Vanish

Vanish
February 28, 2007

Tim saw the vibrant store as he was trudging through the wet snow on his way to school. The colors caught the corner of his eye as he passed by, and he just had to stop to take a look.

MAGIC TRICKS, proclaimed the fanciful letters in the window. Guaranteed to AMAZE or your money back!. The window display showed a black pack of playing cards, and a white stuffed rabbit.

Tim looked at his watch. "I guess I got enough time..." School could wait; it wasn't like he cared. He padded to the glass door and pulled it open, then slipped inside. Small gold bells rung overhead to announce his arrival, prompting the elderly man tinkering at the counter to look up.

"Hello hello! Welcome to my shop!" The old man exclaimed. He flicked his beard with a thoughtful finger. "Young people are so interested in magic these days! Is there something I can help you with? Anything you might fancy?"

"Uhm. Er, no thanks. I'm actually just- just looking." Tim replied, taken aback.

"May I direct you to the card tricks? They're easy to do, and good for performances! No? Perhaps some rope tricks? Or this box- see, it makes things disappear!" The owner darted from one display to another, showing off his trinkets.

Tim shrugged. "I just came in to look around old man. I didn't come to be sold to."

The senior looked stunned. Then he shook his head. "Ah yes, yes. I'm sorry. Please, take a look around." He plodded back to his desk and continued to tinker.

Tim took a look around, as he was invited. He noticed small tricks, like making boxes that made coins disappear, and large tricks, like conjuring hats and ribbons from nowhere. But nothing really caught his attention. Until he noticed the back door that was labelled "Do Not Enter."

With a smirk, Tim glanced at the storekeeper. He was absorbed in his work, his eyes on the small contraption on the table. Quietly, Tim snuck through the door without a whisper.

A musty, attic-like smell hit him hard. The room was dimly lit, with a small window the only source of light. Dust in the air made Tim cough, then check behind himself nervously. But the old man most likely had bad hearing, or was too into his little toys.

As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Tim first noticed boxes stacked everywhere. With a shock of excitement, he skimmed over the labels on the boxes, the objects on the shelves. They all looked very ancient and valuable.

Walking slowly through the shelving, Tim picked up a jar of what appeared to be human eyeballs. Continuing down, he saw bottles and oil lamps, dried pieces of what appeared to be skin, small vials of a dark red liquid he imagined to be blood...

A dust-covered jar soon caught Tim's eye. Picking it up and turning it around, he read the label aloud to himself. "Vanishing powder. Guaranteed to turn anything, or anyone, invisible." Now here was a real trick!

The next bottle was just as dusty. "Powder of Appearance. Reveals invisible objects or people." Perfect!

Quickly, Tim pocketed both. This may come in handy, he thought to himself gleefully. He continued to walk, more objects catching his eye as he passed them. "Growth juice." "Shrinking potion." "Boots of Speed."

As he passed one tight corner, the edge of his jacket caught a loose stick of wood labelled "Wand of Ovimancy". He swung his arm out to catch it, but it slipped through his fingers, rapping loudly on the floor. Tim winced.

A creak came from the door. "Is anyone in here?" Through the gaps in the jars, Tim saw the store owner coming straight for him. Frantically, he dug in his pockets. The invisibility powder will help me, Tim thought. If it works...

Quickly, Tim uncorked the jar. A thin yellow powder lay inside. He took a glance behind him. The owner was coming more assuredly, with a angry look on his face. In his haste, Tim picked up the whole jar and dumped the contents over his head.

A tingle shook through his body, and then nothing. "Shit," Tim muttered to himself. He didn't look the least bit invisible. He winced, ready to recieve a verbal lashing at the tongue of the irate store owner.

To his surprise, the store owner turned the corner, walked up to Tim, and merely bent over to pick up the wand. Placing it back on the shelf, his face relaxed, and he quickly walked back out the door without closing it. Tim, with his eyes shut tightly, slowly cracked open an eyelid. Then breathed a sigh of relief and amazement.

"It works! It really works!" Tim crept out the door, and waved his hands in the owner's face. Not even a flicker. Screaming in his face did nothing too. It only caused him to stand up, walk to his door brush the snow away from the threshold. Sneaking past the old man, Tim walked into the cold air. Not a person saw him, no matter how much he waved his arms, or however many faces he made. He was really, completely invisible to the world.

For the next few hours, Tim snuck into school. He looked at girls without fear of being labelled, and he walked freely in both bathrooms. He even watched the football game without paying a ticket. He could not believe his luck.

Even after school, he was still enjoying his invisibility. Following the girls home proved to be a huge bonus: Watching them in their private life was something he could never have imagined. He felt a little ashamed, sure, but mainly incredibly lucky.

It was only when he realized how late it was that he realized he should have been home hours ago. Guiltily, he thought of his family, his home. Surprisingly, he didn't feel hungry at all, or tired. Perhaps being invisible meant you didn't have to eat. Or sleep. Or, Tim thought excitedly, maybe it meant he would never come to harm, or even die!

But for today, it was enough. Anyways, he still had a little bit of powder left in the jar. He could always go back and get more, anytime, without fear of being caught. So Tim reached into his pocket and pulled out the Powder of Appearance.

The jar was corked, dusty and ancient. Tim pulled hard, popping the cork out in a burst of dust and pieces of dirt. Turning the bottle upside down, he tapped the bottom lightly. Nothing came out.

Tim peered into the bottleneck. From what he could see... the bottle was empty. Panicking, he rapped the bottle harder against his hand. Nothing.

He dropped the bottle. It fell without making a single sound. It too, was invisible, nonexistant in the real world. Tim stared hatefully at it, then rushed into the street.

Cars passed him without hitting him as he dashed to the shop. In his haste, he passed completely through the wall without even noticing. The shop was closed, but the old man still sat there, working on his toys, stroking his beard in thought. Tim ignored him, running into the back room.

For an hour he searched. Nothing. Not a bottle, tin or vial left of the precious powder. Tim swore, and sat down hopelessly.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts he didn't notice the old man come up behind him and crouch down next to him. Slowly, Tim turned.

The old man grinned. "So you decided to break the rules and enter without permission."

Tim nodded. "You can see me?" He asked, although he wasn't surprised.

"Yes." The old man nodded gravely. "Yes, I can."

"Can you help me?"

"No." The owner looked surprised. "Why would I do that? This is your punishment."

"But... why?" Tim cried. He looked around. "Why me?"

The old man laughed. "You? YOU?!"

Pulling a bottle from his pocket, the old man wiggled it in front of Tim's face. Then, he uncorked it and dashed its powdery contents across the room.

As the powder settled, images began to appear. Soon, the room was full of silent figures, mouths open in insane screams that would never be heard. A crowd of people, boys and girls, young and old, all filled the room, their sorrowful eyes on Tim, the latest victim to curiousity. As the dust touched the ground, the figures disappeared, still there, but doomed to wander alone forever.

Tim screamed, silent to the world. The old man smiled darkly, then walked out. Before he left, however, he turned around to a wailing Tim.

"Goodnight, boy. How long will it be, I wonder, before you lose your mind?"