The Magician

Chapter 1

"The sky was getting darker and darker and my heart beating faster

and faster. I pulled the hood of my hoodie on my head while trying to walk as fast as I could but also seem calm..."

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Usually at this time, Jennifer would be at home having her dinner. Or even getting ready to sleep. But now, for some reason she didn't know, she was wandering around the streets that were totally unfamiliar to her.

So many thoughts and regrets were spinning around in her head.

"How stupid could I be to not notice that I was in the wrong street until I ended up in another sketchy street? And how on earth did I manage to end up in another alley which was way sketchier instead of going back the same way that I came from? "

The more she tried to know the place, the more lost and confused she would get.

She started calming herself down, trying to convince herself that the worst that could happen was that she'd have to spend the whole night wandering around and find her way back home in the morning. It didn't even have much chance of happening. She knew she was somewhere close to her house.

That's when things got worse. In the corner of her eye, Jennifer saw a dark figure move. She turned around. No one was there. Then she heard a 'cling' noise from the other side. She turned around as fast as she could and saw the trash can lid that was once still, now shaking in its place as if it was recently dropped. It obviously wasn't a place for her. She had to get out.

'Keep walking straight and don't look back' was her plan.

At this point, she was pretty sure that someone was following her. She took a quick look back and saw them walking just a few meters behind her.

The sky was getting darker and darker and her heart beating faster and faster. She pulled the hood of her hoodie on her head while trying to walk as fast as she could but also seem calm.

Jennifer was still being followed, so she started running. The person following her wasn't running, but they were walking incredibly fast.

She was so busy running that she didn't care about where she was headed or how long it had been. Until she had to suddenly stop because in front of her was a river.

"River Thames! How far away am I?"

She walked backwards until she hit a wall behind her.

She could clearly see the person following her now. He was also wearing a hoodie, and had an evil look on his face. He got closer to Jennifer, and pulled something out of his pocket. Jennifer's heart skipped a beat. It was a dagger knife!

He pointed it towards her neck and said with his croaky voice "Give me your money! Now!"

- I... I don't have anything!

The reflection of the moon on the blade made it shine.

"Liar..." He hissed in her ear.

- Hey!

They both looked over to see who said that. Standing a bit far away was a tall person in a top hat and a cape. Kind of like a magician would dress.

- She ain't lying! Her purse is with me!

Jennifer's eyes went wide open once she saw her little brown purse in his hand. She patted the pocket of her hoodie; It was empty!

The guy who just told her to give him her money looked confused and annoyed that his time was being wasted. But the thing that happened next shook him up as well.

"You don't seem very interested." The top hat guy told him. "Would this interest you?" And he pulled out a dagger knife. The hoodie guy was visibly shocked and looked down at his hands that were now empty, without the dagger knife. Then he looked at the top hat guy and his expression changed from shock to anger .

- Give it back! You...

And he ran straight towards him, but the top hat guy dodged by simply taking a step to his right - like a matador.

- Whoa! You don't like it? It's the taste of your own medicine!

The hoodie guy started running again. This time, while roaring.

"Wait wait wait!" The top hat guy snatched so suddenly that the hoodie guy stopped half way through.

- Look at this!

He swiped his hand in front of the knife and when his hand was removed, the knife was gone. Then he snapped his fingers. The hoodie guy looked down; the knife was in his hands again.

- See? You got it back! Doesn't it feel nice?

But the hoodie guy didn't seem to listen to anything that he said and started running towards the top hat guy again. But this time, with the knife pointed towards him.

Jennifer gasped. She was worried for the top hat guy. But he didn't seem to be worried at all. He just looked concerned and annoyed.

- STOP!

His voice made the hoodie guy stop again just about fifty centimeters away.

- Look.

The top hat guy turned his hand into a fist and started pulling a big piece of cloth out of it. Then he threw it on the hoodie guy.

Jennifer's eyes and mouth went wide open as the piece of cloth landed quietly on the ground. The hoodie guy was gone.

"Some people just never learn..." The top hat guy murmured under his breath as he picked up the piece of cloth. Then he turned towards Jennifer. She was shocked and scared at the same time. It took him a moment to realize the reason of her fear.

"Oh! Don't worry!" He chuckled. "He's back at his house. He'll be fine." He gave her a smile. Jennifer tried to smile back, but she was too stunned and shocked to do it properly.

- Oh, and here's your purse!

He gave the purse back to Jennifer and she took it cautiously.

- Thanks but... how did you take it? It was in my pocket the whole time!

- That, my friend, is called magic!

Jennifer looked at his face to see if he was serious or not. She couldn't tell. There was just a smile on his face.

- Um... well... t thanks for saving me!

- Anytime! By the way, the address that you're looking for is that way.

He pointed in a direction.

Jennifer was stunned again.

- W... how do you know?

- It's still magic! Have a safe walk home.

Then he turned around to leave.

"But wait!" Jennifer suddenly exclaimed. "Who are you?"

- Just... a humble magician. Good night!

Then he gave a hat tip and disappeared in the dark of the night.