The Magicians' Convention

by Elena Paige

  “Rufus, before you go, here. Take this as a token of my gratitude.”

  Jack pulled a silver coin from his pocket. He held it between the two palms of his hands and concentrated all his thoughts upon it. A warm, golden glow peeked out from his fingers. As he parted his hands, the coin was now glittering gold. He walked toward the door and handed it to Rufus. “If you have this in your pocket, you will be safe. And thank you.”

  Rufus smiled up at him. He took the coin, opened the door, and headed for the elevator. As he pushed the button, he looked back at Jack. “You can still save her.”

  He vanished slowly, from his feet all the way up to his head. As the elevator doors parted, Jack heard soft footsteps walk through the doors and disappear inside.

  Jack took a moment to cradle the letter to his chest. He closed the apartment door and looked around the room. He had built this entire empire for her . Everything he had become was for her . Everything he had done was all for her . Now he was about to lose it all. He looked at the letter. It was a letter from Alexander to Agatha. He was professing his love for her, and warning her about impending explosions. She wasn’t just leaving Jack. She was leaving Jack for Alexander. His mind flashed images of when he had first met Agatha and Alexander so many years ago at his first convention.

  He indulged his memories for a moment longer, sliding back onto the couch. They had been friends then . . .

  THE RELUCTANT MAGICIAN

  Chapter 1

  Twenty years earlier . . .

  The cards flew into the air as though they had wings, spreading out across the brown carpet. “I suck at magic.” The young boy swatted at the cards as they landed.

  “A good magician must persevere, Jack.”

  “I’m not a good magician though, am I? I can’t do a single trick.” Jack’s shoulders hung so low they almost touched the ground.

  “Well, never mind that now.”

  Jack looked up at his mother in surprise. She never let him stop practicing, no matter how much he insisted he hated magic.

  “You need a break sometimes,” she said.

  He let out a giant sigh of relief as he watched her pick up the playing cards.

  “Besides, there’s something else I want to talk to you about right now. Something about the convention,” she said, stretching her cheeks into a fake smile.

  Jack wondered what his mother was up to. Besides the fact she didn’t believe in taking a break from magic, ever , she never discussed the convention with him. “As long as it’s nothing to do with me, I don’t care what you do at the convention.”

  “Well, actually . . .” she said as she sat down on the couch next to him and patted his arm.

  Jack turned his back to her. “Whatever it is, the answer is no!”

  “Come now, Jack. You’re being so unreasonable. I haven’t even told you what it is yet.”

  Jack grunted and kept his back turned.

  “Your father thinks it’s a wonderful idea,” said his mother, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.

  “He does?” Jack turned back around to face her. His father never attended the convention. So what does he think is so wonderful about it , Jack wondered. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.

  “We’re all going as a family this year. And better still—”

  “Oh no, we’re not! There is no way I’m going to the Magicians’ Convention. Not unless the sky turns purple, and crazy bats fly out of nowhere,” said Jack. He pulled his arm away from his mother’s stroking hand.

  “Well, that could be arranged,” said his mother. She held her rigid smile in place.

  “I find it hard to believe that Dad agreed to this.” He jumped up from the couch and snatched the cards from his mother’s hand. Throwing them across the room, he felt intense anger swelling inside his chest. “I can’t even do magic. I’m not a mage, so what’s the point?”

  “Come now, Jack. You know full well you don’t need to be a mage to attend the convention. There are plenty of illusionists there. Just because your father and I are mages doesn’t mean you can’t be an amazing magician.”

  Jack saw his mother’s face genuinely soften. He didn’t pull away as his mother got up from the couch and hugged him.

  “What do you have in mind?” he said, giving in a little. He hated how much he always disappointed her.

  She pulled away from him and spread her arms out, as though she was about to put on a performance, right then and there.

  “The Council has agreed to let all four of us perform as a family at the convention this year,” she said. She clapped with childlike glee, then placed her hands on her hips and held her head high.

  “What?” Jack stomped his foot so hard he thought he heard a crack. “You’ve seriously lost the plot!”

  “Jack! Don’t talk to your mother that way,” said Jack’s dad. He casually walked in and relaxed onto the couch with his newspaper in hand.

  “Thank you, Matthew. Talk some sense into your son, would you? He clearly isn’t listening to me.” She began pacing the small living room in her high heels.

  “Jack, this is important to your mother. It’s just a one-off thing, I promise.” His dad’s soft, calming voice always helped Jack relax.

  “Me? Perform at the Magicians’ Convention? This has got to be a joke. I can’t even do a basic magic trick. I have no real magic at all. Unless you’re planning on making me an assistant.” He felt his face go ice cold. “Please tell me you’re not planning on making me an assistant?”

  “No, of course not,” said his mother. She scrunched her lips at the handheld mirror and reapplied her red lipstick. “There is still another week until the convention. There’s plenty of time to have you doing some fancy tricks. If you only practice more.”

  “Sure. Great plan. You’ll wow the audience with your death and rebirth trick. Dad can heal some sick people up on stage. Penelope will force the audience to cluck like chickens. And me? Oh yeah, I’ll do a basic card trick. That will really impress them. Great idea.” He felt sick in the stomach as he reminded himself he was the only one in his family without any real magic. Or talent. “I’ve heard enough.”

  “Wait. Please, Jack. It’s not what I had in mind at all. Come back.”

  Jack heard his mother’s voice trailing away as he ran upstairs to his bedroom. He slammed his door and fell on his bed, shaking with anger and frustration.

  “I didn’t think you cared so much about not having magic.”

  Startled, Jack turned his head slightly while still lying on his front. “Get out of my room, Penelope. Get out!”

  “Easy there, rock star. You don’t always have to be so dramatic. Would it kill you to be part of the family for once?” She brushed her long brown hair as she emerged from the corner of his room.

  Jack felt his anger swelling. “I’m not doing a dumb stage show. And I’m not part of the family. That’s the point.”

  Penelope stopped brushing her hair and sat on the end of Jack’s bed. Her face softened. “I know it’s always been hard for you. I get it.”

  Jack’s anger grew hotter. “No, you don’t! You’ve never known what it’s like to not have magic. Your power is incredible. The Amazing Penelope, able to make people do whatever she wants them to. You have no idea how it feels to be ordinary. You’re all . . . special. And I’m nothing.” As he whispered the last word, he felt his rage melt into sadness. He felt so different. So defective. So alone.

  “Well, I can’t help it if you’re adopted,” said Penelope, gently hitting Jack across the head with a pillow.

  “Haha,” he said stiffly. He couldn’t even bring himself to smile at her joke. He sat up on his bed, feeling sorry for himself.

  “What if I told you I found a way to give you magic? Would you come then?” said Penelope, wiggling her shoulders in excitement. She continued brushing her long brown hair.

  Jack felt his emotions literally freeze. He felt nothing. Or did he? It was a feeling he couldn’t identify. Was it hop
e? Fear? Or relief?

  “Well, aren’t you going to say something? You look like a stuffed mummy. I thought you’d be excited.” Penelope pulled a large gold coin from her pocket. Jack had seen gold coins before. He knew it was the only currency accepted at the convention, and his mother had brought them home many times. But this coin was different. He looked at it as she waved it in front of his face. It was larger than a regular gold coin. The picture on it interested him the most.

  “Where did you get that from? Can I?” Jack reached out for it .

  Penelope pulled it away, teasing him with it. “This coin can give you magic. You can finally be a mage, Jack!”

  “Who said I wanna be?” said Jack.

  “Oh, stop it. Admit you want magic. You just said how terrible it is to be normal a minute ago.”

  “Even if I did have magic, I still suck at doing magic tricks, so what’s the point?” he said, reminding himself that being a mage would not necessarily make him a magician.

  “True, but it’s a good start.” Penelope held out the giant coin toward his face.

  “And you’re sure it will give me magic?” he said. He wanted to take it and yet felt frightened of it at the same time.

  “Jessica wouldn’t lie to me. She’s my best friend.”

  Jack looked at his older sister. Was she genuinely trying to help him? Or was this another one of her tricks? He decided it was worth the risk to find out. He reached his hand toward the coin.

  Penelope put her brush on the bed and moved the coin expertly from hand to hand, disappearing it. “It seems to have vanished,” she said, smiling.

  “Stop it!” said Jack.

  “Ah, here it is behind your ear,” said Penelope, pulling it from behind Jack’s ear and flicking it into the air.

  “Seriously?” said Jack, allowing himself to laugh a little. The coin fell down toward his hand as though in slow motion. He watched it spinning through the air and felt the cold of it in his palm as it landed. The cold feeling in his hand made the hairs all over his body stand on end. It was like an electrical current running through him. Was this what magic felt like? Before he had the chance to speak, the feeling intensified. He tightened his grip on the coin, squeezing it involuntarily, and yelled out in pain.

  He looked at Penelope, begging her to tell him what was happening. But her eyes were filled with fear.

  “Jack! I don’t think this is what’s meant to happen. Jack! Jack! Are you all right?” He felt her hands on his shoulders. He was being shaken. But he was powerless to do anything. It was as though the coin was burning its way through his hand.

  But as quickly as the pain started, it melted away. His mind drifted, and his body suddenly relaxed. Penelope looked like a dream to him. Her mouth was moving, but he couldn’t hear what she was saying. A hand stung his face and fingers pried his eyelids open, but he couldn’t respond.

  As quickly as time seemed to stop, it returned to normal. The pain in his hand was back. He could hear Penelope yelling at him again.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened.” She was visibly shaking.

  Jack blinked several times, trying to see clearly. He shook his body, trying to regain feeling everywhere. “Am I magic? Do I have some? Magic, I mean,” he said, as his senses returned to normal.

  “Jack . . . your hand. I’m pretty sure it’s not meant to have done that. Mother is going to kill me.”

  Jack looked at his palm. The one that had held the coin. He covered his mouth with his other hand to stop himself from screaming. He started to breath heavily and looked at Penelope for answers.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I honestly didn’t know that was going to happen. Jessica told me the coin glows and then you have magic. She stole it from her dad. And I’m meant to give it back to her. I promised her I would only keep it for one day.”

  “You gave me the coin without knowing what it does? You took your friend’s word on it?” he said, daring a peek at his hand once again. But he closed his eyes at the sight before him. “Where’s the coin gone?”

  “I think that’s it. It melted into your hand,” said Penelope, fumbling for her brush. She stood up and moved toward his bedroom door, as though about to make a run for it.

  “You can’t go. You can’t just leave me here like this. You bring me a coin and now this? Fix it, Penelope. Fix it!” he called, pointing his palm at her.

  “I’m sorry, all right? I have no idea why it didn’t work like Jessica said it would. Maybe we should have said the magic word or something.” She opened his door.

  His mother appeared in the doorway. “What’s going on in here? Are you two fighting again? Honestly, Jack, you’re not still angry over the convention are you? We can hear you screaming from downstairs.”

  As his mother entered the room, Penelope jumped backward, farther than a grasshopper would have managed. She sat on the end of Jack’s bed with a pretend smile on her face. Jack hid his hand behind his back.

  “I’m fine, Mum, really. Penelope convinced me to come to the convention after all,” he said. It was the first thing that had come to his head. But he regretted the words the moment they came out of his mouth.

  “Really? Is this true, my sweet?” said his mother. She walked over to Penelope and took hold of both her hands .

  “Yep. A-ha. True,” said Penelope. She nodded her head and took a big breath.

  Jack’s mother scrunched her eyebrows together. “You didn’t force him to say yes, did you?”

  “Nope. He just needed to see your perspective. How important this is to you. Right, Jack?” said Penelope, pulling her hands away from her mother.

  “Yep. I’m all good. Who cares if I’m just ordinary? I’ll come. Yippee,” said Jack. He sounded totally fake about it and knew it. But he couldn’t even pretend to be excitement.

  “Well, don’t you worry about being ordinary. Penelope will use her magic to make the crowd think you’re the best one of us all,” said his mother.

  Jack’s mouth hung wide open. But before he could say anything, his mother reached for his hands. He jumped back on the bed, hiding both his hands behind his back. He couldn’t show her what was on his left hand. “Terrific. Thanks, Penelope! Thanks, Mum.”

  His mother looked at him suspiciously. “You definitely didn’t force him?”

  Penelope jumped up from the bed. “Nope. He decided all on his own. See you later, little brother. We’ll get out of your hands ,” she said. She googled her eyes at him over her shoulder. She walked her mother to Jack’s bedroom door. “I think he needs time to take it all in,” he heard her whisper.

  As the door closed shut behind them, Jack peeked back at the palm of his hand. Right in the center of his palm was the exact image of the gold coin, etched into it in solid gold. He swallowed hard to keep his dinner down. He was branded. The coin had melted into his hand. At least it didn’t hurt anymore. Burping, he felt his stomach muscles release the tension they had been holding.

  He summarized what had just happened for his own sanity. Penelope had been given this coin by her friend Jessica. It would apparently give him magic. It had melted into his hand. That wasn’t meant to happen. But there was one thing he still didn’t know. Did he now have a magical ability?

  There was only one way to find out. He had to say the word. He closed his eyes and concentrated on that electric feeling he had experienced earlier. He wished with all his might this would work. He took a deep breath and said, “Abracadabra!”

  AGATHA

  Chapter 2

  The sky glowed with hues of pink and purple all swirled together, as if by an artist’s brush. Jack looked up nervously at the small puff of clouds wistfully floating without a care in the world. How he envied them. He felt the breeze move gently through his hair, reminding him of the purple-colored magician’s hat he wore on his head.

  He bit down on his lower lip as he remembered his disappointment at nothing having happened when he had said the word “abracadabra” earlier that we
ek. He still had no magic. He looked at the palm of his left hand. In a few hours of the gold coin having melted into his hand, it had mysteriously vanished. Penelope was still mad at him for wasting Jessica’s coin. Now he was convinced not only was he not magical in any way, shape, or form, but he was even more pathetic than he had initially thought.

  Penelope turned to him suddenly and stomped hard on his foot.

  “Ow! What did you do that for?” he said .

  “You’re twisting my cape in your hand. Let go.” She pulled her long black cape from his hand and turned back around in the long line of people. She continued talking happily with Jessica, who shot him a cruel look.

  Jack hadn’t even noticed he was holding her cape in his other hand. He looked wistfully at both his hands. He could hardly feel his body from the neck down. He looked around at all the men, women, and children wearing purple top hats around him. He was a fraud. They didn’t know it, but he did. He wasn’t a mage at all. But in order to be allowed to use the same entrance into the convention, he had agreed to wear a purple hat.

  Illusionists entered through different entrances. There were secret houses all around the small village, allowing entry into this year’s convention.

  “It’s all right, Jack. Don’t compare yourself to them,” said his dad, as though reading his mind.

  “But I’m not like them. Or like you. There should be a special word for children born into magician families without a drop of magical blood or talent.”

  “How about lucky ?” said his dad, smiling.

  Jack let himself relax slightly, glad to have his dad by his side. Although he was a mage, able to heal others with his magic, his father didn’t work as a performing magician. He was a doctor instead. Nor did he ever attend the annual Magicians’ Convention. Until now.

  “Or not interested ,” said Jack.

  “But you are interested, aren’t you? In magic, I mean,” said his dad, looking down at him with warmth in his eyes.

  “No! Not at all,” he said a little too quickly. He felt a stinging in his stomach. It was the same familiar feeling he had every year when Penelope attended the Magicians’ Academy to learn the art of magical performance. It was the same feeling when his mother would appear on television, performing feats that made the world think her the greatest magician of all time. The same feeling when his dad miraculously healed his cuts or bruises.