Iām giving EVERYONE who participates in these Free Writing Friday challenges THREE comp months in 2024. That gets you access to 14 episodes of Sleight of Hand and the entire 100 Word Stories archive.
But wait, thereās more! If I select your story as my favorite, youāll get ONE FULL YEAR comped! That means you get to read the entire serial from beginning to end for FREE!
Iām giving away 6 FULL YEAR comps and an unlimited number of 3 month comps every Friday till December 29th!
Time to flex your writing skills and share your best 50 words to add to mine! Clock is ticking on this giveaway that ends at 10pm EST on Sunday, December 17th.
IMAGE PROMPT
Strange lights are dancing in the dark. What do they mean? Andā¦what do they want?
A 100 WORD STORY COLLABORATION
[MY 50 WORDS]
It was ten days before Christmas and, as promised, they came in the night. Multi-colored lights surrounded the ground but the sky remained blue with twinkling stars.
The red light was most exuberant, making circles and dancing upon the freshly fallen snow. They were our guests. Or so we thought.
Write your 50 words to follow mine, then copy/paste them into the comments. Be sure to put ā[My 50 Words]ā first so I know itās an official entry.
REMINDER: You donāt have to write your story just on Friday! Free write all weekend long!
HOW TO JOIN THE COLLABORATION
I write 50 words (see above) then you write an additional 50 words.
My 50 must start. Your 50 must follow.
You have all weekend long to copy/paste your 50 words into the COMMENTS section of this post.
My 50 words will always use the IMAGE PROMPT as inspiration.
I will select my favorite 50 word addition to my story and share it in the following ways:
Substack Notes (you will get tagged as well)
Upcoming First Edition email on December 1st and January 1st (respectively)
If you are up for this challenge scroll to my 50 words BENEATH the IMAGE PROMPT! Good luck!
JUST WANNA WRITE YOUR OWN 100 WORD STORY?
Hereās how:
Write exactly 100 words. Not 99 or 101. The Word Count Police are tracking!
Genre? Writerās choice! So long as you give us all the thrills and the feels.
To Fic or to Non-Fic? You decide. What matters most is that youāre satisfied with the output.
Copy/paste your words in the comments, then share on your own Substack, and maybe, share to social media!
A Note on Substack Notes | Click the š āRestack with a Noteā and copy/paste your story for added reach and growth.
Everyone received the same postcard. Some were excited. Others were apprehensive. One thing was for sure; everyone had to go.
Itās that time of year again, when the Fontaine family select one lucky out of the way location to spend the holidays together. They were all to gather at Silver Bells Lodge up in the mountains.
Twenty guests arrived throughout the day. Full of smiles and good cheer. That is, until dinnertime.
Twenty guests sat down to dine under the portrait of Sir Martin Bell. His gaze spooked them all, then the lights went out, and a little girl screamed.
Click on a card below to learn more about the Tarot deck that inspired this story:
We rode all night on that motorcycle. I sat behind her. My arms wrapped around her waist. The wind whipping past us on the open road. I didnāt ask where we were going. I knew she wouldnāt tell me. She never did on nights like these.
With the tank nearly empty we stopped at a gas station. She filled the tank while I avoided contact with the toilet seat in the bathroom. When I came out there were snowflakes falling. Winter had arrived unexpectedly. I closed my eyes and stuck my tongue out.
When I opened them, she was gone.
Click on a card below to learn more about the Tarot deck that inspired this story:
Last week I shared with you my favorite sleuths in literature. Today, I thought Iād share who I love to watch on television! I love a great mystery series. Itās filled with so many ideas and opportunities to āsteal like an artistā and I thoroughly enjoy the characters in each and every single one. Now, instead of forcing myself to just pick 5 or expand to 10, this is my honest to goodness list of favorites. Also, because itās impossible to rank them, they are in alphabetical order by Sleuth name:
FATHER BROWN
A budinsky from the point-of-view of the inspector but an asset to the family of the victim or the falsely accused as he manages to unravel the mystery. Iāve seen all ten seasons and have no issue rewatching them. He has a cast of characters either in the first seven seasons who are my favorite but only because Iāve spent more time with Mrs. McCarthy and her award winning strawberry scones than I have his new fellow sleuths.
As for the actual murders themselves? I will say it feels a bit like another sleuth who will come later in my list. How are there any people left in the village of Kembleford with all the murders. And his parish must be HUGE considering how many of the people he knows personally. But, weāre not watching a show like Father Brown for fact, more for the outrageous fiction.
EPISODE WORTH THE WATCH
If you have an BritBox subscription then you have access to all 10 seasons. I will always recommend starting at the very beginning, but if you only have time for one to help you make the decision to stick around for more:
S.3 E.5 | The Last Man
I donāt typically go for the sappy story but in this case I think it highlights Father Brown best, being a man of the cloth and all. I wonāt spoil it, except to say, get some tissues ready for this one. Itās got all the elements necessary for a great Father Brown episode. The first chief inspector (who makes several reappearances and full on return to cast in Season 10!) of the series, Lady Felicia (my favorite character next to the main man), and the never ending question of ones faith pitted against the lost soul grasping at atheism till their last breath. It also leaves us all with hope that friendships can be found, made, and sustained in the most unlikeliest of places. All this from one episode of mystery and murder!
COLUMBO
Known by reputation as being a rather insufferable detective who always āgets his manā (or womanā¦) thereās just nothing not to like about the man! Of all the sleuths Iād seen growing up, Columbo (and another meddlesome sleuth weāll meet later) was my first introduction into the world of mystery on television. I remember watching the television movie with my mom. There was something about the timber in his voice that stays with me to this day. And like Hercule Poirot, when he gets angry, I mean really angry, you can feel it in every fiber of your being. The anger reverberates from his vocal cords, through the screen and gets you right in the guts. The man is good and as a writer I take away the lesson of pacing when it comes to this show.
We see the murder happen, from point A to Z, from the POV of the killer. The point isnāt to solve the murder but to see how Columbo catches the killer off guard. That is the brilliance of the man. He knows, I would argue, from the moment he first meets the one we know to be the killer who they are and from that point forward heās all, āoh, just one more thingā fumbling and bumbling around like the absent minded professor when really he is the consummate genius. I could go on and on about Lieutenant Colombo. Instead, letās take a look at one of his best episodes and probably my all time favorite.
EPISODE WORTH THE WATCH
You can watch episodes on TUBI for free or if you have a Peacock subscription. I happen to own the entire series on DVD because I want to always make sure I can watch it regardless of a streaming platform.
TV SPECIAL | Columbo Cries Wolf
When Dian Hunter, the publisher of the men’s magazine “Bachelor’s World”, wants to sell her stock to a media tycoon, her adulterous partner Sean Brantley objects. Soon afterwards, Miss Hunter apparently disappears on a London-bound flight.
True confession. I love this episode because of Diedre Hall. If you donāt know who that is then youāve clearly never watched Days of Our Lives. Anyway, this episode is brilliant if only for the very end on how he catches the killer. I canāt say more than that because it would give so much away. There are countless stars in each episode of Columbo that I could draw from because back in the 70ās and 80ās it wasnāt unusual to see all the movie stars on television dramas such as this as their ālaunch padā to movies. Itās also where a lot of the stars from the 50ās and 60ās went to flourish (though some might say otherwise). You honestly canāt go wrong with any episode of Columbo you choose to watch. Though I will suggest to start with his much earlier episodes for peak Columbo.
Oh, and one more thingā¦I would be remiss if I said nothing about his raincoat! Itās his calling card. Without it he quite literally canāt be himself or use his amazing power of deduction and reasoning. The fact that there is an entire episode centered around this after his wife (Mrs. Columbo) buys him a new coat that he hates and tries to be rid of, says it all.
MURDER, SHE WROTE
J.B. Fletcher is who any author wants to be, with a dash of Agatha Christie for good measure. Iād love to wake up every morning in a quaint little town where someone is murdered every day and itās up to me to help the sheriff catch the killer! Oh, and on the odd occasion where death takes a holiday, I will sit down at my fabulous typewriter to recount my previous adventures. All quite magical and fantastical and unbelievable as my brother likes to point out to me.
How is it possible there is anyone left in Cabot Cove with the number of murders that happen there regularly?
How is it possible that wherever J.B. Fletcher goes a body manages to turn up dead?
Iām more interested in the many men who worship at the feet of this widowed woman of many years! She sure does have her fair share of men who all seem to want to sweep her off her feet. And yet, she may tease from time to time, she never goes much further than that. Forever devoted to the only love of her life, her deceased husband. Also, how does she find the time to solve so many murders and write as many tomes as the kind she has. And all bestsellers, of course.
EPISODE WORTH THE WATCH
Seasons 1 – 6 are āFree with Adsā on Amazon Prime. Or, if you have a Peacock subscription you can watch all 12 seasons ad free (depending on the tier youāre paying for). Like Columbo, this is another series where I own it on DVD as well. I relied on Netflix to watch Murder, She Wrote, then they decided to remove the best library of classic television shows ever in favor of original content. Ever since then I made it my mission to buy the series of all my favorite shows so I never had to deal with streaming services telling me what I can and canāt watch.
Now, there are 264 episodes that span 12 years! To select just ONE would be insanity to do. So, Iām just going to suggest this one but it by no means is the best of the best or the rest. You literally have hundreds to choose from!
S.3 E.12 | The Corpse Flew First Class
As was the norm for these kinds of shows, a whole host of stars either just starting out or well known. Among them is Kate Mulgrew. Yes, she portrayed Mrs. Columbo for a season and yes the production studio of Columbo did their best to separate Peter Falkās character from it as it was not the success they hoped it would be. But thatās a story for another day. On this episode, Kate does not play Mrs. Columbo, instead she is a wealthy woman traveling with her chauffeur who winds up dead and jewelry missing. Did I mention this is all happening on a plane headed for London. Long flight trapped with a murderer. Sounds like a job for J.B. Fletcher!
SHERLOCK HOLMES
There are many actors whoāve tried to be Sherlock Holmes, but none hold a candle to Jeremy Brett. And I am ashamed to say I did not put two and two together to realize that he also played Freddie Eynsford-Hill in the movie My Fair Lady! That man could sing! Both of his songs being my favorite. Those two roles could not be more different from each other and yet he is magnificent in both. They just donāt make actors like Jeremy Brett anymore.
Not unlike another sleuth Iāll mention shortly, he fully embodies the role of Sherlock Holmes, a man plagued by drugs if he doesnāt have what he truly desires, a case that stretches and bends his deductive mind to the limits. Boredom is not something he can stand and the sooner he is able to flex (and flaunt) what he does best with Watson at his side to tell of his exploits, the better.
EPISODE WORTH THE WATCH
It appears to be free to watch on Sling and Crackle, two streaming services Iāve never used so proceed with caution. I watch it with my BritBox subscription which I recommend because there is so much more to watch besides the best Sherlock Holmes in existence. I will admit that Benedict Cumberbatch wasnāt half bad, same for Jonny Lee Miller (from Elementary), but in different and more youthful ways.
S.1 E.1. | A Scandal in Bohemia (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)
Of course I love the machinations of the Red-Headed League and I almost chose that one, if not for The Woman, Irene Adler. What is it with these broody men who choose to live a life alone, save for the companionship of a gentleman only slightly less intelligent than themselves? Iām sure you know who else I speak of, but for Sherlock, he often will speak fondly of Irene. She stole his heart when she managed to outwit him at his own game. That is the kind of woman for him. Alas, she is far too good for him and also the reason for this case to begin with. I love every episode and you would not go wrong to watch any of them because Jeremy Brett is brilliant. But start with the one that is as infamous as The Hounds of the Baskerville and far superior.
THE CLOSER
A good southern girl who moves to Los Angeles to work in the major crimes division. Itās one of the more police procedural shows I love, apart from Criminal Minds (which is not on my list). I almost didnāt include Brenda Lee but I felt she was important to my love of sleuthing. Sheāll stop at nothing to single-handedly find the killer. Itās one of the things thatās great and insufferable about her and a change of pace when the spin-off from the show, Major Crimes, was created. In that series the main character takes a vastly different approach. More by the book and team involvement than Brenda Lee.
EPISODE WORTH THE WATCH
To understand better just how great Brenda Lee Johnson is at her job we must look no further than the Shootinā Newton Murders. A notorious crime of the past that must be brought forward when an army soldier is killed at a nightclub. See, he is mistaken for his brother who is a current gang member. Iām not spoiling much by telling you all of this except to say itās quite an episode and the reason why I will watch the entire series once a year just so I can get to this pivotal moment in her career.
S.6 E.8 | War Zone
This story crops up beyond just this episode as it culminates in the reason why The Closer ends and makes way for Major Crimes two seasons later. All-in-all it makes for some tremendous television. You will permit me to bring up one more episode that I think is worth the watch as well and doesnāt require watching an entire series to understand.
S.5 E.12 | Waivers of Extradition
In the great state of Texas, executing killers is still alive and well! But Brenda Lee isnāt about to let this killer she just apprehended go, or will she, just because of his crimes. This one will have you squirming in your seat, as many of them do, but it sticks with me. Something about death row and execution that I tend to remember with any series. Anyway, a truck driver is caught and although it may not seem like it at first, heās far more sinister and hard to take after a while. The ending is also rather shocking, though not if you start to see the pattern of behavior exhibited by Brenda Lee Johnson with regard to this and other similarly vile cases.
There is something about patterns with all of these sleuths that cannot be denied.
HERCULE POIROT
No self-respecting list of the best sleuths on television would be complete without Hercule Poirot portrayed by David Suchet. Yes, yes, I understand there are still many present day actors who are lining up to put their own spin on the legendary character but there can be only one Poirot for me and that is David Suchet. And to date, he is the only actor who has played the role for every novel and (I believe) every short story story that features Poirot in it and was written by Agatha Christie. He is splendid in every episode. There are many that are my favorite episodes. Whether they feature Hastings, Chief Inspector Japp, or even his secretary (in the early years) Miss. Lemon, they are all some of his best work and her best storytelling.
EPISODE WORTH THE WATCH
If you wish to watch David Suchetās Poirot you will need a BritBox subscription, or be like me and just buy the series on DVD. Itās an invaluable collection.
S.12 E.3 | Murder on the Orient Express
Harkening back to shows of the 70ās, this episode (like so many other remakes before and since) features some big name actors in the most memorable of roles. And at the risk of seeming a bit lax in selecting a rather well known and respected episode as one to watch, my reasoning is simple; this is Hercule Poirot at his most angriest. The crime is unbelievable, and not because itās on a moving train that gets trapped in the snow with a killer on board. The suspects are all equally capable of committing the crime. And then there is Poirot who is put in a position he never thought heād be put in. This episode, in my estimation, is the one that solidifies for me why he is the only man worthy and capable of portraying Hercule Poirot. Every other actor before and since have acted in Murder on the Orient Express so if you have the time to watch all of the versions I wish youād tell me I am wrong. That ending still gives me chills just thinking about it.
NERO WOLFE
A character created by Rex Stout and truly one of my favorites. When I think of a great mystery I only wish I have the intelligence and skill to write one that seemingly takes place, most, if not all of the time, in one location. From the hiring of Nero Wolfe in his office to the solving of the murder also in his office, it makes for fun and excitement from beginning to end. Similar to Sherlock Holmes, Nero Wolfe has his own companion who lives with him, Archie Goodwin. Each episode is narrated by him in much the same way. Archie is Neroās legs, quite literally, as Wolfe doesnāt ever leave his home. He manages to solve the case from the sturdiness of his chair behind his desk. Heās a rather large man who loves his one kind of beer and has impeccable taste in his food (prepared by his live-in chef) and his orchids (which he keeps a greenhouse on the upper floor of his townhouse). I love the music, the bright colors of the costumes, the overacting of the cast! Oh, and speaking of the cast, I love the way this series was designed. Itās the exact same cast for each episode with the exception of Wolfe, Goodwin, the inspector and the chef retaining their roles, everyone else takes on a new role as suspects (or victims) per episode.
EPISODE WORTH THE WATCH
This appears to be the only show, at present, that I cannot find on any streaming platform. I have been able to find certain ones on YouTube but I wouldnāt trust it one day to the next. I made sure to get the entire series on DVD straight away when I realized it would be the only way I could watch episodes at my leisure.
S1. E.9 | Christmas Party
Tis the season to be jolly, except for Wolfe who believes that Goodwin is engaged and likely going to cease working for him. This will not do. What Wolfe is willing to go through to keep Archie right where he is can seem hard to believe but Wolfe can be, in his own right, a man of many talents. No spoilers here but I will say itās nestled in as one of the best among the rest that I could easily name. I mention this one specifically because it is that time of year and just in case you fancy spending some time watching a Christmas themed mystery, you canāt go wrong with this one.
What TV Sleuths, either from television or the big screen are you a fan of?
As I worked my way through these I realized all (but one that Iāll leave you to guess which) has a āhelperā of sorts as they bumble their way through solving the mystery. Perhaps another one similar to this is in order but taking a closer look at the men (and women) behind the great detectivesā¦
Let me know in the comments (or via email) if youād be interested in learning more about these āBā characters?
The next two Editorial Wednesday emails will be the last. They will mostly center around schedules for a serial read-along of the first Charles Dickens novel and the release of my own serial starting in January.
In search of water, they walked on. Through the red dust hills and triple digit temperatures. When their party set out they numbered several dozen. One more drops, leaving only five.
Their leader held his hand up for everyone to stopā¦and listenā¦
The ground began to rumble below their feet. Small rocks danced around. He got down on his hands and knees and pressed his ear to the ground.
He knew what was coming and quickly got to his feet as he whispered to the others, with a smirk on his face, āwater.ā He shouted, āWATER!ā And everyone wept.
Click on a card below to learn more about the Tarot deck that inspired this story:
Is he sleeping. Thinking of our time together. When weād lay on a blanket in the park and avoid total strangers.
He looks so peaceful lying there. I dare not wake him. I want to remember him this way for always. The way his smirk never changes whether heās happy or angry. After all this time I never can tell.
His fingers so long and slender. Not how they used to be. Bawled fists making contactā
āIt was a lovely service my dear. More than he deserved.ā
I didnāt take my eyes from the coffin till they shut the lid.
Click on a card below to learn more about the Tarot deck that inspired this story:
This outline was written back in 2020, when I had developed a fascination for card magic. I wanted to tell a fairy tale that involved magicians, a lost tradition, and mystery. The way I start out most stories of this magnitude is by creating an outline. I start with the simple three act structure, but I take that and go one step further by also utilizing the Blake Snyder Save the Cat Method. This is my āsimple outlineā and itās just under 3000 words.
NOTE: The story will likely follow very little of the outline structure as I use it more as a guide (breadcrumbs) than something set in stone. No outline should ever be followed to the letter. That isnāt their purpose. At least, not with my own writing.
The content below was originally paywalled.
PART I [25%] 30k words
Hook/Inciting Event [10k]
A brief prologue about a traveler, a king and a prince. Their worlds intertwine to bring about the dawning of magic and entertainment. When the prince is unable to perfect the art of card magic, he outlaws it throughout their kingdom. Fast-forward to hundreds of years later to Charisma, a young woman who has dreams of becoming a magician in a manās world. While practicing with her wand in front of a mirror she is interrupted by a visitor whoās badly hurt. Before he dies, he leaves her with a deck of cards and a journal, with instructions that she must deliver it to āsomeone.ā She gets her next-door neighbor, a retired magician, to help her get rid of the body and tells him everything. He says heās never heard of that person the stranger said she needed to find but might know who does. Together they visit a hall that magicians rent out and use to rehearse for a show.
First Plot Point [10k]
In order for Felix and Charisma to enter a hall, they must both go in disguise. A woman is not allowed inside a hall and Felix fears he may be recognized, although itās been a long time since his greatest embarrassment. They are able to fool the ābouncerā at the front door and get inside. From the outside it looks like any other building. Nondescript. But inside is a different story! There is a boy smoking a cigar at a desk (like a receptionist) and it is he whom they must convince to let them upstairs. At the desk are switches to signal a room if a guest is coming. He also knows everyone who is on each floor. Felix asks for the person the stranger told them about. On a wall behind the boy are a few pictures of magicians who are ābannedā for committing unspeakable acts. Among them is the unmistakable Carnelian (aka Felix). Charisma recognizes his face and squeaks, causing the boy to look closely at the wall and at both of them before sending them on a pulley lift operated by a large bouncer, up to the 3rd floor.
When they arrive, they are met by yet another bouncer who shows them into a room that is sectioned off by a curtain that falls from the ceiling. They can hear things happening behind the curtain but see nothing. The āleaderā comes from behind the curtain. The one they are looking for. He takes them to a private room to discuss the stranger. He refuses to take the deck of cards or the journal. The stranger is dead and anyone in possession of those items will surely be next. Instead, he tells them about the secret room hidden beneath the gamblerās shop and tells them how to get in. That is where they must go and quickly. A light flickers multiple times to signal that soldiers are in the building. He knows they are looking for these two and helps them sneak away via the back of the building.
First Pinch Point [10k]
Charisma doesnāt want to go to the gamblerās shop. Sheās heard of that place. Everyone has. Itās the LAST place anyone would want to be seen. Especially, a magician and now she knows that Felix is a magician. She asks him why heās on that poster. Heās surprised she doesnāt know cause he thought everyone knew. Instead of telling the truth he spins a lie to make her feel sorry for him. He uses that to his advantage to get her to agree to at least find out whatās under the gamblerās shop as he was unaware there was anything down there. The owner, a Rick from Casablanca type character, runs his place on the up-and-up. Itās a place where drunks go to lose their money and be entertained by gorgeous women who sing and dance on a stage. Charisma is fascinated. She also recognizes a former co-worker, Joan, and is surprised to see her scantily clad on stage. Flossie/Joan is not fooled by Charismaās disguise and quickly tries to get her out of there. Itās no place for her. They tell her what they are looking for and ask her if she knows how to get in. She tells them itās an āinvite onlyā area or they need to have a key.Ā
While under the gambler shop, they discover a world of cards! There are tables where magicians are performing/practicing card magic and other tables where card games are being played for money. Felix and Charisma can hardly believe their eyes! The Rick dude comes out of nowhere and demands to know how they got down there and why. He thinks they might be working for the Kingās advisor who causes him nothing but grief on a regular basis. They show him the cards they have, as they figure it wonāt mean much in a room full of decks of cards. But thereās something about this deck and the journal that makes it very different. He takes them to him private office and explains to them what they are currently in possession of. He tells them a brief history of the traveler and how everyone in the underground have been practicing to one day be the magician to bring back card magic to the colosseum where it belongs. But none of them are able to perfect it. They try but all have failed. BUT the journal! Theyāve heard legend of its existence but didnāt believe it actually existed.Ā
Rick then offers them a cut of his profits and deal that they can work together to bring back card magic and put it in the colosseum for everyone but make some money at the same time. Charisma and Felix are like āthanks but no thanksā and Rick exposes them for who they truly are, thanking his little spy. Joan/Flossie, who they met upstairs, is thrust from the shadows, bloody and bruised. Clearly, she was beaten to tell the truth about who they are, meaning he knew before he started talking to them.
There is a fight that breaks out, Charisma and Felix manage to get upstairs still in possession of the journal and cards. They stop when they both recognize soldiers and the kingās advisor are searching the area, looking for them! Rick snatches the items from Charisma who canāt react or risk bringing attention to them. He pockets them and immediately calls after the kingās advisor to welcome him, etc. Charisma and Felix must flee in case he turns them in. They find Joan waiting for them outside, offering to help them get their stuff back as she knows a way back in and itās not through the front door.
ACT II [50%] 30k
Midpoint [10k]
Felix, Charisma, and Joan go to a nearby tavern to ālay lowā and figure out what to do. āRickā has the cards and the journal, and he clearly plans on selling its secrets to magicians. They must decide if itās worth risking their lives to get something that has gotten the attention of the kingās advisor and that they know is against the law to have. A paperboy enters the tavern for a drink and Flossie/Joan uses her feminine whiles to get him to give her a paper for free. They start to read the main story about the competition but they also take note to a story buried in the back where the āwantedā ads are to see that the kingās advisor is indeed looking for information about the whereabouts of a certain journal that is worth a lot of money even for information. The āwanted adsā are where known criminals are listed (their particulars and crimes) and if anyone has information, where they can go to share that information. Both Charisma and Felix feel itās too dangerous and want to leave the journal with āRickā and forget the whole thing.
Joan notices a man stumble into the tavern, and he notices her right away. She invites him to their table. He tells them about the scary business that just happened at the gambler shop. The advisor tore the place apart and āRickā squealed about a girl and a has-been magician who tried to sell him a journal and a deck of cards! This guy realizes heās sitting at their table! He asks them if they indeed have it, the journal. Joan then tells him to tell them what it would mean to him if he could learn card magic. The guy tells them about how broke he is. How heās wanted to be a magician all his life. How, if āRickā has it, as they claim he does, then heāll never learn. āRickā already charges them plenty for the private use of his underground area and he can barely afford to pay that hefty price. If he charges to see the journal to learn from it, heāll be bankrupt and homeless. Joan tells him to go home to his wife and child.
The time has come where the three of them decide to sneak back into the gamblerās shop and take back the journal and deck of cards. They discover itās easier than they anticipated as they find āRickā nearly beaten to death. His place of business is ruined and will take a LONG time for him to rebuild. It was a message from the Kingās advisor to anyone thinking they could get away with learning card magic. It will not be tolerated. As greedy for money as āRickā is, he hates the advisor even more. He gives them the journal and deck of cards if they promise to use it to get back at the advisor!
Second Pinch Point [10k]
With the journal and cards in their possession, Charisma and Felix return to their homes to pack a few things. They need to practice and read the journal, but they canāt while the Kingās Advisor is on a rampage searching for the journal. They need to go into hiding. Joan says they can stay with her in a place where she promises no one will ever find them.Ā
Joan lives above Maraniganās Magic Shop! Itās currently owned by a descendent of Maranigan himself; his great, great, great, granddaughter. Her birth, like all Maranigan births, was a secret. There has always been a male Maranigan to run the Magic Shop. What no one ever knew, was this wasnāt exactly true. In fact, the last 3 generations of Maraniganās have been women! It wasnāt until this present Maranigan that she has not found herself a husband, and therefore, she lives the majority of her life dressed and speaking like a man. So much so that she (he) at one point has a āloverā who turns out to be Joan. They are no longer together, but she lets Joan remain living in the flat āfor appearances.ā
Maranigan is awake, worried when Joan doesnāt come home as sheās heard about the scuffle at the gamblerās shop. Maranigan lets them all stay there. Luckily, Maraniganās Magic Shop is off limits to the Kingās guard. It is not subject to search. EVER! It was a decree that was passed down by a past King as a thank you for the original Maranigan upholding the traditions of magic and magicianary from the very beginning. They are safe as long as they stay there.
Third Plot Point [10k]
They decide to enter the Kingās competition that is happening in three weeksā time. The problem is, who do they trust to enter it? They float many names about, and Felix is impressed by Charismaās knowledge of all the troops. None of them quite fit as they realize none of them can be truly trusted. Felix finally says that it must be Charisma who enters. Her earlier disguise as a man was barely passable. But she is now in the presence of someone who has have many generations worth of perfecting the art of disguising oneās gender for another. Together, they are all able to help Charisma to not only learn how to do card magic but enter the competition as a ātroopā instead of a stand-alone which has not happened for many years.
A montage follows of different outfits and disguises they try on Charisma as well as testing out troop names and practicing card magic. They realize the journal, while helpful, is meant for someone who at least knows the very basics. Charisma doesnāt know it and neither does Felix. Maranigan says she knows who they can use.
The writer of the āwanted adsā arrives at Maraniganās Magic Shop as heās been summoned by Maranigan herself. None of them can believe who she thinks can help them, but it turns out that he happens to be a direct descendent of a former student of the traveler and learned card magic! The writer agrees to help if they agree to give him an exclusive for the paper about this whole plan, win or lose. They have no choice but to agree.
ACT III [25%] 30k
Climax [10k]
Maranigan volunteers herself to go to the Kingās castle to sign up their troop for the competition. While there, guards request that she follow them inside the castle as her presence is required. She assumes itās to see the King but itās not. The Advisor and she have an interesting back and forth. He despises the entire Maranigan lineage. How they think they are better than everyone else because they have the protection of the King. But all that will end when he is able to prove that the journal is in the shop! Heās also fascinated by the fact that a Maranigan has started a troop. That has never happened.
Maranigan warns their troop that it might be wise to include other magic into their act. That if they arrive in the castle with no equipment it might give them away and they will never make it to the colosseum.
A moment between Joan and Charisma.
Maranigan shows Joan and Charisma how to do some magic outside of just card magic. They will need to learn it well if they hope to impress the King long enough to end their performance with card magic.
Climactic Moment [10k]
The competition is under way! There is an announcer who presents each troop. There are just 5 troops this year. The King is glad of that as heās had to sit through 10+ troops in previous years. That means sitting and watching and pretending to care the entire time. The troop we care about is intentionally placed last. Perhaps that was the Advisorās doing? Though the order is supposed to be randomly selected. The Kingās invited guests are all present and the show begins.
Each troop and their magic acts are described. A few of them fumble and get very little applause or enthusiasm from the audience. This makes Charisma VERY nervous.Ā
The Kingās Advisor appears ābackstageā to wish Maranigan and his troop luck.Ā
The final troop hits the stage and Charisma takes a bit of a back seat. She assists the others to do the more traditional magic tricks which go off well with the crowd. Once they see they have their attention Joan and Maranigan carry out a table that they place in front of the stage, closer to the audience, who gasp. Performers are expected to remain on the stage and have never utilized the space outside of the circle before. Then Charisma (dressed as a man) takes the lead and with a wave of her magic wand, produced a deck of cards! Everyone loses their shit!
Resolution [10k]
The Advisor calls on the guard to put a stop to the card magic that is about to happen, but the King stops them and wishes for them to finish. How they do will help him determine what the punishment will be.Ā
With nerves in check, Charisma begins her card magic. She uses the audience in the first row. With each successful magic trick that she performs the crowd cheers louder! They canāt figure out how any of it is done! The King and Queen are practically out of their chairs over it!
The advisor jumps up onto the stage and calls for a stop to this blasphemy immediately. He reminds the King that card magic is punishable by death and insists that this illegal act receives that very punishment.
The King must decide who the winner and new headliner of the colosseum of magic will be for the coming year. He decides it is to be Maraniganās troop and that their punishment is that they must perform card magic ONLY in the colosseum. Suffice it to say, the advisor is livid!
Maranigan stays at the shop, unable to join them at the Colosseum and Joan stays with her. Perhaps wedding bells for the two of them? The writer takes his exclusive, and with it, becomes the head editor of the Gladwick Times! The story ends with Charisma reading the cover story of the newspaper to Felix as they are riding in a horse and carriage to a new home closer to the Colosseum. She mentions how odd it is that Felix and his magician identity is never mentioned in the story. He tells her itās for the best. No one must ever find out.
He sat at the bar for hours. One drink. Two glasses of water. Bathroom break. Repeat. He was there when it was empty and risked losing his seat at the bar to visit the bathroom for the fifth time once it got crowded.
Upon his return he spotted a statuesque blonde in 6ā stilettos trying to get the attention of the barman. He stepped up. Good customers get immediate attention.
āWhat are you drinking?ā he asked. Slight grin on his face as he pressed up.
āThat depends, sugar,ā he said, flicking his blonde hair back to show his facial hair.
Click on a card below to learn more about the Tarot deck that inspired this story:
Welcome. Welcome. Come in. Iāve been expecting you. Iāve been working on this trick, you see, for the last couple ofā¦Ā
Oh dear, what was I saying?Ā
Yes, I see youāve noticed my latest creation. I built her myself. It was nothing really. I have a mind for these sorts of toys. My mother always saidāShe wasā¦isā¦she is a beautiful woman. Spends most of her time locked away in her bedroom.Ā
Wait! You mustnāt go. You only just arrived. And I have so much to show you. You see, Iāve been here forā¦
Whoā¦who are you?
Click on a card below to learn more about the Tarot deck that inspired this story:
