“Shh.
Mark this.” The man put his finger to his lips and pointed forward.
The empty seats in front of us slowly began to settle in, one family
at a time, but I didn’t see this. I followed his finger towards the
front, past the families being ushered to their seats, past the
sounds of impatient children who wanted to see somebody make a fool
of themselves onstage for a cheap laugh.
Another
sound added itself to the mix. A large whoosh as gears and pulleys
worked to pull the curtain back. Immediately a cool air flooded the
room, filling every corner, smothering all sounds, drawing everyone’s
attention to the front. The sudden drop of temperature sent a chill
to my spine. The man next to me gave me a half-hearted crooked smile
and lowered his finger.
There
was a sudden, sharp sound of leather striking wood. I jerked my head
to see the empty stage. Another step. Another, each step with more
purpose than the second, a surety of foot as each step grew louder
and louder. The Performer emerged from the empty black space, glided
down center stage to the edge of the apron and thrust out his smoking
hand with a sly smile. “Do I have your attention now?”
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