The Conjurer

"Ridiculous," Susie scoffed. "There's no such thing as magic."

The slender, intelligent, dark-pigtailed girl folded her arms across her smallish breasts, neatly contained in her white blouse, and rolled her eyes. The Amazing Zamora, looking lovely in her midnight black top hat, tailcoat, leotard, fishnet stockings and high heels, let the faintest hint of a sardonic smile drift across her ruby-red lips.

"You may not believe in magic," she said. "But magic believes in you."

"No it doesn't. What does that even mean?"

"Susie, I thought you loved the occult," said Bonnie, looking from her friend to the stage magician and back to her friend again. "Can't we just enjoy the show?"

"I love the occult. That doesn't mean I believe in it."

"It's true, though," said Zamora, shrugging. "I have actual, real magic powers."

"There's no way."

"You want to bet?"

Susie glanced back at the audience, sitting obediently in the rows of seats before the stage. It was surprising how many guests the carnival seemed to have attracted. There was Ben Hoolihan, a floppy-haired nerd from her math class who she definitely had no feelings of any kind about. There was Anne-Marie Patchett, blonde queen of the Pinkwhistle High cheerleading team, and what looked like a pretty substantial cross-section of the rest of her associates from school. (All over eighteen, of course). There was Mayor Peggy, and Doc Topper from the malt shop, and all kinds of colourful Pinkwhistle locals, ready to see the show.

And there were a surprising amount of people she didn't recognise. Some in suits, with New York accents. Others who looked like they might be from Tokyo, or Mars. It was almost like the carnival existed outside of space and time, in a dozen different locations simultaneously! But that was too absurd to take seriously, so she put it out of her mind.

"Fine," she said, tapping her foot so Zamora would know how cross she was. "Bonnie and I will happily volunteer to take part in one or two of your little tricks. But just so you know, the moment I work out how you're doing it, I'm going to tell everyone."