Summary: You volunteer onstage during an evening magic show. Afterwards, the Magician invites you backstage, as a special thank-you for volunteering. His genial manner and flowery words seem innocent enough, at first, and he even lets you in on a couple of his trade secrets. Still, something about him sends a chill crawling down your spine.

Author's Note: This will be a 3-part series, so expect 2 more parts after this!

CW: Possessive language; knives (only used for cutting fruit); revelation of the methods behind several popular stage magic tricks; mention of alcohol; non-consensual drugging

Usage:

• OK to record & monetize, as long as you give me credit in the video/audio description as the scriptwriter! I would also love to listen to the recording when it’s done–please send me the link on Reddit! Paywalling is okay; however, if you paywall, you must make it possible for me to listen to the finished product.
• Gender-flipping and small tweaks are okay (e.g., changing pronouns, leaving out curse words), but no large edits are permitted.
• Feel free to use music or insert sound effects if you’d like. Any sound effects given are suggestions–use at your discretion. *Sound effects in bold, set apart by asterisks\*
• Any dialogue or reactions given by the Listener are purely for the benefit of the VA, to help them feel like they have something to respond to while they’re acting. Listener reactions in italics.
• Please let me know if you have any questions!

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SETTING: Backstage at a theater. The Listener knocks on the door of the Magician’s dressing room. The Magician answers the door while seeming to float in midair. He is very Extra™.

\Sound effect–knocking; door opening\**

(warmly) Ah, it’s you, my dear! Welcome, welcome! How wonderful to see you once again!

The Listener stares at the floating Magician, dumbfounded.

Hmm? \chuckle** Oh, of course—my apologies. Let me just bring myself back down to earth. Gently…and…there. Goodness…what must you think of me, greeting you in midair like that? Please, forgive my manners.

“How…how did—? That’s incredible!”

\chuckle** I’m glad you think so. I’ve been thinking of ways to spice up my entrance. Audiences these days seem to crave the impossible. Just imagine their faces if I were to float onto the stage, like a cloud across the moon. That would surely get them fired up, don’t you think?

The Listener agrees.

Marvelous! Oh, but, wait—what am I doing, keeping you standing in the doorway like that? Please, come in.

\Sound effects—door closing; lock clicking\**

Sit wherever you like. Before you ask, yes; the chaise is real velvet. May I offer you a drink? I have anything you could possibly—

The Listener interrupts, asking why they locked the door.

Hmm? Oh, don’t be alarmed, my dear. It’s just for security purposes. Please understand, I can’t have just anyone wandering in here. This is a rather competitive industry—you’d be surprised how often I catch myself a little snoopy two-shoes, who claims they had simply "gotten lost.” A likely story…but, in any case, locking my door is the very least I can do to protect myself.

“How do you know I’m not a spy?”

How do I know you’re not a spy? \chuckle** Oh, my dear—I could sense it as soon as you stepped onstage with me. Those who would steal my secrets always have this conniving air about them—fake smiles plastered on, their eyes darting here and there, like a thief in a jewelry shop. Their every movement positively drips with guile. But you, my dear—I get no such vibe from you. That smile you wore as you stepped into the light…as bright as the morning sun, yet with a touch of shyness, as you pondered the wonders to come. So eager, yet so soft, like a bride awaiting her partner’s kiss. Such an aura could never come from someone with ill intent. No, it could only come from one with a pure and honest heart…a rare find in this business, indeed.

Short pause.

Ah, but, forgive me. Where were we? Oh, yes—your drink. I have anything your heart desires—tea, lemonade, sparkling water. Or perhaps, if you’re in the mood for something a bit stronger, I also have a variety of spirits.

The Listener says they would like tea.

Tea? Yes; of course. What flavor will you have?

“Spiced Chai.”

Mmm—an excellent choice. I'm rather fond of that blend myself. You have very good taste.

\Sound effects—pouring tea\**

Did you enjoy the show?

The Listener says yes.

Marvelous! That means a great deal…especially coming from you. I must thank you again for being such a wonderful volunteer. Not everyone is so open-minded, or so good-humored. Too often, I either get the skeptics, who volunteer with the sole purpose of trying to disprove the trick, or else the spies, like I mentioned earlier. Or, if they’re neither of those, then they’re utter morons who can barely even hold the props right-side-up. But to have someone like you, whose sense of childlike wonder is still untouched by this cynical world…it almost felt like the good old days.

“Well…thank you. That’s really sweet—I’m glad I could help.”

The pleasure was all mine, my dear. Have you ever thought about a career on the stage? I think you’d be a natural.

“Wait, what!? You can’t be serious.”

I’m quite serious. In fact…I’ve been considering taking on an assistant. After seeing you on stage earlier, I think you’d be perfect. (hopeful) Would you—would you perhaps be interested?

“Oh, no—I mean, thank you; I’m flattered, but I just don’t think I’d be cut out for the stage.”

…And there’s that modest streak shining through. Yet another of your endless endearing traits. You’d be wonderful—you take direction well; you have a natural flair for performing, and your beauty and wit would put the gods themselves to shame. I could look a thousand years or more, and never find one more suitable than you.

The Listener shakes their head.

Very well—I’ll prove it to you.

The Magician shows them a top hat.

Lovely, isn’t it? 100% silk, over fifty years old. It once belonged to my grandfather. Look inside. Do you see anything?...Now, watch closely. And…presto!

\Sound effect—wings flapping; dove cooing\**

Meet Daisy!

The Listener smiles as Daisy perches on their shoulder. “Is she a dove?”

Yes; that's right. She’s been my faithful companion ever since I first took to the stage.

“Aww--she’s so sweet!”

She is, indeed. Still, one can only get so far with a feathered friend. After a while, one starts to long for something more…someone who can actually carry on a conversation. Someone who understands you...who knows your dreams, and your fears, and shares theirs with you in turn. Someone to stand beside you, to hold you through the storms of life.

But, in any case, tell me...how did I do it? There was nothing inside the hat, you saw. How could I possibly have made her appear from nowhere?

The Listener guesses that the hat had a false bottom.

Exactly. I just place my finger here, lift up…and voilá. A dove-sized compartment. Don’t worry; I don’t keep her cooped up in there around the clock. She has a lovely cage, all her own. \whistles to the bird**

\Sound effect—wings flapping; dove cooing\**

Good girl, Daisy.

\Optional sound effect—cage door closing\**

“That’s not fair, though. Everyone knows how that one works!”

Hmm? Oh, you’d be surprised, my dear. There’s an astonishing number of fools in the world who can barely add two and two. Still, if you need more convincing, I’ll be happy to oblige. How about this one?

\Sound effect—cards shuffling\**

"Wait--why are you showing me these tricks? I thought a magician wasn't supposed to reveal their secrets!"

Hmm? True; we don't usually reveal our secrets to just anybody. But everyone bends the rules now and then. Why draw a line in the sand, if not to tempt people to cross it? Besides...you would never betray me, would you, my dear? You would never use my secrets against me. Of course not. Now, I'm just going to keep shuffling. Stop me whenever you like.

“Stop!”

Okay. Let’s see what we’ve got—ah. The ace of hearts. Perfect. Now…would you write your name on it for me?

\Optional sound effect—writing sounds\**

There we go. Now, let’s take the card, and put it back in the deck. We’ll cut the deck here…and here…give it a shuffle…and…\snaps fingers** With a snap of my fingers, I've made your card vanish from the deck. Don’t believe me? Go on, take a look.

\Sound effect—cards shuffling\**

Would you look at that? Ace of clubs, ace of diamonds, ace of spades…but no ace of hearts.

“You slid it up your sleeve!”

\laughs** Not quite. You’re willing to check my sleeves, if you’d like, though sadly, all you’ll find is my wrists. Would you like me to show you where it really is?...As you wish. Here—catch!

The Magician takes an orange from the fruit bowl on the table, throwing it to the Listener. The Listener looks from the fruit, to the magician.

“...No way.”

If I were to cut that orange open…I wonder what we’d find inside?

“No WAY!”

\chuckle** Yes, way. All we need is a nice, sharp knife. May I?...

Pause.

Why so hesitant, my dear? It’s just an orange—it won’t feel a thing.

The Listener hands him the orange.

Thank you.

\Optional sound effect—cutting sounds\**

…There we go. A quick cut here, and here—separate the halves—and—voilá! A card! And not just any card—your card. The ace of hearts, signed with your name!

“That’s—that’s incredible! How the hell did you do that!?”

You tell me, my dear. Think through it, step by step.

The Listener thinks, and explains it.

Precisely. It’s quite simple—a duplicate card. With the help of a little double-sided tape, the first card, the one that you signed, seems to disappear from the deck…only to supposedly “reappear” inside the orange, when in truth, the card in the fruit is a double.

“But…to pull it off, you’d have to know what my signature looked like ahead of time. How’d you get it?”

Mmm, a good question, indeed. How could I have gotten your signature, in order to prepare the duplicate?

The Listener tries to think, but their brain feels foggy. They apologize.

Oh, no; my dear; you don’t need to apologize. The hour is late, and you’ve had quite the busy day…it’s only natural that you should be tired. Think back to earlier. Was there anything else that you signed recently?

The Listener realizes--the card that they had signed for a different trick, when they volunteered during the show.

\laughs** Correct! Marvelous, my dear. A mind as sharp as a dagger's point. Now, do you see? You were born for the stage. How can you deny such a clear sign of fate? Together, we shall be [insert VA’s magician name of choice], and his awe-inspiring assistant. Together, we shall sweep the world off its feet!

The Listener tries to say no, but the words come out soft and garbled.

Hmm? What was that, my dear? I didn’t quite catch it.

“N…no…”

No? Oh, but, my dear…how could you possibly give up such an opportunity? The chance to do what you were made for?

“I…I n-nedd….t-to…need leafve…”

Ah, ah, ah…you’re not going anywhere, my dove. The way you’re slurring your words…you’re clearly in no shape to be out on your own. Besides…I can’t just let you walk away, not when I’ve finally found you. I’m not about to lose you, not now.

The Listener tries to get up, but their legs give out.

Oh, no, please; don’t try to—! \catches the Listener** Oof! My dear…what were you thinking? Bolting to your feet, in your state…you could have been hurt! Here—lie back on the chaise. Let me put a pillow under your head…there. I’ll fetch you a blanket in a moment—we wouldn’t want you to get cold.

The Listener realizes their body isn’t responding to them. Their eyes widen, their breathing accelerating, even as the drugs from the tea pull them under.

(comforting) There, now. Shhhhhh. It’s alright, my precious. I know it must be frightening, trying to move, and having your body deny you. But it will be alright, I promise. The effects won’t last forever—just long enough for me to get us both somewhere safe. Now, let sleep fold you in its velvet embrace, and when you wake, everything will be as it ought to be. There you go. Just give in, my dove. Let those heavy eyes close…and let yourself drift off. That’s it. Shhh…dream of me, my precious dove. Dream of me, and the wonderful new life we’ll have, together.