Rejection

The January issue of Writer's Digest had a short story prompt along the lines of "A magician's trick at a child's birthday party goes horribly awry as parents look on" for their Your Story contest I've mentioned before. I didn't win. I realize there was like 600 entries but still, I thought my story was pretty good. They say you have to have tough skin to be a writer and rejection is expected. So I should of just rolled up my sleeves and kept writing but instead I did sulk a little.

This was only a small contest with a story that meant nothing to me. How about if I was to send in one of my big stories that I've worked on for years and the characters are so real to me? Well, I guess I have to remind myself of the reasons I write. I write because I love creating, I write because I have these stories in my head, I write because I like to escape within my stories, I write for fun. I think I am ready to write again. :)

I did get in some more of my sitcom at last Monday's write night and I'm not sure what I will work on tomorrow but today is a good day to write and so I shall. But before I do, here is my short story entry from that contest:

Abracadabra!

“I can't believe we're doing a magic show,” Randy scoffed as he got out of the van.

“We need quick cash and we know magic tricks,” Cindy smirked.

“Cash? We have almost a million dollars waiting for us, all we have to do is get that damn diamond amulet to Mr.Biggie in Nevada. Why don't we just knock off a liquor store and go already?”

“Don't you think we have enough heat on us already? Look, this was luck, the guy needs a magician and we happen to be there.” Cindy said while fixing Randy's bow tie. “Put on your white gloves and help me with the case.”

Randy could see little heads bobbing up and down on the other side of the fence as party music mixed with little squeaky voices filled the air. His skin itched. He knew they needed the gas money.

“Hello? This is almost as heavy as that body which I had to take care of by myself. Give me a hand.”

“Shh... don't say that.” Randy glanced around. “We can't take any chances. Besides the old man wasn't supposed to be home. And I stayed behind to clean up, buying us more time. Amulet is safe right?”

“Of course,” she confirmed while adjusting her wig. “That old man was creepy. He kept muttering something even as the blood spurted out of his mouth.”

Randy righted the case on its wheels while recalling that final moment before the tire iron smashed against the old man's skull. “He was saying that karma would be his revenge...” Randy drifted. “Whatever. Let's get this over with.”

“Show time,” Cindy shrugged.

As soon as the parents showed them the stage, the children started to gather around. “Hey, hey you, can you cut my sister in half?”

“Children, have a seat and I will tell you a story as my lovely assistant sets up the disappearing cabinet! I am Fabian The Fabulous!” he announced while enticing the children with a few hand tricks. The children laughed as a torn dollar bill was found in one child's shoe. He mesmerized them with endless colored scarves and juggling balls. He used a deck of cards to tell a story of a lonely queen who lost her king and the journey she went on to find him. When the story ended he threw the cards in the air and they appeared to burst into flames, yet the birthday girl found both the queen and king in a randomly selected birthday card. The parents clapped; the children laughed.

Fabian looked out amongst the children. It was an old routine but he felt nervous.

“Hey we want to see the disappearing trick,” a child dared.

Randy was about to respond when a familiar old man in the crowd smiled at him -blood trickled in the corner of the mouth. Randy blinked and then the old man was gone. Randy froze.

By now a few of the kids were chanting, “disappearing trick!”

“What the hell was that?” Cindy asked under her breath as she walked toward the cabinet.

Randy didn't look at her. “Never mind. Let's finish and get out of here.”

Cindy turned back to the crowd. “Fabian the Fabulous will now do his disappearing trick! Do you guys think he can make me disappear into thin air?”

“No way!” The children challenged.

Fabian turned the cabinet around demonstrating the back was solid. Once Cindy was inside he used his wand and recited magical words. He opened the door to reveal nothing inside. Everyone clapped.

This relaxed him and he went on to do a couple silly goofs like opening the door to a rabbit and then some doves. The audience seemed to love it -almost done, he thought.

“Now I must bring back my lovely assistant. Can you help me with the magic words? They are very simple - abracadabra.” He waved his wand and the children yelled out “abracadabra!”

Proudly he stepped back to open the cabinet and waited for the applause. Instead gasps were heard as an old man fell out in a mangled bloody pile. Randy rubbed his eyes. Women and children were screaming. Cindy was missing. In her place was the old man with blood stain lips looking up at him with empty eyes.