The Letter

Reawakening Echoes

Life went on, week after week my popularity went up, more people attended my shows, my fame and success as a magician and ghostmaster continued to grow for the followed two years. I had tasted the sweet nectar of success and knew what it felt like! But, as with all things in life, it was not meant to last forever.

It's been 20 years since I discovered that mysterious skull, wooden box, and book. And even if the memories of that experience are still fresh in my mind as clear as day a lot changed in that long period of time, the mentalists and ghostmasters was called into question. Mentalists were seen as nothing more than illusionists, using basic tricks and techniques to give the illusion of predicting the future; palm, ditch, steal, simulate, load, misdirection and switch. On the other hand, we the ghostmasters were exposed for our use of visual effects, puppets, and special lighting to create the illusion of ghostly apparitions. We were exposed and as a result, audiences became more skeptical of these performances.

Our field went through a lot. Science and technology magazines were our enemies by giving away the pseudo-supernatural secrets of countless psychics, spiritualists. Even some of greatest magicians like Harry Houdini was exposing the truth, he even offered prizes for people who could prove that they were psychic or had supernatural abilities and challenged every Ghostmaster to give some solid proof of these creatures in front of everyone, without using trickery. No one could of course. A supposed spirit rapping its knuckles on a table or ghost mask dabbed with luminous paint no longer did the trick.

The attendance at my shows dwindled rapidly, and it didn't take long for us to fall from the height of popularity. We went from being seen as powerful and mysterious figures to just being viewed as entertainers for children. Perhaps this was what I had always wanted, the truth to be revealed and the art of magic to be seen as it truly is, free from lies and deception. But did I truly want the cost that came with this truth? Losing fame and respect, Maybe that's the cost of the truth. Is it the reason I became an alcoholic? My addiction to alcohol has consumed me, leaving me feeling weak, uncertain and lost. But a part of me still longs for the success and recognition I once had. Life is a constant battle between our desires and our needs. We are constantly battling our inner demons, our thoughts, beliefs, and values over and over and over every single dark night, to wake up hungover, lost, not remembering half of what happened last night. Maybe that's why Elwyn left in the first place. The myths! maybe the myths are right too and he left looking for great power because he felt exposed too. So yes The spooky midnight ghost shows were dead. Long Live the Ghost Show.

I know you are wondering why I'm telling you all of this. Elwyn, ghosts, my story, my addiction to alcohol, how weak and hopeless I became, insecure, drunk all the time. I am sharing this with you because today, I woke up next to my front door, lying on the steps, disheveled wearing ragged clothes, bruises all over my body and seriously bleeding, with no clear recollection of the events that led me there.

The headlines of today's newspaper caught my attention as they were thrust upon me by a newsboy, who tossed the paper with force.

"The resurgence of spooky midnight shows",
"Ghostmasters make a comeback"
"A seamless blend of theater and magic - a must-see performance!"were among the titles.
The town was abuzz with talk of the play that had taken place the previous night, with praise for the acting and the overall production being hailed as a masterpiece. Even journalists and critics had taken notice:

"There was no special luminescent paints, no weird effects, no silly sounds of monsters yelling. A book, a box, a skull and a single comedian who pretended to be drunk with a beautiful well told story about the forgotten 'Elwyn'. He fooled us with tricks that looked so simple yet so complicated. The gestures, the emotions, the vibes he radiated everything were perfect and seemed real. Thanks for the invitation"

" I watched every spooky midnight show when I was young, I never believed them neither enjoyed them but yesterday's performance was a masterful blend of storytelling and illusion. The comedian's simple yet intricate tricks left the audience in awe, with every gesture and emotion seeming all too real. The highlight of the show was the portrayal of Elwyn, who appeared and disappeared before our very eyes in full light, leaving us all wondering how it was done. The ending, where the comedian stabbed the book and left the stage without a word, was a fitting conclusion that left us all in wonder."

"I had always been skeptical of spooky midnight shows, but this performance exceeded all my expectations. The comedian's illusion to bring Elwyn to life on stage was truly impressive and I was really amazed by the hard work that went into it. I would love to expose the tricks behind it but the beauty of the play prevents me from doing so."

"The concept of making a ghost appear and then fighting it, rather than just scaring the audience, was a brilliant idea. The comedian's execution was flawless and the final reveal, where the book was restored, was a satisfying surprise. The way he left the stage without a word left us all wondering what had happened and added to the overall mystique of the performance until one of the spectators checked the stage and that was the surprise! The book was restored."