I once found myself attending this great magician’s show.
It was night. We were seated on
something that architects call “stairs to nowhere”. We were a small audience.
Maybe 25-30, if I remember correctly. We were in the middle of a field- cricket
or football or hockey; I don’t know. That's pretty unusual you see. We were not
at the stands but on a stepped seating on the ground. Were there other
spectators in the stands? I can’t remember! What’s more unusual is that there
was no stage.
I was “busy” with my iPad. I
think I was hooked to some game even while at the show.
The magician saw me. He
approached me. Put his face in my face and said “You are next”.
My heart was already racing. He
wants me to “volunteer” for his next act! I got up from my seat and followed
him to the front.
Oh, by the way, this magician was
anything but charming. He had a grin, an unusual grin. It reminded me of the
masked Joker with a sly grin. Only here, this guy was not masked but had his
face and hands painted. Painted blood red.
Anyways, this next trick is
called Levitation.
I was asked to lie on a specific
spot on the grass. I did.
I was asked to close my eyes. I
did.
Next, I heard a muffled voice
“Here...she was buried… here she lies”. Or something like that!!!
I gasped and the next thing I
know I am being levitated. Pulled up flat. Like a soul leaving the body!
Of course, now I had a panic
attack. I opened my eyes (at least I thought so). But the field floodlights now
spotlighted on me. It was blindingly white. AaaaAAAaaaaaa!!!
And then suddenly, my eyes were
opened (truly opened).
I found myself having a siesta
with my husband who was still sleeping blissfully unaware.
But there’s a problem. I am
frozen. I can’t move. I think I am moving and screaming. But I am not.
I tried my best to reach my
husband. All I could reach are the hairs on his legs. I pulled them. I think I
pulled them hard. But in reality, I just brushed them softly. He turned to me.
Not because of what I did. He was just switching sides in sleep. And put he put
his hand on me.
I unfroze.
Ps: It’s been more than 4 years
that this happened. I still have this magician’s face, his grin etched in my
memory. I still remember how my heart raced. I still remember the beads of
sweat of fear. I still remember my helpless frozen state. I still remember how
the floodlights dispelled all darkness and opened my eyes to reality.
