirits. Just to let everyone know this is not for the faint of heart. Now take a seat, Jack."
The lights dimmed. Hushes from little children began to control the room. The volunteers face looked blank as usual.
Five minutes later the tent was completely dark and beyond the rattling caged animals' screams not a single voice from the crowd was heard. The front flap of the tent opened, as the volunteer's eyes were wide open with his hand covering his chest as if it would stop his heart from beating so fast.
Part of him looked relieved to see that the rest of the fairground went on with its business. Yet, one by one, he saw them looking up above the tent to see a lime green cloud - no more than 100 feet above them - hovering towards the ground. The rain started to pour.
The volunteer, still shaking, reached into his pocket and threw the few folded bills that -the ones Fairfax had given to him before the show - onto the now muddy ground and began to run, once again.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls.. I have been trained in the art of magic for many years.." The Fairfax Follies was located inside of the last yet largest tent within the dirty fairgrounds that afternoon. Forty muggles, the local sheep farms around the area, had decided to attend the weekend's first show. What they didn't know was that The Fabulous Fairfax, (who was born John Walters) had just as much magic inside of him as almost everyone in the dismal crowd. ".and to prove that to you now I will need a volunteer."
His dark, doll-like eyes scattered through the dismal crowd. Three children pushed each other down as they eagerly raised their hands. "Sorry children, for now I need someone who is a bit older." A teenager boy was gently nudging his husky father to raise his hand. "I need someone.who has a secret magic power inside of them." Fairfax methodically pointed his hand out in the air. "Think magical thoughts everyone. Keeping thinking magical thoughts. EVERYONE STOP! I can now sense someone in here who has that power I need."
Sitting alone, four rows up with his hands in his pocket was Fairfax's first victim. "You , sir." The person did not look up. "Yes I can sense something coming from the chap in the plaid shirt and dark hair!"
Noticing that the small crowd was hunched over and looking at him, the hand- picked volunteer looked up at the magician. "Me?" His voice creaked to the disappointment of the few hopeful audience members.
Dressed in an awful arrangement that looked like it was supposed to have been a clown suit, was Fairfax's assistant - Jolly. Rushing up to the startled volunteer, Jolly haphazardly pulled him down the bleacher's steps towards the dirt ground.
As if a great stage fright had conquered the reluctant new part of the show, Fairfax put one hand on his shoulder and asked the volunteer a pre- arranged question. "Tell us, what is your name?"
But before he could ask Fairfax smiled and interrupted. "No No No. wait..let me guess!"
"Bill?"
The volunteer shook his head.
"How about Mark?"
The volunteer shook his head.
"Is it. Jack?"
Although the same, blank expression still lay on the man's face the head nodded.
"Ah yes..Three is the magic number!" Fairfax said, wiping sweat off of his brow as the crowd looked unamused. "Now tell me, Jack, do you believe in magic?"
"No, I suppose not," the volunteer said putting his hand in his pockets. A few of the children in front gasped and some of the crowd gave a courtesy laugh to Fairfax's startled face after reacting to the words.
"Well then why would such a person come to a magic show?!" Fairfax asked.
"Guess it just seemed interesting." The man shrugged.
"Well sir, you as well - as everyone else here - will believe in magic by the time today's events are over. No one leaves the Fabulous Fairfax's show without believing in the power of magic!"
A get black cylinder wand appeared from midair into Fairfax's hand and the younger part of his audience clapped.
"Tell me, Jack." The magician said circling the statue of a volunteer, mischievously. "Do you believe in snakes?"
A puff of smoke spread out onto the floor. Right in front of the volunteer was a long, black snake slithering over the volunteer's feet. A few faintly woman shrieking didn't stop the magician from continuing his act.
"How about ..rabbits?" The magician said, once again pointing his wand down causing the snake to disappear and a fluffy bunny rabbit hop up into Fairfax's open hand causing the shrieking to turn into light hearted "awws."
"Now if you can believe in those. then why not magic, Jack?" He pointed the wand to the rabbit as it disappeared.
"I. " The somewhat unenthused volunteer looked at the anticipated crowd. "I guess.. just didn't know enough about ?"
Fairfax's antagonizing mood quickly changed as he gave out a smile. "Well you shall surely learn tonight, Jack."
Jolly pulled a chair from behind the small stage and placed it behind the volunteer.
"And the best way to learn is to conjure up the spirits. The evil spirits. Just to let everyone know this is not for the faint of heart. Now take a seat, Jack."
The lights dimmed. Hushes from little children began to control the room. The volunteers face looked blank as usual.
Five minutes later the tent was completely dark and beyond the rattling caged animals' screams not a single voice from the crowd was heard. The front flap of the tent opened, as the volunteer's eyes were wide open with his hand covering his chest as if it would stop his heart from beating so fast.
Part of him looked relieved to see that the rest of the fairground went on with its business. Yet, one by one, he saw them looking up above the tent to see a lime green cloud - no more than 100 feet above them - hovering towards the ground. The rain started to pour.
The volunteer, still shaking, reached into his pocket and threw the few folded bills that -the ones Fairfax had given to him before the show - onto the now muddy ground and began to run, once again.