Atlas Cloud And The Amulet of Thieves Read Online Free PDF Page A

alone. I look back at the oak tree and the illusive illusionist was gone. I have to find him.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    5 –CHOICES-
     
     
     
     
     
    We walked all the way home, well to Eli’s house. Home for me was merely a memory. The Thorne’s car was parked outside. The service must have finished as they beat us home. I felt guilty for leaving the funeral in the way that I did, like I betrayed him. But the thought of finding out why he died filled me with an odd sense of hope. It wasn’t possible that he was going fast enough to knock us off the road halfway into the field. It must be connected with the surprise visit from Farro in the middle of the night. I remember back to the magic show. We left the show early because dad was afraid of something. It must have been the magician, maybe he has something to do with it. I will find him, confront him and question him. I lay on Eli’s bed, staring at the ceiling, looking at the glow in the dark stars, and wondered how much simpler life would be out there in the abyss. Floating in the nothingness, watching as worlds die, and as worlds are reborn. I stayed there for a good hour wondering and dreaming, considering I don’t sleep most nights it was nice to have time to daydream with just my thoughts, thoughts that I control. I know that as soon as I fall asleep my mind will betray me and force me to watch the woman in the mirror, as if I’m a prisoner in my own body. I turn over and look at Eli sat at the computer, clueless of the mighty torment I suffer. He has tragedy riddled through his life and yet he stands chirpy and sturdy, whilst I feel as if I’m crumbling.
     
    “What you looking at?” I said with curious intrigue.
     
    “I’m researching that magician from the magic show.” He replied with his eyes glued to the monitor.
     
    “Researching?”
     
    “Yeah, there’s a video clip I found of him from a couple of years back.” He turned the monitor towards me. I was curious to see what other tricks he had performed. Eli clicked play and we sat there watching the curtains open, revealing the familiar shiny new oak floor boards. They appear to be in a lot better shape than they are now. The quality on the video was terrible; I could just make out the edge of the stage. The magician swaggered on the same, still wearing the same attire he did before. The staff he was holding had the same skull with glowing eyes on top of it. I don’t know anything about him and yet he has turned up and changed my life. He performed a similar trick except Roko, the assistant, wasn’t there. There was someone else, must have been a previous assistant. There was also a man stood to the side of the stage, just behind the curtain. I couldn’t make out a face, only the silhouette of the mysterious man. He was watching very carefully, his eyes didn’t venture away from the act. The magician stamped his staff down, like before. My palms were sweating and I was fidgeting in my seat. Eli was holding his breath. I could tell because his cheeks were burning bright red. This time after the third stomp of the staff, there was a flash of light. The camera shook about and chaos filled the room. Panic. The man behind the lens steadied himself and put the stage back in the spotlight. The assistant was ablaze, there must have been a mistake, something must have gone wrong. Farro hurriedly pulled his coat off and wrapped it around the man. He was screaming for help, the words started to slur as his tongue began to melt in his mouth. The shady character in the back ran on stage with a fire extinguisher and some more blankets. The camera man moved in close, he must have been standing right up against the stage now.
     
    “Put that camera away, boy!” Farro shouted whilst putting his hand up in front of the camera. He persisted with the recording. The unknown entity who was trying to help save the assistant walked around Farro, towards the camera man. As he moved, he staggered into the