Christine sat in the middle of the front row, like last time. Gaston appeared on stage, announced Erik, and left. Seconds later, the curtain rose and the masked magician stood center stage.
"Good evening, everyone!" He said with a smile.
"Who's ready for some magic?"
In response, the audience roared with applause, causing Erik to chuckle.
"I can see you're an enthusiastic crowd... That's great!"
His statement was met with more applause.
"I'll begin with a card trick... Or perhaps you could call it a balancing act." Said Erik, producing a deck from his pocket.
He emptied the contents into his right hand and slipped the empty box back into his cape.
"Watch carefully." He instructed.
The magician placed a card on his left palm. It seemed to defy gravity, with only it's corner touching Erik's hand. He balanced another card on top of the first one, and a third on top of that. The audience held its breath as Erik continued to add to the tower.
When he finished, he had a stack 4 feet tall! Each card was perfectly balanced on its corner. Erik bowed, making sure to keep the pile upright. The audience exploded with noise, but Christine cheered the loudest. Erik smiled as he somehow collapsed the stack back into a deck.
"My next trick..." Erik began as he made the cards jump one by one from his left hand to his right.
"...Will amaze you all!"
He held the whole deck in his right hand. He placed his left hand over it to prevent anyone from seeing what was to happen next.
"1, 2, 3!"
The masked man opened his hand, revealing... A piece of bread. The audience burst out in laughter. Erik glanced at his hand.
"...Oops."
He closed and reopened his hand, this time revealing an empty palm. The audience applauded as Christine giggled quietly.
The performance went on smoothly, the audience enjoying it to the fullest. Once it was over, Christine waited for Erik, like last time. He approached her slowly and she stood up to greet him.
"You did so well!" She chirped.
Erik grabbed her hand and held it close to his lips.
"Thank you." He replied in a low voice before kissing her knuckles.
She giggled.
"Ready to go home, my love?" Inquired the soprano.
"Absolutely." Responded the magician.
YOU ARE READING
Fatal Flaw
FanfictionOn the night the Opera Populaire was consumed by fire, Erik rode into the wilderness on horseback, discovering an expansive castle that... Belonged to him? He lived there, all alone... Until Christine happened to show up at his doorstep. But why...
