This scene popped into my head as I awoke:
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“Now, watch closely.” He covered the small blue bird completely with both hands, shook them up and down and separated them. The bird was gone.
“I've see tricks like this before. It's up your sleeve.”
“ The bird is up my sleeve?” He then began to smack his arms with both hands.
“All right, your hands weren't completely closed in the back. It flew out.”
“If that were the case, wouldn't you have seen it?”
Celia thought for a second. “Its a trained bird. It's on your being somewhere.”
He began hitting himself, “I could roll on the floor if you like?”
“That's not necessary.”
“Good because I'm sure that little birdie would really like to come back to this world”
He put his hands back into position and showed Celia that there was no way for anything to sneak in. Same as before he shook them up and down and separated them, this time more slowly. A blue head peeked out.
“You see?”
“Every magician can do a trick like this. You are just a little bit more clever.”
He smiled. “I appreciate the clever bit, but I must correct you. I am not a magician.”
“I'm sorry?”
“A magician is someone who pulls rabbits out of secret compartments of hats and makes 'random' people 'disappear' in back compartments of cleverly built boxes. A magician is someone who puts swords through people, decapitates them and puts them back together unharmed. A magician does all of this in front of an audience for money. No, I am not a magician.”
Bewildered, Celia asked, “Then what are you?”
“I am an accountant.”
Celia laughed.
“I figured you'd laugh. Tell me, have you ever been to a psychic?”
“Once, just to humor my friends.”
“A lady you had to pay who waved her hands convincingly over a glass ball?”
“Er, yes.”
“That was not a psychic. Just like the man who decapitates people on stage, she is an entertainer.”
“No, her name was Psychic Ann and she told me...”
“That you were unmarried and would 'soon find love?' (of course seeing there is no ring on your left hand) or 'you will reunite with someone from your past?' Yes, all these will most likely come true. Did she give you a date that these events would happen?”
“No. How did you know...?”
“Didn't think so. Don't you see? A 'psychic' will predict for you vague events. No details, no dates, so twenty years later these things could happen and you'll gasp and say, 'Just as Psychic Ann predicted!”
“My point is: a real person who can read the future or make someone disappear and then reappear in thin air does not put on a show. They go about their normal lives and usually don't share their gifts.”
Celia laughed again. “Ok, sir, you are good. I must admit, I almost bought some of that. Now, if you excuse me, I have to return to the real world”
“Fine. First, take him.” He handed the bird over to her. “Set him free. I can always get another if I need one.”
She took the bird from his hands and held it as he did. She looked up at him in his dark eyes and then turned towards the door.
“Oh, one more thing. Your family gets clothing tailored and altered at the MaClarians', yes?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, Mrs. MaClarian, now she's someone better inclined to tell you your future.” He smiled and turned to walk back to his desk.
Celia walked outside. “He is mad.” She started to let the bird go, but instead walked down the street and bought a birdcage and cover. She then walked home, the cage hanging from her left hand.
“I shall prove how he did it and go back to him and show him how crazy he is.”
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I'm sure this will be an end of a chapter and there are bits before it. I don't know where this came from, but I like where it is going. I came up with a big idea while writing it that has me intrigued to write more.
