CHAPTER 6: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH IN FLORIDA

Snoopy, as the Great Houndini, was preparing for his magic show. In addition to Woodstock, he managed to get two girls to be his assistants. Charlie Brown, Frieda, Sally, Michael, Heidi, and Dex all were front and center to see the show. After the curtain opened, the two girls came out. One was a blonde and the other a brunette.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said the brunette, "right now we would like to introduce to you, all the way from Sparkyville, the Great Houndini!"

And Snoopy came out to thunderous applause. After taking his bow, he removed his cape and prepared for his first trick.

"And now the Great Houndini would like a volunteer for his first trick, which will be the great box trick," said the brunette. Charlie Brown, Frieda, and Sally had seen that trick performed before with Peppermint Patty, but the results were pretty scrambled, to say the least.

"I volunteer!" said a redheaded kid in the audience. He walked up to the stage and got in the box. Snoopy closed the doors and grabbed the dividers. He slammed the first in, then the second one in. When he opened the doors, to everyone's amazement, the boy was divided. His feet was on top, his head was in the middle, and his torso was on the bottom. Everyone applauded.

"Wow, this is cool!" said the boy. His reaction was better than Peppermint Patty's, who, while the trick was successful with her, she freaked out. So after removing the dividers, and a wave of his paws, he opened the doors to reveal the kid was back as he was. He took his bow and the audience applauded.

"And now, the Great Houndini will perform his levitation trick," said the blonde assistant. "He would like another volunteer for this trick."

"I'm game for this," said Heidi.

"Are you sure, Heidi?" asked Charlie Brown. "Snoopy performed this with Lucy before and she fell on the stage after a while. While he was successful at levitating her, it didn't last."

"I think I'll be good," assured Heidi, and she walked up to the stage.

"Very good, madam," said the brunette. "Just lay on this cart on your back and the Great Houndini will work his magic. No pun intended." And Heidi did as instructed. Snoopy then laid a sheet over Heidi and then, using his magic wand began to raise Heidi."

"Good grief, it's working!" said Sally.

"It worked with Lucy, as well," said Charlie Brown, "but you remember she fell after a while."

"I just hope Snoopy is more careful with Heidi," said a nervous Frieda.

Snoopy then grabbed a ring and walked across, having the ring go around the levitating Heidi. The audience went wild and applauded the beagle's tricks. Then, after bringing the cart back into place, he carefully lowered Heidi back down. Then he removed the sheet, and she got up, taking her bow, as the crowd cheered. She then rejoined the group.

"Wow, you did good, Heidi," said Frieda.

"You did much better than Lucy did," added Sally.

"Thanks, guys," said Heidi.

"We would like another volunteer for the Great Houndini's next trick, the Warp Transportation trick," said the blonde.

"You should do that, babe!" said an excited Frieda.

"Me?" said Charlie Brown.

"Yes, you, the cute round-headed guy," said the blonde. "Come on up."

"Good grief!" sighed Charlie Brown. "Here's hoping Snoopy doesn't make me invisible again." And Charlie Brown went up to join his dog for some magic.

"And now the Great Houndini will transport this young man to another section of the boardwalk," announced the brunette. And Snoopy placed another sheet over his master. And with a wave of his wand, the blanket dropped.

"Holy crap!" gasped Heidi.

"Where'd he go?!" wondered Michael.

"Charlie Brown?" said a worried Frieda. "Where are you, honey?"

"Up here!" Everyone looked up and Charlie Brown was on top of the gazeebo. He was trying to keep his balance. "A little help getting down, please?" And some of the local teens helped Charlie Brown down off the gazeebo. Just then, a burly uniformed security guard came charging up.

"Hey, kid!" he yelled at Charlie Brown. "What do you think you're doing on top of the gazeebo?!"

"He was transported there, sir," said one teen girl. "The Great Houndini was performing magic."

"The Great Who?" asked the guard.

"HOUNDINI!" yelled the crowd.

"It was part of his magic trick," said Frieda to the guard.

"He's telling the truth," said the boy Snoopy used from earlier for the box trick. "I was part of the act, as well."

"I don't believe in magic!" sneered the guard. "It's all smoke and mirrors! Everyone leave this area, at once!"

"Snoopy, do something!" said Sally. That was when Snoopy did what he did to Lucy when she snubbed his magic before, he levitated the guard and left him in mid-air.

"What the hell's going on here?!" said the shocked guard. "How did I get up here?!"

"That's for the Great Houndini to know, and for you to never find out," said Heidi. And everyone applauded Snoopy, who then took his bow.

"You guys weren't lying about Snoopy!" said an amazed Dex. "He is definitely a different dog!"

"Anyone up for a bite to eat?" suggested Charlie Brown.

"You were reading my mind, sweetie," said Frieda, who kissed her boyfriend.

"Come on, Snoopy," said Sally. "We're going out to eat." And Snoopy yelped with excitement. He, and his lovely assistants, joined the group and went to get something to eat, leaving the guard in the air.

"Don't leave me here!" cried the guard. "How am I going to get down?!" At that moment, another guard came walking up, in shock at what he saw, only for a moment, before regaining his composure. It was the guard's supervisor.

"Jones!" growled the boss. "What kind of shenanigans are you up to now?!" Jones, the guard, just sighed.

"Just help me down, boss!"

NEXT CHAPTER: HEIDI'S BIG DATE