The Davis Bros. Circus prides itself on quality shows. There are no animal acts at all: they have always been a forerunner in the animal rights movement, long before anyone else even thought about such things. Ah, but the allure of the the high-wire, the tumbling, the clowns with their special charms, and the gorgeous lady spinning around on the special wheel while the man wearing the blindfold tosses knives at her, these are what bring the people in.
However, the biggest attraction is the Magik of Roberto. Special magic. Sure, he has the little warm-ups with the rabbit in the hat, card tricks and such, but they all build up to the special illusions that are his alone.
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Blaze McRob is a regular Friday Flash contributor here in the Vamplit Blog. His short stories are featured in a number of anthologies including: Satan’s Toybox: Demonic Dolls and Masters of Horror, Damned If You Don’t, the evils of drug use, alcoholism, scarification, obesity and obsession amplified into blood-curdling cautionary tales.
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But are they illusions? Where is the line dividing slight of hand with things that happen but can not possibly happen?
Roberto practices Magik. The audience is always in awe of his prowess, but he has no special tricks other than the conjuring up of the Dark forces surrounding all of us. They are used to his advantage while he awes the audience.
“Yes,” he thinks, “if they only knew what is really happening, they would run for their lives and remove themselves from this place as soon as possible.”
But they don’t attempt to escape, do they? They are pawns in the little game of good versus evil without even being aware of it. Every second they watch him, the evil supplying his powers hovers around them, tapping in to their minds, taking what it needs and wants for when the time is right . . .right to use against them. Okay, so he has struck up a deal with the Evil Master in return for his powers, but what does it matter? It is what he wants.
Tonight will be his greatest display of Magik yet. The audience will be astounded, and the circus owners will not believe their eyes. He has not told them what he has in mind. No, that would denigrate his powers. Let every one of them find out what he is capable of tonight.
Roberto always performs last. Hell, who would want to come after him? No one. His brilliance would put anyone to shame.
He goes on and on, escalating his skills with every trick, working towards his grand finale. And tonight there will be a finish of incomparible splendor.
“Yes, my fans,” he thinks, ” nothing like this has ever been done before. Never!”
His assistant helps him into a coffin and closes the lid. She fastens and locks the chains surrounding the oak enclosure and has audience members check to make certain it is completely secured. It sits on a light metal frame, so constructed that the onlookers are able to see all around and underneath it. Bowing to those gathered, she pours gasoline all over the coffin, steps back, and throws a match on it from a distance.
The crowd oohs and ahs, wondering what is to happen, attempting to figure what Roberto’s next move will be. Within seconds, the coffin is completely engulfed in flames, the stench of the burning oak filling the tent. Were it not for the fact the burning pyre was in the center of the enclave, there would be concerns about the fire spreading.
Something is wrong! Roberto is not showing himself! Is he trapped inside somehow, unable to escape? Has he miscalculated his exit?
The circus people look on in horror, not knowing what to do. If the Master of Illusion is in control, they might spoil his grand finale, or even cause something to happen which might turn the trick against him. They would be responsible for his death then.
Precious minutes pass; the coffin starts coming apart; and the chains fall against the frame on which it sits. As the smoke starts to recede, the onlookers expect to see the charred remains of Roberto.
My God! That is exactly what they see: a body burned beyond recognition, merely a charcoal like form tottering on the edge of complete disintegration, soon to become a pile of ash.
Amidst the shrieks of horror come some gasps of disbelief as the remains start to form into the shape of a man, a reverse metamorphosis of death to life. He rises from the remnants of the coffin and stands before them, still changing before their very eyes, his now red eyes surveying the assemblage before him.
He raises his hands and the audience bows before him, realizing what they have just seen, knowing what has to be done. They leave the tent. The show here is over. There is work to be performed elsewhere.
Roberto smiles. He has performed the ultimate act of Magik; he has risen from the dead under his powers. Better yet: he has turned this huge audience into an army; an army which now is going out into the surrounding countryside to wreak havoc on their fellow man.
An army of Darkness.
His master will be happy. The population of Hell will increase tonight.
© Copyright 2012 Blaze McRob
842 words
