Magic Tricks are for Mortals: Chapter 1
"Hey, look," Phoebe Halliwell said, pointing at the flyer, "there's a magic show coming up on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Anders Theatre. You know how much I loved those when I was small." It was an early, sunny, Wednesday morning in May and the Charmed ones were at the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. As their lives were getting busier because of work and saving innocents, it was hard to even have a meal together, but this was the rare occasion.
Piper, the oldest Charmed one, replied matter-of-factly, "But it seems kind of weird for us to go to a magic show when we're witches. Magic tricks aren't real; our magic is. In fact, I could explode that magician or what's-his-name with the flick of my wrist." She went to the coffeemaker to pour more coffee.
"That's for sure. Plus, ever since I've become a Whitelighter, I've been busy protecting and helping my charges. And we all have to save innocents; we don't have time to see cute little bunnies getting pulled out of hats," Paige added in, taking a bite out of her bagel.
Phoebe was a bit upset. "Oh come on, guys! We all need a break, don't we? Besides, we can bring Leo and the boys, providing that Wyatt does not orb somewhere else."
Leo, Piper's husband, had just walked in at that moment. He looked fully awake. "That won't happen again," he spoke, "I think he has learned his lesson." He then added, after a concerned look from Piper, "…It's not like they're going to be out of our sight, right? And I think it's good for them to be exposed to the outside world more, if you know what I mean."
"Well, then," Phoebe tried to add before anyone could disagree, "it's all set, unless if you have other plans for Saturday. I'll buy the tickets at the theatre myself after my classes. In the meantime, I have to run."
Leo seemed satisfied, whereas Piper and Paige shrugged their shoulders, knowing that they could not disagree with their sister, really. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Feebs," the two sisters said in unison.
"This is way too cheesy for me," Paige remarked, as she plopped herself on the small, not-so-comfortable theatre seats, "all these lights and glitter everywhere on stage is way too much for some 'magic' show. And who is this magician, anyway? He is supposedly the next David Copperfield? I could easily do one of his 'magic' tricks!"
Phoebe, a bit annoyed that her idea was not really accepted, responded, "Yeah, but our magic is for helping innocents, not for displaying. Might as well admire the mortals who are trying their best when we can't be showing off like them. Anyways, don't we all want to lead normal lives?"
Leo, the boys, and the sisters were all sitting in the middle rows of a small theatre. Phoebe and Paige sat one row in front. Leo, Piper, Wyatt, and Chris were one row directly behind them. The theatre was one of those in which there was no real stage, more like some floor space in the front. The seats were all in a semi-circle facing the 'stage'. Amazingly, all the seats were taken, most of them children and their parents.
"Wait! Okay! It's starting!" Phoebe whispered loudly as the lights started dimming and the audience quieted down. There was a voice booming from the two speakers, one on each side of the 'stage'. The voice sounded like the announcer of the Johnny Carson show.
"Introducing, the one and only Taleet! The next David Copperfield!"
"Right, and who am I, the next Harry Potter?" Paige smirked.
Piper, however, was looking at the stage really closely while it was Leo's turn to hold Chris and stop Wyatt from kicking the seat in front of him. Meanwhile, Taleet had walked onto the stage. Like almost all magicians, he wore a black tuxedo with black shoes. He was young, around thirty years old, tall, and had light brown hair. He had a microphone around his ear and seemed very eager to start.
"Ladies and um, Gentlemen, Boys, and Girls, welcome to the magic show hosted by me, Taleet! It'll be the show you'll never forget. Not only will it be amazing, but you will see magic here that you will never see anywhere else!" he said with a crazy smile, then cleared his throat. "Now who is ready for the first MAGIC TRICK?"
All the children shouted "Me!"
Taleet looked glanced around the theatre, "Okay! I will need a volunteer!" Most kids raised their hands and were jumping up and down in their seats.
"You!" the magician shouted, while pointing to an excited twelve-year-old girl with blond hair in the front row. He motioned her to come. The girl grinned happily as she walked quickly towards the 'stage'. When she was there, she faced him and he faced her.
"I want you to look at me straight in the eye," Taleet said, staring into her eyes, " and I want you to think of the happiest moment in your life. Then, I will tell you everything about that moment just like that. Do not look elsewhere until I tell you to." He gave her a mischievous wink. The girl obediently did as he said, looking less excited. There was a long pause as his glowing eyes concentrated on hers. It almost like he was looking through her soul. The girl seemed to become more and more frightened.
The magician smiled and said, still staring at her, "Your happiest moment was when you were eight. Your mother was in the hospital and she hugged you after she was treated for a stroke. You were so scared she might not survive, you cried. Wasn't that it?" he asked, satisfied of himself.
The girl nodded, not daring to take her eyes off him. Suddenly, the connection broke. She closed her eyes and clutched her head. She seemed to be in so much pain, she was biting her lip not to scream. Then, after a moment, it all stopped. She slowly removed her hands from her head and stared at the audience with a blank expression on her face, like a lifeless person.
"My memories don't last," she whispered.
