Deadly Omen

Chapter 5

Two weeks later

It's been a few weeks and things couldn't be going better. Despite the fact that I'm living on the streets, but I don't have to live in fear. I feel free, I can basically do anything I want; I just can't get caught. I gave in and am stealing again, it's basically the only way I can live. Sure, I do tricks but the money will never be enough.

The FBI can't find me, not with my name change; they still might be looking for me in Mayville. Someday they may catch up, but I'll just go a different place; I won't let them take me. I can't help but think what happened to Rhodes, did he get fired because of me? I push it to the back of my mind, I can't do anything about it now.

I have a plan laid out for my next trick. I'm on the bottom level of a ferry waiting for enough people to get on the boat. When they do, someone just has to take the bait. I shuffle my cards mindlessly trying to contain my excitement. If I blow my cover, I can't do the trick.

After we start moving a couple feet from shore, I open the door and go up the stairs to the upper part of the ferry. I check my pocket and sleeve to make sure everything is in place. People pay no attention to me, so I take out my spoon and walk to the railing. I clear my throat and take a deep breath.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am the next great magician and I will give one-hundred-dollars to anyone who can tell me how this trick is done," I say with confidence. This turns multiple peoples head and people watch intently. "I have an ordinary spoon from Mel's deli right here in Brooklyn," I hold up the spoon so everyone can see. People start standing up so they can get a closer look. "Check it out," I tap the spoon against the railing to show people it's durability. "Now, everyone please pay very; very close attention," I shake my arm moving my leather sleeve away from my hand.

"Because I'm about to bend this spoon with my mind," I stare with concentration at the spoon. When the time is right, I let the spoon drop into my right sleeve and replace the stem to make it look like its bending. I just hope that someone noticed. I hold up the prop and everyone cheers and claps, while I try not to look too guilty. "Thank you, thank you; pass that around," I hand the man beside me the flimsy spoon hoping that he might realize. Then I see a man in the middle of the crowd with a grim smile on his face. He starts walking towards me, I try not to notice; he took the bait.

"What's this?" he says with false surprise. The man turns me around.

"What are you doing man?" I say trying to sound alarmed. He takes something out of my back pocket and sleeve, perfect.

"Look at this! Looks like we have a spoon and a stem," He holds them up 'exposing' me. People groan in disappointment. While he's not looking I grab his wallet and watch, it's a miracle I didn't get caught. I'm in the process of hiding the objects when the man turns to me greedily.

"I've got other tricks," I say innocently. The man grabs on to my arm in case I try to escape.

"Or you could give me my a hundred bucks," he says with a dangerous tone. Maybe I shouldn't have done this, the guy looks like he wants to murder me; wait till he finds out I took all his money.

"You said you would," a guy from the crowd claims. I take his wallet out of my pocket and hesitantly give five twenty-dollar bills over to him, hoping he doesn't notice the black leather pouch in my hand.

"Nice wallet" the man says nodding his head, he thinks he got the better of me. I walk down the steps with a neutral face. As I turn the corner I bump into a man with a hood, the same one as before. As curious as I am to know his identity, I have to get off the ferry before the man realizes what I've done.

It's going to be a close call. I quickly undue the chain and take a big jump onto the dock. I don't look back as I try to maneuver through the sea of people. Some look at me suspiciously because of my tense posture.

"Stop that guy! Stop that guy in the leather jacket, he's got my wallet!" I hear the man shout desperately from the ferry. People do nothing, they just move out of my way. I move my hand in front of my face, covering my mouth and nose; hiding my identity.

Then I remember, the hooded man. He's in Brooklyn? Is he following me? That's creepy, well that isn't the worst thing I've faced. I should have looked back, to see who he was. It would have only taken a second, it's too late now.

I look over my shoulder making sure I'm not being followed. I let my shoulders slump and my posture relax. I step up to the shore line and the sun stinks my eyes. I take out the man's wallet, inside is five ten-dollar bills; not much. I take the money and toss the leather pouch carelessly into the water, no evidence.

I feel my back pocket for my spoon, wanting to disposes of it too. My hand touches a hard, flat object; odd. I take it out to find it's a tarot card. Black and red engulf the card with a sliver skull in the middle, it looks like flames. The number thirteen is written in roman numerals at the top and the word death on the bottom. I flip the card to find a picture of an eye, no way! This can't be happening.

March 29

4:44 PM

45 East Evan St

NY. NY

I smile not believing my eyes, I have a chance to get in the best magician group. Wait, East Evan St; that's in Mayville. Are you kidding me? I just got to Brooklyn and now I have to go back to the place where the police are after me. Great, I hope they can break me out of jail.