The show had been a good one to Rachel. The magician had shown beyond a doubt he was capable of actual magic. He had started out with the traditional card tricks and appearing doves, and had even pulled a rabbit from a hat (albeit ironically). So far the highlight had been his levitation illusion, where a sceptical journalist had inexplicably risen 15 feet into the air, done several backflips, one through a hoop hanging from the ceiling. He wasn’t sceptical after that. As the magician quieted the audience the lights swept over the old town theatre and back onto the man clad in the black tuxedo with a spotted bow tie.
“Okay ladies and gentlemen, for my final trick of the evening I need a volunteer from the audience to lend me a hand!” he boomed across the theatre. The magician’s eyes feel upon Rachel, sitting in the audience in a small black dress and heels. She slowly raised her hand. “Yes you there my dear! Second row in the black dress, do you fancy coming up on stage for me?” She nodded and smiled before making her way gracefully to the stage.
The magician smiled more to himself than her as she walked before helping her onto the stage as a long thin model box was wheeled onto the stage.
“What’s your name my dear?”
“Rachel” she replied, she radiated confidence even in front of all these people.
“Nice to meet you Rachel, have you ever been up on stage with a magician before?”
“Can’t say that I have.” Her heart was pounding.
“Well then you’ve picked a good time to join me!” The magician turned hastily towards the audience. “Tonight ladies and gentlemen I shall perform one of the oldest pieces of stage magic, and I will saw this beautiful young lady in half! First Rachel could you check the box behind you for any secret compartments or tricks?”
“Umm wait? You’re gonna saw who in half?” she asked, her confidence in tatters, scanning the magician in the hope he was joking.
“Oh sorry did I not mention that part? You of course! Didn’t you volunteer?”
“Uh yeah I guess I did” she grudgingly replied
“Okay dokey then, so is there anything strange about the box in front of you? Secret compartments, anything like that?”
Rachel looked inside for a long hoping each time she peered into the box some form of escape route would materialise. It didn’t. A simple “no” was all she could muster.
“Well now we’ve got that checked, could you please remove your shoes and lie yourself down into the box” he smiled to try and ease her nerves slightly. She reluctantly slipped off her shoes to stand barefoot on the stage, all too aware of the attention that was being focused upon her
““That”s it just rest your head onto the pillow there and then slide your feet towards the other end” the magician instructed. Rachel slowly positioned herself on the table, sliding her feet down to the end of the box before lowering herself gently down so that the table fully encompassed her.
“Okay I’m just gonna secure you to the table, nothing to worry about just, erm safety precautions!” the magician quickly locked down the lids and spun the table round so that Rachel’s feet faced the audience. With a flourish he produced the stocks shut them down over her feet before spinning the table round to do the same for her neck, gently moving the hair out of the way.
“How are ya feeling in there Rachel, comfortable?” the magician asked
“Umm a little claustrophobic but otherwise ok” she replied with more than a hint of hesitation
“Ah you’ll get used to it! Now, do you have any preference for the way I divide you? I have a handsaw, chainsaw, or even a buzz saw, although my stage hands will kill me for not asking for it straightaway, but the assistant deserves to choose” he asked with a wink.
“Umm whichever one is less painful.” Rachel was feeling more anxious by the minute, the nerves building and thoughts racing, how often do you get asked which saw you want going through your body?!
“None of them are painful, at least I hope not, so I”ll use the handsaw! Nothing like a bit of D.I.Y” he said, bringing a chuckle from the audience. The magician was enjoying himself now, he could tell his beautiful assistant was regretting putting her hand up, which of course made it even better for him to tease her a little.
“Anything else before I start Rachel?”