Torn and Restored

Chapter 1 - Four of Spades

Will never wore a hat. He let his long, brown hair brush his shoulders usually. He preferred a black waistcoat over a grey shirt with full sleeves to hide his arms covered in tattoos. He also wore an oversized long coat at times to hide his valuable accessories. His pale skin and steel blue eyes made him look much colder than he really was and his six feet seven stature gave him a superior feel at all times.

He had named the four shows of the month after the suit of cards. The first one was 'The Four of Spades' and that was the most special of the four. Olivia had initially suggested the name 'Ace' as it was easier to relate. But fourth of April was Will's birthday and there wasn't much to discuss after that. His decision was always final.

The people had settled down for the very first show of the month and Will couldn't see any empty seats in front of him. Olivia continued to emphasise on the prohibition of using cameras to record events. But despite their surveillance, many videos of previous shows had leaked into the Internet. Their sponsors had insisted on curbing the use of cameras but serious measures hadn't been taken. Will couldn't help but admire Olivia's sugary sweet voice as she attracted the crowd's entire attention towards her.

Olivia had been introduced to Will by Tarquin few years after they had met. Both of them had been performing street tricks then and Tarquin had suggested that they couldn't do a stage show all by themselves. Will was reluctant to accept her initially. Even now he didn't trust her enough to reveal most of his tricks to her. She only knew enough to assist him in few of his tricks. But Will knew that neither Tarquin nor him could pull a show off without her. Will had always wished for a much prettier accomplice but had to accept that she, in fact, got more reception in public than him with her fuzzy chocolate brown hair and tousled curls hanging all around her face. She had well spaced, small, sloe eyes defined with substantial Kohl. Her pinched nose and thin lips lit up her dull bronze skinned face. She was much leaner, shorter, and a couple of years older than Will. He had known her for many years but he had never treated her as a friend at any point of time. After the show became a success several girls had come for the audition but for some reason, Will felt Olivia had become a part of the show and was irreplaceable.

He always began his show with few easy tricks of levitation, vanishes and all other kinds of street magic. He usually called upon people from the crowd to witness these tricks close by. That made the trick even easier to perform. It was the April Fool's day and Will smiled crookedly at all people who were just about to be fooled.

Will got the megaphone from Olivia, as she left to join Tarquin at the backstage, and announced," May I have a volunteer, please? "

Many random hands shot up in the air as his deep voice vibrated across the hall. Will had a close look at the crowd and called a girl from the first row. She looked at the guy near her who nodded after some thought. She wore a green sweater over a white shirt with a pair of light blue jeans and made her way up the stage with a hint of hesitation. The stage was around fifty feet wide and the stairs were present across the span of the stage. The theatre itself wasn't very big. The rectangular hall could accommodate only around three hundred people. Tarquin had made arrangements for two huge LED screens on either side of the stage for the audience to have a better look at a certain close-up tricks. She came up to the stage and waved to the people.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Farzhana and well, I have to say this Mr.Raynor, I'm a huge fan of yours." she gushed out.

He noticed that she wore braces and looked much younger up close. Her thin eyes conveyed more than she intended and he could guess just how excited she was.

"That's so nice of you. But actually it is you who are going to do the magic and I'll just be a mere spectator." Will laughed.

Will took four identical coins from his pocket and gave them to Farzhana," These are pretty ordinary coins, you may go ahead and check them."